thief.

the surprise trip.

Jennie knew how to keep her space. Which she did. But this time it didn't feel forced or wrong whenever she distances herself from Taehyung.

Technically she couldn't call it distancing, but it wasn't like she was always talking to him like before. Now they had come to a truce, but Jennie still wasn't sure how to bring things back to normal?

She didn't completely mind this though. She found herself become more attentive to Taeyong's life once again, which was greatly needed.

He and Seulgi weren't necessarily dating, but now it was more obvious that the girl was seeing someone because now she started to show up to work with her long black hair curled lusciously, and even started to wear more makeup.

She was already pretty, but Jennie wondered in the back of her mind how Taeyong the klutz extraordinaire scored a suave woman like Kang Seulgi.

They were almost complete opposites from what Jennie could see. She tried to wipe away the disapproving scowl on her face, switching off her phone.

"Seulgi this, Seulgi that, damnit can't I just ever get a break?" Jennie frowned, picking up an apple from her kitchen counter. "They are really cute though."

Perhaps this was how Taeyong felt about Taehyung. Heck, he didn't even know his name, all he ever called him was 'sexy-stranger'. 

The brunette smiled to herself. It was a pretty accurate description. 

"Hello?" 

"JENNIE!" Jungkook shrieked loudly on the other end, causing the paramedic to retract her ear from the phone. "You have to help me!"

"W-What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Your she-demon of a friend is what's wrong! Lisa just found out I was ticklish and now I'm hiding in the bathroom so she doesn't find me."

The brunette sighed. "So, not an emergency?"

"It could be. I might not make this one out alive."

"Oh relax peaches. If she tries anything, just pinch her tricep. It works like a charm, every single time." She clicked her phone, smiling again. 

It seemed like everything lately was in a good mood. Though it was winter now, and everything was cold outside, Jennie was happy. She couldn't pinpoint what exactly was right, but something just felt right.

She hoped this feeling would last. It felt like forever since she last tasted this kind of bliss. 

When Jennie's phone vibrated, she glanced down, biting her lip.

taehyung: come outside 

jennie: no please?

taehyung: ;)

Jennie sat her phone into the back-pocket of her jeans, shutting her front door behind her. Across from the row of parked cars nearest to her tenement, Taehyung's convertible was pulled up on the other side, engine started with him inside, presumably checking his reflection. 

And she sensed he was also in a good mood (for once). This was probably a first that she didn't see him in his office, always glued to his computer dealing lord knows what all the time. 

"Get inside." He uttered when she came closer, turning his head to Jennie. "There's somewhere I want to take you."

-

"Daegu?" She gasped. "We're going to Daegu?"

"Yeah." Taehyung's hand loosened on the steering wheel. "So sit tight."

"But why? And all of a sudden?"

"Do you not want to go?"

"No, no...of course I do." Jennie blinked at him. "I just didn't expect it now. It's not even New Years yet." 

"I know it's not. There's another reason actually." Taehyung frowned, eyes zoning onto the highway in front of them. Thinking.

He was just always thinking about something, after the many years of knowing him, Jennie could never figure out what.

"When Baekhyun showed up at your house, and scared Lisa, originally I thought he had come for me or something. But no, I think he was there to see if you actually lived there."

"Me?"

"Yeah. Whether he knows that I've you since we were kids or not, he does know you're our medic. Just like the last girl Im Mini, your life is in danger because you're the only one we can count on whenever one of us gets hurt."

"I understand. B-But why would he go all this way to look for my house? Couldn't he have sent someone else?"

"Yes." Jennie noticed his knuckles tighten. "I doubt it meant anything good, but just to be safe...I wanted to keep you off the radar for a bit."

"And you were thinking Daegu?" She sighed. "Taehyung, what if he just comes there?"

"He won't. I know he won't."

"How could you possibly know-"

"I just know. He wouldn't dare go back to Daegu."

Go back? He wouldn't dare go back?

"So, he was from there?" 

"Yes."

"But I cannot believe you!" Jennie suddenly whined. "You want me off the radar, you always do this and that just because 'Jennie needs to be safe, it's my fucking job, now stay out  of it' like what the hell? This is just a bit unfair, don't you think?"

Taehyung smiled to himself. "No."

"No?" She scoffed. "You're so annoying."

"I am not. You'll learn to live with it."

"I've known you my whole life, and I still can't stand it. That's got to mean something."

He adjusted the knob of the radio volume, allowing it to increase before sighing in content. He could see Jennie was scowling at the window from his peripheral vision, snorting to himself. 

"We're staying at my house, by the way."

The brunette glanced over immediately. 

"Taehee and Taejung, they're still in school right?"

"Seniors."

She suddenly squealed, turning back to the window. "Ah, I missed them. And your mom. I missed her a lot too."

"What about me? I think it's unfair if you leave me excluded."

"You deserve to be excluded if you're forcing me to be exiled from Seoul."

"It's not exile." Taehyung laughed. "But what a weird way to phrase it. Come on sweetheart, it'll be just like the old days. I'm not dropping you off here to just wallow away until I deem it safe."

He shot a smirk in her direction.

"I'll be staying at home with you too. You're not the only one who missed that place." 

a/n: y'all just a heads up, you are probably going to love me for these next few chapters while they're in daegu together because it's going to be super cute and free of the gang-drama for once :) I'm so excited I have been looking forward to writing this part of the book for SUCH A LONG TIME.