I was hired as the new English teacher for BTS, but they did not know. We began lessons online, where I was always wearing disguises, per my contract requirements, so they literally could not have identified me in person even if they tried. Anyway, it was several months later when their recording company decided we needed to practice in person, so they flew me to South Korea and wanted to play a prank on the members, to record their new show/introduce me/see if they could figure it out before I told them. I was only in town for 5 days, so once I stepped off the plane, I was taken directly to their office, given my disguise, then given my instructions for the first prank. I was dressed as a nerdy office assistant, thick glasses, wild blond curly hair, pleated skirt, sweater vest, Mary Jane buckle shoes, lots of books to hold, plus a bag with items inside. My job was to run at the elevator just as it was about to close, with all 7 of them inside, then ask each one to hold a random item from my bag, while I was “searching” for the floor I needed to start my new job, which would happen to be the same exact floor they needed, number 20, so I had a while to get everything out and then collect it back again.

I had to hide around the corner once they were in the lobby, so they wouldn’t see me and get suspicious, so after they all entered the elevator, I suddenly appeared, totally chaotic and clearly needing help, which they offered immediately, while silently giggling to themselves or whispering about how crazy I looked. I handed out random items like a glitter stapler, a mini bear stuffy, a cat eraser, a llama notebook, a koala fluffy pen, a bunny calculator, and a squirrel stamper. I thought for sure they would recognize the animals because we modeled them after the group members, but nobody could focus on anything except me and my inability to find the paper I needed for my new job… I was very convincing, muttering to myself, accidentally dropping books, then quickly collecting all the items when it came to floor 20. Their bewildered faces were priceless, but since I was acting in the moment, I did not get to enjoy them until a lot later. Once the doors opened, I rushed out, thanking them, and turning left, towards the executive offices, while they were told to turn right, towards the recording studios. Several of them offered to help me find my way, but I assured them I would actually be fine, now that I had the right floor.

Once I had entered the main door to the left, I dropped my items, stripped down, changed my outfit entirely, and picked everything back up again, going to my pretend classroom to then get things set up, as per my instructions. They did my hair and makeup on the way, changing my blond wig for a brownish-red one, straight this time, back length, with my outfit being very professional, a pair of black dress slacks, button up shirt with tie, then a business jacket over it, fitted, in black as well. I lost the glasses, since I had my contacts in it was fine, and makeup changed me into a normal looking lady, thank goodness. I had to change into a pair of high heels, which I was struggling with, when they entered the room to find me, standing in front of the room, completely unrecognizable. They looked completely shocked to say the least and quietly hurried to their desks with their names on them, except one, who came over, quickly buckled the shoe for me, and whispered if he knew me from somewhere because I felt familiar somehow. I hid my blush behind my long wig and assured him that I was the new English teacher, so there is no way we had met before and hurried him to his desk. He winked at me as he sat down, and my new character took over. She was kind, but strict, teaching each member specific phrases they would need for their new album, half of which were songs in English.

I only had to work with them for an hour, then they were told we were going to practice dancing and singing in English, so we all had to go change. I went to pick up the teacher bag, accidentally dropped it, so some of the items from the elevator spilled out, which the one from earlier saw as he helped me pick things up. He looked surprised at first, then he squinted and stared into my eyes, then he laughed, told me my secret was safe with him, and carefully helped me bring the bag into the hallway. I was still staring at him with wide eyes, trying to figure out how far I was going to be able to go with this prank now that he knew, but he slowly followed me to the changing area, not breathing one word to the other members, just watching me carefully. I had not been given proper sized high heels, so I now had blisters on both my heels, which I was trying to ignore and hide from him, but every step was agony, so I had to be super slow until he finally reached the door with my name on, my fake teacher name, and asked if I was ok, clearly concerned about me.

I nodded and thanked him for carrying the heavy bag, then disappeared into the room, breathing a sigh of relief when someone started handing me new clothes and removing the hot and heavy wig. For the dancing part, I politely demanded I be allowed to just have my natural hair, since it was going to be extremely hot and I was not going to be able to trick them much longer, which the staff agreed, so they put my natural light brown hair into two French braids, then helped me change into a bright pink tracksuit, which I loved, but the pair of tennis shoes they gave me were a size too small, so I used as many band aids as I could find, but I knew it would not be enough to save me now- I just had to suffer through one more hour and then I would be allowed to go to my hotel room and see how badly my toes/feet were damaged.

I stepped into their dance studio, only half of the members being ready, when one of the giant ones ran up and spun me around, then set me down and kissed my cheek, saying he loved me already and he knew I was going to be their best English teacher ever. I laughed at JK, since he was the baby and clearly allowed to do whatever he wanted, then Tae and Jimin came up right after, also spinning me around and saying how nice I was compared to their other teacher and then they said they met this poor helpless lady in the elevator and they were worried about her ever finding her job. I had to turn completely around to hide my face because I cannot lie to save my life and when I did, I ran right into the one who knew my secret, the tallest one and the leader, Joon, who caught me and saw me hiding my laughter, so he covered it up by wrapping me in a hug and pretending to introduce himself. Soon I also met Jin and Hobi, then last was Yoongi because he’s the shyest and always waits to see how someone acts before he makes a judgment. The choreographer came in just then and we got to work, me doing the steps with them, modeling how to speak clearly in English while they pretended to hold microphones or have headsets on. We practiced for an hour, but then the staff said we had to be done, so I faked a smile while some of the members filed out to change and go to their homes- Yoongi and Joon stayed back and both asked me the same thing- what was wrong because they saw my pain every time I took a step and it was bothering them. I explained how painful my shoes were, since neither pair had been the right size, so Yoongi quickly removed them, while Joon easily lifted me into his arms- the band aids had either come off or were so crooked that blood had now appeared on my socks and both of them were concerned.

They spoke quickly in Korean, clearly making a plan to help me, when Yoongi walked ahead, opening doors, while Joon simply carried me out into the hallway. I realized what was happening before we reached the elevator and quickly told Joon I had to get my suitcase because it had been hidden when they picked me up from the airport- then I realized I had accidentally spilled the beans to Yoongi, who was surprised, then the light bulb went on as he realized who I really was and he laughed- what a great trick I had played on them! He laughed and started exclaiming excitedly in Korean about how I had been very convincing and there no way the others figured it out, but they would be shocked when the staff told them tomorrow. Joon gently set me down, so I could sit on the bench near the elevators, then he told me to wait with Yoongi while he found my suitcase. I did not see any other options, so I agreed, while Yoongi switched to English and continued his excited exclamations, “Wow, how funny that you were able to fool us all from the beginning! I cannot believe it was you in the elevator- you seemed so scattered and afraid of your new job! Then how could you be so calm and strict in the classroom? And how could you be so friendly in the dance studio? You are a very talented actress for sure! How did you change your look so fast?”

