SOUL BONDS ( Under revision )

Chapter 8

The ride there felt unreal.

Even though I'd already been in Korea for a couple of days now, even though I'd slept in that massive house and eaten breakfast in their kitchen like it was normal, my brain still hadn't fully accepted the reality of it.

I sat in the backseat of the black van, hands resting in my lap as I stared out the tinted window. The city passed by like a movie—bright signs, tall buildings, busy sidewalks, people walking like they had places to be.

Meanwhile, I felt like I was floating.

Like I didn't belong in any of this.

Jimin sat beside me, his knee pressed against mine. Taehyung was on my other side, half leaned into me like he couldn't help it. Jungkook was across from me, staring at his phone, but I could feel his eyes flicking up every few seconds like he was checking if I was okay.

Namjoon sat near the front, calm and composed, like he was already in leader mode. Jin was beside him, fixing his hair in the mirror for the tenth time. Hobi was bouncing his leg anxiously, and Yoongi looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, hood pulled up as he leaned against the window.

But even Yoongi's hand rested loosely near mine, like he didn't want me too far.

It was subtle.

But I noticed everything.

Because I had spent most of my life alone.

And now I was surrounded.

Protected.

Claimed.

The bond pulsed softly in my chest, warm like a heartbeat that didn't belong to just me.

I swallowed.

"So..." I finally spoke, my voice quieter than I meant it to be. "Where exactly are we going?"

Jin smiled. "BigHit."

I blinked. "BigHit... like—BigHit BigHit?"

Jungkook chuckled. "Yes."

Taehyung leaned closer, voice playful. "You're about to meet the chairman."

My stomach flipped. "Why am I meeting the chairman?"

Namjoon glanced back at me with a calm smile. "Because you're important."

"That doesn't answer my question," I muttered.

Jimin's hand slid over mine, fingers lacing with mine. His thumb rubbed gently across my knuckles.

"It's just... formal," he said softly. "We want you to feel safe here. And he needs to meet you. He's like family to us."

I stared at Jimin, searching his face.

His eyes were sincere.

But I still felt nervous.

The last time I had to meet "important people" in my life, it was never for something good. It was usually someone telling me I wasn't enough, or that I didn't belong, or that I needed to fix myself.

And I had spent too long being the girl nobody wanted to keep.

My chest tightened at the thought.

Taehyung must've noticed because he leaned his head against my shoulder, his voice dropping into something softer.

"You're thinking too hard."

I turned my head slightly. "I always think too hard."

He smiled. "We'll be right there."