Together, we join Jimin at the table in the kitchen.

A/N: Back to the regular updates twice a week now!
Thank you everyone ❤

Taehyung arrives next in his full glory.

Leaves and twigs are sticking out of his hair in all kinds of angles. His smile is really friendly, and he waves with his sweater paws when he notices me.

I can't help but smile when I wave back.

The moment is cut short when Jin turns him around to clean up before joining the table. They bicker along the way ("But hyunggg, I was practicing my earth moves! Surely that's a good thing —"; "Yes, nice work Tae, but twigs belong in trees, not your hair —").

Namjoon almost trips as he enters the room at that moment. Suga appears shortly after, and he airily wanders to the corner of the table.

"And then I was swerving the truck on the platform, right, like vrooooom, and then a rock just goes BOOM BOOM straight at us through the air, deeeeeeeewwwww, and then I couldn't stop the truck in time, so we went - POOF - flying off and we were like AAAAHHHH-"

I turn around to find J-Hope retelling the story of our getaway adventure to Jimin. He even reenacts some of the things that happened in the battle, and I watch as Jimin laughs at J-Hope's bright jokes and sound effects.

There's an entire 'organized chaos' feel about the place.

I love it.

I wish it could've been like this at school, but it's a different story there.

Everyone had to line up to get food at Freedom Academy, and the amount of food you're served is dependent on your grades and behavior.

No talking was allowed either.

Here, everyone is so carefree that I almost don't know what to do with myself. It'll take some getting used to, but I'm not complaining.

"I'm back!"

Taehyung walks into the room with clean hair, looking really proud of himself. I scoot closer to Jungkook to make space for him. Taehyung beams and thanks me while taking a seat to my right.

Soon, everyone is gathered together around the table.

"Calm down you guys," Jin says as he sets the plates down. "It's not like we're on holiday. Nothing special."

"Your food is always special," Jimin replies smoothly.

Suddenly it's quiet when Jin brings the food over.

"Looook!" J-Hope sings. "Hyung's ears are reddd~"

"Hey, stob it-"

But their bickering fades to the background when my eyes land on the food on the table.

There's soup and bread - and the main course is fried rice with cheese and kimchi.

It's simple. But it's much fancier than the meals at school, and it's actually warm, and the colors are so nice, and the melted cheese looks so delicious.

It looks like the best tasting stuff that I'll probably ever eat.

Jimin immediately digs in, followed by everyone else.

It's the most I've ever enjoyed eating before. Everything tastes sooo good, and the texture of the bread is just right.

There's an instant sense of family and belonging.

The bickering never stops, and instead of finding it annoying I actually enjoy listening to their conversations. All of them try their best to include me in their conversations (with the exception of Suga - he just sits there and quietly eats his food).

Between the food and the lighthearted stories, I could almost forget about the getaway battle. Did that really happen earlier today? It seems like so long ago.

Relaxed, I help myself to a second serving while Jungkook is on his third.

"Want some banana milk?" he asks me.

"Some what?"

Taehyung turns to us. "Really Jungkook?"

"Banana milk," he repeats as he seemingly grabs a bottle out of nowhere. "Nothing can go wrong with banana milk. You should try some."

"Jungkook loves that stuff," Taehyung tells me while rolling his eyes. "He's obsessed with it."

"I'll give it a try," I say as Jungkook hands me some.

I take a sip.

Oh wow.

It.

Is.

Magical.

I meaningfully look at Jungkook as I start drinking the entire thing.

"She likes it!" Jungkook says victoriously. "Y/n likes it!"

Taehyung says something back, but neither of us hear him because Jungkook is too busy pulling me into a tight hug.

~

The evening passes by really fast. Before I know it, it's already night.

Jimin shows me to my new bedroom.

I thank him and wander in, exhausted after running away from school successfully and then eating the best meal I've had in ages.

"Goodnight, Y/n."

"Goodnight."

I close the door behind me.

My limbs feel really heavy and each step takes so much effort.

So. Much. Effort.

But it's all worth it in the end when I finally get to lay down on the soft mattress and bury myself in the blankets. It's one of the best feelings in the world. I close my eyes and exhale slowly, feeling safe and content.

Finally some peace.

My mind wanders to the seven boys that I'll be stuck with for the rest of this journey. The more I think about them, the more relaxed I get.

I was skeptical at first, but after getting to know them at dinner, they seemed so harmless and honest and... happy.

The students at school were content with their lives, but I've never seen anyone so lively and genuinely caring for others. It was such a drastic change - one that I was skeptical of at first, but ended up welcoming warmly.

The soft blankets are really comfortable, too.

I could just lay here forever if I wanted.

Slowly but surely, I drift off to sleep.

(A/N: Yay for sleep 🥳)

~

Creak.

My eyes dart open to look around the room, but then I realize that I can't see anything anyways - I'm laying on my side and facing the wall.

Uh oh.

I stay as still as possible. Keep your breathing under control, Y/n. I take deep breaths in and out. In and out. In and out.

I hear the sound of paper fall onto the windowsill. After, there is nothing but silence.

I wait patiently for any more signs of movement.

After a few minutes of nothing, I finally deem it safe enough to turn myself around. I hold my breath nervously and slowly turn to face the room...

Oh no what if I come face to face with a monster troll or a talking strawberry or a sleep-deprived Yoongi, what do I do then-

I eventually rotate enough to peer at the rest of the room.

I quickly scan everything around me. There's the bookshelf, and the desk, and the portrait of Jin on the wall... nothing is out of the ordinary.

The only slight difference is a letter on the windowsill. Inside.

My eyes automatically glance at the lock, which was supposed to prevent the window from opening at all. It shows no sign that it ever moved, sturdy as a rock in the position it's always been in.

I consider waiting until the morning. Surely this can wait.

It's so comfortable in the blankets too.

But at the same time, I know that I won't be able to sleep if I don't see what the letter is right now.

Urgent curiosity gets the best of me. 

After checking the room one more time, I unwrap myself from the blankets and hesitantly make my way over to the windowsill, trying to do it as slowly and as quietly as possible.

I creep my way over and as I get closer, I can make out a faint outline of a white rectangle under the moonlight.

You're doing great so far, Y/n. You got this. I think to myself. Self assurance, whoo.

On the letter is a seal.

I pause mid-step as I recognize it.

My previous self-assurance dies like a blown-out candle. It's replaced by dread.

The seal has a frightening symbol.

It's a familiar wax stamp, one that gives me goosebumps and flashbacks of screams and terrible memories - memories of students being dragged away by school guards, never to be seen again after any rebellious act.

It's a stamp with the letters FA on it.

Below the stamp is my name.

My name, scribbled in dark crimson red, glistens in the moonlight.

Park Y/n.