bangtanandbeyond14-blog

[bangtanandbeyond14-blog]

On Our way Chapter #4

With all the excitement that had ensued in the morning, the two girls had almost forgotten what was special about the day. Meghna jerked in surprise when the bell rang and rushed to the door, expecting the boys but found her friends outside, grinning and holding multiple bags filled with food. She angled her head for a bit in confusion before realizing they had called a couple days back and told them they'd be coming. She quickly moved aside and let them in. Farhaan and Karan entered while Kainat jumped into Meghna’s arms, knocking the breath out of her. Avni’s voice screamed for the bedroom, asking who it was and Kainat bounded in to bear hug the other girl as well. Meghna remembered that they were here to spend the night for the festival in the evening and the day after. Avni entered the room then and her eyes zoomed in on the food, and she had to be physically restrained by Meghna before she could devour it all. Thank God it was lunch time. -x- (A/N) : So this story is based during the few months after the Wings era and I wasn't expecting them to release their new album and concept photos so soon. Their hair colors are different now but the colors in this book are the same as the ones during Wings era. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying this. Do make sure to point out any grammatical or spelling errors and I'll correct them as soon as I can. Vote and Comment! It'll make my day! Jeongguk could smell something. Something very very rich and probably delicious. Taehyung turned to look at him, he could smell it too. Jeongguk sighed and said, “If those girls you told me about are eating whatever we can smell right now I'll seriously marry them.” Taehyung nodded and fiddled with the sandwich in his hand and winced when Hoseok threw a book at the back of his head. “Yaa Hyung!” “You'll get more of that if you don't finish that sandwich!” “But I'm not hungry…” Hoseok picked another book up and Taehyung stuffed the entire thing into his mouth, almost choking himself in the process. Jeongguk spoke up then, “I've been reading some article on my phone and it says there's a festival today and tomorrow.” Taehyung asked, “What festival?” “Something called Holi.” “What is that?” Jimin poked his head through the doorway, “You know that festival we see on TV where people throw colors on each other? The one Namjoon hyung said he wanted to attend?” “Ohh that one.” “Can we actually participate?” Hoseok wasn't sure, so he shrugged. Namjoon stuck his head in next and affirmed their management’s permission, telling them that the actual festival was the next day. “But where do we buy the colors? Do we have to make them ourselves?” “No, I was at the convenience store yesterday and I saw hundreds of packets filled with colored powder. I guess we'll have to buy some from there.” “What about those water gun type things?” “The store had those too.” Taehyung grinned, “I can't wait to turn you into a pink boy, kookie.” “Says the future Hulk.” -x- Karan and Kainat decided to head over to the store to buy some colors and water guns. Meghna closed the door behind them after waving them off. The duo waited for the elevator when they heard a door opening. Kainat looked to the side and spotted three asian guys walking out of the apartment, speaking in a rapid unknown tongue. The boys spotted the two people staring at the them and decided to take the stairs. Kainat stared at them in surprise, their hair colors were surprising to say the least. Silver, pink and dark green? They even looked like those weirdos Avni and Meghna always cry over... Ten minutes later, Karan, Kainat and the three boys were all standing in the same aisle in a convenience store. Kainat reached forward for a couple packets of purple colored powder and dropped it into her basket. She picked a few more colors and the three boys watched her intently. Once she had collected a good haul, she moved on to the water guns section. She glanced behind her and saw that the boys were now rapidly picking up colored powder packets. Karan decided to buy the kind of gun he used to play with when he was a kid, it had a small tank that he could wear like a backpack to hold water and the tank was connected to a gun through a bright pink tube. Kainat opted for a more classic one that looked like a Nerf gun. They picked up three more for the others and decided to head back home. Kainat looked back again and the boys were holding the same guns they had just purchased. That's when she realized that the boys were trying to learn what to buy from them. She looked at Karan and he was already shaking his head. “I know what you're going to say, but I don't think we can just go and talk to them.” “Avni and Meghna are bound to know these guys, they're neighbors after all.” “But we don't.” “Oh shush. Look at how confused they are.” They certainly were. “Alright. Go help them.” Kainat grinned and bounded over to the three boys who stared at her approaching them in surprise. Karan shook his head, this girl was too nice for her own good. “Hi!” Three slightly intimidated faces stared at her before murmuring a synchronized greeting. “So I noticed you were confused about what to buy and we thought we should help out. You must be new here. I'm Kainat. You're our friends’ neighbors, right?” Namjoon decided to take the lead seeing as he was the only one there who could speak fluent English. “Yes, you're right. We just moved into the house next to theirs. I'm Namjoon and this is Jin and this is Jimin.” The three bowed. “Oh wow it's nice to meet y'all! Where are you from?” “South Korea.” Kainat proceeded to show them how each of the guns are operated and which ones were a waste of money. She threw some of the colors from their baskets out because they were poisonous and the boys obviously didn't know that. Just as they were about to leave, Kainat turned to them one last time. “This is your first time in India, right?” Jimin spoke up, “Yes.” “How about you join us? Tonight there's a bonfire type thing and then the actual festival is tomorrow. We'll show you around.” The three were taken aback with the offer but Jimin readily agreed and forced the other two. “Awesome! Be ready by nine! The bonfire starts then, okay?” Three heads simultaneously bobbed in agreement. -x- Avni laughed at something Farhaan and said and threw her head back just as the bell rang. Meghan began to stand but Avni shushed her and went to open the door. All she could do was stare when she saw Kainat and Karan talking to Jimin, Namjoon and Jin as though they'd been friends all their lives. Jin slapped Karan’s back and laughed before waving a