A Modest Proposal (Kim Namjoon/ BTS) (#SerendipityAwards)

22. Serendipity

"I modeun geon uyeoni anya~"

"Can't we go to the dorm first?" Yoongi complained as their minivan whizzed down the smooth roads of Seoul, effortlessly weaving between the other vehicles strewn about the lanes. "I'm just about ready to crash." The boys and their staff had just landed a couple of hours ago but instead of returning to their house first, Namjoon wanted to drop by his studio. Lyrics had popped into his head along with a veritable tune and he wanted to work on these before they slipped away.

"You guys can carry on ahead if you want, but I need to go to the studio," he stated firmly even though his body defied his words. Their concert at the Dome had been incredibly amazing but had left the boys drained albeit buzzing with contentment. Hoseok leaned across the aisle seat and grinned at the leader.

"I'll accompany you. I seem to have stumbled upon an idea for my mixtape too," he said excitedly and Yoongi sighed. He leaned further into the leather seats if that were possible, plugging in earphones and closing his eyes.

"Y'all are giving the rest of us a bad name," he mumbled lazily but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Jimin sniggered, laying his head on the rapper's shoulder to catch a few winks of sleep.

The van was silent for a while and Namjoon allowed his thoughts to drift in the direction he had constantly been trying to steer them away from for the past two days. He couldn't help but feel that Ji Ah was beginning to influence him in ways he didn't think would be possible. The rapper recognized her traces in the words he said, saw her face in every person he met and it was driving him insane. It was like the videographer's essence lingered in the very air around him. And it was time Namjoon shook it off; it was only hurting both of them.

When Sejin pulled up on the curb outside Big Hit, Namjoon and Hoseok stepped out nimbly to avoid disturbing the other members who had fallen asleep. Jimin's head was on Yoongi's shoulder, the rapper's cheek brushing his blonde hair. Seokjin was sprawled on the backseat, soft snores escaping his open mouth. Taehyung and Jungkook were entangled, arms and legs ensconced in a tight embrace, their chests rising and falling in time with each other. The two rappers smiled at the sight, fondness etched on their faces as they slid the doors shut and let Sejin drive them to the dorm.

"We've come a long way huh," Hoseok observed softly as they strode into the building. It was late evening and most of the staff had already arrived before them. "And it all ends in December with our final Wings concert."

Namjoon knew perfectly well what his friend meant. They had grown so much over the years, literally and figuratively. The trilogy that they had created chronicled this growth and now it had finally reached a culmination which would set them free. "It's a new beginning, Hoseok-ah."

The rapper smiled at this, the pair boarding the elevator in companionable silence. Hoseok waved Namjoon off towards his own personal studio while he ambled towards PDogg's office. "Let's make a pact to meet in half an hour, eh? I'm starving!"

Namjoon laughed, nodding his head and rounding the corner in the direction of Mon Studio. The frosted glass door of his personal workspace was slightly ajar and Namjoon frowned. He was sure he had locked it and apart from him, nobody had the keys. Or had he forgotten in his rush to leave two days back? The rapper pushed the door open tentatively, light emitted from the hallway retracting against the translucent surface. The interior was cool and certainly not as dark as he had left it. The figurines he had collected over the years perched motionless on their assigned spots on the two large shelves built opposite each other. A couch had been pushed against the wall right beside the door, a few plushies scattered over it. Namjoon stepped into the space, his boots thudding soundlessly against the carpeted floor. But he froze in his tracks when his eyes landed on the figure plopped onto his chair which was currently swiveled in his direction.