Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,552

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @hobipluto​, @shrimpmsg​, 

Chapter 41: Wings

”I wanted things I couldn’t want. I got hurt and hurt again.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seven Years Ago Seoul – Itaewon; Yongsan District South Korea

“I don’t like this.”

“Yeah, me either.”

Namjoon sighed, looking between Seokjin and Yoongi as their bodies pressed against the rest of the large group gathered inside the warehouse. Hoseok stood at Namjoon’s side, saying nothing. But he could see his gaze shifting around the crowd, as if he were trying to spy someone out. Namjoon had an idea of who Hoseok was looking for, but decided not to tease him about it. Instead, he gently nudged Hoseok on his back and watched his friend move a single step forward. He laughed at the child-like pout forming on his friend’s face.

“Changkyun-ah said he’d be here soon,” he reassured, watching Hoseok nod before he turned to look at the crowd again.

He was a bit curious himself. Normally, Changkyun would have shown up to talk their ears off by now. But the other members of the Jade Fangs seemed busy talking amongst themselves, completely unbothered by one of the higher tiered members being absent.

But on that note, Namjoon also hadn’t seen Shownu or Wonho either. There were too many bodies pressed together and for a moment, he almost believed they were going to prepare for a raid of some sort. Yet there’d been no mention of it for weeks when, on days like that, there was a constant buzz of chatter leading up to the day they were to set out in groups.

“Where’s Taehyung-ah? And Jimin and Jungkook, for that matter?” asked Yoongi as he shuffled against Namjoon, Seokjin right behind him. “I lost sight of them when we got here.”

“He said something about meeting up with Hyungwon and the others.” Namjoon rolled his eyes. “He probably dragged the other two off with him.”

Yoongi scoffed while Seokjin sighed. “Those kids,” he said, sounding like a disgruntled parent and causing Namjoon to laugh. His laughter abated when he felt Seokjin cuff him on the shoulder.

“They’re fine, Hyung,” he said while looking at Yoongi who appeared less than satisfied with the answer, “they know what to do if things start to get a little crazy in here.”

Yoongi folded his arms across his chest. “I know. That’s the problem.”

Before Namjoon could say anything further, the wave of murmurs began to escalate in volume. When they looked up to see what the cause of the commotion was, Namjoon blinked in surprise to see Changkyun standing at the front on a stack of crates next to their leader, Park Jongwoon. He had his hands folded behind his back and everyone’s voices began to quiet down as Jongwoon cleared his throat. Shownu appeared on the other side with Wonho standing next to him.

“Brothers,” Jongwoon began, his dark hair falling over one of his eyes, “it has recently come to my attention that some of you appear a bit…dissatisfied with how I’ve been running things. You don’t seem to have any problem reaping the benefits of what I’ve been able to build, yet you have the fuckin’ nerve to complain? Huh?!”

Namjoon felt his chest tighten and he could only blink in surprise. He’d had a conversation with Shownu earlier that week where he’d mentioned the very same thing. Namjoon was at least relieved to know they were speaking on the matter privately where no prying ears could have possibly heard them. Shownu was patient and realistic, but also calculating – just as he was. There was no way something like this would have slipped through the cracks so easily.

Had something else happened?

“After all I’ve done for you fuckin’ scum, you want to question my position as your boss? Your Hyung-nim?”

No one said a word. If someone dropped a pin, it would have sounded like a gun had gone off in the large warehouse. A lump formed in Namjoon’s throat when he looked back up to see that Shownu was looking straight at him.

“If any of you think you can do a better job, then prove it! I fuckin’ dare you!”

He felt Hoseok’s back tense up against his arm, as if he’d realized something. A handful of seconds later, he saw Changkyun place a hand on Jongwoon’s shoulder. The older man turned to look at The Wolf, a curious expression adorning his features, but he gave his second-in-command a knowing smirk. Changkyun did the same.

And then he watched him plunge a knife straight into Jongwoon’s neck.

The shock and betrayal gave way to suffering as Jongwoon began clawing at his neck – a fountain of red spurting out from the punctured vein. Neither Shownu nor Wonho moved to help him as he stumbled backwards, instead side-stepping their boss to avoid being touched. Jongwoon lost his footing and fell from the crates, his body landing with a hard thud despite the distance from the ground being a short one.

No one said anything. There were no cries of outrage. There were no gasps of horror. There were no sobs of anguish.

Only silence.

Changkyun held his bloody hand out, Shownu reaching out to take the knife from him. His shirt was stained with crimson and he idly wiped at the splatters of blood that were on his cheeks – smearing it further along his skin. He took a moment to clean himself, dusting off the backs of his pants, before turning to look back at the rest of the group.

“I’d say that was long overdue, don’t you?”

And then the room erupted into cheers. Namjoon stumbled backwards as the bodies pressed against them, crowding them in their need to jump and holler after just watching their leader being murdered mercilessly before their eyes. It didn’t take him long to figure out just what happened. The look on Hoseok’s face confirmed it.

No one was surprised because this was the plan.

It had been the plan all along.

Present Day Seoul – Hannam; Yongsan District South Korea

Namjoon sat perched on the roof of their home in UN Village. His legs dangled off the edge, swinging back and forth purposelessly while smoking a cigarette. He told himself he’d cut back and, in truth, he had. After moving to Seoul, they’d all hit the ground running. Namjoon wound up graduating college a year and a half earlier than expected – interning with a foreign company before landing himself a solid job behind a desk and quartered off in one of the many cubicles.

It was a means to an end. Being a peon allowed him to move freely between floors in the corporate office and with this he was able to hear a few rumors scattered here and there. It was through those rumors that he was able to land an “in” when it came to the underground. At first, he believed it was just an illegal gambling and dice ring. Indulging in this rumor was how he was able to learn about the various gangsters who ruled over certain territories. Others were still fighting amongst each other, trying to figure out the best way to overtake the other in a competition that was always less than fair.

