Apologies this took so long. It's a MAMMOTH chapter (6400 words). I finished tonight, and had a quick scan through. If you spot any grammatical errors, apologies again. I will likely come back and edit it, but it shouldn't effect your reading experience. Enjoy :)

*

I'll find you again...

Yunhee's head jolted off the bureau, a piece of paper cemented to her blemished cheek as she blinked at her surroundings

'Jimin?' she whispered, her heart beating fanatically while she glanced around the room. 'Are you there?'

The study remained silent.

With a tired grumble, Yunhee peeled the sheet from her face and dropped it next to the book she'd been reading. Why would Jimin materialise now? She was merely dreaming of his voice after falling asleep at his desk because she was exhausted.

Closing the paperback, she stretched her arms above her head and yawned. The pages were irrelevant to their investigation, but after hours of taking notes on wormholes and components of the planets, she'd given up and opened the item that had drawn her in at the National Library.

Besides the stone, The Law of Attraction was her only connection to Jimin. Reading it comforted her to an extent. It also killed time while waiting for Jin to return with six cases of bottled water. Friday had come around fast, and their trip to the warehouse to test their theory on the four elements was finally upon them.

If it worked, she would no longer need the solacing book to feel close to Jimin. If it worked, she would see him again...

Scraping her chair back, Yunhee rose to her feet to gather up her new research, thinking about the plan. Jin was driving her to Jebu-ri island tonight. The beach house was the only other place she wanted to be. The only other place she could feel close to Jimin and the memories they'd shared.

Speak of the devil.

Yunhee placed her books down when she heard Jin's voice out in the foyer. He'd arrived with their goods, but it sounded like he was stuck in a debate with his bothersome colleague on the phone.

'I'll drop by in the morning to go over the accounts,' Jin appeased on the other side of the door. 'There's something I need to do today.'

'You're slacking off again?' Namjoon bellowed loud enough for the whole estate to hear. 'There are things we need to do, Jin. Like search for our boss-'

'The word slack is not in my vocabulary,' Jin replied nonchalantly as he strode into the study. When his eyes met Yunhee's, he lifted an index finger and mouthed, 'One sec,' before resuming his conversation. 'And believe me when I say I am looking for him, Joon.'

'You think I was born yesterday? When are you going to tell me what you're up to, Seokjin?'

'Soon,' Jin stated calmly as he strolled towards the bureau Yunhee was propped on. 'I'll be at the club eight sharp.'

'Don't you hang up on me-'

Jin tore the phone from his ear and cut the call. 'Cranky git.'

'Trouble in paradise?' Yunhee tittered as he rammed his cell into the pocket of his white chinos.

Today, his navy crew neck shirt complimented the trousers, but Jin's attire was frighteningly casual for his taste. Perhaps it was because - as he'd so snobbishly put it - he needed to "mingle with the peasants at the supermarket".

'You think Jimin is hot-headed?' the man muttered sarcastically. 'You wanna try working with this guy.'

'You know,' Yunhee said, looking up at him as he perched beside her, 'you could try him with the truth.'

'Hark!' Jin laughed and crossed arms. 'Anyway, it'll never work. Unless we provide Joon with solid evidence, he's never going to believe what happened. That's just the way he rolls.'

Yunhee nodded slowly, fiddling with the ends of her French braid as his words sank in.

The truth.

Were Tae and the boys going to require proof, too? If their concept of pouring water onto the stone worked, and the vortex opened, could she take the four of them to the warehouse to see it for themselves?

'Speaking of telling people the truth,' Jin said as he roused from his silence and stepped in front of her. His face was astute, but his lips wore a hint of a smirk and his eyes glowed with mischief. 'There's someone here to see you.'

Yunhee's mouth parted, her insides bursting with exhilaration as she pushed off the desk and unfolded her arms.

As if reading her mind, Jin's face fell a notch and he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 'Sorry, I didn't mean...Jimin's not...'

'Oh.'

