(Y/N) POV:

I find myself bound to the promise I'd made Hoseok and as such dutifully remain in the house until I've completely recovered- the days wiled away in a blur of scrapbooking, colouring, movies and slowly trudging through the house to find activities to do. I'd managed to get as far as getting out all the ingredients to bake a cake before Mi-sun unnie had caught me- not tugging me back to the nest made on the sofa but rather, darting up as I was unaware- blissfully ignorant as I measured flour only for her to seize me from behind and relentlessly tickle- flour getting over the two of us and the counter.

I'd spluttered at the dry powdery taste in my mouth and turned to look at her grinning, pressing a kiss to my flour covered cheek before darting away- calling out that she was heading off for a long soak.

And as I'd begun to clean, I suddenly got reminded of the noughts and crosses I'd played with Seokjin- it seemed like eons ago to that day where our friendship had begun blossoming.

And my finger trails through the flour setting it up, I make a circle in one of the grids and impulsively send the snap off to Seokjin- in response to the text he'd sent not too long ago about what I was doing.

And it's a minute or so, just as I'm about to wipe it all off that my phone pings with a reply, a photo of a similar grid on a marbled counter but with a cross on it too. I grin at the two words under it.

Game on.

And so begins perhaps the weirdest, most unique game of noughts and crosses I've ever played as I copy out his cross before adding my noughts, giggling as we play even though he's not physically here. Somehow his enthusiasm and humorous expressions are clearly envisioned in my mind as we play and it's as he's declared victor of the first round that I pause to start sieving the dry ingredients and creaming the butter and sugar together, then adding in the other ingredients slowly and in order to create a pale thick silky cake batter.

And as I'm pouring it into tins, getting ready to set it in the oven my phone pings again- hastening my pace to get them in before turning my attention back to the message that awaits.

And as the cakes bake, in the midst of cleaning up and checking on them Seokjin sends me an invite to a game instead that can be played through messages once I download the app- and somehow makes it seem like no time at all that the cakes are sitting golden and cooling on the racks.

And after the many games we've played- no longer keeping track of who's winning does he send a text.

Are you bored stuck at home?

And then.

Being ill sucks. But not a step outside until you're fine.

I smile at the concern and soft nagging he somehow conveys through text, feeling touched that he cares enough to worry. That all of them have shown me nothing but kindness and concern and considered me as a friend. So easily accepting me into their fold.

I'm better now. I reply back, smiling when he sends a happy celebrating emoji in response.

And even though I'm confined to the house until I'm better, Seokjin makes for excellent virtual company as I finish up the cakes- decorating them and setting them aside, not realising how time flew by.

I make good company don't I? he suddenly quips via message.

I startle, it's like he's read my thoughts.

The very best as a sous-chef.

And laugh when he sends me a direct voice message filled with affront as he claims he's the head chef, mumbling about disrespect to the elder, much experienced cook.

Yet I can't help but tease as I challenge him on that, something so intrinsically safe and comforting about his natural demeanour that reels me in so easily.

And then his final texts come through.

Better prove it then. Dinner at ours tomorrow. So you can judge for yourself just how well I cook.

And without thinking, without even pausing to consider with a rational mind for one second.

I shoot a one word reply back.

Deal.

And when Mi-sun unnie reappears over my shoulder and reads it aloud to me, do I then realise that somehow I feel played. And then that I don't seem to mind. And then third of all questioning my sanity.

Because I've just agreed to meet all seven of them for dinner, when the last thing I did was run out on them a shaking mess.

And groan at myself.

JIN POV:

I can't stop grinning at my phone. Hook, line and sinker (Y/N). That's how you get someone to come over, especially since we all knew her- perfect opportunity to thank her properly for helping Jiminie too.

And scroll over the messages again, smiling at the endless line of games we'd been playing, recalling how happy I'd been when she'd sent the photo- seizing the opportunity to play with her, spend some time with her even if it was virtually.

And now I lean back into the sofa, happy that she's agreed when I realise that I've just invited her over to dinner, not told anyone and haven't even considered what to cook for her.

I groan to myself, at my lack of foresight. And when everyone piles onto the table for dinner at night, I fiddle with my chopsticks- playing with the piece of meat I've picked up but have yet to put into my mouth.

"Hyung is something wrong? Does it not taste good?" Hobi asks, frown creasing his brow, a slight droop of disappointment on his face- on the meal he'd prepared so lovingly for all of us, full of Hobi magic and love he'd said as he set it down, face beaming with pride.

I shake my head quickly, popping the piece into my mouth and grinning at him, shooting him a thumbs-up, watching as he beams at me. But next to him Yoongi looks at me closely, silently scrutinising me.