Now that he was thinking back on those times, he wondered if he’d made the right decision. Shownu was persistent, even then. Eventually, Namjoon, Seokjin, Hoseok and Yoongi were all recruited into the fold of the Jade Fangs. They weren’t ready to bring the younger ones in. Not yet. Until they were able to get a feel of everything, to truly understand where their place was among their ranks, the older brothers wouldn’t risk dragging their younger brothers in.

Breathing smoke out his nose, he carded his fingers through his hair in frustration. Things were getting more and more complicated and he didn’t like it. Everything should have been smooth sailing from this point forward, at least from his calculations. Pulling them out of the game ensured that they were free of any obstacles that would attempt to stand in their way. Because they weren’t in the shadows anymore. They weren’t engaging in backdoor dealings and shaking hands underneath the tables. Not anymore.

And yet, here they were, forced into a problematic situation that they should have anticipated, but hadn’t.

He slowly inhaled the smoke into his lungs, savoring the nicotine as it hit the back of his throat. Namjoon’s eyes narrowed slightly as a soft breeze pushed against his chest, causing a few strands of hair to fly errant while freeing themselves from between his digits. The sun was beginning its descent, preparing to sink below the horizon.

It’s quiet, he thought, his eyes narrowing, too quiet.

Nearly a month had passed since Hoseok met with Changkyun and there were no movements. None of the boys ran into members of the Jade Fangs and, from what was reported back to them, neither had the girls. Jimin, Taehyung, and even Jungkook believed that whatever Hoseok imparted with the Jade Fang’s Wolf must have hit home; that he must have finally gotten the picture.

But Namjoon knew better. So did Seokjin and Hoseok. The three of them were preparing for the proverbial shoe to drop. Yoongi was a little more on edge these days, but it was something unrelated. Or that was the story he was telling and sticking with it. Namjoon knew better than to pry into his older brother’s affairs. Yoongi had a habit of dredging up old demons, but he often handled them privately and never let it interfere with his tasks. He returned to work as though nothing happened. Namjoon knew he preferred it that way.

As the days turned into weeks, he honestly was considering that Hoseok’s message had, in fact, accomplished something. His friend’s restlessness lacked boundaries, however, and there were more than a few instances where Namjoon urged Hoseok to excuse himself during a long string of business meetings. Instead of relaxing, Hoseok looked so wound up that he worried he would start to bounce off the walls like a spring.

Was this the calm before the storm?

Sighing, he leaned back on one hand as he pulled the cigarette from his lips – tapping off a bit of ash off the edge of the roof. A few low hanging clouds began to circle overhead, darkening from the slowly ebbing sunlight painting the skies. There was a distinct orange and purple haze forming with a smattering of pink. It was a beautiful sight, but Namjoon knew it looked better in the countryside – from their hometown.

His mind wandered to the image of his family; his father’s small clinic and his mother’s pharmacy back in Hwaseong. He hadn’t seen them since the New Year celebration the locals held in their small community. They trusted him to handle his business; trusted him to continue walking the path that he was on, regardless of the whispers that escaped from Seoul back to his childhood home. He hadn’t landed himself in jail and he wasn’t on the local news in front of a podium, apologizing to the world for his crimes. That was enough for them.

An ache began to form in his chest and he unconsciously rubbed at it with his free hand while continuing to look at the sky.

“…maybe we should leave for a little while,” he said to himself.

“Is that what you want to do, Hyung?”

Namjoon’s shoulders jumped slightly. He hadn’t expected an answer. Turning to glance over his shoulder, he saw Jimin making his way toward him. The younger man sidled up next to him, flopping down on the ground to dangle his legs over the edge as Namjoon had earlier. He held his cigarette out to him in offering but Jimin scrunched his nose up while shaking his head, causing him to let out a soft chuckle.

“You haven’t changed one bit, Jimin-ah.”

“Neither have you, Hyung,” Jimin replied gently, leaning over to bump shoulders with him. “You didn’t answer my question.” Namjoon quirked a brow at him curiously. “Is that what you want to do?”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters to me.”

Namjoon smirked, replacing the cigarette between his lips and biting down on the filter. “It shouldn’t.”

He heard Jimin let out an exasperated sigh. Namjoon played these sorts of word games with them all the time. They still weren’t used to it; or at least they told him as much.

“It does, Namjoon Hyung.” He cast a sidelong glance to his younger brother who was in the process of brushing his chestnut bangs out of his eyes.

His smile fell slightly, and he looked at Jimin for a long moment. After a while, he sighed out a cloud of smoke before looking back up at the sky. The colors were changing again, even in that short amount of time.

“Do you ever wonder what our lives would have been like had I not come to Seoul for school? Had I not asked you guys to come back with me?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you do, right?” He rolled his neck to look at his younger brother who appeared to be genuinely confused by his question. Namjoon gave a half shrug. “You were the last one to come out here. I didn’t think you would.”

Jimin blinked slowly a few times before averting his gaze to look out over the large expanse of the city. Instead of following his gesture, Namjoon’s eyes remained locked on Jimin’s profile. Another gust of wind pressed against them, causing their hair to fly in various directions. Neither of them bothered to tame the errant locks.

“What’s the point in thinking about it?” Jimin finally said, causing Namjoon to lean back in surprise when he turned to meet his gaze. “It’s in the past and bears no weight on our current situation. Therefore, it doesn’t matter.”

“Jimin-ah…”

“We all made choices, Hyung. Good and bad. They’ve shaped us into the people we are now. I don’t regret that.” Jimin flashed his trademark smile, his eyes shrinking at the corners. “Do you?”

Namjoon suddenly felt a heavy blanket of shame fall over him. To think that one of his younger brothers could be so wise. But it shouldn’t have surprised him. Jimin was always so careful and observant – hardly impulsive like Taehyung and Jungkook. He was the glue that kept them all together, keeping them grounded and silently reminding them what their end goal should always be. What it’s always been.

To live their life on their terms. No one else’s.

He clapped a hand on Jimin’s shoulder, giving it a gentle shake. “You’re right, Jimin-ah,” he said with a smile, “your Hyung lost his head for a moment there.”

