KOOK POV:

Days tick down and anticipation and excitement goes up. Each passing hour, each passing day makes the giddy wait become even more the sweeter. And somehow every text, every glimpse of her, every mention of her name in our household is suddenly welcomed, are sudden sweet delicate gusts of air that brush across and filter into the rooms. Somehow without being physically present, she still manages to capture the attention, the focus of us all.

And yet she'd also been awfully cryptic and silent- only answering the texts when we'd sent them over; she didn't initiate any herself, and as I scroll through my past messages I get reminded that she felt comfortable to, so her lack of contact was worrying. Worrying in the way that made me feel if she was still trying to process it, if suddenly the notion of dating seven of us simultaneously perhaps was daunting and scary and making her revert to her silent ways again.

But knowing that our feelings weren't hidden anymore- not from us, each other or (Y/N) suddenly meant that every interaction with her was more vibrant, more vivid, more intense. Now there wasn't the guilt that came when eyes lingered on her, when the urge to hold her grew stronger and no shying away from the sparks of attraction whenever we touched.

And knowing that before our date we would have a dance session together had me rising earlier than usual, had me giddily involving myself as I made breakfast with the hyungs, head peeping over Hobi hyung's careful arrangement of fruits and light snacks as he packed a dosirak, humming happily- face lit up with an inner joy, an elation that I could relate to all well.

"Packing snacks? That's a first that you're doing it hyung." Jimin hyung says as he enters the kitchen, a half-asleep Tae hyung clinging to him- the sight so endearing and amusing in the way Tae hyung in his sleepy state is weighing down in full force making Jimin hyung struggle to keep straight.

"Well...it'll mean more if I'm offering snacks that I prepared rather than the hyungs- I got up early to save them the trouble." He comments but he's beaming at the fruits he's arranging and the hummus with its array of colourful dippers.

"She'll love the gesture hyung, if she doesn't madly fall in love with your precise cutting skills." I say, arms tightening around his waist, and to reward me for my encouragement he brings a piece of fruit to my lips.
A heart shaped piece of melon.

The gesture is super sweet and romantic, so is the way Jin hyung comes in and complains about the fruit he's wasted to make them into the shape- romantic in its own way that he scolded him lightly but happily and nibbled away at them, large chunks that lay on the plate.

"Take me with you." Tae hyung mumbles, still half-asleep, leaning into Joon hyung's shoulder who absentmindedly feeds him with a distant gaze on his face. He continues to open his mouth when he feels the food nudge against his lips, parting them to chew slowly.

"Tae baby you're not even awake. And don't you have a shoot today?" Jin hyung says, sitting down and ruffling his hair, tapping Joon hyung's cheek to get his attention.

"What's got you distracted darling?" he asks.

He shrugs.

"Just stuff...is (Y/N) coming to dance today?" he suddenly asks, going from vague and distracted to focused and sitting up straight, almost dislodging Tae hyung from his shoulder.

"Yeah...she answered our text. She said she's been busy because Habaek seems to have come down with something." Jiminie hyung answers, finally fitting the puzzle pieces together to give us an answer that makes sense.

That the reason she hadn't been answering was because she'd been busy taking care of Habaek and the fact that she cares so much about him, that she had been focused so much on him makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. We got lucky to have been drawn to someone, to like someone with such a tender loving heart. 

And when we leave for dance, it's with fizzing hope, infectious and bright smiles and impatience that has us rushing forward to the studio.

But the disappointment I feel when I open the studio door and she's not there, warming up and stretching- earbuds in and lost in her own world, is because it was a sight my eyes were yearning to see and fail to find.

"She's not here?" Jiminie hyung asks, voice echoing slightly-downcast and deflating.

But as quickly as our expressions had fallen they rise when (Y/N) enters silently, head down and hand fiddling with her bag, the earphone wires trailing down her shirt.

She peers up as if sensing our combined gazes on her and eyes widen, smiling softly at us and enters slowly- a sweet shyness on her face, eyes flickering to the three of us.

