(Y/N) POV:

My shoulders felt lightened, no longer shouldering the burden alone. But my heart and soul felt weary, I didn't regret telling them. It just made me feel raw and exposed all over again. And how would they feel now, what did they think about me, their soulmate who is an orphan? The only soulmate in the group who came with so much emotional baggage.

My lips were bitten raw, there was a painful tingle from where I'd constantly been gnawing at them. Even whilst thinking that, my lip was between my teeth- worrying about their reaction and the time they'd no doubt want to process it all.

I didn't, couldn't dare to look them in the eyes. I couldn't muster even a shred of strength to look them right in their eyes and be able to remain unshattered at what I saw.

Then suddenly I feel Hobi oppa and Jiminie move slightly, bodies shifting and I think...this is it, the moment it's hit them how much of a shattered mess I am. This is it. But my negative fears fade when I realise, they've shifted slightly so someone else can come to sit between them, my body lifted slightly off the ground and then placed into a warm, firm lap. I can feel the warmth of their body radiating from their chest which is pressed tightly against my back. The arms that come to encircle me, I recognise those fingers so easily. The way their wrist is adorned with a few bracelets. Joonie oppa. I relax slightly, leaning backwards into the touch. One of the hands rise to gently card through my hair, content to wrap their fingers around my wavy locks.

Each touch is gentle and loving, all of it helping the gaping hole in my chest to slowly flood with a feeling of being utterly content. His hand comes to rest at the base of my head, hair brushed forward as he presses his lips to the back of my neck- lips that linger and burn my skin.

"Thank you for telling us baby. I know it wasn't easy. But we've got you. You're fine." Each word is spoken into the sensitive skin, sending shivers up my spine as his lips move to form the words.

I clutch desperately at the one hand that is still resting on my midriff, holding it like it's the only thing stopping me from being washed away in a torrid sea.

My fingers whiten slightly with how tightly I'm grasping at the fabric of his soft hoodie but I can't bear to let go, I don't want to let go.

"You've done so well, opening up. I know it wasn't easy." And each word fills me with a reassurance, brushing away the niggling concerns. I twist in his lap turning to face him, to see the honesty and sincerity lining each feature of his face, eyes warm and soft as he gazes down at me.

I look up at him, so moved by the sheer love that fills his eyes and his every fibre of being. He looks at me and sees me. Sees me for who I am and still wants me.

I don't stop the few tears that spill out of my eyes. I let them fall, not wanting to blink and miss a single shift in his expression.

His hands come up, long fingers wiping away the tears, thumbing under my eyes which flutter shut under his touch. I feel his lips brush against each shut eyelid, the warmth and pressure of them remaining even after he trails those lips down to kiss my cheeks which bunch up with giddiness and elation at the softness in his gesture. He's cradling my face between his hands still and my hands reach up to drift through the silky strands of his hair until finally his lips meet my own.

There's a small, low groan that escapes from his mouth when I tug his hair, pulling his head down to meet my own, but it is quickly swallowed in the way his lips begin to leisurely explore my own. His lips mould to mine, a plush pressure, as he tilts his head and I pull his bottom lip between my own, gently sucking it, enjoying the way he shudders slightly when I nip at it gently, immediately stroking over his lip with my tongue to soothe out the sting. My tongue moves slowly over his lip, carefully tracing it but then he growls into my mouth and then with an increased urgency, tugs my lip between his own, a sharp nip which he laves over with his tongue before delving it into my open mouth. There's a startled whimper that comes out of my mouth at the sudden action but he swallows it, deepening the kiss as he grazes my tongue with his own, slowly but surely exploring my mouth and claiming it with each deep stroke of his tongue. I kiss back desperately, body rising slightly to meet his mouth but one of his hands leave my face to squeeze my waist, holding me securely. He parts our lips, both of us panting slightly but he smiles at me, dimples popping, his eyes aren't blown wide open, they still possess fondness and love as he looks at me. I lean forward to press soft kisses to both dimples, feeling his smile widen when I do so.

His hand comes back to cradle my face.

"Let us cherish you." he whispers.

