Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

For as long as you can remember, you've had vivid dreams.

When you've talked with your friends and family about the dreams they remember, they always recount stories that were borderline nonsensical. Apparently that's what dreams are supposed to be - they don't always make sense.

Your dreams feel like reality. They linger, too. You've always been able to recall your dreams with stark clarity.

Of course, you're sure that your collection of dream journals help with that. 

You didn't have dreams every night, but you still had 3 journals full already. Recently, however, it did feel like you were dreaming more often than usual.

Like last night.

You were a maid for an emperor. As the 3rd daughter of an impoverished family, you'd been given away once you were old enough to work as they couldn't afford to provide for you. You'd made friends with some of the maids and despite the emperor's harsh temper, you kept your head down and made sure to do your job.

 

There were other servants in the palace besides the maids. You didn't see the groundskeepers much, but you often interacted with the kitchen staff and occasionally with some of the other servants.

 

Most of them you didn't speak with, you were simply friendly because you were all in the same boat.

 

There was one, however, that caught your attention.

 

He was one of the servants who seemed to work in the eastern half of the palace. You saw him most often in the mornings when you were preparing the emperor's bath. His hair was a light silver, almost purple in tone. It was long and silky, but always pulled up out of his face so he could work.

 

The two of you exchanged pleasantries at best, until one day you noticed his hair was chopped off.

 

You stopped mid-stride and stared for a moment. “What happened to your hair?”

 

The man paused where he was polishing the stone flooring, glancing up once before looking back down. “His Highness said it was distracting.”

 

Your heart clenched. You gripped the edge of your skirt, frowning slightly. You knew you couldn’t speak out against the emperor, but you couldn’t help it when you whispered, “I’m sorry.”

 

You heard him sigh softly. “It’s what his Highness wanted,” he said, as if he was trying to convince himself.

 

“For what it’s worth, I think you still look very nice,” you said without thinking, then blushed at how the words sounded.

 

Not that you were lying.

 

The man laughed a little, finally looking up at you with a small smile. “Thank you.”

 

The two of you started talking more often after that, more than just exchanging pleasantries. You learned that he had been a servant since he was a young boy. He started outside working in the gardens but was moved indoors a few years ago when they became short staffed.

 

You learned about his family and you told him about yours in return.

 

After talking with him for over a week, you finally decided to ask his name.

 

Most of the staff of the emperor had an understanding that you didn’t get close to the servants that weren’t within your group. The emperor wanted to be the highest focus, so blossoming friendships were seen as competition.

 

But you had to know.

 

“You don’t have to share, but I’d love to know what to call you,” you said softly as you worked beside him one morning.

 

The air was quiet for a moment save for the sound of him polishing the stones. Just as you thought he wasn’t going to answer and you turned to leave, he spoke up.

 

“My name is-”

“Ugh!” You groaned as you stared at your dream journal, which was splayed open in front of you. Your pen tapped rapidly against the wood of your desk as you tried to recall his name.

What was his name??

Your dreams usually concluded nicely, but this one seemed to just stop in the middle. You felt like the name was there . It was on the tip of your tongue but it wasn't coming through.

“Dude, how are you up this early?” Your roommate, Ari, groaned as she slunk into the kitchen and fumbled with the coffee maker. She still had on some of her makeup from the concert last night, though it was smudged from sleep.

You shrugged. “I don't know, I just kinda am.”

“Did you sleep at all? I was up for hours thinking about that entrance,” she said, slowly perking up as the smell of coffee filled the room. “The way they dive bombed the stage? The backlighting from the smoke? That was so cool!”

You grinned. “Yeah it was awesome, I'm glad we got seats.”

“Last show of their world tour, wouldn't have missed it for the world.” Ari grabbed her favorite purple mug, pouring herself a cup the second the coffee maker beeped. She started humming “How It's Done” to herself as she held the warm mug close to her face. 

“I'm just glad we have a couple days to recover before going back to work,” you sighed, staring back at your notebook, willing the remainder of the dream to come to you.

Why were you so hung up on knowing his name?

“Well,” Ari said around a yawn, “I need to run some errands today. You down to join?”

You nodded, closing your notebook. Maybe some air would help jog your memory. “Yeah I'm down. You wanna head out soon?”

Ari waved you off as she sipped more of her coffee. “No rush, maybe in like 30 mins we can go?”

“Sounds good to me.”

The errands turned out to be going to the mall for some clothes shopping and swinging by the convenience store after for a few essentials. 

The mall was a little more crowded than usual, but it was a weekend, so you weren’t exactly surprised. Ari knew exactly where she wanted to go, so it made it easy to maneuver through the crowds. As you two went along, she was humming along to the new Huntr/x release, which you’d both listened to on your walk here.

“We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment-” Ari sang as she made a sharp right into your favorite clothing store. 

“Okay, I just need a few new shirts, and a jacket,” Ari said, turning to face you. “Do you need anything?”

“Honestly my shorts collection is running a bit thin,” you admitted.

“Great! Wanna meet up at the dressing rooms then?”

You nodded and the two of you split off to find your own things. 

As you make your way towards the pants section, softly humming “Golden” to yourself, you overhear some people nearby.

“Is this really what we need to wear?”

“I think the sweater looks nice.”

Something about the voices caught your attention. You glanced over to your left and spotted a group of boys who were sifting through the clothing racks. The ones who’d just spoken were clearly the long, pink haired boy and the pouty-looking blue haired one. The pink-haired one was holding a sweater up to his body while the blue-haired one was rolling his eyes.

“Ah come on Baby, it’s not that bad.” The man with the broad shoulders piped up, stepping closer to the two.

You didn’t mean to stare, truly, but you felt almost drawn to them. It wasn’t until the blue-haired one, Baby, looked up and met your gaze that you realized you were still just standing, in the middle of the aisle, practically gawking at them.

You flushed and quickly turned away, back on your path to try on some shorts.

They were just boys. Cute boys, yes, but that wasn't an excuse to just stare at them all day. Besides, you didn't want to make Ari wait on you.

By the time you reached the right section, you managed to refocus your thoughts. It took a while to find a few pairs that fit your vibe and size, but once you did you made your way over to the dressing room.

The men and women's dressing rooms were right next to each other, just in separate hallways. You glanced around, not seeing Ari yet, and decided to sit on one of the benches nearby.

You pulled out your phone, setting your chosen shorts across your lap as you checked your notifications. You didn't have any texts from Ari, but you weren't worried yet. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed people milling about. You didn't pay them much mind, however, so you didn't notice the man approach you until he cleared his throat.

You jumped slightly, looking up to meet the brown eyes of a handsome man. He chuckled softly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to ask if I could sit here?” 

His black bangs framed his face well as he smiled down at you. You didn't normally get flustered this easily, but you felt the blush creeping up anyways. 

“Go ahead, I don't mind,” you answered, scooting over slightly to make sure he had room to sit.

“Thank you,” he said as he sat down smoothly. The way he moved was so graceful. “I'm Jinu by the way.”

“Y/N,” you offered in return. 

“You waiting on somebody, too?” He asked.

You nodded. “Yeah my friend, Ari, and I came here together. We needed different stuff so we just agreed to meet-up at the dressing rooms.” 

Jinu nodded, tilting his head back to gesture towards the men's dressing rooms. “I'm with some friends, too. They're just a bit pickier with their looks.”

You laughed. “Happens to the best of us. Sometimes the selections just aren't selecting.”

Jinu laughed, too. “Yeah that's true.”

“Y/N!”

You looked over and saw Ari wave at you. You smiled and waved back before turning to Jinu. “That's my cue. It was nice meeting you.”

Your heart tugged at the thought of leaving. You swore you saw a look of panic cross Jinu's face, but it was gone so fast you weren't certain. 

“Do you have an Instagram?” He said as you stood up.

You nodded, feeling the heat return to your cheeks as you opened your phone. “Uh, yeah I do. It's @y/n.forreal.”

Jinu typed into his phone and you quickly got a new follow notification from @jinusaja. “I got it,” you told him. 

Jinu smiled. “Well have fun, it was nice meeting you, too.”

You waved goodbye and scurried over to Ari who was now looking at you mischievously.

“Who was that cutie?” She teased, nudging you with her elbow.

“His name was Jinu. We were just talking,” you said, trying to play it cool.

“Don't act like I didn't see him stop you and get out his phone.” Ari laughed. “Did you get his number?”

“He followed me on Insta.”

Ari gave a dramatic, “Ooooh,” at that. You laughed and playfully shoved her before the two of you finally slipped into the dressing rooms to try on your clothes. After some back and forth, you both were happy with the clothing pieces you chose and headed to the check out.

“And now we just need to go to the corner store,” Ari said cheerfully as you both adjusted your shopping bags on your arms.

The two of you walked out of the mall, chatting about your plans for the week, when you felt your phone buzz. You shifted your bag onto your other arm so you could easily fish your phone out.

It was a DM notification.

From Jinu.

“Sorry about the follow spam. My friends got nosy.”

You checked your other Instagram notifications and realized that you had, indeed, been followed by four other people. They all had “saja” in their usernames, too. You clicked on @babysaja out of curiosity, and your eyes widened in shock when you recognized the face staring back at you.

It was one of the boys you’d been staring at in the store.

You swiped back to your DMs and quickly typed out a reply. “Tell your friends I’m sorry for staring at them earlier.”

Jinu reacted to your message with a laughing emoji. “Baby mentioned that he saw you in the store today. I’m sure they didn’t mind.”

Before you could type out a reply, Jinu sent another message. “If you wanna ‘make it up’ to them, though, you could come to our show tomorrow~”

“Oh yeah? What kind of show?”

“I guess you could call us an aspiring boy band. I know, a bit cheesy, but we’re putting on our first show tomorrow downtown.” Jinu texted back. “It’s totally free.”

He sent a picture of a flyer that detailed the date, time, and location.

You glanced at Ari, still holding your phone. “Wanna go see a free show tomorrow?”

She glanced down at your phone and then back up at you, smirking. “Is that Jinu .”

You spluttered. “Yes, it is. Apparently he’s in an ‘aspiring boy band.’”

“Well, that could be super cringe, or super hot - guess we'll just have to see their show!” Ari laughed. “What time?”

You showed her the flyer and she shrugged. “Sure, why not. I wanna get a better look at this guy anyways. And who knows, maybe you can set me up with one of his friends.” She teased, elbowing your side playfully.

Something in you twisted at that thought, though you weren’t sure why. Why wouldn’t you want your friend to shoot her shot? It’s not like you knew these guys.

You glanced back down at your phone and quickly typed out a reply. “Sure! I’ll bring my friend Ari, too.”

“The more the merrier :)” 

Well, looks like you had plans tomorrow now, too.

Chapter Text

Your family home was located in the upper echelon of your region. There were few homes nearby, but you knew everyone who lived in each of them. 

 

There was one home that intrigued you more than most, and that was your nearest neighbor. They had 3 sons. You'd met them all before when your family hosted dinners. 

 

The youngest one had caught your eye.

 

You saw him outside during your evening walks. He was always in his family's garden. Sometimes he'd be seated under a tree, other times he'd be walking around or lounging on a bench.

 

No matter what, he carried his scrolls with him.

 

Some days he'd be close enough that you could hear what he was saying.

 

“Oh but as the leaves sway and my heart flutters, one look from your gaze - I'll fold like a wing.”

 

His way with words was unlike anything you'd heard before. Anytime you heard him speak, you were enraptured.

 

One evening, after you heard your father discussing your future endowment with another family, you slipped out the backdoor to go on a walk.

 

You didn't want to head down the road, you were hoping that he was outside.

 

You wandered up to the wall surrounding their back garden and leaned against it. He was there, pacing and muttering to himself.

 

“As the sunlight catches

Breaks

Like ripples in the stream

Golden stripes through the window

Glass holding back

The warmth

Life giving

Are these walls protection?

Or a barrier?”

 

Your arms were folded atop the bricks. You rested your chin on them as you let the words wash over you. 

 

As he turned back in his pacing, he looked up for a moment and froze, catching your gaze. You knew you should've felt some degree of shame at being caught, but this is where you wanted to be.

 

Who knew if you would get to keep seeing this once you were married off?

 

“Sorry, can I help you?” He asked, stepping closer to where you are.

 

“Your words are already helping,” you replied softly. You pushed yourself off the wall, shaking your head. “I apologize. I know it's not polite to stare. I just need something to clear my mind and your way with words has always helped me.”

 

He tilted his head, stopping less than a foot away from the wall. “You've heard my poetry before?”

 

You nodded. “It's made me stop in my path more than once.”

 

He put his hand to his chest, his eyes shining with mirth. “Well you flatter me. For someone as beautiful as yourself to feel my words worthy of your time is the highest compliment.”

 

You blushed and glanced away for a moment. You felt fingers cup your chin, turning your head back to look at the handsome man.

 

“May I someday be so lucky to write with a muse such as yourself by my side.”

A shrill ringtone penetrated your brain, bringing you back to the land of the waking. You groaned, rubbing a hand over your face while your other fumbled for your phone.

When your alarm went blissfully quiet, you finally opened your eyes fully and checked your phone. 

You swiped through a few notifications as you slipped out of bed. Your morning routine always helped you wake up, and by the time you were exiting the bathroom, you were humming softly to yourself. You made sure to pick up your dream journal before heading out into the kitchen.

Grabbing mugs out of the cabinet, you were incredibly grateful for the timer on your coffee maker. It gave you just enough time to write down the dream as it finished brewing.

Ari padded out of her room and you slid her a cup of coffee as you finished adding sugar to your own. “Morning.”

Ari yawned. “Mornin’.” She took a drink of her coffee and sighed happily, leaning against the counter. “We still goin’ to that show today?” 

You nodded, nursing your cup as well. “Yeah if you're still down.”

“I am,” Ari said through a yawn. “Hopefully it won't last too, too long. I gotta work closing at the music store.”

“Wait, I thought you were off today?”

Ari shrugged. “Yeah I was but Rhea texted me last night and said her cat was sick and she needed to take him to the vet today. So I'm covering her shift.”

“Aw, I hope her cat is ok,” you said.

“Hopefully he is. I'll keep you posted.” With that, Ari downed the last of her coffee. “Alright, wanna outfit plan for this lil show?”

“It's just a show-”

Ari arched an eyebrow at you. “We don't gotta go crazy but you exchanged IGs with him, dude, don't act like you aren't a little interested. Besides, we got time to kill.”

Okay maybe you wanted to look a little cute.

So the two of you spent the next hour planning your outfits and accessories. As you were putting the finishing touches on your hair, you decided to shoot a DM to Jinu.

“So the show, is it just, in the street? I couldn’t tell by the address.”

Surprisingly, you got a pretty fast response.

“Yeah just in the square there. It’s nothing huge, we just wanted to show off our new song and maybe attract a few new listeners.”

Well that answered the other question you were going to ask.

Your phone buzzed.

“You and your friend still coming?”

You suddenly had an idea. “Ari, we should take a selfie.”

“Ooh yes our fits are too cute,” she agreed easily, sliding up beside you.

You snapped a few poses and immediately texted some to Ari before picking your favorite and sending it to Jinu.

“So you can spot us in the crowd,” you captioned it.

“Should we get going? The bus should be at our stop in like 15 minutes,” Ari said.

“Yeah I'm ready,” you agreed, eyeing the DMs one more time.

It's okay that he hadn't replied. Not everyone was glued to their phones constantly. He'd met you and asked for your IG so clearly he thought you were cuteish-

Unless it was just for promo. 

Which was fine, you barely knew him, it's not like you felt attached.

As you and Ari grabbed your bags and headed towards the door to slip on your shoes, your phone buzzed again. Ari stepped out the door and you followed behind, double checking you had your keys before locking it. It was only once you were outside, waiting at the bus stop, that you let yourself check your phone again.

“It'll be hard to miss someone as cute as yourself :)”

Your heart fluttered and you couldn't help but smile at your screen.

“Flatterer.”

“They say it gets you everywhere.”

“Oh really? I always heard people say it gets you nowhere.”

“Well which one is true for you?”

“It certainly doesn't hurt~”

“Y/N.”

You jumped a little and realized Ari had been trying to get your attention. “So you're gonna ask him out after the show, right?”

“Jinu?”

“Who else were you smiling at your phone about? Yes Jinu,” she laughed. 

“I mean- maybe?” 

Ari nudged you. “You're a fucking catch dude. And he approached you, so he's definitely interested.”

You smiled. “Thanks Ari.”

Ari smiled back as the bus approached. “Hey, it's the truth! Just save some for me if his friends are hot, alright?”

You laughed. “Will do.”

The bus ride was easy, as usual. Half way to your destination, you noticed someone enter holding a flyer for the performance you were headed to.

Maybe there'd be a decent crowd then. 

Between the bus music and you and Ari chatting, it didn't take long to get to your stop. You weren't the only ones to exit, but you managed to slip through the small crowd.

“Did they say exactly where it was?” Ari asked as she walked beside you.

“Just on the street. I bet it'll be over here,” you say, pointing out the nice central spot between the stores. You and Ari found a nice bench to sit on as you waited for noon to roll around.

A few other people began to trickle into the area, all holding the same flyer you noticed on the bus. Just as you checked your phone again, you started to hear some music begin to play.

“It's starting!” Ari squealed, tugging on your arm. “Come on, let's get closer.”

A pink smoke started to form as the beat of the music picked up. You felt the urge to bob your head along. “It's catchy already,” you commented and Ari nodded.

Finally five silhouettes popped up in the smoke.

“Don't want you- need you. Yeah I need you to fill me up.”

Jinu broke through the center of the group as he sang. His eyes scanned the crowd and found yours, winking at you as he continued performing.

“Dude, they're really good,” Ari whispered into your ear and you nodded in agreement, unable to look away.

Seeing all five of them tugged at something inside of you. It was like the tug you felt when you spotted some of them in the mall, but more.

“Gotta feelin’ that, oh yeah, you could be everything that- that I need. Tastes so sweet. Every sip makes me want more, yeah.”

It felt like each of the boys could tell when you were looking at them. Each time you looked at one, shortly after they'd glance over and lock eyes with you. It never felt awkward, either. Of course you were watching them perform, and they were just working the crowd and looking around. Surely they weren't locking eyes with you specifically .

“Did Jinu tell them about you?” Ari asked softly. “They all keep looking at you.”

“They're just working the crowd,” you brushed off, partially trying to convince yourself. 

Ari hummed. “Yeah, you're probably right.”

“When you're in my arms I hold you so tight, so tight. Can't let go, no, no not tonight.”

You felt your body give in to the rhythm, your shoulders bouncing along to the beat. This was their debut song? It was so catchy you would've thought they'd been making music for years. 

Plus their dancing? Clearly they worked hard on it. It was so seamless. 

Throughout the song, you kept locking eyes with the boys. It was always just one of them, but they all kept looking back, as if worried you were gonna disappear.

That was until all five looked at you, almost as if they were singing directly to you.

“Cause I need you to need me. 

I'm empty, you feed me. 

So refreshing.

My little soda pop.”

They all five winked at you before the trance was broken. 

“ Crowd work she says,” you hear Ari grumble playfully. You elbow her, suppressing a blush at her light teasing.

It was easy to get lost in the beat of the song, enjoying the light show as the crowd grew larger. You didn't remember seeing a built-in stage in the ground earlier, but maybe you'd just overlooked it. 

The boys ended above the crowd, which was cheering wildly. 

The boys kept glancing at you, and while you were looking at one of them, you noticed Jinu dust something off his shoulder out of the corner of your eye. Weird.

“That's it for now,” Jinu announced as the boys stood back together again. “See you tonight on everyone's favorite variety show. Saja boys love you!”

The boys all made hearts with their fingers before the same pink smoke cloud appeared and they were gone.

“Man they didn't even come say hi after inviting you slash us here?” Ari said, crossing her arms.

You shrugged, glancing around as if you knew they weren't truly gone. “I mean, the crowd got pretty rowdy. They probably didn't expect that.”

People were starting to disperse, all excitedly talking about the show, when you heard your name called nearby. 

You looked around, your eyes almost instinctively checking a nearby alleyway. Sure enough, the five boys were tucked in there, though this time they had hoodies and hats on as if to disguise themselves.

You tugged Ari's sleeve, dragging her along as you headed over to them.

“See, they didn’t just up and leave,” you said quietly. “They just didn't want to get mobbed.”

You gave a small wave as you neared the alley, stepping just inside before smiling at all of them. “That was a great show guys!” You said, trying to keep your voice down. “I don't think I've met all of you yet, I'm Y/N and this is my friend Ari.”

Ari waved. “Nice to meet you! That was such a fun song. It was awesome.”

“We're glad you liked it,” Jinu said. “I know Y/N and I have already met, but I'm Jinu.”

“I'm Abby.”

“I'm Romance,” one said with a wink.

“I'm Baby,” the teal haired one said with a barely suppressed sigh.

“I'm Mystery,” the final one, with hair covering his eyes, greeted softly. 

“It's nice to meet you all,” you said with a slight bow, the boys bowing back.

“We were just about to go grab a bite to eat since we have some time to kill before the variety show tonight.” Jinu said. “Do you two wanna join?”

“I unfortunately have to go back to our place to get ready for work,” Ari replied with a sad sigh. “But you guys have fun! I'll definitely put on Play Games With Us at my work tonight to see your shenanigans.”

“Text me when you get back home, okay?” You told Ari.

“I will,” Ari agreed before smirking. “Just make sure to save some for me.” She glanced at the boys and then back at you with a wink.

You shoved her playfully and she laughed before saying her goodbyes and heading off.

And just like, it was just you and the five boys. Despite not knowing them very well, you felt perfectly safe with them, which was a nice feeling.

“So where to?”

“It's a place just down the road,” Jinu said, gesturing with his head. 

“Their odeng was top notch,” Abby chimed in.

“Well, you can't top some good odeng,” you laughed. “Lead the way!”

Chapter Text

It turned out the restaurant was just a few blocks walk away. Somehow, you ended up walking in the middle of the group of boys, making small talk as you went.

“So how long have you lived in Seoul?” Abby asked first.

“Since I went off to university,” you replied. “My family’s from a couple hours outside of the city.” You shrugged. “Seoul has always appealed to me, and I got accepted into a good school. I’ve just stayed ever since.” You looked between them. “What about you all?”

“Abby’s from around here originally,” Romance answered. “The rest of us are from all over.”

“Then how did you guys meet?”

“It was sort of… happenstance?” Abby said, looking to one of the other guys for back-up.

Baby sighed. “Mystery and Abby knew each other first. The rest of us fell into place through online circles and mutual friends.” His eyes glanced over at you before back at his phone. “Jinu is the one who brought us together.”

You smiled. “It’s nice to think about things like that, how just a few circumstances lead to new friendships.”

“That’s a very poetic way to think,” Romance agreed with a smile. “If we hadn’t met, we might not have had the chance to meet you.” 

If you’d heard that from any other guy you’d just met, especially amongst his group of friends, you’d probably cringe. 

You didn’t feel that way, though. You liked how poetic it sounded. It felt right.

You smiled at Romance. “That’s true.”

You heard the jingle of a bell and realized you’d gotten to the restaurant, and Mystery was holding the door open. You thanked him and he nodded at you as you all stepped inside. 

Romance stepped up to the hostess and smiled at her. “Table for six please.”

The hostess smiled back, giving him and the group a once over.

Why did that irk you? It’s not like they were yours-

“Of course, right this way.”

You were shown to a table in the corner that was half booth, half chairs. Somehow, you ended up on the booth side right between Abby and Baby, with the other three boys across from you.

“Order whatever you want,” Jinu said as you picked up the menu. “It's our treat.”

“You don't have to do that,” you protested lightly.

“We insist,” Romance said softly, one hand on his chest.

“Besides, we're good for it,” Baby added, glancing up from his phone for a moment. 

You smiled. “Well, thank you. That's very kind.”

You all took a moment to order your food and drinks. Once the waitress had walked away, you noticed Abby shift out of the corner of your eye and realize he's stretched his arm along the back of the seat behind you.

The other boys clearly noticed, but none of them seem phased by it. 

“So what time do you guys need to head to set for the show?” 

“Ah we got time,” Abby reassured. “A couple hours at least.”

“They want us there by 4,” Jinu explained. “It's not far from here, either, so we're not in a rush.” 

“That's really cool. Have you guys been on TV before?”

“Not exactly,” Romance answered. “Though I'm sure it won't be much different than performing for a crowd.” 

“Yeah that's fair,” you said with a laugh. 

“What about you?” Jinu asked. “Ever been on TV before?”

“Not that I know of. Unless I was accidentally in the back of a news broadcast once,” you answered. 

“So what do you do for work?” Baby asked, propping his elbow on the table so he could lean his head on it, looking at you.

“Nothing as exciting as making music,” you answered dismissively. “But I don't hate my job at least.”

As you continued with the small talk, you noticed the boys were slowly leaning in more. Baby's thigh was now resting against yours. Abby hadn't moved his arm. Now at least one of them had their shoes bumped up against yours.

You weren't exactly pulling back, either. It wasn't until the waiter came by with your food, making you sit up straight, that you realized your hand had drifted closer to where Jinu's was on the table. 

You swore you saw a look of disappointment cross Jinu's face as you pulled back, but it was gone so fast you couldn't be certain. 

“Baby, sit up at least for your food,” Jinu chided gently as everyone got situated to eat. 

Baby rolled his eyes, but sat up straighter, his thigh pushing against yours as he did. Your gaze darted down for a moment, as if some part of you was expecting to feel discomfort at being so touchy with someone you barely knew.

And yet the feeling never came.

Were these boys always this touchy feely maybe? 

“So, do any of you have girlfriends?” You found yourself asking without thinking. “Or, partners, I should say. I shouldn't assume.”

The five boys glanced at each other. “No, none of us are dating right now,” Jinu answered after a moment.

“We are interested in someone,” Mystery said nonchalantly.

You noticed some of the boys giving him a look, but you were too focused on him to care. “Oh yeah? How's that going?”

“Well, I don't think she realizes she's on a date right now,” Mystery replied, tilting his head as he looked at you.

It took a second to process.

“Wait me?” You asked in disbelief.

Mystery rested his arms on the table, leaning forward slightly. “Do you not feel it, too?”

You must've waited too long to answer, because Jinu rushed to say, “It's okay if you don't. We're not here to pressure you or anything-”

“I thought we agreed to not scare her off,” Baby snapped, leaning in and glaring at Mystery.

But Mystery wasn't phased. They were still looking at you, waiting.

“No, no, I… I do feel something.” You finally said, putting your hands out in a placating manner. Jinu relaxed slightly and Baby sighed, also leaning back, though he was still glaring at Mystery. “I've been brushing it off, but even at the mall I felt… drawn to you guys? I just thought, at first, that I was attracted to you all, but then I keep having these random thoughts.”

Baby turned his head to look at you, a slight smirk on his face. “What kind of thoughts?”

You blushed. “Nothing inappropriate but like, when my friend Ari mentioned me setting her up with one of Jinu's friends, I got jealous. Which I thought was weird because I'm not the jealous type and also I didn't even know you guys yet.”

You looked over at Romance. “Or like when the waitress smiled at you earlier? She gave you a once over, and I just-”

“Got jealous again?” Baby finished, his smirk teasing.

You huffed out a breath at his jab. “Okay, but you guys knew about this? What is it?”

Romance put his elbows on the table, folding his hands together and resting his chin atop them. “What are your thoughts on the concept of soulmates?”

