Sunshine Someday // A BTS Soulmate AU [UPDATES SLOW]

Nineteen

"I... I can't tell you everything," Zanna begins slowly, "but most of what I'm unable to say... isn't important to tell you what happened last week."

"Just say what you can, baby," Jeongguk murmurs.

"I didn't change my name because I wanted to. Well, I did, but... that wasn't the main reason," she sighs heavily. "Almost six years ago, I was put into a Witness Protection program. Maybe one day I'll tell you the full story, but for now, suffice to say that I have--had connections with some, er..." She sighs again and runs a hand over her face.

"Criminals?" Seokjin suggests gently. She gives him a tired smile.

"That's probably the nicest way to put it, yeah. Before any of you get worried: no, you're not in danger. BigHit knows who those people were--a bit of research will tell you the same; I'm surprised none of you have looked up my old name, honestly."

"I did," Namjoon says softly. "I know your Soulmates did too, but that was probably back when it was all still happening, so there wasn't much about you specifically in the media."

"A lot of it wasn't released until I came out of Witness Protection," Zanna nods. "Namjoon-ah, I take it you researched me more recently?"

"Yes. You look quite different now than you did back then, so I didn't realize you were the same person until you, ah, disappeared last week."

"Tae and Gguk and I agreed to stop looking you up a few years ago," Yoongi tells her. "It... made us too sad, to see nothing every time."

"I get it. Honestly, being able to just... sit down at any PC café and find out with a few clicks what you were up to is a big part of what got me through my time in Witness Protection. I'd sit in cafés for hours, and I'd feel a little less alone." Her voice is thick as she admits it, her eyes glued to her hand in Jeongguk's. "You... all of you, not just my Soulmates... saved my life more than once."

Jeongguk pulls her closer and presses a kiss to her temple. He doesn't trust his voice, too near tears from her confession, so he just holds her. The room is silent for a long time.

Finally, Namjoon speaks up again. "You must have come out of Witness Protection because the police caught everyone, right? Then...?"

She knows what he's trying to ask. Then what happened last week? She closes her eyes for a moment.

"One of them got out," she says, so quietly that the boys on the other side of the room lean forward to hear. "I'm not exactly sure how. I guess my pa--" She catches herself and swallows hard. "My connections have connections, too, and--" An image flashes into her head, cutting her off abruptly. Her arms fly up in front of her face defensively and she scrambles away from Jeongguk, tumbling backwards off the couch.

"This is what you deserve! This is what you get for throwing us in prison!" There are hands gripping her wrists. Hands in her hair. Hands everywhere, and a pair of eyes she knows she'll never forget.

"This is what you get!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Someone is saying Zanna's name when the memory begins to blur from her vision, and a kind, familiar face fades into view. There's a cool, damp cloth pressed to her forehead, and a gentle hand brushing through her hair.

That's nice, she thinks absently, then, When did I lie down?

"Zanna?" The face above her speaks again, and she realizes finally who it is.

"Yoon?" Her voice is hoarse. Where am I? The last thing I remember... The last things she remembers are hands and eyes. A shock of terror pierces her, and she bolts upright.