JIMIN POV:

I didn't know one difference could make an entire situation, an entire normal, regular schedule seem as if it had drastically changed, as if it had completely been turned on its head.

And it all starts with a soft sweet 'hi' that accompanies (Y/N)'s customary wave and smile when we enter the dance studio to see her already there, sitting on the floor and stretching, fingers reaching for her toes- sitting effortlessly in a split.

"Morning (Y/N)!" I call happily as we move in towards the centre quickly, Hobi hyung's smile bright and infectious and Kookie's already rushing forward, not holding back anymore as he leans over her from behind to hold her in a hug, peering at her upside down.

There's the sound of a sweet soft giggle as Kookie murmurs something to her, their faces hidden from sight and her arms falling away from stretching to brush his hair back that falls forward.

The sound is so gentle, so warming and so beautiful that it rings in my ears, stays there for a while even when Kookie leans back and goes to plop in front of her with a wide toothy grin.

"Already hogging my prettiest dancer?" Hobi hyung asks with a smile once he reaches the centre with me, causing both me and Kookie to turn and shoot betrayed looks.

(Y/N) laughs at the petulant expressions.

"But Jiminie and Jungkookie are pretty." She says simply, flushing slightly when my eyes fall to hers, smile at her, heart a soft gooey mess at the simple tone she uses, the way that though her cheeks warm, her eyes don't stray away, neither does she retract the statement.

"And what about me?" Hobi hyung asks, dropping into a crouch, pouting cutely as he looks at her, head tilted and peering at her earnestly.

Expectantly and eagerly awaiting her response.

Her lips curve up.

"You're the prettiest sunshine." She says, poking lightly at his dimple before he catches her hand, drawing her up, her legs straightening up as she lets herself be tugged upright, clutching tightly at him when hyung's hands go around her to scoop her up, twirling her around as he laughs and she makes a soft sound of surprise, her own giggles mingling with his bright laughs, hands winding around his neck.

And when he sets her down, he doesn't want to let go, content to hold her there, her arms still around his neck.

"Is this okay? Are we allowed this?" Hobi hyung asks softly, face brimming with joy and yet also soft understanding.

She nods.

Fiddles slightly with the hem of his shirt before her hands fall away.

"If I am too, if it's not...if it's not uncomfortable for you." she says shyly. Eyes dropping away.

I step around to hug her from behind, arms winding into the space between them to slightly tug her back, head hooked over her shoulder.

"Believe me when I say our clingy touchy ways might bother you. But yours would never ever bother us." I say, watching as she turns to face me, close enough that I can see the delicate lashes sweeping the skin above her eyes, see the way the flush spreads across her cheeks and she scrunches her nose- a small, cute gesture before she shakes her head.

"I don't think so. I spend most of my time latched onto either Mi-sun unnie or Habaek oppa." She confesses with a wry smile.

Habaek and Mi-sun.

Two people who weren't romantically involved with (Y/N) and yet held the most intimate knowing gazes for each other. Who (Y/N) clearly doted on, loved wholly and dearly and yet it wasn't the sort of attraction and feelings we held for each other.

There was something about the three that seemed to transcend any relationship or bond I could describe, as if their souls were bound together, as if they remained and existed in each other's orbits.

And though I squashed down the stirring feelings of slight jealousy and longing that I wish we knew her that well, that we held such a powerful connection, it's clear that the other two aren't as successful.

Hobi hyung looks slightly thoughtful and curious as he asks.

"How do the three of you work?" he asks, without a hint of insinuation- nothing but intrigue in his eyes.

She smiles but slowly disengages herself from my arms, so she can face all three of us, eyes flitting to the way Kookie has leaned in to hear her answer, eyes wide and unblinking and gives a small huff.

"We...the three of us...we don't work in a conventional way. There's not a type of bond or dynamic I can really describe us as." She muses, seeming to pause and falter over what she's trying to say, brows furrowed as if trying to choose a word that fits and getting stuck. As if her tongue twists over itself as she tries to verbalise it.

"It's...it's just very...complex." She answers with a sigh, something in her eyes that flicker with resignation at her word choice, as if she's rattling her brains to find the correct or apt word and it evades her.

Complex.

No doubt there.

"Is that why Mi-sun ssi had her hands all over you at the gym? Or why Habaek ssi was carrying you as he did squats?" Kookie mutters with jealous longing creeping into his tone, his muttered confession making my head whip to his.

This I hadn't heard.

And the sight of it is awfully clear in my head. Mi-sun whenever we'd seen her with (Y/N) seemed to love holding her, and my ears burn with the memory of the conversation Hobi hyung and I heard- the ghost of it floating through my mind once more. The sweet seductive teasing tone. And Habaek loved holding her on his lap, the few instances I had seen him- she'd been wrapped up in his long limbs, as if he wanted to tuck her away out of sight.

And when I catch Hobi hyung's eyes I know he's thinking the same.

She gives a small giggle, not looking put-off or annoyed at Kookie's observation or questions, face scrunching with adoration and happiness.

