JOON POV:

I am more than surprised to see the girl from the other night sitting next to Tae. I didn't expect for her to be here, for Tae to be grinning with an ease and comfortability that suggested that the two knew each other. 

He breaks the silence with a teasing pleased lilt to his tone.

"I think it's time for some introductions." He says grinning brightly at the two of us.

"Namjoonie hyung meet (Y/N), the girl who I learnt you bowled over the other day. (Y/N) meet my Joon hyung; the one I was waiting for at the day at the library." He says gesturing to both of us with a flourish.

My eyes are still caught on her face, on the face that breaks into a sweet, tentative smile, eyes twinkling with realisation that somehow two incidents with strangers ended up being connected.

My mind trails back to the words Tae has just said and then my head whips to the side, quick and sudden to look at him with wide eyes.

"This is the person you were telling me about? The silent fashionable girl you couldn't stop..." I'm cut off when Tae suddenly smacks a large hand across my mouth, silencing me from speaking any further, eyes conveying his urgent plea for me to stay silent.

And though my lips curve up with the intent to tease, I don't want to embarrass him so stay silent...for now.

When he thinks I won't say anything, his hand falls to his side and he turns to face (Y/N) who's silently been appraising us, head tilted and eyes filled with an amused fondness.

"What do you want to eat? Drink? It's my treat...an apology for Tannie!" he asks, cutely rambling on with the sweet enthusiasm that is intrinsic to him, chattering happily.

She shakes her head but given the way Tae intensely zones in on her, leaning close- I can imagine how flustered the sudden switch could make her feel. It still made me fluster from time to time.

But then she sighs, a barely audible sound, more the physical sight of her rosy full lips parting, drooped down slightly in a resigned expression.

She taps to a drink and then a snack but when Tae turns to me waiting to hear mine after declaring his and gets up to order, it's her who moves quicker- darting past him to order, unwavering determination flashing in her eyes. She emerges victorious and Tae returns to his seat, slumped down slightly- the sight of his cute pouty face so adorable I can't help but lean forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

"Cheer up baby." I whisper before leaning back.

Whilst we wait Tae's head suddenly jerks up, head turning to face her again.

"Is your throat better by the way? Did the tea help?" he asks, earnest concern on his face.

I frown in confusion, I was pretty sure she hadn't been silent because of a sore throat- more so that she was shy, adorably so but shy.

But Tae was so confidently assure in it that it made me second guess myself.

And then my eyes catch onto it. A slight tremor in her fingers before she presses her hands together tightly, stilling them.

And decide not to say anything about it, she didn't need to speak if she didn't want to.

She gives a slight shake and Tae's lips droop in sympathy.

But then bolts to get the order once it's called, hurrying away with a slightly anxious expression, I don't know whether it was something we might've said or if she felt uncomfortable between us. I just hoped we didn't scare her away, there was something about her shy silent demeanour that demanded my attention and reeled me in- the deep depths of her eyes prompting me to want to learn more, to hear even one of the multitude of stories that lay unspoken in them.

(Y/N) POV:

Seeing Namjoon and Taehyung flow around each other with a natural ease brings to mind Mi-sun unnie and Habaek oppa and the way the three of us just click- centuries of living and existing together making our movements already predictable to each other, our next steps already anticipated. They share a deeper level of connection and intimacy though. I can see it in the way their eyes sometimes linger and loiter on each other, deep embers igniting in brown eyes, can see it in the way their hands brush- fingers grazing past each other, smiles tugging at their lips when it happens. Or the way they so easily swap and share food, pressing morsels to each other's lips and fondly doting on each other. It's an attraction that's not feigned or forced- it's a deeply rooted intimacy. I can tell- because it's completely different to the lust-filled, desperate, glazed look that my victims have always held, so starkly contrasting with the last sight I've often seen that it makes me feel repulsive and disgusting to sit among them, to sit there and try to act as if my skin doesn't crawl with self-repulsion, disgust for the monster I am.

How many lovers have I torn away? How many couples have gone to a watery grave because of me? Because of my song? It makes me feel unworthy and horribly deceptive- as I'm preying on their kindness and intruding on something.

It makes my stomach churn, appetite gone and I stir the straw in my drink listlessly, watching as the ice cubes clink against the glass- feeling my heart ache at the sound of whispers and a giggle.

"(Y/N) you're not eating...are you not hungry?" Namjoon asks, voice warm and slightly concerned.

Concern that I didn't deserve to be directed towards me.

I shake my head, unable to bring my head up to meet his soft brown eyes.

On my lap Tannie peers up, barking gently, trying to scamper up to reach me, the only witness to the wet sheen in my eyes.

I want to be normal. Want to sit here and enjoy spending time with them but it's so hard, hard when all I see is pure bright love and know that a damaged, wrecked soul like mine couldn't dream of it- not even after the end of my service.

It's an ache that worms it's way into my heart, even as I try to ignore it.

"Aww come on (Y/N), just a few bites. You shouldn't skip meals and it's lunchtime." Taehyung wheedles, voice persuasive and gentle and kind.

Adding further to the force that drives that knife in deeper.

But I will away the pain, will it away and blink the tears back before straightening up, dredging a smile onto my face, letting out a wide exaggerated noiseless sigh before picking up my fork.

And somehow seeing the two of them smile and beam at the mere act of me eating makes me feel selfishly soothed and comforted by the thought that a part of them cares for me, a tiny part that looks out for me as a stranger.

It's only another coincidences, maybe I can just bask in this happiness and walk away- because fate wouldn't bring our paths together surely? Why would it intertwine the paths of someone who deserve to spend their lives happily and someone doomed to spend theirs in misery?

