Namjoon

The car pulls up to the front gate of the Bangtan dorm and the three of us step out, making sure our masks are fully covering our faces. Yoongi slips in through the back entrance and Hoseok and I follow, the door swinging shut behind us. We walk into the dorm to find two of the members already there, munching away on snacks and cups of steaming ramen.

"Hey." I say as we walk in and Jungkook acknowledges me with a grunt.

"How was the shoot?" Seokjin asks me in between a mouthful of noodles.

"It went well. Hoseok Hyung looked really good in his outfit today."

"Hey, what about me?!" Yoongi pokes my shoulder harshly.

"I'm sure you all looked great." Seokjin says reassuringly.

"Where's Tae and Jiminie?" Hoseok asks, as we settle down onto the sofa, Jungkook now squashed between Hoseok and I, with Yoongi and Seokjin on separate armchairs.

"Taehyungie Hyung is in his room with Tannie and Jimin Hyung has already gone to sleep." Jungkook says and I look at him confusedly.

"But it's only eight."

"Let him sleep Joon. Afterall, he's going to need some rest before the comeback schedule starts."

"By the way, when are we starting the schedule of death?"

"Tomorrow." I reply and Seokjin groans.

"That means that this is my last cup of ramen for the next few weeks. I thought we had at least a couple more days."

"Speaking of schedules, did anything exciting happen whilst we we're at the shoot?" Hoseok asks curiously and Jungkook's doe eyes light up.

"We met the new music producer!"

"Really? What are they like?"

"Oh, she's cool."

"She? Our new producer is female?" Hoseok says in surprise.

"And she's quite famous as well." Seokjin says.

"What do you mean? Who is she?"

"You'll have to wait until you meet her yourselves." Seokjin gives me a sly grin and I frown in annoyance.

"But that'll probably be after our comeback period, which means at least another three weeks!" Hoseok moans dramatically.

"Oh well. Sucks to be you."

***

The next four weeks pass by in a blur and before we know it, all of our comeback stages are finished, all the interviews done and we can finally rest. Everyone is exhausted from the busy schedule and we're all very glad that the comeback period is over.

I'm just relaxing in my room, reading a book that I got months ago but didn't have time until now to read, when a loud crash comes from downstairs. I instantly jump to my feet and rush out of the room with my book still in my hand. I race downstairs and into the kitchen, only to find Yoongi cleaning up shards of plate off of the floor.

"Hyung? What happened?"

Just as Yoongi opens his mouth to answer me, Seokjin and Taehyung burst into the kitchen.

"What did you break now Joon?" Seokjin asks me in a tired tone.

"Hey, this wasn't me! Why is always immediately my fault when you hear something breaking?"

"............ Are sure it wasn't you?" Taehyung says and I shoot him glare.

"I was in my room reading when I heard the crash."

"Right." Taehyung smiles awkwardly at my annoyed expression.

"I broke a plate searching for the rest of the Gimbap that we made yesterday."

"It's in the fridge. Why are you looking for it?" I ask.

A small fond smile appears on Yoongi's face, as he rises to his feet.

"I'm going out to meet a friend and I was thinking I could bring some with me."

"You're going to see a friend? Is this a friend or a "friend"?" Seokjin says and Yoongi sends him a dark glare, whilst taking the tub of Gimbap out of the fridge.

"Just a friend. Otherwise why would I be bringing Gimbap with me?"

"Alright, no need to get snappy. I was just asking." Seokjin grumps and walks out of the room.

"Have fun with your friend Hyung!" Taehyung says, before following Seokjin.

"Make sure that no one sees you. I get a feeling that this friend isn't an idol and we don't want a scandal occurring." I say to Yoongi.

"Your concern for my wellbeing is flattering Namjoon." He says sarcastically.

"No, I......... I just meant- oh never mind. Go and have fun with your friend."

"I know you mean well Joon. I'll see you later." Yoongi pats my shoulder, before shuffling out of the kitchen, tub in hand. A minute later I hear the front door shutting.

I sigh, stretching out my limbs and turning towards the door, when a beep comes from my jean pocket. I pull my phone out, only to find a message from my manager, saying that I've left my lyric book back in my studio.

I walk out of the kitchen and head to the stairs, before shouting up.

"I'm going back to the company to get my lyric book!"

"Okay!" I hear Hoseok shout back from his room.

I then walk to the front door, slipping on some shoes, a cap and my coat. I fix a black mask over my face and open the door, walking out of the house, making sure that it's shut behind me.