And that's when I realise, with mortification flooding my face, that our other soulmates were still present. In fact that both Jiminie and Hobi oppa are still pressing into us from either side and I had somehow forgotten, so lost in the sensation, and feeling that was Joonie oppa, that everything else had somehow melted away, faded to the back.

I groan ducking my head to hide in the crook of Joonie oppa's neck, hands coming up to cover my face. I can't look any of them in the eye.

Joonie oppa chuckled, a deep reverberation that I felt because of how close we were pressed against each other.

"Don't be embarrassed baby, you two took our breath away." Jiminie's low voice breathes into my ear, the soft huff of breath brushing across my earlobe.

I squirm away from the ticklish sensation.

"Stop it please." I groan through my hands, my plea coming out a little muffled.

"Come on baby, let's get you into a bath." This time it's Jinnie oppa and his voice holds no teasing and so I quickly clamber off Joonie oppa's lap and dart into the welcoming respite of Jinnie oppa's arms which come to clasp around me as we walk out the living room and upstairs.

Jinnie oppa quickly gets to work, filling the bath with hot water- which he carefully tests with his hand before he drops a bath bomb in, one that fizzes and turns the water a soft pink, rose petals coming to float on the surface. He places one of my pyjama sets onto the side on top of a soft towel and turns to me.

"We'll be waiting downstairs for you sweetheart." Is all he says before he presses a soft kiss to my forehead and slips out of the bathroom, leaving me alone with my flushed cheeks and a heightening sense of embarrassment.

As I slide into the bath, I wonder...is it normal for me to be affectionate with one whilst the others are there? Do they mind? Does it make them feel left out? Am I meant to? I groan. This is so complicated. I don't know what the dynamics of their relationship are and I don't know if I've accidentally complicated things.

I relax in the heated water, allowing it to sluice away the lingering remains of how mortified I'd felt, the sadness and traces of guilty ebbing away with the time I spend cleaning myself off. I slip out, draining the tub whilst I towel myself off, only then realising the pyjamas Jinnie oppa had left out.

My eyes widen. I don't even want to know what Jinnie oppa had undoubtedly stumbled across. My pyjamas were either oversized clothes or the ones that Soo Jin had slipped into my packing. I resignedly put them on, at least they're comfortable and soft against my heated skin.

I take a quick peep out of the bathroom door into the hallway to see if any of them are upstairs, before making a mad dash for my bedroom. Maybe if I'm quick enough, they won't have registered I've come out and then I can slip into something else. Something that won't make them all uncomfortable.

I shut the door, feeling victorious at having made it safely but when I turn, my steps falter, and I realise as I eye the bed, that I've been caught. And from the look on their face, it's not good at all.

JIN POV:

I walk back downstairs after the bathroom door locks, smiling at the sight of my soulmates playfully bickering as they set up the living room- transforming it into a blanket fort. I see how they take every opportunity to drape themselves over each other, casual touches that are a tad too heated to be considered accidental. But I can't stop smiling regardless.

"(Y/N)'s in the bath now." I call as I walk further in, watching as their eyes dart to me before they move with a quicker purpose, trying to set it all up before she gets out.

"Hyung stop!" Joon-ah whines all of a sudden, trying to escape from Yoongi's piercing stare, gummy smile and hand that's wrapped around Joon-ah's waist.

There's a blush decorating Joonie's face. And the smirk on Yoongi's face tells me he's teasing up our soulmate.

"Stop what Joon-ah? Stop saying how beautiful she looked in your lap, or the way I loved it when you growled when she teased you?" Yoongi teases, his words drawing the attention of the rest of our soulmates, who freeze in what they're doing before bounding over.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about Joon-ah." Hobi says, resting his head on Kookie's shoulder.

"Besides...I remember how Tae enjoyed it when I was with (Y/N). Didn't you Tae?" Jiminie turns to said boy who is slowly reddening too, embarrassed no doubt.

"Really hyung? That's rich seeing as you just stood there watching me and (Y/N) kiss!" Kookie exclaims, turning to Jiminie and dislodging Hobi's draped relaxed figure off his shoulders.

Hobi squawks in protest.

"But she's just so..." Kookie tails off, eyes flitting as he tries to find the word.

"Perfect."

