Darkness surrounds me, and my body feels weightless as though I'm floating in water. Although it's dark as far as the eye can see, I'm not scared. If anything, I'm content. It's just my thoughts and I floating together through the endless river that is my mind. Just me.

Alone.

There's an ache in my chest as I continue to float, and I can't help but pry into my memories. Thoughts of Nana greet me in the darkness, and when I try to think of something else, memories of my family resurface. As the memories of the past warm my heart, the emptiness of the black around me suddenly feels a million times heavier.

Can I be where you are?

A yearning for my family pricks my heart, and I curl in towards myself as a way to comfort my broken heart. The desire to curse and scream boils underneath the pain, but I convince myself that there's no need to lose my cool. It's just me in here after all.

Alone.

"[Name]," a warm voice whispers, reaching me in the darkness, "time to come back now."

I curl more into myself, trying to make myself as small as possible. I know this voice. I don't know this voice. I can't go back. If I go back, I won't be able to see them anymore. They'll be gone. I'll be alone again.

I don't want to be alone.

"You're not alone anymore," the voice assures me, and I feel my body slowly opening up. "We're in this together."

Don't go.

I'm pleading.

"Never."

Then, the darkness flees.

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

When I wake up, I find myself in a bedroom. An obvious male bedroom.

There are clothes hanging neatly in the opened closet. A small desk aligns itself beneath the window with a simple study lamp and small pencil cup. On shelves along the wall behind me are figurines of different characters - some I recognize as cartoon characters and others that are unknown to me. Everything about the room is tidy and clean, and out of my subconsciousness, I gently straighten the blanket over me.

However, what really drives the point home is the smell.

The smell isn't bad at all. It's the smell of clean linen and faint cologne. I find it most noticeable on the bed that I'm laying on, and with that revelation, I sit up quickly.

My first instinct is to high-tail the heck out of there, until the events of the past day come flooding back to me. I let out a breath, nearly collapsing back onto the inviting pillows. However, I'm still wary at the thought that someone had to carry me from the car into this room, but O.K. enough to gather my bearings. I bring my hand to my forehead and rub it to calm myself. Dragging my hand down my face, I'm alarmed to feel stickiness on my cheeks. A quick deduction makes me realize that it's not drool but dried tears, and mortification floods me from head to toe.

"Please tell me I didn't cry in front of Jin and Namjoon," I beg myself, now covering my face with both hands.

"Don't worry - you didn't cry," a voice suddenly chirps, and I scream in shock.

The owner of the voice jumps back with a startled yell, knocking his elbow into the doorframe. A young man stands in the doorway and sucks in a breath through his teeth. He swears quietly, and his dark eyes meet mine, pained but apologetic. "Sorry. You scared me."

I jump off the bed, feeling a tad guilty for causing the unknown man distress, and approach him.

"I'm so sorry," I apologize, bowing, before reaching for his injured arm. "Is it bruised? Do you need some ice?"

Surprisingly, the man allows me to examine his arm, and I see a nice, purple bruise right on his elbow, which I wince at in sympathy. I gently brush my fingers over the skin of his elbow, and he makes a noise of discomfort. I immediately retract my hand, before looking up at his face.

The man in front of me has a face made for happiness and glee, although currently in pain. While his face is long, giving him a more mature look, it doesn't take away from the boyish charm in his greeting smile, showing pretty, white teeth. His eyes curve, crinkling in the corners, and the apples of his cheeks swell, causing the receiver to smile in return.

Wait, how long have I been staring?

The heat rises on the back of my neck, and I shift my focus instead back to his arm. "It's bruising already. Can I go get you some ice?"

The beautiful man shakes his head. "No need. Watch."

Confused yet curious, I look at the purple bruise on his arm, and watch in fascination as the bruise becomes smaller and smaller until all that's left is caramel, tanned skin. In awe, I meet the man's eyes, coming to terms with the fact that I have met yet another Mutant. He has an excited smile on his face, obviously believing that his trick is cool, and I smile in agreement.

"You have healing abilities," I murmur in awe, and the man winks at me.

"That's not the only thing I can do, miss," he informs, smiling a secretive smile, and I can't help but touch his elbow.

"My name is [Last] [Name]," I finally introduce, releasing his healed arm and offering a hand.

"Jung Hoseok," he replies, firmly shaking my hand with that gleeful smile, and we bow our heads in greeting. "Glad to have you with us."

I suddenly remember the reason I'm in this room, and the smile drops from my face. "Is Namjoon and Jin around? Did they leave my things in the car? How did I end up in this room in the first place? Who does this room belong to?" I begin to ask, anxiety rising in my chest at the reality of the situation, and Hoseok places his hands on my shoulders with another laugh.

