- Chapter 31 :

"I can't see." Taehyung complained loudly as he flapped his legs around. Yoongi gave him a look of disgust and snatched the sticky material from his face, "That's what happens when you swim into a random cave." Taehyung, offended, scoffed. "What do you expect me to do? There's a random magical cave in the middle of no where, of course I was going to go inside!" Yoongi, rolling his eyes only muttered about how he wasn't princess Ariel, getting a glare from Taehyung.

"Can you both please shut up." You politely said, carrying Noli in one arm as the other was looking at the map you'd stolen from Karis's secret room. Namjoon was studying it with you as Hoseok and Jimin were engaged in a game of chopsticks. Tera moved in the water with no sound, other than the occasional 'beep' to let you no it was still there. 

"I think we have to move more west." Namjoon whispered in your ear as you nodded, navigating so. It had been almost an hour since you'd left the palace, much to Karis's displeasure and had left the large kingdom, swimming in the open water where only few Alnilians paced. There weren't as many houses either, the farther from the palace you swam, the less civilization. 

It was unsettling.

You looked up from the map and past Noli to see Jimin staring ahead into the open water with a emotionless look on his face. His face was swimming through the water so and his arms randomly reached out into the water and random moments.

You found yourself watching the way his throat moved when he gulped, and how plump his lips really were. In a weird way, you wanted to sift your fingers through his hair and trace his lips. You felt a weird feeling in your stomach and remembered how vulnerable he looked when he confessed to you.

"What's wrong?" You looked up to find Yoongi giving you a concerned glance. He reached his fingers out and stroked your cheeks, eyes dipping in confusion. "Your cheeks are awfully red, are you feeling sick?" You thanked the lord Yoongi wasn't reading your mind and coughed, gently pushing the hand away, "I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

Yoongi slipped Noli out of your arm and swam back a few paces, leaving you to your own thoughts with an inquisitive Namjoon studying you carefully. You touched your stomach lightly, the feeling you felt when staring at Jimin returned the minute Yoongi had touched your cheek with his fingers. 

Your heart sunk, you wanted to focus solely on your mission and keeping everyone safe. This was not part of your plan. These kinds of feelings always prove to be distraction and deviations. You couldn't afford that. It would put a strain on the mission and everything.

You felt a warm hand on your shoulder as you looked up to meet Namjoon's eyes. "Are you okay?" He said softly, avoiding reaching the ears of the rest of the members. You bit your lip and looked to the map, as if it would magically reveal to you all of the answers you needed. "I feel confused." You finally let out, sighing.

Namjoon didn't say anything for a while, taking the map from you as his eyes danced around the ink on the paper, leading your group gently through the darkening waters as night chased Team Des.

"I know how you feel." He finally said, as your mind, turbulent as ever, clouded up. "When I first joined Minrei, all I cared about was my sister and her welfare. Even as we grew older and Minrei obviously showed interest in me, I was too caught up denying my own feelings and pushing them away and caring for my sister. I felt that if I were to allow someone else to occupy my mind, it would become a deviation and a distraction and make me vulnerable."

Your eyes widened at how much you could relate to Namjoon's words. You were in the same predicament he was in years ago. Namjoon looked up from the map, staring you in the eye with an amused smile, "What I didn't realize was that the more I tried push those feelings away, the more they occupied my mind until the real reason I wasn't taking care of my sister like before, was because I wasn't taking care of myself first."

You processed his words, looking ahead at the small creatured and plants that littered the sea bed. At night, you were told by Karis that the life in the liquid glittered like jewels. You thought she was lying, but as you looked up, light shimmered off of the backs of every animals and each individual plant. You gasped lightly as the rest of your group paused, mesmerized by the beauty of it all.

"You can balance us and this," Namjoon whispered, poking right above your heart as you met his eyes. "Stop pushing it away. When you come out of the palace you've constructed for yourself, you'll be able to see the light." He waved lightly as the creatures that were emitting different shades of colors, smiling. 

You nodded and hugged Namjoon, thanking him before finding two hands on your cheeks, "Mama!!! Look! It's like a disco!" Noli screamed as you laughed, eyes crinkling. She wasn't wrong. The dark waters only highlighted the shimmering colors of the creatures as you couldn't stop looking. It was simply beautiful, something more than that. 

You looked to the side and found Jimin staring at you, his eyes focused on you and full of wonder. Once he caught your glance, he smiled gently, trying to knock down the walls of awkwardness you'd built between you both.

You smiled back at him, letting him through the wall that confiscated you in your lonely palace.