"Wonderful."

"She's our last piece. When I kissed her, it was like...everything finally clicked, you know? Like suddenly I was home." I add, watching as the boys nod in agreement.

"It was like, breathing properly for the first time." Hobi added, soft smile on his face, voice not his characteristically buoyant self, but open and honest.

Honestly, being with (Y/N) was like having gone on a long, tedious journey and finally finding relief. Having found our respite, our shade on a blistering hot day. I couldn't word it exactly...but it was just the feeling of being complete.

"So who's kissed her?" Jiminie adds on, eyeing us all shrewdly. But the question does make me stand straighter, attention sharp and rapt on my soulmates.

Apart from Joonie, Kookie and Jiminie, I didn't know who else had.

"I did...after our first date." Hobi whispers, voice joyous and barely restrained with giddiness as he bounces on his feet. I feel myself melting at the happiness, our happiness.

"I did." I add.

"Ah yes...hyung. In the school's storage room." Yoongi adds on, smirking as he teases me. I narrow my eyes at him. He and Tae had interrupted and no doubt made (Y/N) flustered that day.

But I couldn't stop smiling at the way she'd perfectly fit in my arms.

"But I did too." He adds nonchalantly, trying to act as if it wasn't a big deal even whilst the flush stood starkly against his pale skin, and the tips of his ears reddened.

"So all of us?" Kookie confirms, the room being full of nothing but nods and bashful smiles.

It's later when I realise that only six of us had nodded, only six of us had been in the room. The seventh having left at some point.

TAE POV:

Whilst the boys are teasing each other, I picked up on the sound of the water being cut off. (Y/N) was done then. Mind made up I quietly slipped out of the room, trying not to let it hurt when I heard that everyone had kissed our final soulmate, except me. It's something that stabs at my heart and I won't accept that the feeling of jealousy is stirring up a storm inside. Why is it that I haven't?

Why is it, that they all have? Even though I was the first one to bond with her, her first friend, the first one interested in her. It feels like fate is playing a cruel game with me, a cruel long, tedious game of cat and mouse- except the chase never seems to end, and opportunities slip out of my fingers like sand.

I huff to myself, opening (Y/N)'s door and when I notice she isn't out yet, plop myself down onto her bed, eyes trained on the doorway for when she'll enter. She has to.

It's not long before my ears pick up on the sound of the door opening and her feet quickly padding towards the room, steps both light and hurried. For a second, I worry something's wrong, but when the door opens and she rushes in, I forget how to breathe.

Because clad in soft white silky pyjamas, wet locks framing her flushed cheeks and shiny eyes and soft plump lips that part in surprise. Is (Y/N). Our soulmate. But right now. She's only mine.

(Y/N)'s pyjamas:

(AHHHH! HEAR THOSE SCREAMS? IT'S ME BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST ENTIRELY FLUFF. THAT'S ALL IT WAS, AND I DON'T REGRET A SINGLE WORD! IT WAS LONG TIME DUE AND BESIDES! WE NEED HER TO KISS ALL HER SOULMATES AT LEAST ONCE...I DON'T KNOW IF IT READS AS WEIRD THAT THEIR KISSES TURN FROM SOFT TO PASSIONATE TO SOFT AGAIN BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS! LIKE IT, DON'T? LET ME KNOW! SO NOW WE KNOW THAT THE BOYS ARE ALL FOR TEASING EACH OTHER BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT SOFT FOR HOW MUSHY AND GOOEY (Y/N) MAKES THEM ALL FEEL. AND IT'S LIKE A SOFT MOMENT FOR ALL OF THEM THAT THEY'VE KISSED HER. LET THEM BE LITTLE PUDDLES FOR A WHILE UNTIL THEY REALISE TAE IS MISSING! OOH! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER TO BE WRITTEN...AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE WAITING- IT'S COMING! IT FINALLY IS! WE'RE AT A STUNNING 90K READS AND 5K VOTES AS WELL AS THE NUMBER ONE PLACE STILL SECURED BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU, BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL SOULS! THANK YOU! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW YOU REACT!)

Life will never be an easy journey, there's constant ups and downs...but never forget that you too can carve your own path.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3