(Y/N) POV:

I couldn't stop myself from trembling, body shaking violently, why were they here? Why were they so close to me? Did they know? Who told them? I couldn't stop repeating the mantra of begging the doctors to tell them to stay away and not to come near me.

I could feel myself slipping into a deeper panic, lungs failing to function properly as I struggled to remember how to breathe, my life was spiralling out of control. I needed to get away, I needed to feel safe.

The room was full of noises, a loud beeping sound, the low voices of the doctors, the sound of my own raspy breaths. I needed Jaebum oppa and someone who could help control my emotions...Mingyu oppa, I scanned the room frantically for someone safe, someone who meant home. And I couldn't find anyone.

I couldn't stop the cascade of tears falling down my cheeks, blurring my vision, nor could I control anything it seemed. I forced myself to slow my breathing down, I needed to call them.

I unwrapped my hands from around my knees, eyes frantically scanning the room. Where was it? Where was my phone? The doctors seemed to notice my desperate searching.

"Phone, phone p-please." I gasped out, hands trembling with increasing anxiety that I couldn't call anyone, I was trapped and needed to get out.

It was pressed into my hands by the female doctor, my eyes were too blurry to make out her name tag, she seemed to sense I needed it to ground me. Fingers fumbling, I pressed speed dial for JB oppa, phone being answered after two rings. I didn't wait for him to start talking. I needed to say it quickly.

"Oppa, I need you and Mingyu oppa, now." And I hated myself for sounding so weak, so needy. I heard the loud gasp and then the sound of fumbling on the other end as he got up.

"(Y/N)." he gasped out before assuring me he was on his way. Now it was a waiting game.

I slumped back onto the pillows, strength leaving me and my vision becoming obscured by both tears and dark spots, head suddenly becoming speared with agonising pain. I clutched at my head desperately, trying to muffle the pained groans leaving my throat. It felt like my skull had been split open and I wished for anything, anything to get rid of the pain.

I needed them to hurry. I needed them now.

"The pain medication is wearing off." One voice called out, panicked and hurried. I felt someone approach me, sleeve being pushed up before I felt a small prick on the skin on the inside of my arm. The syringe pressed down, and I felt something enter me, mingling with my bloodstream.

It felt like forever before the medication started working, a numbness spreading through my body but this time I didn't fear it, I embraced it because it took me away from the agony. A small sigh left my lips, now that the pain didn't serve as a distraction I became hyperconscious of my surroundings, aware of the seven piercing stares directed towards me- it felt like my skin was prickling from the unwanted attention, it made me squirm away from it all, bringing my body back into its tightly drawn up posture.

"(Y/N)-ssi, you need to stay in contact with your soulmates." The doctor warned me, but I shook my head adamantly.

"It'll only cause you pain, you need to finish the bonding process." Again, I shook my head, I wasn't intending to talk until my oppas got here. Just then the door was violently opened and in barrelled both JB oppa and Mingyu oppa, the former looking worn-out and exhausted but both had worry deeply lined into their features. They rushed forward and stopped; their path blocked by the bodies of the Bangtan Boys who were still seated around me. There was no space for them to get through. Mingyu oppa levelled a glare at Namjoon, Jungkook and Taehyung. They reluctantly moved to the side, dragging their feet but the moment the path was cleared Mingyu oppa came darting towards me scooping me up into a hug, JB oppa watching on with tender eyes.

"Do you know how worried I've been? Aigoo...baby don't do that. You'll give me heart failure." He said sniffling into my hair whilst I slowly wrapped my arms around him, grateful for his warm solid presence. He separated us slightly, scanning my features before his face twisted into a frown. He stood back allowing JB oppa to step forward. He smiled when he stood in front of me, but his eyes were teary and his lips wobbled before he gently tugged me into his hold, wrapping me into a warm tight embrace. I knew he was reading my thoughts because his embrace got tighter and my head was pressed firmly into his chest, becoming a barrier from the intruding eyes.

"Hyung, time's up. My turn to cuddle." Mingyu oppa whined from behind him, tugging him away before sliding into the bed next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist.

He picked up on my emotions, all sad and miserable, before his fingers started tingling where they held me; waves of calm and relaxation spreading through my body, making me go lax and loose in his hold as I slumped against him, eyes fluttering from relief. He hummed, a pleased sound before turning to stare at the other people in the room.

"Now hyung, these guys are the reason for my precious baby being like this, right?" he said, voice sounding menacing, but I just smiled at the threat. He was so harmless really.

