Protection||Jay

chapter six

"you're home early," hana spoke as soon as she entered the apartment.

"i finished all the paperwork early," jaemin replied, "who's the guy?"

"what guy?" hana responded, acting clueless.

jaemin sighed, "there's definitely a guy."

"but if you don't want to tell me, your amazing handsome brother, that's fine. i didn't want to know anyways," he jokingly sniffled.

"how was work today? i heard some famous people were at your café."

"how do you know?" hana asked.

"it was all over social media," jaemin explained.

"ah .. it was a kpop group. enhypen i think," she replied, "and work was okay. like the usual."

"hey," jaemin called out, "let's go out for dinner. whatever you want to eat. it's my treat. what do you say?"

"you're just too lazy to cook huh?" hana laughed.

"yea," jaemin admitted.

"let me wash up first and then we can go okay?" hana asked, receiving two thumbs up.
—
"what shall we eat today?" jaemin asked hana once he locked the door to the apartment.

"fried chicken?" hana suggested.

"sure," jaemin nodded.

"oh hello," jaemin greeted.

hana turned around to see who jaemin was speaking to, seeing jay and two other boys from the café earlier. they all had a mask covering half their face, but hana was able to figure out their eyes.

the three boys smiled and bowed at hana and jaemin before walking past, jay and hana sharing slight eye contact before jay walked away.

"are they new to the building? how come i've never seen them around?" jaemin asked, receiving a clueless shrug from hana.

"well to chicken we go!" he exclaimed, throwing his arm around hana's neck as they both skipped away.
—
"excuse me," hana called out.

"yes?" the waitress smiled.

"can we perhaps get an extra plate please?"

"yes ma'am," the waitress nodded, "just one moment."

hana smiled and nodded at the lady before watching her walk away to another table.

she internally gasped once her eyes landed on the three boys from earlier who were sitting two tables down from her.

hana's stare caught the attention of one of the boys who then grabbed the attention of the two other boys, all three pairs of eyes eventually landing on hana, making her look away.

seconds after looking away, hana's phone began ringing. not paying too much attention to the caller ID, hana answered the phone.

"hello?"

she heard a long sigh on the other end of the call, pulling the phone away from her ear to see who was calling. hana immediately brought her gaze back to the table with the three boys, specifically on one of them.

"am i that addicting to be around that you followed me here?" the male chuckled.

"followed?" hana questioned, "real funny."

"yah," jaemin mouthed, "who is it?"

hana shook her head in response to her brother and continued the call.

"didn't i tell you to call me?" the male asked.

"well yes but—"

"but i still managed to have to reach out first, didn't i?" he sighed.

"hey! in my defense, we saw each other like ten minutes ago. why would i need to call you in a span of ten minutes?"

"well .." the male began, unsure of how to reply, "y-you should call me so i can make sure that you're safe. that's right!"

hana playfully rolled her eyes and laughed at the sight of seeing the male become flustered.

"who knows what that crazy ex of yours could do," he added.

"kind sir jay," hana chuckled, "we only met a day ago and as much as i appreciate the concern, you don't have to worry. i'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

"says the one who approac—" jay paused, "hello? yah- hello?"

hana smiled and set down her phone on the table as she proceeded to eat and talk with her older brother.

"wah .." jay scoffed, "she's got quite some nerve."

"who?" heeseung questioned.

"nothing it's just that .. why ask me to help when you say you're capable of protecting yourself?" he went on.

"is he okay?" sunghoon asked heeseung, receiving a shrug.

"peculiar," heeseung replied.

"right!" jay exclaimed, "she's peculiar! that's one way to put it."

"i- i was talking about you .." heeseung mumbled, "no never mind."

heeseung and sunghoon continued to laugh and look at jay in a strange manner as he continued to talk to himself.