As there were only four bedrooms, they all had to pair up and share a room. It was unanimous that Daeun would have a room to herself for convenience so that left one person sleeping in the living room. Namjoon had insisted that it be him as he thought the members would be more comfortable sharing a room amongst themselves, but Seokjin told him that he would take the couch. Namjoon had graciously allowed them to stay at his house. With that final decision, everybody had been split into pairs. It just happened that it also put Namjoon together with Hoseok as roommates while Yoongi and Taehyung split off with Jimin and Jungkook respectively. It was the afternoon before the meeting with Hong Jung Yee and everybody, including Daeun, had left the house for some free time. It left the newly formed roommates to the house by themselves and they uncomfortably sat across from each other in the living room. Seokjin’s blanket and pillow were placed on a shelf to allow for the lounge area to be empty when he was not there during the night.

                “I heard you were born here, Namjoon-ssi,” Hoseok looked at the other man who was lounged across from him. Hoseok could feel himself jittering but Namjoon had made a strict rule which prevented him to smoke inside the house. He had had a cigarette an hour ago but for someone who smoked as much as Hoseok, this cutback was killing him.

                Namjoon looked at Hoseok who kept bouncing his leg up and down. “Yeah, born and raised in this city. Though I left for Seoul a couple of years ago,” he said.

                “That’s cool,” Hoseok said. Man was he craving the taste of nicotine. He stopped bouncing his leg but a couple of seconds later, the other started shaking.

                “If you like, you can have a cigarette. I’ll let it slide,” Namjoon said.

                Hoseok shook his head. In the short time he had known this guy, he found Namjoon too nice for his own good. He greeted him good morning every time they woke up and politely said good night before they slept. Now he was being nice and letting him smoke in the house after he had explicitly said no smoking in the house. “Don’t want to break your rule,” Hoseok grinned tightly.

                Chuckling, Namjoon said, “There are only you and I here. I won’t tell if you won’t.”

                Way too nice, was what Hoseok thought, but he tapped out a cigarette anyways. He took in the first inhale and felt his body relax immediately. In the past, he tried to quit but this was the only thing that truly helped him relax when he was stressed. “I don’t know if Seokjin told you, but we won’t be home tonight.”

                There was a nod from the other man. “Jin told me this morning. Said you would all be back pretty late. A client you guys needed to see?”

                He didn’t like how Namjoon could use their nickname for the leader so casually. Hoseok took in another long drag before addressing the question. “Yeah. It’ll be a long meeting so don’t wait up for us.

                There was a moment of silence before Namjoon gestured to Hoseok’s pocket. It took a second for Hoseok to realize that he was pointing at the cigarette box. He handed it over and watched, amused, as Namjoon lighted a cigarette for himself.

                “I quit years ago but I think I’m allowed to cheat once in a while,” he raised a hand. Hoseok met it with his own raised hand – a silent acknowledgment to their bad habit. They sat in silence again before Namjoon said, “I know what you guys do, by the way. Daeun told me after I saw her come into the bar one night with bruises on her arms.”

                Hoseok remembered that night. It was maybe the second time BTS and Daeun had worked together. Things had not gone the way they wanted and the other gang had taken Daeun hostage instead. It was convenient that all the members of BTS were there that night and a brawl had broken out to take Daeun back. Nobody was seriously hurt as all the members were skilled in physical fights. Jimin had gotten a bad slash on his side when one of the other gang members came at him with a knife but he was quickly punished with Jungkook’s gun.

                “I know she goes with you willingly and you guys don’t force her into anything, but it still makes me worried for her,” Namjoon said when Hoseok did not respond, “Promise me that whatever you guys are doing tonight you’ll take care of her for me.”

                Hoseok squinted as Namjoon said that. The way he said it made it seem like Daeun belonged to him.

                It was like Namjoon read his mind as he quickly laughed and placed an arm behind his head. “Sorry, that came out like I own her. I just don’t want to see her hurt. She’s like a little sister to me,” he said.

                Some reason, Hoseok did not believe the entirety of his words. He put out his cigarette and grunted, “She’ll be with me. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.” The house was stuffy again and he was tired of making small talk with Namjoon. He guessed the members would be back soon so he could use the small amount of time to go out and get some liquor from the corner store. A quick drink also calmed his nerves before a mission.

                “The others are probably going to come back soon, but do you want to grab a drink with me before they’re back? I heard they’ve got some good burgers down at the pub a couple blocks down,” this was the second time Namjoon iterated Hoseok’s thoughts.

                “Hello,” she said, eyeing them suspiciously.

                “Hey,” Namjoon waved her over. She took a seat across from them and continued to stare.

