Chapter 8:
크리스탈 팔찌 (The Crystal Bracelet)

Minchae's pov

Five days had passed after the day when Jungkook got pissed at the dinner. I was slowly getting used to the seven souls around me. They were a goofy bunch of boys, very naughty I must add. Last day Namjoon broke my sunglasses and Hoseok drank my chocolate shake 'by mistake'. Both were having purple eye bags after that. That was also the reason why Yoongi laughed for the first time in my memory. He didn't look creepy in that gummy smile. He rather looked warm and caring.

Everyone was happy to have me in their house except Jungkook. He still spent most of the time outside of the house and always threw a look of haterade whenever we crossed paths. I wonder what might be his past for resenting me like that.

I stepped out of the shower and wore my clothes. I completed drying my hair in the next few minutes. The sky was painted in a shade of purple. The warm twilight was slowly getting blended into a colder night. I remembered Jimin's history. My eyes prickled with tears. He didn't deserve that. God has his weird ways of justice.

I shrugged off the sorrowful thoughts and walked towards my dressing table to wear my bracelet, the same one Miss Kim had given me on my first day in this house. The owner never came. I wore that thing because I found it beautiful and ended up getting attached to the ornament. I always make sure to wear that though I was ready to return it back if the owner ever showed up.

I examined my crystal jewelry. The white color shone brighter than before. The central bright stone had seven plane faces and it was surrounded by crystals. The hands were made up of a crystal chain.

No sooner did I clip the bracelet around my wrist than I jumped at the sudden presence of Taehyung behind me. "Oh my! When did you come??"

"Come?? I was here all the time? Why? Didn't you see me??"

"Umm... No?"

"Ha! You need spects!! How can you not see me when I am stalking you since the moment you got out of the bathroom?"

"I am telling the truth, Tae. I really didn't see you."

Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows and thought for some seconds before calling out for the other six boys. Soon everyone was crowded in my room.

"Why are you shouting so ill-manneredly?" Hoseok scolded.

"You will scold me later, hyung! First, listen to me! I discovered something!"

"What is it?" Jimin inquired.

"The reason why Minchae could see and touch us." A pin-drop silence. Everyone was stunned at his words including me. Then-

"What the hell?"

"What did you find out??"

"Tell us!"

"What was it?"

"STOP IT!! LET ME SPEAK!" Taehyung screamed to calm the others. Jungkook also seemed interested in the topic. "The reason is that." He pointed at my bracelet.

"M-my bracelet?" I was taken aback.

"Yes. I was in the room after Min Chae came out of the bathroom. But she walked past me without realizing my presence. I even made some noises but she couldn't hear me until she wore back the bracelet."

The orange-haired spirit had a point. In recalling the past, I had seen Namjoon as soon as I had worn the bracelet. It meant the seven souls were there in the house from the beginning. I was just unaware.

"How is this possible? On top of that MinChae isn't its real owner!" Namjoon stated.

"But the real owner never showed up. Do you think God has purposely made it for Minchae so that she could help us?" Jin asked which made everyone think. It might be a possibility. If ghosts do exist then the same goes for God.

"Just tell her to remove it and confirm," Jungkook spoke for the first time in the chaos. His words were cold like usual.

"He might be right." The boy rolled his eyes at my words. I ignored him and opened the bracelet. The spirits vanished almost immediately. Wow, Taehyung really said the truth. "Guys! I can't see anyone of you!!" I looked around myself and continued, "Nor can I hear you."

Suddenly pain shot through my biceps. I hissed and jerked my hand away. The place got bruised as if injured badly. I was confused and at the same time scared. I decided to wear back the bracelet. I could hear the faint voice of Seokjin until it got clear.

"I am really sorry, Minnie!! I didn't mean to hurt you!" He panicked.

"I-I am fine. It's okay." I assured, still in pain. But it wasn't his fault.

"Let me see." Namjoon offered. I was hesitant a bit but finally, let him examine my bruise. It didn't pain when he touched it. Does that mean...