TAE POV:

It hurt seeing her body curl up in pain, pained groans leaving her mouth, tears sliding down those cheeks. I wanted nothing more to take it all away, but, how could I? I had never felt more useless. I watched as she retreated into herself, ignoring us. And it hurt.

The door was violently opened, and two people barged in, JB hyung I recognised but who was the other one? They ran forward, the other guy glaring at me, Kookie and Joon hyung to move which we did but unwillingly. I didn't want to part from her, what if her mark started paining again? I couldn't get the sounds of those screams out of my head, and I doubted that I'd be able to for a long long time to come. The guy ran forward and swept our soulmate into his arms clutching her tightly to him, sniffling as he pulled her close muttering into her hair. I didn't like how tightly they were pressed together, their bodies not having any distance between them. He leaned back to scan her face before he moved back and JB hyung took his place who tugged her into his arms, arms gradually tightening and then I couldn't see her, his body was shielding her but it irked and scared me that I couldn't see her, my nerves and emotions were haywire, the bonding hadn't been completed and not being able to see her caused the bond to want to pull her closer to me, away from them.

The other guy then slid into bed with her, wrapping an arm around her waist humming happily when she went boneless against him, body curling into his. It made fury and jealousy spark through me, he didn't have the right to be holding her so close, so tenderly. That was for me and our soulmates to do, not him.

"(Y/N)-ssi, when we discharge you, I should tell you that you'll need to be in close proximity with your soulmates for at least one week for the bond to finalise, the strain it went through means you can't and shouldn't be without at least one of them at all times.

I watched as her body stiffened, eyes widening with fear before her expression smoothed out, I suspected the guy had something to do with it, he watched happily as she relaxed once again.

I was jumping with joy inside, there was no other solution except for her to move in. Like we had always intended to when we found our last soulmate. We would have a whole week. To spend time with her, to hopefully learn why she reacted the way she did. And when it was all sorted, I was going to cuddle her and never let go.

I felt the same happiness echo through the bond, I couldn't wait for the day to come when it came from her too.

YOONGI POV:

I watched with narrow eyes as that guy cuddled our soulmate, pulling her closer and closer to him until she had nearly shifted into his lap. I didn't like the way he was acting. And I couldn't wait for her to be discharged so we could take her away from him. But I knew that getting her to open up to us wasn't going to be easy, judging from the way she briefly stiffened when the doctor said she'd have to be with us for a whole week constantly surrounded by at least one of us.

Jin hyung gratefully accepted the stack of paperwork but soon his face fell into confusion. I glanced over to see it required (Y/N)'s personal medical history to be filled out, and we didn't know her well enough yet to be able to fill it in. He flicked through the other forms and signed them- they were forms signing off on the procedure on how (Y/N) would be staying with us, an exemption form for all of us from university until the bond had been finalised and other issues we should keep an eye out for.

Jaebum stepped forward and held his hand out, Jin hyung looked confused and I know my face mirrored his expression.

"The medical forms, I'll fill them out." He said, gently taking them and perching on the edge whilst he filled them out quickly and with precision. Within minutes he gathered them all up and walked off to submit them. It felt bitter that Jaebum knew our soulmate better than we did, that he knew her personal details, had managed them with such ease that it made me feel slightly upset. We had to change that. We had to get to know her.

The look on (Y/N)'s face was now content, she wasn't shivering or cowering in fear from us nor looking panicked. Her heartbeat had rapidly jumped upwards in fear when she saw us but now it was normal. But I also knew it wasn't us who had done that, but I was grateful, nonetheless. She mattered the most right now, the fact that it was someone else who'd calmed her didn't bother me...not at all, I tried to convince myself.

"(Y/N)-ah, you're discharged from the hospital, but they want you back in a week for a check-up." Jaebum said, re-entering the room.

There seemed to be a conversation happening that none of us were aware of because (Y/N)'s shoulder slumped in defeat and Jaebum smiled sadly at her.

"You have to go (Y/N)-ah, but I'm a phone call away." He reassured her, walking over to kiss her forehead, lips lingering as he exhaled shakily.

She nodded, and in that moment, I had never seen her look so small and defeated, so different to the (Y/N) I had seen before she was in the hospital.

"Let's go home." Namjoon said but from the bitter smile on her face, I knew that it was nowhere near that for, not yet at least.

Jin hyung walked over, moving back the covers, hands fussing as he bustled around her, tentatively reaching his arms out to guide her out of bed. I don't think any of our hearts could bear to see the look of heartbreak on his face again. She didn't flinch but I heard her heartbeat start to quickly pace again in fear, but she stayed silent as she allowed Jin hyung to carefully help her out, arm fluttering before settling on her shoulders before he took her to the bathroom to change.

