Desiree wakes up the next morning groggy craving coffee. She begins her morning routine without yet being able to piece together the memories of the day before.
It is only when she finally brings the cup of coffee to her lips, that she notices the marks on her arm again, nearly dropping the cup in shock, and screaming in fright.
"STAY AWAY!" cries Regina brandishing a slipper in her hands and with her hair sticking out in all directions, convinced that the scream she heard was due to an intruder. After looking in all directions for danger, she turns back to her friend and notices her arm, dropping her power strip in shock.
"Wow ... what the hell happened yesterday?" Regina asks after calming down and moving closer to admire the signs.
"I... I forgot to put on my gloves again after washing my hands in the bathroom."
"And then what? Have you decided to touch every person in your path? "
"No ... I bumped into two guys when I went out and ..." she stops not knowing how to explain what happened, in her head it was all very confused.
"And...? What? Did all the people who passed by just start touching you? " Regina asks curiously, turning and examining her arm.
"I don't know how, but they were all together and I froze and then they all touched me and I bonded with them. Or they bonded with me ... "
"Okay... calm down, I guess you ran away like an army was chasing you without even knowing their names, but now we'll have to find them. You know that people who get sick from incomplete ties are increasing. " He says softly staring into Desiree's eyes and stroking her cheek.
"It's BTS." she whispers softly to the point that you can't even hear it.
"What? Desi, honey, raise your voice. "
"I know who I am. They are the guys who yesterday had sex with the air on stage! Those perverts! " he suddenly blurts out letting out a chuckle from Regina, before the words are finally recorded.
"What?! Are BTS your soul mates ?! Those seven super dumplings? Those gods? Those pieces of beef to eat ... "
"Yes them." Desiree snorts hoping it stops her compliments on the boys.
"God woman, you are the luckiest person in the universe! They are so sweet and so humble. Not to mention those amazing bodies of theirs! " she says smiling as she looks at Desiree's left arm trying to figure out who the signs she sees might belong to.
"You know, I can't figure out which sign each boy belongs to. Why don't we sit down and try to guess? " Regina says, trying to cheer her up, still making her understand that she will have to accept the signs and the people they belong to.
They sit on the sofa, with steaming cups of coffee, to start creating theories.
"In my opinion the sunflower is from J-Hope! It is impossible that it is someone else's! He himself is the sun! " enthuses Regina as she examines the sunflower on Desiree's wrist.
"According to the internet, the sunflower can mean energy and liveliness, but it also means fidelity and obsessive love. I don't know if I really like the last part... "he says with a frown, after searching the internet for the meaning.
"But maybe he means obsessed with finding love."
Desiree makes an undemanding sound, silently tuning and sincerely hoping it was Regina's theory and not the fact that she would have an obsessive soul mate.
"The piano key could be from Suga, don't you think? He plays the piano and composes songs. Others compose songs too, but I don't know if anyone else plays piano. In addition, the musical keys allow you to read the notes. Perhaps he would be the man who helps to understand others. Mmmh ... let's stay with Suga. " Keep saying Regina.
"The lock is Jimin." Desiree suddenly says after staring at the third sign for a few minutes.
"Mmmh ... I think it could also be V. O Jungkook." she refutes Regina by thinking about how BTS members appear in the videos she has seen.
"I... It's Jimin. I just know. "
"According to the interpretation, the padlock is synonymous with complete closure, which can only be opened with the person who owns the key. The diamond, on the other hand, is beauty, a precious gem. And it is also really resistant so: protection ..? God could all be them! "
"Let's move on to the next one, maybe going to exclusion we will understand." Desiree suggests after seeing her friend frown in deep thought.
"Theatrical masks means passion for art. Taehyung starred in a drama so maybe he...? Even if it seems like a really stupid explanation. It wasn't that when he was born he knew he would make art. "
"It also means duality. Oh God, he really wants to make fun of me. An obsessive and a bipolar! Next what? A psychopath ?! "
"Calm down, maybe it means he can be both playful and very serious. Or what do I know ... Innocent and perverted ..? " Regina replies gently massaging Desiree's hand trying to calm her down: "The compass... could be both Jungkook and RM. Jungkook is very reckless and adventurous, maybe it means looking for adventure. But it could also mean pointing the right way, and this looks like RM, which helps kids stay focused. "
"So does that mean the snake is Jin?" Desiree asks after calming down.
"That's a ouroboros. It is a purifying talisman that helps bring people together and take care of them. It looks like him, yes. "
"The diamond and the compass we don't know whose they are though." Says the woman looking at her arm in deep concentration.
"To tell the truth... we don't know whose signs anyone is. If you don't meet them and don't see theirs you won't be sure. " Regina replies objectively looking at her sideways, hoping that she decides to meet them, not to check the signs, even if she herself is really curious, but to finally be able to have her complete bond and be able to live her life with the men who would have her. Loved.
