✔ || Ticking (Namjoon x Reader Soulmate AU)

6 - Namjoon's POV

After being fussed over by Seokjin's soulmate over the phone for what felt like hours, Namjoon was ready. He was in an outfit that Taehyung had purchased the majority of, so it would look cool. Right? Jimin had fixed his hair for him, worrying over every stray strand until Yoongi pulled him away and promised it looked fine.

Once he was ready, all the members looked him over to make sure he was perfect. When they all agreed, Namjoon's wrist read 0:00:34:15. Their managers checked how Namjoon looked too and, when satisfied, led the group to their van. Namjoon hadn't expected everyone to join him - he had thought the managers had given the rest of the members other tasks for the day. But when he voiced this, everyone shook their heads. "We wouldn't miss this," Hoseok said.

Taehyung nodded from the backseat, his arms wrapped around Jeongguk in an impossible position, "We want to be there for you."

"And honestly," Yoongi added, "I think the manager hyungs knew better than to schedule us for anything because we wouldn't have gone."

The managers smiled knowingly at this. Namjoon sighed, excitement and nerves clouding his brain.

"Where to?" The driver asked.

"Um," Namjoon pursed his lips, thinking. He was supposed to know this - to feel where to go. "Go south."

The driver obeyed and Namjoon tried to settle into his seat. Hoseok reached over and gripped his hand, offering a smile. "We're all so happy for you."

Yoongi cracked a smile, "I guess this means the unclaimed line will be losing a member. Rest in peace, my friend."

Namjoon smiled back at his hyung. Jimin and Jeongguk were arguing in the backseat over the proper way to say "Hi, I'm in a band with Namjoon, have you ever heard of us?" in English. For whatever reason, Jimin thought it included the word "car." Namjoon turned in his seat and threw out the proper phrase purposefully too fast for either boy to understand. With a grin, he turned back around and listened to the two of them try to decipher Namjoon's words. Tae joined in, but he did more harm than good by throwing out practically every English word he knew.

"I think he said it like 'vand,'" Jimin said.

"Hello," Tae said in English.

"That's not a word," Jeongguk responded, ignoring Tae.

"Not," Tae singsonged.

"Are you sure? You don't know much more English than I do," Jimin pointed out.

"Pardon?" Tae continued his English tirade. Namjoon laughed. Even though it was a good response to what Jimin had said, Namjoon knew that Tae had no idea what that word meant except that you sometimes say it like a question.

"Well I know that 'vand' isn't a word," Jeongguk snorted.

"Actually," Tae said, drawing out the "y."

"Well then what do you think he said?" Jimin asked.

"I love you," Tae said, growling it at Jeongguk, but he didn't make the "v" sound so it came out more like one word.

"I'm pretty sure he pronounced it with a 'b,'" Jeongguk said.

"Are you sure?" Jimin asked.

"Saxophone!" Tae practically shouted.

Jeongguk finally turned his attention to his soulmate and said calmly, "Sexy porn star."

Tae turned every shade of red and sputtered, "Are we ever going to let that go?"

Jeongguk, Jimin, Yoongi, Seokjin, and Hoseok all gave a resounding "no." Namjoon was too busy staring at the numbers on his wrist to respond. He had less than ten minutes left, and he had no idea where he was going.

Suddenly, he was thirsty. Really thirsty. He might honestly die if he didn't drink anything, thirsty. He reached over, effectively smacking Seokjin in his desperation to grab the water bottle that sat in the cup holder. Seokjin silently handed it to him and Namjoon struggled with the lid until he finally got it off. He threw the water back, his throat burning. But it tasted disgusting, and rather than vomit, Namjoon spat it out at his feet. He was still thirsty though, and it was getting worse. All he could think about suddenly was coffee. He wanted to sit in a booth and drink coffee. Badly. He wanted it more than breathing. He purses his lips, stiffening and blinking away tears because his throat hurt so bad and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Yoongi noticed and raised his eyebrows, "Do you feel something?"

"Yeah, uh," Namjoon shook his head to clear the sensation, but it persisted. "I really, really want coffee right now."

Seokjin rested a hand on Namjoon's thigh and the leader looked over at the eldest brother. Seokjin smiled softly at him, "Then we better get some coffee, huh?"

His gentle tone calmed Namjoon. "Yeah," said the leader, exhaling, "we better."

"Do you have a place in mind?" asked Seokjin.

"Yeah, actually," Namjoon rubbed his forehead, trying to concentrate. "Turn left up ahead."

The driver quietly obeyed and the members grinned amongst themselves. Tae looked like he was so excited that he was about to come out of his seat. Namjoon lowered his head to his chest, trying to will away the sudden dehydration. It was almost as if his body knew where he was going, and the pain let up a bit. Namjoon gave the driver instructions, focusing on the map that was forming in his brain rather than his thirst.

By the time he was ready for the driver to stop, Namjoon only had a minute and a couple seconds left. He turned to the others, "I think -" he hesitated, licking his lips. "I think I should go in by myself."

The managers didn't seem to like that idea, so Seokjin said, "Would you mind if one of us came to the door to make sure you are safe?"

Namjoon nodded shakily, "Will you do it, hyung?"

Seokjin nodded and helped Namjoon out of the car. Tae shouted after them just as the door was closing, "Good luck, hyung!" 

Namjoon swayed once his feet were on the street and he keeled over, hugging his stomach. "I think I'm going to be sick, hyung."

"It's okay, Namjoonie," Seokjin murmured, rubbing his back. "We're so close, I promise. Just a little further."

Cold sweat was trickling down Namjoon's temple and his lungs burned with every breath. "Why is this so hard?!"

"You haven't eaten," Seokjin pointed out, "and you're running on zero sleep. Don't worry, you'll be okay, you just need to move."

Namjoon obeyed the elder, forcing himself to straighten and walk forward. The street bounced with every step he took and he stumbled more than once, but Seokjin grabbed his arm to steady him and together they made their way across the road. After an eternity, Namjoon's hand was on the door handle. He turned back to the elder, "Hyung, I - will you wait right here?"

Seokjin nodded, his eyes soft, and Namjoon pulled open the door. As the seconds ticked by, it was as if an invisible magnet was dragging him forward. He could feel eyes turning to see who had entered, and he could hear gasps as the few fans who were in the cafe realized who it was. But none of that mattered. He had fourteen second left, and suddenly, not watching where he was going, he tripped over himself as he so often does, and he found himself in someone's lap.