Never Give Up

Chapter 8

POV: Taehyung

Taehyung was focused as he worked on their shelter while Jimin and Jungkook took on the opposing team. "Tae, behind us!" Jimin shouted, entirely absorbed in the battle to the front of them. Taehyung switched to his weapon as he fired at the team that had tried to sneak up behind them. He was able to get most of them before he was downed by a sniper up the hill.

"I'm down!" he yelped as he helplessly watched first Jungkook and then Jimin fall prey to the same sniper.

"Dang that dude!" Jungkook growled, watching his death cam. "He's gotten us the last three times! How is this possible?!?"

"Whatcha' doing?" Y/N's voice startled them. The three of them whipped their heads to the door to see her watching them curiously. Her eyes slid to the screen and a smile brightened her face. "Oh, Fortnite! How fun!"

Taehyung's jaw dropped open. "Y/N! Are you familiar with Fortnite?" He blushed deeply when she looked at him. What in the world is wrong with me? Why is she affecting me so deeply?

She shrugged diffidently. "I sometimes play it with my brother. I'm not really good..."

Jimin jumped to the couch between Taehyung and Jungkook and pointed to the seat he'd just left. "Come on! Play with us!"

Her eyes lit up, but she hesitated. "Maybe not... I'm not being humble. I'm really not very good..." She slowly moved to the armchair. "I don't mind watching you, though."

Jungkook grinned at her and Taehyung found himself smiling as she blushed. They'd all been on the receiving end of Jungkook's charm so her reaction definitely wasn't a surprise. "Aw, come on, Y/N! We'll have a full team if you play!"

She shook her head, but picked up the controller they'd placed near her. "You've been warned..."

Jungkook quickly booted up their game as Y/N joined their party. Taehyung was fascinated to watch her play. At first, it seemed that she had forgotten some of the controls. However, she picked it up quickly and was pretty consistent in shouting out foes and making sure they had the supplies they needed. Taehyung laughed merrily as she apologized profusely every time she died.

Taehyung noticed that she played very conservatively, but seemed to like to explore every chest they came across. If she felt threatened, she would hide in the bushes. He found himself occasionally glancing her way, just to watch her concentrated face. She seemed to be able to engage with them fairly naturally, even though she had her extremely shy moments, which he found enchanting. When they finally reached the Number One rank all together, they all erupted out of their chairs to cheer. She jumped away from them to make sure she didn't inadvertently make physical contact.

As she and his partners discussed their next game, he really thought about how he was reacting to this new element in their life. This sweet woman made him want to embrace her... protect her... He wanted to share his life with her and his soulmates. As he watched them interact, he knew she was a good fit for them. Was he ready for a new soulmate if Hobi, Namjoon and Yoongi were correct? Did they even have a choice? He smiled softly. Whether or not he was ready or if they had a choice, he acknowledged he was drawn to her. That was enough for him.

POV: Jeny

Jeny had been a little worried about believing the story of this person who claimed to be Y/N. The story she'd given had been completely UNbelievable. However, the girl had talked just like Y/N. It had taken her friend Jun a day to get free to go with her. It wasn't that she couldn't speak Korean, but having someone from Korea could help with any nuances she might miss. Of course, she could also help research the mystery caller if it turned out this was a bucket full of crap.