You knocked on the door, scuffing your sneakers against the floor as you waited anxiously. For two minutes, there was no answer. You raised your hand to knock again when the door opened, Namjoon waiting on the other side.
His face was void of emotion as he looked you over. If he was worried about your disheveled appearance, he didn't show it. You knew you must've looked wrecked, hair in a messy ponytail, still curled from the award show, glasses crooked on your nose, eyes red and puffy, a hint of mascara smudged under your eyes from the haphazard way you took off your makeup.
Silently, Namjoon turned around, walking back into his home. You stepped inside, closing the door behind you. As you bent down to take off your shoes, a slight burn formed in your throat. You felt like crying. On any other day, he would've greeted you, invited you in and waited for you to take off your shoes, making a short joke about how he'd help but you were much closer to the ground. Today, however, was not just another day, and no matter how much you'd prepared yourself for the iciness you'd receive, it still hurt.
In the living room sat all seven boys, staring at you when you entered. In the middle of the large couch sat Hoseok, tucked into Seokjin's chest. Both boys wore short sleeved shirts, exposed skin touching wherever possible so Seokjin could send calming waves through their bond. Emotions sent by the eldest soulmate were the strongest, and for a moment, you wished Seokjin would hold you like that as well.
Jeongguk sat on the other side of Hoseok, head tucked into the older man's neck, nosing at his skin. Jeongguk, who wore his heart on his sleeve, was the most emotionally sensitive out of all of you. You knew that your actions tonight would've seemed like a direct hit of betrayal to him.
Taehyung sat next to Jeongguk, arms wrapped around the younger boy's waist, cheek pressed between his shoulder blades. Jimin sat on the floor, head placed in Hoseok's lap, gently rubbing his knees in a soothing motion. Namjoon and Yoongi sat in the single, cushioned chairs on either side of the couch. Namjoon continued to look at you expectantly, unwilling to jump to conclusions without hearing your side of the story. Yoongi on the other hand hadn't looked up at you once since you arrived, and you couldn't tell if it was because he was disgusted by you or hurt.
You stood just a step inside the threshold of the living room, facing the boys. "Hoseok, I'm so sor-"
You were cut of by a scoff. "Sorry? You're sorry?" Hoseok glared at you, lips pulled into a scowl.
"Hoseok," Namjoon warned, voice deadly calm. "You promised to hear her out." Seokjin rubbed Hoseok's arm up and down, trying to pacify the younger's rising anger.
You stayed silent for a minute, a bit hesitant to speak. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I-"
It was Jimin this time who interrupted. "How could you not mean to hurt him? You withholding the truth from us wasn't accidental, you knew this would happen."
You were starting to get a little frustrated, annoyed that they weren't letting you speak. "If you would just hear me out-"
"Stop," Hoseok rose to his feet, moving out of his soulmates' arms. "I don't want to hear your excuses. Do you really expect us to believe that 'you didn't mean for this to happen'?" Hoseok's voice took on a mocking tone, making air quotations with his fingers. "You just conveniently forgot to mention that you were going for the same award the eight thousand times I mentioned it to you? All those times you came over and watched me practice when I invited you, were you just taking notes on how you could do better?"
Hoseok scoffed, walking towards the stairs. "If idol life doesn't work out for you, you should try your luck as an actor. You've got the deceitful, underhanded villain role in the bag."
Every word felt like a knife to the chest, and you found it difficult to breathe. As Hoseok continued to throw harsh words at you, you scanned the faces of your soulmates. They were all emotionless as the listened, not a single one willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.
"Hoseok, please I had no choice!" you pleaded. "My CEO somehow found out about your nomination. This is all a part of his game!" Your voice started to crack as you felt a lump in your throat. Your eyes began to burn as tears welled along your lower lash lines.
"Oh, your CEO somehow found out," Hoseok sneered, glaring at you from his spot on the stairs. "God, if you're going to lie, at least do me the decency to make it believable. You're the only one outside of our company who knew about the nomination. Do you really think anyone else would sabotage me like that?" He took the rest of the stairs two at a time, not wanting to speak to you any longer.
"Hoseok, please!" By now you were sobbing, completely devastated by his lack of trust in you. You frantically looked to your soulmates, but they all turned away, the unbridled pain on your face too much for them to bear. You sprinted up the stairs, chasing after Hoseok. Out of your peripherals, you saw Yoongi move to get up.
"Don't," you heard Namjoon say, but you didn't stick around enough to hear what he said next.
When you made it to the top of the stairs, you saw Hoseok enter the last room on the right. You ran as fast as you could, hoping to catch him, but Hoseok slammed the door shut right before you made it.
You pounded both fists against the door once, leaning your forehead against the cool surface. Your pained cries echoed throughout the hallway, your words barely discernible through your heaving breaths.
"Hobi please you don't understand!" you sobbed. "I never wanted to hurt you. I was blackmailed, please just listen!"
No matter how hard you pounded on the door, or how loud you screamed, Hoseok refused to answer. You slid down to the floor, the side of your body leaned against the door as you slumped on the ground. By now, you'd cried out all the tears, sobs dwindled into quiet hiccups. Exhaustion took over your body and your limbs felt like lead.
"Please, help me," you whispered, before your vision went dark.
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Namjoon POV
Namjoon winced as he heard your distressed sobs, the heartbreak clear in your voice. He felt a dull throb in his chest, a whisper of what Hoseok must be feeling. A quick look at his soulmates told him they felt the same. By now, Jeongguk and Taehyung has climbed into Seokjin's arms, the elder's hands pressed against the youngers' marks in order to comfort them.
