────✧ ⋆ ✧────

Blank wrists.

Arin stares at her bare skin, where months back 'You are crazy' was imprinted.

It is strange though. She never felt the urge before and it was probably because of the string around her wrist but now? After the words vanished? The urge is present.

She feels it when she sees Jimin's contact pop up on her phone and her frown deepens when upon answering, she is asked to come to the back gate. And she feels it when she sees him standing in front of the gate, masked and sunglasses up but anyone can make out that is Jimin.

"Why are you here?" she says, clutching her phone against her ear.

"Surprise?" he says, opening his free arm but clutching it back in his pocket, as he tries to sound not very enthusiastic.

Arin walks with her phone still against her ear and neither of them keeps it down even when she stands a few steps away from him. "I am indeed surprised, Mr Park."

"This way, madam," Jimin finally keeps the phone down and opens the door for her. She squints her eyes at him, weirded out by the strange treatment. Enjoy while it lasts, Arin, a.k.a, Y/N, she tells herself.

"Where are we going?" she asks, putting on the seatbelt. Jimin simply shrugs, adjusting his mask and inserting the key.

Arin pouts. Jimin notices how she doesn't ask more or even try to get the answer out by asking vague questions. She has stopped coming to the dorm frequently, doesn't fight over snacks—instead gives up on it if anyone else already has their eyes on it. They were the smallest things, yet those things were what made Arin, Arin.

Jungkook told him too, how she replies in the shortest phrases possible. Even when the boys invited her over to watch them shoot, or watch a movie back at the dorm— she made an excuse.

Jimin feels it is almost like she's trying not to interfere in their lives, she wants to be invisible in it.

"Arin," Jimin whispers, making Arin hum. "Is everything okay with you?"

Arin shrugs, "What will not be okay with me?"

Jimin does not say anything but sighs. "Are you hungry? Did you have lunch? Want some choco sundae?"

"No, Yes, No," she replies and turns the music player on. Jimin curses under his breath. She doesn't even want to talk.

"You know you can't lie to me, I know you enough for that," Jimin says. "What is up?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Whatever is bothering you," Jimin says. "You know it yourself, you are not being you."

"Was I ever me in front of you?"

Jimin sighs. He doesn't push on that matter, let's her be. Back at the dorm, everyone is so excited to have her with them. Jin even prepared her favourite noodles even though Yoongi was the main cook. Jungkook has kept a handmade pot for her ready to wish her good luck for her finals.

. . .

"Let's break up," Arin says, tapping her foot. 

"Break up?" Jungkook blinks his eyes, head tilting in confusion.

"Since when were we all in a relationship to break up with you?" Jin says, leaning back on the couch.

"Break up like as in break-up?" Yoongi says, eyes squinting at the youngest from across the room.

"Did you both finally decide to date? But why are you breaking—" Taehyung turns to Jimin who in return hits his chest to shut him up.

"Yes, we all are in a very unhealthy relationship," Arin says looking at Jin. Crossing her arms, she continues, "I want to live a normal life."

"Your Y/N mindset is especially crazy today." Jimin scoffs, earning a glare from his soulmate.

"How are we in an unhealthy relationship?" Namjoon asks. "And how abnormal is your current life?"

"I—" Arin hesitates, looking around the room where all the members squeeze in one couch despite there being a lot of space. "I want to buy a concert ticket, also that new merch and new Butter album with those beach pictures in it—"

"We already brought you the VIP ticket," Jungkook interrupts.

"And you got the merch from Jin Hyung as your birthday gift," Taehyung adds.

"And Yoongi gave you both the Cream and Peaches version of that album already as a gift," Jin says.

"They were just lying around in the studio," Yoongi corrects him.

Arin sighs and shakes her head. "That's the problem... I want to live a normal life, just like some other fans do. Where I have to wait for hours to get a concert ticket, wait for every Tuesday to watch the Run episode, save money to buy your merch and scrap out for links to watch your paid stuff."

"Oh my god," Hoseok exclaims," Our Arin wants to grow up," he throws his arms in the air for a little dance.

Jin brings out his hand for a handshake towards Arin who in return sighs and clasps his hands with his. She's so done.

Jin violently shakes her hand, "Arin's finally decided to grow up you all," he turns towards her with a goofy smile on his face," Yah, I am so proud of you TMGBWLH."

"TMBGWLH?" Yoongi asks, " What is that?"

"It's TMGBWLH Yoongi," Jin corrects him, "It means the trouble-maker-girl- but-we-love-her."

Jungkook scoffs, shaking his head, a faint smile painting his lips. Arin sighs once again.

"Our Arin wants to grow up, it's time to celebrate!" Taehyung jumps and punches the air.

"Right, bring some snacks," Jin says and immediately adds in,"Not the ones on the top right shelf, those are mine."

"Jimin, open your NetFlix," Yoongi says.

Jimin pouts," Why mine? Last time too, after exams, you used my account!"

"That's because she's your soulmate."

"Doesn't make sense."

