Nari tiptoed back into her room. She felt drained and weary. The only thing she wanted now was sleep. She laid back down in her bed and looked up at the poster over her head. The light from the small, dim night light made it so she could just see the outline of his facial features. She sighed and stared up at him. She could see some of the reasons Nana might have been drawn to him.
He was a bit cute. She smiled as she heard Nana's voice in her head, "He's not cute, he's handsome. Get it right."
Nari giggled softly and covered her mouth so the noise wouldn't wake Gina who was softly snoring in the bunk above. She envied her friend for sleeping so soundly. As tired as she was, Nari knew sleep was not coming tonight. She reached up and clicked on the small bed lamp clipped to the bed. She sat up and looked around the room and saw a group of small gift bags in the corner. She crept over to them and opened them up. Each had something different and some snacks or candy included. All except one. One had a black and white chevron patterned beanie in it. Nari blinked. She scrambled around the bags and found nametags attached to each one.
To our fearless leader, RM
To our most beautiful oppa, Jin
To the fiercest rapper ever, Suga
To someone who is brighter than the sun, J-Hope
To our happy vitamin, V
To the most golden maknae alive, Jungkook
To my ultimate bias and the sweetest person on the planet, Jimin
Nari stared at the tags. These must be for the fansigns Nana got into. She sighed and sat back on her bottom on the floor. A light popped up out of the darkness and a soft vibrating noise alerted her. She leaned over and stretched her arm out, pulling her phone into her hands. She squinted at the bright light and read the new message.
"I hope you're doing well. We're having a live show tonight before our album drops. Will you be watching? I hope you will. Take care! Say hi to your sister for me!"
Nari stared at the message and saw who the sender was. Watching what? When? Did Jimin think she was psychic? She sighed in frustration. Like she could ask anyone who knew. Just then Gina's phone alarm went off and she groggily sat up. She grabbed her phone and stared down at it. Nari watched as Gina realized she was not the only one awake.
"Mm. Nari, what are you doing," she yawned, stretching her arms up.
"I couldn't sleep. Why are you purposely waking up right now?"
"Ah," laughed Gina softly. "Actually, BTS has a comeback show tonight before the new album drops. I wanted to watch it. Don't worry, I'll plug in my earbuds and you won't have to worry about being bothered by it." She fumbled around the bed and pulled up her earbuds from under the blankets.
Nari thought a moment and then said, "Actually, could I watch it with you?"
Gina eyed her skeptically. "You? Watch a BTS video? Nari, I think the grief has rendered you senseless."
"I'm serious! I always ignored my sister's passions and I feel I owe her this much. To learn about what she knew so much about."
Gina shrugged and climbed down out for the bed, coming over to sit on the floor next to Nari. The show began and Nari watched seven grown men laugh, talk, and make fools of themselves for not only the audience's enjoyment, but apparently also a bit of their own. The girls giggled as they watched. Gina was commenting along the way, pointing out why this or that was funny.
Nari smiled as she watched Jimin closely. He would smile and talk softly, once in a while looking towards the camera. She felt some tears burn her eyes as she realized Nana must have been planning to watch this as well.
The show ended and Gina quickly loaded the new music video as soon as the clock struck midnight. The haunting intro music and then RM's opening lyrics froze the girls. Nari began crying as he talked about wanting to see someone. All she could think of was her sister and how life would be so much different now. Nari just wanted to see her one last time. She wanted to tell her how much she meant to her as a sister and a friend. Her shoulders began to shake and she pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her quivering chin on them.
The music video finally finished and Gina sat back and sighed like she had forgotten how to breathe. She glanced over to see her friend sobbing openly. "Oh Nari, I'm so sorry. I should have watched it by myself later or something."
Gina reached an arm around her trembling friend and held her close. When the sobs seemed to subside, she released Nari. "Are you okay?"
Nari nodded and smiled a tearful smile. "I'm fine," she whispered. "If it didn't hit so close to home right now, I might like that song more." She grinned bravely at her friend who smiled in return.
"It is a fabulous song, but I see why it would bother you right now. Okay, I'm going back to bed now. Are you sure you're okay?"
Nari simply nodded and watched as her friend crawled back up into bed. When everything was quiet and peaceful again, Nari looked over at the bags again. Something white sticking out of the shelf of books above the gift bags caught her eye and she reached over and pulled it out. She breathed in sharply as she saw who it was addressed to. She ripped it open and fell her heart squeeze as she read.
"Dear Eonni,
Hey! It's me! How are you? I hope you're well. I hope classes are going well. I'm so sorry I missed your recent recitals. Jimin sent me the footage from the last one and Eonni, you were amazing. I can't believe you played for he and Jungkook! What an honor!