“I mean, I’ve heard of the idea, but mainly as a metaphor or in books and stuff,” you replied. “That’s a real thing?”

“We only knew about it through stories, as well,” Romance continued. “However, based on some of the stories and how they described soulmates, this well fits the description.”

Jinu nodded. “The five of us, since we met, have felt drawn together and we were never really sure why… Until we met you.”

Abby shrugged. “It just makes sense.”

“Most written cases of soulmates are just portrayed as deep love stories, ‘love at first sight’,” Romance explained. “But some people documented what it felt like, comparing it to other feelings of love they’d experienced in life, and they all described it similarly.”

“Like magnets,” Abby said.

“A moth to a flame,” Baby added, sounding disinterested despite the glint in his eyes.

“I felt like I couldn’t look away…” you admitted softly. You felt a hand settle on top of yours. Looking up, you met Jinu’s gaze.

“We don’t want or need to rush,” he reassured you. “If at any point you feel uncomfortable with anything, don't be afraid to tell us, and we'll do the same.”

You nodded. “I mean, I really just want to keep getting to know you guys. When we go on another date, will it always be all six of us together? Not that I wouldn't want to be, of course.”

You noticed the way Baby smirked at the when instead of if.

“I mean not always,” Abby started. “Some of us may be a little jealous,” he looked at Baby who glared at him.

“As if you wouldn't-” 

“But, not jealous in a bad way,” Abby continued, fully ignoring Baby's outburst. 

“Having the pleasure of getting to know you one on one is a privilege,” Romance agreed.

You smiled at that, your stomach fluttering in excitement. “Let me give you all my number, then, so we don't just have to talk through Instagram DMs.”

The five boys passed their phones around, adding their contact into your phone as you added yours into theirs. Once it was done, Baby quickly formed a group text.

You all took the time to finish eating, continuing your small talk until Jinu finally grabbed the check.

“How far is your place from here?” Abby asked.

“Not too far by bus, and the bus stop is just down the block.”

Jinu offered his hand to you as you shimmied out of the booth. You smiled and took it so he could help you stand up. “Are you heading back home after this?” 

You shrugged. “Yeah probably. Ari's at work and you guys need to go on set, so.” You shrugged. “I'll go home and get the TV setup to watch your show tonight.”

“We'll walk you to the bus stop and wait with you, then,” Abby said.

“You guys don't have to wait with me-”

“We want to,” Mystery said, not leaving room for argument. 

You had to admit, while you felt pretty safe in Seoul, being surrounded by five guys made the walk much more relaxing. 

“So how long do you have to be on set tonight?” You asked as you made it to the bus stop. You checked your phone, the bus would be here in 10 minutes, so you wouldn't have to worry about the boys being late.

“The show starts at 6, so we have a lot of prep time before then.” Jinu explained. “Mostly hair, makeup, and wardrobe, but also audio checks and general setup so we know what to expect.”

“We shouldn't be there too late,” Baby said. “The show only lasts like an hour.”

“How far is your guy's place from here? Wait, do you guys live together?” You asked.

“We do. Our place is on the northern side, not too far either,” Abby said. 

Baby smirked. “You'll have to come see it sometime.”

Jinu elbowed him and Baby squawked in indignation. You laughed at their antics just as the familiar sound of the bus grew closer.

Romance suddenly turned to you, grabbing your hand and lightly kissing the back of it. “Safe travels home.”

“Yeah, text us when you get there,” Baby agreed.

You blushed lightly at Romance's gesture. “Will do,” you replied. “I had a lovely time.”

“We'll have to do it again soon,” Abby said with a wink.

“Have fun on the show tonight. I'll be watching!”

You waved bye to the boys as you boarded the bus, scanning your pass and settling in near the window as you watched them fade into the distance.

Oh man you couldn't wait to tell Ari.

Chapter Text

The bus ride was uneventful, as usual. You headed up to your apartment, locking the door behind you and slipping off your shoes before pulling out your phone. You quickly shot off a text to Ari, letting her know you were home, and then did the same in the new group chat.

The boys immediately replied.

“Glad to hear it <3” Romance sent back first.

Baby sent a selfie of him getting his makeup done. He was sticking his tongue out and winking at the camera.

“So you don’t have to miss my face ;)” he sent along with the photo.

“Cocky :P” You sent back, stifling a laugh as you did.

A notification popped up from Ari. You clicked on it, taking you to her text thread instead.

“Glad to hear it! How were the boys? Were they nice to you??”

“They were,” you typed back as you headed into the living room and turned on the TV. “We're gonna hang out again soon, hopefully.”

“And Jinu? 👀”

Your phone buzzed as texts from the boys came in.

“Just got done with hair and makeup, how do I look?” Abby sent, along with a selfie. He was smirking at the camera. He had his head tilted up to show off his chiseled jaw with a hint of chest appearing at the bottom of the picture.

You quickly saved the picture to your phone and set it as his contact photo. Then you did the same with the picture Baby had sent earlier. 

“You look great <3” you finally texted back before swapping back to your text with Ari. “Jinu was really nice. All of the boys were.”

“Did he flirt with you?” Ari fired back.

“Well…”

“Girl don't leave me in suspense!!”

“You know what polyamory is?”

Your phone immediately buzzed and you laughed before answering.

“Y/N yes I know what polyamory is-” Ari blurted out the second you picked up.

“Slow shop day huh?” You teased.

“It is, thank you for asking, but don't you try and distract me!” Ari chided. “So like, two of them are interested in you? Three? Are you into that? I need details!”

You laughed, a little more flustered now as you thought about what you'd learned today. “Um, okay, so it's all five of them-”

“Seriously??”

“Yes. I find it a bit hard to believe, too, but,” you sighed softly. “I mean, I'm interested in them, and they said they were interested in me. They paid for my food and walked me to the bus stop and waited with me. Also Romance kissed the back of my hand when we said goodbye which was actually really sweet?”

“And they seemed serious?” Ari checked. “You know I trust your judgement, but as your bestie I need to know how many shovel talks to give.”

You felt your heart unclench as you laughed. Even though you knew Ari would never judge your sexuality or choices in partner(s), it still felt relieving to hear her say it aloud. “Yes they were. We're not rushing into things, so it's not like we have a label for it yet, but I'm excited.”

“Ah!! I'm so excited for you too,” Ari squealed. “You tell me if one of them steps out of line, though. I don't care that there's five of them or that they're idols in the making, I'll kick their asses.”

“You could take ‘em,” you said with a grin.

“Damn right I could!” Ari laughed. “Alright, I probably shouldn't stay on the phone. Don't forget to record the variety show in case I miss some tonight.”

“Will do! I was just about to set up the TV now,” you replied, fiddling with the remote. “I'll see you tonight, ok? Text me when you're on your way home.”

“Of course girl, talk to you later!” 

Once you had the TV set to record the show, you checked the time. You still had an hour before the variety show was going to be on, so you decided to prep your dinner.

“We just went through mic checks,” Jinu texted the group. 

“Our outfits are very pink,” Mystery sent after, with a photo attached. It showed half of his head, covered by his hair like usual, but was primarily aimed over his shoulder. Behind him you saw each of the boys in individual chairs. Baby was on his phone, Jinu was talking to a crew member, and Abby and Romance were both posing for the camera. Abby was flexing and Romance was blowing a kiss.

Aaaand another photo saved to your phone. 

Since they'd already sent you three pictures, you decided to send one of your own.

You were currently chopping some green onions to add to your ramyeon, you liked to make your instant noodles feel fancy after all. You held your camera up, making sure to get yourself and the chopping board in it before snapping the picture.

“prepping my dinner for tonights show~” 

Romance and Abby immediately hearted your photo, while Baby reacted with a winky face.

“Wait how did you guys heart the picture?” Jinu texted.

“Baby just stole Jinu's phone,” Mystery sent shortly after that. 

You smiled and propped your phone up on the counter so you could easily read their texts as you put the last touches on your ramyeon. 

As you grabbed your drink and bowl and shuffled over to the couch, the group chat finally settled down.

“Okay we have to put our phones on silent now. Hope you enjoy the show :)” Jinu sent. 

“When I wink at the camera, just know that's for you ;)” Abby sent after, before the group chat went quiet.

You pulled up your text thread with Ari. “Did you remember to change the channel at work?”

“I did! You ready to see your boys on TV?” Ari replied. “I wonder if they'll do the spicy challenge tonight.”

“Ooh I hope they do!”

The familiar theme song started to play on the TV, drawing your attention. “Good evening everyone! Are you ready to Play Games With Us?” The announcer said as the auto tune played over their words.

The audience went wild. “Then give it up for tonight's guests, the Saja Boys!”

The audience cheered, chanting “In the balls!” as the five boys slid down the slides into the waiting ball pit below. 

Once the boys were all introduced and asked if they were excited, the host dove right into the first game. Each boy took a turn being blindfolded and had to guess the flavors of the sodas they were drinking. Two of the drinks got pranked by the host, but they were randomly chosen so none of the boys knew who was going to get it. 

Mystery ended up winning by getting not only all of his drinks correct, but also correctly guessing what was in his drink that was pranked (it was soy sauce).

The second game was a trivia game about other famous boy bands, but if they got the question wrong they had to reach inside of a box and touch a mystery object. You laughed when Abby freaked out at touching a block of jello. You rewound and recorded the clip with your phone, sending it to the group chat with a laughing emoji.

The final game ended up being the spicy challenge, which you and Ari chatted about excitedly, betting on who you think would hold out. While you did think Mystery would last longer, you weren't surprised when Baby ended up winning, looking totally unphased.

Of course, you lost it when he deadpan said, “Goo goo ga ga.” 

What really threw you through a loop was when Huntr/x made a sudden appearance. Leather on slide sounds not withstanding, you weren't sure why you felt on edge seeing them next to your boys.

And then you noticed them glaring, and a flash of a smirk on Baby's face (the others had their backs to the camera when it happened).

“What the hell did y'all do to piss off Huntr/x? I didn't even know they were gonna be on the show tonight.” You texted the group chat as the two bowed to each other and the show ended. 

You took the time to clean up your dinner, now that the show was over, while also doing some other dishes and tidying up the kitchen a little. You hadn't been concerned that the boys hadn't replied, as you figured they had some post-show stuff to do. Now, though, it'd been at least 45 minutes since the show ended. 

Why did you have a pit in your stomach? They were five, grown men. They weren't in any sort of danger just heading home from a TV shoot. 

Instead of giving in to the urge to pace, you decided to go take a shower. 

The steam helped relieve the tension you'd been holding in your body. What were you so concerned about? Yes you cared about them, but you'd only known them for a day (or two for Jinu) and not everyone checked their phones constantly.

When you finally turned off the water and began towel drying your hair, you saw your phone screen light up from where it was sitting on the countertop.

Once you had your hair up and your body wrapped in a towel, you finally picked up your phone.

You had two texts from Ari letting you know she was getting off work soon, followed by her saying she was on her way home. The other texts were from the boys.

“Sorry we got hung up backstage,” Abby sent.

“The Huntr/x girls didn't bother us,” Mystery sent at the same time.

And the reason your phone lit up was because of a text from Romance.

“We just got back to our place for the evening. We would love to meet up with you tomorrow <3”

Something about the first two texts still had you on edge, and you found yourself hitting the call button on the first person you clicked without thinking. Just as you registered what you'd done, Romance answered. 

“Hello darling.”

“Ah, sorry, I shouldn't have called without asking,” you blurted out, flustered. “I know some people don't like that. I was just- I don't know I wanted to make sure you guys were okay which is weird because you're clearly fine-”

“Hey,” Romance interrupted, his voice soft. “It's fine. I could never be upset at the chance to hear your voice.”

You let out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding. “That's very sweet Romance.”

“It's just the truth, I promise,” he said. “Now what were you concerned about?”

You padded into your bedroom as you spoke. “It's silly. I don't know. I just- I love Huntr/x. I went to their concert a few nights ago! So I don't know why seeing them next to you guys set me on edge. And it wasn't jealousy, either. I was- I felt scared for you guys.”

There was a pause on the other side of the line. You ended up barrelling on. “I know it's ridiculous-”

“Sorry, Baby was trying to steal the phone from me,” Romance said with a strained chuckle. “It’s not as ridiculous as you may think. It's complicated, but I promise we're okay. They won't hurt us.”

That settled something inside of you, despite it raising quite a few questions at the same time.

You pursed your lips. “Will you guys explain that more eventually?”

“Of course we will,” Romance reassured. “Now, would you like to meet up tomorrow? Perhaps we could go grab coffee in the morning?”

You smiled. “That'd be nice. I have to go to work tomorrow, anyway. There's a cute cafe not far from my job. I can text you the address if you'd like?”

“Please do darling,” he replied. “Just let us know the time to-” 

His words cut off with a stifled gasp.

“Is Baby trying to steal the phone again?” You teased lightly.

“Ah, I'm sorry,” Romance replied, voice sounding strained. “I have to go. We'll see you in the morning, I promise.”

And before you could reply, the line went dead.

You stared at the screen for a moment, your heart rate picking up. It was such an odd way to end a phone call, but maybe one of the boys had been messing with him?

Before your thoughts could spiral further, you heard the front door open. You slipped on the rest of your pajamas and headed back out into the living room to catch up with Ari.

Everything was fine, surely. You sent the group chat the location and time and slipped your phone back into your pocket.

You'd see them in the morning. 

Everything was fine.

Chapter Text

Your father always warned you about walking home late. He said he couldn't afford to escort you at all times, and told you to keep an eye on the horizon so you could have a safe journey back home.

 

But you had been visiting your older sister and her husband just down the road, and you lost track of time. Her husband offered to walk back with you, but you didn't want your sister to be alone as a result so you declined.

 

Now a part of you wished you hadn't as you noticed two men slink up behind you.

 

“Hey there sweet thing, you lost?” One called out. 

 

“She can't be too lost, my place is just around the corner,” the other laughed.

 

You tried to ignore them. Your home wasn't far, you just needed to be within sight of it and you'd be okay.

 

“Ignoring people isn't nice, you know,” one of the men said, stepping up beside you. You flinched in fear but kept your head high, pressing forward.

 

That was, until the other man grabbed your wrist, yanking you to a stop.

 

“You're about to pass up my place. Can't have a thing like you out alone this late.”

 

You pulled against his arm, panic piercing your veins like ice. Your eyes widened in fear and the men laughed at your desperation. 

 

Just as you were debating if screaming would help, another voice joined in.

 

“You're taking something that doesn't belong to you.”

 

The two men sneered at the voice. You turned your head over your shoulder to see a man dressed in military attire. He had a hand resting on the hilt of his geom, his armor gleaming in the moonlight.

 

“Move along soldier boy,” one of them sneered.

 

The military man simply pulled out his blade, never taking his eyes off of them. “While I'd rather a woman not see such violence, you don't need both hands to live.”

 

This seemed to spook the men enough that they finally let go and scampered away. You were still frozen in place, only now noticing the trembling in your body.

 

You managed to snap out of it enough to bow deeply to the other man.

 

“I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to cause a disruption or take up your valuable time. My home is not far from here, so I won't be out much longer.”

 

“It was the men who caused the disruption, not yourself,” he replied smoothly. “If you'd allow me, I could escort you to your home.”

 

You stood up, eyes widening again. “I don't know how I could repay that, sir.”

 

He smiled at you. “Your current company is enough. Walking beside a woman as beautiful as yourself is a gift in itself.”

When you woke up that morning, you lay in bed staring at the ceiling for a moment. 

Your dreams had always been wholly unrelated to your reality… so why had that military man looked strikingly like Abby? 

You weren't able to linger on it for long. With a glance at your phone you sighed and pushed yourself out of bed.

Time to face the day.

You took a moment to jot down the dream in your journal before getting up and heading to the bathroom. 

You hadn't gotten any texts overnight from the boys, but part way into getting ready for the day your phone dinged.

It was from Romance, and it wasn't in the group chat.

“Hope you're having a good morning <3 Sorry for the abrupt ending to our call last night. Are you still up for grabbing coffee?”

You paused in brushing your teeth and typed out a response.

“Good morning :) It's okay, I know things happen sometimes. And yes I would still love to grab coffee.” You sent first, before quickly typing up a second message. “Will any of the other boys be joining us?”

“Abby and Mystery will be. Baby isn't much of a morning person, and Jinu sends his apologies but he has to do some things for the band early this morning.”

“No worries <3 I'm excited to see you three there.”

You felt another buzz but pocketed your phone so you could focus on finishing getting ready. You knew the bus would be here in the next 15 minutes and didn't want to miss it. 

You sped walked through the house towards the door. Ari wasn't up yet, so you shot her a text as you grabbed your bag and put your shoes on.

“Grabbing coffee with the boys before work. See you this evening!”

As you hurried down the stairs, you shot a text to the group chat, letting them know you were on your way.

Jinu texted back, “Sorry I can't make it ): Hope you guys have fun!”

“We'll be waiting outside the cafe for ya ;)” Abby sent right after that.

“It's okay Jinu. I hope the band stuff goes well!” You texted back as you made it to the bus stop, reacting to the message Abby sent with a heart.

Just in time, too, as it was rolling down the street. 

Part way through your bus journey, a familiar song played on the speakers.

Your eyes lit up and you quickly typed in the group chat. “Soda Pop is playing on the bus!!”

“That's one of the meetings I went to this morning :)” Jinu replied.

“That's so cool, congrats!!”

As the bus pulled up to the spot closest to your work, you spotted the three boys standing outside the cafe. The moment the bus came to a stop, their heads whipped over to watch who was coming out.

You waved at them as you stepped off the bus. They immediately stood up straighter, which made you smile, and walked towards you as you walked towards them, meeting in the middle.

“Hi good morning,” you greeted, coming to a stop in front of them.

“Mornin’ sweetheart,” Abby greeted back, making your mind screech to a halt.

He sounded just like the military man, too.

You must've stared too long because he laughed. “What, do I have something on my face?”

You blushed. “Sorry, just- lost my train of thought for a moment.”

He smirked at that, making your blush deepen. “Well you can stare anytime you want.”

Romance offered his elbow to you, saving you from replying. You smiled softly and slipped your hand into the crook of it. “How was your bus ride over?” He asked as the four of you headed over to the cafe. 

“It was good. Had some good tunes to listen to,” you said, winking at him.

Mystery held the door open as you all stepped inside. 

“I'm glad we could keep you company even when we weren't there,” Romance mused as you all joined the back of the line.

“So what's good here?” Abby asked, eyeing the menu.

“I love their parfaits, personally. Their frappuccinos are really good, too.”

When you got to the front of the line, Abby refused to let you pay. You elbowed him lightly, but he just winked at you.

“Why don't you and Mystery go grab a table? Romance and I will grab the orders.”

You chose a booth that was near the windows so you could enjoy the sunlight. Mystery slid in next to you, leaving the seats across empty for the other two.

You expected to hang in comfortable silence for a moment, which you didn't mind in the slightest, until Mystery moved his arm across the back of your seat. You glanced over and realized he was looking at you.

“You look gorgeous today,” he mused, cupping a hand under your chin. 

Why were they all so suave??

“Thank you,” you muttered back, flustered.

He held you there for a moment before letting his hand slip away just as Abby and Romance sat down across from you.

Mystery kept his arm behind you as Abby and Romance passed out the orders. Abby had gotten a smoothie with extra protein as well as some eggs. Romance had a chai latte and a muffin. Mystery, on the other hand, just ordered a large mocha.

“Don't let their demeanour fool you,” Abby fake whispered as he handed Mystery his drink. “They have quite the sweet tooth.”

It took a second for you to clock the pronouns.

“Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. Do you use they pronouns? I shouldn't have assumed,” you rambled, looking at Mystery.

Their hand slipped down onto your shoulder, their thumb brushing against your neck. “If it had ever truly bothered me, I would've told you, I promise. Gender to me is…” he waved a hand in the air dismissively. “But I generally use he or they.” 

You nodded seriously. “I should've asked sooner.” You looked at Abby and Romance. “Do any of the rest of you…?”

Abby shook his head. “Nah, the rest of us all use he/him.” 

When Abby spoke again, you found yourself staring once more as the dream tugged on your memory. You shook your head after a moment. “Sorry, sorry, you just remind me of a dream I had last night.”

Abby's smirk grew. “Oh yeah?”

You waved a hand at him. “Not like that.” You paused for a moment, trying to think how to explain it all. “So, I've always had odd dreams. I didn't always know they were odd ‘til I asked some of my friends, who all said their dreams were nothing like mine.”

“Basically, my dreams are always in the past, or feel like the past, and they play out like memories kind of?” You explained. “They always are logical, they never jump around, but they also never feature anyone or anything I know in my day to day life.”

“Except for last night?” Romance prompted.

You nodded. “Yeah. Last night I had a dream I was walking home from my older sister's house. I don't know exactly what time period it was, but I'd guess 500 or 600 years ago maybe based on the clothes?” You blushed. “My dreams have made me very interested in history. Anyways, I was walking home and these two guys started harassing me.”

“I thought they were going to take me,” you continued, eyes unfocused as the memory washed over you. “But then, a man in army attire came over and defended me. He had a geom and scared them away by threatening to cut off their hands.”

You glanced up and saw Romance looking at Abby, who seemed a bit pale. You tilted your head, about to comment on it, when Mystery caught your attention.

“Did you make it home safe in the dream?” 

You nodded to them. “Well, I mean, I assume so. I woke up before I made it home but he offered to escort me, so I'm sure it was fine.”

You glanced back over at Abby, who was smiling at you now, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. “But he looked like you, and sounded like you, which I know isn't odd for most people's dreams. It was odd for me though.”

He cleared his throat. “Well, I would certainly protect you just as he did if I needed to.” 

“Do you often dream things like this?” Romance asked.

You nodded. “Yeah, I mean, I don't dream every night. Although, I have been dreaming more often than usual recently.” You smiled a bit sheepishly. “I actually have a few journals full of my dreams. I like to write them down… Maybe someday I'll show you guys.”

Romance put his hand to his chest. “We would be honored to see them if you ever wanted to share.”

You took a sip of your drink and sighed. “I wish we could hang out longer, but I have to get to work.” 

“Well we'll walk you to your job, then,” Abby said as he and Romance stood up.

Mystery slipped out of the booth, giving you their hand to help you up, too.

You all grabbed your drinks and threw away your trash before Romance held the door open for you all to exit outside. 

Your work was only two blocks away, so you didn't get to hang with the boys as long as you would've liked. You were just glad you got to see them before work at all.

“This is me,” you said, turning back to face them. “Thanks for grabbing coffee with me.”

Romance grabbed your hand. “Thank you,” he said, kissing the back of it once more, “for wanting to meet up with us.”

You blushed. “As if being with you guys is a hardship.” 

“Text us when you make it home tonight,” Mystery said.

You nodded. “Will do. See you guys later.”

You waved at them and turned to leave when a second later someone grabbed your hand.

You spun around to look and realized it was Abby moments before his lips brushed against yours. 

You froze for a moment before relaxing into the kiss with a soft sigh, one hand coming up to rest against Abby's chest.

He pulled back slowly, cupping your face with his hand. “Get home safe tonight, okay?”

You nodded, unable to speak as your mind still processed the kiss. His gaze was so genuine, though it quickly switched back to a smirk as he leaned in for another quick kiss. He pulled away before you could lean in further, still smirking as he walked away with a wave.

“Something to remember me by,” he called as he got to where Mystery and Romance were waiting for him. Mystery had his arms crossed with a matching smirk, while Romance while smiling fondly.

You waved one more time, brain still trying to catch up as you finally headed into your job.

When your brain finally reloaded, you instantly whipped out your phone.

“Ari guess what?”

Chapter Text

Ari was working the evening shift again, so when you got home from work you were alone. 

Throughout the day, the boys had texted you. You hadn't always been able to respond, but they made you smile during your breaks at work.

At 11:00am Baby had sent a sleepy selfie captioned with, “Mornin’”

“It's almost afternoon,” Romance had replied. 

Baby just sent back a middle finger emoji. 

“Wish you could've been at the cafe with us this morning.” You sent back. 

“Hmm.. maybe someday. The sunrise and I aren't exactly friends.” Baby replied, which you reacted to with a laughing emoji.

Later on, Abby snapped a photo in a studio mirror of the five of them posing. They were in athletic attire and had clearly just been dancing.

“Gotta keep our moves on point 💪” He captioned it.

“We'll bring you to the studio sometime,” Mystery sent after. 

“Oh that would be fun!” You texted back.

“Yeah ;) We can give you a private show,” Baby replied, which made you blush.

And now you were home. You sent them a text letting them know and immediately got back replies.

“Glad to hear you're safe sweetheart,” from Abby.

“Hope you have a lovely evening,” from Romance.

“If you wanna chat at all, you're welcome to call us,” from Jinu.

“Thank you guys <3 I may call later :) What are your guys’ plans for the evening?”

You chatted with the boys for a bit as you kicked off your shoes and put away your stuff from work. You grabbed a snack out of the kitchen and eyed your windows for a moment.

It was so nice out when you were walking from the bus stop to your place. Maybe you'd go on a walk this evening.

For a second you thought about asking the boys to join you, but you shook your head after a moment. It'd take a while for them to get here, and it's not like you hadn't seen them today. You'd taken plenty of walks by yourself before, this would be no different. 

You grabbed a hoodie, your ear buds, and your keys before slipping into your more comfortable walking shoes. 

“Going on a walk, just in case I'm not back when you get home,” You texted Ari as you headed back out the door.

Slipping an earbud in, you put your music on shuffle and was pleased to hear Soda Pop come on first. 

You hummed along to yourself as you started walking down the road. There was a park just a few blocks away that you usually liked to walk through, so you started navigating your way there. The sun was just starting to dip below the buildings, the sky a soft orange. You smiled to yourself as you crossed the street.

“You're all I can think of, every drop I drink up,” you sang softly. “You’re my soda pop, my little soda pop.”

You'd always considered yourself to be a very observant person. Anytime you were out alone or with friends, you led the group, steering away from places or people that felt off. In high school, one of your friends had joked that you had a spidey sense, but you always thought you were just perceptive.

Which is why when you felt as though you were being watched, you immediately were on alert.

You looked around subtly, trying to pick up your pace without arousing suspicion. The park wasn't far from here, and you'd feel much safer once you were there. 

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, you earbud alerting you that you'd gotten a text in the group chat from Abby. 

“Any fun plans this evening?” He'd sent.

Still feeling on edge, you whipped out your phone and quickly called him before slipping it back in your pocket. Having someone to talk to would help you feel better.

It would also, hopefully, be a deterrent for whoever may be watching you.

He answered near immediately.

“Hey sweetheart, miss us already?” Abby teased lightly. “You're on speaker phone by the way.”

“Hey guys,” you greeted, and then realized you sounded a little breathless. You took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly to try and calm yourself a little. “I mean, you offered to chat and I was on a walk and thought it'd be nice to have company.”

“It's a nice evening for that,” Romance said. “We're glad you called.”

“Where you headed?” Baby asked.

“Um, there's a park not far-” you heard a sound over your shoulder and flinched, looking behind you rapidly.

Nothing was there.

“Uh, not far from my place. I've walked there before, it's usually really nice,” you finished, hoping your voice didn't sound too shaky.

“Are you okay?” Mystery asked, seeing right through you.

“I mean, I'm fine. I just felt like someone was watching me,” you admitted. “I tend to trust my gut feelings, but this one feels extra weird. I- I thought calling you guys would help.”