"Why do you have the account if you are not going to use it to watch?" Yoongi raises an eyebrow. Jimin huffs and Jungkook says," He just doesn't want us to see his watch list or history, it's filled with animation movies meant for the kids."

"Those are fun," Jimin reasons and Jungkook flicks his chin.

"We also need to give a gift to Arin since this is a big decision on her part. How about the Festa set—"

"No. No. No," Arin cuts off Hoseok, frantically shaking her head and hands. "You," she points at Hoseok, "You," she then points at Yoongi and then points at Jimin," And you, all of you, gave me one each already when I passed my third semester!"

"Those were different versions," Yoongi reasons.

"Had different photo cards," Jimin says.

"Nope, not that please," Arin sighs.

"Didn't you want that Yoongi photocard from Butter version—"

"Let's end it here okay? We broke up, right now," Arin cuts Hoseok again who gets a sympathetic pat from Jin.

She storms out of the dorm, leaving her bag behind with a speechless bangtan gaping at her retreating form.

"Why do I actually feel like I have broken up?" Hoseok says, placing a hand on his chest. "I am hurt,"

"I am hurt too," Yoongi mumbles. She clearly hated the idea of getting his photocard so much.

Namjoon sighs," Let's get back to work,"

"Weren't we celebrating?" Taehyung says, pouting a little. "Party over?'

A few seconds later, loud and deliberate footsteps, Arin enters back inside the dorm and with a scowl on her face and a phone clutched in her hand.

She picks up her bag and looks at Jungkook who raises an eyebrow in question, "I am not breaking up with you because you need to help me with my assignment," she says and then looks around the room, "I have broken up with others though."

And with that, she storms out again.

"Geez that Y/N energy is high today," Jimin whispers. "Was she reading a Sugar Daddy au?"

"What's a sugar daddy au?" Taehyung quips making Jimin flinch, "Is it about fathers being confectioners?"

. . .

Post the aforementioned break up, Bangtan dorm is quiet.

The grief is real. Hoseok is not joking when he feels denials coursing through his veins. Arin actually rejected his offer of going to shop? How can she? Maybe she is busy? Now, who is he supposed to go with? Nauen! But she has her movie shoots!

He sighs, this is so not done.

Arin on the other hand feels the thrill as she stares at the clock on the wall. As soon as the clock strikes nine, she scrambles for her phone, immediately logging in on the app to watch the new Run BTS episode.

The thing is— Arin's always accompanied the members to the set ever since they resumed shooting and never got the chance to watch it on a Tuesday evening without knowing what happened.

It's fun to watch it again and the baby sound effects she missed hearing— to remember the set stories which only she knows but still, she wants to enjoy the episode on her five inch screen too.

She is already smiling by the time they introduce today's episode and sighs in content. She missed this. But as the show progresses, she finds herself not enjoying it much and she very well knows that it's not the episode but it's her. Something's incomplete.

The next morning, with a determined expression painting her face, she sits with her phone clutched tightly in her hands.

That Yoongi photocard shall be mine.

She still remembers when she whined about not getting Taehyung's photocard last time and how she got three of them the next day. She adores and can't be more grateful to them for being so sweet and taking care of her but they are so extreme sometimes.

Her phone rings indicating a call from Jungkook and with an annoyed groan, she picks up the call.

"You are going to spend your monthly pay for a photocard of Yoongi Hyung? You see him daily," Jungkook tries to reason with her.

"So?"

"Just ask him, he will get you those photocards from the company in no time," Jungkook sighs.

"What part of the limited edition do you not get? Those are limited edition! Even your company can't get their hands on them," Arin whines.

"Then just click a picture of hyung and print it out, he still has that costume which he wore in that shoot,"

"What will I do with a stupid picture of him?" Arin deadpans.

"Photocards are literally the same—"

"You don't get it. Stop okay? Or I break up with you as well," and with that threat, Jungkook shuts his mouth. Arin hangs up, immediately preparing herself for war.

As soon as it is time for the auction, she starts typing away numbers randomly making sure to get the amount larger than others. After three minutes, a victorious smile captures her lips, seeing her username as the winner of the photocard,the Yoongi one.

The smile immediately drops as a message rings her phone, a sweet reminder of her pocket money balance. A Yoongi photocard, almost thrice of her monthly pocket money, did more damage to her heart than the blond mullet one did.

It's been a week already after Arin walked out of the dorm but Jimin is still trying to process the lack of nagging post-so-called break-up.

He's definitely busy with all the concert preparations but oh man oh, his ears itch to hear something other than Jin's windshield wiper laugh.

Tomorrow's d-day of the concert and all of them are very sad to see the VIP ticket lying on the dining table, untouched. No one keeps it away, just in case, Arin sneaks inside the dorm in the morning in search of it.

Thirty minutes before the concert, Arin's ready with a laptop and ten browser windows open in it. She has her phone clutched in her hand with non-stop DMS flooding in after getting added to group chats. For links of course.

She has unopened messages from all of the guys as well, asking her to come over to the venue or a scanned picture of the ticket. But she opens none.