Three timid knocks resounded and Yunhee's gaze quickly swept to the study door when it opened a crack. A head of chestnut hair popped through the gap, and when a pair of golden-flecked irises met hers, she gasped in surprise.

'Hobi...'

The usual beam that reached from ear-to-ear was absent as her friend slipped into the room, but Hobi wore a smile nevertheless, a brave face covering layers of concern as he tentatively approached.

'I'll give you some privacy,' Jin said compassionately before nodding and taking his leave.

The door clicked shut and Yunhee's shoulders bounced as the noise shattered the tense silence. They were alone now, two once remarkable friends staring awkwardly at the other as the threads of their relationship struggled to stay together.

'Hello,' Hobi greeted, his body twitching forward an inch before remaining put.

Yunhee's face creased for a split second, pained that he felt the need to keep his distance when all she wanted to do was get lost in the warmth of one of his welcoming hugs. 'Hello.'

'You look amazing,' Hobi complimented, sweeping his hand towards the elegant braid that she'd somehow managed to master this morning. 'Your hair got longer. I was gonna mention it when you came by the other day, but...'

Yes, Yunhee thought, Tae happened.

'It's okay,' she assured, biting her lip as she nervously played with her hair, 'and thank you.'

Yunhee was grateful that he was trying to break the ice, but after their last encounter, the elephant in Jimin's study had tripled in size. She could see that he was unsure, his pleading eyes flickering over her face to gauge whether she would recoil from his touch.

Despite that, there wasn't an ounce of sexual desire present, only a desire to rekindle what they'd once shared, along with the need to comprehend how and why it had gotten to this stage.

Yunhee's heart broke when reality hit. He was not the Hoseok from the other world; he could never be. He was simply Hobi, standing there like a lost soul, waiting for her to make a move.

Because she was the only one capable of mending the cracks in their friendship.

'I'm sorry,' Yunhee whined and shuffled forward, 'so sorry.'

'Shit,' Hobi cursed, taking two strides to tug her into his chest. His soft lips pecked her hair, his hands gently running up and down her spine in a soothing manner. 'It's alright. I missed you.'

'I missed you, too,' Yunhee muttered with her nose pressed against his t-shirt. 'I'm sorry.'

Sighing in frustration, Hobi pulled away and held her at arm's length. 'Why do you keep apologising? There's nothing to be sorry about, kitten.'

Yunhee shuddered, wrenching out of his embrace the second the pet name left his lips. 'Please don't call me that.'

'Why not?' Hobi frowned as she peeked at her shoes to hide her red cheeks. 'Why not, Yunhee?'

The irritation in his voice was evident, and it was clear her friend was not backing down nor leaving the mansion until he heard the truth. Yunhee couldn't find the words to justify it, though. The only way this could work was if she started from the night at the warehouse.

'Why don't you take a seat,' she gestured to the couch.

Hobi huffed in disapproval, refusing to take her up on her offer. Instead, he placed his hands on his hips, glancing peevishly around the room. 'This is Park Jimin's study, isn't it?'

'Yes,' Yunhee replied without hesitation.

Shaking his head in utter incomprehension, Hobi continued his perusal of the sumptuous study until his eyes landed on the array of papers cluttering the bureau. She didn't stop him when he roamed towards them, not even when he picked up a sheet strewed with handwritten notes on parallel universes.

'What the heck is this?' Hobi's puzzled eyes darted over the mindless scribbles, the etch in his brow deepening as he read.

'Research,' Yunhee replied as she ambled timidly towards him. 'Hobi, how are you here?'

Placing the paper back where he found it, Hobi sent her a blasé shrug and picked up a book. 'Jin invited me.'

'J-Jin?' Yunhee choked.

He'd arranged a meeting without her consent?

Jin had made his feelings perfectly clear from the start about speaking to her friends, but he understood Yunhee's reasons for holding back, especially after she'd fled their apartment and thrown herself hysterically into the passenger seat of his awaiting car.

He'd driven back to Pyeongchang-dong that day, allowing Yunhee the time to calm down and explain Tae's sudden appearance and the way his presence had triggered the haunting whispers of another man.