“Where did you say you were at?” Baby asked, sounding closer to the phone and more serious now.

“Not far from my place,” you said, looking around again when the hairs on the back of your neck stood up. “I'm headed towards Boramae Park.” 

You heard a chuckle behind you and something suddenly grabbed your wrist, yanking you into the nearby alley. You yelped in fear.

“Y/N!” The boys shouted through your earbud.

“My, my, what a bright soul you are,” a deep, raspy voice said from behind you.

You opened your mouth to cry out, but it was cut off when the thing behind you covered your mouth.

You realized the boys were still shouting in your ear, but your gaze was locked on the thing in front of you.

Because you knew for certain that, despite its appearance, it wasn't human.

“- fucking, we don't have time for this,” Baby snarled. “We can explain it later when she's alive.”

“Y/N we're coming, I promise,” Abby said into the phone. “Mystery, can you find her?” 

The thing in front of you showed its teeth in the approximation of a smile, revealing sharp fangs, its eyes flickering gold. 

It leaned in close and gave a deep inhale up your neck.

“You smell like sin.” It growled, still showing its teeth, “When I bring you to Gwi-ma, he'll thank me personally-”

A deep snarl reverberated through the alleyway as the thing was ripped away from you. You were frozen in fear, about to turn your head to look when suddenly Romance was in front of you, cupping your face and blocking your view.

“Hey darling, it's okay. You're safe now,” he said softly, reassuringly.

Seeing him in front of you pulled you back from your panic just slightly. “Ro-Romance? Wh-What are you doing here?” 

You heard another snarl and a screech and you tried to look around him, but he blocked your view. “Did he hurt you? Where did he touch you?”

“He- it- that thing- it grabbed my wrist and shoved me against the wall but-” You stammered, watching Romance's eyes flash gold as you described it. You tensed. “Romance what the hell is going on?” 

Abby suddenly appeared next to Romance, though his gaze was on you. “Are you alright?” 

“How the hell did you guys get here so fast?” You snapped back, your fear turning into frustration. “What the hell was that thing? It felt like- it was so empty yet raging- it wasn't human. What's going on?”

Neither of them answered. You scowled at them. “Who the hell is Gwi-ma?”

They both tensed and Abby immediately covered your mouth. He was instantly apologizing. “I know, I know, I'm sorry. You just- don't say his name right now, okay?”

You shook your head and he pulled his hand back. “Then someone answer my damn questions!” 

Baby slid up on the opposite side of Romance, looking at the two boys. “Mystery needs a moment,” his gaze flicked to you and then back at them, “I'm gonna call Jinu and tell him to get his ass back home. He needs to be here for this.”

As he walked away you swore you heard him grumble, “Serves him right trying to meet up with that hunter chick.” 

“Can we take you back to our place?” Romance asked. 

“I don't know, are you going to hurt me?” You asked, still shaking slightly.

The two reeled back, eyes wide. “We would never hurt you, Y/N, we promise.” Romance hastily replied, sounding devastated. 

“I just- you were at your place up north! And you also found me like, instantly. I didn't even say what street I was on!” You stammered, panicking. “And then the snarling and your eyes went gold and I-” You cut off, hyperventilating slightly.

“Can I touch your face?” Romance asked softly. You managed a shaky nod and he put his hands back where they'd been previously, cupping your cheeks. “You said that the other one, he felt bad right?”

You nodded.

“Do we feel that way?” He asked, sounding a bit hesitant, as if fearing the answer.

You sat with that for a moment, assessing your body. The sensation you felt around that other… person was fully gone. You felt okay, safe even. 

Warm.

You shook your head. “No, you guys feel safe.”

Both Romance and Abby relaxed at those words. “Do you trust us, then?” 

“I do,” you replied softly. 

Romance smiled softly at those words. “Then we would like to take you to our place to talk about what just happened.”

“It's the safest option,” Abby agreed, arms crossed over his chest.

“How far is your place?” You asked, though part of you already knew they didn't exactly drive here.

“We teleported here darling,” Romance told you.

“Oh.” You said, trying to process that.  

“You'll be safe, we promise,” Abby reassured you.

You nodded. “Okay, um, let's go then I guess?” 

Abby reached for you but Romance glowered at him, pulling you to his side. You giggled lightly at their actions, which made both boys look at you fondly, before your vision was suddenly filled with a pink smoke.

When the smoke cleared, you were standing in the middle of a nice living room. Abby was standing next to you as you still clung to Romance. 

Romance gently ran his hand over your back and you realized how tense you were. You took in a deep breath and let yourself relax a little, stepping back from Romance once you had.

“So this is your guys’ place?” You asked, pleased when your voice didn't come out shaky.

Abby nodded. “Yeah, it's got a nice view.” 

The floor to ceiling windows in the living area highlighted that. Damn, this place must be expensive.

“The others will be here soon,” Romance told you. “Do you need anything?”

“I think they normally give freshly traumatized people shock blankets in the movies,” you teased lightly as you sank down onto the couch. 

You didn’t expect them to panic.

“Shock blankets?” Abby blurted at the same time that Romance said, “Traumatized?”

You put your hands up, “Woah, it was kind of a joke. Do you guys not know what shock blankets are?”

They both shook their heads and you huffed fondly. “Well, I’ve seen them mainly on TV, but I know they’re real. Basically if you experience something intense, sometimes your body freaks out. It can make you like, hyper ventilate and get pale, and pass out even. I think staying warm and like, the weight of the blanket even helps your body feel safer?”

Instantly the boys ran and grabbed blankets, coming back and all but tossing them at you. You laughed, but were also very touched at their care. “Thank you,” you said softly, wrapping one around your shoulder and the other draped across your lap. You looked up and the two of them were staring at you fondly.

“You look so cuddly right now,” Abby said, smiling at you.

You huffed a laugh. “You guys don’t have to stand there at least, it makes me feel like I’m being sat down to have a Talk.”

Romance opened his mouth to reply when another puff of pink smoke appeared in the living room. You sat up straighter, alert. Even though you knew it was one of the boys, it was weird seeing it from this side.

It was Baby and Mystery. Baby had Mystery’s arm slung around his shoulder, the silvery haired boy looking a little worse for the wear. His hair was frazzled and he seemed on edge still.

“See? She’s fine,” Baby said, glancing over at you and then back at Mystery.

Mystery’s head tilted up so they could look at you. Baby looked at you as well. “Hey, do you mind if he sits by you? I think it’ll help him calm down a bit.”

“Oh, uh, yeah sure they can,” you agreed.

Baby helped Mystery closer, the taller boy stumbling a bit. When Baby let go, Mystery flopped onto the couch next to you, his head landing on your lap, arms wrapping around your waist. You couldn’t help but feel a need to protect them. You shifted one of your blankets, wrapping it around them as well. You felt Mystery nuzzle closer, so you moved one of your hands on top of their head, running it through his hair rhythmically. 

“Are we waiting for Jinu?” You asked, glancing up.

“Yeah, he’ll be here in a sec,” Baby sighed, flopping down on the other end of the couch.

“Is Mystery acting like this because of what happened? Are they going to be okay?” You asked, looking at Romance and Abby who were still standing.

“He’ll be okay, he just needs a moment,” Abby reassured you. 

You heard the front door open, and you turned to look over your shoulder to see who it was. Mystery grumbled when you shifted, and you shushed him gently, continuing to stroke his hair.

Jinu looked between the boys and then at you. “Are you okay?” He asked as he gently shut the door behind him.

“I will be once I know what’s going on,” you said bluntly.

“It’s,” he sighed, “It’s a lot to explain.”

“I just want the truth, whatever the hell it is,” you said, glaring at him and then at the other boys.

Jinu ran a hand through his hair, looking stressed. Finally he looked back at you. “What do you know about demons?”

Chapter Text

You squinted. “Demons? Like angels and demons?”

Abby cough laughed. “I’m not sure angels exist outside of yourself darling.”

You felt your heart flutter at the compliment, but you were too focused on the discussion at hand. “Okay so demons- is that what that thing was?”

Romance sighed softly. “That’s what we are, too.”

Some base, primal part of you shrunk back in fear. You felt your body tense as you leaned slightly away from them. “... What do you mean,” you said slowly, glancing between them.

You saw Baby’s face shift into a scowl. “He means that we all sold our souls for stupid reasons and now we’re trapped here, underneath his watchful gaze for all eternity.”

“Him being…” you glanced at Abby and Romance, “the name I mentioned earlier?”

They both nodded.

You glanced back at Baby. “You sold your souls?”

He huffed, crossing his arms. “Yes. We did.”

“That guy in the alley… He mentioned my soul was bright,” you said, hesitant, as if bracing for the answer. “Is that why you’re interested in me?”

They all immediately denied it.

“No!” Abby blurted out.

“Absolutely not,” Romance said.

“No, we’re nothing like him,” Baby snarled.

Mystery’s arms tightened around your waist as he shook his head. You noticed his arms weren’t trembling as much now.

Jinu stepped forward until he was behind the couch, his hands resting on the top as he leaned over slightly. His eyes were locked onto yours. “We’re drawn to you because of who you are. Your soul is a part of that, but we would be just as drawn in no matter how bright it was or wasn’t.”

Your head was spinning with questions and thoughts you didn't know how to sort through it all. You rubbed a hand over your face. “I- this is just so much.”

The boys were quiet, giving you a second to think.

“I have so many questions, I don't know where to start,” you whispered, looking down at your lap where Mystery's hair was snuggled up against you. 

“We'll answer all of them, whatever questions you have,” Romance said.

“We weren't trying to hide it from you,” Abby piped in, “It's just- it's not exactly day one material.”

“We didn't want to scare you away,” Baby grumbled, not quite meeting your gaze. 

“So, what does being a demon mean,” you finally asked.

It was Jinu who answered, his grip on the back of the couch tightened slightly. “It means we are bound to… him. He's in our heads. He summons us back whenever he pleases. He can dispose of us if he pleases, too.” He explained.

“But why? What does he make you do?” You questioned.

None of them seemed to want to speak up. Baby had a look of disgust on his face. “It means," he said, staring at you with a fierce expression, challenging, “that we are tasked with finding a way to procure souls for him so he can continue to live.” 

“... and that involves-”

“Killing people.” Baby finished bluntly. 

“Then why the hell are you guys playing boy band?” You snapped. “Is that all part of the act? Is it just a way to lure people to their death?” 

“Playing boy band is how we could weaken the seal that keeps demons at bay, so he can finally feast again,” Baby replied, tone clipped. 

The other boys were glaring at him slightly, minus Mystery who had only tensed up again. He snarled at them. “We need to tell her the truth, even if you all are too cowardly to do it.”

You looked at all five of them, face twisted in sadness and a hint of fear. “Is that…. Is that what you want to happen?”

They all looked away, unable to meet your gaze. You felt like you were about to bolt, but you turned your fear into anger.

“This whole soulmate thing- I call bullshit,” you spat out, making the boys flinch, “I'm not destined to be with people who want to feast on humanity.”

“We didn't do this because we hate humanity,” Jinu said, “We're inherently selfish creatures- we did this for ourselves.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” You snapped. 

Before you or anyone else could continue, you felt Mystery shift in your lap. You'd almost forgotten they were there, the weight feeling like a comfort more than anything.

They'd turned their head slightly, their hair falling to the side so you could see one of their golden eyes. When he spoke, his voice was raspy. “The longer you're under his control, the harder it is to… remember any of the positives about existence, much less human-kind.” He huffed, as if trying to fix his voice, but it still came out raspy. “We've lived for centuries. We made a deal… to stop the pain.”

Baby spoke up next, still not quite meeting your gaze, his tone flat. “He fills your head with everything bad- grief, anger, shame, hatred… It's constant.” 

“All of your past mistakes,” Jinu whispered. 

“Some demons give in and become fully consumed by one emotion, like rage,” Abby said, voice tight. “I've seen some who no longer feel anything.”

“There's no way out of the leash he has us all on,” Mystery whispered.

“So why the hell would we be soulmates if this is just destined to end in me being fed to him,” you snapped.

“We wouldn't let-” Romance started, but you cut him off.

“It sounds like you don't exactly have a choice.”

Romance sank to his knees in front of you, gently grabbing your hand that wasn't still resting in Mystery's hair and holding it between his own. You tensed, wanting to pull away, but you waited.

“It's dangerous for our kind to have hope,” he started. “It only hurts worse when it gets burned up and ripped away. But there are still stories passed around, about how a soulmate can save you from your curse. Not everyone believes in them…”

“But do you?” You asked softly. 

Romance nodded. “It was a nice idea, but before I met you I didn't let myself linger on it too much. The odds of finding your soulmate, much less their soul being powerful enough to save you… it felt like the cause was lost before it even started.”

“But then we did meet you,” he continued, giving you a small smile and gently squeezing your hand, “and while I can't speak for the others… I've already felt how you were able to help me resist his call.”

“What does that mean?” You asked.

“His voice is… quieter when I'm around you,” Abby says.

Romance nods in agreement. 

“I know we haven't been around you long,” Baby started, looking uncomfortable, “but… I find it hard to be away from you. When he called us back recently, I realized how much light you'd been giving me. I felt hollow, but worse than usual.”

You pulled your hand out from between Romance's and ran it through your hair as you tried to process everything. “Okay so… you made this deal because you didn't want to feel like shit anymore, but now that you've met me… I might be able to help you not feel like shit anymore? Is that right?” 

Abby nodded. “If the stories are true, our soul bond could help save us from his curse.”

“They say it can give you your soul back,” Jinu breathed, as if afraid to say it too loud.

“Can you get out of this deal with him, then?” You asked. “More importantly- do you want to be out of the deal with him?”

“I'd rather have nothing to do with him,” Abby grumbled.

“It felt like the only option at the time,” Romance replied quietly. “But that doesn't mean I truly want to be a part of it.”

“I don't wanna be tied to that shit stain at all,” Baby huffed.

“... I'm indifferent to humanity, but I wouldn't wish a fiery death on anyone,” Mystery said.

“I just want some peace,” Jinu admitted, looking down at the couch as he said it.

“Okay…” you said before taking a slow, deep breath. “Fuck, shit, okay you guys are demons. Wow. Demons are real. Soulmates are real. Cool, what's next- vampires? Hanahaki disease?”

“If anything, vampires are inspired by us,” Abby said, “Soul sucking, blood sucking - pretty similar.”

“So wait, do you guys eat souls?” 

They all shook their heads. 

“No, we're all just tools that gather them,” Baby grumbled.

You scrubbed a hand over your face. “Is there anything else I need to know about demons?”

“I told you that we would explain why Huntr/x being near us scared you,” Romance started, “It's because they're demon hunters.”

“What?” You gasped before narrowing your eyes. “Then why are you playing boy band with them if it's just going to make them notice you?”

“Their power comes from their voices and connection to their fans,” Jinu explained. “So being a band, also, meant we could take fans from them, which would then weaken their power.” 

“Also, we look different in our demon forms,” Baby said, sounding bored but looking at you intently. 

You met his gaze. “How different?”

Baby tilted his head, smirking. “You wanna see doll?”

“Yes,” you answered before you could talk yourself out of it.

In a flash, Baby's eyes shifted to a glowing golden yellow. Purple, lightning-like patterns covered his skin, which was now an ashy purple tone, too. His fingers sharpened into claws and his smirk revealed sharp fangs. 

You looked him over slowly. He still looked like himself. The smirk, the glint in his eyes, the way he held himself - it was all the same as he acted in his human form.

“Are the patterns painful?” You asked.

“That's what your concerned about?” Baby asked sharply. “Not the fangs or the claws?”

You shook your head. “You still look like you, Baby. You honestly still look mostly human. Most of this could feasibly be achieved with some makeup and prosthesis.”

Suddenly, Abby burst out laughing and you turned your head to look at him. When he noticed your gaze, he quieted slightly, but was still chuckling.

“Sorry to laugh sweetheart. Here we were worried that you'd find us hideous or terrifying and the first thing you're concerned about is if we're in pain,” Abby said. “I just- you're something else.”

“Well, apparently I'm meant for you, so,” you shrugged, giving him a soft smile.

Abby stepped forward and bent down to kiss the top of your head affectionately, making your heart flutter.

“Hey wait a minute, when did we move on to kissing?” Baby asked, indignantly, his form shifting back into primarily human, though a few of his patterns could still be seen. 

“When we went on a second date with her,” Abby said, smirking, “Which you haven't done yet.”

Baby's eyes snapped to you. “We need to go on a second date.”

You laughed, but it got cut off by a yawn. “We will, but it's like 8:30pm and I have work tomorrow.” Your eyes widened. “Shit, Ari is gonna be home soon. She'll freak out if I'm out super late.”

“We can take you home whenever you want sweetheart,” Romance reassured you.

“Do I have to worry about another demon just- finding me like that again?” You asked nervously.

“The Honmoon is weakened right now,” Jinu explained, his voice quiet, “so more demons are out than normal. While we can't repair that, we can do our best to protect you.”

“Most demons find brighter souls to be unnerving,” Abby said, “so most of the lesser demons won't bother you.”

“Unless they're trying to get in his good graces,” Baby grumbled.

Romance put his hand on top of yours. “We will do our best to be around to make sure you're safe, even if you don't see us.”

“You know, in most cases that would sound pretty stalker-y of you,” you teased. 

“If you don't know that we're around, don't sing our music,” Jinu told you seriously. “It's a beacon call to the other demons about a ‘weak point’ in the Honmoon.”

“What is the Honmoon?” 

“It's the seal we mentioned earlier,” Abby explained. “The hunters power it through music and the connection that comes from it.” 

“And it's used to keep demons… out?” 

“Off this plane, at least,” Jinu replied. 

You nodded. “Okay. God I feel like I'm studying for a test with all this information I've learned tonight alone.” You rubbed your temple and sighed. “I should really probably get home soon.”

You glanced down at Mystery, gently playing with his hair. “You feeling better now?” You asked when you saw one of his, now brown, eyes peering back at you.

He sat up slowly. “I am,” he replied, voice soft but no longer raspy. He leaned in and kissed your cheek. “Thank you.”

You blushed lightly. “Glad I could help,” you said as Baby grumbled to the side about it “not being fair.”

“Shoulda got up earlier,” Abby teased and Baby growled at him.

And that, shockingly, didn't phase you in the slightest. 

You sat up straighter and looked at the boys, about to ask for a ride back to your place, when you noticed Jinu fiddling with the back of the couch. 

He met your gaze and sighed. “In the interest of honesty, before this happened this evening I was planning on meeting up with one of the hunters later tonight.”

Your eyes widened. “Isn't that dangerous?” 

“I have dirt on her, which I think will throw her off her game,” he said, standing up slowly to his full height. “I also truly think that I can handle a singular hunter.”

You narrowed your eyes disapprovingly. “Okay but why and what kind of dirt?”

“Rumi is half demon,” he answered simply. 

“She is??” You gasped. “That still doesn't answer why you want to meet with her.”

“She isn't controlled by him,” Jinu explained. “I thought she might have information that would help us escape, too. She might also know something about soulmates.”

“You're not bringing Y/N into this,” Baby snarled. “It's already stupid enough that you're meeting with her. What if the hunters try to target her, huh?”

“She's a human. I don't think they would,” Jinu argued back.

“Yeah but she's with us,” Abby argued. “Is that really a risk you want to take?” 

“I mean, maybe they could be a resource on soulmate things, but you don't have to mention you have one,” you suggested. “If you ask how she doesn't hear him, just like, bring up that you thought the only way to be free of him was by finding your soulmate, or something.”

Jinu glanced at you. “Are you okay with me trying to meet up with her still?”

You huffed. “I mean, it makes me nervous, not gonna lie, but I understand why you want to do it. Please just, be careful and also text me later so I know it went okay.”

Jinu nodded seriously. “Of course.”

Just then, your phone buzzed, letting you know you got a text.

“Hey! On my way back now. You home yet?” Ari sent. 

“Shit I gotta go.” You glanced between them. “Can one of you take me back?”

“I can,” Abby says, opening his arms to you, “since Romance didn't let me earlier.”

“I got to her first,” Romance said as if it were obvious. 

As you stood up, Baby rose and stepped over to you, putting a finger under your chin so you met his gaze. “I'd love to take you out tomorrow.”

You smiled playfully. “Well I still have work, so unless you worked out your beef with the sunrise, it'll have to be at dinner.” You glanced at the other boys. “Are you all busy tomorrow night?”

“Hey!” Baby yelled. “I don't want them coming along, then they'll always be a date ahead of me.”

You rolled your eyes and leaned in, kissing him. He froze for a moment and you smirked at having caught him off guard. “You boys don't need to compete for the right to kiss me,” you raised an eyebrow. “It's my choice, not some arbitrary date limit rule.”

Baby smirked, though his cheeks were still lightly flushed. “Well in that case-”

You put a finger up to his lips, smirking back at him when that stopped him from leaning in. “I still need to go home, though, and I still wanna schedule that date.” You stepped back into Abby, who immediately wrapped an arm around your waist. “So text me, okay?”

“Ugh fine,” he groaned but you could tell he wasn't actually upset.

“Alright Y/N, say bye to the boys,” Abby said, tightening his arms around you slightly.

You laughed. “Bye boys,” you said with a wave before you disappeared into pink smoke once more.

Chapter Text

Abby got you home just in time, with Ari walking into the house minutes after you arrived. You had to all but shove Abby out of your place when he suggested staying the night.

“It wouldn't be fair to the other boys, first of all, and second of all I still need to process this whole demon thing,” you told him firmly. You then leaned up and gave him a brief kiss. “Thank you for saving me tonight and bringing me home.”

“Anytime sweetheart,” he said back, cupping your cheek and kissing you one more time before teleporting away. 

When you woke up the next morning, you checked your phone and saw you had a text from Jinu.

“Got home safe <3 Hope you sleep well.”

You went through your morning routine absentmindedly as last night’s events played through your mind once more.

You were grateful Romance had shielded you from seeing the fight, but the sound of the screeching still rang in your ears, sending a shiver down your spine.

Those things were just out there. What if one got you again? What if one got Ari? 

You sighed, staring at yourself in the mirror for a moment. You looked like you always did, yet you felt so different. Demons were real, they ate souls, and apparently yours was really bright? Whatever that means?

You squinted, staring into your own eyes as if trying to see it for yourself.

You blinked.

Nothing changed.

Your phone vibrating pulled you out of your thoughts.

It was a text from Mystery.

“Good morning lovely. I hope you have a nice day.”

You smiled. “Good morning to you, too, Mystery.” You sent back before switching to the group chat.

“Good morning boys :) Did we still wanna make dinner plans tonight?”

“yes,” Baby replied immediately. 

“You're up early,” you texted back as you padded over to your closet to get dressed.

“against my will,” he sent.

“We have practice in an hour,” Abby explained.

Practice as in singing, as in gaining more fans to weaken the Honmoon so he could gather more souls-

As if sensing your distress, Mystery sent a text in the group chat.

“Jinu will explain.”

“Okay but when?” You sent back.

“Soon,” was all they said in reply.

“I see why they call you Mystery,” you half teased.

“Where do you wanna go tonight sweetheart?” Romance asked. 

You finished getting dressed as you thought about it. “Are there any foods you haven't tried yet?”

“I'm sure there are,” Abby sent back

“Maybe we could do Indian food?” You suggested. “I bet you'd like the spice, Baby.”

“fuck yes,” Baby replied.

“Don't worry guys, you can pick your spice level ;)”

“Not being able to chug hot sauce like that doesn't mean I can't handle some heat 😤” Abby sent back.

“You thought the medium heat ramyeon was ‘A bit intense’ Abby,” Mystery texted back.

“DUDE you swore not to tell!!” 

You snorted to yourself as you grabbed a granola bar for the road. Ari was off today, so she was sleeping in. You made sure to shoot her a text, letting you know you were off to work as you slipped on your shoes and headed downstairs.

You just about jumped out of your skin when you noticed a man waiting outside, leaning up against the building.

“Oh my god Jinu, you scared the life out of me,” you hissed at him. 

Jinu, wearing a backwards hat and a black jacket, laughed softly at you. “Sorry angel, I just wanted to surprise you.” He pushed himself off the wall to stand in front of you. “It's why I didn't text you good morning, because I wanted to tell you in person.”

You blushed. “You didn't come all the way down here just to say good morning,” you said, narrowing your eyes playfully.

Jinu sighed. “Okay no I didn't. I'm here to give you company on the way to work.”

You felt a knot in your chest relax at that. You hadn't realized how stressed you were about traveling alone after last night. “Well thank you.”

You felt your phone buzz with another text, which gave you an idea. “Come here Jinu,” you said, opening your camera and flipping it so you could take a selfie.

He moved so he could put his cheek up against yours. The two of you smiled and you quickly texted the picture to the boys.

“Jinu if ur late for practice i'll kick ur ass,” Baby texted. 

That reminded you of what Mystery said earlier. You glanced at Jinu as you pocketed your phone. “Mystery said you'd explain why you guys are still doing practice and stuff.”

Jinu sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets as the two of you walked towards the bus stop. “We can't just stop,” he glanced at you, his voice quiet. “We don't know how much the bond can actually help us, if at all. If we just stop- he'll either kill us, kill you, or find some way to use you to hurt us.” 

“Did Rumi know anything about soulmates and bonds?” You asked, keeping your voice quiet, too.

Jinu shook his head. “No, she acted like she hadn't even heard of soulmates before.”

“So what do we do? What do I do?” You asked, feeling stressed.

Jinu stopped near the bus stop and turned to face you. He brought one hand up and cupped your chin. “We're going to keep doing whatever it takes to protect you. And hopefully along the way we'll find the answers.”

You grumbled. “That's not very helpful.”

Jinu frowned, leaning in and kissing your forehead. “I'm sorry we got you into this mess.” 

“You don't need to apologize for that,” you said firmly. “Life lands where it does and I'm glad it did. We'll figure it out. It's not any of your guys’ faults.”

Just then, you saw the bus down the street and a thought crossed your mind. “Jinu… do you have a bus pass?”

He tilted his head like a confused puppy. “A bus pass?”

“Oh my god,” you laughed. “Here give me your phone. Hopefully I can set this up before it leaves.”

Luckily, you and Jinu made the bus and you didn't have to be late for work. He even bought you a coffee from the Starbucks across the street before giving you a proper kiss goodbye.

“One of the other boys will be here when you get off work,” he said, his face still inches from yours.

“I mean, I guess it's better than being invisible stalkers,” you teased before making yourself step away. “Thanks for the coffee. Have fun at practice.”

Now it was almost lunch time and the thoughts from this morning were back. You were at a slow point in your shift, and you wanted answers.

So if your boys didn't have any, and Rumi didn't have any, maybe the internet would. Surely someone else had stumbled into all of this nonsense before, too and documented it.

Or maybe you could find folklore that had a hint of truth within it.

Your individual searches for “demons” and “soulmates” didn't yield much in the way of genuine results. You thought for a moment before looking around, not suspiciously at all, and quickly typed in “Gwi-ma.”

You received much fewer results for that, and after scrolling down for a second, you found a website called “thelosthistoryofkorea.” The page was titled, “The Origins of Things That Go Bump in the Night.”

So you clicked on it.

You skimmed through the page, not seeing anything of interest at first, until a specific passage caught your eye.

“.... While there isn't much in way of written record about it, there are many elders who knew of an entity that was born of spite and fire, known as Gwi-ma.

