Thank you everyone for the lovely comments on the first chapter! I'm so excited to see you all so excited about this story!
---

"What do you mean, the archives are complete? Already?!" Hwasa exclaims as we sit together at the table in our closed office for lunch, the cafeteria food settled in front of us before we eat a few bites to fill our empty stomach.

"Yeah... You jinxed me by talking about that clinic, unnie" I let out with a sigh before taking another bite to keep myself busy, the unnerving silence in the bond making me fidgety, they must all be shocked by what they saw in my archive, I can't blame them.

"What do you mean, jinxed? That's good! Did you send each other anything yet? Do you know their name? Is it a she? A he? A they? A monster? A ghost? Royalty? Are you going to be a queen? What did they leave in the archives? Tell me you snooped around!" she exclaims like an over-excited puppy, an excitement that I can't share like her, no matter how much I would want to.

"I didn't have a look yet, unnie. There are seven of them, it's going to take time and I don't have the energy for that right now" I begin before adding with a sigh, spoon settling in my bowl as my shoulders droop, "they all went straight to my memories when the shutter sent them my shocked expression, I guess they could all feel that something was wrong. It's been dead silent since then".

Hwasa loses her smile, comprehension settling over her soft eyes before she reaches out for my hands to squeeze gently.

"Give them some time to process, Y/N, it must be hard for them to come to the conclusion that you went through all that abuse while they were doing their own thing, unaware that you were living hell on earth. It's the worst feeling when you want to keep something from happening only to be faced with the reality that it's already far in the past".

I hum and smile lightly before freeing one of my hands to resume eating, I'm going to need the fuel if I want to keep facing this day until our shift is over.

"You see this in such a positive way, unnie. My way of seeing this is that they're currently angry at me for having thrown all these memories in our shared archives. They must be so disappointed with me. Just imagine getting a soulmate only to learn the next second that your dreams will sometimes have to be filled with pain because they couldn't control the shutter. That's awful" I tell her, words that earn me another tight squeeze of the hand as Hwasa frowns at me.

"If they went through your archive willingly, Y/N, then they know that it wasn't on purpose. They could feel your emotions, your pain and they didn't back away - you know damn well they could've turned around if they wanted - but they instead kept going because they wanted to understand your pain. The way I see this, you've got very good soulmates, babe. You should reach out to them, let them know that you're fine, I'm sure they need the reassurance".

She releases my hand after saying that and then focuses on her own food to avoid swarming my mind too much, my brows furrowed as I ponder over her words, spoon playing with my soup mindlessly.

Is she right? If she is, what would they even gain from getting a feel of my pain? Right now, they know nothing about me except that I was abused for years, with maybe the random flower or radio song snippets that I sent when I still felt like I had worth as a soulmate, why would they want to know more?

I force myself to finish my meal despite my hunger having left me and once done, I excuse myself before leaving the room to spend some time on my own, the fresh air outside should help clear my mind a little, this is all so much to handle in this stuffy building.

I greet some of the kids who recognize me on the way, some of them faces I see on a daily basis because they always arrive to school from the reception's entrance with a wave of the hand - though they are few - and then push said doors open to step outside with a deep exhale when the wind graces my skin with its gentle touch.

I stare up at the blue sky for a moment before making my way to a bench beneath a large tree, fingers tapping on my knees as I try to think of my next step with my soulmates, seven people who I know nothing about.

It's been two hours already since the connection took place and to have the space so still and quiet after such a ruckus is quite unsettling, it really doesn't help that I have no idea how they're currently feeling.

Are they angry at themselves for not being able to stop a past already far behind us or are they angry at me for exposing them to that past?

I grab my phone and decide to play some music to keep the silence from creating too many scenarios in my mind, some instrumental that fits my current mood - which is utter shit if I'm being honest - depressive instrumentals have a way of calming me when I feel like this, strangely.

I lean my head back to stare at the ocean of leaves above me, and with the sound of their rustling, the few rays of sunshine that manage to find themselves a way to me through the wall of green soft on my skin, that all feels like something nice to send to my soulmates so I do exactly that, shutter activated to send them something that I find peaceful, maybe this can help.

