Nari had known for a while that the breakup was coming. Any teenager's relationship was bound to be rough, but the 14 hour time zone difference made it impossible. Just as Iris was getting up, Nari was going to bed, and no amount of energy drinks on either side could make up for the constant lack of sleep between the two of them. It's not that their connection had faded, it just wasn't strong enough in the first place; which was what hurt the most.

The girl put down her phone and curled into a ball in the middle of her bed, allowing the tears to fall. She hugged a pillow to her chest to muffle the choked sobs that soon rocked her body. Nari thought she'd experienced every kind of hurt the world had to offer, but this one was different. It pierced somewhere in her heart that she'd never felt before.

"Little Nari, it's time for dinner!" Jungkook called, accompanied by a boisterous knock on her door, "It's seafood tonight!"

"I'm fine," She managed to say somewhat normally, "just really busy with schoolwork. I'll eat later. Please."

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the door, "All right," He finally said, not sounding fully convinced, "I'll make sure to save you some food. Call me if you need me."

Nari let out a sigh of relief as she heard footsteps move away from her room and head towards the stairs. She felt bad lying to Jungkook, but the last thing she wanted to do was give him another worry. He was already busy enough.

She rolled over in bed to stare at the ceiling. In addition to the tree on the other side of the room and the moon behind her, the youngest boy had also painted her a little galaxy for her 14th birthday. The yellow stars glowed softly against dark strokes of blue and purple; making Nari wish that she was somewhere far away. Somewhere that she could see real stars and not just drawings.

You are so selfish, Her inner voice sneered, You have everything you could ever want right here, you have so much more than everyone else, why would you ever want to leave? Are the boys not good enough for you? Has Namjoon not done enough for you? All they've ever done is love you and this is how you repay them?

Nari sniffled and placed her head in her hands, not knowing how to deal with the guilt. She loved the boys, she loved them so much...but her heart was calling to somewhere that they couldn't follow and it hurt so much.

"Bunny?" A much gentler voice came from the other side of the door, "It's your Hobi, I brought some soup for you. I'm coming in, okay?" Sure enough, J-Hope quietly let himself into the room carrying two bowls and a glass of water. He carefully set them down on the desk in the corner and sat beside her on the bed, placing an arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay, Nari-bun," The boy said softly and allowed her to cry into his shoulder, "It's all okay. I'm here."

J-Hope was one of the few people that Nari could be completely vulnerable around. The special thing about him was that he was the best listener in the entire world. She didn't have to think about solving or even understanding her problems when they talked, all that mattered was that he heard them. Nari appreciated that so much.

Finally, when there were no more tears left to cry, J-Hope leaned over and picked up the the two bowls of soup and offered one to the girl. Nari accepted. She didn't even realize how hungry she was. They sat on the bed eating in silence until Nari looked up from her bowl, trying to find the right words.

"Rehydrate first," The boy said firmly as he handed her the glass of water.

She couldn't help but crack a smile as she drank the liquid. J-Hope always made her drink a glass of water after she cried. He wouldn't let her talk until she did.

"We...broke up," Nari finally spoke, placing the empty glass back on the desk, "Iris and I."

"I'm so sorry, bunny," He wrapped her in a loving hug, "You two had been having problems for a little while, right?"

The girl nodded, leaning into his embrace, "Uh huh. The distance...it's just too much," Her voice cracked, "There's not enough time for us."

"It's hard, Nari-bun," J-Hope replied sympathetically, "especially since you're kids. You're already struggling to find your place in the world, I'm sure that doesn't make it any easier."

She let out a deep breath, "I already knew that the world wasn't fair, I knew that I've drawn the short end of the stick, but I wanted this to work. I wanted it to work so badly!" Nari collapsed back into tears, unable to hold them back for any longer.

"The first heartbreak is always the hardest," The boy kissed the top of her head, "But you'll be okay, bunny. Just like everyone else, you'll heal," He paused for a minute, "Let's go to the river tonight. I think some fresh air would do the both of us some good."

"What about the rest of the boys?"

"I'll tell them that we're going for a walk," J-Hope explained, "I was just saying the other day that I never get enough time with you, so I don't think they'll ask too many questions." He gently pulled away and gave the girl an encouraging smile, "Grab your coat, okay?"

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As always, the lights from the city life reflected perfectly in the Han river. Nari and her older companion sat on a bench closest to the barrier that separated them from the precipice to the rushing water below. The weather was just cold enough so that their breath was visible in the night air. Nari leaned into J-Hope's shoulder, who in turn protectively rested his head on top of hers.

