"I solemnly swear never to come back to this place..." I mutter to myself as I cross the hospital doors. I pray that I will never be attacked, kidnapped, or drugged again so I will never return to the hospital. I doubt my prayers will work since I have the absolute worst luck in the universe but it doesn't hurt to try.

I wrap my arms around myself to block out the cold wind. I walk to the edge of the curb and wait patiently for the hospital shuttle to come around. I rock on the backs of my heels as I wait for the boys to catch up.

The winter sun has already begun to set and rests comfortably on the cityscape horizon. The sky darkens with shades of violet and navy blue. The evening air freezes inside my lungs and begins to cause the inside of my nose to freeze. I scrunch up my features and quickly brush my hair back from my face.

I begin to hear Jimin's voice as they come out of the hospital lobby. "Her apartment is very nice. She only has one bed but it's a big one. She also can order food from her phone so we don't have to leave," he explains with a hint of excitement.

"It'll be like a sleepover, we will all sleep together," Jungkook assumes with bright eyes. His fluffy black tail wags behind him as he follows Jimin closely.

Taehyung studies the two boys curiously, sticking close to Jimin's side like a magnet. "Does she have a TV?"

"I think so. But she can't watch anything yet."

I raise an eyebrow at him, still looking over my shoulder. "Why not?"

Jimin meets my gaze and gives me an obvious look. "You have a concussion. You're not allowed to look at screens."

I blink at him in surprise. "Oh. You remembered..."

Jimin throws his arm around Taehyung's shoulder and leans against him. He rolls his eyes dramatically as his cat tail flicks up in the air, "Well of course I remembered. Why wouldn't I?"

My heart feels warm at the thought of him remembering what the doctor told me. It's comforting to know somebody besides myself is looking out for me.

"And Eden," Jungkook jogs up to my side and flashes me a dazzling smile, showing teeth from his wide grin, "thank you for taking us in. I know you didn't have to, so thank you!"

I smile in return and lightly nudge his arm, "It's no problem."

Jungkook stands at my side and starts bouncing from the cold weather. He rubs his arms quickly and glances over his shoulder at the slow couple. He looks back at me, still jumping, and then wraps his arms around me without warning.

I stiffen and watch him hug me tightly, burying his head into my shoulder. Jungkook's thick black hair is fluffy from his shower and the fur on his puppy ears is silky. He smells so good. He hums quietly and sways from side to side as he hugs me.

"You're warm," he mumbles into my jacket. "So warm..." He continues to sway us and ends up walking us around in a small circle.

I chuckle softly and allow him to move me around. I am freezing so I welcome any heat I can receive.

"Heyyy, hey what are you doing?" Jimin runs up to us with a playful pout on his face. He latches himself onto Jungkook's back and wraps his arms around his waist. Jimin bursts out laughing as he tugs sharply on Jungkook to drag him off, "Come on, what are you doing?" he teases.

Jungkook complains and tries to shove him off but Jimin clings to him like a koala bear. Jimin grins over Jungkook's shoulder and starts trying to tickle him. Jungkook yelps, his ears perking up in response, and he immediately releases me to attack Jimin.

Jungkook starts smacking Jimin on the shoulder before forcefully pushing him away. "YAH. What are you doing?" he asks sharply, his voice slipping into an unfamiliar accent.

Jimin bursts out laughing at Jungkook's flushed face and staggers back. He points at him before flinging himself onto Taehyung, wrapping his arms around his shoulder. "You're so upset!" he gasps for breath, finding Jungkook absolutely hilarious.

Taehyung chuckles softly and allows Jimin to hang off him. Briefly, I make eye contact with Taehyung only to watch his light expression fade and become somber once again.

I shiver again from the wind and look away from him again, deciding to avoid talking with Taehyung until he's ready to speak to me.

He'll come around, I'm sure of it, I tell myself.

Jungkook scowls at Jimin before rolling his eyes. He turns back to me with a sly smile, "My heater..." he drawls and waddles towards me with open arms.

I laugh at the strange sight and welcome him into my arms again. Jungkook hugs me tighter this time and sets his head on my shoulder. Though I can't see his face, I can feel him smiling against my cheek. He spins us around in a swaying motion and pauses when he is facing Jimin and I am facing the road.