The stories vary slightly in who this entity is, but there are a few things that overlap about it.

One, it is the origin of evil in the world.

Two, it tricks people by offering to fix their problems, only to trap them afterwards. This turns them into demons.

Three, it's powered by the souls of innocent people, which it cannot collect on its own and can only gather through its demon slaves.”

Well that seemed near exactly like what the boys were telling you last night. 

You quickly sent the link to yourself so you wouldn't lose it later before diving into the site further to see what else you could maybe find.

The site had a lot of other stories of miscellaneous deities, beast-like entities, and more. You found yourself skimming an article about bulgae with heavy interest. The story of dogs being forced to bite the sun at the bidding of the king tugged at your memories.

You could almost picture yourself petting a silvery dog with scorch marks on its face.

You blinked, trying to refocus on the present, and dove back into the other stories on the site.

Finally, you found another article that caught your eye, “The Boundary of Souls and Song: What Is the Honmoon?”

“The existence of a spiritual barrier, commonly referred to as the Honmoon, is most notably documented through art and oral stories. It's connected to stories of Gwi-ma and demons, and is fabled to be a barrier between the demon realm and the mortal plane.

This barrier is told to be powered by the spirit of the people connected together by music. Some stories report people who are able to feel and manipulate the Honmoon, often referring to them as ‘protectors’ or ‘hunters.’

Some stories also offer additional context regarding the Honmoon, stating that some souls power it more than others.

One such story claims that a singular soul was bright enough to protect their village for 8 days until the hunters could arrive to assist them. These were known as the ‘yeoleo saeng-ae.’”

The last phrase had a hyperlink on it, so you clicked it. 

“The ‘yeoleo saeng-ae,’ or those with many lifetimes, refer to the belief of reincarnation and how life carries on between two lifetimes. The oral stories that have been documented regarding the yeoleo saenga-ae refer only to those who have reincarnated several times over. This is told to give them a heightened spiritual awareness, which made them crucial for defending communities from evil entities.”

Was that what you were? One with many lifetimes? 

The next line, in particular, caught your attention.

“The yeoleo saeng-ae are also mentioned in purity rituals. Though these rituals are mostly mentioned in passing and not in detail, there is one account that mentions a yeoleo saeng-ae could cleanse a soul who was touched by the darkness.”

Of course, this is where the information ended.

You tried scouring every corner of the site, eventually returning to google to try to find something else, but nothing came up. You groaned, burying your face in your hands. At least you knew more than you did before, but it felt like you had the real information dangled in front of you only for it to get thrown into the bottom of a canyon before you could grab it.

If this information was true though, and you were a yeoleo saeng-ae, that means you’ve had past lives before.

How would you even be able to prove that was true? If you could, would that help you figure out how to help your boys?

You sighed, pushing it to the side for now. You had a few hours left in your work day. You could dive into this more tonight.

If there was even anything more to find. 

The rest of your work day dragged by, but finally you were gathering your stuff and heading out the front door. You looked around, trying to spot one of your boys, when someone stepped up beside you.

You saw their face and your eyes widened. “Mystery! I almost didn't recognize you.”

Mystery had their hair half pulled up into a small pony tail, with a black clip on either side of their face to hold back the strays. 

God he was dazzling.

“We've gotten a bit popular online,” they explained softly as the two of you began to walk to the bus stop. “My best disguise is just to show my face and not wear flashy clothes.”

You laughed. “That's certainly easier than wearing hats and sunglasses all the time.” You instantly remembered something from this morning and turned to look at Mystery. “Wait, do you have a bus pass?”

He gave you a small, sweet smile, sliding one of his arms around your waist as you walked. “I do, Jinu told us what happened so we all made sure to get one,” he answered. “So how was your day?”

“It was fine,” you told him, hesitating slightly. “I've just… everything from last night has been on my mind all day.”

Mystery hummed in understanding. “Come to any revelations?” 

You snorted. “Honestly more questions than answers,” you admitted. 

Mystery glanced at you as you arrived at the bus stop. “Any questions I can help with?”

“Do you know why my soul is so bright?” You asked quietly.

He nodded. “Souls get brighter each time they're reincarnated. Yours is bright because you've been reincarnated many times over.”

Your eyes widened slightly. Even though that had been your hunch based on what you read, to hear them state it so bluntly was still shocking. 

Mystery tilted their head at you, noting your expression. “Maybe you should ask Abby about that dream you had again, later.”

“The one where the guard reminded me of him?” You asked. Mystery simply raised an eyebrow and something within you clicked. “Was that actually him??” Your voice raised in shock.

You felt him rub your back gently as you took that in. He let you sit with your thoughts as you both boarded the bus, still keeping you tucked into his side as he found a spot for the two of you to stand.

So your dreams weren't just dreams… they were memories. 

Were all of them memories? 

“Can we swing by my place before we go to dinner?” You finally asked, happy to hear your voice wasn't as shaky as you felt. “I want to get changed first.”

“Of course,” Mystery replied, nonplussed.  

You pulled out your phone and quickly texted the group chat.

“Do you guys wanna meet at my place before dinner?”

Baby replied instantly. “yes”

“Abby keeps bragging that he's seen your bedroom,” Jinu sent. 

Abby just sent a winky face and you chuckled. You felt something against the side of your head. You glanced over and saw Mystery was leaning their head against yours, reading the text convo, too.

“Abby has been a bit insufferable about it,” they teased softly.

“My bedroom really isn't that impressive guys,” you sent back.

“its your bedroom,” Baby said, as if that answered everything. 

“Well Myst and I be there in about 15 minutes. If you guys poof there and are in my room when I get home, I'll kick your ass.”

This time Baby replied with a winky face.

“I wanna give you guys a proper tour ): don't ruin it for me.”

“ugh fine,” Baby sent, and you smirked to yourself.

“You realize you have us all wrapped around your finger, right?” Mystery mused, their head still resting against yours. 

You turned your head, cupping Mystery's face so you could pull them in for a kiss.

The wide eyed expression on their face when you pulled back made you smirk. “Yeah, maybe a little,” you laughed. 

“Dangerous little thing,” they muttered fondly. “Romance is going to be sad to know he's the last one who hasn't gotten a kiss.”

“It's not like it was on purpose,” you sighed. “He'll be fine. I'll kiss him tonight, too.” 

Suddenly, you remembered something.

“Oh shit, Ari's off work today.” You said as your fingers started flying across the keyboard.

“Is it okay that the boys come over for a second? We're going out to dinner tonight but I'd wanted to get changed after work and they agreed to just meet at our place.”

She texted back instantly. “Yeah sure! They gonna be here soon then?”

You winced, even though you knew she wasn't mad. “Yeah sorry, my bus is about 10 minutes away so they'll probably be there shortly.”

“No problem girl <3 gotta get my shovel talk ready >:)”

You snorted. 

“Should we be scared?” Mystery asked, still reading the screen.

“Probably a little,” you laughed. “Just don't break my heart and she'll have no reason to act on her threats.”

“Well we don't plan on leaving you anytime soon, so.”

You leaned into their side more. “Yeah I know,” you replied fondly. 

Chapter Text

When your bus pulled up to your stop, you spotted them immediately.

“Oh my god,” you laughed. “They don't look conspicuous at all.”

Mystery snorted, seeing the four boys standing together near your apartment building. “We try our best.”

As you and Mystery stepped off the bus, the boys spotted you immediately. 

Baby made it over to you first, sliding up to the side opposite of Mystery. “Doll, you look really good with Mystery's arm around you.”

You winked at him. “Nice to see you, too.”

Baby just smirked and kissed your cheek, his teeth grazing your skin. You shoved him away playfully. “Just a heads up, Ari is inside. So be good.” You pointed a finger at Baby, who scoffed.

“We met Ari at our street show, right?” Abby asked.

“You did, but that was before we went on a date,” you replied. “She's my best friend, so don't be surprised if she gives you a bit of a hard time.” 

Romance put a hand to his chest, eyes furrowed in worry. “Does she not like us?”

You snorted. “No she does, she just has to make sure you know who you'll answer to if I ever come home crying because of you guys.”

“The only time you'll be crying cause of me is when I fuck you senseless,” Baby smirked before yelping when Jinu put him in a headlock.

“Behave,” Jinu growled without any heat.

You were blushing slightly, but still laughed at Baby trying to wiggle out of Jinu's grasp. “Alright come on, let's go up.”

You led the boys up to your floor, confidently walking to your apartment and unlocking the door. You leaned in slowly, opening the door as you did  “Ari, we're here,” you called out, wanting to make sure your friend was ready.

“You're good, come in!” She called back.

You pushed the door open the rest of the way, holding it open for the boys as you slipped off your shoes. They followed suit and you gestured to the entryway.

“Well, this is my place.” You said as you headed into the kitchen.

Ari was there, standing behind the island with a cutting board and knife. She waved at you, smirking slightly. “Hello, welcome in.”

“I know you guys have already met but Ari, boys, boys, Ari,” you said, gesturing between the two.

Ari grinned, chopping her leeks with practiced ease. “Nice to see you again.”

“Thank you for inviting us into your home,” Romance said with a slight bow.

Ari laughed and pointed her knife at him. “Manners will get you everywhere.”

You rolled your eyes at her antics before turning to look at the boys. “You guys can sit if you want. I'm just gonna change real quick and then I'll be back out.”

“What, no bedroom tour?” Baby teased.

“Oh so you're the trouble maker,” Ari replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

You pushed Baby aside gently. “Be nice,” you said, glancing between both of them. “We paid a deposit on this place and blood isn't easy to clean up.”

Ari snorted. “You think I'd leave behind evidence?” 

You nudged her playfully as you went down the hall to your room, knowing she was playing it up a bit.

She'd likely have a few words with them, but it was just because she cared. 

You stepped into your room and shut the door behind you with a sigh. You quickly started to change out of your work clothes, truly planning on just freshening up before you headed out, but as you were fixing your hair, your dream journal caught your eye.

You stared at it for a moment before slowly putting your brush down. You stepped over to where it was placed on your side table, hand brushing gently over the cover.

How many other dreams had you had that were just your own memories? Was it all of them? How many times had you met the boys and not even realized it?

You shook your head, snapping yourself out of it. You could look over them tonight.

And yet you still found yourself slipping your current journal into your bag before heading back out of your room. 

“Okay, I'm ready,” you announced as you stepped back into the main room.

You found the boys sitting at the dining room table, eyeing Ari warily. Ari, on the other hand, was grinning smugly as she finished cooking her dinner. 

“Wait, I thought we were gonna get a proper tour,” Baby whined.

Romance stood up and walked over to you, ignoring Baby's comment. “You look stunning darling.”

“Thank you Rome,” you replied before glancing over at Baby. “Yes, yes, fine, you can come see my room real quick.”

Baby hopped up excitedly as you turned to lead the boys away.

“That bedroom door better stay open!” Ari called jokingly.

“Yes mom,” you teased back as you opened your bedroom door and stepped inside.

Your room was a nice size. You had a queen size bed, a fluffy rug, and a few posters on the wall, one of which was a Huntr/x poster. You had your own closet and ensuite bathroom, and you had a nice desk that faced a window, overlooking the street below.

“You're gonna need a bigger bed,” Baby teased instantly.

Abby wrinkled his nose at the Huntr/x poster. “We'll have to get you a poster of us, too.”

You snorted. “Okay, well now that you can all say you've been in my bedroom - can we go to dinner?” 

Jinu stepped up next to you, “Thank you for showing us your place.”

You waved your hand dismissively, but it felt nice showing the boys where you lived. “You guys will have to come over to hang out sometime. We can watch some movies or something.”

“That sounds lovely,” Jinu agreed.

You managed to corral the boys and headed back out to the main room. “Okay, we're off to dinner now,” you told Ari as you all worked on putting your shoes back on.

“Have fun! Nice seeing you again boys,” she said with a smirk.

“How is she so scary?” You heard Abby whisper to Romance which made you try and stifle a laugh.

Based on the looks you got, you weren't too successful. 

“She wasn't too mean to you guys, was she?” You asked as you closed the apartment door behind you.

Mystery shook their head. “She was fine.”

“It's nice to know you have someone who cares about you so much,” Romance agreed.

The restaurant you all were headed to that evening was only a few blocks away from your apartment. Since it was nice out, you decided to walk there, making small talk along the way.

You off handedly mentioned having done research about soulmates and other things, which piqued the boys’ interest.

“Did you find anything?” Jinu asked.

“Well I did read about a ritual that could be used to ‘cleanse a soul touched by the darkness,’ but there wasn't additional information on it,” you explained. 

“Did they say what was in the ritual?” Abby asked.

“The only thing they mentioned was who was in the ritual… a yeoleo saeng-ae,” you licked your lips, “which I think is what I am. It's the word they used to refer to people who'd been reincarnated multiple times.”

The boys nodded, not seeming surprised by this information. 

You looked at Abby. “That dream I had… it wasn't a dream, was it?”

You saw Abby's shoulders tense slightly as he shook his head. “That was me, my life before all of this,” he said, gesturing to himself. “And if you saw that in your dream, then that was likely you in your past life, too.”

You wanted to ask more when you realized you had arrived at the restaurant. As Jinu held the door open for the group, Abby stopped next to you, gently cupping your chin.

“I promise I'll tell you more about it sometime soon, ok?” 

You nodded and he let his hand drop, instead sliding it around your waist as you all walked inside.

The place was small, but cozy. You all managed to squeeze into a table in the back corner where you found yourself seated between Jinu and Abby. 

Dinner was a comfortable event. You all chatted about your days and asked questions like, “What's your favorite color?” And “If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?” 

It was fun to get to know them more. You also got a kick out of the boys trying to out spice each other. Baby clearly has the highest spice tolerance of the group, and Jinu didn't even try to play their games.

“I'd like to keep my food in my stomach, thank you very much,” he said when he ordered a medium heat curry. 

Towards the end of your meals, Romance looked at you, head tilted. “Are you doing anything this Friday darling?”

You swallowed your food, wiping off your mouth as you shook your head. “I don't think so, why?”

“It's the first round of the Idol Awards semi-finals,” Baby said. “We've been invited.”

“We were told we could reserve tickets for guests if we'd like,” Jinu continued, “We'd love for you to be there.”

“Ari can come, too,” Abby pitched in.

Your eyes widened in excitement. “That sounds so fun! I'd love to!”

Romance beamed. “Great, we'll make sure to get you your passes tomorrow, then.”

You all finished up shortly after that, with Jinu slipping away to pay as the other boys waited outside with you. 

“Hey Rome?” You asked, making the pink haired boy turn to you excitedly. You stepped closer, one hand coming up to rest on his chest as you leaned in and kissed him.

You felt one hand come up and cup your face, the other sliding onto your waist, and you smiled as you pulled back. 

“That was well worth the wait,” Romance mused, his thumb brushing over your cheek gently.

You felt another body slide up behind you as Baby's chin came to rest on your shoulder. “You sure you don't wanna come back to our place doll?” He asked, lips brushing against your ear.

You suppressed a shiver, managing to throw a half-hearted glare at him. “Some of us have to go to work in the morning. Wait, do you guys need sleep?”

Baby shrugged. “Not really.”

“We rest sometimes, but we don't need it, necessarily,” Abby said. “Or at least, not as often as you need it.”

“You guys know you're standing in the middle of the sidewalk, right?” Jinu piped up as he stepped out of the restaurant. 

Oh yeah, you were sandwiched between Romance and Baby still. 

You wiggled out from between the two of them and noticed Jinu's smirk. “Oh hush, you're just jealous it wasn't you.”

“A little,” Jinu admitted teasingly. 

You leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Better?” You teased back.

“It's a start,” he said, hands going to your waist.

“Hey! We're in the middle of the sidewalk still,” Abby interrupted with a grin directed at Jinu. 

Jinu grumbled and you laughed as you stepped back. “Come on boys, I need to get home anyway.”

The walk back was enjoyable, the night air refreshing, and soon enough you were back at your apartment. 

“Maybe you guys could come hang out here tomorrow evening? Ari works the late shift,” you suggested as you stood on the apartment's doorstep.

“We'd love that,” Romance replied.

“We could meet you at your work if you'd like?” Jinu asked.

You laughed. “Maybe? You guys aren't exactly subtle. I think you'd get recognized.”

“Well, at least one of us will be there for sure,” Jinu said.

Abby stepped up to you, grinning as he slipped his hands onto your waist. “I'll be here in the morning to walk you to work.”

You smiled and kissed him. “I appreciate that.”

“Hey! Why does he get the last kiss?” Baby grumbled.

“You can't all get the last kiss,” you told him. “That's physically impossible.” Regardless, you stepped around Abby and gave Baby a kiss. “Better?”

Baby smirked. “Much.”

Jinu sighed. “You shouldn't indulge him so much.”

You waved a hand dismissively. “Sometimes you gotta give the brat what they want.”

“I'm not a brat!” Baby gasped, but when the whole group raised an eyebrow at him, he scowled. “Whatever, you all like it.” 

You snorted. “Bye boys, I'll see you tomorrow.”

They all bid you goodnight as you stepped back into your apartment, shutting the door behind you. 

This palace had been your home since you were young, but you knew soon you would have to leave.

 

A part of you had always known this wouldn't be your home forever, but a bigger part had foolishly hoped you might stay.

 

Your father was a renowned and respected tutor, hired by the royal family to educate their two sons. Your mother and yourself, along with your father of course, were housed in one of the wings of the palace. You were all provided with food, shelter, and clothing as compensation for your father's work.

 

While you weren't a royal yourself, your father's position allowed you a bit more freedom around the palace. Sometimes you would even sneak into his lessons to watch, or take notes yourself.

 

The older of the two sons was set to inherit the throne one day. He was a few years older than you and had never particularly caught your eye.

 

But the younger one? He had.

 

The two of you were close in age, with him only being a few months older than you, so you'd often played together growing up. He'd never outgrown his striking blue eyes, and despite his general attitude, you'd always liked him.

 

Yujin.

 

He'd been the one to take your first kiss when you were both running around the garden as kids.

 

He came to you to vent about the frustrations he had with his family and being the second child.

 

He was your first crush. Your first love even.

 

But then the tragedy struck.

 

Something had changed in Yujin a few days before it happened. You'd noticed him being cockier, more handsy. At the same time he was snappish with the other staff and rude with his brother in a way he normally wasn't.

 

You never would've assumed he had anything to do with their deaths, yet standing in the wake of it you could no longer be certain.

 

The palace was decked in shades of black and navy, while Yujin had on a traditional white hanbok. At times he seemed impassive, untouchable, while other times he stared at the paintings of his family for an hour or more, unblinking.

 

When you approached him to offer your condolences, he laughed.

 

You swore you saw a flash of purple on his neck the other day, but you played it off as a trick of the light. 

 

Your family was set to leave by the end of the week, giving you time to mourn as well as pack. Your father had already secured another position with a different family, so you had nothing to worry about.

 

But you were still worried about him.

 

“This wasn't how it was supposed to happen,” you heard him hiss the other day as he knelt before his family's shrine.

 

On the day you left, you didn't even get to say goodbye. 

 

Every time you tried to find Yujin, you were blocked by higher ups, saying he was too busy and to not disrupt him.

 

You ended up writing a small note and leaving it in the garden.

 

It was near where you first kissed, under your favorite tree on the grounds.

 

Grounds you'd hoped you'd stay on, but now you were too lowly to be his wife. He would certainly be paired with another family to ensure a better lineage and bring prosperity to the region.

 

You supposed that was a good thing, yet as the gates closed behind your family, you couldn't help but feel a part of your heart close with it.

Chapter Text

You stared up at the ceiling before your alarm had even gone off, the face of the boy still clear in your mind.

Yujin.

Those bright blue eyes.

You knew without a shadow of a doubt who it was.

You picked up your phone just as the alarm started to ring, quickly dismissing it and opening up your texts.

“Is your name Yujin?” you sent before you could second guess yourself.

Your phone was ringing not even a second later.

You answered.

“How do you know that name?” Baby’s voice rasped, deeper than usual.

“I thought you had beef with the sunrise,” you half-heartedly teased, though your voice was quiet.

“Y/N,” Baby all but growled. “How. Do you know that name?”

“It was in my dream last night…” you finally breathed. “I knew it was you.”

You heard some creative cursing, the phone clearly pulled away from his face for a moment, before he was back. His voice sounded desperate when he spoke. “Tell me you weren’t who I think you were.” 

You had a feeling you were exactly who he thought you were.

“I was the tutor’s daughter.”

“Fuck! Shit, I can’t-” he spat before his voice became muffled, held away from the phone’s speaker again. “Min! Come take the phone. It’s Y/N. I need- I just-”

There was a shuffling sound before a different voice came over the line.

“Y/N?” Mystery asked. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“I…” you tried to say, but the emotions from the drea- memory were washing over you again.

The confusion. The hint of anger. The anguish.

And… betrayal?

“I had a dream of- I remembered Yu- Baby's life. I knew him,” you finally managed to say.

“Ah,” Mystery said, some rustling happening in the background. “How do you feel about that?”

“He… I loved him,” you choked out, tears trickling down your face. “I thought he and I- but then his family died and some part of me thought he had something to do with it. But my family was forced to leave, and I didn't even get to say goodbye-” 

A sob escaped and Mystery hummed sympathetically. “I'm sorry starlight. That must have been hard to relive.”

You took deep breaths, trying to focus on letting the feelings pass. You knew the actual memory was from decades- likely centuries ago, but it felt fresh to you.

“I'm sorry, I know it's, it's me but it's not me and I…”

“It is you, and you're experiencing it for the first time to you,” Mystery said, speaking calmly. “It's okay to be upset by it.”

You took a few more deep breaths, trying to focus on the present as the tears slowly subsided.

“You need anything?” Mystery asked after a moment.

“... I think I'm okay,” you responded softly. “Is… Is Baby okay?”

“He probably needs a moment. It's not my story to tell, but that memory is laced in sadness for him, too,” Mystery replied. “I'm sure he'll reach out to you soon.”

You forced yourself to get out of bed, shuffling towards your bathroom. “I… I guess I should go. I still need to get ready for work,” you mumbled.

“If you need anything, just text us,” Mystery said.

“I will,” you whispered back. “Thanks Mystery.”

“Of course starlight. You have a good day.”

“You, too.”

You went through your routine on autopilot, mind feeling fuzzy. It wasn't until you checked your work bag that you spotted your dream journal where you'd tucked it last night.

You stared at it for a moment before sighing and grabbing it. You could at least jot it down, maybe it'd help you move on from it.

As you were writing down the last sentences, your phone buzzed in your pocket. You finished off the story, feeling your composure give slightly. You took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before finally checking your phone.

“Baby just about bit my head off. Said he's gonna walk with you this morning. I'll meet you after work, hope that's okay darling,” Abby sent.

“That's okay. I'll see you this evening.” You sent back, stomach clenching anxiously.

You picked up the pace, pouring your coffee in one of your travel cups before slipping out the door.

As you pushed open the front door to the building and stepped outside, you spotted a figure hunched over nearby. They had on an oversized hoodie and their hands were shoved in their pockets.

Immediately, you felt the tension leave your body, your anger evaporating.

You walked over to him calmly, stopping next to him. “Hey.”

Baby jumped slightly, eyes snapping over to you. You saw them flash gold for a moment, but what really caught your attention was the red rimming around them. He opened his mouth, only to slam it shut again. His gaze looked panicked.

You glanced at the bus stop and then nudged his shoulder. “Come on, let's walk.”

You quickly got out your phone and texted your manager, letting her know you had a small emergency and would be an hour late. She texted back quickly and told you to take care. Nodding to yourself, you directed Baby past the bus stop. You were taking the long way to work today.

The two of you walked in silence for a while. You could tell Baby wanted to talk, so you gave him the space to do so when he was ready.

A few blocks later, he finally spoke. 

“I…” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “I'm sorry.” 

You glanced at him but held your tongue, which seemed to encourage him to keep going.

“I- fuck, I mean. I just- I fucked up in every way possible,” he continued, voice catching at the end. “My family- they didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve that.” You saw his shoulders hunch further. “I'll never be able to apologize to them, and I didn't think I'd ever be able to apologize to you either.”

“What are you sorry for?” You asked softly. 

He laughed bitterly and it reminded you of how he laughed when you'd tried to console him about his family. “What am I not sorry for? I was a spoiled brat and it lead to me losing everything.”

He kicked the ground and huffed. “It happened shortly after my father had approved me courting you. I…” he scowled, “I know how I acted, but I never felt like I was enough to be worthy of you.”

He took in a shaky breath, still looking at the ground as you both walked. “That's the first time I heard him in my ear. He told me I was nothing, that I was never going to be good enough… but that he could make sure I was. He said he'd give me everything I deserved.”

“And I believed him,” he whispered. “I became such an ass after that, feeling so confident that I had solved all my problems.” He scoffed. “I even remember being handsy with you- I was so…” He shakes his head.

“And then my family-” his voice got choked up and he stopped. “I- I didn't hate them. I didn't even hate my brother. I just couldn't be happy with all I had. I didn't want the throne, I just wanted more, but I already had it!” His voice got louder in frustration. 

He paused for a bit, breathing heavily for a moment. “... The worst part was that even after everything, I lost you.” He finally glanced at you, his eyes still red rimmed. Once he looked back down at his feet, he continued. “I was so busy, at first, with the funeral arrangements and the passing of the throne- but then I know my advisors were keeping you from me. Those fuckers- they didn't want a commoner,” he rolled his eyes at the word, “to step foot in the throne room, much less taint the bloodline.”

“They wouldn't even tell me when you were leaving, I just came out of a meeting one day and you were gone.” 

“I tried to find you all day,” you whispered, and his gaze snapped over to you. “They kept intercepting me, saying you were too busy.” You crossed your arms, holding them tightly against yourself. “I wanted to say goodbye. I hate that I didn't get to.”

“... I found your note,” Baby admitted quietly. “That night, after I realized you were gone, I went to our tree and sat under it… and there it was.”

He shook his head. “They never told me where your family moved to. Every day I grew more resentful and angry at myself. It built and boiled until my patterns took over my body and I was dragged down to where I belonged.”

You immediately looked at Baby, eyes narrowed in concern. “You don't belong there.”

He glared at you, scowling. “Yes I do. You of all people should know-”

“Yeah, me of all people. I do know! You were suffering and he took advantage of that!” You snapped.

“We could've had lifetimes together,” he hissed. “You would never have wanted for anything if I hadn't been-”

“A normal person with insecurities?” You bit back. “We all get in our own head sometimes. You cared about me so much that you were afraid of fucking it up. That's normal! He is the one who twisted that. He killed your family and ripped me away, not you.”

Baby's jaw clenched, but you kept your gaze on him.

“Nothing you've said to me today has made think any less of you,” you told him, voice quiet but firm. “He took advantage of your vulnerability, of your fears.” You shook your head subtly, feeling your eyes well up again. “You didn't ask for them to die. You didn't want that. The fact that you're still mad at yourself now, centuries later, shows that you're a good person who made a mistake. That you didn't deserve any of it.”

“Then why did it happen to me?” He hissed. “If I didn't do something to deserve it- My family certainly didn't do anything wrong so it has to be my fault.”

You saw Baby curling in on himself again and you immediately glanced around. Spotting a nearby alley, you grabbed his wrist and dragged him over to it. The second you were out of sight, you pulled him into you, hugging him as tightly as you could.

It was like a string snapped. Baby's arms wrapped around you, hands grasping you like his life depended on it. His head went to your shoulder and you felt his body shake as silent tears soaked your shirt. 