"What've you done hyung?" he asks, eyes narrowing onto me- the intensity of them keeping mine anchored to his even if I want to avert them, to avoid that penetrative knowing gaze.

"Nothing...I don't know what you mean." I say, fiddling with the rice this time.

"Quit it hyung. You always fiddle with your food when you need to say something. And you've got this busy frantic look. So...what've you done?" he says again, lips twitching into a smile when he sees me splutter indignantly.

And I don't even stop Kookie from stealing the meat from my plate, even as the platter sits right in front of him.

And then quit the act, not holding it back anymore.

It's better to rip off a Band-Aid then to slowly ease it off right?

"I invited (Y/N) for dinner tomorrow night." I say slowly, eyes avoiding theirs.

Silence.

I look up.

"I said I invited (Y/N)..." I start again only to be cut off by the way Yoongi nods his head quickly, that he's heard- they all have.

And when I turn I'm greeted with mixed expressions. Tae and Kookie look ecstatic- sporting grins around their mouthfuls. Hobi has paused with his glass slightly raised off the table, Jiminie's chopsticks slide out of his grip and fall with a small clatter as they chink against his plate. And Namjoon who'd just at that point taken a gulp of water splutters and coughs, lowering the glass down as he dabs at his mouth with a napkin, eyes streaming slightly. Yoongi absentmindedly pats Joon on the back but his face is still the same.

"So? Why are you so scared?" Yoongi asks, breaking the silence, shrugging his shoulders casually.

And with his words the others don't hold back on expressing their excitement, eager chatter causing the volume to rise but even as I eat- I can't stop wondering what it is that she'd like to eat, whether we'd come across as too strong, would she enjoy herself and many other thoughts regarding tomorrow.

Suddenly feeling like it's approaching far too soon.

-----

"Up! Up! Come on all of you up!" I call as I stride into the room the maknaes had all ended up in, pulling the curtains open to let the sunlight filter through, turning back to face them. The three who squirm and shift and grumble, eyes squinting against the sudden light, turning around to curl into each other, to drift back off to sleep.

"Nuh uh...up you get. Yah Jiminie, Tae-ah up!" I say as I tug the blankets away, the gesture still gentle in comparison to the urgency of my voice, arms shaking the two awake who lie on either side of Kookie.

The two shift, rising sleepily, yawns escaping as they stretch and mumble- looking at me with tired annoyance.

"Hyung it's so early." Jiminie grumbles as I lean over him.

"Kookie baby, up you get. Come on my love, sit up for hyung. That's my best boy." I coo as I gently run my fingers through Kookie's hair, pressing kisses to his cheeks as he mumbles. He wounds his arms around my neck and I wrap mine around his torso as I shift him up, his tired sleepy figure following me so he's sitting upright.

"There you go. Aigoo...so adorable. Time to get up, yes baby?" I say, gently petting his hair and pressing a final kiss to his forehead when he nods a sleepy 'yes hyungie'. Aish...my traitorous heart, don't give in to the temptation. The temptation to just curl around him and hold him as he sleeps on.

But the other two are looking more awake as I lean back and sport matching pouts.

"Clear favouritism hyung. We see." Tae grumbles as he gets up but when he stops it's because there's a fist clutching at the loose fabric of his t-shirt.

And immediately Tae goes soft and gentle, cooing as he bends down over Kookie.

"Tae hyung, wait for me." he says, voice still slightly thick with sleep.

Tae nods energetically.

"Of course Kookie." He says, drawing up our maknae to stand next to him, peppering his face with kisses.

"Hyung will always wait for you." he beams before the three of them slowly amble out the room, staggering off to go wash up.

Then I leave to go wake up Hobi and Joon who'd ended up in Joon's bed, the two of them cuddling- still asleep, torsos bare and sheets resting low on their hips.

"Hoseok-ah, Joon-ah. Time to get up." I say starting off soft and quiet but as the two mumble and continue to ignore me- even though the way their eyes twitch and mouths quirk into secretive smiles as they feign sleep.

"Stop pretending to be asleep my babies. You're terrible actors." I sigh when Hobi finally lets out a giggle, suppressing it quick. And at my words his eyes fly open turning to face me with an easy grin, turning to me with a loud whine of 'hyung'.

I grin as I lean down to accept his greeting kiss, tugging him upright and smiling when Joon follows, eyes alert and wide open.

"How'd you know?" he asks, dimples deepening.

"Next time you don't wake me up with your morning activities that you're very vocal about." I tease, watching as he flushes slightly, but still leaning into the touch when my fingers run through damp hair.