Jimin shook his head. “It’s okay if you feel like we should leave, Hyung. No one would blame you for it.” He watched him turn to look back over the city. “It might even be the smart choice for all of us.”

Namjoon nodded, trying his best to rid his mind of the memories of the past. “It might be.” His lips formed into a small grin. “But then what would it have all been for?”

“Then let’s face it, Hyung, head on.” Jimin held his fist out to him. “Together.”

Namjoon bumped fists with him.

“Till the end.”

🌷🌺🌻 SEND THIS TO TEN OTHER BLOGGERS YOU THINK ARE WONDERFUL. KEEP THE GAME GOING 🌻🌺🌷

AHHH. Thank you so much!! I know myself and the other Admins appreciate this message! You too are wonderful!

-Admin L (the L stands for Love You)

Admin E, I gotta say that i squeal whenever you update with Yoongi's story in MIR. And if it's Eden and Yoongi even better. I ship them lol. I know JK's in the picture now ! But a small part of me still wants them together.

I’ll tell you a secret. Even though Jungkook is my bias in BTS, I agree with you. There’s something explosive about Yoongi’s relationship with Eden. I know I received a request on AO3 about writing a one-shot with Eden and Yoongi when they were together, just to get a taste of what their relationship was like during that time and I think I’m going to do it. Just because it was, in fact, a strong relationship. Which is why they are the way they are when they’re around each other. 

So don’t worry: I ship them too. 

~ Admin E

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,448

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @hobipluto​

Chapter 40: Let Go

”No, but I accept your blame. Really, it’s time to say goodbye.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Two weeks had passed since his encounter with Kihyun. Yoongi never would have guessed that seeing Kihyun under those circumstances would rattle him to the core. He’d been uneasy ever since, wondering when he would next run into the man; wondering if he would be better prepared for whatever words would come tumbling from his mouth next.

There was no lingering attachment there. At least not from Yoongi. That part of his life he’d put far behind him. He’d let it go when he traveled to the States and met Eden for the first time. He was able to see someone come from nothing, yet determined to make something of herself. She wasn’t the sort of person who accepted handouts and she always returned a favor – not wanting to place herself in the debt of others.

For the first time in a while, Yoongi thought of his family; the family he’d left behind in Hwaseong. His father, ironically, was the former police chief in the area. His mother ran her business from home, making calendars for people from the photos she’d taken. Yoongi adopted a love of photography thanks to her, but there were few moments when he ventured out with his camera. He just hadn’t had the time for it like he had when he was still a school kid.

Until now.

The shutter clicked wildly as he roamed around one of the parks in Gangnam. Spring was upon them. The blossoms from the cherry trees fluttered in waves on the ground and through the skies. The soft breeze tickled the hairs around his ears, reminding him that he probably needed to get a haircut soon. His legs carried him through the park, memories flooding his mind as he took nature shots and pictures of unsuspecting pedestrians.

There was a time when he would come to the park, usually late at night, with Eden. She hadn’t minded since there were nights when they both worked late. He frowned, recalling the memory of her laughing as she sprayed him with the bottle of water she had in her hand. His hair was drenched and water dripped from his eyelashes and chin, allowing her to get about a five-foot head start before giving chase.

She always let him catch her.

Yoongi sighed, shaking his head to chase the memory away. Stop, he chastised himself, you need to stop. She’s not here and she won’t be.

An image of Jungkook smiling widely as he embraced her replaced the vision in his mind. He paused in his steps, his hands cradling his camera lowering slowly. They finally fell to his sides and the weight of the camera tugged at the strap around his neck. A heaviness filled his chest until it finally collapsed into the pit of his stomach. Yoongi knew he had no right to feel anything at the sight of them together, whether in real life or in his own mind. The reality was still the same. He’d fucked up and his younger brother was doing the one thing he never had the courage to.

He was honest with the woman he loved.

Yoongi scoffed, reaching up to scratch at the side of his nose. A sardonic smile passed over his features as he admitted to himself that he had, in fact, loved that stubborn woman. That he was still in love with her. But he knew he’d blown it and there was no turning back the clock, no matter how much he might have wanted to. The situation was plain and clear as the daylight breaking through the canopy of trees over his head.

It was over. All he had to do was admit it to himself. Truly admit it.

Taking a few steps, he broke through a row of trees and deviated from the path. In the center of the park was a large rock near a man-made creek. The sunlight was always the best here, shining down without prejudice on whoever wished to seek out its light. His feet shuffled through the grass as he ducked under a low hanging branch, using his hand to shield his eyes from the mid-morning light that threatened to blind him.

Just as he was mentally cursing himself for not remembering to bring his sunglasses, he stopped and stared. For a moment, he thought he was seeing things and began to roughly rub his eyes with his fists. Blinking the prism-like spots from his vision, he looked again and saw that he hadn’t, in fact, been imagining things.

There, on the rock, laid Eden – sprawled out like a tiger who’d just finished devouring a kill that was hunted and sleeping off the heavy meal. Her olive skin glowed in the sunlight and he was surprised to see that she was willingly allowing the sun to touch her flesh. He remembered her saying how she hated the sun because it often baked her to a darker shade of brown than she liked, making her look Middle Eastern at times. Not that she had anything against them, but people were always getting her ethnic background wrong and it annoyed her.

Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, signifying that she was, in fact, asleep. Deep asleep, in fact. The gentle babbling from the creek and twittering of birds served as the perfect ambiance to rest and relax. There was a book opened face down on her stomach and her fingers splayed over the spine, holding it in place. But with each breath she took, it slowly slipped further and further from her hand. At the angle she was lying, the moment it left her fingers it would fall into the creek.

As if predicting the future, Yoongi watched the book begin its descent and he rushed forward, snatching up the book before it could meet its watery end. His heart hammered heavily against his ribs as he sighed, standing to his full height before closing the book. Eden mumbled something incoherent before rolling over on the smooth rock to readjust herself to a more comfortable position.