I pat Jungkook's back a few times and pull back to see his face. He looks up without warning and suddenly, our faces are dangerously close together. Our noses touch and an instant blush appears on his face. Jungkook's eyes are wide as saucers as he stares at me, still holding onto me.

I blush as well and smile awkwardly, ducking my head to one side. "Oh, sorry." But when I look behind me, I am suddenly staring into the intensely dark eyes of Taehyung.

Taehyung halts behind me and casts me an odd look, now standing oddly close. He swallows hard and looks at Jungkook, "Come on, Kookie, don't hang on her like that. I can keep you warm too," he offers, ignoring me.

Jimin comes up behind Taehyung and shoves him towards me—

I suck in a sharp breath as Taehyung stumbles into me. Taehyung's eyes flash with brief panic and he squirms back but Jimin is already behind him. Jimin forces Taehyung into the middle of this strange sandwich and hugs him and part of me.

Jimin laughs breezily and gives us all a carefree smile, "This is fun! Much better!"

I am frozen as the ice on the roads.

Now Taehyung and I are dangerously close to touching faces.

It takes a second for my mind to restart and bring me back to reality. I realize this isn't the best decision to allow them to cling to me, even if it's meant to be sweet and endearing. Also, poor Taehyung appears to have gone into shock.

I gently ease my way out of their grip and end up encouraging them to huddle for warmth instead. I step away from the group of boys and gesture for them to get closer to each other. Jimin seems completely okay with that and continues to hold Jungkook and Taehyung close to him.

I let out a slow sigh of relief and allowed my now-racing heart to settle down. I turn back towards the road. I shake myself to move out of my dazed mindset and remind myself to not zone out.

I catch a glimpse of the hospital shuttle coming around the corner. I look back at the boys again to find them waddling around in a circle, wrapped up in each other's arms, now smiling and laughing together.

For a second, the sight of them being happier without me caused a sharp pain in my chest. I know I shouldn't think of it like that. Obviously, they are closer to each other than to me. I am a total stranger to them. Of course, Jimin would be happier in their arms than in mine...

I don't have time to think about that. I can't afford to dwell on things I have no business changing. I need to focus on other things like affording to care for three hybrids and paying off my medical bills without health insurance.

I am beginning to think of a list of things I need to complete, but first... let's go home.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

When we enter the apartment, the smell of takeout food still lingers in the air of the apartment. A cold breeze welcomes us as we walk into the living room since I turned off the heating when I left to find Jimin.

Flashes of that terrible night still echo in my head. I remember forcing myself to wake up faster, staggering out of bed as if I were drunk, and blindly finding my shoes in the dark. Since my car was still at McDonald's and there was no time to call a taxi, I ran all the way there only to find Hobi and then... I shudder and try to focus on anything else.

Jungkook's eyes go wide. "Whoa! It's so big!" he compliments, running to the center of the living room.

Taehyung follows close behind and looks over the living room with skepticism. "It isn't that big..."

Jungkook shakes his head in disagreement. "It's a good size. This is good."

I walk towards the hallway that leads into my bedroom. "You guys can get settled in. I can grab a few of my clothes for you to change into, just until we go shopping. Is that alright?"

Jimin nods, "Sounds good, thanks Eden."

I give him a quick smile before walking into my bedroom. I flick on the light and find all my blankets hanging off the edge of my bed. I sigh quietly and begin fixing my covers so I can crash tonight.

Over time, I am slowly decorating my room to my tastes since I never had a theme-based room before. My parents never bothered to buy me matching bed sheets because it wasn't their priority. I know that isn't important, but as a kid, it meant the world to me. Nowadays, I am slowly following a special theme now that I have the freedom and some money to do so.

It isn't a big deal, but it makes me happy.

The bedroom walls are painted a soft tan tone that glows in the morning sun. My dark wood bookshelf sits in the far corner of the room, freshly dusted, with my books neatly organized by spine color. The bed covers are soft brown with dark brown pillows set at the head of the bed. There are a few extra fluffy blankets meant for late-night study sessions and binge-watching.

I walk over to my bedside table and check to see if my diffuser has any water. Traces of evergreen oils perfume the air around it. I peek inside the lid and notice there is still extra water so I turn it on and let it empty itself.

