Bittersweet ≈ Seonghwa [NEW!]

Truth

It's been a few months since I started living with The Leaders.

They seem pretty decent to me now that I see they don't do anything harmful despite those gang stuff I found in their house.

There are some occasional events when they suddenly disappear without letting me know and the occasional "I've got to buy some groceries" and instead come back empty handed with cuts and bruises.

Sometimes I wonder if they really think I'm that stupid. A normal person would ask what happened but I just shrugged it off.

The weirdest thing is, they don't even seem surprised when I don't ask.

I secretly knew they were on the job but I decided to let it slide seeing they come back in one piece and without "prisoners".

I started to wonder if they get paid to do illegal stuff when Seonghwa tried to convince me to quit one job and he'll pay for some of my tuition fees. Of course I said no.

But the very next day,

"HEY! Take back the money! I can earn by myself! I'm not some kind of charity case!" I puffed my cheeks out in anger the minute I found that Seonghwa had sent me a large sum of money into my bank account.

Seonghwa shook his head as he fixed the pillow under his head, "I'm doing it because you're my girlfriend and I want to support you. I don't want you passing out from exhaustion. Just quit one job?"

Both of us in our pyjamas just woke up, all prepared for our last exam that day.

I snuggled up next to him.

"Hey, after we graduate, since you're not going college, am I going to have to move out from here?"

Seonghwa paused, "How do you know I'm not going to college?"

I feel bit down my lip, deep in thought. I should come clean. I feel like I've been hiding the fact I know too much for too long. It's been months since we've dated and nothing bad has happened to me so far. It shouldn't be a bad thing to tell him right?

"You were only going to high school because of your job, right?"

He pulled away from me, looking down at me with wide eyes.

"Who told you that?"

I sucked in a deep breath and shut my eyes, confessing the truth.

"I went through your stuff while you guys were gone."

Once I let out those words and peeked open my eyes, I saw a really upset Seonghwa. His shoulder drooped and his facial expression fell.

"Y-you don't trust me..all this time."

I waved my hands in front of me, "No no! That's not it! I found out months ago! But I stayed with you because I trust you! I know you won't hurt me! I loved you and I still do! I just-"

He pulled himself out of the covers and started pacing the room, running his hands through his hair.

"Yeon, you don't get it. I kept it a secret from you because I don't WANT you to get hurt. If the members or boss finds out you know-"

I shook my head as I reached out pulling him to sit on the bed.

"Baby, they don't know. Even you didn't know. If I stay quiet like this, nothing will happen. I've gotten away with it all this time."

Seonghwa sighed as he nodded, "Fine. I just wonder why didn't you tell me sooner."

I pouted, "If I did, you would freak out and say I didn't trust you because we only dated for a day!"

His eyes widen is disbelief,

"You snooped around a day after we-"

"YOU DISAPPEARED ON ME! And...I got bored so I kinda explored the house and found that weapons room and that camera room..."

He scoffed, "Wow and you didn't get caught you sly bunny." With that, he began tickling my sides and a tickle fight started before we got ready for school.

---

As we walked to school talking about how to pass chemistry, with the 7 members leading in front of us, we bumped into Yunho and San who stopped in their tracks abruptly.

I tippy toed to see what was going on in front of us.

A group of men in dark red fancy jackets blocked our path. They don't look too friendly. One of them smirked, kicking on the dusty pavement.

"What's ATEEZ doing here in school uniforms huh?" the man at the front said with an australian accent in his korean language.

ATEEZ? Ahh that must be their real name. The Leaders were just something kids at school call them, right?

"Did your boss send you back to school because y'all are dumb or what?" another member with a v-line facial structure mocked, laughing as he fist bumped his other member who resembled a hamster.

Seonghwa gently pushed me behind his back, hiding me from this group.

"Let us pass, you have no business with us," I hear Hongjoong say calmly.

"Fine, but hey we're having a friendly gathering this Friday. Y'all are invited," The aussie said.

I hear Hongjoong reply a simple, "Sure, why not."

And soon after, we started walking again. But just as we passed those guys, they stopped us, again.

"Whoa! Who's that little girl?!"

I turned my head and realised hiding behind Seonghwa didn't do any good at covering me if we were just going to walk pass them.

As they approached us again, Seonghwa pulled me behind his back and the other members surrounded my sides as if to protect my face from being seen.

"I thought your boss forbid you guys to date? Unless...she's a member?" a man said. I couldn't see who said it as all I could see were the backs of Seonghwa, Mingi and Yunho.

"She's just a friend from school," Hongjoong replies casually.

The aussie accent came again but this voice was deeper, "Hey female friend of ATEEZ! Come for the gathering on Friday! It'll be fun!"

Seonghwa piped up in a low and firm tone, "She's not going anywhere near the others."

Before I could hear more of the conversation, Wooyoung nudged me to turn around and go to school myself.

So I did.

But I wonder what they're discussing without me.