[1] Code: RED || KTH

Ch10: Tension In The Air

The next few days I spend with Taehyung are mostly quiet. I never leave home because he's my current project, and I can never leave him home alone, or else I'll find either the house on fire, or I won't find him at all.

Other than a few glares and curses here and there, Taehyung doesn't harm me to the point I'm again considering removing his collar, even though last time I tried to it didn't end well.

It's another usual day in my apartment. Taehyung is in his room which he never leaves when the doorbell rings.

I stand up from where I was sitting in the living room and head to the door, unlocking it. I'm greeted with Jin smiling, grocery bags in his hand.

He walks in before I say anything, settling the plastic bags on the counter.

"I know how dry your kitchen is, so I'm having lunch with you today," He says as he rummages through the bags, pulling out eggs.

Seokjin is a dog hybrid, too. I always told him that his ears were a little big to be a dog's; they were almost like a wolf's, and he always laughed it off saying it's because he's an Alaskan Malamute hybrid. He's one of the very very very few hybrids who don't have owners. Not long ago, a new hybrid law was released that hybrids can, in fact, live without owners, just like humans.

So far, Jin is the only hybrid I know who lives by himself. It's hard; almost all places refuse to hire hybrids for work, but thankfully Jin found a job at an elderly house where he takes care of old people. Jin is good-natured, so no wonder he can handle his job well.

He's Yoongi's, my brother, roommate, too. They share an apartment and are close friends at that.

"You didn't have to," I smile, watching him open my fridge and snicker.

"It really is dry," He sighs and walks around, opening cabinets.

"Yoongi told me you adopted a hybrid," He adds.

"Ah, yes," I mumble. "Business purposes."

"Is your boss still a douche?" He asks with a hint of a smirk, now pulling out a pan.

"He's not a douche," I grab an apple, and Seokjin slaps my hand before I bite it, glaring at me knowingly as he puts it back in the fruit basket.

"He's just a little strict," I go on, caressing my own hand which still stings from the slap. "He's a really nice guy, I've witnessed it a few times, and he's really serious about his job, really standing up to hybrids' rights, you know."

"I just get myself in trouble," I add. "He has the right to hate me, honestly; I would hate me, too. A few days ago Taehyung and I were at the police station."

Seokjin hums, then stops abruptly. "Who's Taehyung?"

"The hybrid I adopted," I say, and Seokjin nods, now turning on the stove.

"Is Taehyung a nice guy?" He asks, his back facing me.

I shrug. "Kind of. He's a code red, and may have strangled me once, growled at me twice and cursed me uncountable times, but he's a little... you know, decent."

"Let's just hope he doesn't cause you trouble," Seokjin says, his voice a little deeper than it was a few minutes ago.

"I don't think so," I shake my head. "I believe I'll get him to trust me."

Jin hums again, turning around to give me a small smile before he turns back to the food.

"Where is he now?"

"In his bedroom. He rarely leaves it. Only to eat and go to the bathroom, then he goes back."

It's silent for a while, the only thing I hear is the sizzle of the food Jin is cooking, and the clanking of the utensils as he works his way through my kitchen.

A few minutes later, when Jin is nearly done with the cooking, I hear a small thud and Taehyung appears, staring at us blankly.

"Hey, Taehyung, this is Seokjin, my best friend," I say, turning back to Jin. "Jin, that's Taehyung."

"Hey," Jin gives Taehyung a nod, who stands still, his eyes fixed on my friend.

He scans him head to toe, his eyes flickering from Seokjin to me, then back to Jin, and it's too quick I wouldn't notice if I didn't concentrate.

There's tension in the air, and it's easy to notice, but it's too intimidating that I didn't want to break it.

Jin gives a smile, and Taehyung blinks, as if that smile pulled him out from his trance.

"Hey," He mumbles, his voice very low, and with one last glance, he turns around and walks away.

"What was that?" I ask in a whisper, tearing my eyes away from the spot where Taehyung was standing to Jin.

He shrugs, and averts his gaze back on the food, settling it on three plates.