Nora & the Boys | BTS AU | OT7

Chapter 24

[Unedited]

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Nora knew Jungkook was still suspicious of her. 

She knew the maknae was itching to talk to Namjoon, to consult with him, about the strange girl in their room.

And so, Nora took this opportunity to get away from the trio, letting them know she was going out to check on the security.

It was best for the boys to discuss their current situation between themselves, and avoid any misunderstandings.

It was how they worked, how they had always worked things out, as far as Nora was aware.

If there was something bothering the other, if they had a fight and needed resolving, the seven members made sure to have a discussion. Their interactions, their words, in the private space of their rooms, were meant only for the seven, and not for cameras.

Ever since Nora had started working with the boys, she had come across so many journalists, snooping noses, who wanted to know the big secret behind the togetherness that BTS always had, the familial warmth that surrounded the seven members, no matter where they were, be it on camera or off camera.

Some thought, it was merely for show, an act for prying eyes, but the BTS staff and Nora and the rest of the security team knew the truth.

Their public persona and their off-screen personality was not that different, unlike some celebrities who kept their personas and personal-self separate, as if they were two separate people, and not a part of themselves.

Her friend, Chris had once mused, that if they weren't hiding any secret, why didn't they allow cameras to document their daily lives, or come on shows that had a similar theme. Nora hadn't answered him, back then.

But she knew the answer to his question. Everyone on the BTS team knew it.

Nora had done her research before joining BTS security team and she knew that the boys had gone through a lot of mistreatment, within the music industry.

They were always careful who to open up to.

No matter how long one worked with BTS, if they didn't trust that person, they wouldn't share any details with that person.

Nora considered herself to be a good acquaintance of the boys, at least for now that things had taken such an unexpected turn of events. But she knew, to carve a place in the boys' heart, there was still a lot of work to be done.

And so she understood what Jungkook was doing. She understood his fear.

Jungkook was the baby of the group. He had watched his hyungs struggle a lot during the early days. It was always his hyungs' tears and troubles that made Jungkook the saddest.

When people around them, were against the boys, when their own seniors didn't respect them, and mocked them - those times had left a big imprint of Jungkook's mind. Back then, Jungkook had been young, and helpless. He had no idea how to better the situation.

It was why he was careful in the way he acted in public, least, people point fingers at them, at his precious hyungs.

Jungkook didn't cry easily, but if it was about his hyungs then there was no stopping his tears.

Nora still remembered the surprise she had felt, when she saw how the boys were around each other. There was no specified role among the seven of them, unlike other kpop groups, who Nora had seen act in a particular way around the hyungs of the group and the maknae.

Even if she had only spent six months with the boys, she knew that the members acted according to the needs of the other.

Yoongi might be quiet but he knew exactly what the other member needed and gave it to them without saying much.

Jin was their emotional pillar, the happy pill and offering encouragement to their leader when he needed, and playing with the youngest every time he was free from work.

The dynamics of the group was something beautiful to watch.

Nora could simply be standing on the side, staring at the seven of them, and stumble upon something new in their relationship.

Every day, she discovered a new habit or interaction of the members, she had no clue about before.

Each member shared a special connection with the other. They all bonded well, but only an insider could tell that, the equations differed slightly.

Jimin had something special with Hoseok, but it couldn't be compared with the love he had for Namjoon or the others.

Or the way Taehyung and Jungkook always reached out for the other, touched the other, and were each others safe space in a foreign environment. The love between Taehyung and Jungkook, was less like a hyung and his maknae, and more like partners-in-crime, equals who worked together, and laughed and played together.

Jin and Jungkook, comparatively were like teenagers on crack, always goofing around and laughing out loud at the same joke.

In the same way, Jin and Taehyung shared a brotherhood born out of respect and love and admiration, and Taehyung made it a point to tell Jin how awesome he was every second of the day.

Be it interviews or vlives or stage performances, anybody could see the love they had for each other. There was a lot of love, a lot of fondness between them all, and that was also a big reason why their fan following grew and grew everyday.

There was no pretentious behavior within the group. There were no subunits within the group, where three of the guys got along, while the others were smiling for the heck of it.

It was always all seven of them, together, no matter what they were doing. Their love for each member might differ in some way, might grow and change and grow again.

But in the end, it was all love.

There was no bad blood between them. And that was what had gotten Nora smiling, the first time she met them.

There was such a positive, chaotic energy among the seven, that one could simply watch them and smile at the antics and jokes passed between the seven, and be content with it.

Nora had felt such a strong sense of protectiveness for the boys, even back then, during her first few weeks. And it was still the same now. She still wanted to protect the boys with all she had.

She knew, Jungkook must feel something similar.

The constant need to check on his hyungs, to see that they were smiling and not sad. The need to protect them, to keep them away from the bad things plaguing their world.

She and Jungkook were...alike in that sense.

"Damn..." Nora let out a chuckle and shook her head.

All this thinking, and swirling emotions had made her lose track of time. And she had stood stock-still at the end of the hallway, like an idiot, while her mind was filled with thoughts of the seven boys.

With another quick glance at the locked doors and quiet space, Nora turned around, and slowly made her way back to where Namjoon's room was located.

She was three doors away, when she heard footsteps, followed by the opening of a door.

Nora looked up to see a staff member stepping out from one of the rooms, on the opposite end of where Namjoon's room was located.

That's odd, Nora thought.

She had asked the security to stop any staff members from entering the floor. What was this woman doing here?

Was she here for house-keeping or...?

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