"YOU SPEND YOUR WHOLE LIFE STUCK IN THE LABYRINTH, THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU'LL ESCAPE ONE DAY,
AND HOW AWESOME IT'LL BE,
AND IMAGINING THAT FUTURE KEEPS YOU GOING.
BUT YOU NEVER DO IT. YOU JUST USE THE FUTURE
TO ESCAPE YOUR PRESENT."

Seokjin could not sleep at all.

The call with the police officer was the last he heard from him. Neither Baek Heesung nor Officer Dong Man returned his calls. That's what ended him up with anxiety, worries and negative thoughts. He stayed up all night to get any updates despite his manager ordering him to sleep. He even tried ringing up the police officer but it went straight to voicemail.

Their flight to South Korea was set for 6 a.m., meaning they needed to get up at 5 a.m. and get ready. It appeared that his members also hadn't slept well. The seven of them arrived at the airport 25 minutes ahead of schedule and completed the necessary procedures to catch their flight. Finally, their plane took off on time, bridging the distance between Yoon Min and Seokjin.

The constant hum of the aeroplane engines provided no comfort to the turmoil roiling within him. He glanced at the window, though all he could see was faint daylight and a blur of clouds. He remained rigid in his seat, gripping the armrest tightly, his nails pressing into the leather.

None of his members sat near him. One advantage of flying first class was the freedom to sit anywhere you want. It was obvious they were giving him space and he was grateful to them. He knew he had to talk with them at some point but right now, he didn't want to think about that. Right now, his mind was solely focused on Yoon Min.

Was she safe? Had she been rescued? Or was she still trapped, tied to that chair, in the hands of those monsters? Was she caught already? Did the police arrive at the location? Were they too late?

The uncertainty of each possibility was causing him a terrible headache. All he knew was he could never forgive himself if something happened to her. She became involved only because of him. Only because they found out she was his weakness. Because hurting her would devastate his heart easily.

He barely noticed the shuffle of footsteps until Namjoon appeared in the seat beside him, his presence acting as a steady anchor amid his overwhelming thoughts. The leader settled in beside him, offering a small smile.

"How are you holding up, Hyung?"

Namjoon had always been the calm centre of his turmoil, the voice of reason when his emotions threatened to engulf him. He was always there for his members, listened attentively to each member's thoughts and concerns, and always considered their opinions before making decisions. To him, Namjoon was reliable and trustworthy more than anyone else.

The seven of them had experienced everything together, over a decade of memories that created a bond stronger than blood. They understood each other deeper than anyone else did.

Seokjin didn't need to respond. His silence automatically gave the leader the answer he was looking for.

Namjoon poked at his cheeks, straightening his jaw. "I don't suppose you are fine either."

After a long pause, he added, "We were shocked, you know? When Manager Yu Beom told us you have a-" For some reason, he refrained from using the word. Perhaps he was uncertain about what kind of relationship he had with Yoon Min. "Anyway, Hoseok was saying he suspected. But I think he's just shocked as well."

He was trying to make him feel at ease. But Seokjin's gaze remained fixed on the infinite horizon outside the window, his thoughts far away, lost in the echo of her memories.

Namjoon watched him for a moment, taking in the silent battle playing out on his face. Then he finally broke the silence, voice low. "Yesterday, when Manager-nim told us, all I could think was why you didn't share it with us. It still bothers me that we were kept in the dark about this, Hyung. I thought we promised to tell each other everything?"

Seokjin's eyes finally shifted and glanced at his friend's face, searching for the words buried beneath the weight of his fear. He let out a deep sigh before murmuring, "It wasn't that I didn't want to. I was waiting for the right time. I only just got back and I wanted to spend some time with you guys first. Then we became super busy with the comeback. I-I thought maybe after all this..."

Namjoon seemed relieved that he was talking. He nodded, his brows knitting together as he processed this. "Who is she, Hyung? We don't know anything about her. Heck, we don't even know her name!"

"Her name is Yoon Min," The words came out effortlessly. "I-I first met her in our last fan-sign meeting. Later, Manager Yu Beom came up with this foolish idea to make us friends so that I could get better. At that time, I was convinced this was the stupidest thing I ever had to do in my entire life: being friends with a fan. I thought she was wasting her time. I was incurable; I was awkward and quiet, and I forgot how I used to be. I didn't think she could fix me."

His breath caught, and he clenched his jaw, fighting the raw ache that threatened to break him. "But I was wrong. S-She came to my life for a reason. She came at that time when I was feeling so down and tired of myself when I was so alone and wanted to die. She was there to cheer me up, to understand me and accept me for who I was. Her presence transformed my cruel world into a new world, full of hope and happiness. She came up with these...fun ideas every day to revisit my old personality."

Unexpectedly, he was chuckling softly at the memories. Namjoon couldn't help but smile also.

"She never hated or judged me for my drastic change. She was there with me every step of the way to make me happy again. She changed my life without even trying and I don't think I could ever tell her how much she means to me. I can't imagine what things would be like if I hadn't met her. I don't think I would be back in BTS without her help," he admitted.

