SOUL BONDS ( Under revision )

Chapter 20

Six weeks later, the morning felt lighter, almost celebratory, as Jimin stood near the door adjusting himself on his crutches. "Thank God I'm getting this thing off today," he groaned, clearly irritated. "If I had to spend one more day stuck like this, I would've lost my mind." From down the hall, Namjoon's voice rang out loudly, "Hurry up, limped dick, we're going to be late!" She immediately had to fight back a laugh, pressing her lips together to keep it in. "Yahhh! Hyung, stop calling me that!" Jimin whined as he slowly made his way down the stairs. "It's not funny." "It's very funny," Namjoon called back without missing a beat. She leaned against the wall watching Jimin carefully step down each stair, her amusement growing. For someone so eager to get his cast off, he was moving painfully slow. Her thoughts turned mischievous for a second—I should push him—but just as quickly, her attention shifted. Her eyes trailed down, lingering longer than they should have. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then smirked. Before she could second guess herself, she stepped forward and lightly smacked his backside.

The reaction was immediate. "Mmhmm—" Jimin let out a soft sound, freezing mid-step. Her eyes widened, completely caught off guard, her mouth slightly open in shock. He slowly turned his head, his expression shifting into something smug and teasing. "Princess... you might want to close your mouth before I put something in it," he said lowly. Her jaw snapped shut instantly, her face heating as she dropped her gaze. "They always find a way to embarrass me..." she muttered under her breath before quickly recovering. Rolling her eyes, she walked ahead of him. "Oh, shut up and hurry before Namjoon leaves us, limped dick Jimin." "Not you too, kitten," Jimin groaned, though a small smile tugged at his lips as he followed after her.

By the time they reached the car, Jungkook and Namjoon were already waiting. "Good morning, princess," Jungkook greeted from the driver's seat with a bright smile. "Morning, bunny," she replied as she climbed into the backseat. Jimin followed, settling beside her, and almost instantly she laid her head on his lap, letting out a soft sigh. "Jimin, why did you make the appointment so early?" she whined. "Because I didn't want to waste a second getting this cast off," he replied, gently adjusting so she was comfortable. "It's been a hassle dealing with it." As he spoke, his fingers began absentmindedly massaging her scalp. Her eyes fluttered shut almost instantly. "Feels good?" he asked softly. "Mmhmm," she hummed, already drifting off to sleep as the car ride continued.

Across town, the mood was far less warm. Min stood by the window, her phone pressed tightly to her ear, her expression cold and impatient. "Yes, they should be there within the hour," she said sharply. "I don't care how you do it, just get close to her. Talk to her. Be her friend." She paused, listening, her jaw tightening. "I'm not asking for much. Just befriend her. That's it." Another pause followed before her tone turned colder. "And if you can't do something that simple, I'll make sure everyone knows your little secret." She ended the call without another word, running a frustrated hand through her hair. "Fucking useless," she muttered, staring out the window. "I just need her out of the way..."

Back in the car, she slowly began to wake, blinking as she felt a gentle touch on her arm. She looked down to see Jimin's fingers tracing over her soulmate mark absentmindedly. It was something he did often without realizing. All of them shared the same mark on their forearms—a snake. Not too big, not too small, but detailed and meaningful. Each soulmate mark reflected personality, and theirs fit perfectly. Snakes—observant, cautious, often alone, but dangerous when needed. It described them as a whole, which was why they worked so well together. She shifted slightly, looking up at Jimin, her gaze softening as she took in his features. He was effortlessly beautiful, his soft pink lips, his delicate features, and his expressive eyes always leaving her breathless. She found herself staring again, lost in him.

"Princess... you okay?" Jimin asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. She blinked, letting out a small embarrassed laugh. "Yeah, I'm okay. I guess you caught me again." "I suppose I did," he teased. "What were you thinking about?" She smirked slightly. "Wouldn't you like to know?" "I would," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "I'll tell you... on one condition," she said, lifting her head to look at him better. "And what's the condition?" he asked cautiously. "I promise it's nothing bad, chim chim," she laughed. From the front seat, Namjoon chuckled. "I don't know, Jimin. She's a sneaky one." "Yeah, she really is," Jungkook added. "She somehow convinced me to use the microwave the other day." Jimin's eyes widened. "You used the microwave?" She laughed loudly. "Yes, I did. It took a lot of convincing." "A lot?" Jungkook scoffed. "You bribed me!" "With what?" Namjoon asked, amused. Jungkook hesitated. "That's not important."

Jimin shook his head with a smirk. "Wow, Kook... she's got you wrapped around her finger." "Oh please," Jungkook shot back. "She's got all of us wrapped around her finger. Especially Jin hyung." Namjoon laughed. "He spoils her so much. When he's around, she doesn't even walk anywhere." "And if she gets mad," Jungkook added dramatically, "we're all done for." She crossed her arms, glaring playfully at them. "You do realize I'm sitting right here, right?" "Aww, kitten, we didn't mean it like that," Jimin said softly, leaning down to place gentle kisses on her lips. "Yeah, yeah," she muttered, trying to hide her smile. "You all owe me cuddles, or I'm telling Jin when he gets back." "See? She's doing it again!" Jungkook exclaimed, making everyone burst into laughter.

She leaned back against Jimin, smiling softly as she listened to them. She loved moments like this—simple, warm, filled with laughter. She loved them. And deep down, she knew that even if they weren't soulmates, she would have still chosen them every time.