(Y/N) POV:

When time rolls around for Kookie's first day to end, he doesn't waste time in tugging me out with him, eyes sparkling and seeming completely unbothered by the curious eyes and smiles that appear on the other employee's faces. This is the first time this week that I'm leaving at a normal time, rather than stumbling out of the building when everyone else has gone home. The day is just beginning to end, the sky is coloured in hues of pinks, oranges and yellows and the way the wind rushes through my hair is exhilarating. The feeling begins to dwindle slightly when we finally reach our house, a pit of wariness gnawing at my mind but Kookie just stops to turn to me, expression serious.

"Whatever you decide I'm right beside you." his words are firm and assuring. But I'm done running, I'm done hiding. But more than that, I'm not going to put him in the position where he'll be lying to our soulmates. I could never do that to him.

I smile up at him and allow him to guide me into the house, taking my time in drawing off my shoes before tentatively following him into the large living room. The others are gathered there already, lounging around, the ambience is warm- welcoming as it always has been. But I feel ashamed- ashamed that I've neglected them for nearly a week and now I've come slinking back. I hide behind Kookie's larger, broader frame, desperate to hide behind him and take the protection his warm presence always offers.

My hands fist lightly into the hoodie he's wearing, knuckles pressing against the fabric that covers his back. I hold onto the sense of comfort it brings, the feeling of closeness soothing my fidgeting fingers and racing mind. Kookie seems to sense this and continues to block my presence, somehow filling the doorway with the posture he adopts so that I remain out of sight.

"I'm home hyungs!" he calls, I can feel the reverberations of his voice through the way my hands press against his back, the thrum a soft, soothing melody.

I can hear the way the others jostle, the TV long forgotten and now white noise, as all their attention comes to rest on Kookie. The bond is overwhelmed with feelings of pride and joy and love as they look at him, a feeling I know isn't for me but I can't help but feel cocooned by it regardless.

"Kookie baby, how was your first day?"

"Come in my love, come sit here and tell us."

"Kookie, I want cuddles!"

"Kook sit next to hyung here."

"Don't stand there and make me come over sweetheart, hyung's lap is waiting for you."

"Our baby is all grown up."

Several voices chime, voice filled with nothing but love as they eagerly call him over but I know the moment he does, I'll be in sight. He doesn't move but the words he says next makes me gape at his back with the feeling of betrayal.

"Hyungs I brought back a surprise!" he chirps before shifting slightly, my hold gets tighter, desperate but the damage has already been done.

I peek out from the side slightly, face slightly covered by the bulk of his arm as I nervously scan the room and watch as their eyes fall onto me and widen with surprise.

I squirm under the intensity of six gazes directed solely onto me before seeing the way their faces brighten up and bodies sag with relief.

Suddenly, Kookie is being shoved to the side and I am unceremoniously scooped up into a pair of strong firm arms which bundle me close to him, the warmth of his body colliding with mine, instantly thawing the fear which had descended over me like winter's frost.

My arms scrabble for purchase before finally coming to rest around his neck, he hasn't put me down yet but I clutch on tightly when he starts walking, taking me into the heart of the living room, sitting down on the floor, back resting against a couch and body enveloping mine in a seated embrace.

"Tae." I whine slightly, but he doesn't let up. His legs cage mine forming a wall around me, but it's one I don't want to be freed from. I relax back into him but there's still a tightness in my spine that hasn't dissipated. It'll stay there until I tell them and even then, perhaps it'll linger.

The others come to surround us but I notice there's a weariness in their eyes that weren't there a week ago. There's a fatigue that sits heavily on them, but one that weighs on their souls rather than their bodies. It stirs up feelings of guilt until it swirls inside, gaining momentum and becoming all I feel.

"Sweetheart, none of us are mad. We couldn't be happier to see you." Jinnie oppa's voice cuts through the hurricane of emotions to ground me, hands that tilt my head up so our eyes can meet and I see nothing but sincerity in them.