Yoongi was almost flabbergasted by this. He couldn’t remember a time when she’d allowed herself to be this vulnerable. Unless she believed she was safe, she would always jolt awake to the most innocent of sounds – a knife at the ready in her hand.

His brows furrowed while canting his head to the side. Is that it? Yoongi reached out with one hand, his fingers just barely touching her cheek. Do you feel safe here?

She groaned sleepily, causing him to flinch involuntarily. He yanked his hand back, as though he was being struck by a snake. Seconds later, Eden’s phone went off and she immediately sat up – patting her pockets for the item to get it to shut up. Yoongi stood rooted in his spot, unable to flee the scene. He continued to stare at her even as she groggily fisted her eyes to rid them of the sleepy haze sitting on the backs of her eyelids. Eden smacked her lips and then began looking around, her eyes falling on Yoongi.

As she looked at him, Yoongi didn’t move; he didn’t even breathe. Eden seemed to gather up her surroundings and the sleepiness in her gaze was quickly replaced with realization. Her eyes widened as her lips parted, prepared to scream at him. Without thinking, he reached out and covered her mouth with his hand, silencing whatever verbal onslaught she had prepared for him.

“Look, before you say anything, this is completely a coincidence,” he explained rapidly, feeling her huffing over his fingers, “so don’t get crazy, okay?”

Slowly, he removed his hand and held his arms up in surrender. She narrowed her eyes at him, the irritation evident. But she didn’t say anything. Yoongi wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or upset by her lack of clapbacks at that moment.

“Why are you sleeping here?”

“It’s a nice day out and I felt like taking a nap,” she said while standing from the rock, snatching the book from Yoongi’s hand. He’d almost forgotten he’d had it. “Sleeping on the rooftop gets too hot and I burn that way.”

“Yeah, I know…”

For a moment, no other words were shared between them. Even though Yoongi had so much he wanted to say, he couldn’t formulate the words the way he would have liked. Everything he tried to start with sounded like an excuse and all the other options made him sound like an idiot. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Yoongi sighed as he roughly rubbed the back of his head.

“Eden,” he began, his heart rate escalating a measure, “I just…” Eden’s gaze practically bore into his forehead and Yoongi considered averting his gaze. However, he thought better of it and, instead, cleared his throat loudly. “…I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she asked quickly, catching him off guard. Licking his lips, he just looked at her as she folded her arms across her chest. “What are you sorry for, Yoongi-ah? Hm? That you got caught or that I’m with Jungkook now?”

There it was. The dig he was waiting for. He’d prepared himself for it, but he didn’t expect hearing her say it out loud to hurt so much. It was like he’d been hit in the gut with a cannon ball, the proverbial wind knocked straight from his lungs.

It was quickly replaced with anger.

“Goddammit, woman,” he snarled, taking a step forward to close what little distance there was between them, “you are fucking impossible, you know that?”

She sniffed, smirking. “I do, actually.”

Eden moved to pass him, but he quickly grabbed her by her upper arm, yanking her back so that she was flush against his chest. A gasp spilled from her, causing her book to fall against the grass as it slipped from her fingers. She tried to jerk free from him, but he squeezed tighter. He saw her brow twitch, probably from how hard he was holding her, but Yoongi couldn’t stop.

His body moved faster than his brain could process, unable to prevent him from doing what he was getting ready to do. Still in his grasp, Yoongi pushed Eden until her back hit the trunk of a tree. The leaves shuddered with the sudden force placed on its surface and she let out a soft cry. Glaring up at him, he matched her gaze as he looked into her eyes – his reflection cast back at him from her dark umber tones. Eden’s lips pressed together into a thin line, slowly blinking at him. But he saw the tell-tale red flare around her neck to show that her anger was mounting with each passing second.

Yoongi pressed his hips against hers, further bracing her against the tree and preventing her from escaping. But she made no move to remove herself from the situation. Whether she believed it was fruitless or if she was unable to was something that Yoongi couldn’t figure out. Her expression was so impassive outside of her clear outrage. She could have pushed him aside, slapped him, kicked him in the shin or, hell, even kneed him in the nuts.

But she did none of that. The only sign of a visible struggle was the flex of her muscle against his fingers. Why wasn’t she fighting back?

“Yoongi-ah,” she said, cutting through the turmoil raging in his head. He blinked, looking at her – really looking at her. But he couldn’t read the face she was making. “What do you want from me?”

“W-What?” He felt his mouth go dry and he involuntarily tried to swallow.

“You heard me.” She lazily blinked again. “What. Do. You. Want. From. Me?”

Eden made a point to enunciate each word of the question. It stung, like someone plucking hairs straight from the root of his head. But it was a question he wasn’t ready to answer. Or maybe he didn’t have an answer. He had every opportunity to fix the problems he’d caused. He had every chance in the world to come clean and he hadn’t. Asking anything from her, even now, would have been plain selfishness.

Yet, Yoongi wanted to be selfish. He wanted to be greedy. He wanted to play dirty and he wanted to be as unfair as humanly possible.

Instead of answering her, he leaned forward and forcefully pressed his lips against hers. He heard her sharp intake of breath and there was a sound of bark scraping from the tree and hitting the grass. Yoongi waited for her to shove him, slap him, or even to feel a sharp pain in his gut as she stabbed him. None of it came.

Nothing happened.

When he pulled back, Yoongi saw Eden’s eyes filling with tears. Whether they were angry tears or something else, he couldn’t be sure. When they finally leaked from her eyes, he took a step back and released the hold he had on her. His breath came out rapidly – like he’d broken the surface of the ocean after nearly sinking to his death.

There was clarity. Absolute clarity.

And it hurt him.

“Eden, I—”

“Wow,” she said, her bottom lip trembling as more tears streamed down her face, “you’re a real asshole, Min Yoongi. You know that?”

He sighed, nodding.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You’re scum.”

He averted his gaze, too ashamed to look at her.

“I know.”

“And you’re the worst kind of pretender.”

He closed his eyes, wincing.

“You’re right. I am.”