"And dry your hair properly. We don't need another person getting sick." I quip.

And when I've finally gotten Yoongi out of his bed, he'd been sitting awake working on some music, that I finally have a whole set when I lead him into the kitchen, seeing them all sitting there waiting for me- breakfast made courtesy of the maknaes if the elaborate plating, mixture of breakfast items and the cute expectant faces of the three of them are anything to go by.

I wait for everyone to have eaten properly before I spring on them.

"Right then! Chores! Can't have the house looking like a mess when (Y/N) comes over, can we?" I say, looking expectantly at all of them. Hearing the whines and grumbles.

"We don't keep the house a mess hyung! It's not a pigsty." Hobi says, the words of our resident cleaning fairy- always fluttering from one end to the other scolding the others to clean up after themselves.

I smile at him.

"No...but making it a bit more presentable won't hurt." I say.

----

"Hyung what should I do?" Joon approaches me, looking slightly lost- seeing as he can't help in the kitchen.

I hum thoughtfully.

"Why don't you get me the groceries I need from the supermarket? You could go to that book-café you like too- spend some time out of the chaos." I say, smiling when he grins.

I pull him close to press a kiss to his lips before releasing him.

"Go on. Before the others complain about another thing being knocked over by you." I teasingly quip, watching as he squirms before nodding.

And with the list texted to him and checking several times that he has both cash and card on him, let him leave- watching as Jiminie tries to grab hold of him and ask for him to be saved.

And with that turn back to pulling out things from the fridge.

(Y/N) POV:

I shift in the beanbag, sinking into a comfortable position, legs drawn up as I continue to read, losing myself in a world of love and adventure and fantasy- finding myself tugged into the plot, enraptured, and yearning as I find myself wishing for such a love- even though rationally I know that it can't happen.

I'd foolishly let myself believe that happily ever afters could exist for sirens- but life had taught me too well that wasn't the case.

And as I read over a wedding scene I find myself drifting- thinking back to another time.

The feeling of warm large hands against lace, cupping me close, holding me protectively, words a low deep murmur as he shifts me close, lips roving slowly over my exposed shoulder, mouthing the words 'I love you' over and over against them. I'd loved him too, so much, so intensely that it had consumed me. The feeling of safety and promise, of late nights together and waking up in each other's arms. That had been like a fairy-tale too. A life so happy it had seemed unimaginable. The story paints a scene of a close intimate dance, whilst my memories throw me into the deep love and emotion I'd felt as I'd swayed in his arms, of hands brushing and teasing against each other, of laughter deep and sensual as he'd held me, set me down amongst soft sheets, of eyes that had sparkled with love and passion and yet with time had fizzled out to be replaced with bitterness and anger. That he'd aged and I hadn't. That I'd stayed young whilst he lost the strength and fervour that came with being in the prime of youth.

And then those soft loving lips had turned hard and forceful, those hands that had pulled me further into him turned into a tight grip, vice-like as he pinned me down and hurt me.

I snap the book shut all of a sudden, feeling cold rather than the soft feeling of warmth that had initially encompassed me- hoping that as I shut the book, I shut the sudden memory that had risen unbiddenly into mind. I feel the grip the memory had on me, the beginning of snares slip away as I focus on the warmth of the book-café, eyes roving over the walls lined with in-built shelves- bursting with books, with stories, with worlds.

I lean forward to pick up my mug, the scalding heat of it lessened slightly.

"Did you hate it that much?" an interested voice quips from above me, startling me and sending a splash of the warm beverage onto my hand, eyes widening even as my hands fumble to set down the cup.

My line of sight is filled with a tan slender hand that holds out a napkin towards me, the person lowering down to crouch in front of me.

"I'm so sorry. I really need to stop meeting you like this." The voice continues slightly harried and when I look up, a glance confirms that is in fact Namjoon who'd been talking, who'd offered me the napkin.

I shake my head, smiling. There had been no harm done and I was beyond lucky that it didn't splash onto the book.

And then he grins, gesturing to the nearby beanbag, also curved, and angled towards the low table.

"May I?" he asks.

I nod quickly, watching as he sinks into the beanbag, shifting until he's comfortable before looking at me intently.

"So...was the book that bad?" he asks again.

I realise he'd caught me when I'd shut the book and smile wryly at it.

Then shake my head slowly.

"Then...?" he prompts.

I wonder how to word it. How to say the slightly jumbled feelings I have.

He pulls out a notebook, flushing slightly under my confusing intrigued look.

"I always carry a notebook with me. Force of habit...just noting down things that interest me, thoughts..." he trails off, shy.