The others echo the sentiment and then Kookie is coming to drop down beside Tae, hand that instantly seeks mine out and wraps ours together. A display of solidarity, of comfort.

"I have something to tell you all." I say, hearing the voices quieten down. His hand squeezes mine.

They all sit down, knees touching lightly as they form an impromptu circle, gazes looking slightly nervous and apprehensive.

"I..." I get out before my throat seems to seal in on itself, causing the rest to die in my throat.

I feel my hand being squeezed again; I know he's offering to say it for me. But I have to do this myself.

"I...I am the writer for the webtoon 'Cursed Fate'." I say, the silence now seems stunned more than anything and I peek at their faces watching as surprise colours their features. I see a few jaws slacken and drop open. Their response makes me giggle, a sound that's both nervous and relieved. At least it's not negative.

The sound seems to stir them out of their frozen states and then they're crowding in, bodies leaning forward and eyes burning with questions. The arms around me slacken, as if the strength has suddenly left him. I twist to see Tae gawping at me.

"Are you okay Tae?" I ask slowly.

He shakes his head frantically, as if trying to shake himself out of a stupor.

"You're the writer for 'Cursed Fate'? The webtoon we've all been raving about?" he asks, I nod back at him.

Then he groans. Head falling forwards.

"This is so embarrassing." He groans out, head lowered.

It makes me falter. Why is he embarrassed?

My unspoken question remains on the tip of my tongue but the others also let out similar sounds, pained as though it physically hurts them.

I spin to desperately face Kookie, trying to seek reassurance. This wasn't how I hoped it would go, this wasn't how it was meant to go.

"So we've been desperately fanboying in front of you, the creator of it, this entire time." Joonie oppa voices, and all of a sudden, their reaction makes sense, more than that, it causes me to burst out into laughter.

They're panicking because I've heard them love my work? It makes the laughter bubble out of me uncontrollably, causes me to squirm in Tae's hold as I gasp for breath.

The others look disgruntled, put out by my laughing, especially Yoongi oppa but I can see the reluctant smile that threatens to tug at his lips. And then he schools his face back into a scowl, eyes sliding away from me.

"Stop laughing! This entire time when we would wait for you to read with us, and you already knew what was gonna happen!" Jiminie says, finger pointing accusingly at me and face twisted with affront, but I see his resolve wavering.

Jinnie oppa has just sunk his head into his hands after shooting me a betrayed look and Hobi oppa sits there agape before he snaps out of it and rushes forward, hovering over the giggling mess I've become.

Kookie's laughter joins mine, peals of laughter ringing and merging with my own.

"What's the big deal? I'm honoured to meet such loyal fans." I get out between laughs before I gasp for breath, eyes streaming with the force of the joy that is wracking my body.

It takes a while for me to calm down and I feel my face flushing with heat, eyes damp from laughing and lungs heaving for air. It's so endearing to see them being so embarrassed but they weren't to know. It makes me fall for their adorable quirks even further.

"All those times I pulled you into conversations to theorise and you'd no doubt created them." Joonie oppa laments. It sends a snort of laughter running through Hobi oppa and then Yoongi oppa who scoffs with barely repressed laughter and then they're teasing him.

The atmosphere is light, unburdened. They took it way better than I expected.

But I do know I won't be able to fall asleep until I've told them. Not now, later.

----

It's when I'm brushing my teeth, mindlessly humming as I rinse my mouth that my eyes catch with Hobi oppa's. He's silently appraising me but his gaze is still warm and soft and he turns his lips up in a smile.

I pat my mouth dry and busy myself with washing my face, prolonging the answer I need to voice to the question that still lies silently.

"You know when you told us you were the writer of Cursed Fate; I was shocked but really happy and proud. But then what you'd told us about your parents suddenly clicked and I don't want to be the one that asks...but it's true isn't it?" he says, stepping forward so he's standing directly behind me. There's no way to escape now, not that I need to. The proximity makes the question seem more intimately spoken as though under the covers of our bed as we cuddle rather than standing in the bathroom.

