•𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬•【√】

o(CHAPTER 23)o

Karaoke, I've decided, is impossible to explain. It's also impossible to prepare a person for the onslaught of ridiculous behaviors that karaoke seems to create. Junsoo's face was pretty priceless, though.

Taehyung sang first, and it's clear why he enjoys karaoke. He's got a surprisingly good voice, and when he sings he carries on like he's a rock star. He jumps around, taking turns serenading everyone. It's a mess, but in the best way. The whole ghost squad dropped in and decided to stay and celebrate with us.Jin belts out an old favorite of mine, and it's amazing. As he finishes up the whole living room erupts in applause. Everyone seems happy, and it's weird. It almost seems wrong.

You know what? Fuck it. Fuck the demons, and fuck the Unit. Fuck worrying, and fighting, and ripping our hair out trying to find answers. For tonight, for once, we're all together and safe. We can celebrate, and we can forget our problems for this one night. We're only human.

Taehyung is yanking on Jimin' arm, trying to convince him to sing. Jimin just shakes his head.

"I don't sing," He's smiling, but he almost looks embarrassed.

"Hey! Can it be my turn?" I raise my bandaged hand as I ask the question. Jimin looks appreciative of my interruption, and Taehyung starts waving me toward the karaoke machine.

It's quite a selection, mostly old eighties classics (I don't know why music of that decade seems obligatory to a karaoke night) but there's other stuff too. This one's perfect. Hold on I'm coming.

The trumpets kick in through the TV speakers and Jin starts laughing, that booming sound that overpowers everyone else's giggles. I shout it out a little too enthusiastically, considering my limited singing abilities. Everyone jumps out of their seats and most of them join in. I bob my head and shimmy-shake as close to rhythmically as I can. Joon and Jiwon slip out in a would-be casual way to get some 'alone time'. Jeongguk and Taehyung spin each other around like rowdy middle-school kids. Jimin smiles and shakes his head, I think he's still beating himself up about going darkside on us, but he looks happy. Junsoo is smiling so big it looks painful. He's hardly blinking, as if closing his eyes even for a moment would make it all disappear.

We needed this.

I crawl into bed, my eyes twitching with sleep. I don't think I'll have that nightmare again, at least I hope not. Either way, I need rest. It's the middle of the night, and I'm worn out. We sang, we danced, we watched crappy old movies. It was the most fun anyone's had in too long. I look over to Jiwon's empty bed before turning out the lamp on my nightstand. I guess she's not sleeping down here tonight.

I let out a monster yawn and snuggle close to my pillow.

"I can't believe I found it!" A teenage girl with a long curtain of straight brown hair squeals excitedly as she rushes into the room.

"Okay, very exciting, now what is it?" A scruffy young man, somewhere in his twenties with unruly curly hair, rolls his eyes at the girl's interruption.

"It's the book!" She clings to the old leather journal, a look of joy on her face.

"We can see that, Leah," A beautiful, dark-skinned woman smiles wistfully at the teenager's happiness.

"No, you don't get it, Kris. This thing has been in my family forever. My mom used to pull it out and show me whenever she had too much wine."

"I thought you said your mom wasn't a big drinker," Kris raises one perfectly arched brow.

"I mean, she wasn't, but that doesn't mean she never drank. Look, you're missing the point. This was written by Seers. I gave up looking for it, but it was just upstairs, shoved behind a row of crappy war books."