BTS ~ 𝘚𝘦𝘰𝘬 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘺𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯 || Seven Deadly Sins || Mafia AU

thirty one.

Minji's pov.

It was almost sunrise by the time I entered the building again. Even after the soldiers went to get some sleep, I remained outside. The morning was cold and bitter, and I was welcomed by the warm air of the mansion when I stepped inside. There were noises coming from the kitchen, chefs already preparing breakfast for the hardworking. I smiled a small smile as I passed, the aroma of freshly baked bread tingling my nostrils. I was tired, and I figured sleep should be a priority since training would be hard over the coming days, but I was afraid to sleep. I was afraid of night terrors, of the unknown. I was afraid of being afraid.

Instead, I had a shower and made my way back downstairs to get something to eat. My stomach was practically begging to be fed after the late night shenanigans, and I was so focused on food that I didn't even notice Namjoon, who was seated at his usual position at the table.

"You've been up all night," Namjoon noted, startling me. "You must've been too, to notice that I was," I replied. It was quite evident that he had been awake, with his messy hair and tired eyes. He was holding a book rather than some papers.

He nodded at my statement before returning his gaze to the book, but it was obvious that he was no longer paying attention to the small words that coated the soft, light pages. The atmosphere in the room was quite a tense one. Neither of us wanted to endure painful small talk, but the silence was unbearable. He hadn't spoken to me since the murder of Sungho, and before that he had seldom talked to me after the other incident. I sat down, the scrape of the chair on the hard wooden floor awfully loud and scratchy. Namjoon looked up, as if thinking the same thoughts as I was. "Minji," He began. I let out a deep breath.

Here we go.

"Namjoon," I replied, and he smiled slightly. "I'm genuinely so sorry," He said. I shook my head. "Forget about it, Namjoon. Focus on what we need to focus on." Namjoon tilted his head while looking at me. I had to suppress my laugher as I looked at him. Scruffy hair, eye bags and all, he still looked like a right leader. "I am," He answered. "I made you go through this, and now look where it's gotten us. I'm worried, Minji. Of course I still want what I wanted at the start of all this, but I want my friends back too."

It was the first time I had heard him refer to the other boys as his friends.

"I've known Jungkook since he was younger than fifteen. I've watched him grow up, Minji. I can't lose him, especially not over stupid shit. And Jin, I mean, he's been by my side since forever. I'm worried about you, too. You're a traitor to your family, and it's my fault. I'm not saying I regret the idea of a war, I just wish things were different."

Hearing this coming from Namjoon at around six o' clock on a Friday morning was a lot for me to take in, but I could imagine what he was feeling at the time. I nodded, thinking of what to say.

"You'll get them back, Namjoon. I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. They aren't okay there. They will be hurt, and they will be weak, but they'll be alive.

"As for me, I'll survive. I've been through hardships before, this is just another one of my life's hurdles. I don't even know where my mind lies right now, but that's at the least of my worries."

Namjoon was half smiling and half frowning at my words.

"You want your father alive, you want to get back home, to your family. It's where you belong," Namjoon prompted. I knew he was trying to help, but my throat got dry at the mention of home. "Do I? Is it?" I questioned. Before Namjoon could answer, Hoseok joined us, all bubbly and bright, and that was the end of our morning conversation.

By seven, all the soldiers were training, as Namjoon had asked. They were everywhere, some in the gardens despite the cooler temperatures of the day, some in the training room, even some in the empty ballroom, where boxing matches seemed to be occurring. I made my way around the building, observing some of the soldiers as they trained. They were good, powerful, smart. He had picked a good team.

As I was about to make my way to the training room, I was called from the stairs. I looked over my shoulder to see Taehyung standing at the top of them, and I furrowed my eyebrows as a visual sign of my confusion. He motioned for me to go to him, which I did, climbing each stair quicker than usual. The corners of his lips tilted upwards as I got closer to him. He had let his jet black hair grow out into a wavy mullet. His eyes almost sparkled in the sunlight that was coming through the large window in the hallway.

"Yeah?" I asked when I reached him. "Nothing, I just wanted to make you come up the stairs," Taehyung said bluntly, and I hit him gently on the arm. "I'm kidding. I heard Namjoon was talking to you earlier. He didn't, you know, try anything or pry, did he?" Taehyung asked.

I stared at him for a moment. "No, he didn't. It was civil. Which was beneficial for both of us, I think. Why do you ask?" I questioned. He cracked his knuckles before answering.

"Because I'd do something bad to that man if I found out he did."

I shifted uneasily on my feet. "Why are you so protective of me? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm just genuinely wondering. Shouldn't you hate me?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you hate me, too?"

I had no response to that. I should've hated him, I really should've... but I didn't. I couldn't. Was this him saying that he felt the same?

"No witty reply to that one, yeah?" He teased, and I rolled my eyes at him. "I was just wondering. I mean, you were so eager to put a bullet through my head before." Taehyung laughed quietly. "What makes you think I still don't want to?" He asked.

I couldn't read the expression that he had on his face.

"You don't miss a thing, do you, Minji?" He asked somewhat sarcastically. "I try not to," I replied. "Well, you're missing a lot right now, if you'd just open your eyes," He stated matter-of-factly. I tilted my head, copying Namjoon's habit. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean, Taehyung?" I asked, but he walked away with a small smile and without another word.