Yoongi was doing the same for Jimin, who had curled into the older's lap the minute Y/N had raced upstairs. Jeongguk and Jimin had their hands pressed against their ears in an effort to block out the cries, while Taehyung had clenched his eyes shut, humming to himself as a distraction.
Yoongi and Seokjin had tears streaming down their cheeks, but they forced themselves to stay calm, knowing their younger soulmates needed their strength. Namjoon gripped onto the arms of his chair, fingernails digging into the synthetic fabric.
They sat like this for nearly fifteen minutes, before silence fell over the apartment. Jimin carefully pulled his hands away from his ears, looking around like a lost puppy. "What happened, why is it quiet?"
Yoongi raised his hand and combed his fingers through Jimin's blonde hair. "I think she passed out," he used his thumbs to wipe away the younger's tears.
"I'll go check on her," Namjoon said, standing up from his chair. "You two should help Seokjin hyung take the babies to bed."
Somewhere along the night, Jeongguk and Taehyung had fallen asleep in Seokjin's embrace. The older boys were relieved that the two had found solace in sleep, rather than having to hear your pain all night.
As Jimin and Yoongi moved to lift Jeongguk onto Jimin's back, Namjoon headed towards Hoseok's room. When he saw you asleep on the floor, body curled into itself to preserve heat, Namjoon felt his heart drop. Even in sleep you looked pained, dry tear tracks streaking your flushed cheeks.
He slipped an arm around your waist and beneath your knees, carefully picking you up off the ground, trying not to jostle you too much. Namjoon walked down the hall towards his room, placing you onto his bed. Once he tucked you into the sheets, Namjoon grabbed a wet towelette, wiping the sweat and tears off your face. He placed a delicate kiss to your forehead, setting your glasses on bedside table, before grabbing a blanket, choosing to sleep on the couch tonight.
As he quietly shut the bedroom door, Namjoon let out a yawn, exhaustion making itself known after he was sure all his soulmates were safely in bed. He failed to notice your cell phone laying on the floor in front of Hoseok's bedroom, rapidly vibrating as a phone call came through.
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The next morning
Hoseok's POV
A ray of sunlight shone bright in Hoseok's face, waking him from his sleep. He woke up disoriented, unaware of where he was. The last thing he remembered was laying in his bed, using his pillow to muffle the sounds of your sobs from outside his door. Hoseok remembered crying along with you, torn between letting himself feel hurt or comforting you.
The man pulled the tangled mess of sheets off his body, noticing the pin drop silence of the apartment. Assuming you must've fallen asleep as well, Hoseok went to the en suite, quickly freshening up before choosing to look for you.
After a night of sleep, Hoseok's pain wasn't as sharp and raw. He realized it was wrong of him to be so rude with you last night. You had the right to explain yourself, and he would give you that.
Hoseok carefully opened his door, afraid you might've been leaning against it. When he didn't feel an extra weight against his bedroom door, he pulled it open, peeking down the hallway, confused when he couldn't find you anywhere. When he stepped out into the hallway, he felt something cool under his foot. He hopped back before leaning down to pick up the cellphone.
Unsure of who's phone it was, he turned on the screen, only to be greeted with a lock screen picture of Meliora at one of their concerts. Hoseok smiled at the silly picture before realizing you had 3 missed calls and a single message, all from your CEO, Lee Chinhwa.
Hoseok's smile vanished as he read the message, heart dropping to his stomach as he raced down the stairs, hasty to find his members.
CEO Lee: My Dear Miss Song, congrats on winning Best Choreography, however that is no excuse to ignore my phone calls. I will see you in my office tomorrow evening. Prepare yourself for a punishment.
"Hyung!" Hoseok called, sights set on Seokjin who was sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee. Jeongguk and Jimin were at the stove, volunteering to cook breakfast.
"Hobi hyung, good morning! Are you feeling alright?" Jeongguk asked, a bunny printed apron tied around his waist.
Hoseok ignored the maknae, shoving your phone into Seokjin's face. "Look," he panted.
Seokjin's eyes grew wide as he read the message, coffee mug falling with a thump onto the table.
"What is it?" Jimin asked, impatiently, reaching to pull the phone from Seokjin's grip. Jimin's jaw fell open as Jeongguk gasped, having read the message from over Jimin's shoulder.
"What does this mean?" Jeongguk's eyes filled with tears, scared for his soulmate.
Seokjin's gaze stayed on the table in front of him. "Remember last night, when Y/N said she was being blackmailed?" Seokjin looked up at Hoseok. "None of us registered the meaning of it then, too focused on her crying."
Guilt hit the boys like a truck, all them realizing their mistake. If only they had listened to you last night, rather than let their anger get the best of them.
"What's wrong?" Namjoon inquired as he entered the kitchen, Yoongi and Taehyung trailing behind him. Your cellphone was passed to them, a similar look of shock taking over as they read the message.
"What the hell is this?" Yoongi growled, angry at the thought that one of his soulmates was in danger.
"I don't know," Namjoon set your phone down on the table. "There's something Y/N isn't telling us, but we're going to find out. Today."
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Hello my lovelies!
Don't worry, today's update has the confession as promised, so head on over to the next chapter. Had to split it into 2 because it got too long. Happy double update!
P.S. The actions of the members in this chapter and in all chapters are not direct representations of their character in real life. This is purely fiction.
No QOTD in this chapter!
XOXO