You felt another pair of eyes on you and turned to find Yoongi also looking at you, his head tilted and his lips pursed. You couldn't read the look in his eyes, nor his stance, but just looking at him made you feel a type of way you couldn't explain. There were no walls to break with Yoongi. You never had built a wall between you both.

You realized that somehow, you had caught feelings for both men. As the light of the animals passed over your face and enveloped you, you realized that one of them would walk through your broken walls and capture the empty place in your heart.

"WAKE UUUUUUUUUP!" Your eyes fluttered open in terror as Taehyung floated above you, screeching into your ear. With a jump start, you got up and crouched down, jokingly growling as you pounced and knocked Taehyung over, reaching under his arms and tickling him efficiently.

He cursed loudly and began laughing, trying to get you off of him. Instead, you felt yourself yanked off of Taehyung and looked down to see yourself floating in the liquid, surrounded by a purple haze. Knowing the perpetrator, you looked up with squinted eyes to find a smirking Yoongi, Taehyung cheering him on.

Accepting the challenge, you grabbed your nunchucks from their home on your waist and began moving them in the motion of a fan above your head. The liquid was drawn in by your nunchucks, filling Yoongi's purple bubble and expanding it until it popped. Using your advantage of surprise, you thrust yourself down ad caught Yoongi in a choke hold using your nunchucks.

Him and Taehyung were both stiff with shock as you cheered yourself on, letting Yoongi go and dancing like a child. "HA! I don't need to use my powers to beat the great Yoongi." You said as Yoongi smiled, his teeth showing. You paused, feeling your stomach double with the way he was genuinely smiling at you, his free hand moving to brush some hair from his face. 

"I'm impressed. I can't wait to see how you'll fight when you start using your powers now that they're no longed locked away." He said as he helped Taehyung up. You lightly rubbed your arm and avoided Yoongi's eyes as he stared at you, "What's wrong? Are you cold?"

You weren't quick enough to deny his question as he rested the back of his hand against your forehead. You were sure you were burning now. Using his spare hand he reached over and tilted your chin up with his fingers, searching your eyes.

"I stopped reading your thoughts since you hated it so much. But maybe I need to use it now to see what's wrong with you." He said, more to himself than to you, and yet your eyes widened. He had taken your request into consideration? "I didn't think you were capable of that." You said as he smiled, shaking his head. "I don't want to upset you. If it bothers you that much, I can change." He said honestly.

Yoongi stared at you more intensely as you met him back with an equally intense stare. His fingers were still grabbing your chin as his other hand left your forehead to now stroke your cheek. "What are you thinking right now?" He asked softly as his head dipped down lower to meet your-

"I'M THINKING WE SHOULD ALL GO RIGHT NOW!" You and Yoongi jumped apart as Taehyung-who was there the whole time-was redder than a tomato, giving you both glares. You didn't even meet Yoongi's eyes as you nodded and swam away, trying to get away from that whole situation.

Were you about to be kissed by THE Min Yoongi? Did he actually like you this whole time? What? Your mind was filled tot he brim with these indecent questions as you slapped yourself a few times, looking to go wake up the rest of the group so you could keep moving. 

After the light show last night, Team Des had stopped near a plot of caves, deciding to sleep the rest of the night and keep swimming the next day. 

You pulled your hair into a ponytail as the bracelet gifted by Karis the first day she met you jingled. You noted to remember to take it off later. 

Preoccupied by everything that was happening, you didn't even notice it when Jimin grabbed your wrist and pulled you into the cave he had slept in. You gasped as you were pulled into his embrace, his arms wrapped around your waist as he hoisted you up to his chest. 

"Shh." He motioned, "I stole Hoseok's bag and I'm sure he's on the look for me right now." You didn't fully believe him, but nevertheless shut your mouth as you studied him. Once again, you were pulled to his plump lips, the sharp edge of his jaw, his hooded eyes, everything about him was gorgeous. 

Jimin's arms tightened around you waist as there were only inches between your faces. His hot breath fanned across your face as his eyes were adamant to leave yours. You seemed to forget everything else in that moment and reached out to caress his cheek.

That seemed to be enough for Jimin as without waiting another moment, he leaned down and captured your lips with his. You let out a muffled cry of surprise at first, but then sunk into him as your arms wrapped around his neck almost instinctively. 

You leaned more into Jimin, fingers pulling on his soft hair as he bit your lip in response, leaving no inch of space between  you both. 

It lasted until he let go of your lips, taking deep breaths, his face flushed. You also felt hazy as you stared at him. All you could think was 'wow'. That was your first time kissing a man. You were glad the cave was dark, otherwise anyone would laugh at how red you'd become.