But I find myself awed by it. The fact that he likes penning down his thoughts, his observations, his perception of the world around us. It's such a refreshing habit that I've heard.

I give him a thumbs up, taking the proffered pen to write inside, wary of writing a note in his special notebook but he urges me on.

I like your habit! You must see the world in such an amazing way! And no...I didn't hate the book.

I slide the notebook back, watching as he reads over it.

He gives me a bashful smile before he pauses on the second part of it.

He scribbles a message back and slides it back.

Just venting you anger onto the poor book?

I shake my head, smiling.

Never! Books should be taken care of. Just...lost in thought about something.

He looks up at me then, eyes soft and searching.

"Is it about hyung's invitation for dinner? Because you really don't need to pressurise yourself. I know hyung can come across as intense sometimes- but only really to people he likes." He says, looking at me seriously; offering me an out even if I'd mentally accepted the fact and was preparing myself for that when evening came.

I shake my head.

Other thoughts. Thoughts that make me miss times gone.

He shoots me a sympathetic smile.

We all long for times gone. But the best way is to make our time now memorable and fulfilling.

I nod, he's right. That's what Habaek oppa and Mi-sun unnie without fail taught me. That everytime we moved, everytime we shifted- to make new memories, better and brighter ones to replace the ones that hurt us, to allow the new ones to heal the hurts the old ones left behind.

Namjoon has a very beautiful philosophical mind, I come to conclude as we go to spend the next few hours sitting on beanbags, debating via handwritten notes, and sharing small snippets.

We've ordered drinks and snacks as we'd talked and the plates and mugs sit empty.

And just as Namjoon is heatedly giving me a small speech why everyone has rights to be in a kitchen, the merits of the underdogs and how he could totally be the unexpected master, his phone rings shattering his passionate spiel. He grabs his phone, eyes widening as he sees the name and a tentative hand that brings it to his ear.

Whoever is on the other end is loud enough that their voice slightly filters out tinnily and Namjoon flinches, holding the phone slightly away from him.

And it's in a subdued voice long moments later he utters a dutiful 'yes hyung, I'll be right back' before ending the call.

He shoots me an apologetic look, rising from the beanbag and stretching his arms.

"I'm sorry. Jin hyung needs me back home- I forgot I was meant to run some errands." He confides sheepishly.

I smile as I stand, shaking my hands and handing him his notebook back.

He smiles as he accepts it.

"I'll keep this for our conversations instead." He says.

And then does something I never expect.

As he's saying his goodbye he signs out something to me.

See you soon friend. In sign language.

And with a dimpled grin that deepens in response to my beaming smile and eager nod he heads out, turning to wave at me and nearly crashing into a table.

My hand covers my mouth as I stifle a giggle.

It turns out Namjoon is quite the adorably clumsy intelligent man. He's endearing.

And I too leave the book-café with some more optimism and eagerness for what tonight could hold.

(THERE YOU GO! SORRY FOR NO UPDATE YESTERDAY BUT I HOPE I MADE IT UPTO YOU WITH JOON BONDING- OUR ADORABLE LEADER IS QUITE THE SHY THEN PASSIONATE MAN! I ADORE HIM- JUST AS I DO THE OTHERS, SO HERE WE HAVE THEIR BLOSSOMING FRIENDSHIP TOO! AND HE DID IT! HE USED SIGN LANGUAGE! JUST FOR HER! AND (Y/N) WAS TOUCHED! AND AHH- THE DINNER SCENE WILL BE THE NEXT CHAPTER, YOU CAN BET JINNIE IS A-FUMING THAT JOON HASN'T GOTTEN HIM HIS GROCERIES HE ASKED FOR! HOW IS HE MEANT TO WHIP UP A MEAL WHEN SOME OF THE STUFF ISN'T THERE?! AND TELL ME SOMETHING...JIN'S BEHAVIOUR WAS SO, SO FAMILIAR OF WHAT MY MUM DOES TO ME ALL THE TIME; THE INNER CLEANING ASIAN JUMPS OUT! ANYONE ELSE IN THE SAME BOAT? OR JUST ME? AND ACK! I FIND THE IDEA CUTE OF THEM RUSHING AROUND TRYING TO BE PRESENTABLE WHEN REALLY SHE WOULDN'T CARE!! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS FOR THIS CHAPTER TOO! STAY SAFE!)

QUESTION...THROWBACK CHILDHOOD MOMENT?

Mine is....there were lots and lots! But the ice-cream van outside my primary school at the end of the day and rushing to get some! Or the playground near our school where we'd all go to play together even though we'd just seen each other! But there's too many!!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3