It doesn't make sense.

TAE POV:

I watch as she gets up to leave, after her phone alights with a message from someone, smiling apologetically as she gets up, gently placing Tannie into my lap, cooing over him as he tries to scrabble back up. The traitor. But my eyes are intently searching her face for any lingering remnant of some sort of sadness that I'd sensed off her earlier and don't seem to find any. Her lips curve generously upwards, eyes twinkling as she steps around waving at the two of us, both hands raised in an adorable gesture. It elicits a grin in response and I wave back eagerly- already hoping and wishing that we meet again, she's so interesting and sweet. She's a friend too. And friends have to meet each other.

So I hope for fate to bring my new friend into my path again.

And when she becomes a small figure in the distance, walking away towards the exit, I turn to Joonie hyung watching as he smiles at me.

"So that was her then." He says with a note of finality.

"Yup! Did you like my surprise? Who knew the girl I'd met at the library would later be toppled over by you?" I say, teasing him and watching as he flushes in embarrassment slightly.

"Yeah who knew?" he echoes.

"Such a small world hyung. Tell me more about that night! Everything in detail, from the beginning again. Go." I say, propping my face up on my hand and leaning forward eagerly, waiting for hyung to divulge the full tale behind the vague 'my walk got a bit hectic' line he'd given us the other night.

Because it appears that there's a lot to hear.

-----

"Aish...poor (Y/N). No-one deserves to be gawped at, how horrible!" I say with a shudder when hyung recounts the pharmacy ahjussi, his own eyes darkening with anger in recollection.

"Because of that she seemed so uncomfortable and hesitant to let me bandage her up. She struggled but did it herself." He says, lips drooping down sadly.

I lean forward to press our lips together, again, and again until the slight droop turns into breathless laughter, curving upwards instead. Because he doesn't deserve to ever feel sad either. And especially not because of the actions of a pervasive man.

Not my Joon hyung.

"Tae!" he protests but doesn't move back, just hums happily as he leans forward to part my lips with his, tongue slowly delving in and he's grinning when he moves back.

Tannie barks at that moment, drawing our attention back to him.

"Aigoo Tannie looks like you met her twice too, huh?" I say, leaning down to kiss his fur.

But as we walk back silently hand in hand, I wonder what had made her feel unhappy, whether it was something I'd said? Because for a moment I was sure I had seen a slight tremor to her body, noticed a vulnerability in the curved angle of her declined head.

It made me feel upset for her, on her behalf. Because even though I didn't know her very well, even though we were still relatively unfamiliar for all I'd labelled her as my friend- a strong part of me felt a compulsion to wanting to see her smile.

Because she was truly beautiful when she did- she smiled with her whole being, as if her soul lit up with it, coaxing anyone else to want to smile aimlessly too.

That's why it bothered me right? Because I liked people smiling. Because she was nice to Tannie and so nice to me.

And the slight frown of concentration on hyung's face made me wonder whether he was thinking about her too.

HABAEK POV:

What I don't expect is for (Y/N) to enter the house in a subdued manner, quiet though she is- that behaviour is simply because of her fear of losing control over her ability, not because she enjoys it. Rather she's the light and soul of our small family, the bright sweet voice that calls out to us as she enters, the one who's sweet endearing giggles always bring a smile to our faces and the one who's so passionate and driven- so insistent on never backing down without a fight; it's why we've had so many changed house-rules over the decades, and why it's so easy to lose yourself in her voice.

Today there's something different.

There's a quiet padding of footsteps as she enters, shucks her shoes off and trails into the living room. It makes me look up in alarm, because it's uncommon to see her come in with a dejected looking expression, eyes filled with pain. It's surprising when she doesn't say anything but just pads over to drape herself over me, hugging me silently, nestling her head into the crook of my shoulder. My arms wound automatically around her, holding her close.

"What's wrong cherub?" I ask, voice low and soft.

She doesn't lift her head from where she lies on me.

"Today I wondered if I should have friends. I don't deserve them do I?" she mumbles and my heart breaks.

I squeeze her small figure tightly.

"Why would you say that?" I ask.

"Because I've always been the reason to take people's happiness away. So what makes me worthy of any?" she mumbles.

I hold her close.

I hate to see her like this.

"Sweetheart everyone is deserving of happiness. And you perhaps are one of the most. Because despite what we're forced to do, the service we give to the Ocean, you're the one with the most tender heart." I whisper, feeling guilty when she flinches at the sound of the Ocean.

And though she doesn't reply I know she's processing the words.

But even as I continue to hold her, I wonder what it is that triggered such a thought. It's rare for them to come out so easily, so bottled up usually until it explodes, so what's changed?

And why does it seem to be hurting her in the process?

(THERE YOU GO! A BIT SHORTER THAN WHAT I'VE BEEN WRITING THESE DAYS AND I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHETHER IT'LL FLOW BUT I TRIED! SO LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS, WHILST I DO WANT HER TO BE HAPPY WITH THEM, IT'S ALSO THAT CONSTANT REMINDER THAT THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT THAT HELD HER BACK. AND IT JUST BROUGHT THAT FEELING BACK FOR HER. SHE'S NOT PERFECT, SHE CAN'T BE HAPPY AND PRETEND SHE IS. SO I HOPE THE REALISTIC FEEL I WAS GOING FOR CAME OUT PROPERLY. STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES! WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE NEXT?)

QUESTION...FAVOURITE BISCUIT?

Mine is...it's this AMAZING MIRACLE which is chocolate digestive on one side and a chocolate chip cookie on the other- so you get the best of both!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3