She's somehow more silent than before. I don't know how I reach that conclusion but it's a sureness that resonates in me. She doesn't speak to us normally, she never has, and yet somehow today there's something more forced and colder and pained about that silence in the way she seems to be a flickering shadow of how open she had become.

There's something withdrawn about the way she stretches and mimics me, something stilted about her smile in the way it doesn't reach her eyes.

And when she dances there's a rigidness she's never had.

And I'm not the only one who's noticed, I see the hyungs exchanging worried looks and their eyes silently flick over to her, observing her and trying to assert what's wrong, hesitating on whether to call her out for it, to ask what's wrong and yet silently wandering whether we have that right.

But it's during mid-sequence of a choreo sequence that she fumbles, stumbling over her feet and thankfully I'm close enough to grab her forearm, moving close to stabilise her.

I'm surprised when she leans into me, body sagging as if the strength has drained her that makes me move my arms to support her more securely and that the hyungs immediately break formation, rushing over.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Hobi hyung says, immediately shifting into protective assessing mode, hands gesturing for me to help her walk to the side, hands flitting around and held out just in case whilst Jimin hyung returns with a water bottle in hand.

She doesn't say anything as she crumples to the ground, legs folding out from under her, leaning her head against my shoulder that lies around her shoulders, eyes squeezed shut for a few long moments until they flutter open slowly with a grimace as she rubs at her head.

"A headache? It might be dehydration." Jimin hyung says sinking into a crouch and unscrewing the bottle cap, bringing it to her lips.

Her hand reaches out for the bottle, fingers trembling in the slightest until she grips it tightly and takes long slow deep gulps of it, head drooping back once she's done.

Her cheeks are flushed, sweat beading at her temple. But that fits with what we've been doing, with dancing.

What doesn't fit is the way pain seems to flicker in and out of her expressive eyes, passing through like shadows that melt away.

"When did you eat?" I ask.

Her brows furrow, face scrunching as she tries to remember. And knowing from the way she's struggling to think back, it's answer enough.

"Breakfast?" Hobi hyung asks incredulously, voice demanding.

She gives a timid ducked down shake of her head and he sighs, getting up and heading to get the dosiraks he'd packed- his thoughtfulness paying off in a way none of us would've imagined.

She shoots him an apologetic look. But there's no appeasing him. Not when he has a stern expression on his face and the usual bright sunshine expression has darkened to a stormy look, silent as he spears fruit and brings it to her lips. And taking the fork herself is clearly out the equation  when Hobi hyung shoots a look at her, a look that has her lips parting silently.

But as he watches her eat the protective anger eases down to give way to a simmering calm, far less dangerous than the look he'd sported long minutes ago.

"You do not dance with no fuel inside you. You'll burn out. Is that understood (Y/N)?" he asks, peering at her seriously.

She nods, eyes soft and expression apologetic and morose.

Jimin hyung holds out painkillers towards her, bottle in hand once more and she accepts them gratefully. As she'd been sitting, she'd slowly relaxed into my hold, melting into me- posture curved towards me unconsciously and I'd be lying if the urge to tug her close and wrap her up in my arms was one that wasn't running strong.

I squeeze the side of her arm in silent reassurance once she's taken the medicine and the silence falls once more.

"If you're not running at full energy, you won't be able to do the best you want. And if you don't do your best, then it's no fun trying to beat you." I say lightly teasing, trying to lighten the mood.

It works because the hyungs laugh and she gives a smile. And the hand that cradles her cheek as Hobi hyung leans forward is gentle and soft as he presses a kiss to her forehead and then to her flushed cheeks.

"I'll go mad with worrying. But I can't help it. You mean too much darling."  He says.

Her hand captures his wrist and keeps his palm cupping her cheek.

Thank you. She mouths it.

And her eyes are wide and soft and touched as she shyly leans in forward to peck his cheek.

Hobi hyung coos then. All the worried protective anger going as he melts under the small significant touch.

