The guys quickly sat themselves down on the sofas, waiting for me to sit down in the middle of Jin and Yoongi, this was not going to be good.

I waited for one of them, anyone one of them to speak and shatter this deafening silence. It was getting too much.

Then Namjoon spoke up.

"(Y/N)-ah, what did Yoongi mean just now? That your body is exhausted enough without adding to self-induced headaches?"

I fiddled with my fingers, unable to meet his soft eyes. I looked at my lap whilst I answered. First, I tried the clueless approach.

"I don't know what he's talking about...I'm not exhausted." Slipping Namjoon a wide-eyed look of innocence.

A chuckle broke out from Hobi and surprisingly even Yoongi.

"Nice try (Y/N)-ah but, you and I both know what I mean. I know the signs well enough; you've been overworking yourself and sacrificing sleep." He retorted.

Busted. Time for the second approach. The I-didn't-know-it'd-get-to-this-stage card.

"I honestly didn't know it'd get this far...I got so caught up in my job and the need to do it well, that my need for perfection overtook my need for sleep." Not completely a lie. No need to mention the insomnia and worry them pointlessly. Hide it for as long as you can. Deny, deny, deny.

Jin didn't seem appeased. At all.

"(Y/N)-ah, you know I see you as one of us, part of the family, so why did you feel the need to hide from family?" he was hurt, hurt that she didn't trust in them enough to tell them.

She bit her lip in guilt, drawing attention to her distraught face at the sight of her mother figure being upset. Her eyes started welling up with tears and she immediately pulled him into a hug, muttering apologies into his chest. He immediately reciprocated the hug, cooing at her and brushing tears off her face. Their eyes met and within them was an unspoken exchange of promises, to be family. To share their problems.

Yoongi didn't seem reassured though, if anything he had a strong gut instinct telling him, no...yelling at him that there was something that (Y/N) was hiding from them all. Something big. He just hoped that when they'd find out, it wouldn't be too late.

But he let the matter go for now. But swore to keep an even closer eye on her. In his own way of course.

The matter was dropped for now and the youngers looked grateful for it, disliking the heavy atmosphere that had settled. Even whilst they laughed and chatted, they kept darting glances to (Y/N) when she wasn't looking. It seemed as though the maknaes too had taken onto themselves to watch over her.

The next few days were busy, performing their comeback at numerous stages and TV channels, as well as Bang PD seeing their multilingual manager as a chance to expand globally, they'd had difficulty being able to do interviews in foreign countries that didn't speak English but now...now they could. Because of their manager. He started working behind the scenes to set up a few interviews, wanting to surprise the boys. (Y/N) was more than happy to help and soon she became busier and the boys couldn't see her much in their breaks because she always darting to one place, or, answering that phone call or drowning under piles of paper.

The boys who had each silently sworn to themselves and to each other to keep an eye out for their young manager worried for her health. No longer did she stop by occasionally for dinner nor did they see her beyond work. They knew she was just a door away but felt burdened knowing if they did visit, she'd accommodate them and work through the night instead.

So, they started caring for her in their own ways...

Yoongi left for her cups of coffee in her office and spent longer 'nap' times in her office but really, he wanted to be close enough should she need anything, or anything should happen. Also, so he could drag her to nap with him occasionally claiming he needed a familiar presence near him for him to be able to drop off to sleep. The moment he'd note that (Y/N) had fallen asleep next to him, he'd wrap a blanket around her and stay near her whilst working on his phone or laptop, occasionally darting his eyes to scan over her peaceful features. His hand smoothing out the furrow in her brows when she was stressed as she slept.

Hoseok would insist that he needed (Y/N) to supervise him when he practiced alone and that it made him feel more alert in his dancing if he knew he was being watched. Not that he didn't monitor himself sharply, she didn't need to know that. He also insisted that the best way to monitor someone and enjoy watching dance was with snacks. Lots and lots of them. So, he'd himself make ramen for her, watching her eat whilst he danced, but also made sure she was within arm's reach of other snacks too. He knew she skipped meals when it came to work, so this was his way of making sure she ate something during the day. Little did he know that if it weren't for these dance practices, she was eating very little.

Jimin used his cuteness. With that angel face and mochi cheeks, no-one could resist, not even (Y/N). He'd ask her to go on a walk with him or shopping for gifts for one of the members, and all he'd have to do is smile at her, his eyes turning into crescents and she'd melt like putty in his hands. When she opened her mouth to protest, his eyes had turned on her filled with so much sorrow at her saying no, that she'd shut it automatically. When he'd take her on walks, he made sure to go in large open areas so that she could get a breather away from city air, also so her phone didn't get any signals so she couldn't work on it. When they went shopping, he would model ridiculous outfits for her but also insist she played dress-up too, the outfits that really suited her but she'd deny it and refuse to buy looking at the high prices, he bought for her secretly and kept hidden away to give at the right moment. During those moments he got to learn her style and taste from the items she chose, her eyes were expressive. They'd light up and linger on ones she liked, gloss over ones she didn't like and dart away from ones that she thought were downright hideous. It was for these small moments of closeness and her pure unrestrained personality that Jimin took her.