Yoongi heard her leaving, her body shuffling through the grass and branches to exit the park. When her footsteps were far enough away, he felt his legs begin to tremble. Taking a step forward, he spun and let his back fall against the tree Eden previously was pressed on. It was still warm.

He looked down, spying the book that still laid abandoned on the grass. He slid down until he was sitting, his hand reaching out to grasp the book and finally looking at the title. Yoongi smiled bitterly.

“Pride and Prejudice, huh?”

A pathetic laugh escaped his chest as he covered his eyes with his forearm. It was over. It was really over. To think otherwise would have been a fool’s errand. Mistakes were made, even now, and Yoongi had no choice but to admit to them. To admit that she was no longer his.

That she never would be.

Hugging one knee to his chest, he buried his face into the crook of his arm and released a painful laugh. “…I’m sorry, Jungkook-ah,” Yoongi whispered, his voice thick with emotion, “Your Hyung is so fucking sorry.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,480

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 45: 21st Century Girl

“Whatever other people say, whatever this world tells you, you’re the best to me just the way you are.”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Isn’t it early where you are?”

“No, it’s only nine.”

“You look tired though.”

“A lot’s been going on with my new job.”

“I’ll admit, I was a little worried when you said you were quitting your other job. Is that even allowed with the visa you currently have?”

“It’s fine. I applied for another visa through my new company.”

Anastasia sighed, attempting a smile for Jacob. The Skype call had only been going on for about twenty minutes, but it felt like they were talking for hours. She tried to check in about once a week, but with all the hustle and bustle with the company and the ever-blossoming relationship she was in with Seokjin, it was hard to maintain contact in the way she would have liked. Add on the extreme time zone difference and that was how things wound up.

“Is it harder than working for your old job?”

“No,” she said while shaking her head, “it’s about the same workload. I have more responsibilities because I technically got promoted when they hired me.”

Jacob nodded, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. It was getting a little longer than she was used to. He would have cut it by now, but he seemed set on trying out a new image.

She watched him take a drink of water. “Are you happy, Ana?”

Blinking, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of his question. Had she given any indication that she wasn’t happy? She hoped not. She didn’t want him worrying unnecessarily.

Again, she smiled. “Yeah Jake, I’m happy.”

Anastasia watched her brother’s eyes furrow from the computer screen. She knew it wasn’t because he didn’t believe her. He just worried a lot and tended to fuss over her unnecessarily. It was the role Jacob chose to play since he was the second-born. They were only two years apart, but they were thick as thieves and she appreciated how close they were despite her being the oldest of her three siblings. Their baby brother, Phillip, was still just starting college while Elena just graduated from her university. Their parents were still harping on about practicality when it came to their futures, something that both Anastasia and Jacob despised. They should have all been allowed to choose the paths they wanted to live, regardless of the outcomes.

“Well,” he finally said, shrugging one shoulder, “as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

Relief washed over her and she sank back in her chair a little more, cradling the mug of green tea in her hands. Her hand slid from the handle to press a palm to her stomach, a warmer smile touching her features. She must have looked a little silly because the sound Jacob clearing his throat loudly startled her from her thoughts. When she peered back at the screen, his face was a little closer, as if he was leaning forward to look directly into her eyes.

“So, are you finally dating someone now?”

She coughed loudly, sitting up and quickly setting her mug down on the desk by her keyboard. “W-What?” Anastasia attempted to wrangle the words that were escaping her. “What’s with the interrogation anyway?”

Again, Jacob shrugged. “I know you dated that one guy, but that’s it.” He leaned back in his chair, lounging lazily. “Just figured you were seeing someone new.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm, her hands fidgeting until Anastasia started twirling a few locks between her fingers. It was a nervous tick that she hadn’t been able to break and there was no sign of it stopping anytime soon. She’d be an old woman pulling at her thinning gray strands until they put her in the ground.

Jacob laughed, realizing he’d caught her in his cleverly laid trap. If he was within arms-reach, she would have shaken him like a rag doll. “Your face gives away everything. It’s why you suck at poker.”

“Shut-up,” she muttered.

Another window suddenly popped up, notifying her that she had another call. She stared at the screen as Seokjin’s name and picture appeared in the window. Her eyes lowered to the corner of the monitor, spying the time, and she wondered why he was calling. He’d given her the rest of the week off so she could adjust to all the hormonal imbalances that came with her pregnancy. Talking with her brother was part of the whole routine check-up bit, but she really wanted to talk to him about her being with child.

“Hold on, Jake. I have another call.”

“Sure.”

She put her brother on hold, answering Seokjin’s call. When his face popped up on the screen, Anastasia could only stare at how uncomfortably close his face was to the camera. Neither of them said anything. She was too startled to speak and he apparently was trying to read something about her. He did this often when he was trying to catch her in some kind of lie or if she was secretly up to something.

“Seokjin,” she finally said, blinking, “what are you doing?” Anastasia looked over his shoulder to see if he was in his office. “Shouldn’t you be, oh I dunno, working or something?”

“Why are you on the computer?” he asked suddenly. “I gave you the rest of the week off to rest. Not so you could stare at a monitor.”

Anastasia sighed. “I’m talking to my brother. Why?”

“You can’t talk on the phone?”

“Phone calls are expensive. Skype is free.”

He gave her a dissatisfied look. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious! Why are you calling me on Skype if you’re worried about me being in front of a monitor?”

“Because you won’t answer your phone!”

“My phone’s dead and I’m charging it!” Anastasia puffed out one of her cheeks. “Geez, you’re impossible.”

He frowned, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes before leaning back in his chair. “…are you hungry?”

“Am I hung—what?” She looked back at the clock to make sure of the time. “It’s still early!”

“You should at least eat breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Anastasia rolled her eyes. “Shouldn’t you be working? Go back to work!”

Without waiting for his response, she hung up the call and went back to the window her brother was on. Jacob was busying himself with scribbling some notes on a notepad.

“Sorry about that.”

He looked up at the screen, setting his pen down. “Who was that?”

