Ashley smiled at the sun's warm glow shining a spotlight on a brown beetle wiggling on its back on the table. Flipping the bug over, it crept its merry way along the edges of her book.

Reaching her arms in the air her tight muscles relaxed, she refocused on her essay. Since her room did not contain a working desk the restaurant in the hotel was the perfect place to do her homework because of the natural lighting.

On her vacation from college, she was given plenty of assignments, even on her vacation/ job she had to get these done. To never repeat the case of leaving them for the last minute like in her first year of college.

Her last job as a dishwasher required a lot of time and was awfully draining so her homework wasn't touched since she got them. Luckily this job was stretched out and she could manage to finish or at least start them.

Despite studying in a restaurant at brunch hour, it was easy for her to drown out the people and clattering utensils around her- one of the perks of being a student.

"There you are I was wondering where you ran off to," Jimin's melodious voice called taking a seat next to her.

Resting his chin on his hand he spoke. "What are you doing?"

"Homework," She said flatly not bothering to look up from her slightly messy penmanship.

The rest of the guys shuffled in the dining hall taking their seat at the table. Averting their attention to her.

Namjoon studied her blank and robotic exterior. "What are you writing there so seriously?"

"Homework," She said again in monotone fully concentrated on her task.

"You brought homework to LA?" Jungkook said peering over to her almost ink-filled page.

"Hmm,"

"Wow you're no fun when you're studying," He clapped back. Rolling her eyes a waitress came over to the table to take their orders when she took a sharp intake of air, pointing to Ash's sleeve in disgust.

"Oh miss you have a bug on you! I will kill it for you!" She dashed by her side but before she could swing her notepad at the creature Ash picked it up carefully off her shirt.

"Oh no don't kill it, he's my friend," She said placing the wriggling bug in the small plant pot on the table.

"See? It's not hurting anyone, one need to exterminate it,"

Baffled, the waitress smiled unknowingly and went on with taking their orders. Her eyes would shift to the calm beetle as if it was about to fly and attack her at any moment.

"What was that all about?" Jin asked when the agitated girl left.

"She was going to kill Kevin over here," Ash said waving her pen at the bug.

"You're talking about the bug?"

"Yes,"

"So, you even care about insects just as much as animals?" Hobi tried to hide the grossed out factor on his face.

"Well I guess so, I don't see a reason to kill the poor thing,"

"Can I ask why did you want to study veterinary?" Said Jimin.

Her hand stopped unevenly as her fingers tighten around the soft grip pen. She lifted her head and gave a half-smile.

"Ahh, that story's too sad to tell at 8 am,"

"Please, I'm really curious,"

"Fine. Where do I start, okay after my dad died when I was 18. I got really depressed and grew suicidal." She paused to gather her thoughts, fiddling with her pen in thought.

"One night I really wanted to die. I didn't care about anything. Well, that's what I thought. I was standing at the side of the road and I saw this cat crossing when it was about to get hit by this truck. I don't know why or how but my body moved on its own, I ran across and grabbed it before it could be crushed," Glancing out the high window she exhaled.

"And from then on I realized there was actually somethings in life worth living for. And that's why I decided to be a vet to help animals because in a way that one little cat saved my life."

As expected the mood shifted to a sombre undercurrent that the sun's yellow rays could not disperse. She did warn them that her story was too grim for this time of day.

"I can't believe your dad died, he was a great man," Namjoon's brows knitted as he touched his face nervously.

"Yeah, he was," Her throat began to sting and her temples throbbed as she forced herself not to cry in front of them.

"What about your mom? Wasn't she around?" Yoongi asked.

"No, she wasn't, I...I don't talk about her," She continued writing her essay but her thoughts were now obstructed with the awful short-lived memories of her mother. 

She chose not to talk about her mother for so long. Burying the vague but tormenting memories of that day. That time her mother left her and her father for a new lover. What a cruel and inexcusable reason to abandon them. All the tears and heartache she wasted on that woman.

The worst part was seeing her father absolutely grief-stricken for years on end. Not eating, not sleeping, for weeks. It was as if she was slowly watching him die and witnessing his damaged soul escape his body with every tick of the clock. 

How could she just leave them? Leave her own seven-year-old child and husband for another man. It filled her with rage as well as resurfaced sorrow. 

She took a sip of water from Jimin's glass as it was near to her. 

"I can't talk about her," She wiped a tear that threatened to drop on her page.

