Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 110

The 7+1 Perimeter

The flight from Seoul was short enough that they had already cleared customs and slipped into the back of a private suv by Friday night.

Despite the long day of travel, the sharp adrenaline of their sudden 'escape' kept the entire cabin wide awake.

While the global media assumed Kim Namjoon was celebrating his birthday quietly in the heart of Seoul, he was actually standing on a high rooftop terrace in Taipei, breathing in the scent of rain and night markets.

***

By Saturday morning, ​they visited the Taipei Fine Arts Museum.

Aen watched as Namjoon stood in front of a massive abstract piece for twenty minutes, his hands clasped behind his back in that signature "professor" pose.

Jimin and Taehyung were a few installations ahead, whispering about the lighting, while Jungkook was busy trying to find the perfect angle for a "G.C.F" style shot of Namjoon’s silhouette.

Yoongi leaned against a nearby wall, looking at his watch but not rushing him.

​"He’s syncing," Yoongi whispered under his breath to Aen, his gaze never leaving the leader.

"When he stares at art with that specific intensity, he’s resetting his own internal frequency. It’s the only time his brain stops processing how to be 'RM' and simply allows him to just be Namjoon."

Aen tilted her head, watching the way Namjoon’s shoulders finally dropped an inch.

"Is it quiet in there for him? In his head, I mean?"

​"For a minute, yeah," Yoongi murmured, his voice low and gravelly.

"He spends all week listening to everyone else's needs—the company, the fans, the six of us. But art doesn't ask him for anything. It just stays still."

​Aen leaned her shoulder against Yoongi’s, her eyes softening.

"I feel like I'm watching a battery recharge in real-time. It’s almost a little intrusive to watch."

​"That’s why we’re all here," Yoongi said, glancing over at the younger three who were keeping a respectful distance despite their playfulness and Jin, who was busy trying to convince a security guard that he was just a regular guy who happened to really like paintings.

"We are the perimeter. He gets to just be a student today because we’re standing guard around him. How’s your 'Event Manager' brain? Is it itching to move him to the next exhibit?"

​Aen let out a small, soft laugh, shaking her head.

"No. For once, my watch is in my pocket. If he wants to stand there until the museum closes, I’ll find a way to bribe the security guards to stay late."

​Yoongi reached out, his hand grazing hers for a brief, hidden second before he tucked it back into his pocket.

"That’s my girl. Though, if we stay here another hour, JK is going to run out of memory cards and Jimin is going to start trying to 'interpret' the art via contemporary dance."

​As if on cue, they saw Jimin begin a slow, graceful pivot in the center of the next room, making Taehyung laugh behind his mask.

​Namjoon finally exhaled, a long, visible sigh, and stepped back from the painting.

He didn't turn around, but he raised a hand in a small, appreciative wave to the group behind him.

He knew they were there.