Her biological clock roused her from her slumber when the first rays of sunlight hit her eyes. Her mind became awake but her eyelids refused to be opened so instead, she lay there in a state of being half awake and half asleep. The pillow was soft under her head and she lay comfortably in the crook of another person’s arms. With a small groan, she rolled herself over until she could feel the tickle of his breath on her cheeks. It was then she finally opened her eyes.

                Namjoon was still asleep when she looked at him. She followed the peaceful rise and fall of his chest and lay there, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her. It was a feeling she had been getting a lot these days.

                The two of them had talked for a little bit when they returned to her room last night before he nearly fell asleep midway through telling her about the concert. He was evidently exhausted so she told him to sleep. Crawling into the space between his open arms, he wrapped her within his embrace and she listened to his rhythmic breathing until she was sure he had fallen asleep. Wrapped up in her own thoughts, she couldn’t fall into slumber until much later.

                Sapphire’s question had been bugging her all afternoon. Who was Namjoon to her?

                A slight snort came from him and he flipped onto his back. With his free arm, he scratched his chest before resting his hand there. She reached towards that hand and fit her fingers between his. She felt the beating of his heart through his chest and on her palm.

                He was a “special” friend, she had said. But how special was a friend that he would fall asleep on the same bed her. A friend wouldn’t make her heart race whenever she saw him. Certainly, she would not be flirting so much with a friend. That meant he was clearly more than a friend. But then, what was that? Some significant other? They never used such words around each other. Even with the constant teasing she got from the BTS members or the girls at work, he never referred to her as his girlfriend nor did she call him her boyfriend. All she knew was that they were intimate and she deeply cared for him; perhaps caring more than she ever had towards another human being.

                She closed her eyes again, tired from all these thoughts that were bombarding her mind. Her fingers clenched his between hers.

                She must have fallen back into a light sleep as the next thing she knew, the sunlight was blocked from her face and she was woken up with a gentle kiss on her lips. There was no reason for her eyes to remain shut this time.

                “Morning, Beautiful,” Namjoon was propped on one arm, the other hand still grasping her own. The sunlight threw shadows across his face and she propped herself up as well to look at him better.

                “Morning,” she greeted back, her voice still groggy.

                “I know I say it every morning, but I really am happy to be waking up beside you,” he smiled in her direction. She blushed and watched as he collapsed back onto the pillow, embarrassed by his words although they were true.

                Lowering herself beside him, she wrapped her arms around his torso and pressed her face against his chest. His body was warm from being beneath the blankets all night. The shirt he was wearing had the hint of the cologne she had come to recognize as his scent. Slowly, the thoughts she had been having since last night resurfaced.

                He slid his legs between hers and drew her closer to him. Her head fit beneath his chin and he absentmindedly drew spirals with his fingers across the bare skin of her arm. This feeling of serenity and bliss was what he hoped to wake up to every morning.

                “Namjoon-ah,” her voice was muffled from being in his chest.

                “Mhmm?” he encouraged.

                She lightly pushed herself away and tilted her head to meet his face. “What are we?” she asked him, truly wondering about the answer to the question.

                He knew what she was getting to but he slyly dodged the question, enjoying how it would make her frown. “Humans, last time I checked,” he said, his lips so close to her she could feel each syllable on her scalp.

                “No, really,” she frowned and sat up. She shivered with the difference of temperature from being in the sheets and out. He looked up at her and mused at the adorable concern written across her face. “What are we?” she asked again, stressing on the subject of the question.

                He sat up in the bed with her, taking his hands into her own. Her fingers were slender and her skin much paler than his was. While his fingers were laden with calluses from years of playing the guitar and engaging in labour-intensive jobs, hers were clear and silky-soft. “Well, what do you want us to be?” he asked, returning her question with one of his own.

                She felt him play with her fingers but her mind was not concerned with it. Instead, she sorted through all her thoughts before carefully saying, “Well we’re friends. But also more than friends, because I’m pretty sure this isn’t something friends will casually do together.”

                “Okay,” he muttered, still engaged in studying every part of her body.

                “So what’s more than friends then?” she whispered, trying to guess the answer while waiting for his.

                He scooted closer to her and took her face with his hands. They were stained light pink, evidence that she was flustered by this morning conversation.

                “Hmm, let me see,” he said, still holding onto her face, “I guess you could be my best friend?” He lightly kissed her forehead.