goodbye and telling him they'd see each other later. Kainat and Karan finally turned to Avni who was a second away from shrieking. “You have nice neighbors! And they're cute!” Kainat exclaimed, pushing Avni aside to let herself in. Karan nodded, closing the door behind him. “We invited them to join us tonight and tomorrow.” “YOU WHAT.” “They said they're new to the country so we decided to help them out. Nice of us, huh?” “Do you even know who they are?” “Jimin, Jin and the green haired one… Nam… Namjoon!” “Karan, you ass, they’re mmf-” Meghna had thrown her palm over Avni’s mouth. She grinned and began pulling a struggling Avni into their room, “We will be right back.” In their room, Avni wrenched Meghna’s hand off and gasped, “What the fuck?” “Listen to me and stop screaming. I think we shouldn't tell them who they are.” “Why the fuck not?” “It'll be awkward for the boys if they start getting treated like celebrities here. I mean, they probably came here for some privacy and to relax.” Avni stared at her and sighed in finality, “You're right.” “Let's just act normal.” “How the fuck am I supposed to act normal with them around?” “I don't fuckin’ know, but you have to.” The two returned to the hall where the rest were chatting away. It was going to be hard pretending not to know the boys they had dedicated their lives to... -x- Jimin had informed the rest of the members about their invitation to hang out and everyone had agreed. Taehyung seemed particularly happy about it, and couldn't stop smiling. It was 6 PM, three more hours to go. -x- “Honestly, wear whatever you want to, you'll look ugly anyway.” Meghna glared at Farhaan, who had been watching her sort through all her clothes for something cute. Avni was holed up in her room with Kainat for company and Karan was sleeping because the trip from the store and back had apparently tired him to death. Farhaan sighed when she dropped to her knees and groaned, “Seriously, how hard can it be?” “Boy, you have no idea.” Farhaan looked at her incredulously and rummaged through her wardrobe before pulling out a orange tank top and an old pair of shorts. He thrusted them in her direction and she stared. “Wear a white sweater on it if you have one, any sweater really.” And he sauntered off leaving her confused, when had he developed taste? Avni had decided to wear a dress, and so had Kainat. The boys of course didn't bother changing and said they'd be wearing the same shirts and shorts they'd been wearing all day. Avni forced them to at least put on some deodorant to not scare people away. By 9 PM, they were ready to go. Meghna and the rest had decided to go downstairs and leave Avni to call the boys. Meghna was too terrified of facing the boys up close so she had scurried away with Kainat chasing after her. Avni lifted a finger and pressed it to the bell and heard it ringing on the boys’ house. A few seconds later, Taehyung opened the door. For the second time today, all she could do was stare. Without the makeup and white washing, she could finally see him in all his glory. Golden skin glinted under the lights in the hallway and his dark eyes crinkled when he smiled at her. She barely managed to smile back, too mesmerized by his beauty. He was dressed in a white shirt and black shorts and looked absolutely godly. “Are you ready?” She uttered the words in a calm voice that surprised her, she had been expecting a squeak. Taehyung gave her a thumbs up, “Ready. I will uh call everyone… else.” “Alright.” “Please come in.” Avni’s body heated up as she blushed, slipping past him into the house. Hoseok was sprawled on the couch, tapping his foot impatiently and changing the channels on the TV. He jumped in surprise when she entered but gave her a blinding grin and she almost lost her eyesight. He moved aside and tapped the space next to him and she obliged, sitting. She probably looked tense as fuck, because Hoseok flashed her a smile and a thumbs up. Taehyung had gone in and she could hear him yelling at Jimin and Jeongguk to hurry up. Namjoon and Seokjin entered the hall, followed by a sleepy Yoongi. They were surprised to see Avni as well but waved politely nonetheless. If she was blushing baldy then, it was nothing compared to the color she was now. Yoongi tapped her shoulder and she almost jumped out of her skin. “There are no… uh Korean channels on the TV?” “What? Oh, um, no. I'm not aware of any Korean channels.” “Why?” “Well, I don't know. It's probably because not a lot of p-people here speak Korean.” Cue nervous laughter. Jeongguk entered next, and Taehyung and Jimin joined them. Avni almost passed out when the boys who hadn't met her yet introduced themselves to her but managed to greet all of them with what she hoped was a well put together smile. Ten minutes later, a party of eight people were headed downstairs to the empty grounds where the bonfire was being held. Avni marched ahead, every part of her hyper aware of the boys’ presence. Ever so often, she found herself staring at Taehyung but she'd turn away and internally smack herself for not being able to put a lid on her hormones. Taehyung fell into step next to her and smiled when she stared at him. “Hey.” Was Taehyung actually trying to initiate a conversation with her? Fuck yes. “Hi.” “Something is uh… stuck to your shoe.” Of course. Avni pulled a piece of tissue paper off her shoe (where the fuck did this come from) and grimaced in embarrassment. Taehyung laughed. Avni decided to use the opportunity to talk. “How long are you guys going to be here?” He looked a little confused, obviously be hadn't understood her speedy rambling. He replied with a sheepish smile, “I'm sorry my English is not good.” Avni made a split second decision and began speaking in Korean. “Oh that's alright. I speak Korean.” Taehyung’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “How?” “My mother wanted me to learn all the South East Asian languages when I was a child.” How the fuck did she come up with that lie? “So do you speak Japanese and Chinese as well?” “Well Japanese, a little bit. I suck at Chinese.” “That's cool.” “My roommate speaks Korean too. We've been friends since forever so my mom taught her too.” “Oh wow.” Jeongguk joined them, “Omo, do I hear you speaking in Korean or am I dreaming?” “No you heard right. Oh, we're here.” In front of them was the entrance to the large grounds where at least fifty people were mingling, carrying around plastic glasses of alcohol. A huge bonfire rose in front of them and the boys yelled in glee, running forward. Avni spotted Meghna staring at her from across the grounds, her mouth hanging open as she watched the two boys accompanying her. The group drew some stares, probably