Gasps and squeals fill the room when the camera pans to the members entering the stage, something she cannot do when she accompanies them.

Sets are meant to be quiet and of course, to not make the members uncomfortable, she keeps her extreme reactions to themselves.

She vibes and sings along with them, waiting for the best part of the current song, the infamous Dis-ease bridge. Oh to hear it live.

"Sick and tired— what the fuck," she stops singing as soon as the error message flashes on her screen. "What do you mean the site went down?" she immediately opens another link and groans when it is lagging. Another and another until she finds an HD one.

With a sigh, she leans back on the chair. She couldn't hear the bridge... live.

Another week in, and the members are now concerned. How's Arin keeping up so many days with her act without even seeing them in person once? Not even talking to them?

The only one in contact through chats is Jungkook but he was so busy with Yerin last week, who was here for her holidays that he couldn't ask Arin to come over and complete her assignments.

"Did she really get rid of us?" Taehyung asks, a frown on his face.

"No way, she will come back in a few days," Yoongi says, sipping his coffee.

"It's been two weeks though," Hoseok says, "Is she really okay?"

Namjoon sighs, " I guess she really needed a break from us? After all, it's not easy to be around us...She has to be so careful with everything, the poor girl's already exhausted with her university but she still comes with us."

"I miss her," Taehyung says and Yeontan barks,"He does too," he looks at the dog and sighs.

"She will be okay—" the doorbell interrupts Jungkook and he gets up to attend the door.

"Arin?" Jungkook widens his eyes, a smile tugging his lips, "Did you come the wrong way—"

He stops speaking when he sees her lips quiver and her eyes staring at her feet. Yeontan barks and Taehyung quips from the dining table,"Is that Arin?"

"Yeah...but..." Jungkook replies, concerned eyes scanning her face. Arin walks inside, closing the door behind her until she's just a step away from Jungkook.

"What's wrong?" he asks her. Arin chokes and breaks down into tears immediately fisting Jungkook's hoodie on his arms, resting her head on his chest.

Hearing the sobs, the rest of them are forced to come out to the living room and immediately get by her side.

"Hey kid, are you alright? Why are you crying?" Namjoon says, placing a comforting hand on her back.

Jungkook brings his hands up to her shoulders to slightly push her back. Arin sobs and refuses to look up until Jimin yanks her towards him, "What's wrong?"

Arin looks up with her glassy red eyes and tears stained face which breaks their hearts. To see their cheerful happy pill cry is never easy.

"I failed..." Arin shudders, "I failed two subjects in the final exam..."

"Oh Arin," Jimin sighs and brings her into a hug. She rests her chin on his shoulder and cries again. Taehyung immediately wraps his arms around them, as Jungkook and Hoseok follow. Jin pulls Namjoon and Yoongi towards them too, engulfing Arin into a big warm hug.

A few moments later, her sobs become silent as she remains cocooned in their warmth.

That's when she realises maybe, just maybe, Y/n's not luckier than her.

"Can you like...let go? I am ready to be a butterfly now," she says, the pun strained to make the heavy concern on their faces lessen but they just grow more concerned.

"Did you just crack a biology joke?" Jungkook says after they have all stepped back. "You hate biology."

Arin sighs. "I hate my life more...I can't do anything right. I failed the exam, missed the disease bridge live, spent my three months pocket money on a photocard, missed the disease bridge live, didn't complete my assignments, missed—"

"The disease bridge live," Taehyung completed it for her and Arin sighs, "Yeah..."

"Hey Kid, you know we often tell you that it's okay to not excel in academics," Namjoon says.

"But I failed a semester...And I have to repeat it again. It's not okay when any bad score I get, is a reflection of my worth, no matter how well I do in other things."

"What's the use of crying over it now? You just have to work harder next time, pay attention to things so that you don't repeat those mistakes and not make new ones either...You have so much time to become the imperfectly perfect version of yourself... Don't be so hard on yourself hmm?" Jin says and pats her head.

"And save money by not going around breaking up with us," Jungkook wraps an arm around her shoulder, securing her in a headlock.

"We will sing you the bridge anytime you ask," Jimin smiles.

She sniffles and nuzzles her nose against the fabric of Jungkook's hoodie, "That's gross you idiot, eww..."

"You are doing well Arin," Yoongi says and Arin realises the weight of their words. It's like some magic, instant therapy.

"Yes, in the worst case if you don't end up with a job, I will hire you to iron my socks," Taehyung says, making everyone laugh and Arin rolls her eyes.

Arin knows what was missing now. It's this warmth, the smiles and their voices that are her home. She was homesick.

Arin's stomach grumbles, and Jin chuckles, "Up for some glass noodles?"

Taehyung throws his hands in the air, "Yes those are perfect, " he turns to Arin, "I also have the extra Tata Mic as a gift for you, it's time to celebrate semester failure!"

────✧ ⋆ ✧────

so this was a bonus chapter which i changed to the epilogue because it fit better.

I know Arin's your favourite, yeah yeah, she deserved the best <3