                “Or maybe my significant other,” he continued, bringing his lips lower to the tip of her nose. She blushed harder upon hearing his words.

                “But that sounds lame. So let’s go with this: you’re my girlfriend,” he said. He pauses to look her in the eyes. They meet his without hesitance and a smile form on both their faces. That was all he needed from her before placing his lips against hers.

                She closed her eyes and slid her hands through his hair, enjoying the silence and presence of being around him. He tasted of happiness and joy; things that she had recently found with him and decided never wanted to let go of.

                Daeun was a girl who tried to put up walls around her. He never found the reason to this and with them around, he had thought he needed to tread carefully. But he was thankful to see that she was putting effort to break them down for him. The raw emotion flowing between the two of them was something neither of them could put into words, but it was there for the both to experience.

                They broke away from each other at the same time, delirious with the thought of each other. A giggle broke out from her and it was soon joined by his laughter.

                “Shut up!” a loud voice followed by a bang came from the wall behind him.

                “Nothing much actually. I think I have a day off today,” Daeun comments.

                Seokjin brings another plate of sausages to the table and homemade kimchi, a treat he had started making whenever they felt homesick. Taking a seat at the table with them, the eight finally dig into breakfast together.

                “You think? Why are you so uncertain?” Jimin asks between bites. He reaches for the ketchup for his eggs the same time as Jungkook does. They stare at each other.

                Daeun shrugs. “Well I got a message from Hong Jung Yee this morning telling me that Sapphire has got everything covered followed a few seconds later with his ‘enjoy the day’.”

                “Hmm, that sounds to me like a day off,” Jungkook comments, winning the fight for the ketchup bottom. Jimin glares at him so Seokjin passes him the extra bottle instead.

                “How about Robert Viktor?” Seokjin asks once he sees that all the members were content, “How’s he doing these days?”

                The whole group had been informed of Robert and had been told by Hong Jung Yee to keep reporting to The Boss. They had not gotten much of a response from back home, but Hong Jung Yee kept insisting that they give information. He was confident that The Boss would be interested once a deal was sealed.

                “He’s good I guess,” Daeun told them, “He’s flying with Hong Jung Yee back home to visit his father. I guess that might be the reason he doesn’t want me in for work today. He’s always secretive about the meetings they hold.”

                “Isn’t he also a prosecuting attorney? How does his firm allow him to pull so many sick days to keep flying around in and out of the city?” Yoongi inquires.

                “His father’s a crime boss, Hyung. I’m sure that allows him to do whatever he wants,” Jungkook says.

                They continue their meal in silence, the only sound entering their ears were of scraping forks and spoons.

                “Hoseok,” Seokjin says, “You’re extremely quiet this morning.”

                Hoseok stabs the mess of scrambled eggs to combine it with sausage. “I didn’t sleep well,” he mutters with a full mouth.

                “You’re not the only one. I kept dreaming that there were voices in my head the whole night,” Seokjin says.

                Daeun and Namjoon exchange a look before they both stuff food into their mouths so they don’t burst out laughing.

                Jimin suddenly sits up. “Wait, don’t we also have a day off as well, Seokjin-hyung?” he quizzically asks.

                Seokjin gives him a smile. “You do, Jimin. I’ve got to head into the restaurant today, however. Smith wants me to run down the menu for the wedding reception we have planned tomorrow.”

                “Let’s go do something together, Daeun!” Jimin suggests with excitement. Daeun nods. It had been a while since they had done anything together.

                “Oh! We’ve got a day off too!” Taehyung excitedly chirps in from his spot. He nudges Jungkook beside him for back up.

                “Yeah we do! The boss told us, uh, last week!” he quickly inserts.

                “Do you two really?” Daeun raises up an eyebrow.

                Jungkook whispers, “Daeun can tell we’re lying, stupid-head.”

                “You’re a stupid-head, stupid-head,” Taehyung retorts back.

                Daeun chuckles at the two.

                Taehyung sheepishly looks at her then says, “C’mon Daeun. It’s been forever since you’ve had a day off. Besides, when you do, you go out with Namjoon-hyung. I want to be with you too!” He pouts in her direction.

                “Tell you what. If you can convince your boss to give you the day off, the two of us plus Jungkook and Jimin can go out and do something together,” she smiles at him.

