Make Me STAY

Mirror

"Noona, have you found your soulmate?"

"Wooyoung! You can't ask stuff like that. Sorry, Noona."

Rose smiled slightly as leader Hongjoong told off his younger group member while sitting in the chair in front of her. She had been at KQ Entertainment for two years now and had been assigned to ATEEZ as their makeup artist, stylist, and general assistant to the group's staff. During that time, she had grown fond of the boys as if they were little brothers.

"Yeosang was the one who wanted to know."

She glanced over at Yeosang in surprise. He was one of the quieter members and also one that Rose thought wouldn't ask such a question just because he was curious about her personal life.

"Why did you want to know, Yeosang?"

"Soulmates have been on my mind recently. After we met BTS's Anna at the MAMA's, I was wondering..."

Yeosang bit his lip as he looked down at his hands in his lap. Noticing his soulmate's mood, Seonghwa walked over to the younger singer and stroked his hair comfortingly.

Rose had stopped doing Hongjoong's makeup to ask Yeosang the question, but a movement turned her attention back to the leader. He was smiling sadly at his left hand which he had held out in front of him. She understood what Yeosang meant.

Held to the highest levels of secrecy, Rose was one of the few members of staff who knew about ATEEZ's soulmate situation. While San and Wooyoung's bond had not been a shock to anyone, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yeosang, and Jongho's incomplete bond had been a bit of a surprise. They had yet to meet their final soulmate.

"I have... found them. My soulmate. But we haven't bonded. He - he doesn't even know about me yet."

"What? Noona... why haven't you told him?"

She smiled sadly at Yunho.

"Sometimes it's not that easy."

"Can we help, Noona?"

Unknowingly, they had already tried to help her. When she found out that ATEEZ would be participating in KINGDOM with Stray Kids, Rose had taken it as a sign. Every time she was in their dressing room for the show, her heart would race at the thought of her soulmate being so close. Yet, they never crossed paths.

Instead, she had to listen as the boys from ATEEZ talked about the new friends they had made. Observant Hongjoong had noticed her interest when he talked about working with Bang Chan and the rappers from Stray Kids. A couple of times he had tried to organise for her to meet them, however for one reason or another, things never worked out.

"Thank you Hongjoong, but I have a plan. If- if that doesn't work, then perhaps I'll take you up on that offer."

"You're a part of our family now, Noona, and we will always help each other."

Hongjoong said it so sincerely that Rose felt herself get a little emotional. When she first started working there her Korean had barely been passable. The leader had helped her a lot in the first few months when she struggled with the language barrier.

"Aww, you boys are too sweet! Come on, let me finish. This is your last show before you go on tour. Are you excited?"

"We finally get to see ATINY in person again!"

"I'm so excited, but also a little nervous."

"We'll miss you, Noona!"

"I can't believe Noona's not coming with us."

They all laughed at Mingi's pout, including Rose.

"You'll be having so much fun you won't even notice I'm not there."