Shattered Souls (BTS)

Chapter 22 - Madeline

She hated to admit it but she was a little starstruck. They were global sensations—icons to the world. And they were in her room. She knew they were handsome when she watched their videos but the cameras didn't do them any justice. All seven of them looked like they had been crafted by the gods themselves.

It was extremely unfair.

The auras surrounding them were strong and warm. A complete contrast to how she perceived them. They didn't carry themselves as superstars but as ordinary humans.

Still, it could be a front. She had to be careful around them.

"Why don't we all introduce ourselves?" Namjoon asked the boys in Korean, unaware that Madeline suddenly understood them. She hadn't been able to earlier when she was sleeping. Her eyes snapped to her wrists and she nearly gasped when she caught sight of two golden marks. At closer inspection, she realized it was Jimin's and Namjoon's marks. They had touched her and jumpstarted the bond.

Her mind went into overdrive.

She had bonded with two of them. That was how she was able to understand Korean. When she woke up, the bond must have come into effect.

That meant everything they said—even when they didn't want her to know it—she'd understand.

"I'm Kim Seokjin, otherwise known as World Wide Handsome—"

He never got to finish. "I know who you guys are." It was the first time she had spoken in front of them. They all froze at the sound of her voice. "So, now that we've established that, can we get this over with?"

Not only did the soul bond allow her to understand what was being said, but it also meant she could speak in Korean. She didn't notice she was speaking their language until they all gasped.

Yoongi, the perceptive one who usually hung back, stepped forward and narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean 'get this over with'?"

Madeline sighed and dragged her gaze away from him. "The rejection. What else would it be?"

There was a palpable silence between them. Madeline held her breath as if the moment she released it, she'd vanish from this world.

She had never understood how love could be so precious to someone. Sure, she had seen her father and stepmother have a happy relationship—the same with Freya and Della. But she still couldn't see how someone could completely rely on someone. That was why she despised soul mates. She didn't want to be in love and carry around fears of losing her loved one in the future. It seemed too painful.

And yet, here she was. Waiting for her soul mates to finally utter the words she never wanted to hear. It would have been so much easier if she was like her mother—soulless. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about the pain.

"Rejection?" Jungkook gasped in Korean. Slowly, she shifted her orbs back to them. The three youngest all had tears in their eyes whilst the other four stiffened. "I—we—we don't want that."

Madeline didn't believe him. Nothing they said could convince her. The bond between the two of them forced would disappear when they rejected her so it didn't matter. That wouldn't tie them down.

"Jungkook is right. We're here because we want to be with you." Jin stepped forward, speaking in a firm, no-nonsense voice. It all went over her head. She refused to be swayed so easily. She couldn't afford to be weak. Weakness would destroy her.

Resisting the urge to scoff, Madeline's gaze hardened. "Okay then. I guess I'll have to say the words. I reject the bo—" In a flash, a strong hand covered her mouth, preventing her from uttering another word.