444 (BTS Hyung Line x OCs)

Nine: Lola

Lola's heart raced, pounding against her ribcage as the room began to close in around her. Hoseok's voice was still ringing in her ears—calm, gentle, but filled with concern. The walls seemed to shrink, the space too tight, too suffocating. Her secret was inching toward the surface, and the weight of it felt unbearable. I need to get out of here.

Without thinking, Lola sprang from the couch, her body moving faster than her mind could process. She heard voices behind her—Hoseok calling her name, footsteps scrambling—but she didn't stop. The house felt like a cage, trapping her inside with her own mistakes, her own shame.

The cool night air hit her as she burst through the front door, but it wasn't enough to calm the panic clawing at her chest. She needed space—space to breathe, to think, to get away from the suffocating concern in Hoseok's eyes.

Run.

She didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to get away. Her feet pounded against the pavement, carrying her through the darkness until she found herself near the edge of the property, where the lights from the rented house faded and only the distant sounds of the ocean filled the night.

She stopped, gasping for breath, her hands trembling as she bent over, trying to catch it. This can't be happening. I can't let this happen. Not now. Not like this.

But before she could gather herself, she heard footsteps approaching quickly from behind her. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Hoseok.

"Lola!" His voice was closer now, edged with concern but still soft. "Lola, wait!"

She wanted to keep running, to keep putting distance between herself and the truth, but her body was too tired. I can't run forever.

Within moments, Hoseok was by her side. His breathing was labored from chasing her, but his eyes were calm, patient. He reached out, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. "Lola, what's going on? Talk to me."

Lola shook her head, her eyes stinging with tears she had been fighting all night. "I... I can't, Hobi. I can't talk about this."

Hoseok didn't push. Instead, he just stood there beside her, his hand still on her shoulder, grounding her. "I'm here. You don't have to do this alone."

That broke something inside her.

A sob escaped her lips before she could stop it, and suddenly, everything she had been holding in for so long came pouring out. She sank to her knees, her body shaking as the tears flowed freely. Hoseok knelt beside her, his arms wrapping around her without hesitation, pulling her close as she cried into his chest.

"I'm sorry," Lola choked out between sobs. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Hoseok's hand gently rubbed her back, his voice low and soothing. "It's okay, Lola. You don't have to apologize."

But Lola shook her head, pulling back slightly so she could look at him. Her eyes were red and swollen, her face streaked with tears. "You don't understand," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "I've been using... drugs. I... I didn't mean to start again, but I couldn't stop. And now I'm a mess, and I don't know what to do. The girls—they don't know, and I can't... I can't tell them. Not yet."

Hoseok's heart sank as he listened to her, understanding dawning on him. His chest tightened with a mixture of sadness and worry. "How long?" he asked quietly.

Lola wiped at her face with shaky hands. "A few months," she admitted. "I thought I could control it. I thought I could quit whenever I wanted, but..." Her voice broke. "It just got worse. And now I'm stuck."

Hoseok's mind raced, processing everything she was telling him. He had known something was wrong tonight, but he hadn't expected this. Addiction. The word hung heavy in the air between them, and it made everything feel that much more real.

"How often?" he asked, his voice gentle but serious. "How often are you using?"

Lola hesitated, her shame palpable. "Every couple of days," she finally whispered. "Sometimes more. I try to stop, but it's like... it's like I need it just to feel normal."

Hoseok's grip on her tightened slightly, his heart breaking for her. He had seen people struggle with addiction before, but it was different when it was someone you cared about. "Lola... why didn't you tell anyone? The girls—"

"They don't know," Lola interrupted, her voice panicked again. "I don't want them to know. They think I'm fine. I've been hiding it. I can't let them find out. I'm not ready for that. Please, Hobi, you can't tell them."

Hoseok's brow furrowed. He wanted to help her, to fix this somehow, but he also knew that keeping something like this a secret wasn't the answer. Still, he could see how desperate she was, how terrified she was of losing the people she cared about. He didn't want to push her away by betraying her trust.

"Okay," he said softly, his thumb brushing a tear from her cheek. "I won't tell them. But, Lola, you have to promise me something."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide, desperate. "Anything."

"You have to be honest with me," he said firmly. "If you're struggling, if you feel like you're slipping again, you need to tell me. You can't do this alone, and I won't let you. But I can only help you if you're honest with me."

Lola nodded quickly, relief flooding her system. "I promise. I won't slip up again. I'll get better. I'll stop. Just... please, don't tell the others. Not yet. I can't handle that."

Hoseok searched her eyes, wanting to believe her, wanting to trust that she could keep that promise. But deep down, he knew how hard addiction was to break. He had seen people relapse, seen the toll it could take on someone's mind and body. Still, he didn't want to lose her trust, not now when she was finally opening up to him.

"Okay," he said quietly. "But I'm here for you, Lola. No matter what. You don't have to do this by yourself."

Lola let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of her secret still there, but lighter somehow, now that someone else knew. She leaned into Hoseok again, her head resting against his chest. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close as the night air cooled the intensity of the moment.

"I won't slip again," she whispered, as if saying it would make it true.

Hoseok didn't respond, but his hand gently stroked her hair, silently promising that he wouldn't let her fall alone.

𖤛❀𖤛❀𖤛❀𖤛❀𖤛❀𖤛

When Lola finally made her way back to the rented house, the others were still buzzing with concern. But Lola, putting on a brave face, assured them she was just overwhelmed and needed some air. Hoseok didn't say anything, keeping her secret safe as promised.

But when she got back to her room, the relief from earlier had started to fade, replaced by the familiar gnawing need in the back of her mind. Just one more. One more hit to make the anxiety go away, to silence the fear, the shame, the guilt.

With trembling hands, she reached into her bag, pulling out the little vial she had sworn she wouldn't touch again.

"I'll stop after this," she whispered to herself, knowing deep down that it wasn't true.