"Eden..?"

I turn around to find Jimin standing in the doorway.

I feel a sense of déjà vu come over me as I watch his tail's shadow move behind him. His soft blond hair curls at the nape of his neck. His calico-furred ears are pointed up in the air. He is still wearing the hospital pajamas and has already taken off his shoes.

"Hey," I greet with a tired smile. "What's up?"

Jimin's expression softens and suddenly, he walks across the room and—

He pulls me into a large hug and presses his body against me, leaving no space between us. Jimin's arms tighten around me and he rests his chin on my shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispers, "I'm really sorry for everything, Eden. I know I keep saying it. I know you're going to tell me not to worry, but I don't care. I'm going to apologize for it. You didn't deserve to be left behind that night and I'm sorry."

I keep my mouth shut, knowing he's not going to listen to my reassurances.

Carefully, I wrap my arms around his narrow waist and lean into his body. I prop my head on his shoulder and close my eyes, memorizing how his arms feel on my body.

"And... I won't leave you again," he promises. His full lips brush over the curve of my ear when he speaks. His light voice feels like a feather across my brain and sends pleasurable shivers down my spine.

"We aren't in the best shape, but at least we're together. You... Eden... you are part of my family."

"Jimin, I—"

"Don't argue with me," he scolds, his voice rumbling in my ear. He sways me side-to-side and continues to hold me tight. He sighs and his voice lightens, "The thing about family is that you don't get to choose." He chuckles and glances at my expression, "I guess that's a little possessive of me."

I always wanted to be part of a real family.

Growing up, my parents treated me like an employee or an inconvenience. It was a coin flip between the two. They didn't respect my opinions, they blackmailed me into doing whatever they said and gaslighted me on a regular basis.

Jimin and his brothers protect each other when things fall apart. They stay together. They fight to stay with each other. The trust they have towards one another is amazing.

For years, I have ignored the prospect of having real friends out of fear of losing them. I avoided connecting with others because I believed nobody in this world would care enough about me to stay. I was isolating myself to protect my heart.

After these couple of days, I realized that the family I am yearning for is possible. Though we bonded through trauma and maybe we are rushing things out of fear of running out of time, we are still together.

Jimin came back to save me and his brothers. He risked his life twice now, as I have risked myself for him.

That's more than anybody has ever done for me.

I smile softly and hold him tighter. I close my eyes and breathe in his scent of fresh soap and fabric softener. Our bodies sway together as we continue to hug in an unspoken dance. I tilt my head up to whisper but my lips brush over the warm skin of his neck.

Jimin's body shudders at the touch but he doesn't pull away.

"I'm okay with that," I tell him, "a little possessiveness is good when we're... a family. After all, we're supposed to look after each other."

Jimin sucks in a sharp breath as I run my hand along the curve of his waistline. His eyes widen briefly and he gives me a look of surprise. "You... you really think so?"

I nod casually and continue to hold him. "Yeah. I do."

Jimin's expression melts into a smile. "Good. Then that means..."

I yelp as his arm snakes under me and suddenly, I'm lying in his arms bridal-style. He grins widely, causing his eyes to scrunch up into happy lines. I stare at him, open-mouthed, before bursting out laughing at the silliness of it.

Jimin laughs too and walks us over to my bed. He leans his head down and gets dangerously close to my face. "Hmm what shall I do with you?" he asks playfully, tilting his head to the side. He lowers his face and blows on the side of my neck, tickling me with the touch of his lips and his breath.

I shriek momentarily before losing myself in a fit of giggles. "Jimin—, Chimmy, you're—, sweetheart, I'm—," I gasp and start to kick my legs, trying to shove his head away from me. "I'm ticklish!"

Jimin finally pulls back with flushed cheeks. He only grins at me, proud of what he did.

My laughter fades into a soft chuckle and I gaze fondly at him. "You're so mean," I complain, pouting at him.

Jimin purses his lips and scowls at me, still teasing me. "Oh? You think that's mean?" He takes one look at the bed and everything clicks together.

Before I could react, he rocks his arms back and pushes me onto the bed. I land safely on my mattress and roll over onto my back, laughing loudly. I look at him through the corner of my eye, grinning wide, "Rude... but cute."