Jimin didn't say anything, nor did he release you from his cage. Instead he leaned down and rested his forehead on yours, breathing slowly. Neither of you said anything. Neither of you knew what to say. Your heart was split and he knew. 

You slowly pushed him away and gave him a look of confusion before swimming out of the cave. As you swam, a feeling of disappointment engraved itself into you. You felt almost, unhappy? It was weird. You got the butterfly feeling when you were with Jimin as well, but after that moment in the cave, you felt a tinge of betrayal. As if you were betraying someone.

"Ellyyyyy!" You looked up in fright as Hoseok grabbed your shoulders, spinning you around to a stop. Disoriented, you grabbed Hoseok's shoulder as he shook you lightly. "Where's Jimin!!" He said as your head began to hurt hearing his name. You pointed behind you as Hoseok let go of your poor shoulders and swam off, screaming Jimin's name. It seems Jimin hadn't lied about taking your bag.

You searched for who seemed to be your adviser and best friend right now, Namjoon.

After searching through random caves, finding Tera sitting creepily in the darkness, Taehyung doing splits while Yoongi face palmed, and Hoseok strangling Jimin, You found Namjoon. As you peeked into the small hollow rock, you smiled seeing Noli sitting in front of Namjoon as he braided her long black hair.

"I used to braid my sister's hair, that's how." He said as Noli smiled, getting up and spinning as if she were showing her hair off. You smiling endearingly and swam in, interrupting their moment as Noli swam to you screaming 'Mama' excitedly. You scooped her up into your arms, amazed at how attached you'd become to the little bundle and directed your attention to the smiling Namjoon.

"I wanted to talk to you." You said as he noticed the strain in your voice. He smilingly led Noli out, telling her that Hoseok wanted to see her. You laughed to yourself, imagining Noli swimming to find Jimin being killed by Hoseok. Namjoon then returned and pulled you to the floor as he sat in front of you, gesturing for you to speak.

You immediately spilled about what happened with Yoongi, how Jimin kissed you, and you felt about it now, about that aching feeling of betrayal. A part of you knew the answer, but hearing it from Namjoon in another perspective made you feel better.

Namjoon didn't speak for a few minutes, scratching his chin and nodding his head with a small smile. "I think this is a love triangle. Jimin likes you and you like Yoongi." Your head perked up but Namjoon held his hand up to silence you.

"What you felt toward Jimin was attraction. Also, you started feeling it once he told you that he liked you. A part of you wants to like him back since he likes you. That mixed with your attraction for him is what allowed for him to kiss you. Obviously that didn't sit well with you after did it?" Namjoon inquired as you shook your head.

It's not that you didn't enjoy it..you just..you didn't even know. You sighed. 

"I think you might have stronger more genuine feelings for Yoongi. And I can see why. Jimin hasn't known you for as long as Yoongi, and to be honest You haven't known any of us for that long but we can bypass that. He takes care of you and even though he seems mean, you're one of the most important people to him." Namjoon finished.

"He doesn't even have that many friends though." You said, sarcastically and genuinely. "Which is why he's not used to someone trying to care for him. Which is why he's pushing you back as well. I think he's finally starting to accept his somewhat feelings for you. I can't say that he does like you though. It could be attraction, or that he cares for you deeply as a friend."

Namjoon paused. "I can say that you like him." You looked up with a frown. "I wish I liked Jimin." You said with a pout. "You did," Namjoon chuckled, "You did try, and it didn't work out for you did it?" You sighed and got off the ground, pacing around.

You still didn't even know how to describe what you felt for either of them. Maybe you were just sick today, maybe you liked the both of them, maybe you liked neither of them. You weren't sure.

"I know Yoongi is a tough cookie and why you're afraid of liking him. Fear of hurt and rejection. But sometimes taking that jump and that risk is what's best. Plus, you're just hurting Jimin more and more whilst hurting yourself too. That indirectly affects the mission. Keep yourself and the rest of the team happy and you'll win this." Namjoon said before getting up and dusting the mud particles off him.

He gave you a pointed look of a brother before raising his map and smiling, "Gather the others, it's time that we leave." He ruffled your hair before swimming out and you pouted, blowing the random hair strand from your face before following him. 

In the matter of minutes you had the whole Team Des in a circle as you looked at each one of them, except Jimin and Yoongi. "We're not far from the town mentioned in the map. We'll continue our swim now." You said before swimming, hearing the others not far behind you. 

Your fingers traced your own lips and you looked behind you to see Jimin staring at you with a distant expression. Reminding yourself of what Namjoon said, you looked away. There was still a feeling sprouting in your stomach. But you had just met Jimin, it could be simply attraction as Namjoon said. 