                He nods animatedly and rushes through his breakfast. “I’m going to call our boss right after I finish breakfast then!”

                This earns laughter from everyone around the table.

                “Well, does anyone else want to spontaneously give themselves a day off as well to join us?” Daeun extends the offer to everyone else.

                Both Yoongi and Namjoon shake their head. Coincidentally, the concert that the club Namjoon was working at had reached out to Yoongi’s company which allowed the two of them to collaborate. They were halfway through their three day event and that kept them busy.

                “Hoseok?” she turns and looks at him.

                His lips were downturned as his fork scraped the bottom of his plate. He had been in a foul mood since last night and being woken up by the sound of laughter of his ex-roommate and his ex-roommate’s new roommate did not improve it at all.

                “Hoseok-hyung is never busy,” Taehyung says.

                Hoseok glared at him, but misses as Taehyung bounds away with a mouth full of food. “I am busy!” he calls after Taehyung. Seeing that there were still people around the table who were waiting for his reason, he continues, “The kids at the dance studio are holding a show today. I promised a couple of them I’d be there to see their number.”

                “Oh that’s nice! What time is the show?” Jungkook asks.

                “In the evening. Around 7,” Hoseok tells him. There is nothing left on his plate for him to fumble around with so he puts down the fork and drums the table.

                They sit and engage in idle chatter until Taehyung returns to the table with his shoulders slumped. “Kookie, the boss says he can only give us the afternoon off. He wants us back in the evening. Apparently Parker’s wife just gave birth so he has to go home earlier,” he said, dejected.

                Jungkook slumps in his chair the same time Taehyung takes a deep sigh. The scene is comical to their eyes and they end up laughing. The two were never seen in a down mood for long.

                “I guess we won’t be able to make it to your show after all,” Jungkook told Hoseok.

                Hosoek gave him an alarmed look. “Wait. I don’t remember inviting anybody to the show,” he said.

                “Don’t worry, Daeun and I will be able to make it!” Jimin beamed a smile at him.

                “No, seriously. None of you need to come,” Hoseok shakes his hands in front of him.

                Namjoon chuckles from his seat. “The way you’re refusing makes even me want to come tonight,” he says.

                The glare is immediate from Hoseok’s eyes. Namjoon holds his hands out in front defensively. “I’m just saying. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to come. Yoongi and I both have our own show tonight.”

                Jimin takes Hoseok’s outstretched hands and pat them. “Don’t worry, Hyung. Daeun and I will definitely be there!”

                Daeun was panting by the time she caught up with the rest of the boys. Taehyung had the grand idea of taking a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty but then had also wanted to eat before their departure time. The time constraint not only led to Jimin forgetting his bag at the restaurant but also for them to miss the ferry when they returned to retrieve it.

                Taehyung was waving his arms at the disappearing boat, yelling as loud as he could for the captain to turn back.

                “Tae,” she gasped when she finally stood beside him, “The ferry’s gone. We’ll have to see it another day.”

                Taehyung pouted. “But today’s our only day! Kookie and I have to return to work later on and then who knows when we’ll have another day off? You’re going to be meeting with the Viktor guy and everyone is going to be busy…” He genuinely looked like he was about to cry. Jungkook on the other hand seemed unfazed as he wandered off to take pictures with his camera.

                Jimin was still getting over the shock of forgetting his bag and could only dart his eyes to avoid being scrutinized by Taehyung.

                Daeun sighed. “Okay. How’s this? We’ll have to hang out around here but before the two of you need to leave for work, I’ll treat you to a snack? Anything you like,” she told him.

                That brought a smile onto his face and he started bouncing up and down. “Yahoo!” he pumped his fist into the air.

                Beside her, Jimin gave her a pout. “Wait, I’m not going to be going to work but can I get something to eat too?” he asked.

                She chuckled. There was something about food that always worked to get their attention. She nodded.

                “You promise?” Taehyung asked a final time.

                “I’ll do my best,” she gave him her usual answer.

                Taehyung called out to Jungkook, “JK! Daeun promised us food so come back here!” The younger didn’t seem to hear him as he continued walking further away, enticed by whatever his camera was shooting.

                “I’ll go get him,” Daeun offered when Taehyung made a movement to start running, “You stay here. And Jimin, keep an eye on him for me.”