Why, then, had he gone as far as to invite Hobi to the mansion without warning her first?

'What did you expect?' Hobi challenged as if she'd spoken her thoughts aloud. 'I've texted you countless times since you ran away, and you've not once had the decency to reply. You sent the initial message last week, Yunhee. You reached out to me.'

Yunhee remembered every one of the imploring messages she'd received from Hobi, but she hadn't responded. She was still mad at him for what he'd done.

'I asked you not to mention it to Tae!'

Hobi's face contorted angrily and he slammed the book down onto the bureau. 'Why is it such a big deal? The man's a selfish tosspot, but he loves you and deserves to know what the fuck is going on as much as I do!'

Yunhee's face plummeted and she withdrew a step, unaccustomed to hearing her friend riled up and swearing.

Upon seeing her disquiet, Hobi loosened up and ran his fingers through his hair with a regrettable moan. 'Look, I didn't come here to fight-'

'You needn't have come here at all,' Yunhee retaliated, uselessly clutching at straws. 'I told you the other day that I'm safe.'

'No, I'm not buying it,' he contested as he strode around the bureau to stand over her. 'What's really going on here, Yunhee? This isn't normal behaviour. This isn't like you.'

'I know...I just...' Yunhee slapped her hands on her thighs and tried to relocate the courage she'd found when they'd hugged.

Why was she fighting this?

A part of her wanted to tell Hobi everything. If anyone was going to believe her, it was him. It was the reason she'd arranged to meet him two days ago. But now she stood quaking and doubting herself because her stubbornness had gotten them into a stupid argument.

If she didn't speak now, if she left it for days or even weeks and months, it would manifest into something much uglier, and they may never speak again.

She couldn't let that happen. She would not allow her demons to win.

'There's nothing normal about what happened,' Yunhee mumbled as a stream of emotions surged to the surface.

Hobi's eyes widened at her choice of words and he moved closer when tears pricked the backs of her eyes. 'I don't care if you're safe here. I don't care if Jin is protecting you. Something is seriously wrong. I don't know what I can do to help, but I want to try. So, please...tell me.'

Yunhee exhaled when Hobi's fingers slipped into her palm, the remnants of the walls she'd built around her finally crumbling to dust. 'I'm afraid.'

'Afraid of what?' Hobi encouraged, ducking his head to catch her eye. 'Park Jimin?'

'No.' Yunhee chuckled ironically and wiped her runny nose before peering up at him. 'I'm afraid of Tae. I'm...I'm afraid of you.'

For a moment, Hobi seemed hurt and he reared away. His mouth was open as if he wanted to protest, but then he took a deep breath and pushed past it. His face was determined now, his fingers squeezing hers that bit tighter.

'Why? What changed?'

Leading him over to the sofa, she took a seat and waited for Hobi to settle by her side before speaking.

'You knew about Tae's past with Jimin, didn't you?' she asked.

'Yes,' Hobi responded, his features riddled with guilt as he gazed at her.

'Why didn't you tell me?' she blurted, unsure if she even wanted to know.

If Tae had been upfront from the start, she may have ended their relationship before Jimin had the chance to barge into her life.

'It wasn't my place, Yunhee. Does that make me a shitty friend? Maybe. I hated that he was hurting you. You've no idea how much I wanted to punch him every day for not being honest, but I had to trust that he would get there in his own time.'

'Yeah?' Yunhee laughed bitterly. 'Well, he left it a little late.'

'He did,' Hobi concurred sadly. 'I know things didn't end well. You were supposed to come to my place the night you broke up, but you never showed. Tae had no idea where you were when I called him, either. After a few days and still no word from you, he came clean about the embezzlement and the kidnapping. He said he tried to save you, but Park Jimin took you again.'

'He didn't take me, Hobi,' Yunhee admitted as she looked him directly in the eye, 'I disappeared. We both did.'

'What do you mean you disappeared?' he grimaced. 'Did you...run away?'