A threesome didn't sound so bad at that moment.

"Stop." You all halted and turned around as Tera traded in one place, her normally blue light now red in color as it scanned the water around you. You felt a shiver run up your spine, but then deadpanned when you turned to find Hoseok blowing on your neck with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I sense ten soldiers approaching." Tera said, its scan complete. A wave of panic flooded your group as you sighed, reaching for your nunchucks. "We'll have to fight then. Although I can't understand how they were able to track us." You said, scratching your chin.

Noli instinctively grabbed onto your waist as you smiled at her, patting her head and looking up. Yoongi slowly swam to your side, entrapping himself in the purple glow. Neither of you said anything even though there was so much to say. 

It wasn't long before the ten soldiers swam into sight, swimming in a straight line like a group of ducks. Among them you spotted the man that killed Thara's mother and had to hold yourself down from jumping him right there and then. 

"Greetings." The head soldier greeted, bowing sarcastically. "We were sent to retrieve you, this time as traitors to the crown." He monotonously cawed as Namjoon scrunched his eyebrows innocently. "Traitors? You'll have to forgive us but-" "Cut the crap." The soldier said, waving his hand in a bored manner. 

"You invaded the Crown's throne room and stole important documents," He said as he lazily pointed at the map in your hand, "And you have taken our hospitality for granted. You may come with us by force, or with your own willingness." He rambled on, however your mind was set on one question.

"How did you track us here though?" Hoseok asked. A different soldier spoke up this time, smiling devilishly, "The answer is on your wrist." You immediately cursed, staring at the blinking bracelet you'd all been gifted the first day of arriving at the palace. You knew something about it was too fishy to be true.

Immediately, Jimin tried applying pressure to his wrist, trying to break the jewelry. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. The minute you take the bracelet off without the key of the crown, you'll be shocked to death." He grinned as Taehyung smirked. 

"That's fine for me." He said before raising his hand to attack the bracelet. "Lightning can't hurt lightning." He said as your eyes widened and you tried to swim towards him with an outstretched arm, "No Taehyung!" It was too late though.

The minute he released his bolt of lightning, the liquid carried it throughout your vicinity. You felt a shock of pain shoot up through your spine, and felt your eyes closing and body sinking as you heard Noli's innocent scream.

Goddamnit Taehyung you absolute idiot.

"I think she's dead." "No you dumbass if she was dead those other exotic beings would also be dead! Did you not pay attention at all?" "Did you just call them exotic?" You were processing three different voices slowly as your world seemed to come back to you.

Your head was aching in pain and you were sure your back was beyond broken as you slowly opened your eyes. Your vision was still hazy but you were able to make out four faces. You felt a cold surface touch your skin and looked down to find yourself on glass.

No, you were entrapped in a glass cage. You immediately bolted up, regretting that the minute your head began swirling again and took a proper look around you. You were in a glass jar, filled with the same liquid. You stood up, touching the glass wall , to find Karis and three soldiers standing behind it.

"I was waiting for you to wake. I was afraid the shock of the legend had stunned you far too deeply." She said with a tilt to the head. You snarled at her, hitting the glass with your fist, "Where are the others?" She smiled, "There's in a better condition than you will be very soon, do not worry." You didn't think too much about the meaning of her statement, but sighed a breath of relief knowing that your team was safe.

You eye the table next to her, and feel a wave of relief when you see your nunchucks untouched. "Let's make this easy for the both of us." Karis says, smiling as she sits herself in front of your cage. "I will ask the questions, you will answer. If you refuse, I'll have to turn that on." You instantly follow her finger and look up to find a closed hatch. Inside the hatch you could see a species called sharks that you had learned about back in school.

There were at least then of them, each other eight feet long with cold black beady eyes. You gulped, shrinking into yourself. Karis smile, patting the glass wall to bring your attention back to her, "What could you possibly need from me? I'm the one who knows nothing." You said with an innocent smile, as you tried to negotiate. 

"What is the name of the last legend?" Karis asked, taking out a pad to write on. You made a face, "Bruh if I knew do you think I'd be on this magical witch hunt to find them? I literally stole your map and documents to find the sixth legend!" You threw your hands in the air but Karis sighed.

"If you don't want to tell me the truth," She pointed at the sharks and you shivered but turned around flabbergasted. "What the gay! My dude, I don't know who they are! I'm telling you right here and now the truth!" Karis didn't seem to believe it though as she stood and waved her hand at the soldier, "Let the sharks on her." You stood rigid, if you died here, the rest of your team would also die and Mogaria would have won without even causing your death.

