KOOK POV:

(Y/N) vanishes. Vanishes because for the following few days there's no sight of her. The only connection we have to her are the odd texts that she sporadically sends or replies to. And even the words of her texts feel lethargic and exhausted. Feel run-down.

And though her texts say she's fine, the nervous, fretting feeling doesn't abate. 

It worms away at me, taking root and spreading out, that feeling of wrongness panging inside me when days slip by and there's no sight of her.

And whatever call we do make either goes unanswered or is picked up; voice drained and weak that none of us had the heart to keep her on call, not when it sounded like she needed the rest, when it sounded like breathing was laborious.

And the days slip by in an endless constant cycle of worrying and fretting.

"Do you think she's eating well?" Jin hyung asks at dinner on the third night, worry flickering in his eyes as he sets down the pot, curls of steam hiding the pain in his face only temporarily as he sinks down, posture slumped and hunched.

Joon hyung's hand curls around a glass, ink-stained fingers settling against it.

"I hope so. Mi-sun and Habaek will take care of her, they won't let her waste away." he says assuredly.

But the words feel hollow.

No matter how well Mi-sun and Habaek were going to be looking after her, it still didn't make that fear vanish. It didn't make the worries disappear.

"I don't think she's been sleeping well. All her responses are late at night, and her voice..." Yoongi hyung murmurs quietly, slipping into the seat beside Tae hyung- giving a small reassuring squeeze to his leg as he sits.

"Is exhausted. So, so tired." I finish, head dropping forward to glare obstinately at the wood of the table, furiously willing that familiar prickling sensation at the corner of my eyes to abate.

I was tired of crying.

Tired of having all those worries pile up, bubble and build and without any reassurance, any proof that (Y/N) was okay, they spilled over as hot tears trickling down my cheeks, pressed into pillows, into my hands, into the hands of one of the others, into fabric. 

"Do you think we can see her soon?" Hobi hyung asks, dull and that spark dimmed. Not as bright and not as loud. Dimmed because now there was this gaping absence at home, there was this active awareness and feeling that something...someone was missing. Because even though (Y/N) didn't live with us, didn't stay with us- there was this presence that she had and right now it was missing.

"We said time. As long and as much as she needed. But...I miss her." Jiminie hyung says, looking miserable as he curls against Joon hyung.

"I need her. Just close...just there so we can see her. I didn't want to leave her." Tae mumbles.

The silence that follows as Joon hyung, bravely, begins serving, the clanking of the dishes and serving spoon hitting each other drawing Jin hyung out of his fretting, to gently tug it free.

"You stay still." He warns lightly, a light tug at his lips as he begins to ladle food into bowls.

"Look on the bright side of things... (Y/N)'s saying she's okay, that she's doing well. We just need to wait." Joon hyung says, tapping my hand when he sets my bowl down, drawing my attention upwards. I watch as his fingers curl around my palm and give a squeeze.

Hissing when steam brushes against his skin when Hobi hyung lifts a lid off, hand unconsciously tightening.

"Waiting sucks." I mutter vehemently.

Hear a small laugh from beside me as Jiminie hyung leans against me, brushing a soft kiss to my cheek.

"That it does. Maybe you need to busy yourself, studio tomorrow?" he murmurs.

I nod.

That sounded good. Maybe I needed to dance the stress and worry out of my system. Maybe sitting at home, pacing and worrying wasn't the best way to go about it.

"Me too." Hobi hyung echoes, looking slightly cheered by the fact. Eyes meeting mine with glimmering hope and optimism.

It was hard being positive all the time but when it came to (Y/N), I wanted nothing but positivity for her, wanted her to get better and heal, wanted her to grow as a person. Wanted her to be happy and healthy for her own good and not only because she was breath-taking when she smiled.

-----

I stare at the sight in front of my eyes. Surely I'm not seeing right. Grinding my palms against my eyes to rub at them before blinking slowly, spots of colour fading away.

Nope. Still there.