Eonni, I need to talk to you but I can't call you. I don't think I would be able to tell you all this and then hear you be upset. So I'm writing you. I'll get this mailed sometime soon. I think I'm just writing it to help me feel better about keeping such a awful secret from you for so long.
Eonni, I have a problem in my brain. Don't make a joke! It's a serious thing! I have what they say is an aneurysm. But good news! They said they can fix it! It won't be for another couple for weeks, but I've lived with it this long. They said it's probably been there a long time. I'm just glad they found out why my head has been hurting. I never told you about those headaches. I didn't want you to worry. Mom and Dad wanted to tell you after my diagnosis, but please understand why I didn't let them. Eonni, I didn't want you to worry. You would have stayed home from college just to hold my hand. I didn't want that. I want you to live your life and be happy. I want you to find someone you can love and be with for the rest of your life. I want to be an aunt to a dozen little rugrats! Haha! Okay, maybe not a dozen. Three or four would be nice.
Eonni, you know I love you, right? I want to be everything you are. You're so smart and beautiful. If I could have just a fraction of your beauty I would be happy.
I have to go finish putting my gift bags together for the fansigns for BTS. I still can't believe the luck! I wish you could go with me, Eonni. It's more fun with a friend. Maybe next time. I'm supposed to go to their concert but Mom isn't sure I'll be able to go since my surgery will be coming up and I can't get excited or whatever. I don't see why I should have to act any differently now just because we know there's a problem. I've lived with this a long time and it hasn't killed me yet! Haha! I want to go to that concert! I already have my ticket. Makes me sad to think I may not go. Hey? If I can't go, will you go in my place? Then I could enjoy it through your eyes, Eonni. You could bring me some of the merch and all the memories. What do you say? Please say yes! I'll make you go even if you say no. Haha! Eonni, you're my partner in crime. Let's always be this way!
I have to go now. Mom is here with more medicine. Eonni, that stuff makes me sleepy. I hate it. I have things to plan for! I can sleep when I'm dead. Ah well.
I love you, Eonni. When I come to Seoul, you better be ready because I have lots to catch you up on. I'm sending you hugs! Good luck with your classes! XOXO
Love,
Nana"
Nari stared down at the dried water spots on the letter and it hurt her heart to see that it was obviously hard for Nana to write this letter as well. Her own tears wet the paper and she clasped it to her heart. After a while, she refolded the letter and placed it in her bag. She looked over a the small cork board by the lamp and saw Nana's concert ticket pinned to the board. It wasn't actually pinned, just tucked under the edge of the thumbtacks. If Nari knew her sister, she was probably planning to frame the leftover stub after the concert.
Nari held it up under the light and she sighed. This was Nana's dream. This was the first concert she had been able to possibly attend. "Alright," she whispered. "I'll go. Because you would have wanted me to. And I'll make all the memories for you. I'll buy you some goods. I'll do everything you would have done. Who knows, maybe my music tastes will change."
Her eyes fell on the poster of Jimin on the wall, his sweet smile staring back at her. She sighed and smiled in return. Her eyes drifted down to the gift bags that were patiently waiting to be delivered to the intended. She sighed and smiled softly. Kneeling down next to the bags she looked at each one again. It would be a shame to waste all of Nana's hard work.
Her sister had left things undone and apparently it was Nari's mission to complete them. She held the concert ticket in between her fingers and smiled. I'll go. I'll deliver your gifts again. You wanted me to like BTS so bad and now you've played the ultimate prank on me, haven't you?
Nari looked over at one of her favorite photos she had made with her sister. It was just a selfie from one time they were out shopping for their mom. They had just gotten ice cream and Nana thought she would be funny and hit Nari's cone as she took a bite, subsequently making Nari's nose take a bath in cookies and cream ice cream. Nana had quickly held up the phone and said, "Smile!" She had snapped the pic with Nari looking hilarious. She had been a bit mad at the time but the picture was so funny she couldn't stay that way. Her sister's mischievous grin was infectious even when only captured in a photo.
Nari felt herself smiling like an idiot while tears streamed down her cheeks. She placed the ticket in her wallet in her bag and placed the gift bags nearby as well just so she wouldn't forget them. She had a mission to accomplish and she would do everything in her power to make sure that it all happened.
* * *
AN: I'm sorry for such a short chapter but I know some of you were waiting and I hated to make you wait longer. I hope you can be patient with me. I've had things come up in life that are delaying my writing some. I won't leave you hanging for long but just know that there maybe a little more space than usual between updates. Again, I'm sorry to you, but my life and family come first. Thank you for understanding!