because of their colored hair and obvious differences, but nobody recognized them. The boys sighed in relief. They made their way to where Meghna and the rest stood. It was awkward at first, but slowly everyone began to engage in conversation. Karan seemed to have developed an instant friendship with Jin and Namjoon and they had disappeared to the other side of the bonfire. Jimin was trying to engage Kainat in conversation but she was too busy trying not to laugh at Yoongi’s attempts to speak to her in English. Hoseok and Farhaan were drinking together while Jeongguk and Meghna were talking. Avni grinned. Meghna spotted her best friend smirking at her and she hid her red face behind her hair. She knew she was in for a long round of teasing when they'd get back home. Avni realized she couldn't see Taehyung anywhere and her eyes began to search the grounds when someone nudged her shoulder. “Drinks?” Taehyung smiled at her and Avni’s heart almost stopped. She took the glass silently, giving him a small smile. She sipped the alcohol slowly, enjoying the slow burn as it cascaded down the back of her throat. “That dress looks really cute on you.” Avni stared at Taehyung with wide eyes before she remembered that thanking people for compliments was etiquette. “Oh thank you so much. You look nice too.” Understatement of the millennium. Taehyung grinned and took a swig. Gosh, BTS always seemed so pure and happy, they really were, but seeing them drinking and partying was doing things to Avni. Fans always look up to them as though they were gods but really, they were as normal as anyone. Avni realized she had been staring at Taehyung and she quickly looked down at her empty glass. It was awkward, they didn't know what to say. Taehyung glanced at Jeongguk and saw him talking enthusiastically to the other girl… he'd forgotten her name. It felt weird, he had always been the more talkative one and Jeongguk was always the shy one. “Taehyungaa?” Taehyung looked up when she called his name. “I'm going to go get more drinks. Do you want another glass?” “Sure.” He watched her disappear into the crowd and almost fell when someone hugged him from behind. It was Jimin. “Ya, why do you look so forlorn? And why are you alone?” “I wasn't, I mean, I'm not. Avni went to get us drinks.” “Huh. How nice is this? We're actually being normal for once without being hounded by hundreds of fans tearing up the roads in their attempts to get to us.” “True.” “There she comes. Mind if I join you both? It's getting boring there with Meghna and Yoongi hyung. They've discovered their mutual love for Naruto and won't shut up about it.” “Sure, stay.” Avni reached the two boys then and hesitated for a bit before handing Taehyung his glass and offering hers to Jimin. Jimin waved her off, showing her his full glass and taking a swig. Avni was starting to feel a little tipsy, and by the way the two boys in front of her were laughing and rambling, they were too. Somewhere on the distance, she saw Namjoon and Jin disappearing into the nearby bushes but her mind was too drunk to comprehend that. She was shaken out of her thoughts when Jimin put an arm around her. She stared at him smirking at her and he pretended to shoot her with a gun he'd shaped out of his fingers. “You're really cute, you know?” That took her by surprise, but the alcohol helped her recover quickly. “Well you're not too bad yourself.” Taehyung seemed to take offense to that. “If you had to pick, would you pick me or Jimin? Who's more handsome?” “Why would I pick?” “Shut up and just.” Avni laughed eyeing the two boys, their eyes trained on her. She pretended to think hard and set her face into a thoughtful expression and sat there for about ten seconds when Taehyung pushed her softly, “Ya! Quickly! Just give us an answer.” Avni smiled and decided to tease Taehyung, she uttered a single word, “Jimin.” Jimin roared in happiness while Taehyung groaned, “No! Avni I'm more handsome. I'm hot. All the people on the Internet think so too.” Jimin immediately stepped on Taehyung's foot, trying to be discreet, but Avni had of course noticed. She pretended not to and faked a convincing laugh instead. She knew what they were talking about but decided to be ignorant for their sake. Someone hugged her from behind then and it was Meghna, very drunk Meghna. Jeongguk was a few steps behind her, grinning like a madman, obviously drunk. Meghna leaned in and whispered in Avni’s ear, “I really like Jeonggukie.” Avni shot her an incredulous look, “Of course you do. You've liked him since the day you saw him in Dope.” “Noo, not that way! I like like him. He's charming.” “Well I hope he doesn't charm your pants off, with how drunk you are, he just might.” “He asked me to come home with him.” “What?!” The three boys looked up in surprise at Avni’s outburst. Avni flashed them half a smile and dragged a whining Meghna away. “Let me go! I need to make babies with the man of my dreams!” “Shut up and walk!” Avni smacked both Meghna’s cheeks with the palms of her hands and squished her face into a fish like shape. “Wake up! This is not fanfiction! Its not funny if he's trying to get into your pants!” “Oh come on, how many times did we dream of this?” “Enough times because it wasn't real. You'll regret it if you sleep with him and you know that. Jeongguk is a nice guy and all but I'm pretty sure you're not one for one night stands. Now wake up and tell him no if he asks again.” “Fuck you.” “That's not the answer I'm expecting.” “Fine.” The two girls had drawn curious stares from the boys and Jeongguk began to feel awkward when he realized what their conversation must have been about. They returned shortly and Meghna’s face said it all. She glared at Jeongguk and pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. Jeongguk certainly wasn't drunk as her, he could handle his alcohol well. He knew he had to apologize, but he doubted Meghna would remember what he'd said once she'd wake up to a killing hangover the next morning. It had been months since he'd had the chance to be with a girl, his schedule had thrown any sort of intimate contact out of the window. Taehyung watched Avni and noted the irritated set of her eyebrows. Avni approached them, dragging a babbling Meghna with her. She gave them a sheepish smile and said, “I'm so sorry. You guys enjoy the rest of the party. Farhaan, Kainat and Karan will hang around for another hour or so. I have to get Meghna home.” Jeongguk looked like he wanted to say something but he stopped himself. Taehyung waved a goodbye, his eyes following Avni’s form as it disappeared into the crowd for the second time that day. Taehyung’s mind whispered a single word. Areumdaun.