"Hey, calm down!" he instructs, gently patting my shoulders, "Namjoon and Jin are in the dining room with the others. Your things are in the living room. Namjoon left it there, while Jin brought you in here to rest. This is actually my room," Hoseok says that last part with a sheepish grin, while rubbing the back of his neck. That's when the smell of him and the smell of the room collide, and I'm suddenly overwhelmed. Although, it's not unpleasant. "It was available when you guys arrived, so we just let you sleep here. Hope you don't mind too much."

I release a tense breath, trying to calm myself down. "No, no. I'm thankful for the rest," I explain, rubbing my sweaty hands on my jeans. "Sorry, it's been a rough 24 hours."

Hoseok nods, sympathetically. "We don't know the details, and you don't have to tell us. However, even though we don't know each other well, just know that we're on your side. We're here for you."

The voice that called out to me in my sleep comes back to me as Hoseok's words trigger that memory. I study him for a moment, looking into his earnest and trusting eyes. The warmth and laughter that linger within them bring a calm over my racing mind, and I find myself relaxing in his presence. There's just something with these men that set my mind at ease, and the eager trust I'm placing in them doesn't surprise me anymore.

However, the moment between us is ruined when my stomach suddenly grumbles, causing both Hoseok and I to jump. After a brief pause, we both laugh at the awkwardness and ridiculousness of our situation, and he gestures towards the door.

"Come on. We have food for you. You can also meet the other guys!"

Other guys...?

I don't have time to voice my question, because of Hoseok's swift departure into the hallway outside of his room. He gestures for me to follow, and I do, feeling the hunger pangs in my stomach. As we walk into the hallway, a plethora of male voices float through the air with laughter and endless chatter. That's when I realize how close the voices are, and it doesn't take me long to see that Hoseok's room is the closest room to the kitchen and dining room.

We walk through the kitchen first, seeing straight ahead the open dining room, where I count six heads all sitting around a table hidden behind the half-wall that holds the kitchen bar and stools. When Hoseok and I step out of the hallway, Jin, whom is sitting at the end of the table, notices us, and his eyes light up in obvious delight.

"Good evening," he gushes, and the chatter quiets down. "I hope you're in the mood for take-out."

The smell of food causes my stomach to grumble again, and I nearly push by Hoseok to get to the table faster. We make it to the dining room, and suddenly, all attention is on us. The hunger pangs turn into knots of nerves, when I realize that the "other guys" are literally drop-dead gorgeous, and they're all looking at me.

Seriously, Nana! What did you see?

The silence becomes too much as these seven men watch me in expectancy. My eyes catch Namjoon's. He nods encouragingly, smiling for me to introduce myself. Clearing my throat, I bow politely, breaking eye contact.

"Hello, I'm [Last] [Name]. Thank you for housing me," I introduce, mentally patting myself on the back for not stuttering.

When I straighten up, I'm greeted back with smiles and a few bows of the head. The knots in my stomach slowly unravel, and I release a shaky breath, wiping my once again sweaty palms on my jeans. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my mid-back pushing me towards an empty chair on the other side of the table next to Jin and a man with crescent shaped eyes.

"Sit! Make yourself comfortable," Hoseok encourages, voice closer than I thought, and he points to the chair, before walking to the end to sit next to Namjoon and a man who also looks like he just woke up.

Slowly, I make my way over to the empty chair, before sitting down. The moment I do, conversation continues like nothing ever happened. The men around me are loud and care-free, not bothered at all by the fact that a foreign girl is in their presence. They laugh and eat what looks to be ramyeon. I lick my lips at the sight of the delicious looking food, and next thing I know, there's a steaming bowl in front of me. Surprised, I turn my attention to the hand that's serving me, and it's the man with the crescent shaped eyes.

The only word to describe him is angelic. While Hoseok's face is sharp, the man before me is soft and rounded, even though his jawline is to die-for. As he grins at me, his eyes seem to disappear as they squint into crescent moons, yet it just adds on to the softness of his character. Just like Namjoon, this man has full lips - possibly more fuller than the aforementioned - and I can see a crooked tooth in his grin, causing my heart to melt just a little bit more. The warmth this man radiates covers me in waves, and it almost brings a tear to my eye.

"Thank you," I say as he hands me a bowl of rice. "I'm starving."

The angelic man laughs as though I've said something funny, and I take note of how light and airy his voice is compared to the three I met earlier. "Don't mention it. Enjoy," he chimes, and I have to stop myself from squishing his cheeks. "My name is Park Jimin."

I offer him a small smile. "Nice to meet you."

Jimin smiles at me again, pleased at our conversation, before his attention is directed to Hoseok who called for him. With that, I grab the chopsticks next to my bowl of ramyeon and begin eating the delicacy. I honestly feel as though I haven't eaten in decades, but with the past 24 hours, my stomach had been nothing but nerves of anxiety and guilt. Putting nutrients into my body physically makes me feel better, yet the emotional and mental wounds are yet to be healed.