You tucked your head into his neck, feeling your own tears escape, too. “I'm so so sorry that happened to you Yujin,” you whispered. “Neither of us deserved that, but we're here now. I'm here now.” 

Your fingers curled into his shirt. “I forgive you.”

You heard a choked off sob in response to that. “But how do I forgive myself?” He whispered, voice breaking. 

“By living,” you replied just as softly, “one day at a time. And if you need me to tell you every day that you didn't deserve it, until you believe it, I will.”

Baby clung to you, as if afraid you were going to disappear. You didn't mind, as your own emotions were coursing through you, too. You just held him close until he finally stopped shaking.

“Don't you need to go to work or something,” he grumbled petulantly against your neck.

“I told my boss I had an emergency and was going to be a little late,” you replied. 

“... I don't deserve you,” he whispered.

“Well no one is entitled to any relationship, so it doesn't matter what you think you do or don't deserve,” you told him. “I'm here and I want to be here. That's my choice.”

After a bit, Baby finally pulled back. His gaze was locked with yours for a moment before he leaned in, giving you a gentle kiss. “I'm sorry,” he said again.

“I know.” You replied softly, cupping his cheek. “I forgive you.” 

Baby's hands shifted down to your waist. “I don't want you to go to work today,” he grumbled. 

“Sorry, they don't allow clingy cats at work,” you teased lightly, kissing his cheek when he hissed playfully back.

He huffed, turning to slip an arm around your lower back as you both began to walk once more. “I just… I feel like I just got you back,” he admitted quietly.

You leaned into him. “I've been here, and I'm not going anywhere. You'll see me again in a few hours.”

He grumbled something under his breath, leaning his head against yours.

You directed your route over to another bus stop. It wasn't your usual, but it was one that still connected to your work. As you waited there, Baby shifted behind you, slipping both hands around your waist as he buried his head into the crook of your neck.

You grabbed your phone out of your pocket and sneakily took a selfie.

You thought about sending it to the group chat, but instead made a separate one with just you, Baby, and Mystery.

“I have a clingy cat on me.” You captioned it.

“Need any help with him?” Mystery sent back.

You reached back and patted the top of Baby's head. “I think we'll be ok. I'll let you know.”

You nudged Baby gently. “Do you want Myst to meet you at my work?” 

He sighed. “Fine.” 

“Can you meet us at my work?” You texted back.

“I'll be right there.”

Baby remained clingy the whole bus ride. As the two of you stepped off near your work, you spotted Mystery hanging out on a bench. They stood up as you walked closer, meeting you half way.

“Come on Yu,” Mystery said, grabbing Baby's waist from behind. 

Baby growled at him, but didn't put up a fight otherwise. You turned around and gave both of them a kiss. “I'll see you this evening.”

“See you later doll,” Baby said softly. There was a slight desperation to his gaze, but he stayed in Mystery's arms.

You paused, leaning in and giving Baby one more, lingering kiss. Your heart clenched, but you made yourself step back and turn away.

It'd only be a few hours, but already it felt like centuries.

Chapter Text

When you stepped outside of your work that evening, both Abby and Romance were waiting for you. 

“Heard you had quite the morning,” Abby said as the two boys stepped up beside you.

You huffed. “Yeah that was… a lot.” You shook your head. “It's just surreal, that this isn't my first time living. That I've met some of you guys before this.” 

“Do you only ever remember them through dreams?” Abby asked.

“So far yeah?” You answered with a shrug. “But once I remember them, at least now, I can sometimes recall more once I'm awake. I don't know if that makes any sense, but…”

“When you're dreaming- does it feel like a memory?” Romance asked.

“It's like more than just a memory,” you said. “They almost feel like I'm reliving them.”

“... Have you ever seen yourself die?” Abby asked hesitantly.

“No, I don't think so,” you answered after a moment.

Abby nodded, shoulders relaxing slightly. “That's good. I can't imagine that would be fun to relive.”

“So where are the rest of the boys?” You asked as you waited for the bus. “I thought we were going to my place this evening?”

Romance smirked. “We are, but we all agreed that you were right. All five of us walking you home would be more conspicuous. So the rest are probably waiting at yours already.”

Abby slipped his arm behind your back, leaning in so his nose brushed near your ear. “Maybe we just wanted you to ourselves for a second sweetheart.”

Romance slid closer, too, cupping your chin with one hand as he gently kissed your cheek.

“Boys,” you hissed, “we're in public.”

“I don't see you pulling away,” Abby teased, but he leaned back slightly anyways. 

On the bus, the boys stayed close. They kept you bracketed between them the whole ride. Any bump or turn, their hands were on you, as if they needed an excuse to touch you further. 

Finally, the bus arrived at your stop and they had to let go to fit through the doorway.

As expected, the other three boys were waiting outside the building. Baby was still in the oversized hoodie from earlier. Mystery had their hair pulled back into a short ponytail. Jinu was wearing sunglasses and a backwards hat. 

“Your guys’ disguises are hilarious,” you laughed as you got closer.

Mystery shrugged, pushing themselves up from their position leaning against the building. “If they work, they work.”

“Well come on, let's go inside before they don't work.”

The second you were inside the first door, not your apartment door, Baby had you pushed against the wall and was kissing you.

You melted into it for a moment, feeling something in your soul settle at his touch. Then, someone cleared their throat and you remembered where you were.

“Baby we're literally right inside the door,” you said as you gently pushed him away.

“And?” 

“No making out in hallways when my apartment is just upstairs!” 

“Ugh!” Baby rolled his eyes as Jinu stepped between you two, slipping his arm behind your back.

“So what do you want to do this evening?” Jinu asked as he walked you to your apartment.

“Honestly, this week has been so much, I just wanna hang out. Maybe we can watch a movie or something.”

Jinu smiled, kissing your temple. “That sounds reasonable.”

The only major hiccup, minus Baby being particularly clingy, was that your couch wasn't equipped to handle 5 full grown men plus yourself. 

It ended with you tucked between Jinu and Romance. Mystery sat at your feet, leaning back against your legs. Abby was beside Jinu and Baby draped himself across the couch with his head landing in your lap. 

“We need to get you a bigger couch,” Baby grumbled.

“Or we go to our place next time,” Abby suggested. “Our couch is huge.”

You laughed. “I still think it'll be hard to find a way for all five of you to be touching me at once.”

“That sounds like a challenge,” Romance said with a wink, making you blush. 

You ordered Door Dash and watched a movie, eating the food together on the couch. It was much comfier than you anticipated it being. So much so that you didn't realize you'd dozed off until you felt someone start to gently rub your shoulder.

“Do we have to wake her up?” Baby asked. “We could just take her back to our place.”

“I think Ari would find us somehow if we did that,” Abby whispered.

“Y/N, darling, Ari is going to be home soon,” Romance said softly, his voice sounding closer than the others. 

You blinked your eyes open groggily, covering a yawn with your hand. “When did I fall asleep?” You asked, voice a little rough from your rest. 

“A little over 30 minutes ago,” Jinu answered.

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pass out on you guys,” you said as you sat up from where you'd been resting against Jinu's shoulder. “You could've woke me up.”

“We're happy you feel safe enough to fall asleep around us starlight,” Mystery replied gently. 

“You guys are comfy, clearly,” you said as you stifled another yawn. 

“We'll have to sleep over sometime then,” Romance mused, “so you can get a good night's rest.”

Baby smirked, but before he could even speak, Jinu pushed him off the couch.

Baby yelped as he landed in Mystery's lap. “Hey! I didn't even say anything!”

“You thought it,” Jinu replied dryly, making you snort. 

“Ugh,” you groaned as you stretched. “At least I only have a half day at work tomorrow.”

“Good thing, that'll give you plenty of time to get ready for the award show,” Romance said, pulling two passes out of his pocket.

Your eyes lit up as you saw the passes. They had the Idol Awards logo on them as well as the Saja Boys’ logo, with the words “VIP GUEST” printed on the bottom.

“Oh I'm so excited to show these to Ari when she gets home,” you squealed excitedly as you took the passes. 

“Show Ari what?” Ari asked as she stepped in the front door.

You turned around on the couch so you could face her, holding out the passes. “Guess who's taking her bestie to the Idol Award Semi Finals tomorrow?”

Ari gasped. “Wait really?”

Jinu turned to look over the back of the couch as well. “We're given a few passes for guests, and obviously we wanted to give some to you guys.”

“Thank god I'm off work tomorrow. Ah!! This is so exciting!” Ari cheered. 

“Those will let you come backstage after the show, too,” Abby pointed out.

Ari looked at you, eyes wide, “OhMyGodWhatIfWeRunIntoHuntr/x??” She said all in one breath.

“What, are we not good enough?” Baby asked as he finally stood up from the floor.

Ari shrugged. “I haven't threatened Huntr/x with a knife for dating my bestie soo….” 

You laughed as the boys all got up.

“And while we're definitely not afraid of getting threatened again, it's coincidentally time for us to go,” Abby said, stepping over to you. He kissed your cheek gently. “We'll see you tomorrow sweetheart.”

Each of the boys gave you a kiss goodbye, Baby's lingering longer than the others. You walked them to the door, stealing one more kiss from Baby before shutting it behind them.

“So,” Ari said as you turned around, grinning, “outfit shopping tomorrow?” 

That night you had a dreamless sleep, waking up feeling well rested as you texted the boys good morning.

Romance walked you to work and explained that they would be busy getting ready when you got off midday.

“I'll be okay, Ari is going to meet me here anyways so we can go shopping,” you told him.

“Just be careful, okay?” He asked softly, cupping your face. “And if you need anything- just call and we'll be there right away.”

He left you with a kiss and your work day flew by quickly. Of course, it helped that you got to leave after lunch - but still!

Ari texted you a few minutes ago, letting you know her ETA. You had both agreed to meet at a nearby strip to hopefully find some cute outfits for the evening.

What did people even wear to award shows?

You were searching images from previous years Idol Awards, trying to eyeball the audience as you headed out of your work for the day. 

It's not like you were going to be on screen or anything, but also you didn't want to stand out in either direction.

You saved a few pictures for outfit inspiration and was about to look up a few more when you heard your name be called.

Ari beamed at you. “You ready to find some cute outfits?”

“Dude I've been looking at crowd pictures for like the past hour,” you said as you two started to walk. “Do you have an idea what kind of vibe you're going for?”

“Like artsy but not too much, I think,” Ari answered, shrugging. “This just seems like a fun excuse to wear a cool, fancy outfit.”

You laughed. “You know what? You're right. I'm sure we'll find something awesome.”

The boutiques and shops you visited weren't too crowded, which made the shopping all the more fun. It took you and Ari a bit to find your grove, but a few shops in you both started to hone in on your desired goals for your outfits.

In the end, Ari found a cute dress, jacket, belt, and shoes for her fit. Yours included a nice top and bottom piece that were complimentary, some cute shoes, and a matching jewelry set. 

The two of you had the perfect amount of time to run home, change, eat a snack, and make it back to the studio just as they were starting to let guests in.

You and Ari took a picture in line outside of the building.

“On our way in now!” You texted the boys. 

When you got to the front and the guards noticed your VIP badges, you were instantly given an escort to your seats in the VIP area. There was a pre-show lounge that offered complimentary drinks and foods, as well as free light sticks for the band of your choice.

Of course you grabbed a Saja Boys one while Ari snuck a Huntr/x one. 

“Sorry not sorry, those girls have been my fav for years,” Ari said with a grin.

You laughed. “Hey I get it. I still love them, too, but I think my boys would be mad if I showed up repping the competition.”

And then some-

Once it was time for the show to start, more escorts came back to help the VIP guests to their seats. Yours were on the right side of the stage, very front row. Ari and you squealed in excitement, snapping a few more pictures before the show finally began.

You'd been watching the Idol Awards and Semi-Finals for it for years now on your TV, so it was exciting to get to see it in person for once. The announcer first introduced the top 10 bands and explained that half of them would be eliminated after tonight's show, leaving 5 left for round 2. The Saja Boys were predicted to be in the top 3 this evening, alongside Huntr/x and TWICE. 

All 10 bands slowly made their way on stage as they were announced, with varying degrees of hype from the audience. The Saja Boys were second to last. You cheered excitedly, turning on your light stick and holding it up. 

The boys instantly noticed you. Abby smirked and Baby winked at you. Romance blew you a kiss, while Jinu and Mystery tried to play it cool.

Finally, Huntr/x came out, and the crowd went wild. Despite knowing who they were and the fact that they were, inherently, against your boys - you still couldn't help but get a bit excited. 

What surprised you the most was the fact that Huntr/x seemed to zero in on you, too. All three girls looked your way with varying expressions of surprise on their faces. They composed themselves shortly after, but you swore they kept glancing at you from time to time.

Weird. Could they somehow tell you were connected to the Saja Boys? 

The announcer went through the process of discussing the votes and the highest rated songs of the past week. They slowly eliminated the bottom 5 before building up hype for the winner of this round.

“And this week's winner is… ‘Soda Pop’ by the Saja Boys!” 

You cheered loudly, still proud of your boys despite knowing what else their song could mean. 

After receiving their flowers and cheers, the announcer reminded people to vote and listen to pick their favorites for next week's round. 

As the audience started to leave, you and Ari were directed backstage. Both of you were grinning excitedly.

“This is literally so cool,” Ari whispered as you walked past some of the other idol groups on your way to see the boys.

They were leaving their dressing room just as you got there. 

“Ah! Congratulations!” You greeted them, going up and hugging each of them.

“Thank you sweetheart,” Abby replied, sneaking a kiss to the top of your head.

“Yeah, great job guys!” Ari agreed.

“Yeah, congrats,” a new, yet familiar, voice said from behind you.

You and Ari turned to see Huntr/x standing there. Ari gasped and you felt your eyes widen, too.

“OhMyGodYou'reHuntr/x,” Ari said excitedly. 

The three girls had been glaring subtly at your boys, but when Ari spoke they lit up and redirected their attention to the two of you.

“We're huge fans,” you gushed, stepping away from the boys despite feeling the tension rolling off of them.

“Yeah!! We went to the final show of your world tour and wow!” Ari squealed. “That entrance was so cool!”

“Aw thank you guys!” Zoey cooed. “It's so nice to meet you. What are your names?”

“I'm Y/N and this is my friend Ari,” you replied, bowing slightly.

“Oh you don't have to do that,” Rumi reassured you. “We're always happy to meet fans.” 

“Could we get a picture with you maybe?” Ari asked hesitantly.

“Yes of course!” Zoey said, clapping her hands. 

“Maybe one of the Saja Boys could take it for us,” Mira suggested with a knowing smirk.

You felt a rumble build behind you and you instantly turned around. “Simmer down,” you told them quietly but firmly. “It's fine. Play nice.”

And while Ari was too busy fangirling over Huntr/x to notice the exchange, you saw the Huntr/x girls share a look. It hadn't escaped their attention.

“I can take the picture,” Romance said smoothly, holding out his hand to take your phone.

“Thank you Rome,” you replied before stepping back and facing the girls.

You ended up between Rumi and Zoey, and Ari was between Mira and Rumi. 

“Say Golden!” Zoey said and the rest of you repeated it as Romance snapped a few angles.

You stepped back over to grab your phone from Romance. “Thank you,” you said softly.

Romance sighed, brushing his thumb over the back of your hand for a moment, before letting go of your phone. “Anything for you.” 

“So sorry but we have to head out now,” Rumi said. “It was so nice meeting you two, though!”

“Yes! Thank you for the photo,” Ari replied, still smiling.

“Anytime,” Mira said before the three waved and continued down the hallway.

“This was the best night ever,” Ari gushed as she rejoined the group. 

Baby snorted. “They're overrated.”

“You take that back!” Ari gasped, jabbing a finger at him. 

“Come on, no cat fights in the hallway,” you said, stepping between them. “Maybe we could all go grab a bite to eat to celebrate?” 

Abby stepped over, slinging an arm across your shoulders. “You know I'll never say no to dinner with you.”

“Oh hush,” you replied, blushing.

“Winners get the tab!” Ari joked as you started to head down the hallway.

“Yeah alright,” Jinu agreed and the seven of you left the building. 

Chapter Text

The boys had walked you and Ari home after grabbing food the night before. You bid them all goodbye with the promise that tomorrow the six of you would get to hang out and relax most of the day.

You were excited honestly. 

You were also going to be spending the night at their place for the first time. Your stomach fluttered at the thought. 

When you woke up the next morning, you texted the boys, who all flooded your phone with various “good morning” texts. You smiled to yourself as you got ready for the day, packing a bag for the night. Once you had your clothes and other essentials packed, you slipped your dream journal in, too. 

Maybe you'd get a chance to talk about it this weekend.

You skipped your morning coffee as you headed towards the door because the boys promised you breakfast. So after shooting a text to Ari, letting her know you were heading out and that you'd be back home tomorrow, you slipped outside. 

You'd spoken last night about where you were gonna meet.

“So do we want to start at my place? Or should I meet you guys somewhere?” You asked as you all stood outside of your apartment.

Ari had already gone inside to give you a moment to say goodnight.

“We can just meet you here again,” Jinu said.

“We don't exactly… have cars,” Abby admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Wait a second… you guys don't know how to drive, do you?” You guessed.

They all shook their heads.

You laughed. “Hey, that's okay. I don't own a car anyway, and the buses work just fine.”

“Well normally we can just teleport,” Baby explained.

“Or we've had drivers pick us up,” Romance said.

“We don't need a driver,” you told them, shaking your head. “That'd just attract more attention anyway. So, you guys will be here in the morning?”

“First thing,” Abby said, stepping up and kissing you. 

“Best part of the morning,” Romance agreed, voice practically a purr. 

And sure enough, all five of them were waiting outside when you stepped out the door.

They were all wearing semi-disguises, though nothing too intense. Jinu and Abby both had backwards hats and sunglasses on. Romance styled his hair differently and was wearing more muted colors alongside a stylish pair of glasses. Mystery had their hair pulled back and a comfortable jacket on, while Baby was wearing a bucket hat and sunglasses.

“Hey boys,” you greeted. “You know your disguises aren't exactly foolproof, right?”

Abby shrugged. “We're just trying not to get mobbed. The places we wanted to go today – we should be fine.”

“Well, you all still look very nice.”

Romance stepped up and kissed your cheek. “Not nearly as nice as yourself darling.”

You blushed as Romance slipped his arm around your lower back, standing by your side. “So where are we going first?”

“We made reservations at a nice spot uptown for breakfast,” Jinu said.

“We looked it up and the quickest way there is by the train,” Abby piped up, looking proud of himself.

“To the train then!” 

The boys were sharing a look as you finally approached the platform to board the train. You were about to ask what they were giving each other looks for when the train pulled up.

It had their faces on it.

You gasped. “When did this happen?” 

Jinu grinned. “We were contacted about it just before the semi finals. When we won, they went through with it.”

“That's so cool! Though it doesn't really help the ‘not getting mobbed’ disguises when your faces are right there,” you teased as you boarded the train.

“These glasses totally change my face shape,” Romance argued playfully, making you laugh more.

At one point during the train ride, you noticed Mystery flip up their hood and let some of their hair hide their face more. That's when you spotted a few girls whispering and pointing at the six of you.

It was bound to happen eventually. 

You slid over next to Mystery, helping them hide a bit further as Baby went over and intercepted the girls. Seeing him switch from his normal, default annoyed expression to a playful smile for the fans was adorable to watch. They snapped some pictures and thanked him profusely before slipping away.

“That was very sweet of you,” you told Baby as he stepped back over to the group.

He shrugged. “They were nice. Better than them bombarding us or following us later.”

“Well I'm sure you made their day,” you told him softly. Baby grumbled to himself, turning away slightly, but you noticed his cheeks were dusted pink.

After that, the train ride went smoothly. The boys led you off once you were at the right stop and headed to the restaurant.

Turns out the place they were taking you was at the top of a skyscraper. Sure they said “reservations” but you suddenly felt very underdressed.

“Does this place have a dresscode?” You hissed as you entered the main floor.

“Don't worry about it sweetheart,” Abby reassured you. “We booked a private corner.”

“With how much we're paying them, they better not kick us out,” Baby agreed.

“You deserve to be spoiled,” Mystery whispered in your ear, making you shiver.

God dammit these five would be the death of you.

When you made it to the top floor, thankfully the place didn't seem too uptight. The waiters were professional, greeting you all without a second glance and showing you to a spot that was roped off.

“Oh wow…” you breathed softly as you took in the view.

The whole floor was surrounded by floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city. With the sun still low in the sky, the shadows cast by the skyscrapers made the whole town look so…

“It's stunning,” you said as one of the boys pulled out a chair for you to sit in.

“Not as stunning as the view we have right here,” Jinu said, smirking playfully and flirtatiously at you.

You blushed, picking up the menu in favor of replying.

The seat the boys gave you faced out towards the window, with Baby and Mystery on either side of you. Mystery already had their arm slung around the back of your chair, while Baby had a hand on your knee.

They were very distracting and they knew it.

You still managed to focus enough to pick out some food before the waiter came back around a second time. 

“So, we were thinking we could show you around the studio today,” Romance said once the waiter took your orders and left.

“We thought you might like seeing where we work,” Mystery added.

“Though we may practice while we're there, if you don't mind?” Jinu asked. 

You smiled. “That sounds fun. I'm down!”

The food came out and it was wonderful. At one point Abby tried to steal a bite of your food, but you just got back at him by stealing a bite of his food, too.  

As Romance stepped away to pay the check, the other boys stood with you near the elevator.

“How far is your studio from here?” You asked.

“It's probably 15 minutes away by bus,” Abby explained, “but we planned on…” He snaps his fingers with a smirk.

“Really?” You teased. “You can't stand to be on a bus for 15 minutes so you need to -” you snapped your fingers, “- instead?”

Baby shrugged. “Can't be spotted by fans if you're not walking around.”

“Hm, fine I'll give you that,” you said, still smiling playfully. 

Romance came back over, sliding up beside you. “Okay, we're good to go.” 

Mystery called for the elevator and the six of you stepped inside. Once you were a few floors down, you felt Romance's arm tighten around your waist and suddenly you were surrounded by pink.

You blinked rapidly as the world changed from the steel of the elevator to the soft, wood tones of a dance studio.

One wall of the room had windows every other panel. The opposite wall was fully covered by mirrors. The ceiling had some foam paneling to help with the echo, and off to the side near the windows were two couches and a sound system. 

“Ooh this is super nice,” you said as you looked around. 

 “We have this room and a recording studio down the hall,” Jinu explained. “And some bathrooms obviously.” He shrugged. “It's nothing over the top, but it suits our needs.”

“Do any of you play instruments?” You asked. 

“I play the bipa,” Jinu said. “I've been trying to learn the guitar.”

“We had war drums,” Abby replied, “but playing a full drum set has been a lot harder.”

“Mystery, I can picture you playing the bass,” you commented, glancing at the lavender haired boy. “And Romance you just give piano vibes, honestly.”

“What about me?” Baby asked.

“See you give more professional dancer energy,” you told him.

He smirked, crossing his arms. “I'll take that.”

“Do you mind if we work for a bit?” Jinu asked, all five boys looking at you when he did.

You shrugged. “I don't mind. I'll go hang out on the couch and watch.”

The boys dispersed to go get changed into more casual, danceable clothing as you tucked yourself into the couch. It was very comfy and had a nice view of both the city and the dance studio. 

The sunlight was trickling in through the glass, casting golden rays on the studio. One of them was cast over the corner you'd decided to snuggle up in. It was perfectly warm and almost made you want to take a nap. 

Of course, that's when Baby came out of the changing room and walked over to you. He was in a tank top and loose pants. He smirked at you, leaning over you on the couch.

“You look cozy,” he purred before closing the distance and kissing you.

You moaned softly into the kiss, slipping one hand around his neck. He chuckled, nipping at your lower lip playfully before pulling away. 

“Some other time, doll,” he said with a smirk. You stuck your tongue out at him and he chuckled again before walking over to the sound system and setting it up.

As he did, the other four boys trickled out of the changing room. Mystery was in a sleeveless hoodie and comfortable pants. Jinu had on a loose t-shirt and jeans. Romance was in an outfit similar to Baby's, and Abby was just in sweatpants, no shirt.

And he had the audacity to wink at you when he saw you checking out his chest. 

The boys first started with some stretches, which you definitely could appreciate. You swore half the time they were posing specifically for you.

You certainly weren't complaining. 

Finally, Baby pulled a remote out of his pocket, switched the stereo to play Soda Pop, and the boys got in position.

Sure you'd seen them perform before at the street show, but this time, their eyes were solely on you.

“Don't want you- need you. Yeah I need you to fill me up.” Jinu sang, winking at you.

You felt enraptured as the song continued, having their focus solely on you felt… addicting.

Mystery stepped up, brushing their hair out of their face as they sang the next line. “When you're in my arms I hold you so tight, so tight. Can't let go no, no not tonight.” They winked at you, smirking, as they moved out of the way for the next part of the dance.

“Cause I need you to need me.

I'm empty, you feed me.

So refreshing- my little soda pop.”

Baby smirked as he struck the pose before Abby took front and center. 

“You're all I can think of, every drop I drink up.

You're my soda pop, my little soda pop.

Cool me down, you're so hot. Pour me up, I won't stop.

You're my soda pop, my little soda pop.”

And of course, Baby made his rap section even hotter by checking you out the whole time.

By the time the song was over, you could feel how warm your cheeks were from blushing. 

“You enjoy that, doll?” Baby asked, smirking.

“Hush, you know I did,” you grumbled without any heat. 

“You know, we could write whole albums just about you,” Romance mused as he came closer. His fingers brushed under your chin, lifting your head slightly as he spoke. “For when the dawn breaks, its light is pittance compared to your breath.”

The boys may have said something in response to that, but your gaze was focused on Romance as your memories suddenly overwhelmed you.

You'd heard that prose before. 

You were standing just outside of the garden wall, head tilted as Hasam shared his most recent piece with you.

 

“When light gives life,

 

And warmth covers the ground,

 

It beckons with a promise of safety.

 

But security doesn't last

 

And time marches forward

 

Still you stand there

 

Your light never wavers

 

Drawing me in further.

 

Why mention the sun

 

Or the wind and the shade

 

For when the dawn breaks,

 

Its light is pittance

 

Compared to your breath.”

You felt your breathing increase and you realized the boys were surrounding you, concerned.

“Y/N, are you okay?” Romance asked, holding one of your hands between his.

“... Hasam?”

Chapter Text

Romance’s eyes widened, his body locking up for a moment as you settled back into the present.

You noticed Baby stand up first. “Give them a sec,” he told the others.

Jinu met your gaze as the other three started to walk away. “Just call if you need us.”

When the door clicked shut behind them, Romance finally spoke.

“I haven’t heard that name in a while.”

You turned your hand over, grasping his. He finally blinked and focused on you again. “I was your neighbor.”

He laughed, but it was more bitter than genuine. “Of course you were.”

Your eyebrows furrowed. “What happened?”

Romance sighed, shifting from his squatted position to sit on the floor, leaning sideways against the couch. He kept your hand in his. “I… I wanted to escape my family.” He says softly. “Prior to the time I saw you leaning against my fence line, when you apologized for staring and told me that my words helped you, I hadn’t let myself notice you. But after then…” he looked up at you, running his thumb over the back of your hand, “I couldn’t get you out of my mind.”