“A potential headache.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Just a headache.”

Jacob smirked. “Yeah? Sounds like a boyfriend to me.”

“Jacob Martin!”

He laughed loudly, holding a hand up as he patted the air. “Okay, okay. I get it. Dropping it now.”

Anastasia smiled as she sighed, realizing how much she missed her brother being around. He mentioned coming to visit from time to time, but between working and trying to find his place in the world, she knew that it was almost impossible. Air fare wasn’t cheap and while she could afford to fly him out if he wanted, there was the internal worry about him judging her ties with former gangsters. Their home life wasn’t peaches and cream, but it was far from unsavory. What family was perfect?

Even so, she still wondered what her brother would think of her if she told him she was having a child out of wedlock.

Once the heavy topic of her work environment was no longer the focus, the two of them were able to engage in lighter conversation. Again, Jacob mentioned coming to visit her in South Korea, mostly because he wanted to see the country she’d called home for the last three and a half years. The place was full of beauty and splendor. There were many things about the land that helped heal her from the horrible fall she’d had over her broken dreams. While she may not have been a chef and restaurant owner like she wanted, her current occupation brought her to this place.

The path she walked led her to Seokjin, the man she loved.

Half an hour passed and she realized that it was getting late. She worried that she was keeping Jacob up longer than normal.

“You should probably get some rest,” she said, noting the tired look in Jacob’s eyes, “you have the overnight shift this week, don’t you?”

Jacob stifled a yawn. “Yeah, but it’s fine. I need to make sure that Phillip did his homework.”

“Let Elena worry about that.”

He nodded, waving a hand back and forth to her. Anastasia wished to ruffle his hair like she often did when they were teenagers. A painful wave of nostalgia overtook her and she did her best not to cry, cursing herself for all the pregnancy hormones throwing her out of whack. Jacob didn’t seem to notice as he finished off his bottle of water.

“Mm, alright. I guess I’ll try to get some sleep. G’night, ‘Stasia.”

Anastasia rubbed at her eyes to keep the tears from falling. “Goodnight, Jake.”

The blip noise sounded after the call ended and Anastasia was left with only silence. She curled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs as she buried her face into her knees. A weak sob was all she could muster, mourning the lack of family around her to tell her that everything was going to be okay. That her worries would be for nothing and that she would be happy. That she deserved to be happy, despite all of her failures.

For a moment, all she could do was sob quietly to herself. There were so many missed opportunities to empty her soul to her brother. He would have understood and encouraged her. Jacob would have told her that she was strong, that she was one of the strongest people he knew, and that this little bump in the road was just one pothole on the way to glory. Their parents would have told her she was shameful for carrying another man’s child when she hadn’t even so much as been introduced to his family. That it was a disgrace to have a child as an unmarried woman. People did it all the time, but not her family. Not the D’Angelo’s.

Anastasia didn’t know how long she was curled up in her chair. She was pretty sure that she’d drifted off at some point. Her limbs ached from scrunching herself up into a ball and they protested as she tried to straighten herself out. A hand rubbed at her stomach while the other wiped the moisture from her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” she whispered, rubbing circles over her belly, “I didn’t mean to cramp you up like that.”

She stretched her legs out, then her arms, before standing. Grabbing the mug, she made her way downstairs. She’d barely made it into the kitchen before the front door burst open and in walked Seokjin, looking flustered and haggard. The mug slipped from her hands and fell into the sink with a loud clatter as she spun around the moment he stalked into the kitchen.

“W-What are you doing?!” Anastasia managed to stammer out, taking a step back as Seokjin quickly closed the distance between them. “You’re supposed to be at work!”

“You hung up on me!”

“That’s because you were acting crazy!”

Anastasia peered around him, hoping that Jimin had the wherewithal to at least follow so she could drag Seokjin back to the office. She frowned, ducking under his arm and bolting from into the living room. He was practically on her heels.

This was insane!

Stopping short, she whirled on her heels and Seokjin had to raise himself up onto the balls of his feet to keep from crashing into her. She stuck her hand out.

“Phone. Now.”

He blinked down at her. “What? No!”

“Gimme the phone, Seokjin!”

His eyes narrowed, issuing his silent refusal. Anastasia didn’t care as she took a step forward, her hands lunging out to reach into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He wasn’t fast enough to move out of the way and her fingers quickly found the item. When he tried to snatch it back from her, she twirled so that her back was facing him.

Her thumb slid over the dots to form the pattern needed to unlock his phone and she immediately dialed Jimin. As the phone rang, Seokjin tried to take the phone back but Anastasia was already half running, half jumping up the stairs toward the loft. Jimin answered before the second ring could finish.

“Hyung! Where did you go?!”

“Jimin-ah, you tell your boss to take his ass back to work!”

“A-Ana Noona? What are you—?”

“Do you hear me?” Her feet landed on the top step and she turned around to stick her foot out, her heel planting itself against Seokjin’s chest to keep him from moving any closer to her. “He has fivemeetings today and one of them is in twenty minutes. How could you let him leave the office in the first place?!”

“I’m sorry, Noona. I tried! But Seokjin Hyung hit me. He hit me in the chest and I was horrified!”

She shot him a glare. “He did what now?”

“He’s never hit me. I didn’t know what to do! I was caught off guard! I’m sorry. I’ll come over right now.”

Anastasia hung up the phone and tossed it back to Seokjin. She then pointed downstairs. “Out.”

He pouted. “Anastasia, come on…”

“Go back to work!” Her eyes narrowed. “If I end up having to take you backto the office, I’m going to work and I’m gonna make every second of your life a living hell while I’m there. Do you understand me?”

Seokjin gave her the once over, as if trying to surmise if she really would do it. He knew better. At least she hoped he knew better. She was as stubborn as a mule and if he thought, for even one second, that she was playing around, then he’d rue the day he ever hired her. She wasn’t going to back down from this and an angry pregnant woman was not a variable that Kim Seokjin would be in a hurry to deal with.