Lord knows how long that'll take.

Even though the atmosphere around me is pleasant and comfortable, there's an alienated feeling that settles in the pit of my stomach. The men around me are vibrant and full of life. Even as I sit at this table with them, I can tell each and every single one of them are Mutants just like me. I can't help but chew on my rice thoughtfully.

Is that why I feel so at peace with them? Because they're just like me? Are they able to joke and laugh like this with Normals? Why are they so care-free? What sets them apart from the rest of us?

Most importantly, can I ever be content like them?

I snort to myself, shoving some more rice into my mouth. I've barely known spent a full day with half of these guys, yet here I am, wanting to be like them.

"Ah, how rude are we!" Jin suddenly gasps, and everyone directs their attention to the wide-eyed male. "Gentlemen, introduce yourselves to Miss [Name]!"

Curiously, I gaze at the male in front of me, seated on the right side of Jin, and I first notice his doe like eyes. The dark hair on his head frames his face delicately, causing his dark eyes to stand out even more. His nose is wide and full, and refreshingly, he has an uneven mouth with the top lip being thinner than the bottom. His face is also rounded, yet not as round as Jimin's. If one were to squint or he caught the light a certain way, they might even mistake him for Jin, which makes me wonder if they're brothers.

When he catches my gaze, there's a flush against his tanned cheeks, and he immediately looks down at his nearly-empty bowl. There's a thump, and he suddenly yelps in surprise, having a glaring match with Jin, who jerks his head in my direction. I choke back a laugh as the doe-eyed boy sulks, and he begrudgingly meets my eyes again.

"My name is Jeon Jungkook," he huffs quietly, and I strain to hear him but luckily for him, I caught it.

I offer him a small smile, which he looks away from, saying, "It's nice to meet you, Jungkook."

Jungkook mutters something, and he quickly stuffs himself with more rice. Jin rolls his eyes so hard that I thought his head would roll with him. However, he looks back at me with a gentle yet annoyed smile on his face, and I can't help the amused one that crosses mine.

"You'll have to excuse him," Jin begins, his smile suddenly becoming coy. "He's never properly interacted with girls before. Much less beautiful foreigners."

"Hey!" Jungkook shouts, mortification written all over his face. His ears soon turn bright red, and the hollers from the other men do nothing to soothe him. Jin merely shrugs, before eating some ramyeon, clearly unbothered.

"My name is Kim Taehyung!" an unexpected baritone voice pipes up, and I look to the other side of Jimin to see another brown haired man with a rectangular grin waving at me.

While the other men have been beautiful, this man - Taehyung - takes my breath away. After his waving, he sets his chin in the palm of his hand, leaning against the table, studying me as I study him. When the grin became a contemplative smile, I have to will myself not to flush in embarrassment. His face is perfectly symmetrical with his eyes being an exception - one eye being a monoloid and the other double-lidded. His nose is narrow and smaller than Hoseok's, yet his features are shaper than Jimin's. While Jungkook has an all-boy air, the man simply oozes elegance and stature. Honestly, if I saw him on the street, I would think he's a model.

Heck, all of them could be models.

"Nice to meet you," I politely greet, and he grins that rectangular grin again.

"And this is our infamous Min Yoongi," Namjoon speaks, gesturing to the ebony haired man sitting between Hoseok and Jungkook.

Our eyes meet, and I unconsciously sit up straighter, slightly intimidated by his cool gaze. Where Taehyung has an ethereal beauty to him, the pale man before me had a beauty of ice and winter. It's the kind of beauty that, while it looks plain and simple, you just can't tear your eyes away from the calm and mystery it brings. Yoongi's eyes are narrower than the rest of the boys aside from Namjoon, and they even appear to be fully black. His thin nose and small lips might give off the impression of that of a child. However, one look into his dark eyes, and one instantly knows he's anything but a child.

There's something about him that I can't quite put my finger on, but as we continue to study one another, there's an unease that settles in the pit of my stomach. His mysterious presence beckons me to speak and dive into the darkness of his eyes, yet I can't bring myself to pry any further. For now, it's best to leave this mystery that is Min Yoongi to rest.

Somehow, I force a small smile in his direction, "Hello."

Yoongi doesn't say anything; he just continues to study me with analytical eyes. I can't help but shift underneath his gaze, biting on my lip to keep me steady. After a moment, he nods his head at me and continues eating. There's a beat of silence, before Taehyung belches loudly, causing the other men to groan and nag in protest.

