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18. Be Convincing

"Wait, so...you almost got shot today and now we have to go live in a house together with a bunch of dudes like we're joining a rookie idol group because the people that almost shot you are going to look for you...because your boyfriend, who disappeared off the face of the planet six months ago, is a criminal?" Da Reum asked, slumped in his desk chair.

"More or less." Yuna answered anxiously, seated across from him on his bed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Noona, I really hate to ask you this, but...are you on drugs?"

"This is serious! She threw the pillow laying next to her at him. "I know it sounds crazy but...look, he's not actually my boyfriend, I just didn't know how to explain to you that he was hurt and I helped him. I mean...yes, there was some kind of...something...connection, maybe? I don't know how to explain, but that's why he disappeared back then. If he and I had stayed in contact, it would have put me and you in danger. Today, I sort of just ran into him by mistake while something was happening and he helped me and now they saw us together so now they will or already have found out who I am and will come after me in order to find him." The words hurriedly flowed from her lips, making less and less sense to her the longer she spoke.

"Who is they? Why are they trying to find him?"

"I...don't know exactly."

He clapped his hands together as a sudden epiphany lit up his eyes.

"I know what it is. I knew you've been watching too many dramas. Too much TV is bad for you, noona."

She glared at him without bothering to respond.

"Ok, ok, ok." Succumbing to her threatening gaze, guessing that it would be her fist that she threw next instead of a pillow. "Let's just say all of this is totally legit. Are we just supposed to hide out at his house for who knows how long and put everything else on hold? What about school and stuff?"

"Well, we talked about that on the way over here. We can't just not go, especially because we don't even know how long it will take for them to do whatever they need to do so..." Her face fell. She was just as displeased with the instruction as she anticipated Da Reum would be. "Taeyong said one of his friends would need to come with us whenever we leave." She closed her eyes and bit at her bottom lip, waiting for Da Reum to fire back.

"Noona!" He shouted. "You're joking, right? That is so embarrassing!"

"Not any more embarrassing than it would be for one of us to get shot in public or kidnapped, don't you think?" She snapped back. "Look, I haven't fully grasped the situation myself yet and I know it sounds crazy, but please listen to me. I don't know what they will do to who or why, but I do know that they were shooting at people on a busy street full of innocent bystanders in the middle of the day and they didn't give a damn who was around. If Taeyong is telling me that we can be used as expendable tools just to get at him, I'm inclined to believe him."

Even if the situation didn't make sense, he knew her reasoning did. He threw his head back and sighed in defeat.

"Ok, noona. I trust you, so if you trust him then I will do what you say." He said flatly.

She smiled as she stood up and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"My little baby listens so well to his noona." She cooed as she vigorously disheveled his hair. He clicked his tongue at her and shoved her hand away from his head.

"Alright! Get out and let me finish getting my stuff together, geez." He grumbled.

She nodded as she stepped out and closed the door behind her. She found Taeyong, who volunteered to start packing for her while she talked with Da Reum, busy folding and organizing the contents of the suitcase in her room.