“You need to survive…”

Preface

          With his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, V slowly approached the familiar building. And with every step, his heightened senses brought in more information than he ever wanted or needed. Most foremost were the sounds. He heard the chirping of the insects and the occasional cars that drove by on the main road. He heard papers being shuffled by the few workers that were still in their offices despite the late hours.

          But most of his attention was focused on the one particular practice room on the 4^th floor, and the conversations that came from it. He could hear the BTS boys talking in hushed tones, the anticipation and anxiety evident in their voices.

          His footsteps halted. With his new eyes, he could easily make out the brightly lit room from his position across the street.

          Is this the correct decision? He questioned himself for the millionth time. Was he being selfish? What would be the outcome of this night?

          Hastily, he stopped himself before he could drown in his insecurities. This is for the best, he tried to convince himself, and my mind is made.

          He took a deep breath and embraced the somewhat clean air, knowing this would the last chance to do so for a while. Surprisingly, he detected the smell of fried chicken. His lips twitched. Did they actually prepared a midnight snack for him? Were they expecting a usual late night gathering?

          However, the tiny piece of amusement did not last long, as reality once again took over. He has changed, and was no longer the positive V that everyone knew. The bitterness that was conjured by this thought tore at his chest and spread through his body. He squeezed his eyes shut as past events started to swirl in his head.

          As if she had foreseen his reaction, Sora’s voice invaded his clouded mind: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here for you.”

          Like a star on a pitch black night, her clear words broke through his conflicted state, and he looked up at the building again, now with a newfound determination.

          This was what he has been waiting for, this was his hope during those dark days, the dream that he held onto as he fought with the devil. With one last sigh, he pulled off the hat of his hoodie and stepped closer to the building, to the members, and to a new chapter in his life.