And without caution this time he cups her cheeks between his hands, lips darting over the tip of her nose and forehead to shower his affection on her, only pulled away because Jiminie hyung complains in all fairness- that we too should get the chance to dote on her, not mentioning that he too wants a peck.

But (Y/N) is all fairness, smiling as she presses a soft shy kiss to my cheek as she turns in my hold, head tilted up and allowing herself to be tugged by Jiminie hyung, pressing a kiss to the curve of his cheek when he laughs delightedly.

This is what I'd been waiting for. Missing. This is the (Y/N) that had returned from her hidden recluse from earlier.

This is the (Y/N) I wanted to always see, happy and smiling.

The (Y/N) who had come out of her shell and continued to blossom, to be comfortable in herself.

----

"We should carshare you know!" I say as we head out, at that sad point of diverging to our respective vehicles, the three of us forming a cluster as she waves about to move towards her own.

She pauses. My idea suddenly blurted out and stilling everyone.

"That would be cool. More time for us to spend with you and you might even get the chance of hearing me sing." Hobi hyung teases, beaming at her who's own face crinkles with silent laughter.

"If it's fine with you, we could pick you up before coming to the studio next time." Jiminie hyung says though his posture and eyes scream for her agreement, for the opportunity to snag her for a little while longer, to share her company for those extra minutes.

She nods once more, waving when it's clear we're dithering, eyes crinkled with amused understanding, my eyes following her as she walks away.

I'm just about to turn when a strangled whimpered groan cuts through the air, head whipping to the sight of (Y/N) clutching at the door handle, bent over and posture weak. I can see her legs trembling, harsh breaths audible- wavery and strained.

"(Y/N)..." her name tumbles off my lips in alarm, pulled from my throat that threatens to close up in panic.

And even as I move forward, striding to get to her, she forces herself upright, briskly opening the door and sliding into the car.

Though she doesn't drive away, doesn't immediately move but sinks into the seat, clutching at the wheel instead, head bent over it.

"Hyungs you go on. I'm gonna grab a ride with (Y/N)." I say hurriedly, calling over to them and rushing off without another word, tugging the passenger door open.

I peer at her.

Trying to mask the way my smile threatens to slip off my face, heart thudding and mind screaming with worry that something is awfully wrong.

"Can I drive you home? You not feeling earlier keeps playing in my mind and it'll bother me if I just let you go." I say, voice blessedly level and calm.

She peers at me, silent agony filling her irises as she contemplates my words.

But she must be in way more pain than she'd ever confess to because her usual stubbornness fails to make an appearance, she just gives a small nod, sliding over to the passenger seat, clambering over with a little fumbling, teeth biting down on her bottom lip.

I lean over to draw her seatbelt over her, fixing it for her- subtly testing that it's not too tight that it would aggravate whatever had hurt her.

"Just let me help you." I say once I've shut the door and move around to the driver side and slide in. 

My hands move to the steering wheel where I'd witnessed her clutch at moments ago in pain.

I feel like I shouldn't push about this or confront her about it- somehow instinctively feeling that she would either shut herself off or deny it.

And I didn't want that.

Instead I decided to keep an eye out for her. To silently make sure she was doing fine.

This wasn't the first instance I'd seen her crumple after dance and that was worrisome in its right. A horrible thought slithered into my mind as I drove her home, shooting side glances at her curved-up posture.

Did she have a long-term affliction of some sort? Was she suffering from something? A medical condition?

It hurt and frustrated me to no end that I didn't know what was happening, that I couldn't help her because of my lack of knowledge.

And it made me wonder whether she'd been hiding her pain everytime she'd danced. Whether she forced herself to dance despite being in pain.

And it gnawed at me even as I helped her out of the car, good-naturedly joking and claiming it was the least I could do, both as a friend and someone who liked her.

"Make sure you take care. I don't want my number one partner hurting." I say, drawing her in for a hug once we reach the door.

