I Thought We Were Infinite Continued [BlackTan]

vi.

"You shouldn't be here, you know." Hoseok says, arms crossed in front of his chest as he inspects the girl crouched by the shelves in the records room. A lone cocktail glass stands untouched on a nearby desk.

The black-haired woman flashes him a dazzling smile, tucking the papers in a manilla envelope and smoothening the creases on her pastel pink trenchcoat when she stands.

"I know."

He doesn't soften up when she looks at him, a rarity. "Then you don't know your family that well, Kim Jisoo."

A scowl replaces the winning smile, souring whatever mood she was in. "Tell me something I don't know, oppa."

Hoseok waits for several moments to let her anger sizzle for a bit.

"We're going to Barcelona in a few days. You're coming with."

The hardness in her features lessens, and there's a faraway look in her eyes as she recalls it was a dream she shared with a certain Min.

They both look at the door when it opens, revealing her strawberry-blonde assistant who's holding up some documents with a blush on her cheeks. Jisoo grabs the drink, gesturing towards Hoseok before draining it clean and going towards the younger woman with a bright smile.

"Thank you so much, darling," Jisoo addresses the younger girl, inspecting the documents for several moments before holding it firmly. Looking up to meet Hoseok's dark, calculating eyes, she faces him. "Oppa, have you met Rosé?"

Almost as if someone had flipped a light switch, he smiles charmingly at the strawberry-blonde, bowing as she does.

"First time with the squad?"

Rosé tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Ne."

The black-haired woman watches the exchange with a smile; perhaps Hoseok might really end up with someone, after all. Rosé's sweet and energetic personality would greatly compliment his own.

A little sad to break the conversation, Jisoo runs a hand through her dark locks. "I think it's time to dye my hair. Rosie?"

When she passes him, Hoseok holds unto her arm. "Why?"

For a second, she glares at him before maintaining a neutral façade and removing his hand.

"It's not illegal now, is it?"

To anyone just casually listening, they might've thought that she was teasing but his sharp ears heard the accusing tone in them.

"Anyway, don't freak out when you see a redhead walking around. See you, oppa."

He pokes the inside of his cheek in distaste upon realizing he's lost the opportunity to talk to her once more. Eying  the liquor cabinet, he decides that he'll just wait for the next chance.

~*~*~

The stench of hair dye is heavy in the air, and she still feels a bit giddy at managing to color some of Rosé's hair the same shade as her. The only real source of happiness she gets nowadays is her secretary and younger brother, given that the others were too busy with their jobs. The thought of it makes her frown but seeing the documents tightly pressed to her chest only made her walk quicker to her room. The lights were on with a flip of the switch and she carelessly tossed her bag to the nearby couch.

"I don't know what to think of your hair."

Seeing his younger sister point her gun at him in alarm made Seokjin chuckle. Slowly, she lowers the weapon and returns it to the inner pocket of her coat. Sighing, she places the documents on the nearby coffee table before facing him with hands on her hips.

"First of all, knocking's a thing. Second, what the hell are you doing here?"

He beams, flourishing his hand in a gesture of indifference. "We haven't had a single conversation between just the two of us since you've arrived and that's what you're concerned with?"

"We're on a 'need-to-know' basis on your work, Jin-oppa." After discarding her coat, she sees him look at her with that hopeful look. "You want something, don't you?"

He puckers his full lips into a childish pout before laughing, standing up to pick up her coat.

"You love oppa, don't you?"

They all know she does but she prefers to tease them over it. Smiling even though Jin could see the apprehension in her brown eyes. "That depends."

He clicks his tongue while tossing her the coat. "We're going out for dinner; you look lovely so don't bother changing."

The blond passes her but halts when she calls out to him.

"Where's Taehyung?"

He forces a smile, hating at obscuring the truth to her. "He's on a business trip, darling."

~*~*~

"Why'd you bring me here?" Jisoo asks, relishing the cold breeze caressing her cheeks and the sand beneath her feet. The smell certainly brought back memories of family vacations and while she enjoys the beach, it wasn't like Kim Seokjin to do something without any purpose.

He follows, hugging her from behind and smiling to himself when she relaxes against him. "We have to go overseas for a while and I wanted to ask if you want to come with."

"This is about Kim Enterprises?"

The blond gives an uncertain hum, tapping his long fingers on her arms. "Let me be frank with you, since I haven't had the pleasure to do so for so long."

"The thing is, Soo, they want you. They're scared of us, Taehyung, Namjoon and even Hoseok. They want someone to control."

The red-haired girl scoffs, already seething at the Board. Even when they were teenagers, the whole family usually forced her out whenever they came.

"They think they can manipulate you." Seokjin admits in low, hushed tones. "They know you're intelligent, but they want to turn you against us."

"That's not going to happen," Jisoo replies firmly, eliciting a chuckle from her brother. "I'd sooner abandon you."

When he lets go and goes nearer to the water, she feels empty but when he outstretches a hand, she immediately takes it while walking beside him him.

"And failing to do that, they hope to engage you to one of the Board's sons," The blond glowers. "Park Jinyoung."

All words die on her tongue while she tightens her grip on him, knuckles turning white. He was her first boyfriend, an innocent that happened during high school that was settled quite amicably considering the circumstances.

"You're not letting them, are you?"

Seokjin relaxes upon hearing her soft voice, looking at her with warm eyes. He pats her head as if she were a child and smiles. "They'd have to go through hell itself before I let them get their hands on my baby sister."

He turned them to the direction of the car, conflicted about his happiness on her taking the situation surprisingly cool-headedly.

From a distance, a shutter goes off.

"I doubt that's his girlfriend, hyungnim."

The shorter man glares at the light-brown haired man who was looking at the photo meticulously. "You're just scared your girlfriend's going to lecture you, Jeon."

The younger man scowls at the accusation. "They look too alike to be in that kind of relationship. Unless you think he's into that. In any case, we have the pictures so let's jet."

"Don't tell me what to do."

'Jeon' grins smugly while passing the other man. "Aye aye, Park."