𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕐𝕠𝕦//_[𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧]

12: ɴᴇᴡ ᴄʀɪʙ

Please vote and comment. All the Korean was Google translate. Italics is English.

The atmosphere in the car is tense. From the rearview mirror, Althea can see Seungmin and Changbin huddled together looking rather uncomfortable. Changbin catches her eye in the rearview mirror and he quickly averts her gaze while hunching his shoulders higher. She sighs as the action and tightens her grip on the wheel. 

She turns quietly into the driveway and ushers them to follow her to the side of the house. She remembered the door to her room is locked so she'll need to go through the window. 

This is such a stupid idea.

----------------------------------------Flashback--------------------------------------------

"WHAT?!" 

Althea keeps her gaze resolute on the ground at her feet. The disbelief at the words that just left her mouth clear in her eyes but she knows it's too late to retract. 

Lorraine presses down on her shoulder as she slaps her palm to her forehead. Althea purses her lips and looks off annoyed but the female turns her face back. 

"I'm not sick. I'm serious."

"You do realize you just offered the same men you said that you hate to stay in your home, which might I mention, includes your mother and brother?" Lorraine whispers harshly.

"I'm aware-"

"Althea we couldn't....possibly impose on you like that," Bang Chan states firmly. "Not only have we already overworked Lorraine but you clearly aren't comfortable around us."

"I haven't been completely comfortable around you this whole time but I'm trying to get used to it. Today just really set me off with your comment." He opens his mouth to oppose but she stops him. "Let me finish. I don't like K-pop but right now, you're not Stray Kids. You're not internationally famous celebrities. You're regular men who need help and you're not exactly in a position to decline it."

The leader tightens his jaw as his hands fall to his side. He avoids her gaze but she can see the resignation in his eyes at her statement. He knows she has a point. They didn't have much of a choice to begin with given their circumstances so all they can do is going along with this. 

Althea can keep her emotions in check so long as she's not provoked. She's shown she can care for them and be respectful so that main issue here is whether or not their leader can do the same. 

"What concerns do you have about my proposal?" She asks simply. "Tell me upfront."

The leader's gaze is wary. "I-"

"Althea you have other people living with you!" Lorraine states. 

"They can hide out in my room. It's big enough and you know it. Plus my family respects my boundaries."

"Yeah but-"

"I'm not proposing on taking them all or even half. Two of you can house with me for a week and then we rotate. Then the day of the hang out you all can just crash at my place for the night before I take you back. It's not much of a burden taken off but at least it's something-"

"No." The leader interjects firmly. "I'm not separating them."

"Bang Chan it'll only be for a week and I'll let you video call them on my personal phone as much as you want. I'll even give hourly updates but I'm not going to kidnap them or take them out the house unless it's to visit you all." She gives a not too subtle glance to Hyunjin and Jisung who avoid her eyes. "You'll know where they are."