Taehyung had perfect ammunition. Yeontan. No-one could resist this ball of fluff; he was just too damn adorable. Not to mention their first meeting when (Y/N) had been heading into their dorm with a bag of groceries which had promptly dropped to scoop up the puppy into her arms, who'd joyously barked and darted towards this new person. (Y/N) babied Tannie, so whenever he saw her being stressed or about to head into her office with yet another cup of coffee, he'd let Tannie loose. And for fear of her paperwork and Tannie's boredom, she'd discard her coffee to the side, Tae breathing a sigh of relief at that, and scoop him up to cuddle with on the sofas. Not to mention that when he felt neglected, Tae would drape himself over her in a back hug, holding her and hence preventing her from work insisting that she care for him and give the same amount of attention to him that she gave to paperwork and phone calls.

Jin went into full on Eomma mode. But what he thought was undercover Eomma mode. Not that he could hide his mothering very well. He'd insist on having a chief-taster for his food experiments and dishes and claimed that the boys were just ungrateful and spoiled and that they'd eat anything. More times than he can count, he had to gently push her back into the chair giving her a warning look not to move. (Y/N) seemed to physically need to restrain herself from moving but on his petting and cooing automatically opened her mouth when he brought forward a spoon of soup or stew or chopsticks clasped around a delicacy. He didn't let her feed herself when he went into this mode, he personally made sure every mouthful was eaten and that she also stayed hydrated by constantly topping up her glass. But his feeding often left (Y/N) feeling full and drowsy, something he silently relished, and would guide her to the sofa and gently guide her head down onto his shoulder or lap to nap and once, on a late night mother-daughter session, took her straight to his bed, giving her his oversized hoodies to sleep in. When he looked at her tucked in bed, drowning in layers of covers, duvets and clothes he remembered how small and young she was, and so took on the personal duty of making sure she ate, knowing from Hoseok that she snacked briefly when in his presence. He too knew she often disregarded food as a necessity when burdened with work, but since their first dinner together, he was NOT going to have a starved dongsaeng.

Jungkook was unused to having someone younger to look after. As the maknae of Bangtan, he was the baby and was coddled beyond his liking, which he pointed out more than once after he escaped his hyungs petting with ruffled hair, flushed cheeks and an angry pout. So, when (Y/N) had joined his family, he was ecstatic, someone younger than him, someone to detract the attention and coddling on him. But he wasn't used to having to look out for a dongsaeng. But he'd try. So, he tried to do acts which his hyungs did for him. He made sure that (Y/N) left BigHit when they did so that she wouldn't lose track of time, again. He dropped by with a carton of banana milk for her to have whilst he had his, they bonded over games and watching films. He was so happy to hear that she was a Marvels fan and that her favourite was Iron Man too! Someone who understood. Also, the times he felt the generation gap with his hyungs for games and trends when he was growing up disappeared with (Y/N). They reminisced old games and shows and every night without fail, Jungkook made sure to text her, chatting for a while before saying goodnight. A small indication that she too should sleep. He was shy around girls but with (Y/N) he felt at ease, she also gave the best cuddles. But don't tell his hyungs that.

Namjoon as the leader felt personally responsible for his young manager's wellbeing and guilty that he hadn't noticed but it was Yoongi who had alerted the group to (Y/N) overworking herself. Why hadn't he noticed? Never again though, he swore to himself. During their concept meetings with Bang PD, he noticed that (Y/N) took notes but also that her eyes lit up at theories or deeper meanings they could bring in. He knew she was intelligent; she wasn't in this position so young for no reason. His own mind itched to talk to her and discuss other references they could bring in. He also was dying to know what she'd picked up from BST. So, when he saw her walking towards her office, he caught up to her and instead guided her to his studio, settling her down on a sofa, smiling when he saw her grab a Ryan plushie and hold it to her. He was just about to start talking when he saw her eyes fluttering shut, she must be exhausted. He smiled softly at her sleeping form, guiding her to lie down on the sofa instead before working on some lyrics, the speakers playing a soft instrumental. If she felt at ease here, he wasn't going to be one to stop her. Talking could wait. So, for the next several days, Namjoon observed (Y/N), making sure to send away the producers when she slept, turning away eager trainees from his door. He would do anything to make her feel comfortable.

(Y/N) wasn't stupid. Or dense. She knew the members had taken it onto themselves to take care of her in their own subtle ways without openly coming out as caring for her. She also knew that the way they did so was so in tune with their own personalities, it could've been overlooked. But she knew, and she was grateful. She hadn't felt so rested in such a long time. What did it matter if she stayed up most nights unable to sleep but desperate to do so? Her insomnia not allowing her to fall asleep for more than 90 minutes. She'd deal with that when it came to it, but during the day the struggles of the night swept away, and she felt relaxed and comforted.

(I WANTED TO WRITE A BIT ON HOW THE BOYS WOULD TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE, AND TRIED TO IMAGINE IT. OF COURSE, IN REALITY KNOWING THEM THEY'D GO ABOVE AND BEYOND BUT STILL...HERE'S SOME TLC FOR (Y/N)! I DON'T KNOW IF THE RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE ROMANTIC OR PLATONIC, AN OT7XREADER? I DON'T KNOW, IF I FIGURE IT OUT THEN I'LL KNOW THE DIRECTION TO TAKE THE PLOT OTHERWISE I THINK I'M JUST WAFFLING. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS! ALSO, HER INSOMNIA STEMS FROM NOT BEING COMFORTABLE SLEEPING ALONE, SHE'S ABLE TO SLEEP IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BOYS EASILY BECAUSE IT UNCONSCIOUSLY REASSURES HER. NEXT CHAPTER...MAYBE THE GUYS FIND OUT AND HAVE TO RECONSIDER LIVING CONDITIONS! WILL (Y/N) MOVE IN??)

PurpleQueenie <3