[bangtanandbeyond14-blog]

On our way Chapter #3

Avni stared at the picture on Meghna’s phone and looked at her roommate incredulously. She glanced at her for a second before flicking her on the forehead, “Did you seriously put up an act to try and fool me into believing this?” “I'm not lying! Look at the picture! Our elevator is in the background!” Avni looked at the picture once more and flicked Meghna on the forehead again. “Seriously? Photoshop?” “Wha- no-” Meghna started but Avni’s look of distaste silenced her. “You have to believe me! I'm not lying-” “Oh God, stop.” Of course Avni would think she was lying. Why would kpop stars be in India? Meghna stood up and grabbed Avni’s hand before dragging her out of the room and towards the front door. Avni’s protests fell on deaf ears. Meghna stared through the peep hole and saw Yoongi standing near the door, tapping his foot. Meghna gasped and took a step back before pushing Avni towards the door. Avni stared through the hole wearily and was about to turn away when her body went rigid. She stared through the hole, clenching her fist. She could see Taehyung and Yoongi outside. Taehyung shut the door and he turned to face Yoongi, who's back was towards the girls’ front door. She had a clear view of his face. Avni jumped back and tried to unlock the door but Meghna squeaked and grabbed her hand and had to wrestle her away, with her other hand clamped over Avni’s mouth to keep her from screeching. “Now do you believe me?” Avni nodded weakly. They rushed back to the peep hole to find the corridor outside empty. Avni grabbed her keys and Meghna smoothed her hair into a more presentable ‘do. They rushed out of their house and down the stairs as fast as their legs could carry them. Meghna stopped suddenly right before they could descend to the ground floor and Avni crashed into her. “What the fuck?” “We shouldn't be hasty. Let's pretend we don't know them.” “Why the fuck not?” “I don't think having two fans as neighbors will keep them here.” Avni sighed, “Good thinking.” They climbed down slowly after that, their eyes darting around to take in a 180 degree view of everything around them. They spotted the two boys walking out of the lobby towards where the rest of the boys stood. Scratch that, Namjoon and Jimin were missing. The two girls stifled squeals of delight and hid behind a pillar and watched them. Years of being obsessed with kpop and watching tons of kdramas had helped them learn Korean. From their position, they could just make out the boys’ conversation. “Aish, this suck so much,” Taehyung said, running a hand through his dark hair. Suga’s monotonous voice replied, “I wanted to sleep. Why did they have to have the house cleaned now?” The rest mumbled in agreement. Hoseok said, “There's supposed to be a park around here somewhere, right? Let's head over there.” The reply that came next made both the girls jump. “Where the fuck is it? I'm fucking tired.” It was Seokjin. Yoongi was often known to swear and the rest had at least done it enough times on camera for the fans to be used to it. But Seokjin? Who would've thought our pink princess was such a potty mouth? The boys began to walk away and the girls followed, hiding behind whatever they could and staying as close to them as their circumstances allowed. The park was close, it was actually right down the road and the boys found it after a two minute walk. They walked in and immediately headed over to the trimmed grass. Yoongi collapsed before anyone could stop him, this time on purpose. Hoseok was clicking pictures of all the pretty flowers and the rest were sitting on the grass, immersing themselves in conversation. It was like watching a bangtan bomb happening right in front of them, minus the boys talking to a camera. The two girls stared at each other for a second before their best friend telepathy made them nod in understanding. They looped their arms together at the elbow and began to walk around the park on the jogging track. They were far away from the boys and were shaking in excitement, trying to keep themselves from running. They were slowly nearing the boys, intently watching them from the corners of their eyes. Avni decided to start talking in their native language, telugu, to prevent themselves from seeming too suspicious. “Oh my God, they look beautiful!” “Why are you talking?” “To not seem questionable.” “Good point. Oh Lord look at Jeongguk…” “Don't say their names! Call him… biscuit.” “...what?” “It's kinda synonymous with his nickname. I couldn't think of anything better.” Jeongguk was lounging in the sun, lying in Taehyung's lap while Taehyung chatted with Hoseok. Finally, the girls reached them and passed by them. Their conversation was beginning to falter and they had to force themselves to not stare at them. After about three more rounds and gushing about the boys in Telugu, they forced themselves to leave the park and head back home. Meghna said, “I cannot believe this! Is this a dream?” “If it is, it's got to be the best one I've ever had.” “Let's head- Oh fuck, it's Namjoon and Jimin…” “WHERE.” “Right there near our apartment!” Avni followed her gaze and stared at the two boys who seemed to be arguing about something. The girls tried to blend in and not be noticed but they failed, Namjoon had noticed them. He gazed at them for about two seconds before looking away. As though it was a movie, they passed by each other in slow motion. Avni was just about to grab Meghna’s hand and squeeze the shit out of it when Namjoon’s rich voice called out to them. “Excuse me?” Avni practically whipped around and Meghna had to subtly squeeze her arm to keep her from babbling. “Yes?” Jimin stared at them now and Avni found it hard to breathe. Namjoon was staring at Meghna, “You are our neighbor, right?” Meghna answered in a calm tone that surprised both the girls, “Yes. It's nice to meet you. This is my roommate, Avni.” Avni