'Not exactly.' Yunhee shifted on the sofa to face him, and Hobi subconsciously mirrored her posture. Their knees touched as she shakily scooped up his hands and held them between them. 'We've been trapped in a parallel world...'

And just like that, Yunhee told her story, forgoing not a single detail of her encounter during her two-week absence.

Hobi's backside remained glued to the couch as she spoke about the vortex and the world they'd stumbled upon, the different outcome in the café, the night she and Jimin had been murdered, and that Jin and Namjoon were not part of the mob.

But when she mentioned that Taehyung was a Mafia King and that Hoseok worked for him, Hobi's face distorted in displeasure.

'So, you're telling me that some crazy man from another universe who looks like Taehyung is after you and Jimin?'

'He doesn't look like Taehyung, he is Taehyung.'

'I...hold on. What?' Hobi laughed and jumped to his feet. 'That's impossible. Are you sure you didn't bang your head and spend two weeks in a coma?'

'No, Hobi,' Yunhee urged as she rose from the sofa, 'it's all true. More importantly, Jimin is stuck there! That's why I'm here with Jin. We've spent the past fortnight trying to find a way to bring him home.'

'Are you out of your mind?' Hobi screeched, pacing across the rug. 'Why don't you leave him there?'

'Because Taehyung will kill him.'

'If he comes home, our Taehyung will kill him,' Hobi countered before stopping short in the centre of the room. 'Oh, my God. Listen to me, I sound as mental as you!'

'At least you believe me,' Yunhee half-smiled, 'I think...'

Hobi scoffed, his face peppered with scepticism as he approached her. 'Is this why you ran to the club instead of coming to us? Because this Taehyung guy hurt you?'

'Yes.'

'Did...' Hobi clenched his jaw as if fighting some inner war, 'did I hurt you?'

'Yes,' she replied weightily.

'Fuck,' Hobi winced as Yunhee hurried forward and clutched his hands.

'Now do you understand why I was reluctant to meet? I know those men aren't you, but I've had to battle the fear they instilled every single day. I reached out to you because I wanted to get past it. You mean so much to me,' Yunhee sought to make him understand, but Hobi's stance was rigid as he stared oddly at her.

'That makes sense, but I have a question.' Cocking his head to the side, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his face so close to hers that Yunhee's heart almost sprang out of her ribcage. 'Why the hell are you so invested in bringing Park Jimin back?'

Shit, Yunhee thought as she rubbed furiously at her forehead, how do I get around this one?

There was a reason she'd skipped over the details of her relationship with Jimin. There was no easy way to explain that she'd fallen for the man in such a short space of time, but it was an impossible subject to avoid after openly admitting that she'd spent all her time trying to bring him home.

'It's complicated.'

'This entire situation is complicated. Stop avoiding the subject.'

'He's not a bad guy, Hobi,' Yunhee spoke as she nibbled anxiously on her bottom lip. 'Despite what people say, he's kind-hearted, compassionate-'

'Oh, holy shit!' Hobi ripped his hands from hers and sprang back like he'd been burnt. 'You two...you're...you slept with him?'

Yunhee groaned and turned away in embarrassment. 'Why does that sound so much cheaper than it is?'

'So, you did! What were you thinking?' Hobi chided. 'Do you know who this man is? What he's capable of? He destroyed Tae's life and kidnapped you, for crying out loud!'

'I'm aware, Hobi,' Yunhee muttered as she whirled around, 'but I understand him better than anyone. He's not the monster people believe him to be.'

'Bullshit!' Hobi spat ferociously. 'He's a low-life crook who took his enemy's woman with the intent to hurt-'

'If you have a problem with men hurting women, perhaps you should have a word with your other self.'

Yunhee instantly berated herself when Hobi flinched and retreated a step. Her response was a knee-jerk reaction for attacking Jimin, but what did she expect under the current circumstances?

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that,' Yunhee apologised while scratching her head, 'I just want you to know that Jimin isn't that way inclined. He was never going to harm me. It was Tae he wanted to hurt.'

'Regardless,' Hobi's tone was alarmingly low, 'he abducted you, and then you fell into bed with him. You know what they call that? Stockholm Syndrome, Yunhee.'