I explained the process of changing clothes and wigs each time, which he nodded about, then he asked which one was my favorite, but I didn’t have an answer because I had fun playing all the characters- I was just happy to be here in person- giving lessons online is always harder than being able to actually see a person’s facial expressions up close and read their body language. He agreed with me on that, explaining how he always waits to greet new people because he wants to see how they act first, before he decides if they will be safe to trust, but he could tell right away I was a good person, even though I seemed completely helpless in the elevator. He started laughing again, thinking about all the items I handed out, then realized that was just part of the acting- there was no other point, which made him laugh more, so when Joon returned, wheeling my purple suitcase, Yoongi was cracking up, I was smiling, but also unsure of how to react…

Joon said something to Yoongi in Korean, then Yoongi took the handle of my suitcase and went over to the elevator, pushing the down button. Joon told me to stand, which I did slowly, then he carefully lifted me up into his arms again, walking over to Yoongi just as the elevator arrived. We entered, then Yoongi pushed the bottom floor, and Joon leaned on the wall, still carrying me, but also very worried about hurting me in the process. I had wrapped my arms around his neck and now rested my head on his shoulder, being right next to his ear, so I whispered how sorry I was for causing trouble and making him waste his time helping me, which he ignored for the time being. Once we were on the bottom level, he walked right past the main door and waited for Yoongi to open the side door, where a black SUV was waiting. Once Yoongi opened the door, Joon gently set me down on the back seat and motioned for me to scoot over, so he could sit next to me.

I did do immediately, with Yoongi going around the car and sitting on my other side, while the driver put my suitcase in the back. Joon told the driver to take us to his house, which I did not understand because he spoke in Korean, but he patted my hand, so I had to trust that I would be ok. I was struggling with the seatbelt, so Joon calmly took it from me and clicked it into place himself, then smiled at me and told me everything would be all right now- he was going to take care of me. I nodded but bit my bottom lip because I was now worried about two main things- how I was going to care for my poor feet and how I would ever get to my hotel room to unpack and get rest after my long flight.

Once we pulled into Joon’s driveway, I understood what was happening and felt safer, knowing they weren’t just dropping me off randomly, so I was happy to let Joon lift me out of the SUV and carry me inside. He went straight for the main bathroom, set me on the counter, then attempted to peel off one of my socks, but I cried out in pain, since it was stuck by the dried blood and now painful to remove. He didn’t know how else to proceed, so he told me the only way he could help was to remove both socks and it seemed like the easiest and best way to do that was to get it over with quickly, which I did not like, but agreed with, so I nodded and told him to just do it. I gripped the edge of the counter tightly, my knuckles turning white, while I bit my lip and stayed silent as he quickly pulled off both socks, careful not to remove any skin during the process. Once he had thrown them both in the trash bin, he looked up into my eyes, saw the tears that had escaped onto my cheeks, and wrapped me in a hug, feeling my tense muscles shaking my whole body at this point. I was afraid to let go of the counter, which he noticed immediately, and carefully pried my hands off, then guiding them to his back. I leaned my face into his neck and gripped the back of his shirt, unable to say anything because I was in so much pain at the moment, but he understood and kissed my hair, saying I smelled good, and he was happy we had met.

He also said he was going to help me feel better if I trusted him to do his best while things were painful, which I nodded in response to, so he gently pulled away and wiped my tears off, then kissed my forehead and got to work. Yoongi had since brought up the suitcase and was starting on lunch, which the others would be joining us for soon, or so he said. Joon did his best to wipe all the blood off and clean up all the blisters, then used some antibiotic ointment to make sure the gauze wouldn’t stick before he wrapped both my feet in white, like a mummy, then disappeared without a word, leaving me sitting there, utterly perplexed, until he returned, holding a pair of his clean socks, grinning, and said, “I think these will protect your feet for now, giving you time to heal and rest. I am sorry for your pain, but now I can make sure you get the best care.”

I watched him carefully put the socks on, then he lifted me down off the counter, so I was standing directly in front of him, which made me realize how tall he was, but I was just so grateful for his help that I threw my arms around him and said, “Thank you Joon for saving me. I am sorry to be such a burden when we just met, but one day I will find a way to repay you for your kindness.” He kissed the top of my head and replied, “Don’t worry about anything- you are not a burden, and I am happy to help. Your heart is kind, and you treat others with respect, so I am happy to do anything you need me to.”

He took my hand and guided me to the kitchen, slowly, since my feet were still in pain. I winced with every step, which he noticed quickly and solved the issue by picking me up and carrying me directly to the table, where he sat me down in a chair. I should have been embarrassed that he continued to carry me everywhere, but since my feet did hurt and I was unable to walk, I decided to just be appreciative and asked how I could help, since Yoongi was clearly handling the food prep. Joon is a terrible cook, which Yoongi quickly pointed out, so he’s not allowed to be in the kitchen during meal times, but I am actually quite good, so Yoongi allowed Joon to bring me different veggies and meats to chop, while he continued working on the actual cooking. Before long, all five other members showed up, each bringing something to share, but when they saw me sitting at the table, they were a little surprised, until Joon told them about my feet and then they understood.

JK came right for me and swooped me up, saying he would carry me forever and I ever had to walk again, which made me laugh, but then Tae also said the same thing and wanted a turn to carry me, so I had to allow them to have their fun for a while until Joon told them to put me back down because I was helping with lunch, which they both love. Once the food was done, they carried all the things to the table, then set it down, handing me a set of chopsticks and a small plate, then passing me a bowl of noodles. I watched them first, not knowing how meals here worked, then Joon saw me hesitating, so he put a bunch of random items on the plate, showing me how to take a bite, then a bite of noodles, then chew together. I thanked him for showing me, since I had never been invited to a meal with a Korean family before and he was smiling at me. I didn’t know it, but the fact that I was able to use the chopsticks easily and efficiently, like them, had impressed all of them, which they commented on, but I couldn’t understand, so I smiled and nodded like my responses to their other comments.

They were using a mix of English and Korean, which I was attempting to follow, but it became more and more confusing as I got full, then sleepy, but also needed pain meds, so my eyes started getting heavy, I set down my chopsticks on the empty plate, then leaned on Joon’s shoulder accidentally. He looked down, saw my face and sleepy eyes, then rubbed my leg with his hand and continued to eat/chat. I thought he was ignoring me, but it turns out he was actually talking about me to the others, I just didn’t know, and they were saying how sweet I was, but they worried about trusting me. Joon and Yoongi already knew who I really was, but since the others did not, they couldn’t ruin the surprise- the staff had told them not to reveal my secret until the following day, when it would be recorded for the show and they wanted the honest reactions, not fake. Joon just explained that since my feet were hurting, it made sense for me to stay with them, not at some hotel all alone with no help, which they all agreed to, so as I barely stayed awake, they decided to make me their new sister, treating me like family, helping me in any way they could.

