The Rules

Chapter 5

The delicious smell of food hit her when they walked into the living room and her stomach responded with the pain of hunger. "It smells really good,"  she said.  She looked up and saw a couple of guys in the kitchen cooking while another one was setting the table.

"Oh! You're awake!"  Jimin came over smiling when he saw them enter.  "How are you feeling?  Joon, did she get her medicine?"  He instinctively put his hand on her forehead, as he had done most of the night to check her.  Ami flinched a bit as Jimin touched her face and Namjoon instinctively tightened his grip.

"I'm good, thanks."  She smiled a confused smile at Jimin as Namjoon helped her to the table to sit down.

"I'm so sorry, your fever was so high last night, it was just instinct.  You're feeling better though?" Jimin said as he sat down across the table from her.   Namjoon filled in the gaps for her, "He stayed with you most of the night, making sure your fever didn't spike again."

Ami flashed him a tired smile, "I'm feeling better, thank you for checking on me. Are you Yoongi?"

Jin and Yoongi glanced confused looks at each other.  It had been a long time since they had met someone who didn't know who they were.    As Namjoon set some water down in front of her he did the introductions.  "This is Jimin,  in the kitchen are Jin and Yoongi."  Jimin just flashed a cute smile as Yoongi and Jin waved from the kitchen. 

She turned and looked at Yoongi, "Ah,  I heard you helped pull me out of the rain last night, thank you so much and sorry for any trouble."  Ami said with a small bow.

"No trouble at all," Yoongi said as they brought the delicious-smelling food over to the table and set it down.  "Jin, call the rest of the guys, it's time to eat."  Jin hollered through the apartment and Ami looked up to see three more guys come join them.  The fact they were seven gorgeous men didn't get past her.   This entire situation was completely surreal.  Three days ago she landed in a place and knew nobody, now seven men are making her breakfast and doting on her.  Her brain was racing to try and process everything. 

"Hi, I'm Taehyung and this is Hobi and Jungkook.  How are you feeling?"  He asked as they dished up breakfast onto their plates.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Ami.  I think I'll live..as soon as the meds kick in, everything will be even better."  She said with a smile and chuckle.  Namjoon was happy to see her smile and laugh a bit.  It calmed him to see her relax with everyone. 

"Ok!  Let's eat before it gets cold!" Jin yelled at the guys and everyone dug in.  She enjoyed listening to them all talk while they ate.  She was usually a very cautious person when meeting new people, but they were careful to make it comfortable for her.   She was grateful they had found and helped her.

"This food is so good Jin, thank you so much." Ami sat back with a satisfied look on her face.

"Do you want more? You didn't eat a lot..." Namjoon handed her another bowl.

"Oh no, really, I've had more than enough. " She pushed his hand away as he tried to give her more.

"I'll take it!" Jungkook said and swiped it out of Namjoon's hand.  "Ahhh!  Seriously Kook!"  Hobi scolded.  "Guests first!"   Jungkook just smiled a funny smile back at Hobi and dug into his second helping.

Ami laughed and took note they all joked and talked like good friends, not just a bunch of random roommates. 

"So, Ami, I'm sure there is someone worried that you didn't come home last night.  We can get your phone so you can call them right away."  Yoongi mentioned between bites. "Ahh no, there is no one expecting me." She said with a sad smile,  "I just moved back here from London 3 days ago."

"What about friends?" Jungkook stopped eating long enough to ask, but Ami just shook her head no.  "None that I have kept in touch with here, it's just me."  She briefly thought about her two best friends she had to leave behind for 10 years and wondered if they were still around.  Namjoon watched her expression sadden while she was talking.  Her eyes lost a bit of sparkle for just a second.  He glanced at Jimin and they quickly met eyes before looking back at Ami.

"I lived in London for the past 10 years with my aunt and uncle, but I always wanted to move back home.  So now I'm here and I'm going to look for a job."  She smiled with self-assurance.

"That's pretty brave of you to move across the world with no immediate connections, most people wouldn't do that,"  Tae said while watching her closely as she spoke.  "Well, I'm not most people," she said with a cheeky smile.  Not wanting the focus to be all on her she asked as she sipped her water, "What about you guys, you seem more like brothers than just roommates.  Have you guys known each other for a long time?"

She noticed the guys looked blankly at her for a second before Hobi spoke up.  "We've worked together for about 10 years."  "Oh wow, it must be a good partnership if you work and live together,"  Ami said with surprise.   "That's a special thing to find, friends that you consider family."

"It has had its moments." Yoongi smirked, "but yes, we wouldn't want it any other way."  She looked around at the table, and all of them had the same look on their faces.  They all looked happy with what he had said.  Ami longed to feel that way again, it had been 10 long years feeling like there was something missing inside her, a void she wanted to fill.  She was hoping that by moving back to her hometown she could find what she had long searched for.  They all continued to talk for a while around the table.  The guys noticed there was such an ease with her.  She asked questions but didn't overly pry.  She seemed to easily answer anything they asked. 

Jimin had been watching her closely and frowned as noticed Ami starting to look tired and her color seemed off.  "Ami, do you want to go rest?  You are still recovering from being sick."  Everyone stopped talking and took notice of her.

"No, I should really go home, I've put you guys out too much already." Ami went to stand but was hit with a wave of exhaustion.   "Joon," Yoongi said quietly, as they watched her start to fall.  Namjoon and Jin were quick to support her back into her chair, but she had fainted.  Yoongi and Hobi helped pull her chair back and Namjoon picked her up to take her back to the room to rest.

All she remembered were the sounds of chairs moving quickly, a murmur of voices, and feeling someone pick her up. 

"Let's call Dr. Lee and have him come check her again.." she heard someone say.  Ami was going to protest, but just let the waves of exhaustion take her back under.