'This isn't some psychological response to Jimin saving me from a greater evil, Hobi. It happened for a reason. Fate played its part ten years ago, just like it played its part four weeks ago when I walked into that club to deliver that Goddamn liquor. You honestly think this is some passing fancy?'

Squaring her shoulders, Yunhee made sure that she had Hobi's full attention as she spoke.

'What Jimin and I share is as real as the vortex that threw us together. I have no idea how or why; it doesn't even matter anymore. All I know is that I care about him, and I'm going to do everything within my power to ensure he gets back safe because he would do it for me.'

Yunhee was panting by the time she finished her speech, and Hobi looked like a deer in headlights as his jaw fell slack.

'Bloody hell, you really do like him, don't you?'

'A lot,' she claimed.

'And you're sure that he returns your feelings?'

'I'm sure.' With a wretched sigh, Yunhee curled her fingers around his upper arms. 'You came here because you wanted to learn the truth, and now you have it. Jimin is a great man, Hobi. I don't expect you to be his buddy, but I'm asking you for some more time so that Jin and I can bring him home and you can meet him again.'

Hobi watched her closely, his gaze baffled as she waited for him to reply. He scowled for a second before swiping his hand over his face and sighing in defeat.

'The stupid shit you make me do.' Walking away, Hobi took a moment to compose himself before swinging around. 'Look, I've known you long enough to know you're not easily swayed by men. An attractive man with power and fortune? You'd rather kick someone like that in the balls.'

'I did once,' Yunhee sniggered, making her friend grin for the first time that morning.

'If you say you like him, and he likes you, then fine; I believe you, but please,' Hobi hurried to where she stood and held her by the arms, 'be careful. Jimin may not be a bad guy, but he lives in a completely different world to you.' He ceased talking after his poignant words before shaking himself off. 'You know what I mean.'

Rather than responding, Yunhee wrapped her arms around Hobi's torso and pulled him into a hug. She knew all too well that he was struggling to grasp everything that had happened, not to mention her bombshell of a relationship with Jimin, but as always, he was going out on a limb for her sake.

Hobi was right. She trusted Jimin with her life, and she hoped in time that her friends would see the man for what he truly was, but that didn't eliminate the dangers ahead.

Jimin was a Mafia King, and with that came trouble.

'So, this vortex,' Hobi eased out of her arms to wander over to the bureau, 'are you and Jin any closer to finding a way to open it?'

'Maybe,' Yunhee said with a secret smile as she joined him, 'but I won't blow your mind with our theories just yet. I think you've heard enough.'

'I'll say.' Hobi blew out his cheeks while snatching up a book named Hyperspace. 'This is a lot to process, and seeing is believing.'

'You sound like Namjoon,' Yunhee snickered.

Hobi lowered the book and grimaced. 'You're friends with him, too?'

'Here? No way. In the parallel? Yes,' she confirmed. 'Anyway, Jin will vouch for me. He saw what happened at the warehouse.'

'Funny,' Hobi said while sifting through the notes on the desk, 'Tae never mentioned anything weird about that night, but...'

'You think he's hiding something?' Yunhee's eyes widened as she gawked at him.

'Perhaps,' the man sniffed, 'Tae's a mystery at the best of times. I never know what's going on in his head, especially lately.'

'Does he know you're here?' Yunhee's heart rate increased at the thought.

'Not exactly,' Hobi replied, then sighed and turned to face her. 'I won't lie. Tae pushed me to try and talk to you again, that's why I sent all those messages. When Jin got in touch, it was the perfect opportunity to see you. I told Tae that you'd agreed and that we were meeting at a coffee shop, though. I don't think he'd be too happy about you being here.'

'Ah,' Yunhee nodded slowly, feeling uneasy that her friend was having to lie. But who was she to talk? She'd asked Hobi to keep her reappearance a secret. 'Are you going to tell them about the vortex?'