                Jimin nods but Taehyung bounces up and starts walking away the instance Daeun finishes talking. He was a puppy that had overflowing energy.

                Daeun leaves Jimin to deal with Taehyung as she goes to retrieve Jungkook. He had walked nearly half the pier away from their spot all the while holding his camera.

                As she was running, a thought bypasses her mind. She realizes that she has not been bothered by any headaches for a while. The silence was soothing and from deep within, she hopes that this means her gift is gone for good. It had appeared without a warning and she was glad that it disappeared like that as well. It had caused her too much pain.

                “Jungkook?” she called out when she was close enough.

                He turns and looks at her, surprised to see that she is beside him. “Oh! I didn’t know you were there, Noona!”

                “What are you taking pictures of?”

                He shrugs. “Everything. I want to keep it with me forever so I can show Hyung when I get home.”

                Laughing lightly, she chuckles at his boyish charm. “We can return to the pier with everyone later on. You don’t need to take a picture of everything.”

                He doesn’t answer her. “Noona, stand there,” he instructs her. She listens to him and stands by the bars overlooking the water. Behind her, boats slowly bob up and down in the waters as people enjoy the afternoon in the sun. After he takes a few pictures, he gives her a thumbs up.

                She walks back beside him and takes a look at his camera.

                “There, now I finally have a face to show Hyung when I tell him about you,” he grins. He senses the confusion at her face and puts his camera away. From his pocket, he takes out a picture that he had slipped inside his wallet. “This is my hyung,” he says to her.

                In the picture were two boys – one she easily recognized as a younger Jungkook and the other a slightly taller but similar-featured boy. She had always known BTS as one group and they had always been together, it made her forget that the boys had real families of their own.

                “It’s been a while since I saw him but when I do, I’ll be able to show all the pictures I’ve taken and it’ll be like he was with me this whole time,” he smiles as he looks down at the picture with her.

                Her eyes leave the picture and take a look at Jungkook beside her. She notices that his eyes start to glisten the longer his gaze stays on the photo.

                Jungkook laughs suddenly and puts the photo back in his wallet. The sad smile that had been on his face was no longer there and the usual grin returns. He turns momentarily and she catches him wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Turning back to her, he cheerfully says, “You must have come here to get me after I wandered off.”

                She returns his smile. “Mhmm. I promised Taehyung and Jimin I’d get them a snack before the day ended since Taehyung was so bummed we missed the ferry. We wanted to see if you’re interested too.”

                He gasped. “Free food is the best tasting food!” he laughs, “Let’s go! I’m hungry again!”

                Running behind him as he returns back to Jimin who had finally tracked down Taehyung, she wonders at how long Jungkook had been wearing a mask over his pain.

                To say that the day passed by uneventfully would have been the understatement of the year. She didn’t know how they did it, but her body was constantly moving whether it be to walk or run. They also seemed to have an endless pit in their stomachs as not only did she treat them to a snack once, but three times before she cried in despair about how they were going to make her broke. It was then that the boys toned down on their food crawl. The hours they spent at the pier passed so quickly she was actually sad when it was time for the four of them had to split.

                Waving bye to them, she and Jimin made their way to the bus stop which would drop them off at Hoseok’s dance studio.

                “Today was fun, wasn’t it?” Jimin chirped by her side. There was still a twinkle in his eyes while hers had been fighting to stay open for a while.

                She stifled a yawn and nodded.

                Jimin continues to speak, “I wonder how Kookie’s picture of me turned out. I hope they’re good. My face is pretty puffy these days… I keep snacking at work.”

                Laughing she teases, “Are you sure it’s just the snacking at work?”

                He places a hand on each cheek and squishes them together making her laugh harder.

                “Jimin, do you and the rest of the members speak about your families often?” she asks him. The question had been on her mind since the conversation with Jungkook. It also reminded her of a similar talk with Hoseok.

                He scrunches up his face. “Hmm not really. None of us are close with them, with the exception of Seokjin-hyung! He still visits his mom and dad when he can and every time he returns, he brings back really good food!” The thought puts him into a blissful trance.

                “Um, do you know much about Jungkook’s hyung?” she asks. He regards her with question and she quickly follows up with, “He was talking about his hyung before. I just got curious because he speaks like he hasn’t seen him in a long time.”