Once they had finished eating, Yoongi, Jin, Jimin, and Hobi began clearing the table and doing the dishes, while Joon asked JK to carry me to the first bedroom, where my suitcase was. JK happily jumped up and swooped me right out of my chair, startling me, but then once I realized what was happening, I laid my head on his shoulder and didn’t protest at all. Tae followed JK down the hallway to make sure we made it safely, then helped him lay me down on the bed, which I did not argue about, but I did thank them after they each kissed my cheeks and hands, telling me they loved me and would take care of me forever. At this point, Joon had appeared and quickly shoed them away, while they giggled and ran, clearly laughing about what they had done. Joon asked if I needed anything, so I told him I wanted to take some pain meds because my feet hurt, but they were in my suitcase, and I would need help opening it.

He sat me up, then rolled the suitcase over to me. I unzipped the top, then realized it had to be lain down to get inside, which he saw, so quickly plopped it down on the floor. He finished unzipping it and once it was open, I pointed to the Ziploc right at the top, where I had packed medical stuff like pain meds. He handed me the Ziploc, I grabbed two of my Tylenol packets and handed it back to him. As he returned the suitcase to its normal self, he asked if I needed water, which I did, so he left and returned a moment later with a water bottle. I quickly opened the packets and swallowed the powder inside, which fascinated Joon, since he had never seen powdered medicine before. I stood up to throw the packets away, forgetting about my poor feet and immediately went crashing down, or would have if Joon had not grabbed me in time. Now I was embarrassed because of my forgetfulness, which he thought was cute and commented on my blushing cheeks, saying I didn’t need to be embarrassed because it was easy to forget injuries sometimes. I just stood still for a second, staring up at his handsome face, not really understanding what he was saying because I was also very sleepy at this point, when he could see the cloudiness of my mind and knew I needed rest. He asked if I wanted anything before he let me rest, so I said I wanted to brush my teeth, which he totally understood, and grabbed the other Ziploc from my suitcase for me.

He lifted me up and brought me to the bathroom, then left, closing the door and told me to open the door when I needed to be carried back to the room. I was thankful for a moment of alone time, so quickly used the bathroom, washed my hands, brushed my teeth, then saw my halfway wild braids in the mirror and laughed out loud, which caused the door to be swung open wide and three guys to rush in, asking what I was laughing about. I should have been shocked, but since I rarely have privacy at home anyway, I just pointed to my hair and then to the mirror, then laughed again, which they did not understand, but looked at each other and shrugged. Jimin rushed over to hug me from behind, while Jin came to hold one of my hands and told me he was worldwide handsome, so it was ok for me to fall in love with him. I could not tell if he was joking or serious, so I looked past him and saw Joon standing in the doorway, shaking his head and raising his eyebrows, so then I knew it happens a lot and I should ignore it. Joon soon moved them out of the way, but Tae arrived before he could reach me and lifted me right off the ground without a single word.

He carried me out to the couch and set me down, right next to JK, who immediately held one of my hands and kissed it, which Tae copied once he was sitting on my other side. I was bewildered at this point, thinking about how kisses meant nothing apparently, when Joon appeared and told them to give me some space and to stop kissing me because I was overwhelmed and needed to sleep. They both took turns holding my cheeks in their hands, putting my forehead right up to theirs, then whispering something in Korean, which they both found hilarious, but Joon did not. After a few minutes of their game, they left me alone and got up, running outside for some reason. I literally had no clue what had happened but was so exhausted that keeping my eyes open was extremely challenging, so when Joon gently picked me up and carried me back down the hall to the first bedroom, I did not protest at all.

He set me down on the edge, where he had pulled back the blankets for me, swung my legs up and pulled the blankets over my body, leaning down to whisper, “I am sorry for their childish behavior, but they are the youngest, so we don’t usually understand what they are doing anyway. They both clearly like having you around and that makes my heart happy, since you deserve the best in life. You can rest here, and I will wake you when it’s time for dinner, or you can come find me when you wake. If you cannot walk, please call out my name and I will come carry you. I don’t want you to be in pain anymore because of us.” I touched his cheek with my hand and said sleepily, “Thanks Joon. I think they are happy because I treat them like family. I don’t know why everybody keeps kissing me, but maybe that’s just how things go over here…” I trailed off as he saw my eyes fully close and replied, “No, that’s not a normal thing over here, but I know why they like kissing you- there’s just something special about you that none of us can resist.” He then kissed my forehead and left the room.

I didn’t know it, but in the next two hours they all took turns sneaking back in to visit me, kiss my hands, cheeks, hair, forehead, etc. and were all talking about how good I smelled, so that when I woke up three hours later, in the late afternoon, I was not alone anymore. I stretched my arms above my head and yawned, then blinked several times, forgetting where I was and what had happened, then noticing multiple sets of eyes staring at me, causing me to frown, then blink again, then raise my eyebrows and finally smile widely when I recognized their faces. They watched my facial expressions and matched each one with some sort of excited exclamation, so I was basically being cheered on for waking up, which made them laugh and like me even more.

Tae and JK started talking to me loudly, asking if I was ready to do something with them, while Jin, Hobi, and Jimin asked if I wanted to come visit their houses. Joon and Yoongi stood quietly behind the others, watching over me protectively, making sure I was safe, which I would have noticed if my contacts had been in. I told them I actually just wanted to find a bridge to walk on, since I know their country has many famous ones and I love seeing them, which got them all talking excitedly, and gave Joon a chance to come over to me, help me sit up and ask if I needed anything right then.

I told him no, then swiveled my legs to the side and attempted to stand up on my own, forgetting about the injuries on my feet momentarily. He was ready to catch me, so when my legs turned to jelly, he simply wrapped his strong arms around me and whispered into my ear, “Remember sweetie, you cannot walk on your own right now because of your feet. I will help you get everywhere you need to go.” I was embarrassed by my own inability to be independent, which the others noticed and started teasing me about my burning cheeks, which caused me to blush more and hide my face in Joon’s shirt, hoping to melt into the floor and disappear. He chuckled to himself, which I felt through his chest vibrations and somehow this gave me confidence to face the others. I looked up into his eyes, he winked at me, and I nodded- he believed in me, so I could do anything! I turned around, his arms still wrapped around me, then attempted to reach Tae, who was closest to me.

My plan was to tickle him and distract the others, but when I leaned forward, Joon was not expecting it, so he crashed onto the bed right after me, which led to a giant pile of bodies and limbs being tangled, me dying of laughter, Tae struggling to escape, then realizing he could use my proximity to his advantage and kissed my cheeks again, called out for the others to do the same, by which point Joon had pulled himself free, Yoongi was still on the opposite side of the bed, JK, Jimin, and Hobi had all been kissing my face (not lips), hair, arms, hands, etc. and I was unable to breathe. Jin had been in the bathroom and missed the entire episode, so when he heard the commotion, he came running in and ended up standing with Yoongi, not wanting to get involved.