The leader seemed fascinated with the idea of Yoon Min's characteristics. "She...sounds amazing."

Seokjin gave a small nod and leaned back in his seat, his gaze steady and filled with the memories of her. "She is beyond amazing, Namjoon-ah. She's so soft, patient and kind, but she is also brave, strong and funny. She will love you more than life but will not ask for anything in return. She has a beautiful soul and a big heart. Anybody will fall in love with her."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"From the day I met her, I realized I was kinder, more patient, more willing to offer a smile. I started to be myself again, I learned many things about life and I found a new reason to wake up every morning. I was looking forward to making a future with her..." His smile began to vanish. "And now she's out there, scared and hurt, with that bastard who destroyed me once and I can't reach her. I can't...protect her."

Namjoon interrupted, his voice firm but gentle. "You're doing everything you can."

Seokjin turned to face his friend, his voice tinted with worry. "I should be there by now, Namjoon. I should've never left her alone. I should've warned her and told her the truth. And you know what pains me the most? It's the fact that I'm sitting here on my butt while the police are risking their lives to find her. It should've been me! She is in that situation because of me! And I can't rescue her myself-"

The tremor in his voice made Namjoon's chest tighten. He shifted closer, placing a firm hand on his arm. "Hyung, listen to me. This is not your fault. You could have done nothing to prevent this from happening. And we cannot afford to waste our time shedding tears and blaming ourselves. We need to stay strong for Yoon Min."

The other swallowed, throat tightening at the comforting words. "I-I just want her safe."

"And she will be. The police must've rescued her already. She'll be fine, I know it. You're going to walk through that airport gate, and she's going to be right there, waiting for you." Namjoon continued, his tone softening.

"What if it's the opposite?"

"Don't lose hope, Hyung. It's not going to get you to her. You're going to get her back only by keeping your hopes up." The leader's voice was as steady as his resolve.

The weight of his words was slowly sinking in. It was hard to believe the fear would just disappear, but hearing his friend's confidence ignited a faint glimmer of hope within him.

"I can't wait to meet her," Namjoon said, his smile radiating with understanding. "I've seen how deeply you care about her, and I know she feels the same way about you. From this moment on, Yoon Min will never be alone. She'll have you, and she'll have all of us-six brothers standing beside her, ready to support her."

Seokjin felt a swell of emotion as tears threatened to spill from his eyes. He turned to Namjoon, finding solace in the unwavering belief reflected in his friend's gaze. The quiet reassurance settled over him like a blanket, wrapping around him with the kind of comfort only Namjoon could provide.

He let out a long, steady breath, feeling less heavy than before.

"Thanks, Namjoon. I-I needed to hear that."

Namjoon patted his shoulder, his smile wide and full of energy.

"And you have to sleep, Hyung. You look like shit and I'm sure Yoon Min won't like these dry lips and black circles on your face. You need to look hot when you see her."

His unexpected joke cracked the other. "Yah, she likes me however I am!"

"She's just being polite." The leader got up from the seat and went back to his original seat. "Now, don't you worry about a thing, and have some sleep. When you wake up, you are going to need all of your strength."

Seokjin nodded lightly. "Thanks again. Appreciate it, man."

"No problem."

After Namjoon left, he found himself exhausted within a moment. Maybe too much thinking drained his energy. He shifted in his seat, closed his eyes, and felt the adrenaline slipping away, his focus slipping away. To her face, to her beautiful image of looking up at the stars and smiling contently.

She always had a thing for the stars, the moon, the clouds, sunrises and sunsets, rains, oceans and mountains; things that are loved and admired by many. Giving her the hope that perhaps one day she could be loved too.

He was reminded, all over again, of her courage and sincerity. Of how her kindness could make the deaf hear and could make the blind see. Of her shattered heart and bruised soul. She chased away the demons of his past with the stars of her eyes, and he never figured out how impossible it was for her to keep loving him, and yet he was the only one she ever chose.

He felt guilty for sleeping but Namjoon's advice was important as well. So slowly, he drifted off to a long nap and dreamt of Yoon Min's childhood.

✦✧✧ - ✧✧✦

Miraculously, Namjoon's words came true.

When their plane landed after 13 hours, it took all of his willpower not to break down when Seokjin did not find Yoon Min outside the airport. He almost assumed the worst until Manager Yu Beom dragged him away from the busy crowd of reporters and guided him to a police car.

Officer Dong Man was waiting for them inside the car. As soon as they were inside, he took off his sunglasses and gave them their most anticipated news.

"Baek Heesung and his men were captured last night."

Yu Beom released a long exhale, shutting his eyes and murmured a silent thanks to God. But Seokjin was yet to be thankful.

"And Yoon Min?"

The police officer was silent for a few seconds before starting the car. "She was taken to a hospital. We are going there right now."

☆THE FAULT IN OUR STARS☆

THANK YOU FOR READING
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