Namjoon offers to pay for the meal but Auntie rejects, saying it’s a welcome back treat for dad. Thanking her, we leave the restaurant.

 

“Home?” Soo asks, taking the wheel once again. I look to dad across the backseat, and he nods. Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?

 

“My assignment!” I jump up from my seat, my head banging into the roof. I cuss out loud.

 

“Watch your language,” dad warns.

 

“Didn’t you already finish that? I just submitted whatever you had on your file.” Soo looks at me apologetically through the rear mirror.

 

Breathing a sigh of relief, I wave off her apology. “My life saviour. Thanks, Soo!”

 

The rest of the ride remains silent with Namjoon occasionally turning around to look at me from the passenger’s seat. Back at my place, Soo excuses herself for class as the remaining of us shuffle into the house. I stare around in confusion at the neatness of everything despite my long absence.

 

“I did a bit of cleaning up while you were in the hospital,” dad says awkwardly while rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“I helped a bit, too!” Namjoon announces proudly.

 

“You!” Dad points at him. “Do you have any idea how much fixing I had to do the past week?”

 

I can’t help but to burst out laughing. “And the God of Destruction strikes again!” Namjoon pokes me in the side. Dad joins in the laughter and soon, even Namjoon becomes infected. Joking around, we laugh for a good ten minutes in the middle of the living room. I’ve never been happier in my life despite the fact I’m laughing over broken things in the house. Apparently, Namjoon had managed to pull out two doorknobs, detach the towel rack, crash into a shelf and basically almost deconstruct the house in the period I wasn’t around. Was he already this bad before? I laugh harder.

 

“Stop making fun of me already.” Namjoon pouts. I exaggeratingly wipe off tears of laughter.

 

“Looks like I’ll have to spend the rest of my life fixing the things you break,” I say a bit breathlessly. I’m still considering getting a better toolbox until Namjoon takes my hand in his, the sudden action breaking my reverie.

 

“Does this mean you’re agreeing to be with me forever?” There is a soft twinkle to his eyes.

 

Dad clears his throat. “I object.” What is he objecting to? I’ve still yet to grasp hold of the situation.

 

“I’ll work hard to get your approval, sir,” Namjoon turns to dad, a look of determination in his eyes.

 

“We’ll see then.” Dad pats his shoulder.

 

“Wait, what’s going on?” I cannot resist the urge to ask. Namjoon smiles at me.

 

“You’ll find out soon,” he says.

 

That evening, Namjoon returns to s for his night schedules. Dad and I sit in the living room watching TV and slurping instant noodles I’d cooked simply.

 

“How’s school?” Dad asks out of nowhere. I follow his line of sight and realise he’s looking at the academic awards I have displayed on the shelf. Rushing over, I quickly take down the certificate I’d received for winning in a campus singing competition.

 

“Still managing,” I say, hiding the certificate behind the other academic ones with a sorry excuse of trying to rearrange everything.

 

“You don’t have to keep that,” he says. Beside me, he takes the certificate for my singing competition. “First place… I wouldn’t have expected anything less – you sing better than your mother did.”

 

“Dad?” I look up at him cautiously.

 

“It’s okay. You can do whatever you want.” He takes my hand in his. “Do everything you want while you’re still young. Don’t let the past stop you from doing anything.”

 

Wise words at dad dot com. I cringe. Why is he being like this? I’m going to have to take a while to get used to this.

 

But nevertheless, I smile. “Thanks, dad.”

 

“Now, let’s talk about all these awards you’ve been receiving the past year. I knew my daughter was a genius!” And so we spend the rest of the night chatting about my past year.

 

“Byeol!” Namjoon whines over the phone later that night.

 

“Yes, oppa?” I lie in bed with my blanket pulled up to my chin. Dad had gone to bed a bit earlier and I was just getting ready to start some assignments when Namjoon called. Now I’m too lazy to work so I’m preparing to sleep.

 

“What are you doing?” Noisy chattering in the background tells me he’s already back at the dorm. The members are currently fighting over who to shower first. They automatically queue Namjoon as last and continue to determine the rest of the order over scissors-paper-stone.

 

“I’m not doing anything,” I say. “I’ve lost touch with school and assignments.”

 

Namjoon laughs. “That quickly?”

 

“Hmm… Aren’t you going to join the bathroom battle too?” I joke, and can almost imagine his dimply smile.

 

“That can wait. I want to stay with you a bit longer.” A chorus of oh-s and ah-s and hysterical laughter sounds in the background. Namjoon cusses.

 

“Oppa, put me on speaker for a while. Please continue laughing if you all want to risk being put on blacklist for Auntie’s restaurant.”

 

“Lee Byeol, you little-” Yoongi snatches the phone over.

 

“Oppa, are you free to come over tomorrow? I’ll introduce you to dad. You are my oppa after all.” I ask before he can show off his very colourful language.

 

His tone changes in a split second. “I should be. Yeah, why not? Kids, if any of you disturb Namjoon and my little sister again you’ll get it from me.”

 

“I think he might be bipolar.” Namjoon is back on the other end.

 

I laugh. “Come together. I’ll make you knife noodles.”

 

“Yes! I know you love me the most,” Namjoon cheers. “Want to go over earlier to help?”

 

“Thanks, but no thanks. I think our furniture needs a rest from all that breaking.”

 

“Lee Byeol!”

 

“I’m just kidding, oppa. But I can handle it on my own.” I yawn. “Oppa, I’m sleepy.”

 

“Then sleep. Are you in bed already?” His voice is gentle, music to my ears.

 

“Hmm. Will you sing me a lullaby?” My head is already heavy but I still want to listen to his voice some more.

 

“Let me go into the room first. It’s too noisy out here.” I hear the sound of door opening and closing. Then silence. “Okay, you ready?”

 

“I’m always ready.”

 

“Here goes.” He clears his throat.

 

 

His voice is deep and mysteriously captivating. As I become drunk on it, my eyelids sink shut.

 

 

I must have saved nations throughout my past ten lives to be able to meet Kim Namjoon in this life.

 

---