gave them a feeble wave and a weak smile, feeling her legs turning to jelly. The boys smiled back, flashing their pearly whites and nearly blinding the girls. “It's nice to meet you too. I'm Namjoon and this is Jimin. We're sorry for disturbing you, but could you direct us to the nearest convenience store?” If it hadn't been for who they were talking to and the circumstance they were in, Avni would have laughed at his extremely formal demeanour and the fact that they thought an introduction was necessary. “Sure, just walk along this road that way,” Avni pointed, “And t-take the second right. You'll find yourself in front of this store called Heritage.” Namjoon nodded and smiled, and both the the boys bowed. “Thank you.” Faster than the eye could follow, the girls had their backs bent and eyes on the ground. As soon as the two boys turned their backs on them, Avni and Meghna sprinted into the nearby bushes and jumped into them and started at the boys’ backs. Avni let out a loud squeal and Meghna had to physically restrain her from herself. Jimin turned around, obviously having heard her screech and his eyes scanned his surroundings before they walked away. Avni and Meghna stared at each other in silence for the next ten minutes before heading back home. -x- It wasn't a secret, Avni and Meghna were borderline fitness freaks. The next morning, they pulled on their jogging shorts and exercise attire, plugged in their headphones and slipped on their Fitbit watches before heading out for a jog. It was very early, just 6 AM, but Avni’s health depended on their daily exercise. She had polycystic ovarian syndrome, which was a very common disorder among women in its minor stages. Avni just had it worse than most. She always kept junk food to a minimum because she could gain weight in days and her period became more painful when she was heavier. Meghna decided to join Avni on her regime to keep her sane and happy and to obviously be the supportive best friend she was. The two jogged around the locality, opting not to go into the park today. Meghna glanced up during their third lap and spotted Namjoon staring at them from their flat’s balcony. She let out a squeak and murmured to Avni, “Look up.” Avni glanced up in the most obvious way possible and Namjoon seemed taken aback that he had been caught staring. He quickly composed himself and waved and the two girls smiled. Just as they were about to turn around a corner, Taehyung stepped into the balcony. He had obviously just woken up, his hair was a mess and his eyes were still adjusting to the light. His smooth golden skin practically shined and Avni could feel herself drooling at the sight. He sleepily ran a hand through his hair to sweep it off his face and in that moment Avni lost her balance and gracefully face planted into a pole. Before any of them could react, they heard a loud cackle, obviously directed at them. Meghna turned around and spotted two men, leering at them from a distance. They looked rowdy and dirty and Avni didn't want to get involved with them, so the girls continued to jog. Another round later, just as they reached the same spot, a hand grabbed Meghna and pulled her back, making her shriek. One of the men had his hand around her arm and he was grinning. Avni whipped around and glared. The second man approached her and tried to grab onto her. Above them, Namjoon and Taehyung had been watching them since the moment they had greeted each other. Taehyung gritted his teeth and glanced at Namjoon who nodded. They practically raced downstairs after screaming at Hoseok that they had work to do. But the scene that greeted them when they reached was far from their expectations. Owing to their daily Jiu-jitsu classes, Avni had her foot planted on one of the men’s chests and she was screaming at him in a language the boys’ couldn't understand. Meghna was throwing a rock at a form that was running away very rapidly, limping and groaning. The man under Avni whimpered and she took her foot off. “Nee lanti chattha vaala vallane ammayulu inti nunchi baytaki raaru. Ikkada malli kanipacharante police nee pilichi lopala uthikettu chesthanu. Po!” It's because of people like you that girls don't want to step out of their houses. If I see you here again I'll ensure you'll get thrown into jail and beaten up within an inch of your life. Get lost! The man stood up, almost falling over, and raced away, screaming profanities laced with apologies. Taehyung and Namjoon stared in awe. They had expected a situation like those in the many kdramas they had watched, where the boy would come and protect the girl and chase away the men who wanted to hurt her. Taehyung liked this version better. He stared at Avni, or as he called her in his head, the short cutie, and almost laughed at how fierce she looked. Meghna was clutching her arm, scowling. “It's going to bruise. That fucker had such a hard grip! I'll skin him if he ever tries to approach another girl again.” That's when they noticed the two boys staring at them from a distance. Taehyung flinched at the glare Avni threw at him, before her gaze softened. Namjoon spoke up, “Are you.. okay?” Avni was too riled up to feel shy. “We're fine.” “We… er… thought you might need our help and we raced downstairs when we saw those men trying to harm you.” Taehyung, who obviously couldn't understand the conversation, stared at them in bewilderment, slightly comprehending what was being said. “We're alright. We train in martial arts. It's as they say, better stay safe than sorry.” Namjoon looked impressed, “Absolutely.” The four stared at each other awkwardly before Taehyung spoke, “I'm Taehyung. It's nice to uh meet you.” Avni’s eyebrows shot up, his accent was almost American. His English had gotten better from his time in American Hustle Life. “Hi! Namjoon already knows us. I'm Avni and this is Meghna. We're your neighbors.” “Nice ta meet you.” “You too.”