“I’d always been intrigued by you,” you told him, offering a small smile. “When your family attended our dinners… I swore my younger sister caught me staring more often than not.”

“My family made it very clear that any marriage I was to be a part of would be for their convenience,” he explained, voice still quiet as he looked at the ground. “I had long moved past the desire to even hope for a say.” He glanced back up at you, kissing the back of your hand. “I know if I had given you even a fraction of my attention, I would’ve fallen hopelessly.” His grip on you tightened slightly. “It was already unbearable to watch you be given to another.” 

“I would’ve chosen you too, if I could,” you replied, “but I never thought you had any interest in me until it was too late.”

Romance bowed his head with a sigh, resting it atop the hand he was holding. He was quiet for a moment, and you let him have time to think.

“I started hearing his voice the day you left to be with your new husband,” he finally said, his voice barely a whisper. “He said I would always be in the background, that I would never be able to be happy on my own… That's when he promised he could help.” 

“I wanted to be away from my family,” he continued. “I wanted to be able to continue my writing. He said he could give me the freedom and recognition I ‘deserved.’ A famous writer ended up coming to my family house and requesting me as his apprentice. My family obliged and I went to live with him.” 

“It was incredibly isolating, and it slowly drove me mad. I was never happy with what I made, it was never good enough.” He looked back up at you, smiling sadly. “Soon enough my patterns took over my skin and I didn’t have to worry about that anymore.”

You tugged on his hand, opening your other arm up to him. Romance got up, sitting on the couch beside you, and pulled you into his lap.

You wrapped your arms around him, tucking your head into his neck. “I’m sorry Rome.”

His nose tucked into the crook of your neck, breathing deeply. “It’s fine darling. I’m here with you now.”

“You’re a wonderful, talented person,” you told him softly, turning your head to kiss his cheek. “You deserved better than your family, and I’m sorry you got to a point where his offer felt like the only option.”

Romance leaned back, cupping your face. His thumb gently brushed over your cheek. “His voice has been in my ear every day since then, eating away at me, but you- you just stepped into my life and silenced it. Anytime I’m around you, I feel like I may be worthy of existing.”

“That’s because you are,” you told him firmly.

He sighed fondly, kissing your forehead. “One day I hope we’ll be so blessed to see ourselves the way you see us.”

You snuggled closer to him, content to be in his arms for a moment. “You certainly didn’t need him. Your way with words is just as good as it was back then.”

You felt him chuckle. “Well thank you darling.”

You simply sat there for a moment, enjoying cuddling with him, before a question popped into your head. 

“When I learned Baby’s name, I asked him what he preferred to be called-”

“Baby or Yujin is fine, doll, as long as it’s my name you’re calling ;)”

“-do you have a preference?”

Romance was silent for a moment before finally speaking. “The name Hasam… it always marked me as the after thought. The third.” He paused, voice a bit softer when he continued. “I quite enjoy when you call me Rome.”

“Rome it is, then,” you told him, leaning up to kiss him. 

You felt his arm snake around your waist, pulling you closer to his chest as he kissed you back. After a moment, he sighed into the kiss before reluctantly pulling back. “As much as I'd love to keep you to myself, the boys would be upset if I did so.”

You laughed. “Should we call them back?” 

“Probably,” Romance said dryly, though his grin gave him away. Keeping one hand around you, he used his other to fish out his phone, quickly sending a text. 

You felt your phone buzz from the text and didn't even have a chance to grab it before the boys were back in the room.

“Hey! I didn't get a lapful when I told you my story,” Baby immediately protested as he stepped over towards the two of you. 

“I snuggled you, too,” you replied, narrowing your eyes at him. “We were just in an alleyway instead of a couch!”

“Are you guys okay?” Jinu asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

Romance nodded. “We're fine.”

Jinu relaxed slightly. “Do you still feel up to practicing? If not we can go do something else, or go back to our place even.”

Romance hummed. “Well, either option would mean Y/N getting up-”

You huffed, shoving yourself back with a playful smirk. “You can cuddle me later.”

“Not if one of us cuddles you first,” Baby argued back.

Romance sighs dramatically. “Fiiine.” He stood up, gently setting you on the couch next to where he'd been. He gave you a kiss before stepping back.

The boys all gave you a lingering look, Abby blowing you a kiss even, before they finally refocused on their practice. 

They spent the next hour working through ideas for a different choreography. They were brainstorming song lyrics alongside it. 

You were intrigued, but it seemed to be in the beginning stages, still. 

You'd have to ask them about it later. 

Finally, the boys decided to finish up for the day. They came over to you, plopping down around you on the couch and floor alike.

“You alright with going back to our place now?” Abby asked. “We need to freshen up.”

“We can order Door Dash for lunch,” Baby said, typing away on his phone.

You shrugged. “That's fine with me.”

Mystery stepped up, then, opening their arms to you. You stood up, slipping under the arm closest to you, and was enveloped in pink once more.

Baby handed you his phone as you plopped down onto the couch. “Order whatever you want. I already put our orders in.”

Then the five boys headed off to clean up and get into fresh clothes.

You took your time scrolling the options on Door Dash before finally settling on something. You went to the cart and counted out the meals, making sure they were all there. It had an address plugged in already, which made you realize you’d never actually come into their place through the door, yet. You shrugged, surely the address was right, and clicked submit.

No sooner had you set Baby’s phone aside and pulled out your own did Abby appear next to you on the couch. You jumped in surprise, but didn’t have a chance to react before he was pushing you onto your back and draping himself across the top of you.

You started laughing. “Abby! What are you doing?”

He nuzzled into your neck and you swore you felt him… purring? “I didn’t get to cuddle you last time you were on this couch, or when you were at the studio, so I’m doing it now.”

You giggled, but relaxed into the couch, letting your arms rest atop his back. “Didn’t know I was dating a human-sized weighted blanket.”

You felt the rumbling increase at that, Abby’s hands sneaking around under your back as he relaxed against you further.

“Are you… purring?”

Abby turned his head to peek at you with one eye. “... Maybe.”

You smiled fondly, moving one hand up to card through his hair, making his eyes flutter closed. “That’s adorable, I didn’t know you guys could do that.”

Abby hummed contentedly. “We don’t usually have reason to, but it’s hard not to when we’re around you.”

You felt your heart melt at that. You couldn’t think of a response, so you just continued to play with Abby’s hair, enjoying the comfort of cuddling with him.

After a moment, your eyes closed, too. You were just so content.

Of course, that couldn’t last in a house with five boys.

You heard a growl start to build and pried open your eyes grumpily. Abby was tensed up, baring his teeth.

“Don’t you dare-” was all he managed to say before he was suddenly tackled off of you.

By Baby. 

You pushed yourself to a seated position as the two boys tumbled in the middle of the floor. Baby’s patterns flashed on his arm as he snarled at Abby. Abby was snarling back, shoving him so the two flipped over.

You heard a sigh as Mystery gracefully sat down beside you. They were turned sideways, right leg up on the couch. They easily grabbed your waist and pulled you between their legs, your back resting against their chest.

“Don’t mind them, they do this often,” Mystery said. 

Jinu came around and sat near your feet, pulling them up into his lap. He glanced over at the two of you. “What are they fighting about this time?”

“He was all snuggled up on top of Y/N,” Baby snapped from where he was pinned under Abby.

Abby growled at him. “I got there first. You can’t call dibs on a person.”

Jinu sighed. “I'm sorry for their behavior,” he said, like someone who's lived with this for decades.

You just laughed. “Don't worry, I think it's funny.” 

Romance finally came out into the living room, still running a comb through his hair. He hardly spared the two wrestling boys a second glance. “So what did you want to do this afternoon darling?” 

You shrugged, snuggling back into Mystery a bit more. “I don't know. Maybe we could play some board games, or watch shitty TV?”

Of course, you should've known from Abby and Baby's play fighting that a game of Uno wasn't going to end peacefully.

“He cheated!” Baby accused, pointing at Rome.

“Why on earth would I cheat at Uno?” Rome drawled, raising an eyebrow.

You had to bury your face in your arms to try and hide your laughter. Of course, this meant you didn't notice all five boys turn and look at you fondly. 

After a few more rounds, with much more dramatic accusations that you eventually realized they were doing to make you laugh, you all migrated back over to the couch.

“Do you want to go out somewhere for dinner?” Rome asked as you shuffled through the shows on TV.

“Sure, are there any good places nearby?”

“I'm sure we can find something,” Abby said.

You settled on a game show, letting it become background noise as you and Baby tried to find a good place to eat. You ruled out fast food, and pizza, before landing on a well-rated street vendor.

“Then we can take our food to go and have a nice evening walk,” Rome suggested.

“Maybe your disguises will work better in the dark,” you teased. “Plus, I'll finally be able to see the outside of your guys’ building.”

Turns out they lived in a very tall condominium, with their condo being near the upper levels. You oohed at the glass elevator as you rapidly made your way down to street level.

The walk to the street vendor was only a few blocks away. It was a nice evening, but the air had cooled down more than you expected. Before you could even shiver, Jinu was slipping off his jacket and placing it around your shoulders.

Your cheeks heated up as Jinu kissed the side of your head. “Can't have our girl getting cold.” 

The line for the street vendor wasn't long and soon you and the boys were meandering through town, enjoying your food. Jinu's jacket kept you nice and warm, as did walking in the middle of a group of five boys (they acted as great windbreakers). You all just chatted and enjoyed the vibes of the evening. The city was bustling, but as the sun set it made the mood much cozier still.

Finally, as the sun was dipping fully below the horizon, you made it back to their condo. 

After a few more episodes of bad television, you yawned big enough that the boys decided to usher you to bed.

When the boys (read: Abby and Baby) started bickering about who was going to lay by you in bed, you cut them off. “I'm picking Jinu and Mystery because they're not fighting, and also I got the snuggle with Romance earlier. So there.” 

Which led to Baby whining and draping himself over you dramatically, giving you big puppy dog eyes. You kissed him before playfully shoving him off, promising him next time. 

And surprisingly, you found it easy to fall asleep tucked against their chests, arms around your waist. 

It was the best sleep you'd gotten in a while.

Chapter Text

You spent most of your Sunday with the boys, meeting up with Ari for lunch before heading back home.

“Some of us have to go to work in the morning,” you told the boys when they tried to convince you to stay. You gave them each a kiss. “Maybe next time.”

Now, the dreaded Monday had rolled back around.

Your morning started off uneventful. You texted the boys, Abby walked you to work, and the weather outside was perfect. 

Your day was going so well, that you decided to treat yourself to a nice walk over your lunch break. You checked your texts as you left the building, heading towards a favorite vendor of yours to grab a nice bite to eat. 

The boys were apparently working on some final stages of getting product licensing approved for their own soda brands. Romance had sent you a selfie of the five of them in a waiting room at an office. The goal was for them to hit shelves before the next round of Semi Finals. 

You were pretty excited to try them out.

The place your go-to street vendor was at had a few other stalls and food trucks around it. Since it was the middle of the day, they all had lines, but you’d expected that. You stepped into your line, happily tapping away at your phone as you waited your turn.

As you shuffled forward, and more people joined the line behind you, you felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You felt your body stiffen, your phone lowering slightly as you stared around at what was in front of you.

You knew they were behind you, somewhere, but you were afraid to turn around just yet.

There were only three people left in front of you. It didn’t feel like whatever it was was getting closer, so you tried to take a few deep breaths and focus.

You made it to the front of the line and placed your order on autopilot before stepping aside to wait for your name to be called.

The person got closer.

You crossed your arms over your chest, wondering whether or not you should text the boys. You knew they'd come in a heartbeat, but you also didn't want to make a scene in a crowded area or make them leave their meeting.

You felt like someone was watching you. 

The people in front of you had been called to get their orders. You would certainly be next. You just needed to get your stuff and head back to your office. Sure you had planned on enjoying your food nearby before heading back, but now-

You didn't exactly want to be in public for longer than you had to.

A small part of you was saying that you were over reacting. It was broad daylight in a crowded town center. Surely nothing bad would happen.

But if they were a demon, like you suspected… you didn't want to take that risk. 

You started tapping your foot, your heart beat a dull roar in your ears. Every inch of your body was demanding you run right now.

“Order for Y/N!” The vendor finally called.

You stepped up and barely managed a soft, “Thank you,” before you were turning on your heel and fast walking away.

The sensation didn't lessen. 

In fact, it got closer. 

You immediately started to fumble for your phone, when a hand landed on your shoulder. 

“No need to contact your boys,” a smooth voice said lowly beside you. “I'm not here to hurt you.” 

Your breathing quickened even more. “That's not exactly reassuring,” you hissed, proud that your voice didn't shake. 

They chuckled. “You're feisty aren't you? My Mi-yeong was, too. Maybe it comes from all your lifetimes of experience.” They hummed. “A soul as bright as yours has certainly seen its share of ups and downs.”

“Who are you? What do you want?” You asked sharply. 

“I'm here to warn you that a certain demon king has a price on your head,” they said simply, as if they hadn't just made your heart rate speed up again. 

“Aren't you a demon?” You asked, your voice lifting at the end in slight fear. 

“Mmm yes, I am, but I have no desire to see you end up in his hands.” 

“Why?” You whispered without thinking. 

They sighed. “I lost my own soulmate a couple decades ago. The demon king also had his sights set on her, and while he was not the cause of her death… it's a pain I wouldn't wish on anyone. Even if I will see her again someday.” 

You finally dared to glance over and was surprised to see a man who seemed about a decade older than yourself. His black hair was pulled up into a ponytail.

And his eyes were a deep golden color. 

“If he gets a hold of you, there is no coming back,” he told you firmly. “Your boys will not find you in another life because your soul will be devoured.”

“You mentioned them earlier too,” you said, voice still quiet. “How do you know about them?” 

He smirked. “Besides their obvious scent on you, your mere existence in relation to them is currently the talk of the underworld.”

“Why?” You blurted out, eyes widening in panic.

“Because you're a way out,” he said simply, “but you're also a prize.” 

“So it's too late. They already all know about me. It's just a matter of time then before someone does take me to him,” you rambled, your stomach churning.

“Not necessarily,” the man said calmly. “None of them know what you look like or what your soul looks like.”

“But you found me,” you hissed. 

“I have much more experience than most of them,” he mused. “They don't know what to look for like I do.” He glanced down at you. “You're a blind spot for him.” 

You blinked, confused.

“That's how he even noticed in the first place,” the man continued when you didn't speak. “He realized he couldn't easily locate the boys or hear their thoughts. He's a bit over confident in his abilities, you see. He's not used to encountering someone who can so effortlessly overpower him.”

“I- I can overpower him?” You choked out. 

The man raised an eyebrow at you. “A soul like yourself is not one to be trifled with. Not only are they not easy to manipulate, and thenceforth feed upon, but they eventually become so connected to the Honmoon they act as a shield themselves.” He glanced away. “You shield your boys with your bond, and the longer that goes unchecked by him, the less power he'll have.”

He hummed. “So while my warning is for you, it also concerns them. The longer he is unable to find you, the more likely he will be to take them as a way to bait you out.” He paused, turning to catch your eye. His expression was serious. “Don't let him fool you- he will lie to them. He will try to break them down. He's afraid of you, because you hold a power he can't overcome.”

“How- I mean- Can I even stop this from happening?” You asked, voice shaking. “How do I protect them?” 

“Continue to be with them. Don't hide from your feelings,” he told you. “The stronger the bond, the more you can protect them. Trust your instincts.”

“That's so vague,” you hissed.

He sighed. “I'm sorry I don't have more knowledge to share. It's not exactly information he wants us to be aware of. But if it weren't true, he wouldn't be so focused on finding you.” 

“I- you told me not to contact my boys. Can I not tell them about this?” You asked hesitantly.

He shook his head. “Oh, no, I wouldn't ask you to keep this from them. I didn't want you contacting them because I am certain it would become an ‘attack first ask questions later’ situation. I just needed a moment to speak with you.”

You let out a shuddery breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding. “O-okay.”

He smiled sympathetically at you. “I'm sorry, this must be a lot to take in. I couldn't risk waiting any longer to tell you.” He chuckled. “Plus, those boys of yours keep you well guarded.” 

Your stomach clenched, the food in your hand, that was certainly cold by now, no longer looked appetizing. “... I need to go back to work,” you said quietly. 

“Of course little one, like I said, I was here to deliver a warning, not hold you captive.” He moved his arm off of your shoulder, but slid his hand down to grab yours. “I hope your bond flourishes. It's the least the six of you deserve.”

And with that, he stepped into the crowd, quickly disappearing out of sight. 

The rest of your work day passed in a haze. You found a container to keep your food in, optimistically hoping you could have it for lunch tomorrow instead. Beyond that, you barely remembered any of what happened. You were fully on autopilot.

You didn't even check your phone. You knew if you even thought about your boys for more than a second, the panic would return and you'd instantly call them.

Of course, that lasted until you stepped out the doors at the end of your shift.

Baby and Mystery were both waiting nearby. Baby's eyebrows were furrowed as the two immediately locked in on you. Mystery had their lips pressed into a line as you made your way over.

“Hey doll, are you okay? We hadn't heard from you since lunch-” Baby started to say when both boys froze. 

Baby's lip curled back, but Mystery immediately let out a snarl, his fangs showing clearly as he did.

Baby reacted quickly, grabbing both you and Mystery and only barely getting the three of you out of sight before he teleported.

You stumbled into Baby's chest, feeling disoriented from the sudden shift.

That's when you realized you were shaking.

“What happened?” Baby growled. 

“What are you guys doing here? I thought you were walking Y/N-” Abby started to say as he and Romance walked into the main room.

They froze, too, eyes immediately flashing gold, nostrils flaring as they stared at you.

Baby wrapped an arm around your waist as you clutched at his shirt. “I- I ran into a demon at lunch today,” you told them.

“You what?” Abby shouted. 

“Why didn't you call us?” Baby snapped.

Romance was immediately at your other side, grabbing your chin gently so he could look at you. “Are you okay? What happened?” 

The emotions that you didn't let yourself feel earlier rolled over you like a tidal wave. Tears pricked at the corner of your eyes. You just wanted to bury yourself in Baby's chest and forget the world while you cried.

But you had to tell them.

“He- I-I'm… He didn't hurt me,” you managed to say. “He came to warn me.” 

“Warn you?” Abby asked.

You nodded, throat closing up for a moment. “He-” you took a deep breath. “The demon king is looking for me,” you whispered. 

All four boys froze, which is exactly when Jinu entered the condo.

“Hey- what's going on?” His tone immediately shifted when he took in the scene.

It was Baby who spoke, his voice a deep growl. “That bastard knows she exists. He's looking for her.” 

“How do we even know this demon is telling the truth?” Abby spat out. “What if it's all a trick to put us on edge?”

Mystery stepped forward and immediately wrapped their arms around your waist. The skin you could see was tinted a deep, ashy purple. You swore you felt fangs near your neck, but you just turned so you could tuck Mystery in with you and Baby. 

“Can- can we sit down?” You asked softly. 

“I already have all of your weight,” Baby rasped. “You just about collapsed into me.” As he said that, though, he was already shifting over to sit on the couch.

You ended up curled in the corner, both you and Mystery tucked into Baby's lap. Mystery had their face buried in your stomach, but he also had a hand clutching Baby's shirt.

Jinu and Abby were now standing in front of the three of you, while Romance sat down beside you. 

All eyes were on you.

“I'm sorry angel, I know today must've been stressful, but can you tell us more about what happened?” Jinu asked softly. 

You gave a small nod, feeling Baby's arm tighten around your waist as you took a moment to compose yourself. “I… I decided to go out for lunch today. It was only a couple blocks from work- a spot I've been to before. When I was waiting in line, I felt him.”

You took in a slow breath. “He- I didn't know what his intentions were at first. I was trying to just hurry back to work, but he caught up to me and he said, ‘No need to contact your boys. I'm not here to hurt you.’” 

Jinu and Abby bared their teeth at that, while Mystery trembled slightly in your arms. You moved a hand into their hair, both to sooth him and yourself as you gently carded your fingers through it. 

All of your boys had golden eyes right now.

“He told me that he noticed because I'm- I shield you guys? The man said he used to have a soulmate, too, but she died. He just… he didn't want you guys to experience that,” you explained, your voice getting quieter. “He also said others wouldn't find me as easily as he did- that he knew what to look for but they didn't. He said I'm like a blind spot to G- to him.” 

You licked your lips. “Apparently he- the demon king hasn't been able to read your thoughts or feel you like he normally can. That's how he realized I existed.” 

“Fuck,” Jinu spat, starting to pace. “Of course this is our fault. If we just hadn't stuck around-”

“Jinu,” you snapped, making the man freeze in place. The other boys were looking at you with a mixture of fear, sadness, and anger. 

It made you sit up straighter, confidence building in your chest.

“It's not anyone's fault,” you said firmly. “I'm glad you stuck around. The guy didn't have a ton of answers, but our bond is the key here. We're stronger together then we are apart, okay?” You swallowed at the emotions coursing through you. “We'll figure this out. We have to. The only person to blame for all of this is him. Not you guys. Not me. Not the bond.” 

Jinu sank down into a nearby arm chair, rubbing a hand over his face. Abby turned slightly so he could look between you and Jinu. “We knew this from the start-”

“We hoped it was true,” Romance added. 

“-so why are we afraid of it now?” Abby finished.

“Because if that flaming asshole gets his hands on Y/N-” Baby snarled.

You shook your head. “I-... he won't. That guy, he said the demon king was afraid of me.”

The boys’ eyes widened at that. 

“We need to learn more about the bond if we can,” you continued. “He wouldn't want me so badly if I wasn't a threat to him. We just need to figure out how to actually cut him out, for good.” 

Chapter Text

You sent a text to Ari letting her know that you decided to crash at the boys’ place tonight, so you wouldn't be home. You sent Romance to your place with a list of instructions for items to grab, because you trusted him not to riffle through your stuff.

Plus, you really didn't feel like moving just yet. 

Your head was now tucked under Baby's chin, your body still curled up in his lap with Mystery lying in yours. Abby had settled onto the couch where Romance had been, while Jinu was working on dinner. 

“Hey Abby?”

Abby looked at you, head tilted slightly. “What's up sweetheart?”

“Could you tell me more about me in your past life?” You asked. “Or did our paths only cross that one time?”

Abby chuckled, but it was strained. “No, I knew you more than a passing moment.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It's not a story with a happy ending.”

You gave him a small smile. “Yeah I mean, I figured that. You all sold your souls for one reason or another- from what I've learned it doesn't seem like they're ever positive reasons.”

He snorted. “I guess that's fair.” 

“If you don't want to tell me right now, that's okay,” you reassured him quietly. “I just… wanted a distraction.”

Mystery snuggled in closer to you, if that was even possible, when you said that. Baby moved a hand up to your hair, gently scratching at your scalp, which made you relax into him further.

Abby shook his head fondly. “How can I say no to that?” 

He sat for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “The memory you had of me stepping in when those two men were bothering you? That's the first time we met.”

“After I walked you home that evening, I couldn't get you out of my mind. A few days later I decided to stop by your home and ask your father if you were spoken for. When he said you weren't, I asked for permission to court you,” he continued, glancing back over at you. “He said yes.”

He sighed wistfully. “You were perfect. You were so poised and kind and yet never afraid to call me out if I was being an idiot.” He smirked. “I always loved when you got feisty with me.”

You blushed. 

“I couldn't have asked for a better marriage. Your family accepted me. My mother adored you. It was-” he shook his head.

A memory suddenly washed over you. A dream you'd had several months ago. It was you eating around a table with Abby, his mom, and a younger man. You were all laughing.

“You had a younger brother, didn't you?” You asked.

Abby nodded, giving you a small smile. “I did.”

“I remember eating dinner with the three of you.” You blinked, focusing back on the present. “What happened?” 

Abby tensed, his gaze unfocusing, seeing something that wasn't there much like you had a moment ago. “We started receiving reports of more raids and attacks on the outskirt towns. While ours was further inland, it was close enough that we became concerned.” His hand clenched into a fist. “I- That's when the voices started to creep in. That I wouldn't be enough to protect everyone I cared about. That you would all die and I would be powerless to stop it.”

He turned his head away. “I caved so fast, but of course his words were also a lie. I got promoted to a higher rank, was given access to better resources, but a few days later our town was attacked anyway.”

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. “I did everything I could. I thought I was doing everything right. When we drove the last ones off, everyone cheered.” He took in a shaky breath. “They all applauded me for protecting everyone.”

He glanced over at you, eyes glossy. “But I didn't protect you.” He choked out. “You weren't the only casualty, a few other townspeople also were caught by the raiders but- It could've been the whole town for all I cared.”

You reached a hand out and Abby grabbed it, squeezing it tightly. “I got to you just before you died, but there was nothing I could do. It was almost worse, watching you take your last breaths and being helpless to stop it.”

He paused for a while, trying to breathe evenly. Eventually he shook his head, letting go of your hand. “The voices grew louder every day after that, telling me how weak and worthless I was. It didn't take long for me to be dragged under. And now… here I am.” 

Baby and Mystery made no move to stop you when you scrambled out of their lap and climbed into Abby's. He instantly wrapped his arms around you, holding you tight. 

“I'm sorry that happened Abby,” you whispered into his chest.

“... my name was Dae-Hwan.” 

You leaned back so you could look him in the eyes, moving a hand up to cup his cheek. “I'm sorry that happened to you Dae-Hwan.” 

He leaned in, lips brushing against yours. “It's been too long since I've heard you say my name.” 

You smiled sadly at him. “I'm sorry.”

Abby shook his head. “It's not your fault sweetheart.” 

You tucked your head back under his chin, content to just rest in his arms for a while. 

Romance got back shortly after that with your bag of stuff, you peeked at him to say thank you, but otherwise didn't move. 

The five of you had a rather subdued evening. Jinu brought over food eventually, the six of you eating together on the couch. You always found yourself in the arms of at least one of the boys as the night wore on.

Not that you minded in the slightest. 

As you all climbed into bed that night, you found yourself tucked between Abby and Baby. Your mind continued replaying the events of the day until sleep finally dragged you under.

You were running. 

 

You'd been tucked away at home, hiding like you knew you should, but they'd burst through the front door. You barely had a moment to scurry out a window before they'd come into the room you'd been in moments ago. 

 

The sound of boots, metal, and screaming filled the air. Your goal was to make it to your sister's house, which was further from the gates, so it'd hopefully be safer. 

 

Of course, you didn't make it that far. 

 

You yelped as sharp metal sliced through your leg, causing you to stumble and fall down. You barely had a moment to roll before a blade was being pointed at your face.

 

“My, my, aren't you a pretty thing,” they sneered. “Maybe we can keep you as a prize.”

 

Your eyes widened in fear, but you made yourself move. You kicked the blade out of the way with your good leg and tried to scramble back to your feet.

 

You only made it a few steps before you were roughly shoved to the ground again.

 

This time, the man placed a boot on your chest. You didn't hesitate, you screamed as loud as you could. 

 

The man snarled, swiping his blade across your neck- cutting off your cry.

 

You held your throat, coughing as you felt the warm blood coat your hand. You saw the man be taken out by other guards, and you said a silent thanks, knowing he wouldn't hurt anyone else.

 

One of your neighbors dashed over to your side, immediately holding a cloth to your throat. 

 

“I think that's the last of them,” one of the guards said.

 

“Go get Dae-Hwan,” your neighbor snapped at them. “She doesn't have much time.”