My arms linger, unwilling to retreat from around her, wanting to encase her in my embrace and keep her there- foolishly and wistfully thinking that maybe if I kept her there she wouldn't hurt, she wouldn't be in pain.

I hold her tighter.

"Take care partner." I whisper to her, arms falling away once she reciprocates the hug and nods against my collar.

And seeing her walk into the house, walk away from sight has my heart pounding- mind whispering to rush after her, that if I let her go now I don't know how I'll see her next. Better or worse than the state she was in.

And I could only desperately wish and pray for things to work out, for her to recover, and for her to one day have the confidence and trust in us to share it with us. So she'd no longer hurt alone and silently.

(Y/N) POV:

I breathe deeply, straightening up once the crashing wave of agony seems to abate temporarily- looking at my reflection with watering eyes.

My fingers scrabble for purchase on my dressing table, biting back a groan.

The call was getting stronger and stronger, each wave of it like the unforgiving choppy waters of the Ocean- harsh and large and consuming, each nerve cell feeling electrified and on fire. It felt like my bones were cracking and splintering under the force of the calling, this was the third time I'd had to pause as I was getting ready for my date.

"(Y/N) I...I do-don't think you should go. It's getting stronger. She must be calling us soon." Mi-sun unnie grits out, watching from the bed, hands clutching at her stomach, digging in from the side. Eyes glassy with pain and dried tearstains evidence as to how hard the callings were getting.

My hands tremble as I put on the earrings, smiling at the way they catch the light, lips quivering at the corners at how much of a struggle it seems to turn my lips up.

"Then I'll stay for as long as I can until the calling becomes too strong. Unnie you said you'd support me." I say, shooting her a look when I turn, hand gripping to the edge of the table.

She sighs.

"I know but..." she begins.

"We didn't know the call would get so strong. We didn't know the call would wake us up screaming in the dead of the night." Habaek oppa grits out, slumped onto the pillows, face clammy.

I wince.

"Nothing ever goes to plan does it oppa? But life goes on. What can we do?" I say, the other hand brushing off my clothes.

"Do I look fine?" I ask.

Mi-sun unnie's eyes hold disappointment but she runs her eye over me regardless, going along with my request even if it seems to literally be tearing us apart.

"You look gorgeous. And considering how deceptively well you've hidden the dark circles; I can say that they won't notice. But I have an awful feeling (Y/N), it just feels so wrong to send you away." she confesses.

"I'll be fine. They'll be here to pick me up in a few minutes, make sure you stay in bed. Take care." I say, walking over and bending to kiss their foreheads, masking my wince easily.

If I couldn't fool them that I didn't feel like my skin was burning and melting every second even though we shared the experience, how could I get through the date?

And when I walk down the stairs, each step brings a stabbing pain that travels up from my heel to my entire leg. Breathe. I'll get through this.

And putting on my shoes took far longer than anticipated, because I've barely straightened up when the doorbell rings.

I open it to reveal Tae standing there beaming, casually dressed.

"Tannie can't come where we're going so he's so very sorry for that. Instead he told me to pass on his love." He greets, immediately scooping me up into a hug, arms firm and secure and oh so comforting as he brings me close, standing there for a while wrapped up in each other.

I spot Jin and Hobi looking a mixture of exasperated, amused and incredulous from the front seats over Tae's shoulder, a bare glimpse of them. I tap his back to get his attention and whilst he does retreat he doesn't step away, only leaning back to peer at me with sparkling mischievous eyes.

My mouth opens though to say what I don't know when he peppers my face with small kisses, the sensation both ticklish and gentle, soft lips pressing lightly to my skin in quick flurried motions. He laughs after he presses a final kiss to the tip of my nose.

He looks at my parted lips and taps them, immediately mine shut.

"I can't kiss you there. I won't give Tannie the pleasure of that. I refuse to. That place is special for me." he whispers in confidence, leaning in close enough that I can feel his breath ghost over my lips, can see the way his tongue darts out to unconsciously flick across his lip.