Spinning through the centre space of the studio, body lithe and supple as it cuts and carves elegant lines and curves through the air is (Y/N). Delicate and yet so infinitely strong as she weaves her body to the music, melds it to the lyrics that seep out and fill the large studio.

She's devastatingly beautiful, my heart aches at the sight of her. Feeling so reassured and settled by the sight of her, cutting and weaving through the studio, body twisting and curving with a strength in them that the song lends to her. Winds around her and makes her body seem surer and fiercer. Something strong and unrelenting and beautifully bold.

There's a hitch of breath behind me and a hand that curls around my waist.

"(Y/N)...." Hobi hyung breathes.

Her name a prayer, a plea on his lips. Sounding breathless at the sight of her, voice wavering and trembling with so much emotion in that one whisper of her name.

And then I'm stepping in, quietly and carefully, into the studio, not approaching her but letting her dance it out. Letting her do what she needed to.

Quietly the two hyungs follow. Slip the door shut behind us and watch as (Y/N) continues to dance, her neck arching as she spins, a fleeting, brief moment of eye contact with me before her head curves away.

And though she becomes aware of us there, she doesn't stop dancing, her eyes fire and passion and life rolling and crashing in heavy waves as she sees our reflections, brimming with love as her lips quirk, wide and unrestrained on her slightly thinner face.

The shadows under her eyes are a soft delicate purple that bruise skin but the eyes they shadow and curl under are bright and flash, and her body is simultaneously slighter but stronger. Burning with this overwhelming cascade of emotion that spills out into her every move.

I look at her dance.

And with every move fall in love with her time and time and time again.

I look at her and want. Want to be part of those trails of music she intertwines with her body, want to be part of the air that brushes against her expression and grazes her at times tenderly, at times fiercely. I want to be close to her.

But even when the music comes to its end, she doesn't stop dancing. Instead the song fills the air once more, refilling it and drawing her away once more.

She dances and dances. She dances even when her body curls with exhaustion, pushing herself straight once more. She dances even as her legs tremble. And she dances even when that smile wobbles and tears slip down her cheeks.

She dances and I see that moment when her foot slips, bending and her body tilting. I see that shakiness push her to crumble and even as I jerk forward, Hobi hyung reaches her, drawing her against him and sinking down onto the ground with (Y/N) curled up in his arms.

His hands are gentle as they wind around her, drawing her closer as Jiminie hyung and I rush forward.

My hand settles on the low of her back, unsurprised at the heat that pours off her body, burns through the fabric of her dance clothes.

"Oh love...why're you pushing yourself like this?" I whisper.

Hobi hyung's gaze is tender and knowing, brushing a kiss to her forehead as he looks at her, expression softening and flickering with pain as his hand rises to brush away her tears, thumbing under her eyes.

"This is different. Your dancing feels different." Hobi hyung murmurs quietly.

To himself. But all three of us hear.

"This is different to the first time we saw you dance like this...then you danced as if your soul was shattering, as if everything was caving in on you. Now...now you're dancing as if..." he says softly.

"As if your soul is healing, as if you're freeing yourself." Jiminie hyung completes.

And their words resonate. It's true.

It's able to be felt in the way she danced. It was the strength in her moves and the way her body carried itself.

It was different to that mindless, numbness that had been in her dancing all those months ago.

This was just as raw, just as vulnerable. But it was fierce strength in that raw vulnerability.

And she looks surprised. Lips parting slightly as she peers at him.

Fresh tears trickling down her cheeks, marking a new course over heated skin as she looks at him, head turning to look at us, eyes sparkling with the tears that continue to seep down her cheeks.

A weak smile tugging at her lips.

"I think so too. I think the time has come to finally let go and live. Properly and wholly...it's taken me some time to get to that." She says.

Voice hoarse and rough. For the first time since we'd entered had we heard her voice.

And despite the way it feels sore, as if it hurts to speak, she sounds better than she had all those times over the phone. The exhaustion isn't there.

"I'm glad. Glad you're realising just how much you have to live for, how much is waiting for you too." Jiminie hyung says, voice soft and gentle, leaning close to brush her tears away and press a kiss to each of her cheeks.

