Bridging Destinies

Chapter 16: A Full Introduction in a Round

I arrived early, assessing the location and listening to the thoughts of those inside the building. I watched the building carefully, watching the energy around it move with the energies of those inside. The building contained the energy, to some degree, yet the energy would escape sometimes in short bursting, cord-like waves, then dissipate. 'Ah. Someone seems excited tonight.' I thought to myself.

Earlier I had contacted Dana to see what he could see of the paths. I had not seen anything to be concerned about when I had looked myself, yet his thought to me further reassured me, 'It is safe enough.' He had spoken into my mind, 'The path looks clear.' So, stepping forward after my evaluation, sometime later, I moved to the door and rang the bell.

My hair was loose over my ears, hiding them from the security camera's gaze. I wore a casual loose linen blouse in a soft, almost white, lavender shade and a silk and cotton blend skirt in a deep purple that flowed down gracefully to my ankles. The skirt was so dark that it almost looked black in some lights. I wore sandals on my bare feet and few accessories, with a thin summer coat over my blouse. A simple uncut amethyst hanging on a leather chain, around my neck and wrapped in cured silver, so that it would not burn my skin, was my only jewelry. The stone sat just above the cut of the collar of my blouse, which showed the expanse of my upper chest, but did not expose my skin below the midpoint of my sternum.

I held up a bottle of red wine to where I knew the camera to be and smiled as with my other hand, I removed my sunglasses. Shortly, after I heard a commotion inside, followed by a faint argument, laughter and a suddenly opening door. The scent of Korean food hit my nostrils, and I blinked slowly, lowering my eyelids, then raised my head and half looked through my eyelashes at the man before me. I recognized him as Kim Seokjin, the man with the windshield wiper laugh and amusing disposition. I held up the bottle of wine again, as if to pass it to him, and he reached out to take it from me on impulse.

Seokjin appraised me for several seconds, appearing to forget to invite me in, with a slightly startled look on his face. Then, as he brought the bottle close to his chest, he began to open the door further, as his face broke out into a wide smile, "You must be Felina." He declared. He turned to call into the house, "Felina is here, guys!" Behind him Jimin and Taehyung, followed by Jungkook, approached, staring through the entry way at me. I smiled and in Korean fashion, gave them all a short, graceful bow, to which they belatedly returned. It appeared they were all maybe just a little stunned. I internally laughed as I sought out their thoughts to further assess my safety, finding only blanked, faint movements of the energy around them. They wore surprised expressions in varying degrees, while Seokjin looked to have mostly recovered from his own surprise.

I heard a loud thought from Taehyung, as he seemed to recover first of the other three, 'Wow.' His feelings of awe followed the internal statement, 'She is really pretty. Way more than Joonie and Jiminie said.' And I stifled a laugh, looking down at my shoes to hide my amusement. As my laughter was contained, I looked up again and watched the energy flare, with the typical energy I was used to from many human males, and then dissipate as the rest of them appeared to come out of their state of stupor. Seokjin opened the door all the way and stepped aside, so that I could enter.

As I came from the foyer, into the house, I looked around me from the hall into the living room. I could hear sounds in the kitchen and sensed Yoongi there. The other two of the group, not at the edge of the foyer with me, were somewhere in the back of the house, and another in the living room. One was Namjoon and the other I did not recognize, but assumed it was Hoseok, as I was familiar with the members of the band. I took off my coat and Jungkook took it from me, hanging it on a hook. I removed my shoes, gaining my bearings, as Taehyung, following along with Jungkook's previous movements, offered me a pair of guest house slippers, nudging them towards me.