                Jimin nods slowly. “I don’t know much, but Jungkook’s hyung was our sunbae. I saw him maybe once? It was very early on when I joined the organization. I heard rumours that he went AWOL on a mission and nobody has seen him since. That’s one of the reasons Jungkook’s in the organization. He thinks that his hyung is on a long mission and wants to be there when he returns.”

                “And what do you think?”

                “It’s been five years. If his hyung was on a mission, don’t you think he’d want to return by now?”

                They stand in silence at the question, not daring to say the answer. The bus jolts to a stop and Jimin points to the dance studio building. Quickly getting off the bus, they realize they have to walk a little more until their destination.

                “But how about you, Daeun? I’ve never heard you talk about your family,” he comments.

                The unexpected question throws her off. “Oh, my family’s not interesting,” she waves the question away, “My mom and dad divorced when I was young and I’ve been on my own since.”

                “No siblings?”

                “My brother’s in college last time I checked. And… I used to have an older sister.”

                “Used to?” he starts asking before they’re greeted by the strangest sight before their eyes.

                “Just walk in,” the angel says in front of them.

                “Hoseok?” they both exclaim, hiding their laughter behind their hands.

                The usual Hoseok would be garbed in a black tshirt with matching dark coloured pants. Rings and chains would decorate his body and his hair would stylishly be gelled. The Hoseok that stands before them is in glittering white robes that mimic an angel’s garment while large wings pop out from behind. A halo has been formed out of sparkly gold pipe cleaners and stands up from his head. Although he is dressed to as a celestial being, there was nothing on his face to say the same story.

                Another child and her family walk past them and Hoseok forces a grin. This was the exact reason he had asked that nobody come to the dance show. He did not want anybody to see him dressed in something so embarrassing.

                “Does the show start out here?” Daeun asks, giggling.

                “No. The show’s inside. Go in before I think of something to make sure you’ll never remember me dressed like this,” he threatens.

                Both Daeun and Jimin give him a final look before following his instructions.

                To their luck and to Hoseok’s dismay, the two find front row seats. All around them, families sit as they wait for the curtains to fall. Excited siblings and proud parents watch the stage while waiting.

                “I’ve always wondered what it’s like to attend one of these,” Jimin says, looking around in wonder. “Maybe we can be like them. You can be the mom and I’ll be the dad while waiting for Hoseok, our child, to perform!”

                She laughs at how Jimin finds everything fascinating. Sitting here, she remembers the last show she attended with her family. Her parents had been sitting on either side of her, while her brother had been on his thumb on her mother’s lap. She had been sitting similar to how she was now, waiting for her older sister’s performance.

                “Think I’ll ever have the opportunity to attend my child’s dance show?” Jimin suddenly asks.

                “Why wouldn’t you?”

                He puts a finger to his mouth and nibbles on his nail. “Well, I’d first need to find a girl. Then I’ll have to work hard so that she can marry me and then we can start a family. But who knows if I will have the chance to do that… I mean, I’m happy that I’m living to see the sunlight of tomorrow…” his voice trails off, “But any girl would fall for me, right? I’m too adorable.”

                She ruffles his hair. “For sure,” she gives him a reassuring smile.

                He goes on to talk about what he would name his unborn child and the different things he would do with his child depending on the gender.

                This was the second time today in which she was reminded of how different the lives the members of BTS were living. They were in constant danger even though none of them liked to think about it that way. A simple wish to start a family or to see their sibling was something they may not have the opportunity to do. 

                The lights dim in front of them and the angel garbed Hoseok returns on stage as an MC. There is a slight frown when he finds Daeun and Jimin sitting at the front. Jimin beams up at him like a proud father while Daeun sits with her arms crossed, giving him a sly smile.

                “Welcome everyone to Compass’ Annual Dance Show! I am your hope, I am your angel, I am your MC, J-Hope!”

*heol* I feel like this was such an uneventful chapter compared to the previous ones LOL But I really wanted to write a light-hearted chapter showing that Daeun and the boys also have a lot of fun together! That at the end, they're still the cheerful BTS members we all know and love. Also, I threw in a little bit of an intro to the histories of some of the characters. I do hope you enjoy this one, as long as it is! Spoiler alert: we're about to delve into something much more heavy and dark soon!

Also, please excuse the terrible grammar in this chapter. It's late and I'm tired and I don't feel like fixing it right now. :(