[bangtanandbeyond14-blog]

On Our Way CH#2

The first thing that hit the seven boys upon walking out of the airport was the absolute lack of fans and paparazzi waiting to greet them and click pictures of them. Of course, their trip was a secret, nobody except for their management, family and friends in Korea knew of it. A sleek black SUV was waiting for them at the International arrivals Terminal. Two awkward looking body guards stood next to the car, trying to make their presence there justifiable. The seven got into the car, their stomachs growling. The seven hour flight had tired them. They found the city and the sights it had to offer very interesting, but they were too tired to take it all in. Namjoon had his nose pressed to the window, practically drinking in everything he could lay his eyes on.

The first few kilometers from the airport were deserted but beautiful. The road was lined with rows upon rows of carefully maintained flowers and gardens. The only cars there were either headed to or coming from the airport. A few more kilometers later, they emerged into the inner parts of the bustling city. It was very crowded and very different.

“Any hot girls there, Joonie?” Jimin asked and Namjoon shot him a glare before continuing to stare. Taehyung had spoken to Minho and Suho about how India would be. He'd received the same answer from both of them, that it was very different from Korea. Far from the common misconception that Hallyu hadn't reached the country's shores, there were apparently thousands of Kpop fans in the country and that the TV show the two had shot here had prevented them from interacting with the fans who wanted to meet with them. The seven passed many statues, a huge cylindrical building that seemed to have been wrapped in some sort of mesh, many huge fancy hotels and an even bigger theater.

“Where did PD nim say we were staying?” Jeongguk asked.

Namjoon consulted a paper in his hand and answered, “He said that we were to stay in a guest house in a housing locality where the chances of us getting recognized were remote.”

“And where is that? We've been in this car for an hour and a half and my patience is wearing thin. If we don't get there soon I'm going to die.”

“Shut up. The area is called… Kond.. Kon… Kon-daa-poor… Kondapur!”

“That's such a fucked up name.”

Seokjin shot him a look, “To people here, Jeongguk would be a fucked up name.”

“Not as fucked up as your face.”

“Baby, you know you love it.”

Finally, after a two hour long car ride, they reached the apartment they were to stay in. The building was five stories tall and looked pretty decent. Jimin groaned and stretched, jumping out of the car, mumbling about how tired he was and the other members murmured in agreement. Their driver, Mr. Jun, who was also to be their guide briefed them on their stay.

“So as you know, you will be staying here for the next three months, which is the entire length of summer here. As PD nim has already told you, use this time to relax and enjoy yourselves. Your photoshoots will begin next month, so you seven will get to tour the city this month, alright?”

Seven heads nod.

“Do you have any questions?”

Taehyung did, “Which floor are we living on?”

“The fourth.”

Jimin was next, “Are you sure no one here will recognize us? We've spotted quite a lot of comments from Indians on our YouTube channels and V Lives.”

“Well the possibility is remote, the city we've brought you to does have some fans but their numbers are few so it would take a miracle for you to meet them.”

“What if we do?”

“Tell them you don't know what they're talking about and get out of there as fast as you can. We don't want media attention.”

“Of course.”

The boys and their seemingly useless bodyguards picked up their bags and made their way to their flat. Just as they entered the lobby, a girl walked out of the lift, unnoticed by them. Her eyes widened in shock when she spotted them and she almost screamed, before quickly hiding behind a pillar. Nobody had noticed her yet, and now they were patiently waiting for the elevator to return from the third floor.

The girl clamped a hand over her mouth and continued to stare in disbelief. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, and yes, those boys were certainly the same as the ones that were present on the posters in her room. She dug into her purse for her phone and managed to click a picture of Jeongguk and Jimin before they all entered the lift and the doors closed behind them. With shaking hands, she stared at the picture she had clicked. Her eyes snapped up then, to see what floor they had stopped on and it was the fourth!

Her floor!

Faster than the eye could follow she ran up the stairs and stopped right before the door to her floor to catch her breath, and then in what she hoped was a calm and composed manner, she walked through the doors and back to her apartment. The boys were entering theirs, and didn't spare her a glance before shutting the door.

The girl bolted to her flat then, ringing the bell five times in quick succession before it was finally opened.

“Meghna? Did you forget something?”

Meghna glanced at her roommate and best friend, Avni, for a second, before bolting into the flat and into her room.

Annie stared at Meghna in confusion, what was wrong with this chick?

Just as she closed the door, she heard a muffled shriek from Meghna’s room. Alarmed, she walked into her room to see her stuffing her face into her pillow and screaming.

“What the fuck?”

Cue Shriek #3

“Seriously stop, you're worrying me.”

Cue Shriek #4

Avni pulled her off the bed and shook her, “What happened? Did you see a hot guy or something? Or are you finally metamorphing into a dinosaur?”

Meghna shook her head and wordlessly she picked up her phone and opened her gallery. She stuffed the picture she had clicked into Avni’s startled face.

“BTS has moved into the flat next to ours.”

[bangtanandbeyond14-blog]

On our way CH#1

The chants of thousands of fans filled the ears of seven boys who were dancing for the crowd that had gathered to see them. They put their heart and soul into their dance and music, singing and rapping to make sure their fans would go home satisfied. The last song of the night was coming to an end and the boys were immensely tired, but with all the energy they could muster, they pushed themselves far beyond their limits and put in more effort to take their performance to perfection.