He seems nervous of what the answer is, I stop fiddling with the small towel and twist so my back is pressed against the sink and I'm facing him.

I look up at him, finally unafraid, and breathe out the answer that finally rids my shoulders of the burden I've carried alone my entire life.

"It is, Dae Hyeon is me." I look at the dark depths of his brown eyes, notice the slightly lighter flecks in them, let myself get lost in them.

I let my hand come to rest flat against his chest, feel soothed by the rhythmic steady beat of his heart, his hand comes to intertwine with mine, I feel his head come to rest above my own.

His breaths are waver slightly.

"Thank you...for opening up." He breathes, warm breath that caresses my skin in a tender touch.

"Thank you for giving me the time." I reply before letting my head come to rest against his chest.

YOONGI POV:

I smile from where we all wait in the main central bedroom, having heard the words brush across my own ears in a soft, intimate caress. We've finally reached that step. The final step together.

But I knew it would take time. Time for her to heal.

The sound of two sets of footsteps came padding towards the door, two smiling soulmates who entered the room, faces lighter than they'd been all week.

Hobi cleared his throat. I sat up, knowing what was going to come out of his mouth but still preparing myself for it.

"There's one last thing...Dae Hyeon is...me." She says, her voice is firm but I spot her hands fiddling with Hobi's fingers, she's nervous for how she'll react. Waiting for us, perhaps anticipating it to be negative. Hobi just holds her close to him, supportively, protectively. And I watch as comprehension washes over their faces, horror and dread taking over.

It's no wonder, considering the amount of hurt she has gone through. I'd seen the way her face would fall after every episode, but now it makes sense. She was reliving them all over again when she read them, and somehow, unknowingly we had been the ones to subject her to that.

There's still silence, one that screams to my ears, threatens to deafen me with how ominously it hangs over us and then there's a soft warm brush of energy through the air, Hobi. But more than that I see (Y/N)'s body slipping out of his control and Jimin who rushes forward to her, his ability tugging her to him before he's holding her tenderly to his chest. Cradling her.

Jin hyung must be using his ability because then the weight of her words which were making the bond seem heavy becomes light and airy again, pride thrumming through it. Pride that she has taken that step, no matter how strenuous it was on her soul. To get to us.

Kookie is sitting there looking both guilty and sad, eyes glimmering with tears before he too is joining Tae to bound over to her and wrap their arms around her. Cocooning her.

The rest of us gather around her, holding her close and telling her in the way that only soulmates can in our touches, that she belongs. That no matter what she has gone through, she's not alone.

And it's with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction that I come to the conclusion. Yuna can't hold it over her anymore, can't wield it like a weapon. She's powerless. We're not.

(TA DA! IT'S OUT...ALL OUT! WHEW...THAT'S A WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS TOO, YOU KNOW? WE'RE SO CLOSE TO 50 CHAPTERS AND FINALLY *CUE ANGELS SINGING* THE GUYS KNOW. THEY ARE HONESTLY SO SOFT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY MAKE ME MELT, EVEN IF I WRITE IT. AND NOW WE ARE AT THE TOP! NO MORE YUNA BEING ABLE TO HOLD IT OVER HER SO LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT SOON AND GET THIS PROBLEM DEALT WITH ONCE AND FOR ALL! AND THEN! IT'S NOT GONNA END, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TONS OF FLUFF AND SOFT MOMENTS OF THEM GETTING CLOSE...AND MANY ARE WEIGHTING FOR THE LINGERIE SHOPPING SCENE TOO! EYES PEELED MY LOVELIES! LET ME KNOW AS USUAL HOW YOU FOUND IT! SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE!)

Whatever it is you want to do, do it with passion. Do it with your entire heart.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3