Jimin begins laughing next to me, throwing his head back, and the sound compels me to laugh as well. Namjoon shakes his head, lightly shoving Taehyung, and the man in question grins sheepishly. Jin begins to scold him for his behavior in front of a lady, and that brings another round of laughter from the table. Grateful for the change in atmosphere, I laugh along with the rowdy boys, trying to shake the feeling of dark eyes and enjoy the momentary feeling of an unburdened heart.

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

It surprises me how easy it is to talk with these guys.

After cleaning up dinner, we had all congregated in the living room just to chat, and somehow, an intense game of Mario Kart begins, leaving Yoongi, Jin, Namjoon, and I to watch the rest of the boys in amusement. The remaining three boys start placing bets on who they believe will be the victor, and I meekly remain a neutral party, not wanting to be on anyone's bad side. As the four boys on the floor push, shove, and curse at one another, my mind begins to drift away as I gaze around the room.

It's been roughly 24 hours since the worst day of my life reminded me why it was the worst day of my life and plus some. However, in that time, not only did I fly across the world, but I also met seven other Mutants. Seven other people whom I have no relation to that are trying to live normal lives like me. Seven men who have formed a family like no other, and there's a yearning in my heart to be a part of that family. The comfort that I feel with this group astounds me.

Perhaps it's the fact that they are Mutants. I figured out that much through dinner. Perhaps being with people like me automatically connects me to the rejected part of my being. Perhaps being with people like me allows me to be myself, even though they don't fully know who I am or what I can do or what I've been through.

Perhaps that day will come.

Perhaps I'll die before that happens.

Sighing at these thoughts, I burrow myself deeper into the couch, exhaustion creeping into my bones. Jin is seated next to me, and he catches my drowsiness. "Tired, huh?" he asks, softly, leaning his head against the back of the couch.

His bangs slide across his forehead, and my fingers twitch at the desire to push them back. I mentally curse him for having such soft looking hair, and I obediently fold my hands in my lap.

Yawning, I nod, "You would think after sleeping in the car, I wouldn't be, but it's been an...eventful day."

If he catches the bitterness in my tone, Jin doesn't make mention of it. Instead, he nods understandingly. "The time change will get to you, that's for sure," he agrees, sparing a glance at an overjoyed Jungkook, who appears to be winning. "Though, you slept for a while after we picked you up from the airport." He says that last bit with a teasing smile.

"What can I say? I need at least 24 hours of rest to be somewhat productive," I jest, half-heartedly, and Jin lets out a loud laugh. His laugh isn't like anything I've heard before, yet it's endearing all the same. When he laughs wholeheartedly, Jin's voice seems to break into spurts of noise almost as though he's gasping.

Watching Jin laugh, brings another ache to my heart. It was only a few hours ago when I joked around with Dylan, and he, too, laughed without a care in the world. Now, I'm far from home, far from Dylan, and far from stability with the only company being seven handsome strangers that may know what happened to Nana. The thought of Dylan has me burrowing into the couch further to where I bring my knees to my chest. Jin notices, and his laughter quiets.

"Hey," he calls, and I pitifully look at him, "you can talk to us about anything, okay? You're one of us now, and we have a sworn oath to look out for you. If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell us."

The sincerity of his words warms my heart, and I offer him a small smile of gratitude. Even though I haven't known these guys for long, they've been nothing but kind to me. It seems like they do genuinely care about my well-being, and I can't help but feel humble at their generosity and hospitality towards me. However, the last part of Jin's declaration has me furrowing my brows.

"You swore an oath?" I question, and Jin bites his lip, looking as though he didn't mean to say that. "What does that mean exactly? We literally just met."

Jin looks away. I can see the gears turning in his head as he tries to formulate the thoughts that won't get him in trouble or bring up anymore questions. A moment passes with only the yells of the gamers surrounding us.

He suddenly winces, snapping his attention to someone behind me, and I turn to see Namjoon, fully invested in cheering for Taehyung, who's pitifully in last place. Confusion covers me, and when I look back at Jin, he appears to be more resolved. Finally, he meets my eyes and gives me a tight smile.

"Let's just say that the future is coming together," he answers, and that's that.

The tightness of his voice makes me think that I won't be receiving anymore answers, so with a defeated sigh, I lean back against the couch. "Fine, fine," I sigh, trying to sound wistful. "Don't share your super secrets with me. I'll just watch Hoseok kick everyone else's butts in Mario Kart."

"Yeah you will!" Hoseok shouts, suddenly more fired up, and his opponents begin shouting their objections.

Jin laughs, visibly relieved at the change of topics. "My money is on Jungkook."

There's laughter and yelling as the night continues on. The goofiness of this group of boys is contagious, and I find myself jumping into the jokes and games. Multiple rounds of Mario Kart are played, and teams are forged in an effort to assert dominance. The tears I'm now shedding are those of joy, and I'm grateful for the distraction.

However, even in the midst of fun and games, I can't help but think: What happens now?