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I am pinned to my seat as Namjoon walks on the stage and takes his seat behind a long table. Big Hit was able to rent out one of the biggest convention center rooms in the area, and the cameras have swiped over the seats a few times to show just how packed it is. Tears filled my eyes when I happened to catch some of the fan made shirts in the audience. I know they say something on the back, but I am unable to make it out. The front however has half of a daisy on one side, and then my soulmates' names in order of the fanchant on the other side. From that bit alone, I am able to piece together that they are showing their support to me.
Namjoon first starts with an apology. "I know I have done so already, but I really am sorry that we held back the knowledge of Daisy's return to us. I hope you all understand our reasoning and forgive us. I also hope that there are no hard feelings regarding Daisy's reaction to the journalist who asked that misplaced question. She really was kidnapped and six young women are incarcerated because of their involvement."
He looks at the camera and sighs. "The problem is that two others involved still remain at large. Yun Hye Rin, I have tried my best to get you to understand that I am not romantically interested in you. That nothing will happen between us. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I hope you come to terms with this and turn yourself in. And Lee Youngmi, I understand you were just wanting to help someone you loved, but please do the right thing."
I found myself frowning, because that felt like he just said exactly what the police chief had expressly told him not to. True, he didn't focus on me during that spiel, but he just declined her romantic feelings for him for the whole world to see. As he mentioned each of them by name photos were put up on screen for the audience at home to see images of them. There was also a ticker at the bottom of the screen with a phone number provided to contact if any viewer had information regarding Youngmi and Hye Rin.
"Moving past that. I do have some other news that I need to share with you all." He pauses to make sure that they are all listening attentively. "Just after getting Daisy back she received some sad news regarding a close friend of hers. That friend was exceptionally sick, and well, she unfortunately wasn't able to get better." I honestly love that he phrased it like that. He didn't linger over and supply facts; he simply stated how her sickness killed her without using any words that might color the moment inappropriately in the eyes of those watching. "That friend was the mother of a sweet three year old boy, and his care was left to Daisy." The crowd makes surprised aww noises, and he lets it quiet down before he continues. "So, that is the reason you will probably see us accompanied by a toddler in the near future. Also, another one of Daisy's friends will be relocating to Seoul to help the three year old in question easily adjust to living in a new place. So, you might end up seeing her as well." I can tell that mentioning Candace was an afterthought, but I can definitely understand why he wouldn't think of having to explain her presence to others right away.
A few hours later he comes home and lifts me up so his arms are wrapped around my waist and my feet are left dangling about a foot off the floor. "Did you see Army?" He asks me, and it's obvious the sight of the shirts they were wearing excited him, despite the messages he had to deliver.
"I saw the front of their shirts, but I couldn't make out what they said on the back. I mean I could tell it was in English though. Obviously, I wouldn't have been able to read it all had it been Hangul." I really have tried to pick up learning it again, but my brain literally picks apart each of the symbols. It reminds me of how some people have tried to explain how dyslexia works. I don't remember what television show it was, but I remember a scene where a person drew a bicycle. Then he drew all the components of the bicycle explaining that was how people with dyslexia might read. Perhaps that visual was way off base though since it was from a television show, but if it was accurate it made me wonder if perhaps that was what was currently going on with me.
I regain my focus in the here and now by concentrating on Namjoon's enthusiasm and what he is telling me. "The back said. 'Stan Daisy.'"
"Oh my gosh, that's so sweet!"
The night rushes by all of us in a flash. We all decide to make an early night of it since we will be exceptionally busy the following day. All of them, except for Jimin, were able to free up a few days in their schedules to try to make Joshua as comfortable with them as possible. Jimin has tomorrow off to spend the first day with the sweet boy. The day after though he has to go back to work. I'm really bummed that he has to work on a Saturday honestly.
After I wake up in the morning, before breakfast I rush to Candace and Joshua's rooms and make sure they are perfect. Byeol assured me after everything was set up on Wednesday that she and her sister, our housekeeping staff, would make sure everything was set up for their arrival. I still felt like I had to double check it for myself though.
After breakfast I double check and make sure that all of the safety locks in the kitchen are secured. My soulmates even humor me by making sure that they all know how to open the safety locks. I swear I definitely struggle sometimes. Hobi sets up two out of four of the safety gates for me. The one blocking the bottom of the stairway leading upstairs. The other blocking the stairway leading down.
Korain offered to go pick them up, since we couldn't very well do it ourselves without being recognized. Plus, there was the added bonus that he spoke fluent English. I barely take note when he pulls their bags from the trunk that he keeps periodically glancing in Candace's direction. I honestly wonder what that is all about. I immediately embrace her and notice that she looks over my shoulder at Korain with a similar expression. Huh, maybe they had an awkward introduction or something? But, for some reason the expression itself seems exceptionally familiar to me.
Joshua's eyes are swollen as he toddles over to me reaching up so I can take him into my arms. "Hey, sweet boy. How was the flight?"
"Too long." He grumbles.
"I get that, sweetie. Did you get some sleep while you were on the plane?"
He nods and some enthusiasm shines over his expression despite his obvious exhaustion. "The seats were magic! They turned into a bed!"
"Oh, that's cool! I bet that helped you get some rest." He nods again. I sigh for a second. "Did Candace tell you what is happening?" I'm sure she did honestly, but I figured it was the best opening I could think of.