And just the sight and sound of her happiness has me softening impossibly further, a corner of my mind puzzling over why such a small sound seemed to take control over me, seemed to have such a profound effect.

"You always have those touchy friends I guess." She muses.

But her words make a flicker of sense in my mind.

Before we'd started dating Kookie, all of us had been eager to shower him with tactile affection, brushing kisses to his cheeks sneakily or pinching them, or hands draped over him even when our bond was simply friends.

Tae and I had been even touchier. Friends for a long time before those same hands and touches had started to feel different, when those pecks and enthusiastic smacks of lips against necks and cheeks seemed to have more meaning, more longing in them.

And that answer appeases him, even if he pouts cutely for a moment, face scrunched up before he shakes his head.

"Wanna go to the arcade later?" he asks hopefully, the previous conversation immediately washed away.

And this time her face lights up with the same cheekiness and teasing that she's displayed around him, lips twitching.

"Want to show me you're still losing? Sure." She says, voice a teasing drawl, punctuated with a laugh when he indignantly yells 'hey' before stepping back to shield herself behind Hobi hyung.

"Aren't we going to dance Hobi?" she says smoothly, effectively keeping herself safe from Kookie's attack as he huffs beside me.

Hobi hyung laughs.

"Of course." He replies.

And with a beaming grin and knowing glint in his eyes, he suggests we brainstorm what we want to perform, and the air bubbles with more enthusiasm than ever.

Because this time (Y/N) interjects with small comments. Small sounds of assent or disagreement.

Because this time there's the fourth dancer between us who adds their verbal opinion.

And somehow it makes all the difference in the world.

-----

I watch as (Y/N) slowly breaks down a contemporary part of the choreo for me, that she creates in front of me, creating a beautiful sequence in front of our eyes.

I wondering whether I can pull it off, whether it'll work with the two of us or if it'll seem much more stilted and jerkier for me. But she's infinitely patient with me as she guides me through it, even stopping to straighten my extended arms and legs, to gently tilt my chin up so my neck is arched and then gives me a small smile, solely meant for me, a small squeeze to my shoulder as she nods.

And when she executes for me to see the transitions, I feel my jaw slacken at how flawlessly she does it, at how the poise and control of her body allows her to shift from move to move perfectly into a spin, legs extended as she leaps and twirls, landing perfectly.

And then blink rapidly, as if it'll clear the sight of the beautiful illusion she makes- I can just see how phenomenal she would look performing a full choreography, how she could manipulate props and ribbons to become a part of her, fluttering around a stage.

It's an image that remains there even as we finish our group dance, Hobi hyung murmuring how he plans to enter us in competitions- because the dance season is approaching and it would be good to get an audience response.

And whilst Kookie nods alongside me, something we often did as a trio, we turn expecting to see a shy hesitance in (Y/N), to see her retreating from the idea, trying to think of a way to say no. I'd imagined we'd have to convince her, persuade and wheedle her to dance with us because I know how much of a difference she'd make.

None of us expected for her to be have a radiant expression on her face, for her lips to stretch perhaps the widest I've seen them and for her to smile with so much joy and excitement radiating out of her. Or for her to straighten up, vibrating with energy and eagerness leaning forward.

"You keep surprising us. I'd have thought you didn't want to, that we'd have to plead and grovel to get you to agree. I was about to start kneeling already." Kookie remarks, eyebrows raised and looking at her with wide eyes, his words echoed by nods and murmurs of assent by us.

She gives a small shake of her head.

"Competitions are fun. So are performances." She says simply, throwing a towel at his face to have to avoid answering any more questions before getting to her feet, eyes drifting to check that he didn't mind and when she sees him fling the towel aside and hasten to his feet to rush to her, peals of laughter as she rushes away from him.

And yet when he scoops her up from behind, lifting her off the ground she doesn't look like she minds, squirming half-heartedly to get away wearing his bright grin as he nuzzles her neck even as she pushes his face away sporting a bright expression of her own.

There'd been moments in the past week where I'd seen her eyes flicker with pain, where her face twisted with agony or she seemed to get lost in thought, zoning away for a few moments but she'd returned and focused quicker and quicker each time- genuinely seeming to relax and lean in for comfort. Not pushing away her pain but silently seeking comfort through touches or hugs or simply shifting close, hand tentatively reaching out for one of ours, gripping tightly with gratitude when we automatically responded.

But right now, right in this instance, this moment there was nothing but unadulterated joy and giddiness that grew as he tickled her, spun her around laughing.

And there was this feeling, though unexpressed and silent, that a bit of the pain and hurt and trauma from over a fortnight ago was slipping away, that she was healing.

And we'd do anything and everything to make sure it never clung to her.

(Y/N) POV:

I enter home with a newfound excitement, with an eagerness in my step as I fidget with the house keys fumbling with them in my haste to get in and when I do, the door is barely shut behind me, behind Jungkookie who'd dropped me off home with a sweet kiss to my cheek and a peck to my lips, cheeks still warm from the memory of his soft lips pressing to my skin, then to the corner of my lips, hand curving my face towards his in the car.