"I don't even know how to meet them even if I wanted to. Which I don't want to do. For nothing!"
Regina rolls her eyes praying that whoever is above them puts some salt in her friend's pumpkin: "Honey... just try to get to know them. After that you decide. You will have another 4 years before you have to stay with them by law. "
Desiree snorts and collapses on the sofa, just wanting her to be sucked in so she doesn't face the harsh reality.
"I'm going to the park for a walk and clear my head." He says after a short time getting up from the sofa and changing into a comfortable suit. She briefly looks at her gloves on the cabinet in the hall, finally deciding that she no longer needs them.
"Unless the whole world is my soul mate." Think bitterly as you leave the building.
Meanwhile, the men also wake up, after an almost completely sleepless night spent together in the same room without even being able to speak. Just to feel close.
"Morning." Jungkook says as he enters the bedroom door, his clothes soaked in sweat.
"Everything good?" Namjoon asks, worried about the younger member.
"Yes I'm fine. I just had to... not think about anything for a while. "
After they go back to their rooms to wash and change, they all get together for breakfast, even though they weren't hungry.
"I know we shouldn't, but would you like to go for a walk? I can't stay indoors today. " Jimin asks with a dejected look.
"We should train, in a few..." Namjoon begins to say, before being interrupted by Hoseok: "Let's go. We will not be in the right mind. We are going to train later this afternoon. "
They prepare the disguise to be able to go to the park near the hotel and go out in silence, after notifying two security men to be able to follow them in case of need.
They walk in relative silence, looking around.
Until the first of the group, Jin, suddenly stops staring at a woman crouched on the grass trying, in vain, to call a squirrel.
"She's here." He says as an explanation when one of the other members crashes into his back.
Everyone immediately tries to see her. And despite the fact that she is from the back, they recognize her immediately thanks to the mark on the neck that can be seen through the hair tied in a messy bun.
The younger ones jump on the spot to run to her, but are promptly stopped by the others.
"We don't want him to run away again. Let's take it easy. " Jin says after receiving a killer look from the young men.
"And nobody touches it. At least not for the moment. We don't want to scare her. " Hoseok suggests before turning and slowly approaching the bench where she is sitting, followed by the others.
Before suddenly arriving in front of her, Hoseok decides that it is better to warn her that they are coming, and, despite the words he had addressed to the younger ones, her enthusiasm is too much and screams:
"DESIREE!"
They see the woman jump and turn like a deer caught in the headlights, frantically looking around, trying to figure out who the person who yelled her name is.
"This is so as not to scare her and take it easy, huh Hobi?" Jin asks ironically.
"Sorry."
Once they get close to her and seeing the confused, slightly frightened look, they uncover their wrists showing their sign to make her understand who they are, hoping she doesn't scream their names and warn the people in the park.
"Ah..." is all she says looking at their wrists and returning to their faces.
"Wow .. in Korea it is said that meeting twice by chance is coincidence, three times is destiny." Says Taehyung smiling brightly under the mask.
"We only met twice by chance ..." Desiree replies confused.
"Oh no we also met at the lady's shop. You said something about us being a gang of criminals! " Jungkook says hopping happily.
The older members just wanted to bang their heads against a tree for the spontaneity of the younger ones and their wide mouths.
They see Desiree thinking about the episode they were talking about: "Oh... you are the foreign kids who shut down Mrs. Martinez's shop. Were you escaping the fans or did you finally decide to commit some crime? "
Yoongi snorts amused attracting Desiree's gaze: "No, but you gave us some great advice on how to exploit the chaos our fans create." He responds by winking at her, and causing their woman to giggle.
"I made her laugh." Think with pride noticing the jealous glances of his companions.
"Do you like New York?" Desiree asks, looking each boy in the eye.
"Oh yes, very beautiful." Jimin replies looking only at the woman in front of him: "You are really beautiful."
Desiree blushes as she looks down and stammers something incomprehensible, causing the men to heart beat.
"Yes. America always welcomes us with open arms. " Namjoon says smiling at her.
"I am pleased to."
"Are you American?" Jungkook asks, closing his hands into fists, trying to hold back the strong urge to touch her.
"No ... I mean, yes ... My father was Italian and my mother was American, from California." Desiree calmly answers.
"They were...?" Hoseok says confused, looking at the other boys with a frown.
"They died when I was very small."
"I'm so sorry." They say almost simultaneously with sad looks.
"Do not worry. Many years have passed and my adoptive mother, who is Korean, has been a perfect mother. " she responds trying to erase the sad expressions from their faces, despite not understanding the reason for his desire not to see them downcast.
"Is that why you speak Korean so well?" Jungkook asks trying to change the subject.