And his words have my body heating with a warm flush, both surprised and charmed by his sweet words, at the tone of stubbornness that creeps into his tone.

If I had energy to, if I had breath to- I would've laughed. 

If I had the courage to, I would've pecked his lips and whispered that it was special for me too.

His hand is what he holds up towards me, palm raised up and wiggles his fingers, the band of his rings flashes of colour adorning his skin.

"Your hand please pretty girl." He asks, voice low and brushing over me.

And the pain is pushed aside, forgotten in that instant as I slide my hand into his and his wraps around mine, squeezing reassuringly.

"You look beautiful as always." He murmurs as he leads me over to the car, larger I notice than the ones I've seen and when he opens the car door for me that it's because it's an eight-seater.

And the person who waves triumphantly and victoriously to me is Namjoon, dimpled grin showing as he pats the seat next to him.

"Is Habaek feeling better?" he asks once the others have settled down after letting out a chorus of greetings, heads turning to greet me once I'd raised mine from doing my seatbelt.

I make a tilting movement with my hand but he gets it, nodding solemnly.

"You look like a modern-day water nymph." He says, a mixture of shy and endearing, something in his eyes settling once he finishes his cursory examination of me- as if he'd been searching for something and was happy to not find it.

I find my cheeks warming at the dimpled grin he gives, as if it's meant only for me and I take his words and store them into a corner of my heart.

A water nymph.

Not a siren.

A water nymph- a mythical figure that dwelled in the rivers, was a part of them. Something that didn't scream death and destruction.

And somehow those words erase the unknowing hurt he'd inflicted earlier on when he'd left the note in the book he'd gifted me, somehow wiping away the past and replacing it with the gift of the present. One I cherish.

What is one thing I don't learn is where exactly we're all going, vague looks and answers given when I tap Namjoon's arm to get his attention, after our half-silent, half-passionate riveting conversation about his endearingly sweet habit of looking for crabs finishes, he just gives me a bright smile and an unabashed 'not telling' hand-sign from him.

I try to scan the roads and signs to try and get an indication but it remains vague and uncertain and the others refuse to divulge details, engaging me otherwise in other conversations or drawing me into intense battles of rock-paper-scissors, for seemingly no reason beyond crowing rights as victor.

At some point I catch Jungkook's eyes, who seem to be intently staring and thoughtfully looking at me, and the random pokes and prods he gives when he makes a teasing comment, seem to satisfy something inside him, because a relieved look plays about on his face.

It's when Jin says there's about half an hour left that I find myself crippled with another extremely intense wave of Her calling, body howling and shrieking with pain, each muscle tensing up as I peer out, thankfully providing with me the perfect opportunity to hide my face from them, scared that the pain might give me away, my face might betray me.

But it's also looking out the window that I begin to get a panicky horrible sense of breath coming out shorter as the waves of Her beckoning get stronger and stronger, body losing energy and slumping into the seat.

And when we finally pull up, the others bound out eagerly- excitedly chattering. The door opens on my side, bringing with it a cool fresh wave of wind, that brushes teasingly against my flushed face.

Yoongi holds out his hand for me, sweetly waiting for me to slide my hand in his, helping me out.

My legs tremble, threatening to buckle from the currents of pain that make each fibre of my body throb with pain and my hand tightens reflexively around his.

His other hand steadies me, flying to my waist.

"Whoa...jelly legs? They must've fallen asleep in the car." He teases, peering down as if suddenly he'd be able to see them shake and wobble.

He waits until I gain a bit of strength back in them, hand slowly sliding away from my waist, though the one holding my hand doesn't retreat, instead his longer fingers give a brief squeeze.

"We're so excited for you to see what we've planned. You've given us many restless, sleepless nights in excitement is all I'll say." He confides, leaning in, breath fanning across the shell of my ear, threatening to make my knees buckle for an entirely different reason this time, words low and deep and unbelievably alluring despite the simplicity of his words.

And he walks with me towards the back, slinging a bag over his shoulder.