Seven souls come fluttering like butterflies around the memory, and with that comes a warm comfort that softly embraces my heart. To know them here in the archives, it's something that I didn't know I longed for to that extent until it finally happened.

Soulmates. A word that makes me fear rejection, but also a word that brings me hope, comfort. It's hard not to feel that way when you grow up in a world that idolizes perfect love, soulmates the very definition of eternal loyalty, a love that can never die.

It's a matter that has finally been settled - I have soulmates, and though I wish that could be the end of the problem, everyone lives happily ever after, the end - now I can't help but wonder how much it's going to hurt if my soulmates decide that they don't want me.

Is it possible to cut someone out of a group bond? I never heard of anything like that, but what if it's possible? What if it's what they want?

A sudden ripple into the archives and a new memory comes in, the first one to come from my soulmates. It makes me anxious to find out what it could be, who it could be from, names yet to be given to each sections of the archives once more an unsettling feeling that I must bear until that changes.

I reach out to it and immediately find myself staring at a blank sheet of paper in front of which can be seen a pretty hand holding an elegant blue pen before words of ink come alive with smooth motions to form a gentle question, the emotions that accompany it hard to tell apart from how strong they are - concern, sadness, joy, pain, relief - they're all intertwined.

Are you okay, sweetheart?

My first reflex at reading such a question is to say yes. Of course I am, why are you asking? Don't worry about me, I'm just tired, it's the coffee getting filtered from my blood, I need another cup, do you want me to bring you one too?

That's what Hwasa would hear, but to have this question come from a soulmate when I'm already anxiously awaiting any form of possible rejection from them, something I realize they must have felt through my snippet, it instead causes tears of stress to rise and well up in my eyes before I wipe them with a curse, not aware just yet that this moment has made it to the archives as well until I feel their touch against the memory.

I groan and bend forward to scream at my thighs, this damn shutter of mine, damn it! Can't I just get a break for once?

It's so frustrating to have it run out of control like this all the time, the complete archives apparently making it worse than before, which in turn makes me feel even more pitiful than I already was, angry tears smeared across my skin when I try to get rid of them.

Another hand writes down a question in a new snippet of memory, thin and long fingers holding a black pen normally not a sight that should make my skin flush from underneath my tears, yet it does, this hand makes me blush.

What's wrong, love? Can we help?

And another question that appears on a phone this time:

Should we share our contacts so we can talk on the soul chat app? It's not hard to find in the app store if you don't already have it, it'll be easier to communicate there than here.

It starts with one phone number, then two, then five and before I know it, the archive goes from completely silent to bustling with activity, as if my little snippet of memory served as the ice-breaker to this new connection that we all longed for in one way of another, somehow, deep down.

After hesitating for a short moment when mine is the last one left to be given, my phone held tightly in my hand as I make up my mind, I open my contact page and send it all to the archives with my breath held in - name, email address, home address, phone number, job, where, it's all there, my first and last attempt at offering them a way to keep this connection alive with me.

Whether they want me or not will entirely depend on them after this because I won't insist to be made part of everything, the nerves making my hands shake before I decide to turn off my phone to head back to work.

I'll face the truth later, no matter how harsh it is.

Their POV

THE 8 SOULMATES <3

<7 contacts were added into the group chat>

Unknown:
Oh!
That was fast
Wait

<Name changed to Jungkook>

Jungkook:
Now that's better
Hi!

Unknown:
It really was fast!
I like the group name, it's cute!
How did you get us all here so fast?

<Name changed to Jimin>
<Name changed to Seokjin>
<Name changed to Yoongi>

Yoongi:
I have a good memory and quick fingers
And I've had the app opened on my phone since earlier
I just wasn't sure how to break the silence first

<Name changed to Taehyung>
<Name changed to Hoseok>
<Name changed to Namjoon>

Taehyung:
The silence was really uncomfortable after the connection took place so I'm glad it's over now
Is Y/N here too?
I'm worried about her with the last memory she sent to the archives

Yoongi:
I added her number so she should be
Whether she replies or not is entirely her choice though
There was so much worry and sadness coming from her, I'm concerned too

<Namjoon changed Unknown's name to Y/N>

Namjoon:
It looks like she works at a high school, lunch time is over so she probably went back to work
I don't think she'll be able to reply before a little while but...
I believe her state might have to do with the bond fully connecting

Seokjin:
Right, I think so too
I think it's our fault, you all had a look, right?
At her memories?