"It seems that Taehyung's assumptions were correct." Namjoon spoke my mind, "She could see us only when she wore the bracelet. Besides, she gets hurt if we try to touch her when she is not wearing the thing."

"The bracelet connects the spirits with the humans. Somebody once told me, that the spirit world might look similar to the real world but they function differently. As if two dimensions in a single time and space. Our simple actions like touching and hugging can be harmful to humans. The crystal protects her from the harm." Jung Hoseok concluded.

"You sure know many things about this." He sheepishly smiled at my compliment. He sounded like a teacher giving lectures.

"It's normal for a literature teacher to start lecturing everywhere." Yoongi shrugged.

"Hoseok was a teacher??" I asked, my eyes wide. That was unexpected. I always knew teachers were of serious personality, wearing glasses on the bridge of their noses and walking with a baton in hand. He looked the opposite in every aspect.

"I was an English professor," Hobi confirmed in a sad tone. His face wasn't shining like before. "I wish I had opted for a different Job..." He trailed off.

Before I would question further Jungkook interrupted with his sassy words, "Hyung you look more like a crazy librarian."

"Yah Maknae! Watch your mouth!" Taehyung scolded in defense of Hobi.

"I am actually older than you if you count the years, Taetae." Now my head is spinning. What was he even saying? Jungkook was the youngest here.

"Doesn't matter, you are 23 and I am 25. So respect me, you brat!"

Jungkook stuck out his tongue and threw a duster at the older from the nightstand. Taehyung cursed loudly and charged at him at full speed followedby Hoseok. The younger immediately passed through the wall when he realized he had hit a nerve. The rest followed the trio except Namjoon who was still examining my arm.

I slightly laughed at the randomness of these boys. Just some seconds ago they were in a serious discussion and look how they are fighting now. Jungkook was a good company in the group. He was very close to the other six. He always smiled around them and enjoyed teasing the elders, especially Jimin. The only exception was me.

"Does it pain much?" Namjoon's concerned voice brought me out of my trance.

"I-its fine!" I smiled.

"Please wear that bracelet all the time. We have got used to touching and hearing you. Now it will be difficult for us if you fail to notice us." His deep voice was gentle and pleading. "Besides, I don't want you to get hurt..." I swear his eyes beheld an ocean of emotions.

The next thing I knew, Namjoon was applying an ointment to the wound. His cold touch felt comforting. I unknowingly kept on staring at the leader of the spirit group. His face was handsome. His plump lips looked kissable- WAIT! WHAT THE F*ck?! Did I just fantasize about him?!! Minnie, you have a boyfriend for god's sake!

I slightly shook my head and asked to change my mind, "What was Jungkook talking about being older? Isn't he the maknae?"

"About that," Namjoon inhaled, "It's complicated. Souls stop aging after they die. However, we count our years but our body and mind remain the same as when we died. Jungkook died at the age of 23 while Jimin was 25. But Jungkook died in the year 2016 while Jimin was in 2019, which meant if you count the years, Jungkook is actually one year older than Jimin. On the other hand, Jimin stopped aging at 25 which is two years more than Jungkook. Thus, we go by our age not years."

"So that mean, you all would not be of the age as you look if you were alive?"

"Uh-huh. I died in 2010, Yoongi and Hoseok in 2013, Seokjin in 2016, Jungkook in 2015, Taehyung 2018 and finally Jimin in 2019."

Everything became clearer to me now. According to Joon, Yoongi was the oldest followed by Namjoon, Hoseok, Jin, Jungkook, Taehyung and Jimin and I am probably a little girl in the group.

The calling bell interrupted our conversation. I wonder who came at this hour. I wasn't informed about any visits of guests. Curiously I opened the door to get surprised. I was not at all expecting the person.

"Hyunnie??" 

This chapter was so difficult to write!! Managing all the 7 boys at a time and remembering the dates is not a matter of joke!! So confusing for me as well.

Hope you are grasping it. I will recall the member identites separately later.

They should be sued for this. 🥲🥲
The urge to bite his biceps..🙂

I am NOT OKAY!!!
😭😭😭😭

*Screaming , crying , throwing up, banging head.*