Once I fully step outside, I groan. It's raining, not hard, but enough for it to be seriously uncomfortable. Even though it's only six in the evening, the sky is dark. Thankfully I can still see clearly and I have an umbrella in my coat pocket, so I venture out into the rain, making my way out of our residence and down the street, going at a slight jog. I hold my black umbrella above my head, the rain pounding down on the plastic and my hands are shaking slightly from the cold. Even though it's April, the weather is still miserable and I'm looking forward to the summer months, when it'll be much hotter.

A few blocks down, the rain begins to intensify. I jog quicker, grimacing slightly as I think about the sopping mess I'm going to be when I get to the Big Hit building.

I turn onto a busier road and walk to the crossing, making sure to stay well back from the curb so that cars don't splash me as they pass by. I wait for the green light to show and then someone on the otherside of the road catches my attention.

The young woman's hair is drenched and she's evidently anxious to get to wherever she's going. Her hand grips her phone tightly and she's biting her lip. I have no idea why she caught my eye, but there seems to be something about her that's attracting me. She checks that the coast is clear and hastily steps off the curb and onto the road, but when I glance up, the light is still red. A car comes racing around the corner and I know that she's not going to make it. My reflexes kick into action and I race towards her, my long legs striding quickly. I grab her wrist, pulling her out of the way. And as the car rushes past us, my eyes connect with hers and my world explodes.

Everything becomes clearer, the lights and colours popping around me, a sudden feeling of completion filling up my heart. It feels like I'm breathing properly for the first time, but as all these thoughts rush through my head, the world drowns out except for one thing.

The thing that enraptures me, is her eyes. A deep, crystal, aqua blue, so clear in fact, that I find myself staring into them. You can see everything in them, all of her emotions and thoughts, the colour almost speaking her feelings with such honesty. They are without a doubt, the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Ocean Eyes, I think, and in that second, I know that this is my soulmate.

Seconds pass, although they feel like hours and we just stand in the middle of the road, cars racing past us. I can feel the electricity of my hand on her skin and then comes a sharp jabbing and stinging pain lancing through my right wrist, causing me to let go of her. I bring my now throbbing wrist up and pull my coat sleeve up to reveal one word imprinted on my skin, my flesh red around the edges of the writing.

Finally.

But when I look back up, she's gone and a slight tremor pierces through my heart.

When soulmates bond, they normally have to have physical contact, to help the shock of bonding settle. If they don't, it can create palpitations in the heart, sweating and nausea, therefore for the first week or so of bonding, they basically have to do everything together. As they get more used to the bond, they can live without skin ship for about three to four months before the side effects start to kick in again. If you don't find your soulmate again, the side effects will kill you within three weeks.

Forget my lyric book. I need to get back to the dorm.

I run back the way I came, umbrella lying forgotten in the middle of the road. I know that it would be a stupid idea to try and find my soulmate again now, so I just hope fate will bring us together again and soon. It won't only be me feeling the side effects and it makes me feel even worse knowing that my soulmate will be in pain as well.

Before I know it, a sharp headache has grown in my head and my limbs feel like lead. On top of that, my heart is racing fast from all the running, but it's starting to ache as well. I turn onto our road and make my way to the entrance, rushing into our residence. I open the front door to find the group, minus Yoongi, settled on the sofas and armchairs, playing Mario Kart. They turn and look at me when they hear the door open.

"Hey Namjoon, d-" Hoseok cuts himself off when he sees the state I'm in.

"Namjoon? Are you alright?" Seokjin pauses the game and gets up, rushing over to me, just as my knees give way.

"Hyung, what happened to you?" Taehyung asks worriedly, as he and Jungkook run over and help Seokjin stand me back up. They walk me towards the sofa, Hoseok and Jimin moving, so that I can be laid down, not even caring that I'm going to ruin the furniture with my soaked clothes.

"Soulmate." I manage to get out, shivering from the cold wetness of my clothes, my heart lurching and aching even stronger.

"Your soulmate? You found your soulmate?! Cool!" Jimin exclaims.

"Not the time Jimin. You can celebrate about it later, but for now can you get me some painkillers and a glass of water." Seokjin's words are direct and commanding, the grin that had lit up Jimin's face, instantly dropping when he remembers that I'm in pain.

"What's happening to him?" Hoseok asks cautiously and Seokjin sighs.

"The side effects of bonding but not being with his soulmate. He's going through a good amount of pain right now, but the painkillers should dull most of it."

Jimin comes back with the painkillers in one hand, a glass of water in the other. I reach out for the water with shaking fingers, but Seokjin takes it instead.

"I don't think you're going to be strong enough to hold this right now."

