Accused

Chapter Two

"Yes, just a little bit of both." I walk around the room, glancing at the clusters of photos on the wall above the couch, the only real decoration in the room.

All the photos have the same black solid frame around them, each cluster seemingly organized by occasion. One cluster of photos shows Seokjin with the rest of the boys at his graduation from arts school: his smile beaming as he accepts flowers from one of the boys while another brings in a cake; Seokjin throwing his graduation cap to another boy behind him who's ready to catch it; a group photo with all seven boys clustered around the graduate. Another cluster of photos depicts the younger boy from last night - Jungkook was his name, I think - at his high school entrance ceremony clad in his yellow uniform with the entire group as well, and another cluster of photos next to it showing his graduation from the same school. It amazes me how they've been together for so many years, celebrating so many important life events together. And none of their parents seem to be around either.

Another cluster of photos is completely separate from the rest, not in any picture frames. As I move closer, I notice that they're polaroids taped directly onto the wall. These photos of the boys are more candid, showing their backs, hysterical laughs, or play fights. Some are also scenery photos meticulously planned out and angled for the right lighting.

One photo catches my eye. It's of Seokjin's graduation, but this one is a selca between him and two other people. One is a boy who isn't in any of the other photos, and the other is a girl. The boy has dark brown hair down to his ears and thick lips, while the girl is petite with long black hair and delicate facial features. Seokjin seems to be leaning more towards the girl, even wrapping an arm around her. Another sweep at the polaroids reveals that there are more photos of the girl, capturing her in casual positions with the rest of the boys. There's a small tickle in the back of my head as I glance at the brunet.

Why does this boy look ever so slightly-

"Those are photos that Jin hyung took himself."

Namjoon has returned with a mug of coffee and now stands beside me, staring at the wall nostalgically. A somber smile graces his features. "He likes-" he coughs, catching himself, "- liked - carrying around his polaroid camera and taking photos when we took trips together. He always said that even the small moments are worth capturing and admiring too, not just the big life milestones."

I take the mug from him hastily. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding."

"No, it's fine," the man dismisses. "They're in the open space, there's no reason to hide them." He turns his head to face me. "I already called the boys in, they'll be here shortly."

I nod before motioning to the selca with the two mysterious people. "Who are they?"

"The boy is a friend of ours, Lee Taemin," he answers. "He's one of Jimin's best friends, but we're all pretty friendly with him."

I can't take my eyes off his smiling face. His plump lips form a reserved but handsome toothy smile. The way the light reflects off his chocolate eyes makes me lose focus for a moment. "And the girl?"

Namjoon hesitates. "Her name is Park Jihyun. At one point, there were actually eight of us living here instead of just seven. She was going through a rough patch and Jin hyung offered to take her in and care for her. But...she is no longer with us."

"Oh." I'm taken aback by his implication. "I'm so sorry about that."

"You didn't know, it's not your fault," Namjoon assures me, a smile returning accompanied by a small dimple.

"She was my older sister," a melodic but strangled voice comments behind us.

I turn around to meet the face of a brunet with a slightly rounded face and nose, full lips pressed together firmly, hands opening and closing in a fidgety motion. His delicate eyes hold a world of sorrow in them only for a moment before he forces himself to smile. "But that was in the past. We have something else to focus on, even if it is another tragedy."