√ 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 // 𝐻𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝐻𝑦𝑢𝑛𝑗𝑖𝑛

twenty.

    
     A half hour later, Nari was seated at a huge table with possibly the most dangerous company she'd ever kept.

     Twenty one men, including her brother, were dressed in all black, armed to the teeth, and looking very intimidating. As he took the seat at the head of the table, Nari grimaced.

     "Taeyong, don't you think this is a bit much? I thought you wanted to be allies," she wondered, doubtful of his friend making abilities. He did nothing but smile.

     "Don't worry Ri, I know what I'm doing."

     It sure seemed that way. Half of the members were lined up against the walls, ready to attack or protect at any moment. Six more were stationed right behind Taeyong, mouths set in harsh lines. The rest were sitting at the table with Nari and Taeyong. Nari was on her brother's right side, and a smaller, soft looking boy sat on his left.

     She was uncomfortable from the dark auras surrounding her, but whenever she looked up, an impish wink or calming grin was sent in her direction.

     The boy sitting across from her glanced over hesitantly. "Hey," he greeted her. "It's nice to finally meet you."

     After bowing her head, Nari replied, "Same to you. I'm Nari. Which you already know." She let a small laugh out.

     He tilted his head, dark hair falling into his smiling eyes. "I'm Mark."

     Before she could even smile back, a device beeped, coming from another seated man. He hurriedly tapped on a sleek screen a few times and brought his head up, nodding at Taeyong.

     "They're here, sir."

     After drawing in a breath to steady himself, Taeyong addressed the members by the walls. "Jungwoo, Yuta, escort them in with Dream."

     A few other members broke off from the walls, and some came from behind Taeyong. Without hesitation, they marched out of the room, guns ready, and shut the doors with an echoing thump. Nari fidgeted in her seat, nervous for the meeting that was about to play out. Her brother noticed her unease and reached a gentle hand over, squeezing her hand softly.

     "It'll be okay," he whispered, trying to calm her down. Nari believed his words, but was still set on edge, and her legs began to bounce up and down.

     The doors opened again with a boom, causing poor Nari to almost jump out of her skin. She anxiously craned her neck, attempting to get a glance at her friends.

     Chan entered first, eyebrow lifting as he took in the setup Taeyong had organized. When his eyes met Nari's, every fear in him faded away, and he relaxed a bit more as she sent him a small grin.

     Jisung, Jeongin, Felix, and Woojin were next, each looking like they regretted coming here at all. They surveyed the room, all looking for their girl with wide eyes. Jeongin smiled widely when he saw her, causing Yuta to glare at him, not sure how to interpret the innocent gesture.

     And lastly, Changbin, Minho, Seungmin, and Hyunjin came in. Nari inwardly groaned as she spotted her complicated crush. The others were relatively clear of weapons, other than a pistol here and a knife there. Hyunjin's eyes were dark and hooded, reflecting the black pistols strapped to his thighs. The holsters on his legs trailed down to his ankles, allowing several large knives to sit against his calves. A belt full of ammo sat snugly at his waist, easily accessible and convenient. Besides that, his gaze was so sharp it might have been counted as a weapon too.

     Taeyong stood and bowed to the group, face stoic. "Welcome to our home," he said, smiling wickedly. "Please, sit. We have a lot to discuss."