He raises it to my lips and I take a small sip, before accepting the pills from Jimin and swallowing them all in one.

"Alright everyone, go to your rooms. I'll look after Namjoon, whilst you all get some rest." Seokjin says and no one protests at his serious tone. I watch as they all trudge upstairs.

"I-I'm s-sor-ry..." I stutter out, but Seokjin shushes me.

"You have nothing to feel sorry about. Just close your eyes and try and sleep. That way you won't feel as much pain."

I nod my head slightly, the pounding and the aching in my body sending a rush of exhaustion through me and within a few minutes, I'm asleep.

***

I wake up in sweaty fits and starts the whole night, Seokjin always there to lull me back to sleep with his soothing voice. But when I wake up for the sixth time, he's not there. I move my fingers, weakly grasping at thin air, trying to find him.

"Where the hell were you Yoongi?!" Seokjin's hushed voice comes from somewhere behind me.

"I was with my friend, except it didn't really go to plan." Yoongi whispers back, his tone laced with tiredness.

"What happened?" Seokjin sounds slightly less mad now.

"She bonded tonight. But she lost her soulmate."

"Lost as in......"

"No, he's alive. She said that the moment after she bonded with him, she ran away because she knew I was waiting for her and she didn't want me to get spotted. When she turned up at her apartment, she was shaking and clutching her chest, saying "I'm sorry" over and over again."

"Couldn't one of her other friends have helped?"

"She moved to Korea just over a month ago. As far as I know, I'm her only friend here." Yoongi pauses for a second, "What happened to Namjoon?"

"Similar to your friend actually. He found his soulmate, but then lost her."

"You don't think.........." Yoongi whispers even quieter.

"That your friend might be Joon's soulmate? It could just be a coincidence."

"And she didn't say that Namjoon was her soulmate. She apparently didn't see his face at all. I mean apart from his eyes, obviously."

Seokjin sighs. "Let's not mention your friend to him. We don't want him getting his hopes up."

"Why don't you go up to bed? I'll take over Namjoon watch."

"But you've been helping your friend all night-"

"Hyung, you're barely holding back a yawn. Besides, I'm already pumped up with five cups of coffee. I'm not going to sleep anytime soon." Yoongi says back and Seokjin sighs again.

"Alright. Wake me up if he gets rapidly worse."

I hear the sound of Seokjin trudging towards the stairs and then shut my eyes as Yoongi comes around the side of the sofa.

"H-hyung...." I open my eyes slowly, so he thinks that I've just woken up.

"Just close your eyes Joon." Yoongi says softly, "Everything will be better tomorrow."

"Y-you p-prom-mise...?"

He clasps my clammy hand gently, giving me a small calming smile.

"I promise. Now get some rest."

I let my eyes flutter closed, pain washing over me in swathes, eventually knocking me out again.

***

It takes a lot of persuasion the next morning for me to convince Seokjin and Yoongi that I'm fit to go into work, but after I prove my ability to walk by myself without falling over, they finally agree.

"Maybe you'll get to meet the new producer today." Taehyung tries to lighten the downcast, tired mood filling the car.

Although the pain in my chest and head has dulled, I'm worse than I was last night, but in a different way. Today I feel drained and empty, as if a piece of me is missing. The slow aching in my limbs is almost insufferable, but I manage to reign my expressions in. If either Yoongi or Seokjin sees me wincing, they'll turn the car around and drive back to the dorm. The car rolls up to the entrance of the Big Hit building and I steel myself as we climb out of the car.

Instantly I can feel everyone's eyes on us and I fight to keep my face neutral. If anyone sees me looking ill now, it'll be on a tabloid tomorrow at the latest. We walk into the lobby and make our way to the elevator, getting in and pressing the buttons for both the 5th and 8th floor. The Maknae line, Hoseok and Yoongi are going straight to the dance studio, whilst Seokjin is taking me to see Bang PD, to tell him what happened.

"Good luck." Hoseok wishes me with a slightly dimmer smile than usual, before following the others out, leaving just Seokjin and I in the elevator. The doors close and silence settles over us.

Seokjin clears his throat, shifting slightly behind me.

"Look, Joon, I don't know how Bang PD is going to react to you finding your soulmate. You're the first out of all of us, so I don't know what to expect. I'm really hoping that he isn't going to kick you off the team, but we don't know."

"Really helpful words Hyung." I say through gritted teeth.

"If he says you're off the team, I'll give him a piece of my mind. There's no way that any of the members will sup-."

"Can you just stop talking?" I growl out and Seokjin falls silent.

