Warning: The parents are being bad parents, again.

(Y/N - 17 years old)

Despite seeing each other every few days when we have some free time, Jungkook and I never got to meet our other soulmates in person yet, though we do talk to them daily on the online group chat meant for our bond after we were sent the link a couple of months ago by the registry.

I'm guessing that a situation such as ours is what pushed them to come up with such an idea, seeing as it would be hard to meet our other halves otherwise since they are older than us and living in another city.

As things work at the moment, anyone who are added to the registry will be given the link that binds every soulmates together to offer them a chance to communicate, and when the bond is finally complete, they will then be given a choice to delete the group chat in favor of being together in the real world instead.

That has yet to happen for us, though.

We haven't gotten any more news of our other soul pieces, but as Namjoon likes to say often, life is not a race - it's all about the experiences that we make along the way and how we handle them, and how they forge us into a better self.

Jimin added that until we find the others, we can become a better version of who we are so that we can welcome them with warmth and love when the time comes. Needless to say, it was a relief to learn that our other human soulmates were good people with a similar mindset as us.

At first, Jungkook was really scared that they would reject him and that I would do the same in favor of staying with my fellow human soulmates instead of being with him, but I promised him that even if the world ever were to go against him, that I would always remain proudly by his side.

He would never be alone for as long as we breathed, that is what the others ended up adding after learning of his fear, once we introduced ourselves to them.

It was clear that Taehyung, our other hybrid, had felt the same for the longest time before getting to meet Namjoon and Jimin in person - it was during an outing to a museum that they all somehow visited at the same time - because he made sure to comfort Jungkook until he was sure that he would never doubt us ever again.

That calmed him greatly, and that also made me feel a whole lot better. I wouldn't be forced into disliking my own soulmates for hurting Jungkook and that was more than enough for me. A dream come true.

"Choi Y/N! Get down here right now!".

Abruptly pulled from my thoughts by my mother's daily screeching, I sigh before wearing my slippers, after which I exit my bedroom to walk down the stairs and into the kitchen where I know I am needed.

It's always the same thing after all, ever since that day.

Since they went from ecstatic to outraged upon learning that more than one of my other halves were hybrids, their attitudes towards me changed, as did mine towards them. A lot of things changed, honestly.

I am no longer their good daughter - I am now a mistake. No longer am I given food, for I now have to cook it for everyone. Clothes have to be mended instead of replaced, belongings sold so I can get what I need, be it soap and shampoo, or even new shoes after outgrowing my previous ones.

They started to spend even more money than before on junk, but also on alcohol and cigarettes, and things went downhill from there. No longer are we considered rich, and I quickly came to expect a day when the mansion would be ours no more.

There even came a point where I was left with no choice but to get a job to put food into the fridge, but that's not a bad thing since I finally graduated high school and needed to start earning money anyway.

College isn't really possible for me as of now, but I'm thinking that someday in the future, I might be able to attend if I want to accomplish my dream, the one I promised to Jungkook.

And speaking of him, Jungkook and I are thinking about getting our own place together eventually - maybe even with the others if they're interested, though we've yet to ask them - after we've saved up enough money, so this allows me to do exactly that.

If enduring that hell for a little longer means getting my heaven one day, then I will endure this for as long as necessary. Jungkook and Taehyung don't need to know what it's like at home for me, they don't need to know that my parents despise them to the point of hating the simple sight of me.

I want all of my soulmates happy and smiling, and so that means hiding this side of my life from their knowledge.

"Is something wrong with the food?" I ask my mother as soon as I find her glaring at me from the table where is also sat my father, the dishes I prepared after coming back home from work earlier still exactly where I'd left them, is it not to their taste again?

"The food is cold. You should know that I don't eat cold food anymore. Are you trying to give me an upset stomach?".

Ah... of course. Considering how they were too busy insulting every hybrids in the world in the living room while I was cooking, it's no wonder that they didn't hear me when I told them that the food was ready.

"And what am I supposed to do about that? There's a microwave, maybe it can serve, for once" I let out plainly, and that earns me a plate of kimchi sent my way, which I barely avoid only to receive splatters of the meal over my clothes.

It's also become a habit for them to throw dishes at me when they're angry. I've gotten pretty agile at avoiding them by now, but I still get hit from time to time, which can make it hard to hide from Jungkook when he's always touching and hugging me.

Bruises have never been so hard to ignore than when he's pressing a hand over them unknowingly.

My father sits back on his chair after wiping his hands on his pants. "Talk to her with respect, Y/N. After all she's done for you... seeing as you're still living under our roof, it's only right that you give her food that she can eat. Clean this up and make her something else".

Swallowing my pride to instead bow before the table, I grab a towel to clean up the floor before reaching the emptied fridge in search of something else I could make. I'd bought enough food for at least a week yesterday... where did it all go?

Something tells me that mother gave it all to my older brother after visiting him and his soulmate at their home this morning... damn it. It was so expensive too.

"I'll have to go out to buy more food since there's nothing in the fridge... can you please eat the food I made for tonight? I'll do better tomorrow" I try to plead with her, and though it looks like it costs her to agree with me for something as simple as this, she eventually nods with a grimace on her face.

"Well... I guess this isn't so bad. Sure, it'll do for tonight. You can go".

With my fists clenched by my sides, I bow again before going back to my bedroom so I can get changed for my new errand.

