To Find Something True

※ fifty-two

After their lunch at the hotel ended, all of the Bejiwoo staff and children went to the rooftop swimming pool.

Taehyung and Jungkook joined the children playing in the swimming pool. The babies, Jiah and Jisoo, were playing on their own on the poolside. Beside a tropical tree, Yoongi was resting on the lounger with a non-alcoholic cocktail in his hand, his legs crossed. Seokjin did nothing but watch them play. Their boss also did nothing but kept his eyes on his phone, with eyebrows furrowed.

Small splashes in the pool, coming from the swimmers, had the babies excited. They furiously moved their hands left and right, sending the water splashing onto their faces. It made Jisoo and Jiah laugh, and they kept flinching but continued to do it. This was the first time she saw Taehyun being comfortable with someone else other than Hoseok.

While the babies played, Jiah kept her arms around Taehyun and scanned the area. She caught Seokjin watching her. Breaking the awkwardness, she smiled and he smiled back before looking away.

She really hoped what happened last night did not ruin their friendship.

Seokjin's confession did not make her heart skip. Then, it was clear that their feelings weren't mutual. She told him that she appreciated his honesty, but she did not think it was fair if she accepted him without their feelings being mutual. She also wished that this wouldn't ruin their friendship.

At first, the air around them was tense. But Seokjin broke it with a sigh and a smile for her, telling her that he was fine with it. His reaction had her feeling bad. However, despite the day starting awkward between them, that day's smile exchanges seemed to have given her a sign that Seokjin was trying to accept.

On the other hand, her boss's behavior had been bugging her. His hoodie was up on his head once again. She wondered what was wrong with him. And she remembered she did not see Hoseok at the Helix Bridge last night, only to find he was already at the hotel.

The fact that Hoseok was moody on their last day was bugging her more. How would she answer Joohee if she asked? Shooting a long glare at the red-headed man beside Yoongi, she gave out a silent hiss.

"Amber noona!" shouted one of the children. Jiah turned her head behind to look at the high platform, finding a woman with undercut hair, in a white polo shirt tucked in the black slack trousers, smiling and sauntering to them. In her right arm, a brown coat was hung. Her black leather shoes got wet as the children took turns to give her a hug.

Jisoo stood up with Saekang and carried one of the baby's hands to wave at Amber. Jiah followed suit, carrying Taehyun with her. When Amber noticed her, she bowed and said, "hello."

Amber smiled and bowed back. Looking at Taehyun, she waved, but Taehyun did not respond, forcing them to an awkward laugh.

"Hoseok did not seem to have realized her presence yet; his eyebrows still knotted together as he engrossed himself with his phone, earpods in place. Jiah watched him for a moment, contemplating whether she
should approach him to scold.

Namjoon and Wheein went to Amber together, giving her a warm hug. Namjoon even spoke in English with Amber for a brief moment, exchanging well-being questions and answers.

On the other hand, Jungkook brought his fruit juice with him, graciously spinning around before showing her the drink. "Your 'welcome back' drink, mi'lady," he uttered.

Amber stared at him as if she was so done. "It's half-empty. You finish it," she said as she pushed his hand aside.

"Noona!" Taehyung shouted, fast walking to her and wrapping his arms and a leg around her. "I miss you so, so much. Why did you leave us so long? Seokjin hyung has been giving us hell!"

"Get your fat leg off me!" Amber said, jokingly glared at him. "Seokjin has been giving you hell, you say? Judging by how heavy you're getting, it seems to me he's been feeding you well."

"He's been feeding us his nags!" Taehyung exaggerated.

"Oh god," Amber muttered in English, holding back a laugh. "Aren't you going to introduce me to our new staff?"

"Oh yeah! We almost forgot Jiah," Taehyung said. He then called Jiah. Once Jiah was in front of them, they bowed to each other once again. Taehyung introduced, "noona, this is Hoseok hyung's P.A, Lee Jiah. Jiah noona, this is Bejiwoo's co-founder."

"Finally. It's nice to meet you!" Amber said.

The fact that Jiah was facing the co-founder of Bejiwoo humbled her. She displayed a bashful smile and said, "it is nice to meet you too."

"How has Hoseok been behaving?" Amber asked.

She chose to lie. "He's been behaving fine. No problem at all," she said.

"That's good to hear! Yoongi told me you suggested dyeing his hair. I want to see it. Now, where is he?" Amber asked.

Jiah moved aside, showing Hoseok, who was sitting on a lounger, still playing with his phone. Amber stepped down the small stairs and walked to him, pushing the hoodie that covered his hair to the back, startling him. She tossed her coat in front of him as he sat up and took off his ear pods. In a daze, he asked, "when did you arrive?"

Ignoring his question, Amber uttered, "woah, you look hot, Hoseok! Amazing! Your P.A has good taste."

Hoseok's surprised expression relaxed. He stealthily glanced at her and remained quiet.

It was then Yoongi called Amber, waving inward. Seokjin was there with him, his eyes squinting due to the sunlight. Jiah knew they called her for the news relating to the founder of Bejiwoo. Curious, she kept an eye on them, stealthily.

She patted Hoseok's shoulder before walking to the two men. The men walked a little further for more privacy. As soon as she stopped in front of them, Yoongi said something. Amber rolled her tongue in her cheeks, slowly pushing her short hair to the back and looking at the ground for a brief moment.

"Noona," Jiah read Yoongi's lips, seemingly in a desperate tone. Before inhaling a deep breath, Amber opened both of her palms. Jiah couldn't decipher what Amber had said next, but it made Yoongi inhale a deep breath, turn around, push and grip his curly, crimped hair. He then walked away in big steps.

Seokjin stayed frozen, staring at his same-age friend with jaws clenching and unclenching.

"I'm sorry," Jiah read Amber's lips. She knew then it was nothing good.

"How are we going to tell Hoseok?" Seokjin's Adam's apple shook as if he tried to hold back a cry. His sclera reddened, his calloused fingers rubbing his face before his hair. After hanging down his head for a brief moment, he raised it up. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Everyone who is part of In-Kang. I'm going to kill them all."

Amber showed her back, but Jiah could see she was pressing her nose. Then, the same hand wiped down her face. She shook her head at Seokjin.

Unable to watch the scene unfold anymore, she turned her head to look at Hoseok, who was back to engrossed in his phone. Her throat felt too tight to swallow, unable to imagine how he was going to react upon the bad news.