"Auntie Candiss said that since mommy was gone.." He sniffles for a second, and I pull him into my body even closer and run my fingers through his hair hoping the actions will provide him with a little comfort. "She said you take care of me now. Take care of me forever. You live here now. So we move here."
"That's right." I nodded my head. "Do you want to see your new home?"
Despite his lingering melancholy he is definitely excited at how special the house is. He especially loves the downstairs bowling alley and gameroom, and of course the pool outside. His room however completely blows him away. "Tent bed!" He exclaims before running over to it, and I can't help but smile. I let him explore a bit before I smell the aroma indicating my eldest soulmate is cooking.
"I think Jin is making lunch. Let's go get something to eat sweetie."
After we eat lunch he starts growing drowsy so I take him upstairs to his room for a nap before meeting Candace in her room. She sits there waiting on her new loveseat, and it's exceptionally obvious that she wants to tell me something. "I need to show you something."
I wait until she pulls up the hem of her shorts and shows me something on her upper thigh. I arch my eyebrow in confusion though, because it looks exceptionally familiar. "Why do you have a tattoo of the same stamp as Skai's soulmate mark?" I don't know of many people who get tattoos honestly. They aren't a common occurrence ever since the soulmate serum was first introduced.
She rolls her eyes. "Because apparently Skai and I share the same soulmate. It's not a tattoo at all, it's my soulmate mark." The second half wasn't really necessary per se, but I understood why she would want to add emphasis to her meaning.
"Oh! That's why you wanted to relocate here, because your soulmate is here!" I guess that is also why she gave Skai the peculiar look when she first saw him at my slumber party of sorts before the ceremony; the shirt he was wearing left his soulmate mark visible. It also explains why she wanted to get an eyeful of Korain the other day during my surprise birthday party when Skai openly showed his own interest.
She nods and verbally confirms my thoughts. "I found myself curious about Korain when Skai showed his interest at your birthday party." She sighs before admitting, "I asked him on the drive here about his soulmate, and the whole conversation ended up confusing and uncomfortable. Perhaps I put him off with how upfront I was about it. I can tend to be overly blunt at times." She sighs. "I hope I didn't scare him away."
With how she worded things I am pretty sure I know the answer to my next question, yet still I find myself asking it. "How sure are you that he might be your soulmate?"
"Pretty damn sure. There was something electric between us when we touched, and when I touched down at the airport this morning it just felt like the place I was supposed to be."
I can't help but smile at her. "That definitely sounds familiar to me."
All of us end up turning in pretty early that night. We are all exceptionally exhausted due to the excitement of the day. The following morning is a bit more chaotic than usual, but only in an unfamiliar way. It's different to cater and cook for my soulmates, Candace, and the sweet toddler sitting patiently in his booster seat.
Okay, so he is only patient because Jimin keeps playing with him, trying to keep him entertained while I put something quickly together for him. Jimin is trying to spend as much time as possible with him before he has to leave today. "Sorry I can't spend the day with you, Joshie, but all the others will do their best to make up for my absence. Maybe they will even put on the water wings they bought for you. That way you can go into the pool today."
The boy is exceptionally confused at the concept of water wings, and it takes Hobi retrieving them from the pool house to show Joshua exactly what they look like and give him a quick tutorial on how they work. I'm a bit distracted when Jimin gives me a swift peck and heads out the door. It's only when Hobi jogs off to put the water wings back that I realize that his peck on the cheek had been his way of telling me goodbye.
I frown at the fact that I didn't get the chance to tell him to be careful. I mentally laugh at myself and my silly superstitions as I run out the front door hoping to catch him. I frown when I realize that the SUV is already gone. I am just turning back toward the house when in the distance I hear a loud fearful sound. A sound that can only be metal crashing against metal.
My throat is sore as I shout the only word that immediately comes to mind. "NO!!!"
Before I fully register what I am doing I run out the front door, across the driveway, and past the gate. The security guard in the gatehouse grabs me, and tries to stop me, but I don't even look his way as I pull from his arms. I hear the shouts of my soulmates behind me as they try to catch up with me. Each of them trying to figure out what is wrong. Each of them wondering what has me running off.
Adrenaline works its way through my veins as I continue to run until I have finally found the source of the wreckage. A muffled sob leaves me as I crumble to ground at the sight before me. The driver that was in the car on the left was flung out of their windshield, and their body is now lying prone on the hood of the SUV. Han-bin, who acted as Jimin's driver today, is slumped back against the seat. His air bag is slowly starting to deflate in front of him. The window beside Jimin's seat has a huge crack covered in blood on it. I can't make out his face, only the blood oozing from the side of his head from where it came in contact with the window.
I finally hear sirens in the distance as another car pulls up somewhere nearby. I hear a male voice shouting the word 'ani' over and over again. I am unable to immediately register who it is though. I am simply too lost in my own mind and immediate melancholy right now. I'm not focused on much of anything other than the words going on through my head. Please don't take Jimin away from me. Please let him be okay.
A/N: I'm sorry... I did mention a huge curve ball would be thrown in plot wise. This was it. Although, you did learn about another regarding Korain, Skai, and Candace as well. I'm sure you all know by now that I can't let you all sit on a cliffhanger too long, so I will be either updating again tomorrow or Sunday. Most likely tomorrow, although I am going to be pretty busy so it just depends upon what time I wake up.