I'm so tired of this behaviour of them. When did they start acting so spoiled? Mother requests whatever she wants from me while father threatens me whenever I attempt to refuse, going as far as to hit me whenever I look at him wrong.

Since when did I suddenly become their carer and their abused daughter like this? Am I not the child here? Shouldn't they be the ones taking care of me instead of rejecting me as a member of their family because of who I choose to love?

After throwing my dirty clothes in the hamper, a wet towel over my skin to get rid of the kimchi smell, I exit the once impressive mansion with exhaustion, then make my way to the convenience store nearby where Jungkook works part-time on top of his internship at his parents' well-off firm.

I feel this urge to see him right now, and I can't will myself to do anything else until I've gotten to fill in my tank of love before I head to the grocery store. Anything that keeps me out of home for longer is honestly a god-sent at this point, but it's even better if it has anything to do with the boy I love.

I hope he won't be too busy, I think I might really cry if I can't get at least one hug from him today.

With hurried feet, I finally reach the building decorated with pretty little lights on the front, and upon glancing at the window, relief is not enough to describe how I feel when I find the store empty and my panther leaning over the desk in boredom, his tail swatting the air behind him as he waits for something to happen.

I push the door open before grinning when his eyes immediately fall on me, nose sniffing lightly because he knew it was me before he even saw me thanks to my scent - he says I smell like mint - and I chuckle softly when he runs around the counter to hug me with strength.

"Y/N" he chirps, a pleasant sound that makes my heart melt in a single second, as is his secret power. Anything he does always serves to make me fall deeper in love with him.

Still, I need to hold back my tears once I get to feel his warmth like this, and when he pulls back to hold my face between his hands, I close my eyes to better focus on his touch that never fails to comfort my heart and soul.

"What are you doing here?! I thought you were resting at home! You had work today, didn't you?" he asks with an unrestrained joy that is easily seen in the way his tail sways excitedly behind him like that of a dog, though his panther genes make him a bit more... unpredictable.

"Yeah, I was, but I forgot to get something at the grocery store so I thought I could take care of that tonight and see you at the same time. Seeing you was honestly my main goal, I missed you too much to wait until our next date" I sprinkle my lie with a sweet truth that makes his adorable cheeks blush, and he nuzzles his nose against my own with a happy hum.

"I missed you too. A whole lot. I'm glad you stopped by".

I wrap my arms around him for another hug that he welcomes readily, and when he begins to sway us softly as the radio gives us a romantic song to dance to, I rest my head onto his shoulder with a small smile. I knew coming here was the right choice to make.

Jungkook stays silent for a long while as he makes us dance slowly, but the lack of purr lets me know that there is something on his mind, and so I wait for him to speak up when he is ready since I know that urging him on never helps.

"Is... is everything alright, Y/N? I know that work has you busy these days but... you look more tired than usual".

I sigh as he finally voices out his concern, is this what was weighing on his mind? It's true that my parents have been a bit worse lately but... I didn't think it was showing on my face. Or maybe my soulmate is that perceptive since his senses are better than mine.

"I'm fine, Jungkook, but thank you worrying about me like this. Work has been hectic, that's all. You know how it is during rush hours, we've been getting a lot of those these days because of the current promotion".

Unconvinced, he makes a small noise before leaning back to smile gently at me, his fingers soft when he brushes them in my hair like he knows I adore. It always makes my heart melt and swell all at once, it feels like heaven to me.

"Yeah, the coffee shop has gotten a lot more popular ever since you became the store manager, I bet it's all thanks to your hard work if you get so many customers now. I hope they treat you well, they don't make you work overtime too much, do they?".

The little smile I give him lets him know that despite his wish, that is exactly what they're doing, and he frowns before pulling me into a stronger hug, a bear hug that makes me feel safer than ever, if only I could feel this way every single day.

"Wait just a little longer until we're together, okay? Once I get a better job, I'll take care of everything so you won't have to work as much anymore. There's only one year left of training at my dad's firm and he said that he's got a really good feeling about it, I'm sure the council will agree to hire me by the end. We'll be able to get a place of our own once that happens" he says with conviction, and he has no idea how much I needed to hear this.

It's so much that I need to hide my face into his chest to avoid crying, which would only alert him of my pitiful state.

"I'm so proud of you, Jungkook... really proud. I need to go now before it gets too late, but we're still meeting on Sunday, right? You said you wanted to find a nice outfit before meeting our soulmates for the first time" I remind him of what we had planned so far with a sniffle that his ears catch, and though there's a lot he wants to ask as he stares at me again, he bites on his tongue in favor of nodding his head.

"Yeah, if you're still fine with helping me find something. We can do something else if you're too tired, I can manage with something that I already have" he offers but I reassure him with a kiss to his cheek before pulling out of his hold to head closer to the door before he makes it any harder for me to leave.

"Totally fine with me. Spending time with you is all I need, it doesn't matter what we do. I'll see you on Sunday, Jungkook. I love you" I muse with a wave of the hand, and I get on my way to the grocery store before he can reply while his gaze follows me from the window until he can't see me anymore.

Once enough distance has taken place between us, I wipe my cheeks with my sleeve to get rid of the tears that suddenly fell free. I hate the feeling that comes with leaving him behind, but I have things I must do if I want to survive my parents.

I hope my happy ever-after doesn't take too long to come because I don't know how much longer of this I can take.