"Yes. She only spoke Korean to me. In the end I had to learn it if I didn't want to take shuffles on my head anymore."
Men smile at the loving look on their soul mate's face, thanking the woman who took care of her in their thoughts.
"Would you like to... have a coffee with us? It's starting to get cold... "Jin asks, hoping to extend their time together.
"I should go home ..." Desiree begins to say, but noticing that the smiles fade at her words, she changes her mind: "I call my friend to warn her that I am not going home. There is a cafe nearby. Today it will be almost deserted as it is Sunday and is usually only attended by students. "
After that she gets up and starts heading to the place where the little cafe is and calling her friend.
"Hey Regina... No, I'm not dead and... No, I haven't even been abducted by aliens. Yes, if I meet a sexy alien I tell him to come home and talk to you. I'm going to have coffee with... people. Yes. Them. All right. Hello." She speaks English on the phone with her friend making Namjoon smile, the only one who has understood the whole conversation.
Once inside the bar they head to the furthest and hidden table waiting for a waiter to come and take orders. Meanwhile they look at the menus and take off their masks, Desiree turns to look very often towards the entrance, making the boys think that she wants to leave, but before one of them manages to say anything, Desiree turns around with the frown and a frown: "Those two are following you from the park. Or they are following me I don't know, but anyway .. maybe it's better to keep the masks. They look dangerous. " She whispers agitated.
"Be quiet Desiree. They are our security guards. They follow us in case something goes wrong. " Namjoon replies smiling and relaxing, realizing that she was just worried about their, and her, safety.
"Ah... Isn't that annoying? You know that you always have to walk around with someone who has your back. Not being able to do anything without two brutes following you? "
"We are used to it." Yoongi says.
"I understand."
"Tell us about yourself !!" Taehyung rejoices smiling.
"It was better that you continue to keep the masks. Those smiles are weapons of mass destruction. " she whispers not really softly, making all the men at the table smile brightly: "What would you like to know?"
"ALL!" Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook scream together, making Desiree gasp.
"Oh well... My name is Desiree Lai. Italian-American. I'm 25 and I was born on September 19, 1994, so I should be... 26 Korean. I am a translator, I translate texts, articles and essays into English. "
"How many languages do you speak?" Namjoon asks interrupting her.
"I speak fluent Italian, English, Korean, Chinese and Spanish. I also studied French, but I'm not fluent. "
"Wow ... You are super smart!" young people say looking at her with wide eyes.
"Oh no... I'm not that smart. I also use the calculator to make 3 times 5. "
"I also hate math." Hoseok says with a funny look of disgust, making Desiree laugh.
"And you? I'm not a fan of yours, I barely know your names. " The woman asks smiling, and then thinking about the talk she had with Regina, decides to ask: "And if I can know your soul signs, so I know who they belong to."
And so saying he raises the sleeve of the sweatshirt showing his arm strewn with marks.
"Oh sorry, we're not used to showing up very often. My name is Kim Namjoon and I was born in 1994. My sign is a compass. "
"I! I! I am a diamond! That is, my sign is a diamond, I'm not .. Anyway my name is Jeon Jungkook and I'm from 1997. I'll protect you Noona. " He says bulging his muscles, but with a bright blush on his face.
"My name is Kim Seokjin and I'm from 1992, my sign is a snake biting its own tail, it's called urobio, or something like that."
"Ouroboros." Desiree whispers smiling at him.
"It's my turn! I am V, Kim Taehyung and I have the beautiful masks! I'm from 1995. " he says hopping in his chair and smiling brightly.
"Hello flower, I'm Jung Hoseok, my stage name is J-Hope. I was born in 1994, like you, and my sign is that sunflower on your wrist. " He introduces himself with a winking wink and smiling at the blush he caused.
"I! I'm Park Jimin and I'm from 1995. I have the lock. I will open up just for you. " He says, hiding his flushed face behind his hand after saying the last part out loud.
"My pleasure. My name is Min Yoongi and I'm from 1993. I have the piano key. We are very happy to have finally found you. " He says smiling sweetly.
"God I want to pinch those cheeks." Thinks Desiree staring at Yoongi and blushing at the thought.
"I ... I'm glad." she replies after a few moments of pause: "Have all of you already taken the UB serum?"
"Yes, we all got it when we turned 21. You ... why didn't you take it? " Jin asks on behalf of everyone.
"I ... I wasn't ready." Desiree responds quietly, knowing that this response would cause some doubts and questions.
But finally the waiter arrives to take the orders and after he leaves and brings their orders, they start talking about light and undemanding topics, and no longer raising the topic of soulmates. Just trying to get to know each other.
"It's not hard to love her."
It is the thought that all men have when they watch her laugh and smile at their jokes.
Note:
Another chapter to apologize.
Purple you,
Ale.
P.s. All marks with the name.