Hoseok:
Ah...
I did
It was horrible
I burst into tears at the soul clinic earlier
The doctor was so confused

Jimin:
You too?
I really wanted to hug her when I saw her archive
My heart hurts so much thinking about what she had to endure on her own
I didn't think about how she'd feel about that though, do you think she's mad at us?

Namjoon:
More than mad... I think she's worried about how we're going to feel about this
I can't blame her, that was a lot
My heart is still racing, I'm trying to process it all but the amount of memories in there really shocked me
I think her soul shutter was affected by all the trauma and it's pissing me off, I'm so mad for her
I had to go for a run earlier to blow off some steam

Yoongi:
I noticed that too, that's not normal
Anyone in here who wants to kill those assholes with me?
If so, let me know, I've been contemplating ever since I saw the first memory
I've been sharpening my knives just in case I find one of them in the wild

Jimin:
Count me in, I want to help
I'm pretty agile with my body, I could kick them in the throat easily
They won't survive us if we team up together

Yoongi:
Good, let's do this
Let's hunt them down

Seokjin:
Whoa whoa whoa, let's not turn into criminals just yet, please
I'm not sure that's the kind of thing Y/N would appreciate
Let's wait to hear what she has to say on the matter before we cross any boundaries, this is her past we're talking about
I just wanted to make sure that we're all aware of her archive before we go to sleep tonight

Jungkook:
Oh right, we're going to get each others' memories as dreams now
That's going to be scary
Wait, does that mean she's been reliving all those moments every night until now?

Taehyung:
Most likely
I hope she gets some nice dreams tonight...
I wish I could send her something nice myself

Namjoon:
The archive is filled with all of our memories now, she should be fine
I don't think we'll get hers that often either

Hoseok:
That's right, they'll be pretty rare with all of us together
We should keep adding good memories from now on to drown out her bad ones
Let's give her many, many good dreams!

Seokjin:
I'll be sure to do my part
I have customers in the shop so I'll have to go for now
Let's talk later

Jimin:
Oh me too, my manager just gave me a task that I need to complete before the end of the day
See you later!

Yoongi:
I've been hiding in the bathroom for too long already, I should go too before my boss notices my absence
Toodles

Jungkook:
Ah me too! I can't be late for my next class, my university teacher is reputed for being the devil here
I just met my soulmates so I'll be good until I make it out safely
Let's talk soon everyone!

Taehyung:
Well...
You know what they say about trends
Everyone's in it whether they want to or not
I need to decorate those cupcakes
Have a good day Namjoon, Hoseok!

Hoseok:
Wow, they all disappeared in the blink of an eye
I think I might go for a drive around her town if everyone's busy
Maybe I could get her to eat dinner with me when she's off work
Where do you live, Namjoon?

Namjoon:
Near her, actually
Can't believe she was so close and I just didn't know

Hoseok:
Do you want to go for a drive then?
I can come pick you up, maybe you can show me around
We can wait for her together

Namjoon:
You know what?
That sounds good
Let's do that

Hoseok:
Awesome, I'll be there soon!

Your POV

It's when I near the end of my shift, most of the kids already out of the school as they head back home that a memory settles in the archives, a sight of my school from the parking lot just enough to have me freeze in confusion.

Hwasa nearly bumps into me as she rounds her desk to get some papers and stares at me in concern when I gaze up at her with a blank face.

"What? You're scaring me with that face of yours, what's wrong?" she asks with a weirded out expression, our time working together sometimes filled with strange moments and interactions, this is honestly nothing new - best friends are reputed for being weird around each other, right?

"Someone's in the parking lot. I just saw our school in the archives" I blurt out and she pauses, mind registering my words before her face lights up with a squeal past her lips. "One of your soulmates came to pick you up from work?!".

She drops her things on her desk before ushering me towards the door, my bag and phone handed to me quickly before she kicks me out of the room. "Go get them, babe! I told you everything would be fine!".

"But work-"

"I'll handle it! It's just stupid paperwork, I can do it on my own, go! Don't make them wait any longer!".