'I really don't want to lie to my friends, Yunhee. It's unfair, but I guess this has to come from you.' Hobi breathed in a lungful of air as he considered his words. 'I think it will help if you speak to Tae. You can't hide from him forever. The sooner you face him, the sooner you can forget about those bastards.'

Not if Taehyung's alive and gets through the vortex, Yunhee thought with an involuntary shudder.

The pervasive man was already in her head despite being worlds apart. There was also no denying the fact that he and Tae shared remarkably similar traits. Her ex-boyfriend was strong, tenacious, and extremely hot-headed when things didn't go his way, and the chances of him believing her story were slim to none without substantiation.

He would also throw a fit if she so much as mentioned being close to Park Jimin.

'I'll tell him. When the time is right, I will tell him everything. For now, though, I need to focus on opening that portal.'

Hobi grunted his agreement before regarding her hopefully. 'What about us? Can I see you again?'

'I guess so,' Yunhee uttered shyly as she collected up the sheets of paper and arranged them into a neat pile. 'Being with you was not as bad as I first imagined.'

'What do you take me for?' Hobi scoffed as he helped her assemble her research. 'Why don't you come stay with me for a few days? I have plenty of space and won't get under your feet. If you freak out, you have permission to slap me.'

'I don't want to slap you!' Yunhee laughed as Hobi jiggled his eyebrows and poked his cheek. 'Besides, I'm going away for a bit.'

'Oh?' Hobi's voice rose an octave, his hand dropping from his disappointed face. 'Where? Is it in relation to opening the portal? Are you camping out in the warehouse next to the enigmatic stone?'

'No,' Yunhee giggled, deciding to keep the details of relocating to her grandma's beach house to herself for now. 'I'll just be out of town for a while.'

It was not that she didn't trust him, but Tae was persistent and knew how to push all the right buttons to extract information. The last thing she needed was him showing up at her doorstep trying to worm his way back in.

If Hobi didn't know, then neither would anyone else.

'What about Jimin?' Hobi asked out of the blue.

'What about him?' Yunhee asked casually, shoving the papers she planned to take to the warehouse into a folder.

'I mean, if he returns, are you going to stay here with him?'

Yunhee frowned; it was a good question and something she'd barely thought about. Was she ready to move in with a mob boss after only a few weeks?

'I can't say yet. Things happened really fast for Jimin and I, and we had no time to talk about our future. For all I know, he may not even want me here,' she joked.

'Well, he'd be a fool to turn you away,' Hobi said with a startlingly serious attitude. 'Listen, I don't know where you're heading, but if you change your mind and decide you want some company, call me.'

'I will,' Yunhee sighed, clasping her notes to her chest. 'Thanks for understanding, Hobi. I appreciate you not calling the asylum.'

'There's time yet, kitten-' Hobi cringed when Yunhee withdrew a fraction. 'I take it that slimy shithead had the same pet name for you.'

'Unfortunately,' she muttered as the study door flew open and Jin marched in, 'um, hey.'

'Hate to break things up, but we need to make a move,' he said unapologetically as he glanced at his Rolex. 'You need a ride home, Hoseok?'

'It's Hobi,' her friend smiled tightly, 'and no, thank you. My car's out front.'

'Oh,' Jin said mockingly, 'the tin can's yours. Okay.'

'Behave, Jin,' Yunhee warned as she gave her happy pal one last hug.

'Don't be a stranger,' Hobi mumbled into her neck before Jin yanked him free and ushered him away.

Yunhee wriggled her fingers to bid him farewell, sniggering when Hobi paled at the sight of the gun strapped to his waist. When the two men disappeared into the foyer, she killed some time checking over her paperwork while waiting for Jin to come back and collect her.

'Did you leave him sitting at the gates waiting for them to open?' Yunhee scolded as the smug man re-entered the study and balanced on the edge of the bureau.

'Maybe a little,' Jin shrugged.

Yunhee gave him a shove, but then smiled bashfully. 'Thanks for inviting him over. I needed that.'

'I'm never wrong. Remember that,' Jin pointed a finger at her before jumping off the desk. 'You all packed?'

'Yes. You have the water?'

