level 23 / btsvelvet

episode three

the normally peaceful evenings of level 23 are disrupted only two days after park joy is added to the list of its residents.

yerim's brows furrow in frustration as she squints at the computer screen. "sorry, i can't hear you." she says apologetically into her headset for the fifth time, her mouse still clicking furiously as her left hand flies across the keyboard. the trap music playing next door is pounding agonizingly in her head as she attempts to concentrate on her video game.

when she hears the sudden sound of fifty people screaming simultaneously through the wall, however, she decides she can't quite take it anymore.

"seungwan unnie!" she shouts, slamming her laptop closed and opening the door to her room to see son seungwan digging through the cabinets for ear plugs.

"yerim, have you seen my ear mufflers?" seulgi groans from the beanbag. "i didn't know rich people partied like this."

"you think we should call the police? it's eleven p.m. it's already past lawful hours." seungwan shudders, holding her head in her hands.

"screw what time it is. this decibel level in itself is unlawful." yerim says, brushing back her blonde locks in exasperation. "here, hand me the ph-"

suddenly, the music stops, leaving the girls in a comfortable volume of noise. sure, there is still some commotion, but it seems as if joy's party is finally ending.

"nevermind." yerim chuckles before rubbing her temple. "i guess they either got stopped by someone downstairs or they have a sense of shame."

"yeah, thank god." seungwan exhales in agreement, in appreciation of the silence.

ten minutes pass, and the girls are beginning to relish in relief when there is a knock at the apartment door.

"what now?" seulgi grumbles as she opens the door, only to see a seething park joy.

"you know, you guys really know how to spoil a party." joy holds a hand to her hip, an unreadable smirk on those blood-red lips. "calling the police, huh? not exactly a friendly way to treat a neighbor."

seulgi's eyes widen, slightly intimidated. the brunette didn't have great self-esteem to start with, and it didn't help the situation that joy was the tallest out of all four girls.

"we didn't call them." seungwan approaches the door to come to seulgi's rescue with a scowl. "i wouldn't be surprised if all twenty-four levels in this apartment building heard you, so i don't know what makes you think we did it."

"you really think i don't know?" joy's cheshire grin widens as she hums menacingly. "don't lie. the cop literally told me the person who filed the report was from the same level."

yerim's fist curls at her side. if this was a video game, park joy's face would've already been blown to smithereens. kim yerim doesn't have the patience to deal with good-for-nothing bitches tonight, especially not when she's had her fair share of them in college. being best friends with jeon jungkook had its downsides, of course. once, yerim had even suggested jungkook date one of the girls that harassed her if he really wanted what was best for her, but the taller boy had simply frowned and left her to her own devices from then on.

"kook, didn't you say you'd do anything to protect me?" yerim asked as she thumbed through a javascript textbook. she tossed the book she had held previously in her hands to him, in favor of a different book which caught her eye.