cherry blossoms - an OT7 soulmate story

chapter twenty-five.

"It's true, Hobi! He's right - I'm just a mess. I always need my brother to save me, and you guys. I'm a worthless, hopeless piece of shit!" Rae said, getting up and running from them. She needed to get away, she needed to run - to run and never look back.

"Rae!" Jin called. She snatched up a pair of keys to the rental and booked it outside, past her brother who was screaming for her. Quickly, she got in the car, silenced her bonds, and drove off. She drove and drove in the pouring rain, tears streaking down her face, not knowing entirely where she was going until she got there.

It was even more rainy at the cemetery, but she didn't care as she got out of the car and walked in the pouring rain. She stopped at the familiar headstone that she hadn't seen in years, collapsing on the ground and sobbing, arms around the headstone.

GRACE BANG

BELOVED MOTHER AND SISTER

Rae ached for her mother. She remembered how her mother would talk to her about soulmates, how happy they could make someone who was lucky enough to have them. Rae always told her mom that she'd be the first to know if she had soulmates - and here she was, causing more pain for them than she wanted.

"Momma... I need you so bad right now." she sobbed out, clothes starting to stick to her skin as she got drenched. "I met my soulmates momma... I have seven of them, and they're perfect. You would love all of them so much." Her head was resting on the stone and she couldn't tell what were tears and what was rain anymore as she sat there and cried, longing for someone she couldn't have.

Meanwhile, things were frantic at the rental house. Jin had jumped in the spare car with Jungkook to try to follow her, and Changbin and Felix had taken one of the other cars to try to find her as well. Hoseok was trying to calm down Jimin with the help of Taehyung, who felt like yelling at her caused the problem, and Bang PD and Sejin were on speaker with Namjoon and Yoongi. Christopher had taken a car on his own to try to find his sister. The rest of the Stray Kids were trying their best to be supportive, but in the end everyone was worried about Rae. Her phone was here, and they had no way to find her.

"We can get him for blackmailing and previous abuse, that's for sure. As for the situation... I think it's truly up to you guys as a group to decide what to do." Bang PD said to them.

"I think we just need to come out with it. It's been long enough." Namjoon said.

"Whatever you do, we'll support you. Focus on finding her, alright? We'll take care of everything else." With that, the phones were hung up and the tension was back.

"Has anyone heard anything?!" Yoongi shouted to anyone.

"Nothing from anyone." Minho said with a sigh. All of their phones were out as they stared at them blankly, until Minho jumped up. "Chris found her! Quick - someone tell the other drivers!"

"Where is she?!" Yoongi asked. Minho had a sad look on his face and suddenly the room was filled with somberness.

"Rae!" Christopher called, parking the car behind hers and running over. She was slumped over the headstone crying as she looked up and saw her brother running her way. She was soaking wet, looking like a literal drowned rat and freezing cold. "Thank god." he said, hugging her and bringing her close to him.

"Chris - I ruin - I ruin everything!"

"No you don't, Rae. You are amazing - you are so loved by everyone. Don't let him get to you." he said to her. Rae let out a broken sob as he held her, starting to get wet himself.

"I miss her so much." she bawled, body shaking.

"I do too, I miss her too." Christopher said to her. "But she wouldn't want to see you like this, I know it. She'd be so proud of you for everything you've accomplished, I know it." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other two cars pulling up.

"Really?" she asked smally.

"Really. Come on, we need to get you out of the rain." Christopher picked her up, bringing her up to her waiting soulmates. Changbin got in the car that Rae had driven, and Jungkook took over driving for Jin and he held her on the backseat, trying to keep her as warm as possible.

"Jinnie... so cold..." she said to him.

"I know, jagiya. We're going to make you a nice, warm bath when we get back, okay?" Jin said to her soothingly. She nodded against his chest, sniffling the whole ride home. Jungkook opened the door for them as Jin carried her into the house. Immediately, she was attempted to be bombarded. "No - she needs to be warmed up now! Go start a bath in the master suite." he ordered.

Taehyung and Jimin immediately darted up the stairs to get the water going, Jin carrying his soulmate all the way up and into the bathroom. He got her wet clothes off of her and held her in a blanket for warmth until the water was ready. Gently, Jin unwrapped her and placed her in the water as the rest of her soulmates piled into the bathroom. Jimin took over after that, gently wetting her hair to wash it and get the cold rain out. It was quiet until he let out a sob.

"Jimin?" Rae asked, slowly turning around to face him.

"Beautiful - I - we were so worried. I'm sorry I yelled, it wasn't your fault. I was so mad that you were saying those things about yourself." he said to her, hugging her shoulders.

"I think we can all say that we were absolutely worried sick about you, pretty girl." Yoongi had stripped naked and climbed in with her, wanting to be closer. He was not one usually for physical affection - but right now all he craved was to hold her, so he did. Her body was still cold, so he dragged her against him to give her some heat.

"We decided that we are going to take your father to court for blackmailing you, and us. Bang PD and Sejin are already on it." Hoseok said to her gently.

"What about the picture?" she asked them.

"We decided that the seven of us are going to come out as a group. He can't get us if we do it ourselves, plus we think it's time. ARMY deserve to know, and we deserve to be ourselves." Namjoon said. Rae watched as all her soulmates echoed their agreement.

"Okay. How are we doing this?" Rae asked them. There were small smiles from Hoseok and Taehyung, while Yoongi protested.

"Wait a minute - " Yoongi started to fight, before Rae promptly cut him off.

"No - we are not a group of seven, we are a group of eight. It's all of us together or nothing." she said with finality. Pride soared through the bonds as they watched their littlest soulmate stand up for herself. Yoongi had been very vocal about keeping Rae quiet for as long as they could, so it was no surprise to any of them that he was the first to object. He let out a sigh, sensing that she was determined to see this through and he backed out.

"God, I love you." Jin said from the side. Rae let out a giggle as Yoongi held onto her, all of them quiet and trying to think of a way to share their bond.

"I think we should keep it simple - a picture of all 8 of us which our marks showing. We can have someone take it tonight." Taehyung said. The group all agreed as Rae got out of the bath, followed by Yoongi. They all went their separate ways to get dressed, Rae opting for a skirt and cropped tank top with sandals. She looked outside and noticed it had stopped raining and the sun was starting to come out, making her smile.

It was a symbol of the bright things to come.

******

girl had to have a break down in the rain moment

good news is that i'm back to updating!

bad news is that i finished writing this fic.

it will end at 30, with an epilogue. then i'll be taking a writing break while i plot out my next fic.