The penthouse was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Hours had passed since the attack, but the air still carried the lingering smell of gunpowder and broken glass. Emergency cleaners had already come and gone, replacing the shattered windows and removing the bodies before dawn could expose anything to the outside world.
To the city, nothing had happened.
To the seven men inside the penthouse, everything had changed.
Hoseok slept in the center of the enormous bed upstairs, curled beneath layers of blankets and surrounded by plush toys. His breathing was soft and uneven, occasionally interrupted by small whimpers.
The trauma from the attack had pushed him deep into regression.
Mentally, he was barely two years old right now.
And every few minutes his fingers would twitch in search of someone.
Every time that happened, one of the six men immediately reached out.
Jimin gently stroked his hair.
Jungkook rubbed slow circles on his back.
Taehyung let Hoseok clutch his sleeve.
Namjoon sat at the head of the bed like a silent guardian.
Yoongi leaned against the wall with quiet watchfulness.
Jin held Hoseok's stuffed tiger close to his chest.
None of them had slept.
Not after what happened.
Hoseok stirred suddenly.
A soft whimper escaped his lips.
"...Koo..."
Jungkook immediately leaned forward.
"I'm here."
Hoseok's eyes fluttered open slowly.
They were glassy with sleep and lingering fear.
For a moment he looked confused.
Then his gaze landed on Jungkook.
Relief flooded his face.
"Kookie…"
His small arms reached up.
Jungkook lifted him instantly.
Hoseok curled into his chest like a frightened child seeking comfort.
His voice was tiny.
"Bad loud…"
Jungkook pressed a kiss to his hair.
"I know."
Hoseok sniffled and buried his face deeper.
"No more loud?"
Jungkook hesitated for half a second.
Because he knew the truth.
Their world would always be loud.
Violent.
Dangerous.
But Hoseok didn't need to hear that.
So Jungkook whispered softly,
"No more tonight."
That seemed to satisfy him.
Hoseok relaxed slightly in his arms.
Across the room, Namjoon's phone buzzed.
The mafia council.
Namjoon sighed quietly.
"They know."
Yoongi scoffed.
"Of course they do."
Jimin looked up.
"Council meeting?"
Namjoon nodded.
"In one hour."
Taehyung frowned.
"That means retaliation."
Yoongi's eyes darkened.
"Oh, absolutely."
Jin stretched his arms.
"Well then."
His voice carried cold elegance.
"Let's burn the city."
Meanwhile…
Across town in an underground warehouse…
The leader of the Black Lotus group sat calmly at a table.
A television screen played security footage from the penthouse attack.
Bodies falling.
Gunshots.
The assassin team failing.
He clicked his tongue.
"Disappointing."
One of his men shifted nervously.
"They were… stronger than expected."
The leader leaned back in his chair.
"No."
His smile was thin and dangerous.
"They were exactly as expected."
He tapped the screen where Hoseok appeared briefly during the footage.
The dancer looked small.
Terrified.
Fragile.
The leader's eyes gleamed.
"That one."
The room went silent.
"That," he continued slowly, "is the weakness."
Back at the penthouse…
Hoseok had finally calmed down.
He now sat wrapped in a blanket on the couch, half-asleep while Jimin gently fed him warm soup.
Each spoonful was followed by a soft hum of approval.
"Good baby," Jimin teased.
Hoseok pouted slightly.
"Not baby…"
Taehyung laughed.
"You were sucking your thumb five minutes ago."
Hoseok blinked.
Then slowly placed his thumb back in his mouth.
Everyone burst out laughing.
Even Yoongi smirked.
The tension from earlier eased slightly.
For a moment it almost felt normal again.
Until Namjoon stood.
"We have to leave."
The room fell quiet.
Hoseok looked up sleepily.
"Leave?"
Namjoon crouched beside him.
"Just for a little while, sunshine."
Hoseok frowned.
"Home?"
Jungkook squeezed his hand.
"We're going somewhere safer."
Hoseok considered this.
Then nodded slowly.
"Okay… but Koo carry?"
Jungkook smiled softly.
"Always."
Thirty minutes later, a convoy of black armored vehicles left the underground garage.
The city lights blurred past the windows as they drove.
Inside the main vehicle, Hoseok was curled between Jungkook and Taehyung.
Still sleepy.
Still small.
He clutched his stuffed tiger tightly.
Jimin brushed his fingers through Hoseok's hair.
"You okay?"
Hoseok nodded.
Then yawned.
"Sleepy…"
Yoongi glanced at Namjoon.
"Black Lotus won't stop."
Namjoon nodded.
"They crossed a line tonight."
Jin spoke calmly from the front seat.
"So we end them."
Taehyung's eyes glittered.
"Completely."
Jungkook looked down at Hoseok sleeping against him.
His voice dropped into something darker.
"They made him cry."
The temperature in the car seemed to drop.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Black Lotus had declared war.
And the seven men inside this vehicle were about to answer.
Two hours later…
The convoy arrived at a private coastal estate far outside the city.
The safehouse.
Massive iron gates opened slowly.
Security lights illuminated the long driveway.
The ocean stretched endlessly beyond the cliffs.
Inside the house, everything was quiet and peaceful.
Hoseok stirred as Jungkook carried him inside.
"Where…?"
"Vacation," Taehyung said gently.
Hoseok blinked sleepily.
"Beach?"
Jimin smiled.
"Yes."
Hoseok giggled softly.
"Yay…"
And just like that, the tension broke again.
Because somehow, even after a violent mafia attack, Hoseok still found joy in simple things.
Jungkook laid him carefully on the couch.
Hoseok immediately pulled Taehyung down beside him.
Then Jimin.
Then Jungkook again.
Within minutes the dancer had created a tangled cuddle pile.
Namjoon shook his head slightly.
"He doesn't even realize there's a war starting."
Yoongi leaned against the doorway.
"Good."
Jin crossed his arms.
"Let him stay soft."
Taehyung whispered to Hoseok,
"You're safe here."
Hoseok smiled in his sleepy haze.
"Safe with you."
Jungkook kissed his forehead.
"Always."
Outside, the ocean waves crashed against the cliffs.
Inside the safehouse, seven men prepared for war.
But for tonight…
They let their sunshine sleep.