The boy gently nudged her side, "What are you thinking about, Bunny?"

"I don't," She paused, "I don't know how to say it in a way that doesn't hurt. I'm sorry."

"That's okay," J-Hope assured her, "Tell me what's on your mind, Nari-bun."

The girl let out a deep breath, "Hobi, I-I don't think I belong here."

"With us?"

"No, no," Nari shook her head, "I mean here in Seoul, in Korea."

"Well," Her companion asked thoughtfully, "if not here, then where would you like to go?"

"America, I think," She replied, choosing her words carefully, "Somewhere that isn't as busy, where I could look up at night and see the stars. I like the river and all...but it doesn't feel the same. Do you remember last year when we went to New York to see Iris? When we went to the pride parade and we got to see Nikki's band perform? That's when I decided." Nari's voice softened, "I'm sorry, Hobi."

J-Hope gently kissed the top of her head, "You have nothing to apologize for. You're meant to find your own way in the world, and if that means leaving Korea, then I'm okay with that."

"Are you sure? I feel...selfish."

"You aren't, not at all," The boy shook his head, "Bunny, you are the most selfless person in the entire world. And besides, this is your journey. You get to grow up and follow your heart. It's okay if it leads you away from here."

"Don't tell anyone, okay?" Nari whispered, "Especially not Suga or Taehyung. I think it might just kill them, I know that they want me to stay little forever."

"Nari, I know that they love you very much," He started, "but this isn't up to them. This is your journey."

"But I don't want to hurt them-"

"This isn't their decision to make." J-Hope repeated firmly, "Bunny, this is your life. You get to choose, you get to grow up. Their happiness isn't your responsibility," He softly wiped away a stray tear from her cheek, "When you grow up you're going to hurt the people you love just a little. It's like when you got your ears pierced, it'll only be a pinch."

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Nari sniffled, "not even if it's just a little."

"The whole world runs on little hurts, Nari-bun. Every time you succeed, it means that someone else has to fail. We can't all be number one and we can't go through life without hurting the people we love, just a little," J-Hope rubbed her back comfortingly, "But the hurt you make will soon be covered with so much love that it'll be like nothing bad ever happened at all. Think about how happy it'll make Tae and Suga to see you succeed, to see you happy. That's really all they want for you."

"But what if I fail?" She asked, "What if it doesn't work out I'm not happy? What if I find out that I never should have left?"

"You're such a silly girl," He playfully tweaked her nose, making Nari laugh, "That just means that you can come back and try again. There will always be a place for you with us in Seoul. It might not be your forever place, but it's always there for you." The boy's voice softened, "Have you talked with Namjoon about any of this?"

Nari shrugged, "A little, I guess. I'm graduating in about a year so we were talking about college and things like that. I said that I was looking at a few schools in America since Iris is graduating next year too and he told me that I couldn't move to America until I was 18." She managed a smile, "It's fair though, I'm not complaining. I think that being a minor alone in New York would probably cause more problems than it would solve."

"Yeah, I think that he's right about that one," J-Hope agreed, "How old are you now, 15? That isn't so long, just a couple more years. You don't have to figure everything out now either. There's still time for you to live, Nari-bun."

"I love you so much, I love all of you," The girl let out a deep breath, "If I do end up moving away, just know that I love all seven of you so so much."

He chuckled, "Like I said, you still have time to live, bunny. Don't worry about leaving, you've got plenty of time left to spend with us. You're not grown up yet." His voice gained a more serious tone, "I probably should have told you about this earlier, but I've been putting some money aside for you for a few years now-"

"Hobi!" Nari interrupted, "You don't have to do that! Namjoon and I can manage on our own, I swear."

"That's exactly what I thought you'd say," J-Hope laughed, playfully ruffling her short hair, "But don't worry, I already have his blessing. Unlike Namjoon, I don't plan on starting a family for a while. What's the use of having all this money with no one to spend it on? Think of it as your college fund."

"You're so generous, Hobi," The girl wrapped him a hug, resting her head against his broad chest, "You really are my hope. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

He accepted her comfortably into his arms, placing a kiss on the top of her head, "Just live and be happy, Nari- bun. That's all."

"But living isn't the hardest part anymore," She whispered, "I don't think I know how to do both."

"Well, can you try? For me?"

Nari thought for a bit and then nodded, "I can try. For you, Hobi."

"Thank you, bunny," J-Hope smiled softly, "I know you will."

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i miss hobi. he's such a sweet man and he deserves the world.