                Hoseok smirked and said, “Did you miss my handsome face? You keep staring at me.”

                She rolled her eyes and said to Namjoon instead, “I heard those burgers were good. I had been meaning to check out the place but you two beat me to it.”

                From the brown paper bag, Namjoon took out another burger. “We bought two each but you can have my other one if you’d like,” he said, offering her food.

                She thanked him and took a bite of the burger. She couldn’t contain the satisfied moan from how juicy the thick patty was. The caramelized onions and mushrooms added additional smokiness to the full burger and she had to hide her face when her bite was too big, feeling the ketchup oozing out from the corner of her lips.

                Namjoon saw this and reached over to wipe the corner of with his fingers. He laughed when he saw her glare at him and hit his hand away. He handed her a napkin for the other side of .

                Hoseok watched this on the sidelines with an ever growing feeling of annoyance. The two men had spent the rest of the evening at the burger joint with a couple of drinks and had decided to return home when the joint got noisy as a bunch of school kids came in. He thought that Namjoon wasn’t all too bad but seeing him interact with Daeun made him clench his jaw again.

                “Mrs. Chen, have you picked your dress for tonight?” Hoseok asked her, earning a raised eyebrow from Namjoon at the use of her alias. Hoseok gave him a smug smile and reached over to put a hand over Daeun’s. “It’s part of the mission so Daeun and I are playing the roles of husband and wife.”

                Daeun gave him an annoyed look and pulled her hand away. “I was forced into it and trust me, he makes a terrible husband. I feel sorry for whoever is going to really get married to him in the future. On second thought, he might not ever get married with his attitude.”

                Hoseok laughed at her comment. “Sweetheart, the ladies dig a bad boy. I’d say you should be the one worried about getting married. No man would want to take you as his wife with your permanent scowl and sarcasm.”

                “I like your scowl and sarcasm. Gives you edginess that not many girls have these days,” Namjoon smiled in her direction. Hoseok scowled. Daeun blushed.

                Daeun could only smile slightly and felt her stomach rolling. He offered both of them a seat and sat across from them. They had all arrived inside the VVIP room moments before.

                “I’ve got a really nice bourbon picked out. Would any of you like a glass?” he waved one of the guards over. Daeun remembered he had been called Daniel.

                Hoseok shook his head. “I’m afraid the missus and I will have to decline. She’s been feeling sick all day and I don’t generally drink after dinner,” Hoseok said.

                Shrugging, Hong Jung Yee poured a glass for himself. “I respect that. It means the more for me anyways. Perhaps you’d like a glass of water then,” he snapped and another two glasses filled with San Pellegrino.  

                They clinked their cups together and Daeun tilted her head away as she pretended to take a sip of her drink. She had always been cautious around Hong Jung Yee but for some strange reason, her instincts told her to be extra careful tonight.

                After the two men drank their fill, Hong Jung Yee clapped his hands in his signature manner. “Well, onto the matters at hand. We’re all gathered here for a business exchange, correct? I’ve got your product waiting and you’ve got my payment,” he said, shooting them a dazzling smile.

                Daeun felt the sensation behind her neck heighten ever so slightly.

                Hoseok brought up the suitcase from beside the sofa. He opened it and one of the guards came over the count the money. It took only a moment and the guard nodded soon after to confirm that the correct amount was there.

                “Perfect,” Hong Jung Yee purred, “I love when a business exchange is simple and efficient.” He waved over Daniel again as the guard who had counted the money took the briefcase away. He whispered something in Daniel’s ear. There was a slight nod from the other man and he walked away towards the door.

                Her instincts were screaming at her now in addition to the burning sensation behind her neck. She squeezed her eyes shut and willed it to go away. When she opened her eyes, she felt the sensation of wind blow across her back and Hoseok shooting her a quick glance. There were more people standing behind her.

                “Jong Yee,” Hoseok smiled again, “I’ve given you the payment so perhaps this is the time where I receive my end of the deal?”

                Hong Jong Yee stood up and started pacing the room. From the corner of her eye, Daeun could see Daniel locking the door of the room. Something was incredibly wrong and it was not just the fact that somebody was lying in this room.

                “I had told you I had the product waiting, didn’t I?” Hong Jung Yee turned and smacked his lips. He put a hand to his forehead and covered his eyes. “I really hate doing this but I’m sorry to tell you: I lied. Although your missus there seems to have caught on that quite early on.

                There isn’t anything waiting for you, although I thank you for the money. I’m not sure how you got it but it’s quite impressive that you’ve managed to attain that amount. I wonder what the sorry bloke whom you stole it from is feeling at this moment.”

