𝙼𝚢 𝙲𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 ٭ 𝚃𝚊𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 ٭

٭𝟻𝟻٭

The boys entered the mansion, their footsteps echoing slightly in the quiet, expansive foyer. As they made their way toward the living room, the sight that greeted them was one of domestic tranquility: the girls were lounging around on the plush couches, with Mina fast asleep, cuddled up with a soft blanket.

As soon as Jennie caught sight of Taehyung, she got up and hurried over to him. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. He returned her hug, his muscles relaxing as he felt her familiar warmth against him. Jennie pulled back slightly and helped him slip off his suit jacket, her eyes searching his face with concern.

"I called you," she said softly, a hint of worry in her voice. "But you didn’t answer."

Taehyung sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was busy all day, love. I’m sorry. But we need to talk—everyone needs to be there, including Mingyu."

There was something in his tone that told her this wasn’t just a casual conversation. Jennie nodded, and Taehyung gently took her hand, leading her toward the dining room. The rest of the group followed, careful not to make too much noise as they passed by Mina, still peacefully asleep.

Once they were all seated around the large dining table, the air grew thick with tension. The maids moved silently, lighting cigarettes for the boys and pouring coffee for everyone. Taehyung took a deep drag from his cigarette before finally speaking.

"For the next few weeks," he began, his voice calm but firm, "none of you are allowed to leave the house without one of us."

The girls exchanged confused looks, and Rosé was the first to speak up. "Why? What’s going on?"

"It’s dangerous right now," Taehyung continued. "Martin and Marvin are trying to ambush us. We can’t take any chances."

Understanding dawned on the girls' faces, but it was quickly followed by frustration. Jennie, Jisoo, and Lisa nodded, accepting the explanation, but Rosé’s expression darkened.

"So, you can leave the house, but we can’t?" she asked, her voice rising in anger. "How is that fair?"

"We won’t be going anywhere alone," Namjoon interjected calmly. "We’re sticking together in pairs to stay safer."

"But that’s not the same!" Rosé snapped, her hands curling into fists. "We’re being treated like prisoners while you guys get to do whatever you want."

Before anyone could respond, Rosé pushed her chair back and stormed upstairs, her footsteps echoing through the halls. Jisoo started to get up to follow her, but Jimin placed a hand on her arm, shaking his head gently. "I’ll talk to her," he said quietly. "She’s my sister, I’ll handle it."

As Jimin headed up the stairs after Rosé, Taehyung turned his attention back to the rest of the group. "And that goes for the kids too. Mina and Mingyu aren’t allowed to leave the house at all. They should be inside and guarded at all times."

The seriousness of his words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the dangers that lurked outside their doors. Even though the mansion was heavily guarded, with hundreds of men surrounding the property day and night, the boys weren’t willing to take any risks.

The tension of the conversation seemed to drain everyone’s energy. It was late, and the exhaustion from the day’s events was evident in the tired eyes of everyone at the table. There would be no dinner tonight—just a quiet retreat to their rooms, where they could finally let down their guards, if only for a few hours.

As everyone began to disperse, Mingyu carefully picked up the still-sleeping Mina, cradling her small form gently in his arms. He followed the others upstairs, carrying her to her room with a tenderness that contrasted sharply with the harsh realities of their world.