Temporals

8. Closer

The drive from Downtown to the Smith's estate went in a trance. Namjoon sat quietly in the passenger side seat as Rae pulled through the crowds of the northern streets to the comparatively wider and less occupied southern part of the clan's capital city. The houses and apartment buildings became scarcer and grander on the path, making their way to the widest estate that had belonged to the alpha family for generations.

"It's me," Rae's voice commanded respect, more than attention, when she spoke into the intercom. From somewhere behind the massive, and shielded iron gate, in an outhouse control room, Levi buzzed her in. The distance between the outer gate to the manor was not too little, yet Rae covered it in a couple of seconds.

Hopping out of the car that she very skillfully parked, she rushed inside. Her hand reached out to her ankle, in an act of habit, to take off her heels and she immediately tsk-ed when she realized those were sport's shoes.

Namjoon followed her footsteps, carefully choosing his next words. It went without saying that Rae was pissed - any parent would be - and Dakota would receive an earful. Who needed more consoling, was a question Namjoon didn't know the answer to.

Teaching Dakota for the past week had been endearing to him. The teenager was like a gust of fresh air, a reminiscence of his own youth, sweet and charming. True, literature was not her forte and, as a tutor, he'd have to constantly come up with new ways to get her to like the subject, but she tried - what more could a teacher ask for?

But, Rae deserved encouraging words too. After an entire day of selfish, egocentric people coming at her for trying to protect her own people, and herself, an antagonizing act from her own daughter was just the cherry on top of the cake.

The time she spent with Joon in the skating rink was embalming, but could not possibly make up for the entire day. When she pushed open the door to the living room, he sighed and gave up.

Rae stopped abruptly in the middle of the large room, and Namjoon stopped behind her. In front of them, at the kitchen counter, Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook surrounded an intoxicated and pale Dakota. She, however, only looked pale. Her behaviour was bizzare, voice loud and words directed only at Taehyung.

"You're so cute," she cried, trying to latch her arms around the 25-year old's neck, "I think you're so cute, Taetae! Why don't.. why can't we be together? Why do you run away from me? You don't think I'm cute?"

The man seemed highly uncomfortable, if not repelled by the circumstances. But he still managed to maintain a calm disposition, and a sympathetic companionship towards his young, drunk friend.

"Dakota!" Jimin tried to sober her up. In his own hand, he held a cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice and with his other, he tried to keep her away from Taehyung.

"You're not going to like this when we joke about it later, you know. Don't.. ahh, Dakota! Stop being a baby, no?"

But she seemed to have no care for what anyone else had to say. Although it was pretty evident, her drunk self could not possibly regard the discomfort she was putting Tae through. At least until her mother's alarming voice brought everyone to attention.

"Dakota!"
No later than she had bellowed her name, Rae rushed across the room to reach her.

"Explain."
One word, and she stood in front of the lot, crossing her arms against her chest.

"Noona!" Jungkook demanded her attention. "Noona! It's okay. She'll be fine in a while."

"Dakota, I asked you something." Rae, however, chose to ignore it.

Dakota stared blankly at her for a few seconds before realizing to speak, "I got a little drunk.. at Allison's house.. and now I'm here. You want me to apologize?"