Stigma Love's Algorithm [ A BTS x Reader Poly ]

Chapter 28: Sandwiches and Rearview Glances

I salute him dramatically from the backseat.

Noona leans forward slightly, catching hyung's eyes in the mirror. "I'm more interested in the giraffes, honestly. Maybe I'll try to take one home with me."

I laugh, suddenly picturing noona sneaking a giraffe into her apartment. "Good luck with that," I tease. "I don't think a giraffe's going to fit in your place."

Hyung chuckles, and I can feel his amusement in the air. "Yeah, and how are you going to explain that to your neighbors, babe?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Is there a 'pet giraffe' clause in your lease?"

I join in, laughing at the thought of it. "Maybe we should just put a saddle on one and use it as our new mode of transportation," I suggest. "I can see us riding around, like the coolest trio ever."

Noona laughs again, shaking her head. "Alright, alright, I guess a giraffe might be a bit much. But I'll settle for feeding one. I just want to see how tall they really are."

"Way taller than you," I joke, nudging her playfully.

She sticks her tongue out at me, but there's a softness in her eyes when she looks back at me. "You're terrible, you're lucky you're cute."

Hyung glances at us again, but this time, his gaze lingers on noona for a moment longer than usual.

There's something in his eyes-something warm and familiar. "Well, if I have to go on a giraffe-feeding adventure," he says dryly, though there's affection in his voice, "at least I'll have you two to keep me entertained."

It's in moments like this when the weight of my feelings for both of them hits me a little harder than usual.

The way hyung takes care of us in his quiet, subtle way, the way noona can't help but light up any room she's in, and how they both make me feel more at home than I ever thought I could be.

I sit back in my seat, letting out a deep sigh. "God, I am sooooooo lucky," I say softly, this time with all the sincerity I can muster.

My voice is quiet, just enough for them to hear. "Like, I'm really lucky to have you both in my life."

Noona turns around, her smile soft and knowing, and I catch a hint of something in her eyes-a shared understanding. "We're lucky to have you too, Tae," she says gently, her voice full of warmth.

Hyung's voice is quiet, but firm. "Yeah. You're stuck with us now," he says, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, but there's so much more in those words than just a joke.

The way he says it, so certain, makes my heart race.

"I think we're all pretty lucky," I mutter to myself, letting the weight of it sink in. I don't really know how or why, but I know that with these two, I've found something real.

Something more than I ever could've imagined.

The car continues to hum along the highway, the miles stretching ahead of us, but inside the car, everything feels perfect.

Even the space between us feels close, like we've all found our rhythm, our place.

As I glance at Yoongi hyung, his eyes flicking back to the road, his hand resting casually on the steering wheel, I can't help but admire him.

He's everything I've ever wanted-strong, steady, yet with a softness that only those closest to him get to see.

There's something in the way he moves through the world, so calm and in control, that makes me feel like everything's going to be okay.

And then there's Y/N noona-her radiance is undeniable, like she carries a light inside her that makes the whole world brighter.

Every time she looks at me, I feel like the luckiest person alive.

Hyung catches me looking at him again in the rearview mirror.

His eyes soften just a fraction, like he can read my thoughts, even though I've said nothing.

And in that moment, it's as if I can feel the bond between the three of us growing, stronger and deeper, like we're all silently acknowledging something we can't quite put into words.

"Noona," I say after a beat, my voice low and playful, "if we get close to any lions, you better be careful. I know you've got that 'animal whisperer' thing going, but I don't want to see you making deals to become their queen or something."

Noona shoots me a mock offended look, one eyebrow arched. "Are you saying I couldn't be a lion queen?"

I laugh so hard I almost lose my breath. "You'd be the first human ever to have a lion as a best friend, that's for sure."

Hyung's grin spreads across his face, and when he glances back at me, there's a playful twinkle in his eyes. "Hey, if Y/N becomes a lion queen, I'm hitching a ride with the giraffes."

I look at them both, laughter bubbling up again, this time even louder.

This moment, right here, is exactly what I needed-this easy, perfect moment where the three of us are just... us.

No masks, no pretenses, just three people tangled together in a way that feels impossibly right.

And for the rest of the drive, that's how it stays. We share food, tease each other, laugh, and fall deeper into the connection we already share.

As we get closer to the safari park, I feel my heart beat a little faster, not because of the animals waiting for us, but because I'm with them.

With Yoongi hyung.

With Y/N noona.

And in that moment, I realize that the real adventure is being here with them.