Joon could see me struggling to breathe and finally told the others to stop, which they did, one by one, until I was able to take a few deep breaths and sit up in the middle of the bed, my hair an absolute disaster, looking like I had survived a hurricane somehow, which made them all burst into laughter again. I had no idea what was happening, so I looked at all their faces, confused, until I saw Joon’s kind eyes, motioning me to scoot to the edge of the bed so he could help me. He quickly explained that they were laughing at my wild hair, which they had all caused, so I ripped out the two ponytail holders at the bottom and both braids came tumbling out, my hair landing in waves past my shoulders, causing them all to become instantly silent, which I thought meant they were mad.

Joon’s face was in shock- he blinked and opened and closed his mouth several times before he said, “Wow, your hair looks so different and pretty when it’s not tied up. How did we not know this about you?” The others all got closer to touch and smell my hair, commenting on how soft and good it smelled, then whispering to each other, which I thought meant they were upset because my hair was not like theirs. Turns out, they were just surprised my hair could change from wild to beautiful in one moment, which impressed them because I had not done anything other than take out the holders at the bottom. I still didn’t understand what the big deal was, since this happens everyday to me, so I scooted to the edge of the bed and told them I was going to the bathroom. I should have expected it, but the number of cries I heard, “No! You can’t walk! Let me help you! I will carry you! Please wait!” was overwhelming and sweet at the same time. I ended up on the floor, which concerned them because now they worried about me hurting myself further, but once JK picked me up and inspected my legs, he found no injuries and they were satisfied but told me to stop trying to walk on my own.

JK carried me to the bathroom, closed the door behind himself, then gave me privacy. I didn’t take long, but did brush my teeth again, and put some fresh deodorant on, just in case they continued to smell me, which I had a feeling they would… When I opened the door, Tae was there, grinning, and swooped me up easily, taking me straight to the couch, setting me down directly on JK’s lap, which shocked me and caused me to look super confused- I did not understand what was happening. JK immediately burst out laughing, wrapping his arms around me, while Tae joined the squishy cuddle and leaned his head on JK’s. I looked around for anyone who might be able to explain or help, found Yoongi, who rolled his eyes, then said something to both of them, causing JK and Tae to let me go, then scoot me to the middle of them, where they could both pat my legs and hold my hands. Yoongi shrugged his shoulders at me, then walked back into the kitchen, where Jin and Hobi were prepping food already. Jimin saw me on the couch and ran over, sitting right in front of me, resting my knees on his shoulders and carefully not touching my feet.

Joon appeared a few moments later, saw what I was dealing with, laughed a little, then gently told them to give me some space, which they did, carefully moving away from me so Joon could sit next to me on the couch where JK had been. The three of them jumped up and ran down the hall to the gaming room, now intent on showing me who was best at whatever game they had decided, giving Joon time to ask if I was ok. I nodded, then asked, “Why do those three always like being near me and touching me so much? Have they never been around girls at all or am I doing something wrong?”

He held one of my hands and gently rubbed it at he explained, “They are the youngest, so they have less experience and more energy than the rest of us, but you are correct- they have never been around girls like you, so they are seeing how much they can touch you before it becomes too much. They are testing your boundaries, not in a bad way, but just showing their affection a little too much right now. Sweetheart, there is nothing wrong with what you are doing. Those three just like having you around so much they do not know how to express it correctly. If you are patient and give them some firm boundaries, I think they will respect your personal space more.”

I nodded and replied, “Ok Joon, I will try next time. I don’t really mind it, but I do worry they will think the kisses mean I like them, in a romantic way, which I do not and don’t want to hurt their feelings.” He squeezed my hand and answered, “You are so thoughtful and that is why we all enjoy having you here. Don’t worry- they know the kisses are one-sided.” “Are you sure about that? They seem to be grinning at each other, like a secret code, and I’m worried they are planning something more…” I replied, looking up into his calm face. He sighed, then answered, “I will speak with them, but I am sure they understand you are just tolerating their affection at the moment.” I nodded in appreciation and was about to ask what I could do to help when JK came rushing down the hallway exclaiming loudly that he was the king and now he could marry me to make me his queen.

I could have melted in embarrassment, but instead just looked from his ecstatic face to Joon’s annoyed face and back again until finally Yoongi called from the kitchen, “Jungkookie! Leave her alone! She needs peace and so do I!” There was a moment of silence, then everyone burst into laughter, which I joined in, after seeing how Joon’s face lit up in response to Yoongi, clearly saying what we all were thinking. JK ran back down the hall, his mission failed, while Yoongi continued to mutter in Korean about how he couldn’t concentrate on cooking with all the racket of the younger boys all the time. I suddenly really appreciated him and vowed to tell him next time we were alone. Joon calmly said, “Nevermind what I said before- I think I need to speak with them about you after all, since they clearly do not understand boundaries at the moment. I apologize for their behavior, but at least you know they mean no harm- they just like you a little too much.”

I looked down at my hands, started fidgeting with my shirt hem, which caused him to reach over and take back the one he had been holding and ask what was wrong- he could tell I was worried. I kept my head down as I quietly said, “I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble today. I couldn’t even handle walking and now I’ve started drama with the younger guys. Maybe you should take me to the hotel and not let me ruin your evening anymore Joon, since I’m clearly a distraction and burden to everyone here.” He was very upset, but stayed calm as he gently lifted my chin, looked into my eyes, then replied, “Sweetheart, you didn’t cause any trouble- the shoes did. You haven’t ruined anything- the guys love having you here. You aren’t a burden- you make us laugh and your kindness shines bright. Please don’t be upset with yourself for things out of your control. I very much enjoy caring for you and am honored to be able to invite you in as my guest. There is no way I could ever send you away to an empty hotel room when you need help right now- that would not be very respectful to you, and I would be ashamed. Promise you will not think these things anymore or say them to anyone because they simply aren’t true.”

I was unable to form words in response, as I could see his sincerity while he spoke, so I just stared into his eyes, blinking and hoping he couldn’t read my mind, since I was not thinking about my injuries at the moment, as he was actually very good looking… He must have known I couldn’t answer because he smiled, tucked some wild hairs behind my ear, then whispered, “It’s ok, I know we can be overwhelming.” I nodded, then looked over to the kitchen, where the guys had begun singing a random song, which I actually knew, so I smiled and pointed to them, then turned back to Joon as he saw my face light up, which made him run his hand through his hair and touch my cheek, then lift me up and carry me to a bar stool, where he gently set me down. I was handed a giant spoon to use as a microphone, then joined in with the song, the guys looking shocked at first, but then completely including me and soon all seven of them were jamming with me, like our own little concert, in the middle of their kitchen, which was the best moment ever. When that song ended, they started another one, which I also knew, so it was non-stop fun for about an hour, with them taking turns coming over to “dance” with me, Joon and Yoongi being extra cautious not to hurt me or knock me off the stool, the younger ones simply lifting me up and carrying me around while we danced/sung along.