She didn't let him in. I didn't expect her to but when she stepped back out, her face was flushed and she was sweating slightly from exertion and weakness, the worried frown on all our faces deepened. Her body was extremely weak right now. The top half of her body was drowning in the fabric of her brown hoodie, a smile spreading across my face at the adorable sight, her hands hidden from view as she slumped against the door, catching her breath.

(Y/N) Outfit:

"Let's go then." Her voice spoke out, avoiding meeting Jin hyung's eyes but I saw the hopeful smile that tore across his face as he helped her out the room, the rest of us following eagerly. Ignoring the shouts of shotgun, Jin hyung helped (Y/N) into the passenger seat before moving around to sit behind the steering wheel.

The energy and tension in the car was palpable and even though we all tried to act like normal, we couldn't stop our eyes darting to look at her. In the midst of Tae and Jiminie babying Kookie between them, Kookie's eyes were focused on the back of (Y/N)'s head, not even following completely with how they were pinching his cheeks or joking. Jiminie and Tae then turned to stare too, eyes going soft and small hopeful smiles on their faces. Namjoon looked at her tenderly but also worried, gaze soft but mind no doubt trying to think of ways on how to make her comfortable. And Hobi was beaming even though she couldn't see his smile, wriggling excitedly next to me, and I couldn't stop the gummy smile from stretching across my face.

Suddenly a voice broke the silence, both soft and firm simultaneously.

"Can you stop staring please?" she asked but she wasn't expecting a response turning to look out the window.

Our eyes averted as though we'd been caught in a shameful act but even then, small glances would occasionally dart to her as though none of us could truly believe she was there, right in front of us.

(Y/N) POV:

The moment the car stopped I undid the seatbelt and rushed out the car as quick as I could, nearly tripping in my haste to get away from the suffocating atmosphere, I nearly went tumbling until two arms caught me, setting me upright, my hoodie stopped them from making skin contact but I couldn't help recoiling. I looked up to see the concerned eyes of Jungkook looking at me, a small frown on his face. I must be such a nuisance to all of them, disrupting their balance, forcing them to stay at the hospital because I was weak and now here, I was tripping over myself. I shrugged myself free, stepping away from him, wrapping my arms around myself.

"Let's go inside." Seokjin said kindly, approaching me as though I was a startled animal, hovering next to me as we walked in.

The moment the door closed behind me, I felt it. The feeling of being utterly and hopelessly trapped. I just hoped this week would go by quickly. Because the further away from them I was, the better for all of us.

(TA DA! A SHORTER CHAPTER THAN THE LAST ONE BUT IT'S THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL...WHO KNOWS HOW THIS WEEK WILL PLAY OUT FOR ALL OF THEM, WILL SHE MELT OR REMAIN AS COLD AND DISTANT AS SHE INTENDED?? WHO KNOWS... LET ME KNOW AS USUAL! ANY IDEAS? WOW...I SWEAR THE ANGST AND SLOW BURN IS KILLING AT ME TOO BUT I SWEAR IT'S ALSO NOT INTENTIONAL, I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR PLAN, I JUST KINDA SEE HOW IT GOES FROM THERE AND OFF THE WORDS ARE WRITTEN. ANY IDEAS FOR WHAT THE REMAINDER OF THE BOYS' ABILITIES ARE?? WE HAVE JUNGKOOK AND NAMJOON LEFT. AND OF COURSE, YOUR OWN ABILITY!! AND THE WEBTOON WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED IN THE PLOT TOO BECAUSE IT'LL HELP YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND THEIRS TOO AS WELL AS THE FACT (Y/N) DOESN'T LET ANYTHING STOP HER STRIVE FOR NORMALCY! MAYBE A FEW GATECRASHERS IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! I'M DEBATING WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT THIS FANFIC FOR HOLD BECAUSE I NEED TO SUBMIT MY ESSAYS FOR UNI IN THE NEXT 3 DAYS AND THEN I'LL BE GETTING ANOTHER ONE AFTER THAT. I'LL SEE IF I CAN JUGGLE THE TWO BUT UPDATE TIMINGS OR SOMETHING MIGHT CHANGE BUT I HOPE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND, IT SHOULD ONLY BE A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE SAME REGULAR UPDATES AND THEN WHEN THE NEXT EXAM COMES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.)

I hope you're all well and emotionally prepared for this bumpy ride.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3