A few seconds later the doors open on Bang PD's floor and I lead the way to the CEO's office, pain and anxiety both eating away at me on the inside. We stop in front of his door and I shakily lift my hand up and knock twice.

"Come in." Bang PD's voice comes from inside.

I open the door and walk in with Seokjin, Bang PD looking at us confusedly.

"Namjoon? Seokjin? Are you alright?"

"Sir, there's something we need to tell you."

Bang PD's usually cheerful expression slides into something more professional, darker almost.

"Alright then. Tell me."

"Namjoon found his soulmate."

I wait, my heartbeat pounding loudly in my head, as I watch Bang PD's face, waiting for the explosion. And it comes, but not in the way I'm expecting.

"Namjoon?! This is great! When can I meet them?!"

I open my mouth and close it, unsure of what to say from his confusing reaction.

"Namjoon? What's wrong?" Bang PD asks me.

"With all due respect sir, I don't think either of us expected you to be so............. Accepting of this news." Seokjin says quickly, once seeing that I'm not going to reply.

"You expected me to say something like "You're off the team", right?" Bang PD laughs, "Namjoon, this is your soulmate! I'm not going to fire you just because you found your fated! That would be wrong of me and so would be me keeping you from your soulmate. You're free to carry on your career as an Idol in Bangtan and to have a relationship with your soulmate. Although we will have to tell Army and I can't say that all of them will react the same way as me. But we will deal with that when it happens."

"Actually, one of the problems is that Namjoon can't find her." Seokjin speaks up.

"Really? But when did you bond?"

"L-Last n-night..." I manage to get out, my gaze sinking to the floor.

"Oh god, are you alright? You've been going through side effects all night! Why are you at work?! You should be resting at home!" Bang PD says, worry in his voice.

"That's what I've been saying....." Seokjin mutters under his breath.

"L-Look, I-I'm here n-now. I'll b-be fine." I say and Bang PD sighs.

"Alright then, but if we don't find your soulmate within the next few days, I'm afraid I'm going to have to put you under house arrest until we find her. I don't want you to get worse."

I nod my head, taking that as a dismissal and shuffling back out of the office, Seokjin following behind me.

"That went much better than what I was imagining." Seokjin comments as we get into the elevator again and head down to the 5th floor, "I just hope she turns up soon."

"Me t-too."

The ride to the 5th floor is silent and as soon as the doors open, I'm out, wanting to get to a chair as soon as possible. My legs are feeling wobbly and I feel like I'm walking on a rocking boat. Moving closer to the wall, I run my hand against it to help me keep my balance, Seokjin shadowing me, should I collapse.

We reach the studio and Seokjin pushes the door open, creating room for me to go in. None of the members seem to be practicing, with Taehyung and Jimin sitting on the floor, backs against the mirror wall, the other three pacing around the room. Their heads snap towards us when they hear the door open, expressions telling me that they're readying themselves for the worst.

"How did it go?" Yoongi asks hesitantly and Seokjin gives him a wide smile.

"He's supportive of Joon having a soulmate and he isn't going to kick him off the team."

Everyone collectively lets out a breath, faces lighting up in relief.

"Although that doesn't change the fact that we still haven't found Namjoon's soulmate. He's going to get worse the longer he's away from her." Jimin says and everyone nods their heads in agreement.

"Let's get Namjoon a chair and then start practising. Sungdeuk isn't coming in until this afternoon, so it's just us for a few hours." Hoseok says and I hobble over to a chair, dragging it to the middle of the mirror wall and finally sitting down. The rest of the group get into their places and start to run over the steps for Dionysus, one of the songs on our new album that has a dance routine. Even though we pretty much know it off by heart, we like to practise it until we're sure that we could dance it backwards.

I watch as they go over it, Hoseok at the front, leading everyone else through it. Every so often he stops to correct someone's posture or to point out a mistake made by one of them and I find myself glad that I'm not dancing right now. I don't think that I could handle this choreography with the amount of sleep I got, plus the continuous ache in my bones.

After an hour or so of practise, a knock comes at the door and Hoseok pauses his teaching.

"Come in!" He shouts and the door is pushed open, revealing a short young woman, with shoulder length golden hair, bags under her eyes, her phone clutched in her hand. Something about this sparks familiarity within me and I stand up.

"H-Hi. I just wanted to s-say hello to the members that I d-didn't meet before. I'm.........."

She trails off as she spots me, her crystal blue eyes widening when they meet mine.

Ocean Eyes.

She's my soulmate.

---------------------------

{"Everything you can imagine is real."― Pablo Picasso}

Also, if I did a Question of the Day (QOTD), would anyone actually answer it?

Alys xx