I was having so much fun that I forgot about my feet until Tae accidentally forgot about the stool, set me down on the kitchen floor, where I was standing very still, too afraid to move, and Jimin came over to dance, stepped on one of my feet, causing me to gasp in pain, get very pale, and crumple to the floor in agony. He felt super bad, but the damage was done, so JK carefully lifted me up, carrying me over to the couch, where Joon was able to check on me- I had not said anything because I was in so much pain and I didn’t want to cry in front of all of them- I was trying to be brave. He saw my eyes, me biting my lip, my white knuckles from grabbing my shirt to tightly, and knew he had to help somehow. He gently took off the sock from the foot that had been stepped on, saw that there was fresh blood seeping through the gauze, and quickly carried me to the bathroom.

Once inside, he took the other sock off, realizing he should just re-do both feet to make sure they didn’t get infected. I was now gripping the edge of the counter again, focusing solely on breathing, so I could not respond to anything Joon asked or told me, which he expected and had asked Yoongi to come with him to distract me. I would not look up at Yoongi, knowing I would cry the instant I did, but nodded or shook my head when he asked me things, which is exactly what Joon was hoping for. He carefully and delicately took the old gauze off, cleaned the blisters again, used the ointment once more, then rewrapped my feet, using another clean pair of his socks to secure them in place. Once this was done, Yoongi left, sensing his purpose had been fulfilled, which left me alone with Joon, the very last place I wanted to be at the moment, since I knew the second he looked at me I would lose my mind and I was still pretending I could be tough while being in so much pain. Surprisingly, he actually disappeared for a minute, making me confused, then reappeared with more Tylenol for me and the water bottle from before. I sighed, knowing he knew me better than I thought and would not accept my silence for much longer. I slowly opened the packets and took the meds, then set the water bottle down, dreading the next part.

He carefully set me down in front of him, then silently wrapped his strong arms around me, not saying anything, just letting me have a moment, which actually ended up being worse than him looking directly at me because once I felt his heartbeat and breathing, so calm and steady, knowing he would protect me and keep me safe in his secure hug, the hidden tears would not stay trapped in my eyes any longer and I think he knew I needed a safe space to just be real because when I gripped his shirt with my hands and he felt my shoulders shaking from the sobs, he pulled me closer and whispered, “It’s ok my darling, I will always be here for you, no matter what you need. You can trust me.” Joon held me for what felt like forever, kissing my head, rubbing my back, whispering random things in Korean (I had no clue at the time, but he was telling me why he was falling in love with me), while the others kept peeking around the corner to check on me, worried because I wasn’t making any noise, but they could tell I was in pain and very upset. It was actually only about fifteen minutes, then I took several deep breaths, leaned back, looked into Joon’s eyes, and asked, “Are you disappointed in me?”

I should have known by the look in his eyes that he was too far gone to ask such a terrible question while literally being held against his body, but nope, I said it anyway, and therefore deserved my response- he didn’t make a sound, but leaned down and kissed me right on the lips, not hesitating for a second, clearly having planned this moment for a while. I was too shocked to protest, so I joined in and when he pulled away a few seconds later, leaning his forehead on mine, he whispered, “I think you need to know I have fallen in love with you, and you could never disappoint me.” I blinked, my cheeks still wet with tears, but also flushing pink at the moment, my lips flushed as well, unable to speak with my words, but I did nod ever so slightly, while biting my bottom lip, then it popped back out and apparently that was the wrong response because Joon immediately kissed me again, this time a bit more passionately, so when he stopped, I was unable to focus or stand, which made him chuckle, as he saw my absolutely bewildered face- I now had no clue what was happening.

I blinked up at him, trying to remember how to breathe again, unable to speak, while he smiled and enjoyed watching me struggle. After about a minute, he loosened his grip on my back and grinned at me, then told me, “I don’t know where you got your magical powers from, but girl, I think you put a spell on me.” I just continued to stare, not believing what had just happened, when someone called loudly from the kitchen that dinner was ready and we needed to come eat. Luckily, I was much cooler and looked normal by the time he carried me out to the table, but every time he touched me during dinner, patted my leg, rubbed my hand, etc. I would immediately blush and spent a lot of time looking down to hide behind my hair as a result, which none of the others noticed, except Yoongi, who was sitting directly across from me. When the food was done, Joon went to do something with the younger ones and I offered to help with the dishes, since I could dry while sitting on the stool, so Tae carried me there and left me to help Yoongi, who claimed we could handle it by ourselves.

I was thankful to have him alone, since I wanted to thank him for earlier anyway, and after I had shared my appreciation, he asked me to tell him why I was suddenly so embarrassed during dinner. I instantly told him that Joon had kissed me by surprise, and I didn’t know how to respond- I wasn’t prepared for any type of romance on this trip, let alone from one of them! He was silent at first, then told me he was happy for Joon, since it was hard to find any females who treated them like normal guys and didn’t want to use them for their fame or fortune, but cautioned me because Joon wasn’t the only one who had said he was attracted to me. I was worried because I had told Joon the same thing- I didn’t think the younger ones were joking, but Yoongi assured me they were- it wasn’t them he was worried about- it was Jin. I was surprised to hear this, since I hadn’t noticed anything odd about him being near me and that’s when Yoongi said he was planning something for the next day, and I needed to be careful. Oh dear, now I felt like I should not have come to visit them in person, but Yoongi said he was happy I had, so I felt a little better. He just wanted me to be aware of Jin’s intentions, so I could avoid hurting him, if possible.

It was clear that they all liked to stay up really late, but I am an early bird, so I needed my sleep and after an hour of pretending to be entertained, I asked Joon to bring me to the bedroom, so I could get my pjs, shower, and go to sleep. He instantly agreed and carried me down the hall. I was sad about having to undo all his hard work and knew the water would sting my feet, but I desperately wanted to shower, so I suffered through it anyway, barely making it, since my feet now felt like they were on fire. I dressed in my pjs quickly, got my lotions on, brushed my teeth, used the bathroom, etc. and was sitting on the counter, my bare feet throbbing, my long, wet hair dangling everywhere, when Joon cautiously knocked and entered after I told him to. He was grinning at me, saying how cute I looked, but changed to concern after he saw the pain in my face and my bright red feet- not good. He carefully repeated the same process as earlier, then added his socks on top, before lifting up my chin and telling me how beautiful I looked at that moment.