She looks hopeful, smiling as she slowly leans into the touch.

"I'm glad too..." she echoes.

And then she turns to me, eyes shining and skin damp with tears.

"I love you. But next time you don't dance until you injure yourself." I say, darting in to peck her lips, hands squeezing her calves lightly. Feeling the stiffness and tension in them.

And silently turn her around to draw her legs onto my lap.

"Jiminie hyung, some of that salve would be really good now."

(Y/N) POV:

There's a rushing sound in my ears, a loud roar that quietens when a pair of arms slide around me when my foot slips, the world tilting for only a few instants before it's straightened. And the hold is steady as it holds me and keeps me steady, drawing me against a firm body as it curves around me.

I hear a small quiet whisper.

A murmur. Promising and gentle.

I've got you.

I feel a hand settle on the low of my back, steady and grounding.

"Oh love...why're you pushing yourself like this?" Kookie asks, voice soft and pained. Hurting and worried. 

Hobi's gaze is tender and soft as he looks at me, lips brushing a kiss to my forehead, lingering there before he rests his head lightly against mine, eyes soft as his hands rise. Brushing away tears that have slipped free.

It's instinct and that yearning longing, no longer held back, no longer afraid of the touches being momentary relief, being momentary and fleeting, that has me curving close before I even realise it. Leaning into the soft touch.

"This is different. Your dancing feels different." Hobi mumbles quietly. Eyes searching and flitting over me, something knowing in his expression.

He sees me still, eyes meeting his unwaveringly.

"This is different to the first time we saw you dance like this...then you danced as if your soul was shattering, as if everything was caving in on you. Now...now you're dancing as if..." he elaborates, voice low.

"As if your soul is healing, as if you're freeing yourself." Minnie finishes. Confidence and assured. Certain despite the lightness to his words.

I startle slightly before relaxing against Hobi.

It was that obvious?

Was it that clear? That easily sensed?

Was it so blatant that I felt like chains had unwound their suffocating grip from around me, falling free from my body. No longer as constrained, no longer sinking endlessly into the dark abyss of water. No longer suffocating and lungs filled with the salty tang of the Ocean.

For the first time since that fateful day when I'd bargained with the Ocean...for the first time since then my lungs weren't tight and restricted. For the first time since then it felt like I could draw air in, could breathe and not fear that this too was timed, was counting and bringing me closer and closer to as far as I could go with them.

Was it that easy to read me?

Was I an open book rather than an empty one?

Was I so easily read?

And he was right. I'd felt it too. I'd felt it when I'd danced.

This time I hadn't danced as if it was my last. This time dancing had felt like a new beginning all on its own. This time stepping into the studio hadn't been with the intention, with that incessant need to unburden myself of guilt and shame. This time it was because I'd wanted that bubbling hope inside me to spread through the studio, to curve and nestle into its corners. This time I wanted to scream and cry out.

This time I didn't want to be quiet.

This time it felt like centuries worth of silence, of unspoken words were bubbling and spilling out, desperate to finally be heard.

This time I was going to give life my all.

This was my first time truly living.

And the only chance I'd get at it.

There wasn't space for hurting and hating myself. There was still the revulsion and shame, there was still that clawing need to scrub the salt of the Ocean off my skin.

But this time my hands had trembled when I saw the newspaper, unable to draw it close and memorise every detail. This time I'd curled away, shaking and unwilling to want the memory of them burn themselves across my skin like a brand, a shameful brand of killer.

I wanted to be me.

Wanted to be just (Y/N).

I look up at Minnie, new tears spilling out, hot as they brush against my equally feverish and hot cheeks even as my lips tremble, stretching into a small smile.

"I think so too. I think the time has come to finally let go and live. Properly and wholly...it's taken me some time to get to that." I say.

But I know it now. Know it and feel it.

"I'm glad. Glad you're realising just how much you have to live for, how much is waiting for you too." Minnie says quietly, smiling with shining eyes of his own as he presses kisses to my cheeks, wiping my tears away. Soft pecks as the warmth of his lips seep out and settle.