 

The guards rushed away and your neighbor gently brushed your hair out of your face. “I'm sorry, young one. You didn't deserve this.”

 

You managed to lift a hand, patting the one they held over your throat, giving a small grateful smile.

 

Your vision was growing fuzzy, and you worried your husband wasn't going to make it in time. But he came sprinting in, stumbling into your vision with an ashen look on your face.

 

“No, no, not you, please my love,” he whispered, voice filled with anguish.

 

Your neighbor stepped back as your husband reached over to cup your face.

 

You brought a shaky hand up to brush over his lips.

 

You couldn't even speak, you just coughed again.

 

“I love you,” he whispered, tears streaming down his face. “Don't leave me. It wasn't supposed to be you.”

 

As your throat filled, your lungs unable to take another breath, you just hoped he knew how much you loved him, too.

 

That you'd never blame him for this.

 

His forehead touching yours was the last thing you felt before your world faded to black.  

You woke with a strangled gasp, bolting upright as you clutched your throat. Immediately all five boys were alert.

“What happened?” 

“Are you okay?”

You started coughing, but your eyes were searching for-

The second you spotted Abby next to you, you threw yourself at him. 

“Go get her some water,” Abby snapped, rubbing your back. “Sh, sweetheart, you're okay. Deep breaths.”

After a few more coughs, you managed a slow, wheezing breath. Your body was shaking with adrenaline and fear.

“Easy, focus on me alright? You're safe here,” Abby soothed. 

Of course, the second he said that, you broke down into sobs. 

“Is this cause of a dream?” Baby asked.

You managed a nod.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Mystery prompted softly.

“I-” your breath caught, “I saw myself die.” 

You felt the room go still.

Abby shifted so he could catch your gaze. 

You just nodded at him. 

His face instantly fell before he pulled you closer again, arms practically constricting around you. 

“Gods, I never wanted you to see that again,” he whispered, sounding devastated. 

You let the tears flow again, crying into his chest. “I'm sorry you saw me like that,” you told him.

“No, don't apologize for that,” he pleaded. “I know what I said earlier but- I'm glad I got to say goodbye, even if it never should've happened in the first place.”

You felt a warm tear land on your shoulder where Abby had his head against yours. You clutched at his shirt tighter.

“They- they broke into our home. I escaped out the window but- one of them caught up,” another sob escaped. “He sliced my leg a-and said he was going to keep me as a prize.”

You felt a growl build in Abby's chest.

“I tried to escape. I kicked his blade away and ran but h-he caught back up. He held me down and when I screamed- he cut my throat.” 

“If I could find that man's soul just to kill him all over again, I would,” Abby snarled. 

You couldn't help the short, sharp laugh that escaped you at that. “He died, too… He got what he deserved.”

“No death will ever be enough to undo what he did to you,” Abby said, voice full of conviction.

You just snuggled in closer, feeling your tears slowly subside. After a bit, Abby nudged you gently.

“Rome brought you some water if you need it.”

You leaned back to take it and realized that the room was empty minus you and Abby. When your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Abby explained.

“They gave us some privacy, so I could talk with you about it.”

“What time is it anyway?” You asked hoarsely before taking the water and getting a drink. 

“It's only 2am,” Abby said, gently rubbing your back. “Do you want to go back to sleep?”

A yawn escaped you then, answering the question for you. “I want the other boys back, too.”

Abby chuckled softly. “Oh I'm sure they'd throw a fit if you said you didn't.” He raised his voice slightly. “You can come back now,” he called out.

Instantly the door opened and the four boys came back in, all looking at you with concern. 

“I'm okay,” you told them softly.

“I'm sorry you had to see that darling,” Rome whispered, coming over and gently kissing the top of your head.

You shrugged half heartedly. “Abby had to see it, too.”

“That doesn't mean I'd ever want you to have to relive that,” Abby told you firmly. “I'd carry that memory for every lifetime if it meant you didn't have to see it even once.”

You turned to face him. “It wasn't your fault, you know.”

He gave you a sad smile, but didn't reply. You narrowed your eyes at him and jabbed a finger into his chest. “I'm gonna say it again in the morning when I'm not so tired, because it's true.”

Abby sighed fondly, kissing your forehead. “Maybe one day I'll believe you.”

“You better,” you grumbled sleepily as you all settled back into bed. Mystery slid up behind you, resting a hand on your waist, while you were still tucked into Abby's chest.

This time, you fell asleep with ease, knowing that your boys would protect you at all costs.

Chapter Text

It turns out fighting your alarm is not nearly as bad as fighting a bed full of clingy demons.

“Boys,” you groaned at them as Baby grabbed onto your waist just as you’d escaped from Abby, “I have to get up and get ready for work.”

“Our place is closer to your work than yours is, it’s fine,” Baby grumbled as he held onto you.

You rolled your eyes fondly. “As cute as you are, I really need to pee, so please let go.”

Your morning routine became slightly easier when you were able to lock the boys out of the bathroom. You knew a lock couldn’t actually keep them out, but you were glad they respected what it meant, at least.

By the time you came out, dressed for the day, you were surprised to see a large, blue, tiger-like creature flopped over in the middle of the bed.

You froze, mouth open mostly in awe, but partially from concern. “What’s that?”

“We call him Derpy,” Mystery said from underneath them.

Derpy flopped their head backward to stare at you.

“Oohhh,” you cooed, “aren't you a cute lil guy?”

You stepped over and scratched Derpy under the chin, making his eyes flutter closed in contentment. “How long have you guys been hiding a giant tiger from me?”

Abby shrugged. “He comes and goes as he pleases.”

“He seems to like you, though,” Baby commented, glancing up from his phone to smirk at you. “Not that I blame him.” 

You paused. “Is he also a demon?”

“He's not not a demon,” Mystery answered. “He's a creature, something not fully from here but not controlled by him so.” They shrugged.

Suddenly, Derpy rolled over more and seamlessly shifted from a big, blue tiger into a blue-grey tabby cat.

You cooed even more when he rubbed against your hand.

“Oh you're just a little guy,” you told him as you gave him more scritches on the top of his head. “Ugh, I wish I could stay here all day and pet you, but I have to go.”

“Oh so he could get you to stay in bed?” 

You stood up and gave Baby an unimpressed stare. “If you're jealous of a cat, you can just say so.”

Baby squawked indignantly, which made you laugh. “Sorry, cats first, boyfriends second.”

Immediately, his face changed into a dangerous smirk, and you realized Abby and Mystery (the only other two in the room) were looking at you too.

Suddenly Baby was right in front of you, backing you into the wall. “Boyfriends?”

“Isn't- that's what you are right?”

Abby appeared on the other side. “First time we heard you say it sweetheart.”

Mystery's head appeared over Baby's shoulder, resting their chin on top of it. “Say it again.”

You suddenly felt very flustered. “Guys-”

“We just want to hear our girlfriend tell us what we are to her,” Baby purred.

Your heart fluttered when he said that.

Oh okay, maybe you understood their reaction a little.

“You're my boyfriends,” you repeated.

Instantly there were hands on you, lips brushing your cheek, your neck, a hint of teeth against your collarbone.

You swear your brain turned off for a second before it managed to reboot.

“Boys,” you groaned, “I still have to go to work.”

“Take the day off,” Baby growled against your skin.

“I can't just do that-”

“You know, if you wanted, you'd never have to work again,” Abby drawled.

“Jinu!” You called out. 

Instantly the black-haired demon was in the room. He took in the scene with a repressed sigh, reaching in to grab your arm and easily teleport you out. 

The three grumbled, but Jinu just growled back and they all stopped, pouting a bit. “Can't you control yourself for two seconds?”

“She called us her boyfriends,” Abby said.

“We are her boyfriends,” Jinu replied, exasperated.

Abby threw his hands in the air. “Yeah, but this is the first time she's actually said it!”

Jinu rolled his eyes and turned to you. “I have coffee and a bagel ready for you, whenever you're ready to leave.”

You beamed at him, leaning up to give him a gentle kiss. “Thank you Jinu.” You stuck your tongue out playfully at the boys and followed Jinu out of the room. 

Romance was in the kitchen, pouring himself an iced coffee. He smiled at you, leaning over to kiss you as you walked past. “Good morning darling.” 

Jinu stopped at the kitchen island, resting his forearms on the counter as he watched you try your coffee. “So, the message the other demon told you…” he started.

You looked at him, swallowing. “Yeah?”

He sighed softly, reaching across the island to rest a hand on top of yours. “We're going to keep walking you to and from work, but one of us will also be… lingering nearby during the day.” He gave you a sympathetic smile. “I know that might be overbearing of us, but-” he shook his head. “We just can't risk you like that.”

“I mean- that's a lot to ask. Are you guys really okay doing that?” You asked.

Romance slid up next to you. “Darling, we've been alive for centuries. Spending a few hours ensuring the safety of someone so precious to us is not a hardship.” 

Abby appeared at your other side, also resting his forearms on the countertop. “I have midday duty today, so if you wanna grab lunch, just say the word.” He leaned over and kissed your cheek. “Sorry for being handsy this morning.”

You waved him off. “I know you all would've stopped if I'd put my foot down.” You smirked. “I just thought it’d be fun to sick Jinu on you.”

Abby gasped in mock offense, making you laugh. You leaned over and kissed him. “Sorry not sorry,” you said in a sing-songy voice before heading over to grab your bagel and go to leave.

Jinu and Mystery were waiting for you by the door. As you were slipping on your shoes, Jinu offered you his jacket.

“It’s a little cold out today,” he says with a small smirk, “Plus, it looks better on you.”

You take it with a blush. Something about wearing his coat did feel nice, so you certainly weren’t going to turn him down.

The whole walk, the boys were on high alert. While part of you was grateful that you had them on your side to protect you, another was feeling even more anxious because of how watchful they were. 

When you got to your work, both boys gave you a kiss. Mystery lingered for a moment after, their hand still cupping your chin. “If you feel unsafe at any point, you can just shout for Abby. He’ll hear you.”

You nodded. “Okay… You guys be safe, too.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine,” Jinu reassured you.

Your gut clenched, but you didn’t comment on it. You just waved them good-bye and slipped into work. 

Since the weather was still nice enough, especially with Jinu's jacket, you decided to go outside for lunch to spend time with Abby. You texted him, letting him know, so he was waiting for you at a nearby bench.

And he had a familiar blue-grey tabby with him.

“Aww Derpy, you came to visit?” You asked, offering your hand for the cat to sniff and bump his head against.

Abby chuckled. “Yeah, he joined me about an hour ago. Like Baby said, seems like he likes you.”

As the two of you sat together while you ate your lunch, Derpy hung out on your shoulder. He kept rubbing his head against you and purring, making you smile.

“You sure you’re not bored out here?” You asked Abby as you started to pack up your lunch to head back inside.

Abby had his arm slung over the back of the bench, behind you. He was turned slightly so he was facing you. “Nah, I like knowing you’re safe.” He paused and then continued, a little quiet. “Feels like I’m protecting you when I didn’t last time.”

“Hey now,” you told him softly but firmly. “Even before you could teleport, you were doing everything you could to keep me safe.” You reached over and cupped his cheek, which Abby leaned into.

“But it wasn’t enough,” he whispered, eyes shining with sadness, “I failed the one person who meant the most to me.”

“You were protecting the whole town. You can’t be everywhere all at once,” you said, bringing your other hand up to hold his face, too. “It was the raiders' faults, not yours, or anyone else.”

“I… It just feels like I made that deal for nothing,” he admitted, not making eye contact. “I threw my soul away to be better, so you’d be safe, and you still weren’t.” His eyes snapped back up at you, now glossy with unshed tears. “I- What if selling my soul is why the raiders came? What if I made it all happen?”

“Even if that was the case- that’s the fucking demon king’s fault, not yours. He toyed with your insecurities and lied to you,” you hissed, anger building inside of you. You let out a long breath, tugging Abby in for a hug as you tried to simmer down a little. “I know it may be a little selfish of me, but… all of that happening lead to you being here with me, right?”

Abby chuckled quietly. “Yeah, I guess I can’t complain about that.”

You held him there for a moment until you heard a whiny meow. You pulled back slightly to see Derpy staring at you expectantly.

“I should probably get back to work,” you sighed, giving Derpy a head scratch in thanks.

Abby pulled back. “Fine, I guess I can let you go for now.”

You gave him a gentle kiss. “Thank you for having lunch with me.”

“Anytime sweetheart,” he replied before you slipped back into your work.

The boys kept texting you throughout the day.

“So your place or ours this evening?” Abby sent.

“Well, I need to go back to my place to change and stuff.”

“we can help with that ;)” Baby replied.

You snorted but ignored Baby's comment. “It's a lot easier to be at my place on a work night…”

“If it's easier for you, we don't mind hanging out at your place,” Romance sent.

“My bed isn't big enough to add five grown ass men to it. Also I'd need to ask Ari if it's okay, since you guys haven't spent the night there yet. I don't want her to be uncomfortable.”

“we could always sneak in after dark~” Baby suggested. 

After a bit of back and forth, you agreed the boys could come over for dinner, but that only two of them could spend the night. It would just be easier with your current bed setup, even if the boys were already arguing over who were going to be the ones to stay.

When you left your job later that evening, Romance and Baby were outside waiting for you. You'd already texted Ari to let her know the boys were coming over, which she was okay with.

“How was your day darling?” Romance asked as you walked to the bus stop.

You shrugged. “It was fine. Abby and I ate lunch together, which was nice. How was your guys’ day?” 

“We mainly worked on song stuff,” Baby said.

“Oh? Was it the one you were practicing the other day?”

The two boys shared a look. “We're… reworking that one,” Romance said. “It's not what we want it to be.” 

“We'll bring you by the studio tomorrow so you can see,” Baby suggested. 

You continued your small talk the rest of the way home, joining up with the other boys once you arrived at your place. 

Despite the five of them clearly attempting to act normal, there was a tension in the air all evening. They were clearly on edge, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And you didn't know what to do to help. 

You decided not to bring it up, thinking that maybe they just needed some time. 

But by lunch time the next day, you were already itching to solve this.

It was Mystery who joined you for lunch, Derpy joining as well. As you stalked over to where he was seated on the bench, your thoughts were racing. 

“We can't keep this up,” was the first thing you said in lou of a greeting. 

Mystery tilted their head in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘this?’” 

“You guys are so on edge it's palpable,” you told him. “I'm not saying it isn't warranted, but continuing to just- not do anything about it except be tense isn't going to fix anything. We need to figure out what to actually do.” 

Mystery sighed softly. “You're right.” They opened their arms, giving you the space to sit beside them and tuck yourself into their side. “We've been… under his control for centuries. It's hard- almost overwhelming to imagine a life without that.” They paused. “We've lived in fear for so long, it's what we default to.” 

You leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Like I said the other day, we're better doing this together. Let me in. Tell me what you're afraid of. Maybe I can help.” 

Mystery nodded. “I'll talk with the boys while you're finishing your work day. But you're right, you're a part of this too, as much as that scares us a little.” 

Derpy meowed, as if in agreement, butting his head up against yours. 

You turned so you could scratch Derpy's head. “I just… I care about you guys a lot. I don't like not knowing what to do, but I feel like I won't find the answers without you.”

Mystery kissed the top of your head. “We'll figure it out. Together.”

You nodded in agreement.

You had to figure it out.

Because you didn't like the thought of what might happen if you didn't. 

Chapter Text

The boys had originally planned on taking you to the studio that evening, but they decided to have dinner at your place instead since Ari was working a closing shift.

The discussion that followed went better than anticipated. 

“We're sorry we didn't talk with you about this sooner,” Jinu said as the six of you sat in your living room. “We- we just want you to be safe, so we did what we know how to do best.”

“I'm not mad at you guys for wanting to protect me,” you told them all. “It just doesn't feel like a permanent solution. I don't want to live in fear constantly, and I don't want you guys to, either.”

You all agreed to try and learn more about the bond, one way or another.

“Maybe we just need to spend more time together,” Baby suggested. “Jokes aside… I already feel lighter more often, even when you’re not around now.”

Which is how you got roped into staying at their place overnight, again, sandwiched between Jinu and Romance. 

The following morning started off fine. The boys let you know last night that they had another meeting to attend regarding the soda lines, but that they’d make sure to be around as much as they could.  They tried to be more relaxed as you got ready for your day, being teasingly affectionate as you tried to head out the door. You gave them all a kiss good-bye and grabbed your coffee before Abby and Baby walked with you to work.

The skies that morning were grey and overcast. Abby made sure to bring you an umbrella, insisting you take it with you into work today.

It was a good thing he did, because an hour into your shift, it started pouring. You stared out the window, something in your stomach clenching as you watched the rain streak down the glass.

You weren’t sure why you felt so on edge.

The fact that the boys hadn’t texted you in the last hour wasn’t helping.

Your body refused to relax as the day went on. Your heart beat was a constant thump in your ears. You tried to pause and just breathe for a bit, but it didn’t help.

You could barely eat your lunch.

Your body was itching to go. You just wanted to leave and you didn’t know why.

Something’s wrong.

You felt like something was tugging at you, like you were forgetting something.

Like something was missing.

You just couldn’t settle down no matter how hard you tried.

When the time ticked over for you to leave work, you all but bolted out the door.

It was still raining as you stepped outside. You fumbled with your umbrella, looking around near frantically as you tried to spot one of your boys.

They hadn’t said they weren’t going to pick you up.

“Raow.”

Your head snapped to the left and you spotted Derpy trotting up to you. You finally got the umbrella open and squatted down.

“Hey Derpy, are any of the boys with you?”

Derpy meowed again, louder. He bonked his head against your leg and immediately turned around to walk away.

He paused and looked back over his shoulder at you, expectantly.

“Oh, did you want me to follow?”

He led you over to the bus stop that linked with the boys’ condo, checking back on you constantly to make sure you were still with him.

“You know you can’t come on the bus- right?” You asked as you came to a stop.

Derpy didn’t seem bothered. Instead, he leapt up, easily landing on your shoulders.

And then, he disappeared.

You blinked. His weight was still clearly there, but you just couldn’t see him anymore.

“Well, that’s one solution.”

Your heart was still racing beyond your normal levels. Standing still at the bus stop felt like agony. Your foot started tapping as you resisted the urge to pace.

Something was wrong.

You whipped out your phone and sent a text to the group chat.

“Hey! I’m on my way over to your place. Derpy came and picked me up.”

The last text you’d sent before that was from 6 hours ago.

No one had replied. 

You felt a bump against your neck. Even though you couldn’t see him, your knew it was Derpy rubbing his head against you.

It calmed you down a little, but not much.

The bus ride was only moderately better than standing in one place. At least you were able to see the world going by. You felt more like you were doing something than just having to wait for something to happen.

Finally, you were able to leave the bus. You had to resist the urge to sprint, fast walking out and over to the front door.

Thankfully, the boys had given you the code to get into their place when you spent the night Monday. 

The elevator ride felt like an eternity, and by the time you were unlocking their door, your heart was in your throat.

Derpy leapt off your shoulder as you stepped inside, seamlessly transforming back into his normal, tiger self. 

“Boys?” you called out cautiously, though you didn’t expect a response.

You didn’t get one.

Finally, you gave in to the urge to pace.

“What the hell is going on Derpy?” You asked the cat, who was sitting near the window, watching you.

Suddenly you heard a chirping sound. You whipped around, heartrate skyrocketing.

There, on the kitchen island, was a black bird wearing a tiny hat.

Derpy just walked over and sat by the island, which made the bird get up and crawl onto Derpy’s head.

“Great, okay, there’s a bird here too. Not exactly helpful,” you hissed to yourself.

The bird chirped again and pecked at the island.

No- it was pecking at a phone that was sitting on the island. 

You stepped over, almost afraid to have your theory about who’s phone it was confirmed.

You touched the screen and your stomach sank.

It was Baby’s.

Something had to have happened.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck- What do I do?” You hissed as you paced more.

You felt like crying.

You took a moment to let the feelings wash over you. A few tears escaped, but you tried to breathe through it.

Now wasn’t the time to panic. 

You sat down on the couch, staring out at the scenery as you tried to think back through the day.

All five of them had been there with you this morning. They all acted totally fine. They were texting you like normal until about an hour into your work day.

That’s when the rain had started and when your body started to feel… odd.

Was it the bond? Could you somehow sense them through it?

From what you’d read on the yeoleo saeng-ae, and from what that demon the other day had talked to you about, your bond was important, powerful even. You had always felt like you were more aware of the world than other people, but you never looked into it that much. 

Maybe you just needed to listen to your gut on this.

You closed your eyes and tried to actually identify what you were feeling.

On the surface, it reminded you of times when you were anxious or stressed. The more you thought about it, however, the more you realized it wasn’t quite coming from you.

What was it coming from, then?

It felt important. Your body responded to the feelings, but not by mimicking them. No, you were stressed because the feelings were of pain and anger.

You wanted them to stop, but you didn’t know how, so your body was just throwing everything at the wall until something changed.

If “tugging on your heart strings” was a genuine sensation, that was what you were experiencing. It was a pull towards something.

… It almost reminded you of how it felt seeing the boys for the first time.

Getting to talk to them and connect with them had satisfied that feeling originally, but now they weren’t here. How would you fix it, then?

You felt your heart rate increase again, but this time from frustration.

Something kept tugging at you. 

It felt like it was a part of you, just a part that was far away.

Out of reach.

Could you try and reach for it?

You weren’t sure exactly what you were doing, but you were trying to think less and trust your instincts more.

So you reached out to whatever was tugging inside of you-

-and you tugged back.

It was harder than you expected. You gasped as feelings of agony coursed through you.

But they weren’t your own.

You gritted your teeth and tugged harder, not knowing what you were doing, but knowing that it felt right.

Finally, something gave.

You heard a familiar sound as a pink poof quickly revealed Baby, Abby, and Romance.

They were in their demon forms, and they were gasping for air.

You were instantly on your feet, stepping over to where they were collapsed on the ground. “Yujin? Dae-hwan? Rome?” You asked, panicked.

All three of their gazes snapped to you and suddenly you were surrounded.

They were clutching you, bodies trembling.

“What happened? Are you okay? Where are Jinu and Mystery?” You rambled off.

Something in you had settled now that these three were in your arms, but not fully.

“They’re still-” Abby started to say, his voice layered, otherworldly. He stopped himself though and just buried his face into your stomach, shaking his head.

“Whatever you did,” Romance rasped, not lifting his head from where it was tucked against your side, “do it again.”

You closed your eyes, trying to locate the sensation again. You noticed some of the parts, from earlier, felt like they were closer now, so you ignored those.

When you found it, you grabbed once more, and tugged harder.

It felt like your heart wanted to escape out of your chest. You gritted your teeth, ignoring the pain that shot through you. You needed them back now.

You heard a gasp just as you felt the sensation finally give in. You immediately opened your eyes and saw Jinu and Mystery both keeled over on the floor, clutching their chests.

“Jinu! Mystery!” you called out, the feeling in your chest finally settling.

Before you could blink, Jinu and Mystery were on you, too. 

Your mind was reeling. You had so many questions. What happened? Were they okay? Why couldn’t you reach them? Why could you reach them? Had Gwi-ma done this?

You were pretty sure you knew the answer to the last one.

The way the five of them were clinging to you, like their lives depended on it, made your questions feel less important.

You gently touched each of their heads, running your hand through their hair as you spoke soft reassurances to them.

You’re not sure how long you stood there with the five of them surrounding you. You would’ve stood there for hours if you had to. Eventually, though, they started to relax.

It was Baby who moved first.

When he shifted, you immediately looked at him. His claws were gone and his skin was closer to human-toned than not. His patterns still tracked down his arm and creeped up his neck. He slowly lifted his head to meet your gaze, and your heart clenched at the sight.

His complexion was pale, his golden eyes were faraway, as if trying to still focus back on the present.

He looked wrecked.

“What happened?” you pleaded, reaching down to cup his face.

His upper lip curled. “It was Gwi-ma,” he spat, before suddenly wincing again.

“What did he do to you?” You asked, voice breaking. “What can I do to help?”

“You already are,” Rome whispered as he nuzzled into your side, fingers flexing where he was touching you. 

“Just… being near you helps,” Abby agreed, voice still rough but sounding closer to human. 

You frowned, wishing you could do more. You continued running your hair through their hair, hoping it helped.

After another moment, Romance finally stood up. “Come on, let’s at least move to the couch so our darling can sit,” he said, voice low. He wrapped his arms around your waist, purple patterns still faintly marking his skin, easily manhandling you onto the corner seat of the couch.

The rest of the boys followed like you were magnetic. You were seated between Rome’s legs, while the other boys piled in and on top of each other just to make sure they still had a hand on you somewhere.

It’d be sweet if it didn’t make your heart ache.

“Are you guys… hurt?” You asked quietly.

“He doesn’t hurt us physically,” Baby growled.

“You guys have mentioned hearing his voice before… Is that what he did? Is it normally this bad?”

“He-” Jinu started, then stopped for a moment, fingers digging into you further. “He twisted his words- made it all involve you.”

“I just kept seeing you bleeding out in front of me,” Abby breathed, voice catching. “Your blood could never come off of my hands.”

“I just kept seeing you leave,” Baby whispered. “No matter what I did, I couldn’t bring you back.”

“Anytime I tried to reach you, you always chose someone else," Rome said, voice full of anguish.

Your heart twisted in rage. “I'm gonna kill him.”

Abby snorted. “You're gonna kill Gwi-ma?”

“Yeah! I am!” 

Jinu looked up at you, golden eyes filled with desperation. “He's looking for you. He wants you dead. You can't-”

“No,” you cut him firmly. “He grabbed you guys to get to me, because he can't find me. He's lying. It's all he can do.” You huffed. “I'm not saying I know how to do this, but if I was able to pull you guys to me like that I mean…”

“Trust me darling,” Romance whispered, gently kissing the back of your hand, “you saved us more than you can realize.” 

“We just- I need to figure out how to make sure it doesn't happen in the future,” you whispered. “I don't want you guys to get hurt again.”

The five boys snuggled closer, the desperation to their touches having subsided greatly. You even felt Mystery begin to purr.

It gave you time to think. 

“What if… we try to talk with Huntr/x about this?”

Instantly all five boys tensed up. 

You instantly started explaining. “Listen, they hate Gwi-ma, and we hate Gwi-ma. They might know more about how we can fix all of this, make it so you guys don't get taken from me again.”

Baby growled against your side. “I don't like it,” he grumbled.

“Look, they definitely took note of me at the Semi Finals,” you said. “But they were still entirely nice to me. If I come along, I can help explain it to them.” 

Abby's growl matched Baby's. You ignored them and looked at Jinu. “Can you try and get Rumi to meet up with us tonight?”

Jinu sighed, eyes shifting back to brown. “Alright angel, we'll try it.”

“If they even look at you wrong, I'm ripping their arms off,” Baby growled.

You pet his head with a smile. “Well if they try to attack you, I'll also try and kick their asses.”

Baby froze, staring at you. He licked his lips. “You sure you want to leave the bed tonight?” He asked, voice a little deeper than normal. 

You snorted, shoving his head playfully when suddenly a thought crossed your mind.

“Shit, I need to text Ari.” 

Chapter Text

It turns out that the way Jinu contacted Rumi last time was through Derpy. 

And now, the six of you were just waiting on a rooftop, hoping they'd show.