After a moment, he sighed and leaned against the wall. “…alright, you win.” He held his hands up, turning to head downstairs. “I’ll go.”

She stayed upstairs, waiting to hear him put on his shoes and open the door. When she didn’t hear it close, however, Anastasia smiled and shook her head. “I’ll see you tonight,” she called down to him, “have a good day.”

“…love you.”

Her cheeks flushed slightly and she walked down a few steps so she could see his pitiful face.

She laughed.

“I love you too.”

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff | Smut

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence (bloody violence), Heavy Language, Angst, Slow Burn, Smut

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 2,353

Tag List: @prisczero​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @unoriginal-username15432, @halussali​, @shrimpmsg​​,

Chapter 44: You Never Walk Alone

“Even if this road is far and dangerous, will you be with me?”

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

There was a part of Raelyn that was ecstatic for the news of her friend’s pregnancy. What friend wouldn’t have been happy? However, there was a worry that lingered in the back of her brain; nagging there like a slowly growing cancer. Only a foolish person would have ignored it. Eden showered Anastasia with the praise that she felt she wanted to hear, and they all promised to go shopping together for the proper baby shower things that would be needed when it came time for the birth.

Raelyn didn’t mention marriage. Neither did Anastasia or Eden. It was the 21st Century and as progressive women, they felt that marriage wasn’t obligatory when finding out that one was with child. The biggest question that remained unspoken was if Anastasia was willing to keep the child? It seemed she was keen on the idea and so Raelyn didn’t bring up the subject. Eden picked up the same vibe and didn’t say anything either.

She felt Taehyung pull her a little closer on the couch, the two of them facing the large television in her common room. Her mind was going a mile a minute and she felt a little guilty for not paying attention to the film. It was one they’d watched before, but regardless of how many times he’d seen it, it was Taehyung’s favorite movie. She even caught him quoting it a few times in jest before attempting to pounce on her for their bedroom play time.

His thumb rubbed small circles around her shoulder, causing her to lazily shut her eyes as she adjusted herself a bit more comfortably on the couch. He used his other hand to tuck the throw blanket a little more securely around her hip while her legs draped over his lap. She felt his head press against her temple, his fringe tickling her forehead.

“Tired?”

Raelyn shook her head.

“You sure?”

She nodded and she felt him laugh slightly, her body shaking in tandem with his.

“What’s on your mind?”

For a moment, she said nothing. What was there to tell? Did she really have anything that was worth bringing up? She doubted it. But there was that inkling that kept pestering her until she knew she couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Lifting her head off his shoulder, she looked back at him and he blinked curiously in response.

“Anastasia’s pregnant.” She said it bluntly, gauging his reaction. Watching the corners of his mouth forming into a smirk, she continued. “You heard?”

“Of course I have,” he said, his tone dismissive, “we’ve all heard. Jin Hyung won’t shut-up about it.”

This gave her some relief, but she continued.

“Does his family know?”

Taehyung gave her a look, as if he were trying to surmise the meaning behind the question. Raelyn didn’t offer more to the inquiry. She merely waited patiently for his answer.

“I mean, I don’t think so,” he said slowly, lofting a brow, “why?”

Raelyn sat up on the couch, turning her body so she was facing him directly. “Is he gonna tell them?”

Now Taehyung readjusted so he could settle himself into an upright position. “Hold up, Noona, alright? What’s with the twenty questions?”

“Is he gonna tell them or not?”

“I don’t know!” She felt his hands on her shoulders. “What’s going on? What’s really bothering you?”

Raelyn frowned. “I don’t want my friend being treated like some secret mistress, that’s what!”

For a moment, all the two of them could do was stare intently at each other. Neither of them was backing down and Raelyn felt her frown intensify. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she watched Taehyung’s eyes shifting back and forth to look into her own.

There was a chance she probably sounded unreasonable. She knew this. But there was another part of her that felt she had the right to be worried for the future of her friend and for the child growing inside of her. Illegitimate children got a bad rap in South Korea. She’d seen enough of those cases cross her paths while she worked at the hospital. Orphans were often left to fend for themselves because they were abandoned; viewed as a black smear of shame on their seemingly flawless lineage.

With Anastasia being a foreigner, the prejudice was practically doubled. She didn’t want her friend suffering unnecessarily and definitely not for a man. Even if that man was Kim Seokjin.

Realization spread over Taehyung’s face and he let his hands slide down her arms until he was able to grasp her fingers in his palms. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and she couldn’t ignore the sharp pain tightening around her chest area. If things were going to get harder from here on out, she wanted to save her friends as much pain as possible. Even if that meant suffering from a little heartbreak. In time, the heart would heal. But when a child was involved, the difficulties increased without even meaning to.

He pulled her forward; she let him. Raelyn pressed her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent and relishing in the feel of his large arms encasing her into his chest. She’d never admit it out loud, but she felt safe in his embrace. For a moment, a small one, Raelyn could fool herself into believing that things were normal; that she was in a normal relationship and the chaos that threatened to rip her world apart wasn’t real.

Taehyung’s fingers carded through her curls, bringing her even closer and she sighed. He patted her back like a grown-up comforting a child and she smiled a little. She smacked his back gently to playfully show that she didn’t appreciate being coddled. He continued to pat her anyway.

“Look, Noona,” he began, resting his hand against the back of her head, “I’m not going to be fluffy about this, alright?” Taehyung used his other arm to pull Raelyn fully into his lap. She continued to hide her face in his shoulder. “But Jin Hyung is a good guy. Always has been. No matter what anyone says, no matter who tries to fight against him, he’s going to make sure that the people he cares about are taken care of.”

Raelyn lifted herself up so she could look at Taehyung. His half smile was there and she had to resist the urge to pinch his cheek and pull at the skin. He was being a pest – teasing her for being worried at all. Yet she also knew that he was aware of her concerns without having to give them voice. She appreciated that level of understanding, even if she didn’t always express it.

“Ana Noona is important to him. That is their child she is carrying inside of her. I haven’t seen Hyung this happy in years. He’s happy because she is the one willing to bear their child. Trust him, alright?”