"You can't have jelly legs already! Look mine are fine! And I hate long journeys!" Jimin says, shaking his own for emphasis, face creased up in bright laughter and amusement.

Jin has a secret cryptic look on his face, as do the others as they lead the way, blocking from sight whatever they've planned, but the darting glances as they look at my puzzled expression has their grins growing with palpable excitement.

It has my spirts lifting, the joy of being with them making the pain melt away, suddenly soothed and relaxed and feeling utterly safe in their presence.

And then they stop all of a sudden, stop at the slightly rocky path we'd been taking.

Hobi steps away from them and comes to stand behind me, hands sliding around my eyes.

My eyes flutter shut once his hands encase my sight with darkness, lips curving up at their determination to keep it a surprise until the very end.

I can hear them scuffling, moving out of the way as one of them brushes against my hand, coming to stand beside me.

"Take a deep breath (Y/N)." Hobi says from behind me, excitement making his voice slightly vibrate.

I smile wider, feeling my heart beat with anticipation, with elation, giddiness.

Knowing that whatever it is I'll like, whatever they've planned I'll enjoy because of how much thought they've put into it.

And when his hands slide away, I take a deep breath as he said to and find it catching in my throat.

Threatening to make me choke with emotion, corner of my eyes stinging, smile sliding off my face in shock.

"Surprise!" all of them chorus.

Because in front of my eyes, is a path leading down to a lower much softer ground. In front of my eyes is a sandy beach leading to deceptively calm blue lapping waves. 

Because their surprise date was taking me to the seaside, and when Hobi's arm stretches over my shoulder to point out a boat, a decently sized boat waiting for us at the shore, I feel my heart plummet, feel the air struggle to escape my lungs.

Because their first date was a surprise all right.

They brought me to the very place I feared.

They planned to take me onto Her waters.

And I realise with a twist of my gut that the pain hadn't melted away because I'd felt safe- feeling as if my mind was lulled into security and ignored the pain.

No. It was because I'd ended up at the very place I ran from.

I'd ended up near Her.

And that was why the pain had lessened.

Because I'd reached Her.

And though I knew the call wasn't for now, that otherwise I'd have blindly stumbled into the sea, I still knew that it felt horrible, the panic was blinding and the anxiety bubbled up.

Because how could I escape now?

(THERE YOU GO! DON'T KILL ME! BUT IF ANY OF MY SHARP-EYED LOVES NOTICED, I WAS DROPPING HINTS THROUGHOUT THE CHAPTER SLIGHTLY- IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF CONNECTING THE VERY SUBTLE DOTS! AND I'M GONNA GO HIDE NOW. SORRY. DON'T HATE ME! BUT THIS NEEDED TO HAPPEN. THE NEXT CHAPTER THAT'LL BE COMING IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND GOD DAMMIT! BABY SIREN JUST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK CAN SHE?? SHE PUSHED THROUGH HER PAIN TO BE THERE AND WELP! LOOK WHERE IT BROUGHT HER! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS, DON'T PUT A BOUNTY ON MY HEAD. OR I'LL NEVER COME OUT OF HIDING HAHA! STAY SAFE, TAKE CARE AND ENJOY!)

QUESTION...A SUBJECT YOU DIDN'T ENJOY AND SOMETHING THAT MADE IT BEARABLE?

Mine is...Maths during A-Levels SUCKED! I don't know what frame of mind I was in to torture myself in a course I willingly signed myself up for. But the good things were lots apart from the course itself haha. There were only seven of us and the teacher is like a mother figure for me- she's taught me since I was 11 upto when I was 19 and made it all bearable! But also the sheer competitiveness that me and my friend had to beat the only boy in the course. She was super, duper rushing to always get the question completed before him haha. Out of the seven, four of us were extremely close friends too. Our teacher would always go above and beyond to help us, paid for our private tutoring sessions and stayed behind every day in case we needed to come for help- she's a darling and god send....I miss her!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3