"Family"

Author's P.O.V

The final exam had just ended, and Riel let out a deep sigh of relief as she exited the examination hall. The weight of the past weeks of intense studying and stress seemed to lift off her shoulders.

"Heya darling~" a familiar deep voice called out from behind her. She turned around to see In-Yeop standing there with a warm smile, flanked by BTS and his siblings.

"Noona! Let's eat together!" Jungkook exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Sure!" Riel replied, a small but genuine smile spreading across her face.

Jungkook's grin widened as he eagerly hooked his arm with Riel's, practically dragging her towards the cafeteria. She chuckled at his enthusiasm, and the rest of the group followed closely behind, their chatter filling the air.

The cafeteria was bustling with students, the atmosphere lively and filled with the hum of conversations. They grabbed their lunches and found a large table to accommodate everyone. Riel found herself seated between Jungkook and In-Yeop, surrounded by the comforting presence of her friends and loved ones.

As they began to eat, the table was soon filled with the sound of laughter, jokes, and light-hearted banter. The voices of her friends, their chuckles and giggles, echoed around the cafeteria, creating a symphony of joy that warmed Riel's heart.

'So this is what a family feels like?' Riel thought to herself, her gaze drifting over the faces of her siblings and lover. There was a sense of belonging here, a feeling of being part of something bigger than herself.

In-Yeop noticed her thoughtful expression and smiled gently. "What's on your mind?" he asked softly.

She shook her head slightly and replied in a barely audible voice, "Nothing." But the smile on her face remained, a testament to the happiness she felt in that moment.

In-Yeop's smile widened as he watched her. He knew how much he had longed for this-just to see her smile, to know that she was happy.

-Time Skip-

Riel was walking out of the campus, scrolling through her phone, when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see In-Yeop standing there, his eyes filled with affection.

Riel's P.O.V

"What is it?" I asked coldly, trying to mask the curiosity in my voice.

He made a bread face, his expression softening. "We've to go together today."

I raised my brows, questioning. "Why?"

"The others went already," he explained, making me sigh in resignation.

"Okay, let's go!" I said, starting to walk towards the car.

We reached the car and sat inside. The silence between us was palpable as we drove towards Inho's school. Neither of us dared to break it, each lost in our own thoughts.

"We need to go and pick up Inho, it's almost his dispersal time," I said, breaking the silence. He nodded with a small 'Okay'.

The ride continued in silence until we reached the school gate. In-Yeop stopped the car and turned to me, his eyes pleading. "Can I go and pick him?" He showed his puppy eyes, and I couldn't resist.

"Okay," I agreed, his eyes lighting up. "But! I'll come too," I added, avoiding his gaze.

"Okiee!" he replied, his excitement evident.

Cute! What am I even thinking?! Shut up, girl!

We got out and entered the school. In-Yeop was looking around when I spotted Inho's Homeroom teacher, Ms. Kang Soyeon.

"Hello, Ms. Kang!" I greeted her warmly.

"Hello, Ms. Kim!" she replied with a smile. "Inho!" she called out. Inho came running towards me, and I spread my arms wide for him.

He hugged me tightly, and after a few seconds, he pulled away. "I've so much to tell you today!" he said excitedly in English.

"Oh really? Then how about we go to the car first and then you can tell me everything!" I replied in my English accent.

"Okay! Enough of your English. I'm present here too!" In-Yeop whined, making both Inho and me chuckle.

"How cute!" Inho teased, and In-Yeop playfully glared at him.

In-Yeop let out a chuckle and took Inho's bag from him. "Let's go!" Inho said excitedly, marching towards the car with us following, smiles on our faces.

We reached the car and were about to get in when my phone rang. It was Jen. I told In-Yeop to get inside, and I stepped away to take the call.

"Hail Queen," Jen greeted me.

"Did you find the location?" I asked, my voice cold and firm.

"Bangtan did. Even though Choi Doha and Ashley keep changing their base, they found their main location," Jen informed me.

"That's good! Set a meeting day after tomorrow with Bangtan and Emris at 1am," I ordered.

"Okay, Queen."

I ended the call and walked back to the car. Just as I was about to open the passenger side door, someone patted my shoulder. I turned to see an unknown boy, who laughed nervously before speaking.

"Hello, Ma'am. I'm actually a street photographer and I've clicked some pictures of your family," he said, pausing. "Would you like to see?"

I nodded, and he showed me the pictures.

(I couldn't find the perfect pictures but I've wrote a small description of the pictures. Use your brain cuz' I know it's best at ✨ IMAGING ✨)

In the first picture, I was hugging Inho while In-Yeop looked at us with adoration.

In the second picture, Inho and I were laughing at something In-Yeop did, and I realized how widely I was smiling.

In the third picture, Inho was running towards the car while In-Yeop and I followed, both smiling, with In-Yeop carrying Inho's school bag.

These three pictures, from every angle, screamed— "Family."

× × ×
To Be Continued

I made some changes in ACT II and decided to add this chapter. I'm not entirely sure why I added it, but it feels wholesome (Ig).

- Author Eun
- Love Ya!