I stare at the now shut door, almost dazed with how fast this all happened, and when another snippet enters the soul's archive, I reach out only to see a phone with a finger pointing at it, like whoever this is is trying to tell me to use mine.

Really unsure of what I should do with myself, I slowly edge towards the exit that so happens to be right by the parking lot while turning on my phone, the loading screen taking its time as it powers up after being turned off for most of the day.

I push the doors open and then make my way to the same spot where I was earlier, the tree a comforting corner for me as my phone begins to send me every missed notifications, one of them being of a new chat in which I was added, a detail that takes a layer of worry off of my heart.

So they did add me after all.

Not quite looking where I'm going as I read the conversation everyone had in my absence, most of it somehow about me and my memories but not with the anger that I was expecting, I don't notice that someone is standing under the tree until I walk into them, face bumping against a broad chest and body bouncing backwards before I hit the corner of the bench with the back of my knee, the final hit to get me on the ground with a wince.

I bring a hand up to my aching nose, a little stunned by how fast things went, again, and a blush warms up my cheeks when I find a giant and stunning man quickly kneel in front of me with concern in his pair of dragon eyes as he gazes at me, lips pursed in bashful guilt.

"Oh dear, are you okay? Does it hurt? Is it bleeding?" he asks with a deep voice, it feels like warm firewood burning in a cold winter night, and goosebumps travel across my skin like they're drawing a new map before I realize that he's asking this because I'm still covering my nose, the impact to it already forgotten because the one he has on my heart is somehow much stronger.

"Oh this is nothing, I'm fine, don't worry about it. I'm sorry for bumping into you like this, I wasn't looking where I was walking since there's usually no one here" I utter softly with an awkward bow of apology before I go looking for my phone, which is still opened to the soulmate group chat, thankfully it fell on the grass.

The mysterious stranger finds my device before I can reach out to it and grabs it for me since he's closer, and though he tries to not have an obvious look at it, he can't keep his eyes from creasing in relief when he sees the opened conversation.

"So I was right... it is you. You're Y/N, aren't you? Our soulmate who works here?".

I pause, mind blanking on me at his question because this can't be real, this man isn't one of my soulmates, is he? A god like him?

"I... I uh, I think so? Are you the one who sent my school to the archives before sending another one urging me to use my phone?" I ask back, a question that confirms it for the both of us, we really are soulmates, though he shakes his head as he offers me a hand to help me up to my feet.

"No, that was Hoseok. We came here together, we drove around the town for a bit and then stayed at a shop for some coffee while waiting for your shift to end, he's still waiting for us at the car" he informs me with a pleased smile, his strong hands hot to the touch as he pulls me up like I weigh nothing.

I wobble a little at first - my bumping into him not to be underestimated, this man is a brick wall - but even when my balance is finally secured with his help until my feet are anchored on the ground properly, he doesn't release my hand, a tentative squeeze that makes me want to believe in miracles before he motions his head towards the parking lot.

They were waiting for me?

"Since our other soulmate is Hoseok... I'm guessing that you're Namjoon, is that right?" I speak up softly as we begin walking side by side, our size difference sending my heart into a stuttering frenzy, why is he so big? How much does he work out per day to be built like this?

"That's right. It feels like a dream to be able to say each other's name now, I wondered when this would happen for so long, so to be here... it makes me feel like the happiest man alive" he muses gently with a delighted smile on his face as he gazes down at me like this is the most natural thing he's ever done.

Soulmates meeting for the first time holding hands tightly as our arms almost brush together with every steps we make, why does this feel so natural? I swear I would turn into putty if he were to hug me right now.

Still, I hum softly, lips sucked in briefly before I sigh.

"I read the conversation you all had without me while I was walking. I'm sorry about my side of the archive, I really didn't want these memories to end up there but... as you guessed, my shutter is broken, it's like throwing a coin in the air with it. I can use it as I want, thankfully, but it acts up from time to time. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I even wanted soulmates because of it, I didn't want to force you to deal with my memories so I feel awful that so many of you are stuck with this now".

Namjoon inhales sharply at my words as we near the parking lot to bring us towards one car where someone is waiting for us, a warm smile greeting us that can only be compared with the sun, it's... kind, loving, this is Hoseok?