I was too exhausted for any more tears, which he could see, so he carried me right to the bed, set me down and watched my eyelids close almost instantly when my head hit the pillow. He stroked my face a couple times, brushed my hair away, then kissed my cheek, forehead and lips before turning out the lights and leaving me in peace. I woke the next morning early, just after sunrise, to find myself no longer alone in the bed. I carefully turned on my back, found Joon right behind me, still sleeping, then looked the other way to find Jimin, also asleep, which confused me immensely because I didn’t remember either one of them coming to bed. I was contemplating which one to wake up because I needed the bathroom when Joon’s eyes popped open, saw me, he smiled, and whispered, “Good morning sweetheart. How did you sleep?” I smiled back and whispered, “I think great, but I don’t remember you guys joining me, so I must have been very tired.” He silently laughed, then scooted to the edge of the bed, stretched, accidentally showing me his stomach, which I looked away from, not wanting to start my day with a blush. He held his arms out for me and quietly picked me up, then carried me to the bathroom. Once I was done and had washed my hands, I opened the door and waited right outside for his turn, then he brought me to the kitchen, where Yoongi was also up, making hot water for tea and coffee. I sat on the stool and watched them quietly whisper to each other, each one taking a turn moving this way or that, which was so amazing and beautiful I had to comment on it. They both stopped, looked stunned, then asked me why I called them beautiful. I explained that when two people are in sync, it’s like art, or music, or dance, it’s just so beautiful to witness from an outsider’s perspective. They turned to each other, said something softly in Korean, then told me, “That’s why you belong with us- you have an eye for art, and it makes your heart shine so you light up the room.”

I smiled back, then blushed as Yoongi said, “Joon, I think you chose the right girl to love. She is very unique and will balance your life perfectly. I am happy for you.” I almost cried when they patted each other’s backs, then Joon came over to me, rubbed my back and kissed my head, saying, “Yoongi is right, you do create balance for me. I always had trouble sleeping, but last night was the best sleep of my life, all because you were next to me. I didn’t need any medication or help at all- that’s the power you hold.” I smiled up at him and touched his heart with my hand, and said softly, “Joon, I am so happy I could help you in some way and show you how thankful I am to be a part of your life now.”

The three of us drank our coffee/tea quietly outside on the patio, just enjoying each other, which made me realize why they were best friends- both liked to think about things first, then act, while the other five seemed to act first, then think, which amused me. After about an hour, Jimin and Jin woke up, stumbled out for the coffee, and joined us on the patio, Jimin sitting right next to me, apologizing again for hurting me yesterday. I was definitely not mad- it had been a total accident- so when I told him it wasn’t a big deal and that we were still friends, he asked me to marry him again, this time getting down on one knee to ask, holding my hand and everything. I laughed out loud this time, knowing it was not serious, while Yoongi just shook his head and continued drinking his coffee, Joon covered his face with his hands in disbelief, and Jin ignored it completely, pretending to focus on the clouds. It was another hour before the last three were up, since JK, Tae, and Hobi were the night owls, they were always the last awake, especially JK, who usually needed to be physically removed from the bed in order to get up on time.

Once they realized I was still there, they all three came to sit right next to me, telling me about their daily plans and how they would love to marry me sometime, which I also laughed at, but did not take seriously either. We actually had to get to the studio at 11am, so we all started getting ready and I was just about done when Tae came to swoop me up and carry me to the waiting SUV. Since I still had no shoes, there was no other option and I allowed him to bring me right to the open door of the backseat, shocked to find Jin sitting there, apparently waiting for me. I was instantly nervous, but at least Tae was on my other side, so I knew Jin wouldn’t do anything super crazy with an audience, or so I thought…

We were almost to the studio when Jin turned to me and asked if I thought he was handsome, but before I could even answer, he said he thought I was beautiful and we would make an amazing couple if we were dating. I was shocked at his boldness, which Tae noticed and struggled to control his giggles, clearly enjoying my awkwardness and Jin’s confidence, all while being trapped in the back seat of a moving vehicle. I politely thanked Jin for being so honest but assured him that I could not date him because the fans would be extremely upset if he was suddenly off the market and I wouldn’t risk his career for anything, which he had not thought about and was grateful to me for pointing out. Phew, I had dodged that bullet at least, but I figured that would not be his last attempt. When we arrived, JK was eagerly waiting to carry me into the building, so I escaped Jin and was just enjoying JK’s great mood when I saw Tae walk straight up to Joon and Yoongi, clearly tattling on what had just happened in the car ride. I sighed, knowing my secret would not be that anymore and asked JK to bring me to the elevator- I needed to get up to the offices before they did. He held me all the way to the 20^th floor, then dropped me off right at the executive office doors, confused as to why I needed that side, but not really paying attention either.

I limped inside, met a nice staff member who saw my pain, and was quickly given a wheely chair for them to push me around in, while we changed into my English teacher outfit one more time for the reveal. I had to wear the long brownish red wig again, but this time, they hid my feet behind the teacher’s desk, since I could no longer wear shoes, just slippers. Once I was in place, the guys were allowed to enter the room, surprised to see me back, only Yoongi and Joon knowing it was really me, and trying to hard not to make eye contact and give away the secret. Since it was the reveal, I was supposed to call each one up individually to give them a hard English tongue twister to say, then send them back to their seats when it was done. At the end, nobody could say any of them correctly, which made us all laugh, then I “accidentally” spilled my teacher bag in front of them, this time purposely making sure they could all see what was inside- the items from the elevator yesterday.

When they began realizing I was the same girl from the elevator, they started exclaiming, then Yoongi and Joon had to turn and look away, holding back their laughter, as the other five started putting the pieces together… I was the elevator girl, the English teacher AND the dance teacher AND myself… their minds were exploding with the new information, and Jin was jumping all over the room, yelling random sounds, JK and Tae were dancing, Jimin and Hobi were singing, while Yoongi and Joon sat calmly, shoulders shaking with laughter at the hilarious scene.

Finally, I was allowed to take off the wig, once the staff told me they had stopped recording, when the other five saw it was truly me, with normal braided hair, they formed a circle around me and jumped up and down. I was halfway scared, but also halfway impressed with their actual surprised faces- they truly had not known it was me the entire last night or early morning. Yoongi and Joon finally got them calmed down enough for me to answer their questions, which kept popping up and I did my best, but soon I was overwhelmed and no longer able to keep things straight in my head because they kept interrupting each other and mixing Korean with English, so Joon picked me up, Yoongi opened the classroom door, and we three exited to a quieter room across the hall, the dance studio. I was gently set down on a chair on the side, then thanked both of them for helping me escape- it was too noisy for me to focus anymore, and my head was hurting.

They began practicing their songs, with the English lyrics, with me shouting out words if they forgot and soon the other five had joined in their impromptu dance session, as if they had been in on my joke the whole time. After about three hours, they were tired and they noticed I had disappeared from the room, so while some of them goofed around, Joon went searching for me, eventually finding me asleep in one of the wardrobe closets, curled up on the floor, where it was dark and quiet. He knelt down to touch my face, realized I was burning up with a fever, saw my flushed cheeks and lips, then quickly called for a staff member to call the hospital- something was very wrong, and he knew it. I was driven straight to the hospital once the ambulance arrived, all seven of them being very concerned, since I had seemed fine that morning, but Joon just knew it was something more serious and decided to follow it to the hospital, Yoongi driving him. The other five went to JK’s house to shower and change, then they would come if needed.

