Man in Dreams

Bonds of Strength

"It was really good to have Maya around; she easily gelled with us," V claimed.

"Yes, true, but she can't be with us forever," Jin shrugged.

"Having a girl around for the first time was a literally different experience," JK continued.

"I didn't feel like she was a girl; it was like having one more person with us," Jimin said, laughing.

"Enough, guys. We will call her whenever there is a celebration. She is our friend too," RM assured them.

Yoongi was silent, lost in his thoughts. He missed her a lot; he felt really at home when she was around. Suddenly he said, "Guys, enough of Maya. Let's get back to work."

JK started teasing him again, "Hyung, admit it, you like her and you miss her."

Suga looked at him, "Even you guys are talking about this. That means you guys like her too?"

"Yes, I like her. I felt she was like family," JK admitted.

"Same here. I like her as my friend and nothing more, understand, you little boy?" Suga grabbed his neck playfully and hit him against the sofa. They started playing a WWE Raw match, and others joined them, cheering. By the end, they were literally dead from laughing so hard.

The boys were practicing for their next concert when Sejin came in. "Boys, get ready. We are going to Las Vegas."

"What?" they asked.

"Yes, our song is nominated for the Billboard Music Award," he screamed with excitement.

The boys were stunned. "Jinja?" they screamed with joy. They were all on cloud nine.

Jimin jumped up, "This calls for a celebration!"

"We need to call our families and tell them the good news!" RM suggested, already dialing his phone.

JK and V started an impromptu dance, spinning around and laughing. Jin grabbed his phone and began recording their celebration for social media.

"ARMY is going to be so happy!" Jin said, grinning from ear to ear.

Yoongi, who had been silently smiling, couldn't resist anymore. He joined the group hug, "We did it, guys. This is huge."

Hobi, who had been slightly quiet in disbelief, suddenly burst into his signature dance, bringing even more energy into the room. "Let's show the world our energy, guys!"

They decided to take a break from practice and order their favorite food. As they waited, they called their families on speakerphone, "We are nominated for a Billboard Music Award!"

Their families' excited reactions made them all laugh. "That's amazing! We're so proud of you guys!"

The food arrived, and they celebrated with a feast, toasting each other with soda and juice. Jin insisted on making a speech, "To us, to our hard work, and to our ARMY who made this possible."

They spent the rest of the day talking about their journey, reminiscing about the tough times and how far they had come. As the evening drew to a close, they watched videos of their past performances, feeling nostalgic and excited for the future.

RM summed it up best, "This is just the beginning, guys. Let's keep working hard and making our dreams come true."

They all nodded in agreement, their hearts full of joy and anticipation for the next big adventure.

Meanwhile at Maya's place, Joe assured her, "I will call you once I am ready with the plan."

"Thank you, Joe. Bye, take care," Maya replied with a smile, closing the door behind him.

She leaned against the door for a moment, letting out a deep breath, texted Yoongi, "I am safe home and I miss my meow 😔."

Walking to the mirror, Maya's reflection stared back at her, a mix of emotions swirling in her eyes. Anger flared within her as she remembered the reporter's invasive touch, the violation still fresh in her mind. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to contain the rage. "Why didn't I stop him? Why wasn't I stronger?" she muttered to herself, the frustration evident in her voice.

Yet, as she looked deeper into her own eyes, another emotion began to surface-pride. Despite everything, she was Min Yoongi's girlfriend, and that gave her a sense of strength and identity. She straightened her shoulders, drawing confidence from the thought. "I am stronger than this," she whispered, her voice firmer now.

Determination replaced her earlier hesitation. "I will go to my classes today. Enough of resting," she resolved. Maya began to prepare for the day, her actions deliberate and purposeful. She chose her outfit with care, wanting to project both resilience and readiness. Each movement was a step away from the shadows of her recent trauma and toward reclaiming her life.

As she got ready, the mix of anger and pride fueled her determination. Maya knew she couldn't let fear dictate her actions. She had faced challenges before, and she would face this one too, not just for herself, but for Yoongi and everyone who believed in her.

As Maya was heading back from class, she received a text from Yoongi: "Miss you too, sweetie. Hobi and I will come by this weekend. There's something important we need to tell you."

Maya replied quickly, her curiosity piqued. "I'm happy you're coming! Can you tell me what's so important? I can't wait until the weekend."

"No, some things are meant to be told in person. So wait for it 😉," Yoongi texted back.

Just then, her phone rang. It was Joe calling. "Hi, Maya. Hope you're doing well?"

"Yes, Mr. Right-hand. I'm good. What's up?"

"Get ready. He's going to be released on bail," Joe said, his tone serious.

"Really?" Maya's voice shifted to one of anger.

"Yes, we need to get him before he does any harm," Joe continued, matching her seriousness.

"So, what's the plan?" Maya asked, determined.

"I'll try to intercept him. He doesn't know I'm Yoongi's manager, so I'll pretend to be a chauffeur. I'll update you on our meeting location. Most importantly, Maya, I'll be there to protect you, but I still want you to be cautious."

"Thank you, Joe. That means a lot. I'll prepare myself. I also want to know why he's targeting Yoongi so hard. I did some checks, and he's always written negatively about Suga."

"I noticed that too during my background checks. It seems they went to the same college."

"Hmm, I see. I'll wait for your update, Joe. Take care."

"Get ready. See you there. Good night."

Maya sighed deeply, mentally preparing herself to face that troublesome reporter. She resolved that no matter what, she would never show her fears in front of him and was determined to make him regret crossing their paths.