                There was a quick movement from his eyes and immediately, Daeun and Hoseok were grabbed from behind. Her head was knocked back and the barrel of a gun was put to the side of her head. She could not see what had happened to Hoseok but she assumed he was being held in the same way.

                An angry snarl escaped out of Hoseok’s mouth. “Jung Yee, I don’t know what you’re insinuating but I do not appreciate how you are treating my wife and I. If news of this got out about how you treat your clients, I’m sure that would not be good for your business.”

                “Oh, you can drop the act, Mr. Chen,” Hong Jung Yee snarled back. The two of them were ordered to separate and Daeun was brought behind the couch while Hoseok was pushed forward. She had guessed right. The large guard held Hoseok in a lock and had a gun pointed to his head. Hoseok’s legs were knocked out from under him and he fell helplessly to the ground and onto his knees in front of Hong Jung Yee. From another guard who had been standing nearby, the guard grabbed another gun and pointed it to Hoseok’s forehead. Four additional men had joined them in the room.

                The gun dug into Hoseok’s forehead and his arm was crying out for being twisted in an unnatural angle. Jung Hong Yee brought his face close to Hoseok’s and whispered, “I really should thank your partner there, whether she really be your wife or whatnot. She gave you the both of you away.”

                Daeun tried to wiggle within the guard’s arms but he twisted her tighter. She screamed out in pain as the motion popped her shoulder.

                “Don’t hurt her!” Hoseok instantly yelled. The alarms in his head were screaming but he couldn’t do anything in the position he was in.

                Hong Jung Yee gave another one of his bright smiles and walked over the Daeun. The guard holding Hoseok put his gun back on him. When Hong Jung Yee reached Daeun, he put the gun under her chin and tilted her face to meet his. She could smell the bourbon he had been drinking from his breath as he sniffed her. With his lips close to hers, he whispered, “You should have drank the water I offered. This would have gone so much smoother.”

                Her heart felt like it was pounding out of her chest but she did not doubt his words. They were like a trigger as she heard Hoseok groan and then slump forward in the guard’s hold.

                “What did you do to him, you pig?” she sneered, looking defiantly into his eyes.

                This earned a throaty laugh from the man. “Your eyes are beautiful, you know? I should thank whoever you inherited them from. Your mother? Your father? Regardless, they’re wonderful. If it were not for the constant gazes to our little “maintenance man” in my office earlier, I never would have thought to check into him. Now imagine my surprise when I found that he had no priors at the company he said he was from. Then when I had him tailed, I saw him walk into the house where you and your husband are living. This is all quite intriguing, don’t you think?”

                Daeun’s mind spun. The rest of the members had said they would be stationed close to this room for backup. Where were they? Did Hong Jung Yee somehow disable their listening devices? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, trying to buy time.

                He pulled back from her and traced a finger down her cheeks until it rested on the top of her bosom. She shook under his touch in both fear and anger. She glanced at Hoseok again who was completely unconscious at this point.

                “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about, Chae Daeun,” he spat her name in her face. She could not respond but watched as he leaned back. He had no emotion on his face as he said to the guard, “Kill her.”

                Daeun squeezed her eyes shut as the next few moments happened in slow motion. The window overlooking the city to her right shattered and a bullet lodged itself into the guard’s skull. She was released from his grip and she immediately fell to the floor. Hong Jung Yee lunged at her as the next few windows exploded and took another three guards down. By the time Daeun had opened her eyes, Hoseok had finished a spinning kick which knocked his guard to the floor as well. He swiftly grabbed the knife he had hidden and stabbed the guard once on the back before slicing his neck. The doors burst open and the rest of the members ran in with the exception of Jungkook who was still firing from his sniper gun at the building across.

                The remaining guards engaged with BTS but they were now outnumbered and outweaponed as each of the members had come in with knives and guns. Hoseok had sheathed his knife and was holding a gun in each hand. He turned to face her and yelled out one word.

                The ringing from the gun was still in her ear, causing her not to hear him well. From a frightened stare in his direction, she read his lips enough to see that he was yelling for her to run. She crouched and started making her way to the door as Yoongi waved for her get behind him. However, as she started on her first steps, she saw that Hong Jung Yee was no longer in front of her. Her eyes spun wildly throughout the room and located him a quarter away running towards another door as he ordered his guards to defend him.

                She ran towards him, ignoring the screams from the rest of the members. If they lost Hong Jung Yee, they would not have another chance to interrogate him. He’d come back and try to kill them later and they would have no evidence against him, leaving them helpless without The Boss backing them up.