A warm and comforting presence was felt on her back, at the corner of her eye she saw Jimin rubbing her back; soothing her haunted thoughts and carrying her back to reality.

The waitress returned and before she opened her mouth, Ashley relaxed into his touch.

"Okay! Here are your meals!" The waitress's bubbly voice sounded off, lifting the unsmiling ambience.

"Great thank you!" Hobi smiled at her kindly before she left to greet another table.

"Ash here is yours," Namjoon placed her plate at the side of her notebook.

Nodding her head she thanked him. "Okay let me just finish this essay first,"

That comment did not bode well for them as they all exchanged concerned and unsure looks among themselves. Sure it was noble of her to finish her work, however, hearing her tragic back story they all had the sudden nurturing need to take care of her. Even if it's just trying to get her to eat.

Jungkook tried his hand in getting her to follow. "No you need to eat," He ordered, pulling her notebook away from her.

"No I need to finish this essay," She hissed almost, taking back her book.

"Let me feed you then you can eat and do your homework,"

"..."

Jungkook took her silence on his offer as an okay and sliced into the stack of blueberry pancakes, drenching it in the sticky dressing and fed her it. Opening wide she accepted it, the sap drizzled on her lower lip and glazed her taste buds making her drunk with sugar.

Wiping the thick droplet from her lip he brought the teacup to her mouth. "Tea?"

"Please," She carefully sipped the streaming drink, the sudden bitterness dissolving the sugary syrup taste. Her openness in her appetite from the mouth-watering pancakes urged her to speed write while still trying to maintain a readable handwriting.

Jotting down the last of her disarranged thoughts she smiled, slamming the notebook shut and clicking the pen close. Leaving the proofreading for another day.

"Finished!" She cheered, earning a lame round of applause from her table.

"Speech!" Jin chimed in raising his glass in the air.

"I'll like to thank Jungkook and the pancakes for seeing me through this tough event," She bowed and captured another mouthful of pancakes from him. 

About to grab the fork to excuse Jungkook from feeding her, strangely he pulled away. "No, I'll feed you,"

"You don't need to I'm done writing,"

"I want to,"

"Why?"

"It's satisfying." His smile grew wider and cuter and Ash couldn't say no to that pouty bunny face.

"Um okayyy, well we can feed each other," She smiled taking a grape from his plate and popping it in his mouth. His eyes widen and his cheeks flushed as she did that. 

"Cute~ Feed me," He did what he was told. Suddenly she stiffened when a hand settled on her left leg. Narrowing her eyes Jimin's expression closed up not even minding where his hand was as he went on about eating normally.

She didn't feel the urgent need to slap his hand away since the table cloth was covering her legs so no one saw what was happening underneath the table. Carrying on and ignoring the pleasant warmth now on her thigh, she took another grape to Jungkook's mouth only to let it slip out of her fingers when she flinched at the touch of his hand skimming higher up. Now thumbing her inner thigh through her jeans.

"Ah everybody," A strict voice called to the group, glancing up Ash instantly ripped Jimin's hand off her thigh. From her peripheral vision a shadow of a smirk formed on his lips.

"Daejung hyung, is anything wrong?" Namjoon asked.

The official scanned the now quiet table as if he was a teacher in front of a noisy class, trying to sniff out the troublemakers.

He adjusted his glasses. "No, at least not yet, anyway, the car will be here at 9 to pick you up, don't be late." Shooting Ash one final look he excused himself. 

"You think Daejung is on to Ash and Jimin? He keeps talking in innuendos and looking at Ash," Hoseok whispered to the gang.

"No he doesn't know, but he has to keep an eye on me to see if I'm getting a little too close to you guys,"

"What do you mean? He doesn't want us to be friends?" Hobi questioned.

"It's not that, it just there's this rule I had to follow when I was asked for the job as your translator," She took a long pause and gazed at Kevin in the pot as she collected her thoughts.

"Uh-huh, you mind telling us that rule?" Yoongi said with thinning patience in this voice.

"Well, um...the thing is," She fumbled scratching her arm nervously.

"It's not like you are going to do anything so... well the rule is that I cannot touch you or have anything relating to..." She faltered, struggling to finish her sentence.

It was hard to speak of such things particularly when their piercing stares were suffocating her words. Huffing, she sliced into the pancake and took a quick bite. Concluding her words mid-chew.

