(Y/N) POV:

After waving goodbye to Namjoon and Taehyung, who albeit still looks guilty that I reach out to squeeze his arm reassuringly- wanting to see the sad look wipe itself from his face, Habaek oppa and I begin walking through the busier streets, close enough that our sides brush as he animatedly talks about the new project he wants to research and how Namjoon had been equally interested in it, wanting to work together on it.

Because of the bustling atmosphere, I turn to him and speak quietly, audible only to his ears.

"Why did you never tell me about Namjoon?" I ask curiously.

He looks down at me.

"I never knew that he was the same guy who both injured you and helped you when you went on that walk." He says dryly, face twitching with amusement.

"And besides, you never told me his name. Even if you had there could be plenty of Namjoons around Seoul- what was the guarantee he would be the same one?" he adds, commenting thoughtfully.

He's right.

And then he sighs dramatically, exasperatedly.

"And you and Mi-sun don't like hearing me talk about projects. You always throw cushions at me." he huffs, dragging out his pout and sullenly moving next to me.

I thread my arm through his.

"Sorry oppa~ you get so interested that we don't understand the terms you use at a point." I confess, watching as he ducks his head with a small flush.

But the coincidence that somehow Habaek oppa and I both knew Namjoon fades away, especially when he offers to treat me to a snack, gesturing to a corner café. 

The day ending with a revelation I hadn't expected and the slight feeling of guilt that I had made Taehyung feel bad- I don't know why that feeling lingered and stayed on, the look on his face flashing in front of my eyes when I lay down to sleep that night.

And the feeling of it lingers as I wake up- I feel frustrated because I can't figure out for the life of me why his face lingers in my mind, why the thought of the others I've met is becoming increasingly frequent.

Why is it that I am so easily comfortable in their presence? So easily let my guards down and want to spend more time with them?

Why is it they naturally emanate this sense of comfort which makes me feel safe?

The thought floats and buzzes around my mind, incessantly and makes me forcefully shake my head to try and dislodge the thought.

Have I deprived myself of contact with others for so long that meeting a familiar face is enough to make me feel excited? Make me want friendship?

Had I locked myself away that tightly and securely?

And for some reason despite all the confusion floating around my brain, making it a jumbled mess, I decide taking a walk might do me some good, some fresh air might penetrate through the questions and try make some sense of them.

So I slip out of the house- leaving a note for the two who'll be about to wake up soon.

And I pull on my headphones, wanting to banish the thoughts by allowing songs to filter through instead, soft melodies and sweet voices brushing against my ear as I walk aimlessly, mindlessly just letting my feet carry me wherever they want, walking past opening stores and weave my way through small crowds, eyes barely taking in the other people in my surroundings, snagging instead onto large trees, the sky, the clouds, the feeling of air brushing against my face. Because if there's one thing that's always remained constant in all the centuries I've been alive it's nature. There have always been trees, there's always been the ever-familiar sky with clouds dotting it on some days, and clear on others. Nature has been my ever-present unchanging companion in a world where time brings different rulers, different styles and fads, different thoughts and increasing mechanisation. 

I don't know how much time passes in ambling across streets but I come to a stop looking up and then freeze. Somehow the walk had ended up clearing my mind but it had also given me the clear solution. I'd come to a stop outside Magic Shop, as if my mind was unconsciously telling me that this is where I wanted to be, this is where I wanted to spend time, find some comfort in the reassuring, thoughtful words of one Min Yoongi.

As I enter, I glance at the clock- surprised that it's past noon now, that I've managed to while away hours walking and ended up here of all places. I walk into the ambience of soft jazz music, eyes lingering on the instruments that dot around the place, falling onto a magnificent piano before trailing past to scan walls lined with genres of music, looking but not searching.

I walk further into the shop, walking this time with the intent of finding a slow, meaningful song- something I could work with, dance with, a song that could connect with me but also be used to connect with others as I dance to it. My fingers brush against vinyl covers, CD cases and old tapes, eyes scanning intently for a song title that calls out to me, that makes me halt in my tracks and make me want to listen to it.