Sighing, she pressed a hand to her forehead and nodded. “You’re right. I think I’m just overly sensitive these days. As a nurse, I know the first trimester is the most important during pregnancy. Anything can happen.”

Taehyung leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. He rubbed his nose against hers, waggling his brows in a playful fashion. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

“Boy,” she said with a laugh, placing a hand on his face and shoving him out of the way of her breathing room, “if you don’t cut it out.”

He pouted, huffing defiantly before grabbing at the backs of her legs and lifting her with little effort. She squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her bridal style and swung around away from the couch. Her eyes widened as her grip tightened to give herself better support.

“Wait, what are you doing?!”

Taehyung flashed her a devious look before he tilted his head to quickly nip at her nose. “I think I’m going to punish you.”

And before she could protest, he zipped across the living room and into her bedroom. Even before the door closed, Raelyn already knew she was in trouble. Because Kim Taehyung was a petty little shit.

When he promised punishment, she knew that that was what she was going to get.

“…you know—”

“Don’t start.”

“What? I didn’t even say anything yet.”

Eden whirled around in the small kitchenette, pointing her ladle straight at Raelyn.

“You don’t have to. I already know what’s about to come flyin’ out your mouth.”

Raelyn pouted, folding her arms across her chest as she sat cross-legged on the floor. The small round table was already set with three different bowls and sets of utensils. Side dishes were placed around a large, rubber pot rest. Delicious smells wafted from the kitchen as the soybean soup bubbled with life on the small gas range.

“Look,” she attempted again, holding her hands up, “all I’m sayin’ is that—”

“Stop bitchin’ about my place or stop comin’ over,” Eden spat as she turned back to the pot of soup, dipping the ladle inside to stir the contents within, “fuckin’ goddamn.”

“It’s too small and you know it!” Raelyn lifted her chin up, challenging her friend to say otherwise. “I swear, you’d think you’re still poor with how you’re carryin’ on.”

“I am poor.”

Raelyn rolled her eyes. “Says the woman who owns a successful business. Uh-huh. Right.”

“Don’t tell me how to live my life, woman!” her friend yelled, throwing the kitchen towel at her. Raelyn tried not to laugh as she caught it, choosing to hide her face behind it so she couldn’t see the mischief playing out over her features. “Out!”

“But I haven’t eaten.”

“Eat then get out!”

“The food’s not ready yet.”

Eden let out an aggravated noise before resuming her cooking. Raelyn hated to admit it, but she loved teasing her friend. The mixed woman made it so easy. Truth be told, it was less difficult to rile her up now that she was dating Jungkook. The number of smacks she’d received to the shoulder and back when riding her about “being in love” had her sore for at least half a day. But it was all worth it.

“When is that boy getting here anyway?” Raelyn looked around the place, as if she’d missed something. “Shouldn’t he be here already helping you?”

“I told him to go pick up some beer on his way over.”

“Ooo, so domesticated.”

Eden cut her gaze toward Raelyn, eliciting a giggle from the older woman.

“Don’t make me stab you.”

Laughing, she leaned back on her hands and stretched her long legs all the way out across the floor. She lifted her face toward the ceiling, not really minding how small her friend’s place was. But if Jungkook and she were starting to get serious (as it seemed evident), then the small apartment would hardly be enough to handle the two of them.

“He hasn’t asked to move in with you, has he?”

A sudden coughing fit erupted from Eden as she turned to look back at her friend, eyes as wide as saucers. Raelyn shrugged, acting as though she’d asked what the weather was going to be tomorrow.

“What? It’s a simple question.”

“I’d hardly call that question simple, Unnie.”

She canted her head to the side. “Well, has he?”

Eden rolled her eyes and resumed cooking. “No.”

“Has he asked you to move in with him, then?”

Snorting, Eden shook her head but refused to take her eyes off the pot. “What is with you today?”

“…is it because of Yoongi?”

Raelyn hadn’t expected her words to strike a nerve. But they apparently did. Eden’s hand stilled, the ladle slipping from her grasp and rolling along the rim of the pot.

Neither woman said anything. Finally, Eden craned her neck to shoot a glare at her.

“Where the hell did that come from?”

“Well, is it?”

“Unnie, you better drop this.”

“I don’t see why you guys can’t just move on to the next step already. If you’re not hung up on Yoongi and he’s not feeling guilty about it, then what’s stopping the both of you?”

Eden sighed, picking up the ladle again while turning the dial on the stove to lower the burner. “Give it a rest, Raelyn.”

Raelyn eased herself up off the floor, dusting the backs of her jeans off. “You need to stop beating yourself up for something that wasn’t even your fault in the first place.”

“Who says I am?”

“You are, that’s who.”

“Whatever. God, you’re so fucking annoying right now.” Eden moved from the stove to the small rice cooker to stir the rice inside.

“And you’re still hesitating. Stop.” She crossed the small space, her hand reaching out to grasp her friend’s wrist in her own. Slowly, she turned Eden around to face her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Just stop, hm? You’ve already decided what you’re going to do so why are you trying to backpedal in your head?”

“I’m not backpedaling.” Eden frowned. “I’m thinking.”

“Then stop thinking and just do what you want. Don’t you think that’s what you deserve? What you both deserve?” Raelyn smiled as her friend gave her a confused look. “It’s not fair to either of you to linger on something that shouldn’t matter. Your feelings come first.”

The door rattled as keys slid into the lock and Raelyn shuffled away from her friend, leaving her presumably bewildered. Raelyn greeted Jungkook as he entered, relieving him of the case of beer in his arms despite his protests. She urged him to get comfortable, giving Eden a knowing wink.

Trust was important. Faith was necessary.

No longer living to wait on the whims of others? Well, that was the most important piece of the puzzle known as “life”. Raelyn knew that now. She wouldn’t let her doubt eat away at her anymore. If a choice needed to be made, then she’d already made it.

She would fight, even if that meant fighting her own self-doubt.