'Yes.'

Jin sent her a dashing grin. 'Then, let's roll.'

*

Hobi froze the second he walked into the apartment. Three sets of eyes stared expectantly at him, one pair in particular burning brightly with fire beneath his glasses.

Kicking off his shoes, he dropped his keys to the table and shrugged his jacket off. 'Hey.'

'Hey,' Jungkook and Suga greeted in unison from the sofa.

'Well?' Tae grilled, already on his feet with folded arms. 'Did you see her?'

Hobi fought the panic threatening to overwhelm him as he shuffled into the living room.

The boys were under no illusion that he'd met Yunhee, but they had no idea that he'd driven to Park Jimin's mansion. He figured it best to speak to the woman and assess what was going on before spilling the beans, but the moment he'd left Pyeongchang-dong, he knew he was going to have to skirt around the truth again.

'Um, no,' Hobi fibbed, avoiding eye contact with everyone while awkwardly glancing at the cork board, 'she never showed at the coffee shop.'

'What do you mean she never showed?' Tae disparaged as he pushed his round glasses into his hair. Jungkook fidgeted and looked a trifle upset, while Suga remained immobile on the sofa with a poker face that scared him more than the Candyman. 'Did she not text you to say she was running late?'

Jesus Christ, Hobi thought, running his hands over his face, he's persistent.

'I don't know, Tae,' he mumbled, 'I'm not Yunhee's keeper.'

'They met at Park Jimin's estate,' Suga said in a bored tone, 'that's where she's been staying.'

The living room fell silent, Tae's breath lodging in his throat as Hobi's jaw hit the floor. 'You sneaky little bastard. You followed me, didn't you?'

Shrugging, Suga rose to his feet and stepped in front of him. 'I did. And before you bite Tae's head off, don't. I took it upon myself to go because something smelled off. I can read you like a book, Hoseok.'

'Why are you lying to us again?' Tae asked incredulously, making Hobi's face glow red. But it wasn't from embarrassment.

This time, it was from anger.

'Because Yunhee asked me to, okay?' Hobi snapped, tired of running around playing matchmaker for a man who - quite frankly - didn't deserve her. 'You're not exactly in her good books, and you bloody well know it!'

The outburst surprised everyone in the room, including himself, but Hobi was at the end of his tether after today. He hated that Tae had lied to Yunhee for almost a year, hated that the coward had hurt her because he couldn't get his shit together.

Hobi had expressed his concern countless times over the months, and now he was pissed because he'd spent weeks on end trying to locate Yunhee while resenting the man who'd dragged her into the mess to begin.

'Was...was Park Jimin there?' Jungkook asked warily as Hobi and Tae participated in a staring contest.

'No,' Hobi eventually replied, 'just Kim Seokjin.'

'So, he is holding her?' Tae rasped, fists clenching at his sides as the veins popped in his temples.

'Look, no one is holding her, okay?' Hobi sighed, scraping his fingers through his shaggy hair while sinking onto the sofa. 'Jin asked me to speak to her.'

'Jin?' Jungkook spluttered.

'Why would Kim Seokjin invite you to Pyeongchang-dong to speak to Yunhee?' Tae questioned, looking equally bewildered as his friends as they all gathered around.

'Because,' Hobi said softly, recalling his earlier conversation with Jin, 'he's worried about her, too.'

'Is it true about the vortex?' he asked Jin as they walked through the foyer.

'I certainly hope so, otherwise we're all going to end up in the loony bin,' the man joked and released a high-pitched laugh that almost pierced his eardrums.

Bizarrely, their discussion was civil, and Hobi could see in the mobster's eyes that he was no threat. If anything, Jin was loyal and protective.

An odd sort of character, but decent, nevertheless.

'I'll take care of her,' Jin assured as he opened the oak door to see him to his car, 'don't worry.'

Hobi instinctively knew that Jin was already taking care of Yunhee, and that was the only valid reason for driving away from the mansion. She was in no more danger residing there than any of Park Jimin's friends or family.

