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Beep. Beep. Beep.
That's the incessant noise that I hear over and over again on repeat as I wake up, but I somehow find it a lot more welcoming than the feminine Korean voices arguing back and forth in their native tongue. It could also be the fact that I no longer feel like I am sleeping on a smooth stone rock, but rather on a cloud instead that sets my mind somewhat at ease.
I blink my eyes open in some sense of reassurance that I am indeed conscious. At first all I see is the color white. I begin to worry for a moment all over again before I blink my eyes once more and start to make out more details of the room I am in. The monitor beside me is where the noise came from as it announces each and every one of my heartbeats. I wonder how long I have been here. I frown at the empty room. Why am I alone right now? If I'm in a hospital I would expect each and every one of my soulmates to be here greeting me.
I grumble in slight annoyance as I throw myself against the mattress again. I immediately sigh at how plush and comfortable it is. That realization makes me eyeball the room once more. Across from the foot of my bed is a large sofa that could probably seat four of my soulmates. On either end is a large plush armchair. I also notice two more identical plush armchairs to my right. I can only assume the reason why one of the two chairs isn't to my left is because of the medical technological apparatuses on that side hooked up to me.
Speaking of medical technology... I look around my bed to find the "call nurse" button which has to be here somewhere. It shouldn't take me as long as it did, but it has been ages since I have been in a hospital room of any kind. The call nurse button was placed on the same device that acted as the remote to the television, which I am betting is a lot larger in this room than it is in the others. I come to the quick realization that my soulmates must have gotten me a private VIP room.
I click the button and find myself only waiting a moment or two before my nurse comes in. She is young and pretty with pale blond hair and bright blue eyes. She also has a nice smile and even teeth that she shines my way when she sees I am awake. "I know seven attractive young men that will be thrilled you are awake. They've been here since you arrived, but we had to finally kick them out to go get something to eat."
"How long have I been here? No, wait. Better question. What's the date?"
She smiles again. "I'll do you one better and answer them both. You have been here six days. It is the 30th."
I'm astounded that I have been asleep for six days straight, and I can only guess that the most recent drug Youngmi shot me up with was far stronger than the one they were drugging my food with. Wait, that means they found me on my birthday. That's good in a way I suppose, but I didn't get to celebrate my first birthday with my soulmates. Is it selfish of me to be disappointed to learn that?
Afterward, Nicolette begins to describe the treatments they have given me, and the medicines they are planning on prescribing me once I am okay to leave. I don't catch much of it though, because in the next moment, hurdling through the door like a herd of elephants is all seven of my soulmates and a couple very worried looking security guards. I can't help but be surprised at both Korain and Han-Bin's presence, but I find myself focusing on the more important seven people in the room right now.
All of my soulmates try to talk at once, and I am unable to decipher who is saying what. It's Yoongi who comes to my right side and leans over to kiss my forehead that silences them all. "Welcome back, Honey."
"Who knew a glass of spilt wine could cause so much hassle?" I try to joke, which has every one of my soulmates groaning.
"It's not funny, Petal. You scared us."
"I know. I'm sorry. Did the cops catch them?"
"They have six Korean women incarcerated, but they can't charge them with anything until the police officers get your statement. Since they are foreigners to the area they will have to be sent back to South Korea and be fully charged there. Although they are in quite a bit of trouble for flying the drone during the beginning of the trip also. Turns out it is illegal in many countries to use devices in that matter. They will probably only be fined for that though." I try to refrain from bugging my eyes out at him.
After all, I don't easily remember the last time Korain has said two words to me, and that blurb is probably the most he has ever strung together at once since I have met him.
"So, do we know for certain they were behind that? The spying drone I mean."
Namjoon takes over. "No, not yet. But they did find a drone at the home they were renting. When we provided the proof that we were being spied on they decided to get the film professionally analyzed." He shrugs his shoulders. "It's a slap on the wrist in comparison to kidnapping however."
"The police chief is going to want to get your statement as soon as possible while it is still fresh in your mind. Should I call him now, or wait?" Korain asks me.
I sigh. "Might as well get it over with. I'd rather also get this information down while it is still fresh. Can you also ask him to send a sketch artist though? I am pretty sure I can give a good description of the man with the wine, although he probably only played a minor role in the setup. I imagine Hye Rin only found him that night and brought the red wine with her. If not he probably asked the bartender at the casino specifically for it since they didn't seem to be serving it on the trays that were circling around the room."
"So, you know for certain Hye Rin was a part of it?" Yoongi asks me.
I nod. "Yes, Youngmi too actually. In fact, she once made a reference to her brother when he wasn't in the room, and she called him oppa after he somehow discovered that the police caught onto their location. Because of how worried he was about her I am pretty sure it was in the familial sense, and not in a romantic relationship sense."
"I bet his position in Big Hit is how she was able to easily find out about the security position opening." Tae mutters out loud.