Jinu was standing on a rooftop ahead, while the other four boys, and yourself, were a building behind him. You had wanted to stand up next to Jinu, but Abby and Baby had just growled at that suggestion. So, instead, you were piggy-backed on Abby, waiting anxiously for any sign of movement. 

A few moments later, the boys tensed up, hearing something you couldn't. You looked around until suddenly, you saw them.

The three Huntr/x girls landed on the other end of the rooftop Jinu was on. They all had weapons drawn, but they weren’t rushing in and attacking yet.

“Didn't come alone, I see,” Rumi commented, glancing back at where you and the boys were.

“Neither did you,” Jinu replied simply, hands in his pockets. 

“Well, what do you want?” Mira asked.

“To talk.”

You nudged Abby and he sighed before teleporting you and him over to stand next to Jinu. He helped you down so you could stand on the rooftop between him and Jinu.

You could practically feel Baby's gaze locked onto you. 

The three girls looked at you with curiosity and a bit of concern. You wondered what their theories were about you and your situation. 

But now wasn’t the time for that. 

“We really do want to talk, I promise,” you said. 

Mira glanced at you. “And you're with them willingly?”

“Blink twice if you need help,” Zoey whispered loudly.

You laughed. “I'm the one who told them we should try and talk with you guys. Yes, I'm here willingly. I know what they are and I know what you guys are, too.”

“Okay but why?” Rumi asked.

“They're my soulmates,” you answered simply. “Look, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and I'm down to talk about them, but I wanted to tell why we're actually here.” You crossed your arms. “We have a common enemy, Gwi-ma, and I thought we could work together to get rid of him for good.” 

Mira scoffed. “They're demons, why would they hate their king?”

You heard Baby make a gagging sound behind you.

“He's not our king,” Jinu spat. “He's a tyrant.”

“A slave driver,” Abby agreed. 

“You literally came here with the intent purpose of destroying the Honmoon for Gwi-ma,” Rumi pointed out. “So excuse us if we don't believe you right away.”

“When you've been controlled by your agony and fear for centuries, there comes a time when you give in just to try and get rid of it,” Jinu said flatly, arms crossed. 

“So what, did you suddenly realize what you were doing was wrong?” Mira asked. 

The boys stiffened. You could tell they didn't want to talk about such a vulnerable thing with the girls. 

Not that you blamed them.

“I changed them,” you finally said after a moment. “Whether you want to believe me or not, I shield them from Gwi-ma.”

“No, I believe you,” Rumi said. “Your soul is like… enveloping them. I've never seen anything like it.”

“But if you already shield them, why do you need us?” Mira questioned. 

You hunched in on yourself slightly, and you instantly felt Abby pull you closer to his side. “Because my shield isn't perfect, and we don't know how to make it better.” You swallowed.

“Okay, if all of this is true, great, but then why did you-” Mira turned to look at Jinu, “-try to meet up with Rumi the first time?”

Rumi looked panicked, but you just nudged Jinu, giving him a pointed look.

Don't share a secret that's not yours to reveal.

Jinu sighed. “We'd just met Y/N recently and were trying to learn more about how the soulbond works. Like I told Rumi the first time, as far as we know, it's the only way out of Gwi-ma's control.” He shrugged. “I thought if anyone would know more about it, maybe a hunter would.” 

Rumi looked both relieved and… guilty? Mira crossed her arms, but didn't seem defensive, and Zoey was just nodding. 

“If it helps, why don't we all think on it?” You suggested. “The Semi Finals are tomorrow. We'll all be there. If you decide you don't trust us, fine, you can just ignore us tomorrow. Otherwise… maybe we can all sit down somewhere that's not a rooftop at like 11pm and actually discuss this.”

The three girls looked at each other and nodded. “Tomorrow.”

You nodded back. “Tomorrow,” you agreed. 

You saw the girls turn and hop off the rooftop just as you felt Jinu's arm go around your waist. Moments later, you were back in the boys’ condo. 

The next morning, you had the boys teleport you outside of your place. You'd already called in to work, stating a family emergency, but you still needed clean clothes and toiletries.

You made sure to give Ari a heads up before the boys followed you inside.

Ari was in the kitchen, sleepily prepping her coffee when you all walked inside. She yawned and waved in greeting.

“I'm sad I work closing tonight,” she pouted. “Means I can't come with you to the semi finals.”

You went over and hugged her. “It's okay. Make sure you take off for the actual Idol Awards though, alright? I wouldn't want to go without you.”

Ari beamed. “Already did it. It's why I have to work tonight instead, but honestly? Worth it.”

The boys followed you around like ducklings or, more accurately, like loyal guard dogs. They waited in your room with you as you took your time gathering your outfits and necessities. 

“I'll be back tomorrow probably,” you told Ari as you came back out of your room. “Their place is closer to the studio, so we're just gonna crash there afterwards.”

“Fiiine leave me all alone again to hang out with your boyfriends, see if I care,” Ari whined playfully.

“We'll hang out soon, I promise,” you told her as you hugged her. “I'm not ditching my bestie.”

Ari laughed. “I get it. I wouldn't say no to spending the night with my five hot boyfriends either.”

You blushed, which made Ari laugh harder before she waved you off.

“Send me lots of pictures tonight!”

“Will do!”

The boys hovered around you all day leading up to the Semi Finals, but you didn’t blame them. You all knew that you were the reason Gwi-ma couldn't get to them, yet none of you knew exactly what the range was.

And you weren't willing to test it and find out. 

“What time does the audience get let in again?” You asked as you got ready for the evening.

“Doesn't matter,” Baby said from where he was leaning against the wall. He and Romance were hanging out in the bathroom with you as you did your hair and makeup. “You'll come backstage with us until it's time for the show.”

You glanced at him in the mirror, confused. “I can do that?”

Baby shrugged and Romance nodded. “We'll say you're with us. They'll let you in.” 

“As long as you're sure, I don't wanna be intruding.”

Baby stepped up, his hands resting on the bathroom counter on either side of you, bracketing you there. His chin rested on your shoulder as he looked at you through the mirror. “You could never intrude. You belong by our side,” he purred.

You shivered, leaning back into him instinctively. “You shouldn't have been called Baby, you're too much of a little shit.”

Baby snorted, turning his head to nip at your throat. “You like it,” he rumbled against your skin, looking pleased with himself. 

“Never said I didn't,” You retorted, smirking back at him. “Now move back, I'm almost done.”

Baby sighed like you greatly inconvenienced him, but shuffled back anyways. 

Just as you put the finishing touches on your hair, Mystery stepped into the room.

Their gaze went to you first, slowly looking you up and down. “You look stunning, starlight.” They told you, slipping a hand on your lower back as they kissed your cheek.

“Thank you,” you replied with a smile. 

“Hey! What about me?” Baby asked.

Mystery smirked, looking over his shoulder at Baby. “You know what I think about you, Yujin.” He glanced between you and the boys. “The car's here by the way.” 

“About time,” Baby said as he walked out of the bathroom.  

“You ready?” Mystery asked you.

You nodded, “Let's go.” 

The driver didn't seem phased by you slipping into the car with the boys. You ended up seated between Jinu and Mystery, both of whom had an arm around your back in some way the whole ride there. 

“You know what it's going to look like if I walk in there with your arms around me, right?” You asked as you neared the studio. 

The boys looked at you, confused.

“Yeah, and?” Abby asked. 

“Do you not want people to know?” Romance questioned, sounding a little hurt.

You shook your head. “Of course I don't care if people know. It's just- Polyamory isn't really that common. People might make a whole thing out of it.” 

“Then let them,” Jinu said nonchalantly. 

“Let's be real, anyone who's jealous is just upset they aren't the ones with their arms around you,” Baby smirked.

You blinked at him. “I think it'd be the other way around.”

Baby raised an eyebrow. “You're the prize here, doll,” he said simply, as if it were fact.

You flushed, not sure how to respond, which made his smirk grow. 

Before the boys could make another comment, you were pulling up behind the studio. The driver came to a stop and staff walked up, opening the door for you to step out.

Romance offered his hand to you, helping you get up out of the car. You thanked him softly and he just smiled, slipping his arm around your waist as you walked towards the door.

The staff didn't bat an eye when the boys said you were with them. They just got you your own pass and you followed the boys to their hair and makeup. 

Turns out the beauticians on staff were super fun to chat with. They were playful and professional, and instantly you felt comfortable. You got to watch the boys get done up, making faces at them and joking about how pretty they looked.

Which definitely made a couple of them flustered, something you noted for later. 

Your badge seemed to give you access to anywhere the boys went. You got to hang out in the wings while they went through their sound checks. Each band had their own solo check, but as you were leaving, you saw Huntr/x walking in.

They gave you a small smile and a wave.

Well that was promising at least.  

When you got back to the boys’ dressing room space, you noticed there were snacks on the tables. There was still about an hour before the show would start, so you lounged with the boys on the couch in the room while munching on some of the food there.

Later, a PA knocked on the door and peered their head in. “15 minutes boys,” they said before leaving.

“I should probably go get to my seat,” you said, moving to stand up when Mystery grabbed your waist, pulling you back onto the couch.

“You can watch from the wings,” they said.

“Am I even allowed to do that? Won’t staff and stuff be moving through there?”

Abby shrugged. “We can find you a spot.”

“You know you’ll see me in the front row still, right?” You asked softly.

You could almost feel the anxiety rolling off of the boys. You sighed. “How about we ask if it's okay, and if they say no, I go to the audience? I'm not gonna be the person who makes other people's lives harder.”

“We just… we want you nearby,” Jinu admitted.

You cupped his cheek. “I know, I do, too. But I won't be far at all. And you know if something happens, nothing could stop me from getting to you guys, right?”

You felt Mystery purr behind you as Abby threw his hands up. “You can't just say that right before we have to go on stage.” 

You smirked, shrugging. “It's just the truth.” 

“We still have 11 minutes, you know…” Baby said, moving to stand in front of you. 

You raised an eyebrow. “And that's enough time to do what exactly? I'm not making out with you guys right now- I don't want to mess up your make-up.”

Baby rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he pouted.

You stood up, placing a hand on Baby's chest and gently pushing him back. “Come on, let's go see if I can wait in the wings or not.” 

Surprisingly, the staff weren't bothered by your request at all. They gave you a spot to stand off to the side where you can still see most of the stage. 

More importantly, you'd be able to see your boys when they walked out. 

The bands all waited in the wings as the show started up, your boys waiting on their marker, though they kept glancing back at you.

Finally, it was their turn to walk onto stage. They were the last band out because they won last week, though the polls were currently predicting a “Golden” win for Huntr/x.

It wasn't until your boys walked away that you noticed it. 

Your body tensed up on instinct, and your eyes went out to the audience, as if drawn to it.

There, in the front row, you spotted him.

It was the same man who'd given you the warning the other day.

Why was he here?

He glanced your way, which made you tense further, but he simply nodded at you.

Acknowledging.

Then, he turned back to watch the show. 

You took a few deep breaths, trying to calm yourself. You barely heard the show host announce Huntr/x as the winner of the final round. You clapped on auto pilot as they told the crowd to tune in for the main event next week.

The boys came off the stage and you tried to give them a smile, but clearly it wasn't very convincing. Their eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Rome got to you first. “Darling, are you okay?”

You glanced around. “I'm fine. It's- we can talk about it later. Not here.”

That didn't make them relax much, but they just nodded and headed with you backstage. 

As you walked down the hall, you noticed Huntr/x hanging out by the boys’ dressing room.

Zoey spotted you all first, waving.

Your heart unclenched seeing them there. You hadn’t realized how anxious you’d been over whether or not they would accept your offer.

Rumi and Mira looked over when Zoey waved.

“Congrats on your win,” Jinu said as you came to a stop in front of them.

“Thank you!” Zoey said, smiling.

“So… you’re down to talk?” You asked them.

Rumi nodded, slipping her hands into her pockets. “There’s a restaurant near here that we go to often. They’ll give us a private room in the back. We thought it’d be a good neutral place.”

You nodded, smiling. “That sounds like a good idea. What’s the address?”

The girls shared the spot and you all agreed that it’d be smarter to drive there, so as not to get mobbed or photographed on the way out. It truly wasn't far, so you were pulling up to the curb before you knew it.

The boys hovered around you as you got out of the car. “Come on,” you said. “It’ll be fine.”

“They are being kind enough so far,” Romance mused.

You beamed. “That’s the spirit! I think this’ll be good for both of us, really.” Your smile faltered a little. “I just want to keep you guys safe.”

Abby wrapped his arm around you, tugging you against his side. “That’s our job sweetheart.”

“No, it’s a two-way street,” you argued. 

“You’re too good for us,” Jinu sighed, kissing your temple.

“Well you guys deserve more good in your life,” you told him.

“You guys coming in or what?” Mira asked, peeking her head out the door.

You blushed, but stepped forward anyway. The boys followed and the door shut quietly behind you.

Chapter Text

Mira led you to a room at the back of the restaurant behind a closed door. Zoey and Rumi were already seated at the table with their drinks. You ended up seated between Abby and Baby. The table was big enough to seat 10, so there were two seats empty, separating the boy band from the girls on either side.

A waiter came in moments after you were seated and got your drink order, seeming fully unfazed by the two idol groups at the table. They bowed to the group once the order was placed and left again.

“So….” Mira started, crossing her arms, “Why exactly do you need our help?”

You licked your lips nervously. “It was my idea to talk with you guys about all of this. When I was first learning about all of…” you wave your hand in a circle, gesturing vaguely at everyone around the table, “this, I tried to do some research on my own.”

“As you might guess, there's not a lot of reliable information about demons online,” you continued, “but I did finally find one source that seemed to match up with what little I did know.”

Everyone was paying attention to you as you spoke. It was mildly daunting, but you pushed on.

“What I found talked about the Honmoon and hunters who were able to manipulate it and acted as protectors.” You paused. “It also talked about ‘powerful’ souls that had been reincarnated several times. They mentioned that they could kind of help with protection, too? They were also used in ‘purity rituals.’ Unfortunately they didn't elaborate on that much.” 

You sighed, running a hand through your hair. “Between that and a warning I got from another demon, who told me I acted as a shield to my boys, I thought maybe you guys would be able to fill in some of the gaps? Or maybe, since my goal is to make sure Gwi-ma can't touch them again, and you guys want to seal Gwi-ma away, we could work together somehow?”

The girls nodded. “Okay,” Rumi said, “so like I told Jinu initially, I hadn't even heard of soulmates prior to meeting you guys.”

“None of us had,” Zoey agreed.

“But I have been trying to look into it. Our mentor did say she heard of the concept but didn't know much beyond that,” Rumi continued. “However, as far as brighter souls goes, yours is one of the brightest we've seen.”

Mira nodded. “We know bright souls help the Honmoon more, but that's it.”

Zoey looked at you and tilted her head. “You said some of the stories claimed old souls could also protect people. Can you feel the Honmoon?”

You furrowed your eyebrows. “I don't think so…”

“She totally can,” Baby interjected, not glancing up from his phone. His other hand, not on his phone, moved to rest just above your knee.

You glanced at him, confused, but Romance piped up before you could ask. 

“She can sense demons if they're nearby,” he explained.

“I didn't know that's what I was doing though,” you countered. 

“What does that feel like for you?” Rumi asked, her gaze focused on you.

You sighed, trying to think of how to verbalize it. “It's like… My friends jokingly called it a spidey-sense. I feel like I'm being watched at first. Then it feels like… icher. Heavy almost? It definitely activates my fight or flight.”

The three girls nodded in understanding. “We can usually feel when demons get through the Honmoon,” Zoey said. “It also feels gross, like something's wrong.”

“Demons in disguise aren't as noticeable,” Rumi said, glancing at the boys and then back at you.

You shook your head. “I can generally feel them when they're disguised, too, as far as I can tell. Not that spotting them really helps me much.”

“How can you stand to be around them then?” Mira asked, wrinkling her nose.

“They don't feel that way to me,” you replied, shrugging. “Even in demon form. I assume it's a soulmate thing. No need to warn me of a danger that isn't there.” 

Abby moved his arm over the back of your chair, and you noticed Romance and Jinu giving you a fond smile. You smiled back softly.

“Aww you guys are so cute,” Zoey cooed, instantly making you blush. 

Just then, two waiters came into your room with trays full of food. They took a second to pass everything out and refill your drinks. Once they confirmed everyone was satisfied, they bowed and left the room again. 

“So,” Mira said as she took a bite of her food. She pointed her chopsticks at the boys, “do you guys even want to work with us? Or is Y/N the only reason you’re here?”

“It wasn’t exactly our idea,” Abby said, raising an eyebrow, “but that doesn’t mean we aren’t open to it.”

“It certainly took a bit of convincing,” you admitted quietly.

Baby scoffed. “Can you blame us, doll? You were asking us to literally bring you to a meeting with people who wanted to hurt us.”

“We wouldn’t have hurt Y/N,” Zoey said, sounding slightly offended.

“You’re telling us you wouldn’t have even thought about using her as a distraction for us?” Abby asked flatly.

“Guys,” you interjected, glaring at your boys, “we’re here now, it’s fine. It didn’t come to that.”

Rumi hummed as she swallowed a bite of food. “If we're talking working together, at this point, I think the way you could help most would be by not performing. Since you're tied to Gwi-ma, your fans weaken the Honmoon, which is the opposite of what we want.”

“Yeah, but, we're trying to disconnect them from Gwi-ma, too,” you said. “We're part of the way there but… I don't know how to make it permanent.”

“How are you connected to Gwi-ma?” Mira asked.

You felt it wasn't your place to answer this. After a moment of glancing between each other, Jinu gave a soft sigh and spoke up. “His voice is in our ear, which tends to worsen our emotions, making our patterns flare up. He can drag us back to the demon realm at any time, see what we're doing, and dispose of us if he pleases.”

“So is he just seeing all of this now?” Mira snapped.

“No, as far as we can tell, he can't,” Jinu glanced at you. “Not when we're around Y/N.”

The Huntr/x girls looked at you curiously. “Have you guys tested that much, yet?” Rumi asked, glancing between you all. “Seen how far the range is?”

The boys tensed slightly at the suggestion, making your heart hurt a little. You looked back at the girls. “We haven't really been able to tell the exact distance… but we know it exists.”

“Maybe we can help with that?” Zoey suggested, glancing at the other girls before looking back at the group. “Since we can see their bond, I wonder if we could see when it was at its limit. It could help you learn more about it.”

Mira shrugged. 

Rumi nodded, looking over at you. “You said you were trying to permanently cut them off from Gwi-ma, right? Perhaps knowing that could help you figure it out more. Like learning why it happens.”

“Demons have lore that a soulmate can remove the curse of being bound to Gwi-ma,” you explained. “The research I did, too, specifically mentioned old souls being used to ‘cleanse those touched by the darkness.’ We just… need to make it stronger than what it is now.”

The girls nodded. 

“Just based on how their souls look now, I think it could work,” Zoey said.

“We just need to figure out how,” you agreed. 

“So what are we supposed to do?” Baby asked. “Just hang around while you guys figure it out? Disappear off the face of the earth?”

Mira smirked. “Not a bad idea.”

“We're expected to be at the Idol Awards at the end of the week,” Jinu said. “We can't just not show up.”

“I mean you could-” Mira countered. 

“The Honmoon is still weak right now,” Jinu cut in. “If we just disappear, the fans could be controlled by someone else Gwi-ma sends.”

The three girls frowned at the thought. 

“Okay,” Rumi said after a moment, “so we just need to work on getting your souls back.”

“Oh! If we can do that, then maybe your fans won't weaken the Honmoon anymore,” Zoey piped up. 

Rumi nodded. “We'll do some research, and then maybe tomorrow or Sunday we can meet up and try to figure this out more. Do some testing.” She put her hand out. “Here, Y/N, give me your phone.”

You handed it over and Rumi quickly typed in some things before handing it back with a smile. “Now you have our numbers. I made a little group chat so we could have yours, too.”

Holy shit you had Huntr/x's phone numbers-

Ari was going to explode.

“Cool, yeah totally,” you replied, hoping you didn't sound completely flustered. 

Rome sighed. “You don't get this excited when we text you.”

You whipped your head around to glare at him. “They're still Huntr/x,” you hissed at him. 

“Ugh, no loyalty,” Abby teased and you stuck out your tongue at him. 

You all finished up your food as you finalized the plans. The girls would text tomorrow to confirm the time, but you'd most likely be meeting at their place on Sunday.

Ari was going to explode twice.

Since your stuff was already at the boys’ place, you decided to spend the night there again. 

“Are you guys feeling okay about all of this still?” You asked the boys as you got ready for bed. “I know it was my idea but, if you feel super uncomfortable I don't want to force you to keep meeting with them.”

Romance sighed, slipping up behind you and wrapping his arms around your waist. “It's smart to see if they can help us. Just because we were uncomfortable at first, doesn't mean we're still against it.”

You nodded. “Okay,” you glanced around at the boys. “If at any point you don't feel safe, though, you gotta tell me.”

“We will,” Mystery agreed softly, coming over to gently kiss your cheek.

Come morning, you dragged the boys back to your place. You wanted to hang out with your best friend, and you knew the boys wouldn't want you out of their sight, still.

Not that you felt any differently.

You'd texted Ari last night and asked if she was free and she immediately replied. You had plans to grab breakfast from the two of you's favorite cafe on the way, so you could all eat it together at your apartment. 

“Ari,” you called as you entered the apartment, holding a coffee in one hand while the boys carried the rest of the food and drinks, “I brought coffee and muffins!”

“Stud muffins,” Abby joked, making you snort.

You directed the boys to set the stuff on the counter. As you began to divvy out everyone's orders, Ari stepped into the kitchen.

“Hey girl,” she grinned. “Thanks for grabbing breakfast.” She gave you a hug before you slid her coffee and muffin over to her. “How was the award show last night? Minus losing to Huntr/x of course,” she grinned. 

“We still made it to the top two,” Baby said with a shrug, leaning against the kitchen island as he took a bite of his muffin. 

“It went well! I got to go backstage before the show and hang out, which was super fun,” you said, a grin slowly growing on your face. “And you'll never guess what we did after the show.”

Ari leaned in excitedly. “What did you do?”

“We went out to eat with Huntr/x,” you replied, beaming.

Ari squealed. “Ah! No way! That's so cool! Oh my god you're living my dream. Dinner with Huntr/x??” 

You giggled. “We might hang out with them again soon, too.”

“Oh my god. I can't,” Ari gushed. “Are you gonna become friends with them? Am I gonna get to see them more because you're friends with them?”

“They may or may not have given me their phone numbers,” you told her.

“Wow! Holy shit you're that girl,” Ari said. “Next thing I know you're going to be verified on Instagram and go to after parties and shit.”

“You know you'll be my plus one,” you told her.

“Hey!” The boys exclaimed.

You looked at them, raising an eyebrow. “As if any event I go to wouldn't be because of you guys in the first place. You'd already be invited!” 

Ari stuck her tongue out at the boys. “Besties come first.”

Baby smirked. “Actually, our rule is that Y/N always comes f- ACK!” Baby cut off as Jinu suddenly put him in a headlock.

Jinu smiled at Ari. “Sorry about him. We swear he knows what manners are.”

Ari laughed as Baby grabbed at Jinu's arm, trying to pry it off of his neck. “It's fine. If you think that's the raunchiest thing I've ever heard, you'd be mistaken.” 

You ended up hanging at your place with Ari until lunch. Then, the seven of you decided to go out to grab a bite to eat. You were very happy that Ari got along with the boys so you were all able to hang out together.

Afterwards, you split ways. As you and the boys were heading back to their condo, your phone buzzed in your pocket.

It was Zoey. She sent a message in the group chat the girls’ created.

“Hey Y/N! You guys still good to meet up tomorrow?” 

You instantly texted back. “Yeah! Just let us know what time.”

“How does 9a sound?”

“We'll be there! Still meeting at your place?”

“Yep!” Zoey confirmed.

Rumi sent a text right after hers. “Just let them know who you are at the door and they'll let you in. We'll make sure they know you're coming.”

“If you have any issues, you can just call us!” Zoey said.

“Good to know, thank you!”

You pocketed your phone again and glanced at your boys. Hopefully tomorrow will be the right step toward getting the answers you need. 

Chapter Text

Being let into the building the next morning went smoothly, not a question asked once you presented yourselves to the receptionist. Now, the six of you were in a high speed elevator heading to the top of the building.

A building with Huntr/x’s logo on it.

You weren’t freaking out inside slightly, not at all.

Mystery slid up beside you, their hand settling on your back, gently rubbing it. “Relax starlight,” he whispered.

You took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You're right. They're just people too, it's not that big of a deal.” 

The elevator dinged and opened up to a large living room surrounded by walls of glass, overlooking the city. The girls were standing near the couch that took up the center of the room.

“Hi! Morning!” Zoey greeted cheerfully.

“Glad you got up here alright,” Rumi said before clapping her hands together. “So, we did some research to see if we could find anything else. We didn't find much more on soulmates, but we did learn more about bright souls like yours, Y/N.”

“Yeah!” Zoey chimed in. “The hunters throughout history have different stories of how bright souls helped them.”

“Apparently bright souls are almost like a battery for the Honmoon,” Mira drawled. 

Rumi nodded. “Not only that, but they tend to draw on the Honmoon without realizing it, usually creating a barrier for those closest to them.”

“Is that something I can control willingly?” You asked.

Mira shrugged. “I don't see why not. It seems like a defensive version of what we do with the Honmoon,” she explained before dragging her hand through the air, making an impressive blade materialize in her hand.

“You already have some control over it,” Romance pointed out. “If you didn't, we might not be standing here.”

The three girls looked confused. “What do you mean by that?” Rumi asked. 

“Gwi-ma had pulled us into the demon realm,” Romance said smoothly, “and she pulled us back out.”

“But I don't know if I could do it again,” you whispered.

“I think you could,” Mystery mused.

“How did you do it the first time?” Rumi asked. 

“I just felt like something was tugging at me, so I tugged back,” you said with a shrug.

“Well let's see if you can do it again in not dire circumstances,” Zoey suggested. “That's what we're meeting up for, right? To try and learn more about how your bond works?”

“Did you pull them all at once?” Mira asked. “Or one at a time?”

“I pulled Romance, Abby, and Baby at the same time, first, and then Jinu and Mystery after,” you answered. “I don’t know how I pulled some of them and not all of them at once.”

“Can you feel the bond within you?” Rumi questioned. “Can you tell who is who or is it just one giant bond?”

“I don’t… I don’t know?”

Zoey clapped her hands together. “Well, let’s find out then! Y/N, you come over here, and boys, you need to spread out.” She came over to the group of you and grabbed you by the arm, pulling you away from the boys.

You heard Baby growl and you turned your head to glare at him. “This is literally why we came here, calm down.” 

Zoey moved you to stand across the room near the windows while Rumi and Mira shuffled the other boys so they were further apart, spread across the room. 

“So,” Zoey said, facing you, “if your connection is anything like ours, we were taught to feel inward in order to connect outward.”

“What she means is your ties to the Honmoon, and by extension the boys, begins inside of you,” Rumi explained, coming over to stand by Zoey. “We had to learn to identify the part inside of us before we could manipulate what was outside of us.”

“It'll probably help to close your eyes at first,” Mira suggested. “Once you get more used to it, you'll be able to do it anytime.”

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, trying to feel what you had felt the other day.

You could still sense it there. Unlike the other day, it felt calm, cozy even. You experimentally tried to tug at it.

“Wait, did you just do something?” Rumi asked.