I walk past more shelves that line the wall, slowly in fear that I might miss a song if I hurry and just as I turn the corner, my feet come to a stop, fingers freezing against a title of a song, the words are one that describe me perfectly, hauntingly so.

Young Forever.

And without thinking, my fingers slide out the CD case, taking in the soft hues of the cover as I walk over to find some place I can play the song. There's small booths designed to hear music, headphones equipping them, and I search up the song- clicking on it as I slide the shop's dark headphones on.

I get entranced by the lyrics, by the hope that mingles with the fragile beauty of what youth means, listen with an aching heart about the time that'll come. The song isn't an uplifted quick beat as I'd expected but a slow tune and slowly I fall in love with it, with the voices pouring their hearts out into the music. And looking down at the CD case, I can't help but feel that this is it. This is the song I want to dance to, add another layer of meaning to.

I slide off the headphones turning and suddenly startling when I see a familiar face peering at me curiously. Yoongi. His head is tilted, examining, and observing silently but when he sees me become shocked, an apologetic huff of laughter leaves him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." he says, hands held up even as a small smile tugs at his lips.

I shake my head, indicating it's fine and then his eyes rove down curiously to see the CD I've got clutched in my hand, eyes widening with recognition and then darting up to meet mine.

"Well...I'm now officially impressed. You have good taste."  He says, smiling at me even as his eyes search mine intently.

I shrug my shoulders.

"Have you heard it before?" he asks, voice curious.

I shake my head and he nods understandingly.

"I like the lyrical meaning, that our youth isn't defined by age or a passing of time but more about how we believe, how we think." He muses thoughtfully, eyes glinting with deeper meaning.

I look at him surprised and soothed by his words.

"Like us...we're physically the youth, but that doesn't mean the minds of everyone our age are necessarily young too. You know what I mean?" he asks and I can only nod and silently gape at how accurately he's described the way I feel.

As a siren I might be immortal but that doesn't mean that like my body my mind is preserved and kept at the age of 22, never aging or becoming affected by the passing of time. Rather my mind might be the weariest part of me, sharing a deeply rooted fatigue that makes my soul ache and both my sleep and conscious be plagued with memories of times past.

He looks at me silently, reflecting or thinking about something before he straightens up from where he's been comfortably leaning against the side.

"Want to grab a hot drink? I want to hear more about your thoughts." He asks, voice a mixture of adorable shyness and passionate determination.

And then his eyes glance to the clock.

"Make that lunch." He says before looking at me silently awaiting my response.

I debate over it, but fail to see any wrong in it, or any reason why I shouldn't.

And then nod.

The nod sends his small hopeful look to spread into a gummy smile, eyes crinkling and he gestures for me to come upto the till, gently nudging aside another male worker so he can package my CD with an expert ease and deftness, sliding it towards me after I've paid.

"Let's go then. I'm taking my lunch break Yugyeom-ah." He says to the tall boy next to him and after shooting him a fond smile, he steps out from behind the counter when a voice halts everything.

"Yoongi-ah! Where are you? Your favourite hyung brought you lunch!" a deep enthusiastic voice calls, getting closer and closer.

I know that voice I realise.

And recognise the face that appears grinning whilst waving a hand, the other carrying a large bag. A face with ethereal features that never fail to astonish or make my breath catch for a moment- simply because his appearance demands and holds all attention.

Because stepping through the aisles is none other than my supermarket saviour, baking partner and now also known as Yoongi's hyung. Seokjin.

His eyes stray to mine, noting that Yoongi had been so clearly about to step out, curious eyes becoming wide and face creasing into a happy expression.

"(Y/N)! Fancy seeing you here!" he exclaims happily, bustling forward, tone taking on an excited note to it.

"Hyung..." Yoongi mutters confusedly, staring at the two of us as he comes round the side, observing the interaction when I smile back and wave, a small movement before my hand goes to rest at my side.

