RIPPLE | P.JM

2

SEVEN

"Why is she still here?"

I look up, tugging at the loose sleeve of the black shirt Taehyung had lent me. My dress was so torn and totally cut in the bottom, and it was literally so dirty the original color couldn't be told anymore.

Jimin— was it.

He has his fingers tightened on the railing of the stairs, eyes fixed down on me. They're almost white when they're reflected in the light.

Actually, he's the only silver-eyed one amongst the seven men I'd seen.

"What do you mean why?" Jin crosses his arms, looking pointedly up at him. He's holding a plate full of food that he'd spent the last hour cooking, claiming that the six other douchebags? couldn't appreciate his cooking properly.

"You brought her here, Jimin." Taehyung says deeply besides me, his lips pursed together. "What's the problem?"

His voice is ice cold. The cap is now off, showing delicate, pretty features that shouldn't be twisted that way. Like it was now.

His face is both immensely feminine and masculine at the same time, and I nearly tell him what I'd almost told Taehyung earlier.

"It was temporary." He says, fingers curling. He fixes his eyes straight onto mine.

"Leave, slave."

"No! I'm keeping her." Jungkook yells, his features scrunching together. "I'm sick of seeing all of your faces! I need a fresh one to look at."

"Why are you acting like this, Jimin?" Hoseok pipes up, expression a confused frown. "You should be the one to most understand her. I don't get why you'd—"

What?

The one to most understand?

"She's leaving by her own, or I am making her." He growls, and I'm stunned at the look of ferocity in his eyes. "I helped her once out of death. Once is enough."

I stand up, warmth settling in my ears from embarrassment.

"Wait. What are you doing?" Namjoon suddenly says, eyes wide. "You have nowhere to go! Don't listen to that little brat."

"I'm leaving. I don't want this to happen."

My cheeks must be boiling by now— I wasn't going to stay if I wasn't wanted here. I'd just find a way, I always did. Somehow.

But before I can even take a first step in showing myself out the door, Taehyung wraps his hand around my wrist and pulls me back down on the couch.

"You're acting like an insensible idiot. She's staying whether you want it or not, Chim." His deep voice is aimed straight at Jimin, and I can see the two of them stare hard at each other.

Gosh damn. I should really go.

Jimin's eyes shift from Taehyung and back to me. It narrows even further when he notices the shirt I'm wearing.

"I should've never helped you. I should've left you to die, slave."

"Park Jimin!" Jin gasps loudly, his eyes wide in shock. "Come back down this instant and apologize for your unacceptable attitude!"

But Jimin's already gone, back up the stairs. A loud slam of a door echoes from above, and I swallow.

"Oh gosh— I'm so sorry." Jungkook says, voice squeaky. "I really don't know what's up with him. He hasn't been like that for a while."