Nae pita nunmeul…

Just as the song ended, the delighted screams of the fans turned to ones of horror as they noticed one of the boys swaying, legs bending, face going limp. The boy collapsed forward and his head banged against the hard stage. His band mates stared in shock for a second before bolting towards him. The concert staff rushed to the spot and big burly bouncers began to control the crowd, separating fights that had broken out and preventing stampedes.

“Calm down everyone! Taehyung is fine! Please don't push each other! We will be with you in a second, please wait patiently!”, the leader of the band shouted into his microphone, urging the fans to calm down.

The fainted singer was carried off of the stage on a stretcher to worried fans chanting his name.

Kim Taehyung! Kim Taehyung! Kim Taehyung! Kim Taehyung! Kim Taehyung!

But Taehyung was not fine. Attempts to revive him failed. He wasn't dead, God no, he was just asleep. He reveled in a deep slumber of exhaustion, caused by lack of sleep and forced starvation to achieve the body he had hoped would make the fans happy. His once chubby form now lay on a bed, skinny and toned, undoubtedly attractive, but undeniably undernourished.

The leader returned to the stage to continue fan interactions. He convinced the crowd that Taehyung was fine and that he had fainted due to short of breath. That he was resting and that the armies should pray for him and send him lots of love.

-x-

Backstage, the eldest of the group was sitting on a couch next to Taehyung’s sleeping form, rubbing his sleepy eyes and trying to stay awake. He could hear Namjoon talking to Bang PD nim in hushed voices outside the room.

The door opened suddenly and it was Jeongguk, his hair a mess and his mouth set in a permanent frown. He looked like he was going to be sick.

“How is Tae?”, he asked and Seokjin shot him a reassuring smile.

“He's alright, he's just resting. He's exhausted not sick, so don't worry.”

Jeongguk nodded and collapsed next to Jin with a deep sigh. He turned to Jin and started talking.

“He always does this.”

“What?”

“He always starves himself. He thinks it'll make him better somehow, more lithe and perfect or whatever, at least that's what he tells me everytime I try to talk him out of his crazy whims. And he never learns. The last time he fainted I was sure he'd get kicked out of the band for not taking care of himself. Look at Taehyun, the poor thing was depressed and he got kicked out. I can't imagine how the band will do without him, I talk to Mino sometimes and he tells me they find it hard to make music now. I just-”

“Okay shh- stop babbling. Taehyung is not going to get kicked out. He's too valuable and we all know it so shush. Now go get some sleep. Alright?”

“But-”

“I'll chain you to your bed, I swear. And you'll probably enjoy it, but I'm not promising-”

“Hyung!”

Seokjin laughed, ruffling Jeongguk's hair who stood up to take one last look at his best friend before leaving for their dormitories.

Just as he was leaving, he spotted people running behind him. He turned around to see what all the commotion was about and spotted a body on the floor. Familiar black hair could be spotted between the three or four pairs of legs.

Not again

Jeongguk rushed to the spot and found Yoongi sprawled out on the floor. People were struggling to pick him up and Jeongguk pushed them away, picking the older boy up with almost no effort at all. Yoongi had wiped the makeup off his face and his dark circles were now out in the light for the world to see. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, he obviously hadn't.

Jeongguk screamed for Namjoon, Jimin, anyone and Hoseok peeked through a door to see why Jeongguk was trying to end the world with his loud voice. Hoseok almost tripped over his own feet as he rushed to Jeongguk and helped him take Yoongi to the couch. They carefully laid him down and unbuttoned his tight jacket to let him breathe. PD Nim arrived at the scene a few minutes later. He was beyond irritated.

Namjoon reached there a second later and immediately tried to apologize to PD nim who waved his pleas off.

“I'm not disappointed, Namjoon. I know how hard you have all worked, harder than necessary even. But I'm angry. There's a limit to how much physical exhaustion your bodies can take!”

“Sunbae-”

“I know how hectic your schedules are, I plan them. But I don't recollect asking you boys to starve yourselves or lose sleep over work!”

“We're sorry-”

“I'm suspending your activities for a while. You're on hiatus.”

Silence enveloped the scene. Yoongi began to stir and Jeongguk tried to keep him from talking. The tension was thick in the air, but PD nim smiled.

“Namjoon, Jeongguk, tell me when both of them are awake and better. I'm packing you off to some place to rest.”

“Rest, sir?”

“Well there will be some amount of work. Photoshoots. Some amount of filming for bangtan bombs. I can't waste money to send you off on vacation, we need it for the 6 Aces debut. But you boys are getting some time off.”

-x-

Jeongguk rummaged through his closet, trying to find something to wear. He couldn't contain his excitement. He knew joining Big Hit had been an excellent choice. Unlike SM Entertainment and other big shot companies that were profit minded, Big Hit actually cared for its employees. Of course, PD nim was only paying for the accommodation, food and staff. Where they were going however, was a mystery. Seokjin being the eldest had accompanied Namjoon in the meeting that followed and proposed a location where not many people would know them so that they'd be able to actually rest. Taehyung and Yoongi were asleep in their beds and so was everyone else but Jeongguk couldn't sleep.

He pulled his phone out and texted Yugyeom but relieved no reply, of course he didn't.

It's 3 AM.

Jeongguk closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep, wondering where they'd go.