"Sex," The red-faced word hung uncomfortably around them, causing the members to display faces of uneasiness, perplexity and pure amusement.

"Come again?" RM snickered trying to compose himself.

"Oh, you would love that won't you," Ash shot back, breaking the tension as they burst into lighthearted laughs.

Thank God.

"So what you're saying is that you and us cannot share any close interactions?"

"Yeah, more or less. Ren mainly suggested that I cannot fool around with you. Since he knows you guys won't do anything to me in a physical way," She pinched the bridge of her nose. "There is a fine line between platonic and carnal and I can't cross it."

She sunk into her chair, maybe telling them this was a good idea. Maybe it will get them to understand her situation better and they will back off the skinship. Especially with Jimin. He had the most skinship out of all of them. Cuddling her that one night when he was wasted, taking off his shirt in front of her and now touching leg her in a more than friendly manner.

Although, Ash did not mind it. Yet she was too loyal to Ren to let him down.

They all lined up in front of the hotel as a shiny, spotless, black limousine parked in from of them.

"This is not a car this is a limo!" She said bouncing around waiting for her turn to jump in. She was expecting the old van that arrived at the airport to drive them not a luxury limousine.

She slid on the leather seats amazed by the large space. Situated, the area grew cramped by the eight bodies packed like sardines.

"Have you ever been in a limo before?" Jungkook asked, unbuttoning the top clasp on his shirt to cool himself.

"No never, this is amazing!" She smiled flicking the many switches on the car wondering what they all did.

About ten minutes into the car ride she detected the notorious nausea building up in her throat. Squeezing her eyes shut she wasn't surprised it was bound to happen, seeing that she was packed in a car with 7 other people. It seemed hard to focus on something other than trying not to vomit since the windows were heavily tinted, as expected for a limousine.

The car had gone over three bumps in a row, each one hitting her more deadly than the last. She straightened her posture and shifted to the edge of the seat.

"Hey, are you alright? You look a little sick," V fanned her grey face with his hand.

Straining to swallow the spit, her expression dulled. "I get car sick sometimes,"

"Ahh, do you want to lay down?" He patted his lap while the corners of his mouth perked up.

"N-no I'm okay," She stuttered out as the limo mashed a sudden break and thrust her back into the seat striking her head into Jimin's head. Two immediate yelps erupted in the now rowdy limousine.

Laughing away the pulsing pain she rubbed the side of his head while frequently apologizing.

Ruffling his hair he simpered. "You okay?"

Nodding, her vision blurred faintly. "Yeah, but were they always two of you?" She pointed to the extra foggy members.

"Just lay down already!" Taehyung grabbed her and shoved her down on his lap. In which she only stayed there for two seconds then proceeded to get up.

"Ah! No, the rule! Guys what did we just talked about!" She reminded them about their conversation earlier but she was pulled back down again.

"Forget that stupid rule, Daejung isn't here so it's okay,"

"But I can't let Ren down," Ash struggled to sit up but Tae had a stronghold on her shoulders.

"Hey, let me go!" She pushed on Tae chest but he too added more strength.

"Yah, why are you so strong?!" Tae whined straining to keep a grasp. "A little help here guys?!"

"Aish this girl!" In a rush, Jimin lifted her legs and propped them on his lap keeping her flailing body bound down.

"What is this turning into?" Hobi laughed hysterically.

Yoongi gave a lopsided grin. "This looks so wrong."

"Ash, read this," Namjoon placed the phone to her face, she paused to read.

"What?" Her eye fixated on the words on his screen. 

"While your muscles, nerves and eyes tell your brain that you're sitting still, the fluid in your ears is rocking and sloshing around, informing your body that it is actually on the move. We get motion sickness because the brain's constantly worried about being poisoned and reading, makes it worse..." Her breathy voice faded into the abyss.

The guys swore they saw her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her mouth became cascaded with saliva and her body limp. She fainted onto Taehyung, gripping his knee trying her best to not puke.

"You are so bratty, Ash," RM sat back down, shaking his head.

"You guys are mean," Pivoting on her stomach she nestled her face on V's thighs. Why was the maknae line so touchy-feely today? And the Hyung line allowing it. Is it because they get a kick out of teasing her like this.

"Sleep for now," The soothing head rubs from V drifted her off to unconsciousness yet the finger traces up and down on her legs by Jimin screamed her body awake.

If they are going to tease her like this then telling them was a terrible mistake.