I guess fate decided to give me two gods as soulmates.

"Why would you apologize when you're the one who suffered the most, Y/N? That's not your fault so please don't think about it too much. We'll be fine, this is nothing we can't handle" is what he says, the two of us now close enough for our other soulmate to hear, his smile falls a little when he understands what it is that we're talking about.

"You won't think the same when you wake up dripping in sweat after getting your leg broken on repeat all night" I mumble as I look down at the ground, it's a wonder that I'm still walking today with how many times I was broken into pieces.

I'm sure I contributed the most in this country to improve how broken bones are treated, I got every types of fracture possible after all. The nurses weren't even surprised to see me by the end, they were mainly concerned for my safety since I was entirely on my own.

A child with rich parents who committed suicide together, they left me with a fortune and a neglectful live-in maid to help me get through my school years, though that fortune is all gone now.

The woman who took care of me for most of my childhood disappeared as soon as I turned eighteen with all the money that was left and never came back. I must have been more to handle than what she was ready for. I can't blame her, I hope she's having a good life now.

A soft and warm hand slides against my own to hold it, just like Namjoon, and I look up slowly to find Hoseok smiling kindly at me, his eyes shining with a sadness that makes my soul twist with dislike, a Hoseok who doesn't smile feels oddly similar to a day without sunshine.

"Is that why you were so shocked and concerned about the connected bond? Did you believe we would resent you because of your memories? You thought we would be angry at you, Y/N?".

I immediately tense up at his spot on questions, which is an answer all by itself, it has both men sharing a frown before Hoseok sandwiches my hand between his own to bring to his lips where he lays the sweetest kiss on my skin.

"We know what to expect, Y/N, we already saw and felt most of them, and though we know that dreams amplify everything, I assure you, no one will ever resent you. It might be hard at first when we do get them, sure, but we'll adapt around it, this is nothing hugs can't fix upon waking up. We'll just have to bathe the archive with even more love to keep everyone smiling" he says with such conviction that I need to bite on my bottom lip to avoid the wobbling that reaches my chin.

Namjoon smiles softly and pulls a little on my hand to get me to stare at him, the wet shine of my eyes enough to hurt his heart, he can barely imagine what it must have been like to experience my life, no amount of dreams will ever be enough to give him the full picture of the awful life I had to live.

"Do you know how many memories Taehyung has all by himself? Sunsets, sunrises, strawberry fields, cakes, cookies, I stopped counting when I reached three hundreds and that didn't even cover a quarter of what he had, and Yoongi? Yoongi has an archive filled with baking recipes and tangerines, I found more snippets of food than I saw of anything else, he might be right on par with Taehyung for the amount they have, and that's besides counting the rest of ours. What are a few hundreds in face of thousands of memories? We'll be fine, Y/N, I promise".

I can't resist the small teary giggle that leaves me at the mention of Taehyung and Yoongi's archives, a sound that melts their nerves away, they already want to do everything in their power to make me as happy as I can be, so much they need to make up for, their absence during a time when I needed them the most now a shackle that links our wrists together.

There will be no more being left alone going on now that we're all connected as one.

I turn my head to wipe my eyes on my arms, their hands pulled along as I do before I nod my head, soul already comforted by their gentle words. Hwasa was right, I have very good soulmates.

"Said like that... I guess you're right, you should be fine" I let out softly with a tiny sniffle, lips daring a smile that they respond to with one of their own, hands tightening to bring comfort and reassurance as much as possible.

"Of course we'll be fine! So! Now that we took care of this matter, how about we go eat somewhere? Namjoon talked about this ramen restaurant earlier and it sounded really good, what do you think?" Hoseok changes the topic with a cheerfulness that brings a lightness back into my heart, and I make a soft sound of approval, thankful for the new focus.

"That does sound good... I'm really hungry".

They both pull me forward at those words, car doors opened quickly so we can sit inside to get moving - my hunger not something they want to leave be - myself at the front, right by Hoseok who offers me his hand again once we're all buckled in.

"For safety, holding a soulmate's hand makes me safer on the road. I did the same with Namjoon this afternoon" he teases with a grin, heart fluttering when I blush before giving him my hand with a smile, he's so silly.

"Great, let's go get food then!".