-x-

That night, the seven received the most rest and sleep in months. They woke up well onto the day, almost at noon. Taehyung was the first to wake up and was extremely confused about where he was. He recognized his dorm and the sleeping forms on the two beds next to his but he had no idea how he'd gotten here.

The last thing he remembered was the stage and a feeling of utter exhaustion- oh.

He had fainted. On stage. In front of thousands of fans. Pictures of him were probably now all over the news, all over social media. He groaned and put his face in his hands. He knew he shouldn't have starved himself, but he knew it was the fastest way to get into shape for the tour. His phone buzzed next to him and Taehyung almost jumped out of his skin.

He had so many notifications, messages and missed calls. At the top was a message from Minho, asking me if he was alright. There were at least five missed calls from him. His parents had called several times too.

Taehyung texted Minho he was okay and that he shouldn't worry and was just about to call his parents when his phone stared ringing, flashing Minho’s name.

A rough worried voice almost screamed into the phone.

“Taehyunga! Are you okay?”

“Hyung, I'm fine don't worry-”

“If what Jeongguk told me is true I'll drive all the way to your dorm to throttle your ass!”

“What did he tell you?”

“That you've been starving yourself. Isn't this exactly what I told you not to do when we were shooting?”

Silence from Taheyung’s end. He knew he shouldn't have, of course he did.

“I'm sorry-”

“Don't apologize. Go get something to eat. And eat till you make your grandmother proud.”

Taehyung smiled.

“Alright.”

He hung up.

“Who was that?”

Jimin was awake.

“Minho.”

Jimin sat up and pushed the sheets off his frame, sliding his legs off the bed.

“How are you feeling?”

“I'm… alright. Much better. I needed- ah!”

Jimin tackled Taehyung and sat on his stomach, repeatedly hitting him with his pillow.

“You absolute idiot! Do you have any idea how worried we were?!”

“Hyung! Sto-”

“Starving yourself is not the solution! And don't I exist? Didn't you think of me? Couldn't you have told me that- oof!”

Hoseok had thrown his pillow on Jimin’s face.

“Let me sleep you undergrown cow!”

Jimin growled at the insult that was obviously directed at his height. Jimin threw the pillow back at Hoseok who swiftly caught it and managed to plant in back onto Jimin's face faster than the eye could follow.

Taehyung burst out laughing and Jimin rolled off him, joining into the laughter. Hoseok got off the bed and stuck his hand under Taehyung's shirt, pressing his palm against Tae’s flat stomach. He was certainly down with a fever, but at least it didn't seem bad.

“Gosh Taehyung, you idiot. PD nim was so worried, he barely slept. Jeongguk was by your bed for almost the entire night until Jimin kicked him out at 3 AM.”

Silence ensued. It made Taehyung feel horrible that he'd made everyone worry so much. But he couldn't  help himself. It was clear his condition bordered on an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa probably, bulimia too to some extent. But he found it hard to meet his goals with just sheer hard work and exercise.

“I'm sorry.”

A voice spoke from the doorway then, it was Jeongguk.

“Of course you should be. We'd kill you if you weren't.”

Jeongguk sat down next to Taehyung and hugged him, trying to convey that they were all here for him. Taehyung molded into the hug and smiled.

“Tae, there's a lot you missed while you were asleep. Firstly, PD nim wants to see you. There's no way you'll get out of it, unless you probably die and I'll gladly kill you. Secondly, I'm stuffing at least three plates of pancakes down your throat for breakfast today.”

Taehyung laughed, his eyes crinkled and he shot the other members his signature boxy smile, “Alright.”

-x-

The conversation between PD nim and Taehyung was short but serious and the tension was thick in the air all through it until the elder patted Taehyung’s head and told him to eat something. Yoongi woke up last to six faces staring down at him in worry. He'd never been more embarrassed in his life. He had just been sleepy and exhausted, and he felt okay except for a pounding migraine that reverberated through his skull and made him feel like his head was breaking open.

The seven were now alright; fed and resting, but very, very agitated. All they could think about was PD nim’s promise, that they'd be going somewhere on vacation. The other members had asked Namjoon to request for a place where people wouldn't recognize them so that they wouldn't have to worry about saesang fans disrupting their short period of relaxation.

PD nim had told them he'd relay their request to the finance department and had gone to attend the meeting that would decide their fate.

The seven were now sprawled in front of a TV, watching the new episode of some kdrama Seokjin and Hoseok were following.

“Where do you think they'll send us?”, Jimin asked, glancing at the rest.

“I hope it's not Europe or America again, I want to go someplace new.” - Tae

“I think they'll take us to Africa.” - Seokjin

“Africa?!” - Namjoon

“And maybe film us getting mawled by tigers.” - Seokjin

“What the- firstly no, are you crazy? And secondly, there are no tigers in Africa, there are lions.” - Namjoon

“It's all the same.” - Taehyung

“I'd like to get mawled by a lion.” - Yoongi

“What the fuck?” - everyone else

“At least then I'd be able to sleep forever.”

Six signs of exasperation later silence prevailed.

The meeting lasted for three hours, and PD nim approached them later with a smile.

The members immediately stood up and bowed and the elder waved off the etiquette.

“Where are we going?”

“Tell me it's not Europe.”

“Its Africa isn't it?”

“I don't want to die…”

PD nim raised a hand and everyone quitened down immediately.

“Boys, pack for a looong trip. Make sure to bring thin clothing, because it's going to be pretty hot.”

“It is Afri-”

“You're all getting packed off to India.”