'So, what did she say?' Tae coughed and rubbed at the nape of his neck. He'd apparently calmed down, his shoulders less taught than a minute ago. 'Is she okay after...you know...?'

Running away from you two days ago? Hobi wanted to say as he ran his hands over his clammy skin.

'She's good,' he affirmed while trying to piece a reasonable narrative together to satiate Tae.

Hobi was over the moon that Yunhee had finally opened up to him, but her story was the most radical thing he'd ever heard in his entire life. It didn't matter that he'd promised not to mention the vortex; there was no straightforward way of explaining it without making Yunhee seem like she'd lost the plot.

Hell, he barely believed it himself.

But what other reason was there for her to fear them? The Hahm Yunhee he knew would never make up such a crazy tale in order to avoid them. She'd always prided herself on being blunt and honest with everyone.

There was also the other little issue of her falling for Park Jimin. Jesus wept; what the hell was he going to do with that loaded gun? Tae would murder the man if he ever found out that he'd slept with his girl.

Clearing his throat, Hobi looked between his three anxious friends before homing in on the one man who was the potential key to unlocking the mystery. Yunhee had said that Jin would vouch for her because he'd seen the miraculous orb of light.

Tae had been there with them...

'That night at the warehouse,' he asked with a scratchy voice, 'what did you see?'

It was a subtle shift, but Hobi witnessed it nonetheless.

Uncertainty.

Tae's brow twitched, his pupils dilating a millimetre as he tilted his head suspiciously. 'Why?'

'Just answer the question.'

'Okay. What I saw was some power infested dickhead kidnap my girlfriend right under my nose.'

'Are you sure that's all?' Hobi dared, watching his reaction closely as Suga and Jungkook peeked at him in confusion.

'Yes,' Tae's voice rose as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively, but the word held less conviction than usual. 'Listen, I've no idea what you're trying to imply here, but whatever it is, I don't like it. Park Jimin is responsible for Yunhee's disappearance, and that's the end of it.'

'Taehyung-'

'No,' he barked deeply as he swiped up his jacket and departed the living room, 'I've heard enough.'

'Where are you going?' Suga whined as they followed him into the hall.

'To get some air,' Tae pouted, leaving Hobi feeling like shit as he aggressively threw on his jacket. 'When I get back, the four of us are going to sit down and come up with a plan to rescue Yunhee from that house.'

Crap.

'We can't,' Hobi said quickly.

Tae swung the apartment door open, but halted at his statement and cast him a filthy look. 'What?'

'We can't because she's leaving. She said she's going away for a while, so even if you do decide to storm the grounds like a clown, she won't be there. Oh, and before you ask me where she's going. I have no idea.'

'You expect me to believe a word you say after all the lies?' Tae bit callously as he hovered in the doorway.

'Don't even think about using that against me,' Hobi growled as he shoved his face an inch from his. 'She's willing to talk to you, Tae, but in her own time. She has her reasons. In the meantime, you need to take a Goddamn hint and back the fuck off.'

Tae's face registered signs of disbelief, his fingers tightening around the doorknob as he tried to process his friend's words.

'Fucking dandy,' he scowled before thundering out and slamming the door.

'Tenacious little prick!' Hobi screamed before swivelling around.

Jungkook floated uneasily in the hall while Suga chortled sombrely. 'That went well.'

Hobi rolled his eyes; unable to comprehend what had just happened. He should have known - no matter what truth or lie he told - things were going to escalate.

Kim Taehyung was determinedly head strong and would not be satisfied until he got what he wanted. Right now, he was acting like the twin Yunhee had described from another world, and his behaviour was only going to push her further away.

For the first time in weeks, Hobi understood exactly why she didn't want to face him.

*

ARGH. I hope no one thinks the story is moving too slow. There is so much to cover and I want to make sure everyone gets their time as we move along. Everything that happens it also key, rather than a filler chapter.

p.s We're not far off the point of what happens in chapter 51 and the epilogue of Hahm ;-)

p.p.s WE LOVE HOBI *waves pom-poms*

25th October 2020