Bridging Destinies

Chapter 31: Potential Futures

The logistics required in order for me to spend time with Namjoon while his group toured were complicated. I already had a passport and the necessary visas to visit countries in the American continents, as well as in Asia, so following the group as they toured would not be a problem. Deciding how I would travel with or without the band was the hard part. I could either follow the band on the tour schedule, communicating with Namjoon to coordinate our efforts, and meet up with Namjoon between concerts, or I could travel as staff. Namjoon was more inclined to bring me on as staff, so that we would have direct access to each other while they toured. I was not sure it was a good idea, but as we discussed it, plans began to form more cohesively inside my mind. I would need to look at the paths to ascertain my safety, but I tentatively agreed with him that it could be an option.

We discussed details as we held hands, not wanting to relinquish the opportunity to touch each other. He was growing excited by the idea that we could make our plans work, but I stopped him, putting a small gasp in his plans, "Joonah," I said to him, "I still need to make sure this is the right option. Will you give me a few moments? I need to see if the paths are clear." I explained.

He frowned in thought as he regarded me, "What do you mean, the paths? Like the direction you need to go?"

I smiled indulgently, "Something like that." I told him, "I can see the potentials of the paths and from there decide the best action. Time is not set, though some paths are more set than others, so there is fate, but there is also choice. The paths can and do change with choice, so I have to make certain that I will be safe."

"Because you could be in danger if people knew about you and you could be exposed if you traveled with us?" He asked me, attempting to confirm his thoughts.

"Yes, but there is more." I said and hesitated for a moment, not sure how much I wanted to explain but gave myself a mental shrug and continued, "There are people that know, or suspect, what we are and work to hurt us. It is one reason why I work out here in the human world, rather than stay home with my people. It is also partially why I had to leave you for the last three months. If one of them were to discover me, I could be hurt or killed."

Namjoon's frown grew deeper as I explained my dilemma to him. "So," He slowly began, in response, "You could be staff, but it would have to be a position that would keep you as much out of the public eye as possible, for one." He looked into my eyes, seeking answers, "And," He continued, "You would need to look at the paths to make sure you were safe."

I nodded, "Yes. Exactly. But I could use that ability to look at the paths for everyone in your group. The paths may and often do change, but it could be useful, still."

With this new information, Namjoon suddenly grew excited, and began to sit up straighter. He exclaimed assertively, "I have an idea." He told me as he released my hands and stood up, "Wait here." I raised my brows at him, having an idea of what was in his mind and leaned to the side against the couch. I hid a grin from him as I looked down at my hands. He was entirely too adorable in his excitement, and I found myself catching the energy of it. I waited as he left the room and looked up from my hands to watch him exit the room. While he was gone, I would make good use of the time to search the paths.

~~~

Namjoon came back into the room, carefully peeking his head through the open door, looking for Felina. When he saw her sitting in a meditative pose on the couch, he felt a sense of relief and opened the door further to enter the room. His manager, Sejin, followed him, and stopped when Namjoon did, standing next to him. Felina opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the two men, then stood.

Felina looked from Namjoon to Sejin, then back to Namjoon, "And this is?" She asked, unnecessarily, already knowing the answer.

Namjoon regarded Felina and introduced them, "Felina, this is Manager Sejin. Sejin-nim, this is Felina. Uh." He paused and peered at her. not knowing her last name.

Laughing faintly, Felina put her hand out to shake Sejin's, "Rossi. Felina Rossi." She told him.

"Felina Rossi." Sejin stated, repeating her name softly as he took her hand and shook it promptly, "Namjoon tells me that you are his girlfriend and you want to travel with the band?"

"Yes. I want to travel with the band." She said, giving Namjoon a side look at his free use of their relationship status, before moving her eyes back to focus on Sejin, "And I do have some skills that will prove useful, if you want to take me on as staff." She told him. She felt the half sigh of relief from Namjoon as if he had been holding his breath and flashed him a grin before turning her attention back to Namjoon.

Sejin seemed mildly interested in what she might have to offer, considering it a boon if she had actual skills they could use while the band toured. "What might those be?" He asked her, waiting for her to explain, thinking it would be nice if she had a resume she could pull out.

"I don't have a resume," She said to him, answering his unspoken thought, which surprised him a little, "But I have security experience, including fighting. I speak several languages, and I am often able to predict the movement of people and what they are thinking. I could act as a consultant, or background security, supporting the security team." She suggested.

Sejin looked taken aback by the woman in front of him. She was tall, but she looked like a wisp of a girl, and he wasn't sure of her other claims. He questioned whether she would be able to handle a job as part of the security team, let alone fight anyone, and unknown to him, she knew it. Namjoon crossed his arms as he watched them interact. He was about to interject when she offered, "You could test me if you like. There's a man walking down the hall who intends to knock on the door to ask you a question. Open it. He is fifteen seconds away from this room, about." She told him.

Gazing at her in faint disbelief and with his mouth half open, believing her to be acting audaciously, he still moved to the door and opened it, only to see Hobeom standing at the door with his hand on the door knob, as if he was going to open the door. Felina laughed softly, "Well. I don't get everything right, of course, but I have a high level of accuracy."

At this Namjoon added, "She's been able to keep me safe from sasaengs before. She knew they were looking for me and she helped me hide from them." He said to the other man.

Sejin half turned his body towards Namjoon and moved his gaze from him towards Felina, "Could we test your skills in other ways?" He asked her.

Felina nodded and crossed her arms as well, "I will fight anyone you want me to." She said, reading his intention, "But defensive, only. I do not wish to hurt people, if I can help it." She smirked in response to the energy she sensed from Sejin and Namjoon both.

Namjoon laughed, moving his arms from their crossed position to clap his hands together, "This I got to see." He said. Felina looked at him and laughed too, then winked at him coquettishly, which caused him to flush as he laughed.

Looking at Hobeom, Sejin announced, "There should be wrestling mats stored here in the stadium, I think. See if you can have a few pulled out of the stadium storage and brought to the green." He told the other manager, then further instructed, "And have Seung Min-ssi choose one of the security about Namjoon's height for a sparring session."

Hobeom blinked at Sejin, swallowing his previous request to know when they would be leaving for the hotel, as they appeared to be delayed. He looked around Sejin at the others in the room, his eyebrows raising briefly and nodded, "Got it." He said succinctly and turned around to do Sejin's bidding.

Felina grinned at Namjoon and announced, "Your boys are going to want to see this."

She walked past him, then Sejin, out the door and began to walk down the hall. Both men followed her in close succession, while Namjoon pulled his phone out quickly and sent a text. Before they knew it, they were in the middle of the stadium, where the stage and chairs had been set up. The crew was clearing chairs while others were dragging wrestling mats out from a double-spanned doorway, which led into the bowels of the stadium.

As the crew finished setting up a quick, makeshift sparring area, Felina stripped her jacket from her body and rolled up her sleeves. She quickly braided her hair and fastened it, so that it would be out of the way and seemed to be mentally preparing for the fight as she physically did so. Namjoon watched her as she prepared and became aware of how she seemed to become hyper focused on her surroundings, with her eyes darting around, watching and taking everything in.