Beneath the Surface || n.yt

Chapter 1

"Minyoung, how many times have I told you to please, please look after your things? You know I'm not trying to sound like a nagging mother, but you honestly leave me no choice—"

"See, that's your problem, you don't sound like a nagging mother, you are one. And last time I checked, Mom and Dad are both gone," She looks up to him from where she's sitting and crosses her arms, sneering at him, "so there's no need for you to take their place."

He huffs, clearly annoyed by his sister's response. It's not like she cared though. That was his problem to deal with, not hers.

"Minyoung, why can't you just listen to—"

She rises from the couch, clearly vexed by his command. "No, Taeyong, how about you listen. All you always do is make me listen, all the fucking time! I'm sick of it!"

His eyes grow hard. "Language, Minyoung."

The anger boils as she balls her hands into fists. "You think I give a fuck about that right now? Moving to this shithole of a city, you certainly did a great job being there for us as the eldest. Not sure why I even put up with you being in charge when you're clearly not fit for it."

"Oh yeah, and you are?" He crosses his arms over his chest, leaning against the door frame with an eyebrow raised.

Minyoung shrugs. "At least I'll be more of a family to Mark and Jaemin than you'll ever be, Taeyong."

His pupils dilate, and had she not been so consumed with the building rage eating at every fiber of her being, Minyoung's tongue wouldn't have run so carelessly as it did. Predictability, that's what Taeyong always claimed to be her most defining trait. Not that she would necessarily disagree, but the minute those words left her mouth, his expression mirrors that of being encountered with something unpredictable. To be entirely honest, Minyoung didn't think a statement as harsh as that would ever leave her clouded thoughts to make it past her lips.

Even she didn't expect such bluntness. 

Taeyong's hands clench his arms almost as a means to restrain himself, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply through his nose. At that moment, Minyoung braces herself for the minute he starts telling her off. To start the constant banter that would last the entire night and probably the rest of tomorrow if not days after.

She waits, rather patiently, actually, but he doesn't say anything. Not one word.

Minyoung blinks twice, mildly surprised to say the least. Did she leave Taeyong, the one who always got the last word in, speechless?

Despite the growing tension in the heavy silence ensued, she can't help but feel the corners of her mouth twitch in a satisfied smirk.

Serves him right.

He then suddenly opens his eyes and looks right at Minyoung with such pure rage she almost shivers.

"Get out."

She scoffs, staring long and hard at her older brother while choosing to ignore his rather serious command. "What?"

"Get. Out." He repeats his statement, this time seeming more adamant than the last as he points to the door.

Blinking a couple of times, the blood running in Minyoung's body immediately chills. Her arms drop from where they are, glancing briefly between Taeyong's fierce gaze holding steady with hers and to where he continues pointing in the direction leading out of the house. 

Oh. He's actually serious. 

Shit.

"Hold on," the pitch in her voice visibly drops, and as much as she didn't want it to show, Minyoung's wavering from the strong front she put earlier. "There's no way in hell you're actually serious Tae—"