Jimin comes to the edge of the bed and starts to climb onto the bed. He crouches down, still grinning, and his tail flicks slowly behind him as if he were stalking his prey. He cocks his head to one side out of curiosity, "I'm cute...?"

I nod at him, taking deep breaths to calm down. "Yeah." An unexpected blush begins to creep to my cheeks as his gaze becomes unwavering. "Cute," I repeat.

He clicks his tongue softly and shakes his head. "I'm more than just cute, you know..." He slowly creeps forward and comes towards me.

I blink a few times, still lying on my back. "Then what are you?"

Jimin doesn't move around me like I expected him to nor lie down beside me. He places his hands on both sides of my body and leans over me. He sits down at my side but his arms trap me in place.

My eyes are wide as saucers as I look directly up at him.

What is he doing? Is he still teasing me?

Jimin smirks at my surprised expression. "I'm many things."

My mouth is suddenly dry. I swallow hard and cough lightly. "Like... rude?"

"And?"

"And... attractive...?"

"Yes... and?"

I raise an eyebrow at him. I reach up and lightly poke his cheek. "Mochi."

"And?"

What does he want me to say?

"Recklessly brave?"

He chuckles and shakes his head at me. He leans down with a teasingly hot expression. He shifts his weight to one hand and uses the other to brush my short hair back. A low purr rumbles from the back of his throat. I can feel his tail brush occasionally over my leg.

I am scarcely breathing. Part of it is because I'm self-conscious about my breath scent while the other part is strangely nervous.

"Eden, don't you know that I'm yours?"

My heart skips a beat. My nervous expression vanishes in an instant and is replaced with a look of delighted surprise.

He's... mine?

My mouth hangs open for a moment before I find the sense to close it. I blink at him a few times and begin to feel time slow around us like magic. My head begins to spin with unexpected euphoria as this new feeling blossoms in my heart. Or more accurately in my stomach.

"You brought me home, love," he continued in a gentle tone. "I don't want to leave you again. I'm yours."

"Chim..." I lightly run my hand along his jawline. "I don't want you to leave either. I'm happy that you feel that way." And I really mean it.

It could have been my imagination. It could have been because his arm was giving out from holding himself up. It could have been a number of other things.

Jimin closed his eyes for only a moment. His body began to close to the space between us.

I might have closed my eyes too.

I felt the soft touch of his beautiful lips against mine. The heat of his body grew stronger as he came closer.

Then the phone began to ring, scaring the absolute life out of both of us.

Jimin pulls back sharply and looks up in mild alarm. He glances around the room a few times, jarred by the sound of the ringtone.

I know this ringtone too well.

My stomach flips with dread.

"My parents," I whisper to Jimin. "They're calling me."

Jimin watches me with sincere concern. "Is that... bad?"

I turn my head to one side and realize how fiercely I am blushing as well as how angry I am now. "It depends," I reply in a heavy voice. "It depends on their mood and I'm guessing they aren't happy. The hospital must have called them again."

"Do you need any help? Can I do anything to help you?"

I shake my head. "No. I have to face them at some point. Might as well get it over with."

Jimin nods in understanding. "Alright. I'm here for you if you need me."

I smile gratefully, "Thank you."

Jimin lightly pats my shoulder and moves off of me. He climbs off the bed and gives me a parting wave, "I'll check on everybody. I think they are still trying to work the TV."

"Okay. Hopefully, this will be over soon. When I come back, we'll order some food, how's that sound?"

"Perfect." Jimin gives me one last soul-energizing smile before closing the door behind him.

The phone continues to ring angrily on my bedside table. I sit up sharply and glare darkly at the glowing screen. I exhale sharply and force my anger to leave me before I face my parents.

I need to be calm and collected. I can't afford to drop my guard with them.

Then I pick up the phone and answer it without hesitation, knowing that my true family lies beyond my door.

I can do this.

A/N: I wrote this chapter listening to Lights, Christmas Love, and Promise, and it shows XD Thanks for being patient with me during this time! School is becoming increasingly difficult and has begun to bear its teeth, but it can't stop me from writing! Even if it's not as often! Fighting!! I love you all, thank you for staying with me this long!! Take care of yourselves, lovelies!! <3