Our Lives Turned Upside Down *A BTS Reverse Harem (On Hold)

❤ Flashback ❤

3 years Earlier

Nari's POV

"Here, let me get that for you," I say as I grab Nyx's suitcase and begin to haul it up the stairs to our brand new apartment.

"I can carry it." Nyx says quietly. She's still a little timid, but she's only been away from Nigel for a week; I can see her bubbly personality starting to wake up and it makes me happy. While I grab the luggage Nyx takes hold of Cas' leash and follows.

Cas is only 8 months old, so he's all legs and quite often trips over his own feet; but I couldn't ask for a better companion. Reaching the landing I unlock the door and we all peer inside as it swings open. I step into the space and survey the flat. It's bare bones with only a few essential pieces of furniture; a couch, an old bulky tv, a rickety dining table with two stools, and finally one bed, we'll have to share for a while. To me it doesn't matter. Nyx is my best friend, my first and only friend, and as long as I have her and Cas everything will be ok.

I fling my arms open wide, "Welcome home! It's not much, but it's ours!" A huge smile transforms her face as she skips over and hooks her arms around me and hugs me tightly.

"It's only home because you are here." She says, and it warms my heart. I hug her back tightly, this is a fresh start for both of us and it's going to be amazing.

It's been a week since we moved in and Christmas is fast approaching. We're broke while waiting for my first paycheck to come in; but this is our first Christmas together and I think it should be special. I dig through my suitcase searching for the little hidden pocket I sewed in years ago. Finding it I pull out the little pouch and shake out the contents into my hand. Two solid gold wedding rings, my grandparents.

Yes, I pinched them before I left the farm; but they didn't need them and I did. The only thing my grandparents disliked more than me was each other, so these rings had been collecting dust in a drawer for decades. I can't count the times these little gold pieces have kept me out of the gutter; I pawn them, but somehow I always manage to get them back. It's time for them to be useful again.

I quietly tip toe past Nyx as she snoozes on the couch; she's exhausted, having been working at hole-in-the-wall restaurants every night just to keep us fed. Just this time I leave Cas behind as I trot down the stairs and start speed walking to the nearest pawn shop. Once finished with my transaction I do a quick mental budgeting, not as much as I was hoping for but I'll make it work.

Moving on, I stroll towards a discount department store I spotted a few days ago. I'm happy to see that, while the Christmas aisle has been thoroughly raided, there are a few pieces left that will be perfect for us. I grab the last little artificial Christmas tree; seriously it's only about a meter tall, but I think it will look nice on our tiny table. I also find a box of glass blown ornaments, they're beautiful pastel colors. Normally they'd be pretty pricey but I see two have broken inside the box so they've been marked down to almost nothing, score!

Ok the tree is what I really wanted but I just feel like there is something missing. Wandering around I spot a small box of returned items, curiously I examine its contents. A store employee ambles towards me and grabs the basket, "Sorry lady, these are returns, they're meant for the trash," he says lazily. I give him one of my sweeter smiles followed up by my big brown puppy dog eyes.

"If you can't sell them, could I possibly take them off your hands?"

The middle-aged man seems mesmerized for a moment then blinks his eyes to clear his clouded mind. "I guess I could do that, but what's in it for me?" This guy makes my skin crawl, but it's a small and very temporary price to pay. With a flutter of my eyelashes I offer up my phone number and he immediately dials it to confirm I didn't give him a fake one. I didn't, but it doesn't matter. He hands over the box of items, his hand lingering over my own. Bleck.