You looked up at the sound of a creak as suddenly all the sharks were dumped into your tank, biting at each other due to the sudden change of habitat and confusion. It didn't take long for them to notice your smell though as two of them began to swim towards you. "You can still tell me the name and I'll stop them." Karis pinched the bridge of her nose with her two fingers. 

You felt a rush of anger, at the stupidity of Karis and at the ridiculousness of the situation as you turned and banged harshly on the glass withe fist, "I said I didn't know goddamnit!" The minute your fist collided with the glass, a sudden vibration echoed the cage.

You opened your eyes, wondering why the bite of the shark hadn't etched itself into you yet. You turned around shocked when you found all of the sharks, frozen in the liquid, their jaws open wide. You tried not to imagine your head in those jaws and turned around, your hair rustling in your face as you found Karis and the soldiers frozen as well.

You stared down at your hands, did you do this? Was this your power? Freezing time? You threaded in the water a little more before using your arms to swim through the sharks, undoing the hatch they were sent through and climbing out. The whole, no one moved. You felt a rush of excitement cross you, you had unlocked the powers that you'd always wished for! And they were cool too!

With a childish smile you jump down and grab your nunchucks, eyes shining as you felt energy radiate into yourself. You were about to swim out when you paused, looking back at the four figures sitting calmly. If you left now and unfroze time, they'd be able to kidnap you all again.

You swam back to Karis and gently searched her, feeling awkward until you pulled out a key. You were sure this was the one to unlock the bracelets peacefully this time without being shocked. Then you grabbed each person and swam them to the cage, dropping them into the shark infested frozen pool before shutting the hatch and closing it as tightly as possible. A part of you felt bad, but the majority of you knew this was to protect your group. Without looking back, you swam out the door, snapping your fingers as time began once more. You kept your head up, swirling your nunchucks as screams from the room you'd left emitted through the halls.

It summoned pools of soldiers as you sighed, slapping them with your nunchucks and kicking wildly, closing your eyes and pausing time slightly to slow their movements as you studied them, seeing where they seemed to be injured and where you could attack. Then you rendered time back to what it was supposed to be and began to take them down with ease.

You smirked, blowing the top of your nunchucks theatrically as you kept swimming, heading for the dungeons you'd noticed when you first entered the palace to find Team Des. It wasn't long until you made it there, taking down more and more soldiers with more ease as you felt yourself getting a grasp on your power.

You swam down the spiraling stairs, rubbing your arms when you felt cold as the liquid temperature decreased. You finally reached the bottom, crossing the empty halls as you called out for your team.

It wasn't long until you heard a reply, "MAMAA!" You smiled to yourself at the sound of your little girl. You rushed and held the bars with a sad face as Noli swam to meet you, leaving Yoongi's embrace. You tapped her nose and then looked up to find the only other person in the cell, Yoongi. 

His eyes met you and a rush of concern washed over you as you unknowingly reached through the bars for him. He got up, swimming to you and taking your hand in his. "I was worried about you." You breathed as he looked away flustered. "I knew you'd be fine." He said. You stared at him longer before looking down to find Noli giving you both cheeky looks.

You scoffed and let go of his hands, looking around for the key you stole and unlocking them from the cell. You then took their hands in yours, using the same key to unlock the bracelets, watching as they sunk to the floor. You did the same to yours before swimming around to find the rest of your members.

It wasn't hard considering the way Hoseok and Jimin were bickering loudly. You smiled, happy to be reunited with the people you loved.

"Where to next?" Jimin asked, stretching out as you stood in between all of them. You placed your hands on your waist, looking at the passed out bodies beneath you and yet feeling a superiority you'd never felt before. It was like power rushing through your veins.

"To find the legend."

NEXT ON CHAPTER 32 : FEELINGS

"How do you feel about me?" You closed your eyes and relinquished the feeling of his soft hand on the side of your face, your lips quivering.
-
"Why does this seem like a trap bruh." Namjoon sighed as you giggled, not noticing the eyes staring at you from behind.

HIII CLOUDS! I DID IT! I UPDATED AGAIN!! and this one is 5k words HA i wrote. as promised, there is som jUicy action and action in general. 

what do you guys think about this chapter? about the kiss hehehe, i felt so awkward writing that lmao. leave what your thoughts on this chapter are here! 

i lowkey don't know what to write in the 'next on chapter _' bc i come up with the detailed outline for the chapter when i write it LOL my notes for this book are so unorganized omg

what are your weird nicknames for magnolia? leave them here!

i also included a song by now united, i have been listening to them religiously and i must say..i love them

this is my present to you for the new years~ i hope you all will be happy and healthy in 2020! 

until the next chapter,

lunar <3