"I'm glad too..." I echo.

My head turns to find Kookie, turn to look at him. Smiling as I see the unwavering strength and promise in them.

But then something flashes in his eyes. Serious and chiding and disapproving.

"I love you. But next time you don't dance until you injure yourself." He says firmly, voice contradicting with its gentleness as he leans in to peck my lips. Hands squeezing my calves before they still, fingers still curved around them.

Turns to face Minnie.

"Jiminie hyung, some of that salve would be really good now." Turning me to face him even as Hobi keeps a hold on me and Jiminie stands up quickly, rushing off to a corner of the studio, reaching into the cupboards for a tin. Bringing with him a first aid kit.

I look at it confused until Kookie draws my shoe off and I wince. The deeply rooted ache in my foot 

His gaze turns sharp and apologetic all at once.

Carefully undoing the laces and gently tugging it off, hand stabilising the back of my foot as he takes it off. 

"Sorry sweetheart...you must've injured something when you were either dancing or when your foot bent. This is why you should be careful." He gently admonishes. 

Setting the shoe aside and rolling down my sock to reveal bruised toes.

My gaze drops, shame-faced as I feel three gazes settle on me.

"(Y/N)...." Jiminie sighs. Pained.

But when I dare a glance upwards its also understanding. Pained knowledge in his eyes.

"Don't dance until your body breaks. Don't dance to the point of pain." He says quietly, unscrewing the lid of the salve before scooping out a generous amount onto his fingers.

Carefully massaging and rubbing the salve into my aching feet, fingers looped around my ankle as the other hand rubs circles into skin. Easing away the ache that had come to settle there maybe the first hour into dancing. Maybe the second.

Kookie's hands don't stop kneading and rubbing at my calves, trying to ease out the stiffness under his touch and slowly my body reclines more and more against Hobi, sinking against his chest, head coming to settle against his shoulder.

"I won't... I won't anymore." I breathe.

I hope I keep my word. To them. For them. But for myself too.

I didn't want to dance with pain and agony any more.

I wanted to dance because it made my soul feel light.

"Do Habaek and Mi-sun know you're here? Or do we have a runaway on our hands?" Hobi teasingly asks.

I see his head turn to look at me. Gaze mischievous and fond.

I shoot him a look. Tired, breath harsh and loud in my own ears.

"They know." I retort.

Head jerking up at the small squeeze to my ankles, looking to see Kookie staring at me.

"So where to now?

Where to now?

I didn't know. Didn't know what now held, what tomorrow would hold and what life would offer me five years from now.

I didn't know how it felt to live knowing that I had a future awaiting me.

I didn't know what to do.

And didn't know where to begin.

But I knew who I wanted to begin it with.

I knew that they were in my now.

And they would be in my future for as long as they wanted me.

"Wherever you'll take me."

The smiles I get in return are bright and dazzling, have my breath quickening and heart stuttering.

"Just...just let me catch my breath first."

(WHOO! ONE CHAPTER DOWN! IT FELT A BIT ODD WRITING SIREN SONG AFTER SO LONG BUT I HOPE IT WAS FUN TO READ, ENJOYABLE AT LEAST! AND WE HAVE THE MARKING OF A NEW ERA FOR BABY SIREN. HER FIRST AND FINAL PROPER LIFE. BECAUSE AFTER FIVE YEARS SHE'LL BE FREE AND AFTER THAT SHE HAS A MORTAL EXISTENCE WAITING FOR HER! I DON'T BLAME THE GIRL FOR BEING BOTH OVERWHELMED AND EXCITED!! BUT THIS DOES MAKE ME WONDER HOW THE OTHERS WILL REACT AND WHAT'LL HAPPEN ONCE THEY KNOW SHE'S A SIREN? THOUGHTS? IDEAS? THEORIES?? LET ME KNOW THEM ALL! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU ALL MAKE OF THIS, TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE LOVELIES!)

QUESTION... A question you want to ask the boys within the book! If they have any doubts, theories...anything goes! 

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3