                Hoseok had smelled the lace of the drug through the bubbly Pellegrino. As he put the liquid into his mouth, he slowly let it run out as he put the cup down, a skill he had learned to master throughout the years. He was glad to see that Daeun had not even touched her drink. When he heard that Hong Jung Yee had indeed attempted to drug them, he played dead in the guard’s arms. The guard had foolishly taken the gun away from his head, believing his act. With the guard’s attention on him shifted, he had waited until Hong Jung Yee was also no longer paying attention to him before he elbowed the guard in the groin and knocked him down with a spinning kick. Luckily, the rest of the members had busted through the door on time.

                With the dead guard on the floor, he had searched the room for Daeun and found her crouched on the floor, staring in shock at what was happening.

                “Run, Daeun, RUN!” he had yelled. He hoped that in her stupor she could at least read her lips. He saw recognition flash before her eyes before turning his attention towards a giant that was running at him. The other man sent him flying with a solid punch to the jaw.

                He angrily got up and punched the man back. His knuckles screamed as they buckled under the bone of the man’s nose, smashing it to the side. Blood freely ran down his adversarie’s face but before he could land another punch on Hoseok, Hoseok sent a bullet through his throat and watched as the man fell, chocking on his own blood.

                “Hoseok!” he heard someone yell at him. A gun was thrown through the air in which he caught from Jimin. The smaller man was expertly dodging the swishes of the trained knife wielder. His opponent let out a wild laugh when his knife caught a hold of Jimin’s arm and caused a large gash that had blood gushing out in the manner of seconds. Jimin did not find this as funny as him and with a roar, decapitated the man with his weapon of choice: a machete.

                BTS seemed to have the upper hand until a new group of guards rushed in from the doorway. They had been waiting downstairs and had rushed up after receiving a call from their comrades above.

                “!” Hoseok cursed as he shot the new man in front of him. The bullet grazed the cheek at close impact and Hoseok threw it away. He had never liked fighting with the weapon anyways. He took out the knife he had returned to his side moments before and slashed at the man. He was not as lucky the second time around as the man jumped out of the way. He was clearly also trained in fighting and they danced around each other. Hoseok wondered if perhaps they were dealing with professional assassins.

                The man in front did not allow his thoughts to wonder as he lunged, but Hoseok parried his movement with his own weapon. The other man’s sword was much longer than his and Hoseok knew he needed to get in closer range in order to do any damage.

                “Jimin!” he yelled to his partner. Jimin knew exactly what Hoseok wanted and before either of their opponents could blink, Jimin threw a knfe that embedded himself into the back of the man facing Hoseok. It was not deep enough and caused the overgrown man to stumble towards Hoseok. Hoseok took this opportunity and the knife into the jugular vein. The man fell, blood sputtering out of his mouth.

                Seeing that there were no more men running towards him, Hoseok ran towards Jimin to help. He quickly realized that Jimin was holding well on his own, a monster of a different kind destroying anything that dared cross his path. They were both covered in blood, whether their own or the men they had killed, they could not distinguish. All the members were panting in the room as the body count of their opponent’s on the floor continued to increase.

                Hoseok could see Seokjin screaming from across the room and hold a wounded Yoongi. A long cut opened his forehead and Hoseok could see blood seeping through Yoongi’s finger as he held a hand to his ribs. He had been shot.

                Seokjin caught Hoseok’s eyes and shouted, “Retreat! There’s too many of them!”

                All the members gathered together and kept their backs against the remaining bodyguards who were as bloody as they were. Neither group dared to attack the other. Their eyes battled in a psychological fight in which BTS won as Jungkook shot down another two from his window. As they fell, BTS took this opportunity to run out the door and down the stairs.

                Yoongi was barely conscious as he was carried down the stairs by Seokjin and Jungkook. Jimin and Taehyung stayed at the back of the group, occasionally firing behind them as they all sped down the stairs.

                That was when the realization hit Hoseok. “Where’s Daeun?” he hollered above the sound of gun shots. He was certain that the police had been notified as guests heard the sound of shooting echo through the stairway. They quickly turned out the door and ran through the hallway, causing screams as five bloody men left a trail of blood behind them.

                The guards were no longer chasing them and Hoseok grabbed Taehyung’s arm. “I asked, where is Daeun?”

                Taehyung looked at him with frightened eyes. “I don’t know. She was running the last time I saw. Perhaps she’s already going home to meet us.”

                Hoseok’s heart did not feel at ease with his words. He did not remember her running towards the door like he had ordered her to. His heart sunk even more as he realized that he had not seen Hong Jung Yee at all either.

                They all turned the corner and with a gunshot, the window in front of them disintegrated and they all jumped out. With arms covering his head, Hoseok’s breath was knocked out of him as his body slammed onto the roof of a car.