I was admitted right away and after an hour, the doctor allowed Joon and Yoongi into my room, where I was now in a hospital gown, IV in my hand, both feet wrapped in special bandages, elevated on pillows on the bed. The doctor explained that multiple blisters had broken open and become infected, but my symptoms were masked by the pain of the raw skin, so there’s no way anyone would have known until I developed the fever. There had also been a rash climbing up my legs, but again, nobody saw it because it was too late by the time that symptom had appeared. Joon was so upset with himself he clenched his jaw and made fists with his hands- how could he let this happen when he had promised to protect me and keep me safe? Yoongi knew the signs of his best friend being overly stressed or anxious and thanked the doctor, then asked if there was anything they could do. The doctor said the medicine had to take effect first, to see if I would be able to fight the infection, then they would make a plan for my recovery.

Yoongi waited until the doctor had left my room, then rubbed Joon’s back and told him there was nothing he could have done differently, since we had all assumed my pain was from the blisters themselves. Joon was so beyond angry with himself that he barely heard Yoongi’s words, but knew his friend meant well, so he forced himself to take several deep breaths and unclench his jaw, then flex his fingers multiple times. He knew waiting would drive him crazy, just sitting here, watching me suffer, so he told Yoongi he needed to go back to his house- he was going to write me a song to show how much he cared and asked if Yoongi would help, since he is also musically gifted. He agreed immediately, then they both left, since there was nothing for them to do, I was purposely sedated while the meds worked to save my life.

They called the other members on the way to Joon’s house, just to update them, then said they would let them know when the doctor called with any updates. It was around dinner time now, so Yoongi and Joon made some quick noodles, then got right to work. They stayed up almost all night writing a song, with a melody and chorus, then got a few hours sleep before the doctor called at noon the next day to let them know the medicine had worked and I was doing much better, but not awake yet- the open wounds on my feet needed to heal a bit more before they woke me up so I wouldn’t suffer, the doctor told them. They celebrated by calling the others, who quickly drove over to Joon’s place, where they heard the song and decided to join in the recording, so I would know how special I was to all of them, not just Yoongi and Joon. I had no idea any of this was happening, of course. They all went to the recording studio, grabbing lunch on the way, then recorded the song all afternoon, not wasting a single minute.

Finally, around eight at night, the doctor called and said they could visit for a little while since I was awake and asking for them. I would have laughed if I saw the way they scrambled into their cars and drove right to the hospital to see me! Once they arrived, they turned into calm, respectful men though because they knew if they didn’t behave, they would have to leave and that would upset me. I was just resting my eyes when they arrived, Jimin being the first one to reach me, kiss my hand, and reminded me that if I were his wife I would be spoiled for the rest of my life, which made me open my eyes and laugh, which made the rest of them smile, so we easily chatted for an hour after that, me being super slow to respond, thanks to the meds, but very happy when I did so.

At nine pm the nurses said visiting hours were over and they could come back in the morning, so they all started saying goodbye to me, except Joon, who had been whispering to Yoongi, then to one of the nurses, and had actually made a plan to stay the night.

After the guys had gone, the nurse brought in a fold-up bed and set it up for Joon, then he came up to my bed and knelt down, kissed my hand with the IV in it, and held it against his forehead as he let a few tears slip out. I slowly lifted his face until I could see his eyes, where I noticed his tears, and told him to come sit with me on the bed so I could comfort him. He carefully climbed next to me on the other side, then pulled me next to him so I could reach his cheeks with my hand. I was still very groggy from the meds, but I was able to explain that he didn’t need to take any blame because nobody knew I was very sick and there was nothing we could have done to prevent it.

He continued to tell me how sorry he was about not being able to protect me or keep me safe and how that made him feel like he had failed when he really wanted a chance to be my boyfriend but was worried I would not trust him anymore. I assured him that his actions would not affect my decision because he had actually saved my life by finding me before I had gotten worse, so technically I should be asking him if he changed his mind about loving me since I caused so much trouble in such a short time of knowing me. He laughed a little at that, allowing me to wipe his cheeks, then say how happy I was that he had chosen to stay with me to make me feel special and safe again, which made him kiss me all over my face, and me to laugh halfway between a giggle and a whisper, and he said it was adorable for some reason.

He watched my facial expressions for a while, as I tried my best to answer his questions, but it soon became evident that I was not going to stay awake much longer after the night nurse came in and gave me the next dose of pain meds. My eyes got really heavy, and my breathing slowed, so before he knew it, I was asleep in his arms, my head resting on his shoulder, my left hand tucked into his waistband of his pants, my right hand (with the IV) gripping his shirt on his chest. He had never felt happier in his life and wanted to badly to tell me how much he loved me in that moment, but knew I wouldn’t understand even if he could, so he had the night nurse bring him some paper and he wrote me a letter putting his feelings into words, which helped him get sleepy and the next thing we knew it was morning and we had both slept through the night, him having no issues at all for the second night in a row, which was a miracle to him.

He hid the note he had written for me, not wanting me to get curious, even though it was in Korean, he couldn’t explain to my face just yet- he wanted to wait until I was out of the hospital to make it special. The morning nurse found us asleep and thought about how cute it was, then came back in a while to find him awake, me still sleeping, him wanting to speak with the doctor about how I was doing, so he could make a plan to get me home. I had been responding well to the meds and would be released that day, but needed constant care for my feet so they didn’t get infected again, which Joon was happy to do, but the doctor said it had to be done by a certified nurse, so Joon arranged for someone to come to his house four times a day to make sure I was never sick again.

I was released at ten in the morning, after they changed my dressings and put the new medicine on my feet one last time, then Yoongi picked us up at the hospital and drove us to Joon’s house, where the others were already waiting for my return. They had a cake, balloons, lots of food, and were wearing party hats. I was overwhelmed, but also touched by their genuine excitement, so I played along and joined in the fun. I didn’t have much of an appetite since the meds took it away, but I tasted lots of delicious things and promised to eat more later- I was just happy to be back at Joon’s house in a normal home. They all took turns carrying me, sitting with me, holding my hands, kissing the spot where the IV had been, telling me about how much they missed me, etc. until it was the afternoon and I was fading fast. I had been listening to JK talk about his new high score on something, pretending to be excited, when he started talking about the new song, which they had agreed was going to be a surprise for me. He clapped both his hands over his mouth, then looked at me with wide eyes, worried he had ruined it, but then noticed I was actually asleep on his lap, eyes closed, completely oblivious to anything he had been saying. He called the others over and explained how he had almost ruined the secret but then noticed I was sleeping and said how much he loved watching me sleep because I was so adorable and smelled so good. Then Joon asked JK to carry me to the bedroom so I could rest more comfortably.