"Ahh, Yoongi-ah let me introduce you to my baking partner (Y/N). (Y/N) meet my dongsaeng Yoongi!" Seokjin chirps happily, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet, clearly unaware that I already know Yoongi and he knows me.

Yoongi shoots me a bemused look before turning to face Seokjin.

"Hyung I already know her..." he confesses, watching as Seokjin's plump lips part in an oh of surprise.

And then his eyes narrow, wandering between the two of us and he shakes the bag in his hand.

"Right, let's go have lunch." He states and demands before ushering us out of the shop.

----

I stare at the dosiraks Seokjin has prepared and packed with such love, an array of foods greeting my eyes as he opens box after box proudly, shaking off Yoongi's mutters of 'you didn't have to hyung' with an elaborate flourish.

"Eat up Yoongi-ah, you too (Y/N)." he says, gesturing to the dishes after handing the second pair of spare chopsticks to me, pulling a third victoriously from the bag.

"Never leave without a spare pair." He advises wisely, shaking the pair in front of us before tucking in, humming with pleased delight at his cooking, going as far to exaggerate the sounds and close his eyes.

"Hyung~ I was actually going to be heading out to a café with (Y/N)." Yoongi says, looking at Seokjin with fond exasperation even as his chopsticks already are dithering over dishes.

Seokjin's eyes fly open and he smacks Yoongi's arm.

"Why would you do that when your beloved hyung brought you food? I'm sure I texted you and told you in the morning." He exclaims and the responding sheepish shrug he gets is clear.

He forgot.

Yoongi's eyes rise to meet mine, a soft smile on his face.

And he gently nudges a dosiraks forward.

"Eat up, we can talk later if you want to." He says, giving me an out- that if I'm not comfortable then I can talk to him later. That even though Seokjin is his hyung and I know him- I don't need to force myself to talk music at the moment.

The consideration in his words warm me, another silent way I've noted of him trying to help- without blatantly saying it.

I shake my head slightly at him and then reach down to pick up some food, eyes widening at the taste.

Seokjin appears to have been silently watching my reaction and his lips curve into a wider grin, pleased and proud.

But he doesn't say anything, just silently places food in front of me to try, bringing another box forward and just silently watching, smiling between bites as he watches me eat.

As if he's getting some sort of happiness from watching me eat. From watching people enjoy his cooking I realise.

JIN POV:

I feel my heart swell with pride and content, the same feelings I get when I watch my dongsaengs happily eat up food I spent time slaving over, see them enjoy my efforts with genuine eagerness. It fills me with satisfaction, knowing and seeing people enjoy what I love pouring all my efforts and hours into.

A pleasant surprise to find (Y/N) to be the latest one to enjoy my cooking.

Someone I'd never dreamed to find in the Magic Shop but had been overjoyed to see, nonetheless. Surprisingly, as I had been cooking today- packing up dosiraks for Yoongi, (Y/N) had come to my mind as I'd cooked- wondering if her cooking abilities matched her baking ones, wondering what it would be that we'd cook together the next time we met at lessons and also as I'd made a quick dash to the local supermarket for some final ingredients- my eyes had lingered at the snacks aisle, smiling fondly in remembrance of the place we'd met. 

So to see her sitting there, happily eating the food I'd put out in front of her, nudged forward towards her and seen her mouth widen in a smile- I knew without her having to tell me that she was enjoying my efforts, and to see them being showered on two people rather than the one I'd imagined; it was gratifying.

Though I couldn't help feel curious about how Yoongi and (Y/N) met, and I wondered whether she was the wandering soul Yoongi had talked so animatedly about, so intrigued by. Whether she was that customer who'd come in and left a strong impression on him. And the more I thought about it, the more likely and probable it seemed. Because she had left an impression on me too, and there was something about her aura, her silent presence that was just so inviting and welcoming, naturally drawing people in, naturally drew me in.

I'll have to ask Yoongi another time, maybe later tonight and pry the answers from his usually silent self with a few kisses and cuddles.

