Soul Vine | m.yg

18: Heated Nights ༄

The discharge process was quick and quiet.

Once Mr. Min returned for them, they were ushered out the back door and into a luxurious looking black van. Eden managed to catch a glimpse of the outside before she got in. It was nighttime, which would explain her exhaustion, and it seemed like the area outside the... jail... was covered in plush vegetation, with trees towering over every inch of the property.

She slid into one of the many rows of seats, landing between Hoseok and Jungkook. A big part of her was glad to be next to such comforting presences, but a tiny, angrier part wanted nothing to do with them.

That proved impossible once Jungkook threw his arm around Eden's seat, the same way he did the day they met.

She glanced up at him, startling a bit when she noticed he was already looking at her. He quirked his eyebrow up, his lips pulling into his flirty smirk.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey...?"

"Come here often?"

She choked on her laugh, trying to stifle it before she drew attention to herself. She settled for hitting him playfully, to which he broke from his flirty grin and let his smile take over his entire face.

"You're ridiculous," she mumbled.

"I just wanted to see you smile."

He sighed, his own smile dissolving as he stared ahead. Eden knew guilt was killing him, that he felt partially responsible for her lack of smiles. As much as she wanted to remain stubborn, she knew it didn't make sense— the boys left Iphorus 7 years ago. She couldn't be mad at them for wanting to keep their past behind them.

"I'm okay," she said softly. "Just.. it's a lot to process."

Jungkook looked back at her, his dark eyebrows lost in his sea of hair. "Can I help?"

She shrugged. "I just... assassins?"

"Well..." Jungkook scratched his neck sheepishly. "We told you before, this place really sucked. That guy, Einar, rose to power and fucked up everything. It was a dog-eat-dog world out there."

"But why would you all turn to crime?"

"Jungkook barely knows anything." Hoseok piped up.

The two turned their attention to the brunette who was leaning against the window. He blew his hair out of his face and looked at them before continuing. "Remember, he was only 12 when we left. He might have known what we did but we didn't give him details. He's a baby."

"Was," the younger corrected. "I'll be 20 next year."

Hoseok rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I understand being apprehensive now since we never told you the truth, but you and Jungkook are close, and he's just as in the dark as you. Don't let this strain your friendship."

"I'm not apprehensive," Eden mumbled. "I'm just... surprised. I know you guys said you were all different people 7 years ago, but you have to admit being wanted criminals is a lot to digest."

Hoseok shrugged. "That's true."

He returned his attention outside of the window, leaving Eden and Jungkook to their own conversation. There was something... off about him. Granted, no one was in the happiest mood, but Hoseok seemed downright enraged. His dark brown eyes were ablaze with an untraceable emotion, and Eden didn't like it one bit. She turned her attention back to Jungkook, staring at him with questions in her eyes. He pulled his eyes from Hoseok and met her gaze, sighing and using the hand draped around her seat to ruffle her hair.