"That definitely makes sense." Namjoon agrees before turning to me. "I need to admit something to you. It's my fault that she was able to get to you. She came to my room that night. She tried to get me to notice her feelings for me, but while I am sure that was true it was also a ruse to get into my room. She stole the key card from where I laid it on the dresser and used that to get into your room."
"I almost crumbled up that letter the minute I saw it, but I knew you would never write something like that." Jimin admits. "Oh, speaking of." He pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to me. "I figured you might want this back."
I can't help the tears that fall as I put it back on my finger where it belongs. "I tried so hard not to focus on the fact that it was missing. But, I did hear Hye Rin instruct someone to take it off me before I fully lost consciousness." I can only assume it was Youngmi she was instructing, but I don't say that out loud since it is only a guess.
Korain comes back in the room. "I still have him on the phone, but he was curious if he should come here or if you were to be released today."
My seven soulmates all look over to my nurse for the answer. "I can't tell you that you will be released today for certain. Only the doctor can sign off on your release after all. I can try to get him in here as soon as possible to check on you again though."
I look back at Korain. "If he plans on questioning me in the near future then probably have him come here."
He nods before going back out in the hallway.
I smile up at Han-Bin. "I'm so sorry that this disrupted your family time."
He shakes his head. "Don't worry too much about it, Daisy. This was an emergency situation, and I am more than happy to help."
I smile sweetly at him for a moment before turning back to my soulmates. "Outside of work and sleep, I never want to be parted from any of you ever again."
"I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we feel the same way, Petal." Hobi replies.
An hour later the chief of police is escorted in. He asks my soulmates to leave the room, and while they are all exceptionally hesitant I verbally encourage it. "He probably has to talk to me about things that legally he wouldn't be able to with you all here. Please, you only have to go out to the hallway. I don't imagine it will take long."
The first thing he tells me sends me for a loop. "The doctor made sure to administer a rape kit upon your arrival since your soulmates reported that there was probably at least one male involved." I hadn't considered that possibility at all. "I'm happy to say that it came back negative."
"I think he was only mildly involved. I think Hye Rin, who I have reason to believe might be his sister, is the one who spearheaded the situation."
"What made you come to that conclusion?" I quickly explained how Youngmi and Hye Rin interacted the last time they were together, and when she referred to her brother while talking to the other girls. The chief nods at my response. "Sounds like a logical conclusion to me." He makes a quick note of it.
"I wanted to show you the text conversations they had on the phones they were carrying with them. None of us have been able to decipher their codenames."
He attempts to hand me one of the phones in a plastic evidence bag but I shake my head. "I don't think I need to see that to answer it for you." I quickly name off all the acronyms and ask if that is the codenames he was referring to, when he confirms my suspicions I offer my own hypothesis. "You can use that information to question them, although only the one, who goes by WBS, speaks English proficiently. Sorry, that I can't tell you her actual name since I didn't see her without the mask."
"It was only Hye Rin and Youngmi you saw without a disguise?"
I nod. "I don't think Youngmi even bothered with one, but the only time I actually saw him was when he told Hye Rin that the police were on their way." I shrug my shoulders. "I can only guess, but I am pretty sure he is the one that drugged and lifted me the night of the kidnapping. I know he is the one that drugged me before the police arrived because he was the only one near me, and I felt a needle injected into my arm. They were also drugging me the entire time I was held captive though. They were putting something in my water and food. Every time I ate or drank something I would get tired soon after."
A knock on the door startles us both and a stranger walks in. "Oh yes. I forgot that you asked for a sketch artist."
I nod. "Yes, I doubt he played a major role, but I can give a decent description of the man who spilled the wine on my gown that night. It might have been a minor role, but he still managed to set everything in motion."
The sketch artist is exceptionally proficient and somehow manages to get a good representation of the Frenchman down in just under an hour. He hands the drawing off to the chief before leaving.
"I know that it won't happen today, but in the near future I want to go to the jail that the women are being held in. I want to look each one of them in the eye." I pause for a moment. "Although, I am pretty sure that my soulmates won't let me out of their sight for a while yet. So, I guess you will have to get it okayed for eight of us to come see them."
He nods. "I think I can make that happen in a couple of days. Probably, the day after tomorrow in fact. Just let me know for certain when you are out."
My soulmates file in after he leaves, and only an hour after that the doctor says that I can be released. "Due to malnourishment, slight dehydration, and the drugs that still might be in her system I insist that she take it easy for the next few days though. I definitely recommend not having sex for at least 24 hours." All my soulmates blush at that announcement which distracts me from whatever the second thing is that he says to go along with that. "I also don't recommend leaving the country to go back home any earlier than July 3rd."
Nicolette hands me a parcel of papers. "Here is a list of all the treatments you have had while you were here. I know you were somewhat preoccupied when I listed them earlier so I decided to make a physical copy for you."
I thank her before my soulmates start pushing me toward the door to take me to our current, temporary residence.