"I'm home!" I call as I toe of my shoes, padding off to where the sound of their replies come from- finding them at the far end of the living room, sprawled over beanbags and Habaek oppa reading a book and Mi-sun unnie flicking through the latest batch of her photos from her shoot, waving them eagerly and patting the beanbag.

"Just in time darling, my latest shoot's photos came. Sit and tell me how stunning I look." She says and Habaek oppa doesn't even bother stifling his snort as he peers at her, eyebrows raised as he looks at her unimpressed, lips twitching.

"Doesn't it get tiring to have her appeal to your vanity? To stroke your ego?" he asks dryly.

And without an ounce of shame she replies.

"Nope!" she says cheerfully, the 'p' sound popping off her lips, smacking them exaggeratedly.

Then he turns his attention to me, his dry smile brightening as he takes me in, eyes taking in my expression.

"Did something good happen cherub? You're practically glowing." He remarks happily, setting the book aside.

I give a small fidget and his smile grows.

"Tell us then! Save me from Mi-sun's boring fuss!" he pleads, shooting her a side glance with a laughing smile, ducking the cushion she lobs at him.

"I might be dancing in a competition again soon. With the boys!" I say eagerly as I sink into the beanbag, wriggling with excitement.

With the thought of being up on a stage again, with stepping into a role, with dancing to lose myself and become part of the music. With being a performer once more.

And with the new found hope that maybe I could dance like that once more. That I could dance and belong to the stage. That I could be the person that hadn't changed despite centuries, the one that had been a dancer, a performer.

Habaek oppa and Mi-sun unnie sit up straight at this, the photos carelessly casted aside as both her and Habaek oppa lean forward, an excited squeal and burst of happy laughter bubbling out as they tug me close.

"You're going to dance again? Like on the stage?" Habaek oppa asks, eyes wide and bright.

I nod.

"Ahhhh! What stage name will you have this time I wonder?" Mi-sun unnie excitedly says, hands latched onto mine.

I laugh.

"A small competition doesn't mean it's my dance career taking off. I just think it'll be so fun to be a performer again." I say, trying to extract my hands and getting yanked forward by her enthusiasm, Habaek oppa's hand stilling me from toppling over.

"I know. But that doesn't mean we're not so, so excited for you. That we get to see you burn the stage with your dance, to take it and conquer it." He says with a proud smile.

I duck my head down, cheeks warm with the confidence and surety in his words.

Like he knows I'll go to do that, that there isn't another way around it.

But as my head ducks down I feel the slight sting of tears, a mixture of happy excited tears of giddiness because dance means so much, that unknowingly Hobi had just said the very words that added meaning to my life.

But then the realisation sinks in, the knowledge that this time my dance career won't be shared with the other two as sirens, but as two humans and one siren. That this time this would be something I used to cope with, the only thing that remained as my coping mechanism.

Not when eventually everything would slip away. Everyone would.

And I'd eventually be left alone.

Tears turning to sorrowful ones, mingling and becoming hurt and agonised.

And yet when Habaek oppa tilts my head up and coos, wiping away my tears.

"Silly baby, don't cry!" Mi-sun unnie coos, wiping the tears away.

"Sorry I can't help it." I say, voice slightly shaky. Letting her press kisses to my damp cheeks.

I can't help that it hurts. Can't help that the thought of being separated from them sneaks into moments of happiness. 

But for as long as I can and for as hard as I can I won't let the fear of a lonely future penetrate into a present where I'm loved, where I'm surrounded by the ones to dear to me.

Even if Habaek oppa's eyes flicker with understanding, seeing right through me.

And in our eyes, there's a connection of shared pain.

Of being tied together with grief.

And of a struggle for not trying to let it get in the way.

(THERE YOU GO! THIS CHAPTER WAS SURPRISNGLY EASIER TO WRITE IN COMPARISON TO THE STRUGGLES I HAD WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE BUT I HOPED THAT IT WAS ENJOYABLE TO READ FOR YOU ALL AS IT WAS FOR ME TO WRITE DOTING GIGGLY HAPPY BOYS! LET ME KNOW ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS AND WHETHER THE FLUFF WAS SOMETHING YOU ALL ENJOYED JUST AS I DID AFTER SO MUCH HURT AND PAIN IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS! AND FINALLY! BRING OUT THE DANCER IN BABY SIREN!! THE BOYS DO KNOW SHE'S AN AMAZING DANCER BUT THEY HAVE NOT A CLUE WHAT'S TO HIT THEM WHEN SHE PULLS OUT HER SKILLS AND YES...BURNS THE STAGE! OOF! I AM MORE THAN READY TO BRING THAT OUT! AND THE TEENSY BIT OF ANGST- IS TO KINDA REMIND HER THAT SHE CAN HAVE A HAPPY TIME WITH THEM, BUT IT COMES WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THAT TIME IS LIMITED! WONDER WHAT'S COMING NEXT?? STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE LOVES!)

QUESTION...PLANS FOR ENDING THIS YEAR?

Mine are...hopefully meet with friends and celebrate their birthdays in the few days of social meeting we're allowed, get that photo album I've been eyeing ordered and to get a bit healthy before 2020 ends!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3