And then I realise that Yoongi has turned his attention to (Y/N), looking at her intently and I realise I must've missed what he's said.

She makes a tilting hand gesture, shaking it slightly.

Sort of.

And then Yoongi's expression becomes more intrigued.

"Do you work with music?" he asks, curious.

There's a hesitance on her face, as if she's unsure as to how to answer.

Before I can steer the conversation away, hop in with another question, Yoongi assures her it's fine and goes on to ask her questions that are easier for her to silently communicate.

And I didn't know that Yoongi had such a compassionate, soft side for people he'd just met- didn't know he was this considerate of  (Y/N) when I'd first learnt the two knew each other.

Learning that however makes my heart thump in pride and affection for Yoongi.

For finding a way to communicate with her even if she didn't speak.

YOONGI POV:

I'm curious. Curious as to how Jin hyung had somehow so easily opened up to (Y/N).

The others had been right- it was near impossible getting a foot into the kitchen when hyung was in his zone, so confident and assured and focused in his element. And to see and learn that it was (Y/N) he was baking partners with both made sense and yet didn't.

I was intrigued to know what it was about her that allowed Jin hyung to cave so easily? When we as his friends and lovers couldn't? And I couldn't help but wanting to know more, more about what side of her had Jin hyung met and learned of- curious about whether she was a silent, sombre person in the kitchen or one that allowed to have fun and share the space? I could so easily envision her flitting about a kitchen, silently and focused as she measured ingredients- but the impression hyung had given suggested that perhaps even as someone who didn't speak, she'd managed a way to connect with him.

She was both mysterious and entrancing- a book waiting to be read, a mystery waiting to be unravelled.

And somehow, knowing she had a connection with someone I knew made me even more excited and intrigued, more eager to know.

And somehow her silent shy nature hadn't clashed with Jin hyung's exuberant bright one, hadn't clashed with my silent often off-putting demeanour. It had melded easily and seamlessly with ours, effortlessly too.

And I can't help but think back to the song she's chosen.

A song that the boys and I love, hold close and dearly in our hearts. I can't help but wonder what her personal reason is for choosing it as well as the reason she felt a connection to it.

That's what I want to ask but hold back in case it's something she doesn't want to disclose- I don't want to push her to be uncomfortable, that's the last thing I want for the wandering soul I see in her. I want her to be relieved coming into the shop, not be burdened into answering prying questions.

Maybe another day. Maybe when she's more comfortable. Maybe when some time has passed and our newly fledged connection becomes a strong bond of friendship.

Because it's friendship that guided my feet to her, friendship that made me stop to silently observe the look of deep emotion on her face and silently wish to know what was going on inside her mind, friendship that made me pause to take in her delicate features, the welcoming sweet sight of her side profile.

Friendship. Because that's what we are right? Two souls coming together with a shared love for music.

And even so I wonder what work she does with music- finding the lack of an answer another unsolved mystery for now.

(THERE YOU GO! A SHORTER SET OF POVS FROM THE BOYS BUT HOPEFULLY IT WAS INFORMATIVE AND FULFILLING NONETHELESS- THAT IT WAS STILL ENJOYABLE TO READ! AND SOMETIMES WE NEED OUR MAIN LOVE GETTING SOME MORE INSIGHT- SO WE CAN SEE MORE OF HER BEAUTIFUL MIND, BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T SPEAK MUCH TO THEM. I HOPE IT WAS SOFT AND SWEET TO READ AS IT WAS FOR ME TO WRITE- AND THE IMAGE OF JIN SILENTLY GUSHING OVER HER ENJOYING HIS COOKING WAS TOO SWEET AND TEMPTING TO PASS UP! ENJOY AND TAKE CARE LOVES AND THANK YOU FOR THE 7K READS AND 1K VOTES AND READS!! YOUR SUPPORT MEANS THE WORLD! STAY SAFE!)

QUESTION...THE MOST RECENT CHANGE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH? 

Mine is...my sudden increase in bra size 😩🤧

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3