JK easily lifted me up and brought me to the bed, where Joon had pulled the covers back so JK could lay me down gently, then cover me up. Joon stayed with me, making sure I was sleeping peacefully, when two hours later a nurse showed up to redo the dressings on my feet. I was still asleep, so didn’t even notice anything happening, which Joon was thankful for and after about twenty minutes the nurse had finished and said the next one would arrive that evening, so they could help me shower if I wanted. He thanked her for her time and walked her to the door, returning to me as soon as it was closed, to find me awake, looking around, confused, but still sleepy. He crossed the room quickly and knelt beside me, explaining that the nurse had just left after changing my feet dressings and that there would be another one in the evening to help me shower. I smiled and reached for his cheek with my hand, then said I was hungry, so he whisked the covers off and was just reaching over to pick me up when Tae appeared and begged to let Joon give him a chance, which he did, since nobody can deny the younger ones much.

Once I was set down at the table, the rest of the guys also decided they were hungry and food magically appeared, reheated and smelling amazing! I loved the cake this time, since it had been made with real fruit, which made them happy and everyone was in such good moods we spent over an hour just nibbling on food and chatting, me mostly watching, but eating a little bit here and there. Joon was careful to make sure I did actually eat things I liked, so he kept certain things away from me, like seafood, spicy, or anything raw because he knew it would make me stop eating. I was exhausted after the meal, so Tae carried me to the couch and let me rest my head on his lap while he played with my hair, which made me super sleepy and within five minutes my eyes were closed.

JK had been sitting on the other side of Tae, also playing with my hair and when he saw me sleeping, he whispered to Tae to ask if he liked it too- they both agreed it was super sweet and adorable. Joon let me rest on them this time, knowing I wouldn’t sleep long, and wanting to help with the clean up since he had been so focused on me and had not been helpful recently. When the food was put away and the kitchen was cleaned, everyone was naturally sitting in the living room, surround Tae and JK on the couch, watching or touching me, when they were discussing how/when to share the song with me. Joon wanted to wait until I was all better, so I could appreciate it more, but JK and Tae wanted to have me listen right away to get my reaction when I couldn’t act or hide my emotions. Jimin didn’t care- he just wanted me to be happy, which Hobi and Jin agreed with. Yoongi sided with Joon and wanted to wait, so when I awoke just 45 minutes later, they were in a deep discussion, not arguing exactly, but definitely not happy Korean words. I opened my eyes and saw Tae’s tense face first, then JK smiled, winked at me, and started singing something I had never heard before, which shut everyone else up, they saw my eyes, then JK started giggling and tried to run away, but Jin caught him, with Jimin helping, and soon Yoongi and Tae were the only two not involved in the wresting/tickling match, which confused me, but Tae kept whispering calming things to me and I was so distracted I couldn’t tell what the actual issue was.

Finally, after about ten minutes, they stopped, completely out of breath and confused about who was actually fighting who anymore. JK was the only one still full of energy, as he bounced up and started singing the same song as before, which actually caused all six others to shout at him, making him giggle again and plop right next to Tae, grinning right at me, like I was in on his little secret. I still had no clue what was happening, but the looks on the other six faces told me JK was teasing them purposely and they didn’t want me to know whatever it was. Luckily, Tae was able to talk some sense into JK and he calmed right down-thank goodness for that. I was easily entertained by their facial expressions for the next few minutes- nobody wanting to speak or give away their secret, so I was constantly moving my head to look at Joon, Yoongi, Jimin, Jin, and Hobi, but they never revealed anything.

I was starting to get a headache from the tension in the room, which Yoongi and Joon saw, so they told everyone it was time to take a break and do something outside. JK, Tae, Jimin, and Hobi quickly exited the room, speaking loudly in Korean, making a plan, but Jin stayed behind a bit, which was odd, but because I wasn’t fully back to my mental strength, I didn’t recognize danger until it was too late. Jin slowly sat next to me on the couch, seeing how I was propped up and not fully independent yet, then delicately held one of my hands as he said quietly, “I will love you forever and treasure the time we spend together if you give me a chance to be your boyfriend.” I couldn’t think of an answer, my brain was not able to comprehend his words, but luckily Yoongi overheard and stepped in, motioning for Joon to also join, where they told Jin I was actually not available, since Joon had kissed me. Jin jumped off the couch and hugged Joon aggressively, exclaiming how happy he was for him in Korean, then saying it was amazing news- now he didn’t need to try to impress me anymore and he could be himself around me. Yoongi looked at me, I looked at Joon, and we all had total shock on our faces because none of us could have predicted Jin’s response would be so hilarious. He then ran outside, leaving the three of us alone in the living room, now laughing together at what had just happened.

Yoongi whispered something to Joon, patted his back, then went to join the others outside- he clearly wanted Joon to tell me something in private, which made me extremely anxious and nervous, and my face changed from happy to worried in a second, alerting Joon, and causing him to join me on the couch, then turn my body so I was facing him, while he held both my hands in his and looked right into my eyes.

“So while you were in the hospital I knew I needed to let you know how special and important you are to me, but I didn’t know how. My talent is writing- I write letters and song lyrics to express myself and that’s how it has always been. Finding others who can balance my talent with their own is what being part of this group is all about. Yoongi makes music and helps me share my feelings. I wrote you a letter, but I knew it wasn’t good enough, so I asked Yoongi to help me turn it into a song, just for you, but when the other guys heard it, they wanted to join in and make it even more special. There is something about you that brings out the best in all of us and we wanted to make sure you understood somehow. JK started singing it earlier, which is what you saw us all getting upset about- we couldn’t agree when would be the best time to play it for you. I wanted to wait until you were completely better, but seeing how you have accepted all of us with your whole heart I now believe you are ready to hear it today. Will you allow us to sing for you, even if it means embarrassing you a little with the lyrics, which are deeply personal?”

I was already blushing under his intense, yet sincere gaze, but nodded, then replied, “Joon, of course I would love to hear your new song, but don’t worry about my reaction- just give me tissues and I’ll be fine- I cry over everything these days anyway. Writing is how I show someone I care for them as well, so it makes total sense that you would write for me. If I was even half mentally awake right now I would have written a dozen notes to you already, but since I’m foggy because of the medicine, you will have to wait for those I’m afraid.” I smiled shyly at him, then watched him blush a little, lean forward, and whisper, “Perhaps that is why we create such a balance together- some things are similar while others are opposite.” Then he kissed me gently and watched my cheeks catch fire, which he chuckled about, then held my cheeks in his hands and kissed me again, then asked, “How can one person affect another so much without a single word?” I could only blink up at him, unable to form words at the moment, which he very much enjoyed, perhaps too much.

After about a minute, he asked if I was going to be ok, so I nodded, then took a deep breath and said, “Joon, I love having you show affection towards me, but please understand it takes me a while to get used to it, since I get overwhelmed easily. It doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it or care for you in return- it just means I am surprised and need time to accept it.” He nodded and kissed each of my hands, then said, “Don’t worry- I have lots of patience from always having to look after the six members for the past thirteen years!” Then he laughed, making me laugh, and I guess that was adorable to him because he gave me a shy smile and ran his fingers through his hair, then looked at me like he wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to. I asked what he was thinking and why he was looking at me like that, which caused him to hide his face in his hands, so I playfully tugged at them.