The A-Z of Love

the King

After dinner, Zoey managed to stay awake long enough to watch a movie with everyone. Well, as much as someone could watch a movie with someone making comments the whole time.

"Wooyoung! Be quiet."

She felt a little sorry for the dancer as Hongjoong told him off. She expected a bit of retaliation, but before Wooyoung could make a move, San silenced him in his own way.

Zoey should have seen it coming. She knew the two were soulmates after all, but it was still a shock to suddenly see the two Idols making out in front of her.

Suddenly a cushion hit the couple and they broke apart. Wooyoung looked around for the culprit and glared at them. Jungho stared back impassively.

"Go to your room if you want to do that."

Wooyoung stuck out his tongue at the Maknae but settled quietly beside his soulmate for the rest of the movie.

Once it had finished, Zoey yawned - again - and Hongjoong and Seonghwa both noticed.

"Okay. Bedtime, I think."

There was a chorus of goodnights and see you tomorrows  from the rest of the group as Zoey's soulmates led her out of the room. They stopped in the doorway of the room she was staying in.

Hongjoong opened his arms for a hug which Zoey happily walked into.

"Sleep well. Tomorrow I take you shopping."

Seonghwa leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Zoey."

Yeosang surprised her by giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Sweet dreams."

Zoey was a blushing mess as she looked at Jongho. The Maknae's eyes were wide as they flicked between his Hyungs and her. In the end, he waved at her cutely.

"See you tomorrow."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jongho rushed down the hall to his own room. The older soulmates chucked at his behaviour.

Hongjoong looked at Zoey again.

"I suggest using bathroom quick. These guys have long beauty routine."

"Hyung, she'll need to borrow toiletries tonight."

"Right, of course."

"I'll gather some things for her to use."

Seonghwa left and Hongjoong explained to Zoey.

"If you need anything else, just let me know. Me and Seonghwa will be in this room. Just next door, okay?"

"Okay, thank you."

In the back of her mind, she reminded herself to speak in Korean whenever she could, but at that moment she was far too tired for her brain to function that way.

Hongjoong and Yeosang left and Zoey walked further into her room before realising that she didn't even have pyjamas to change into. Instead, she looked through the welcome gift of skincare that Wooyoung had apparently helped put together for her.

"Zoey?"

She turned around to see Jongho in the doorway. In his hands, he was holding a pile of clothes. He held them out to her.

"Oh, thank you."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Seonghwa then appeared with a toothbrush and towels.

"You should have everything else in here..."

He looked through the products and held two out to her.

"Wash."

Zoey took them and then he gave her another.

"Cream?"

"Moisturiser. Okay. Thank you."

Seeing the clothes on her bed, he looked confused.

"You have clothes?"

"Jongho."

"Ah."

Seonghwa smiled as if there was an inside joke she was missing.

He led her to the bathroom, checking that it was free for her to use.

"I clean for you. Boys messy. Um, I go now. See you in morning."

Despite being so tired, when Zoey got into bed she struggled to fall asleep. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to sleeping in a room other than her own, or because she was left alone with her thoughts for the first time since arriving.

It didn't help that she didn't have any of her own stuff. She was reliant on them. Although she did find it sweet how they each tried to look after her.

She was startled by a knock on her door.

"Yes?"

The door opened and San popped his head in.

"I saw the light was on. Can't sleep?"

Zoey shook her head.

"Can I come in?"

"Er, sure. Yes."

San opened the door fully and jumped on her bed. He was holding a stuffed toy.

"For you. To comfort you."

"Thank you."

"I think you are very brave. Coming here. But also very happy. The others were very excited these past few months."

"I was excited too."

"How was your first day? I hope you felt at home with us. We want you to be comfortable."

"It was really nice. I thought I would feel overwhelmed, and I did a little -"

"Wooyoung didn't overwhelm you? He can be a bit much sometimes."

"No. He was great, really. I'm happy he wants to be my friend."

"You'll find him annoying eventually. And we all want to be your friend, Zoey. It's just... You have limited time with your soulmates. We want you to have lots of time with them. We can get to know you later. You understand?"

"I do. Thank you."

"No. Thank you for coming here. Your soulmates so happy to find their final soulmate. Complete their soulgroup."

"I didn't believe it at first. It still seems... Unreal."

"Once you bond you have no more doubts, okay?"

They both looked at the tattoo around San's finger, the same one Wooyoung had on his, the mark that showed that they were soulmates. Their mark was two tightly intertwined lines going up and down like a rollercoaster around their ring fingers.

"It suits you."

"Thank you. I better leave before Woo comes looking for me. Unless you want to have a sleepover?"

"Umm..."

"Joke, joke. Go to sleep now. See you in the morning!"

"Night, San."

As she lay back down, Zoey stared at her hand trying to imagine what her soulmate might look like. What would represent the five of them? She didn't know and that made her all the more excited, but also nervous, to find out.

To find out she would have to complete the bond with all four of them. She hid her face in the pillow at the thought. The only way to bond was to kiss, on the lips.

Zoey was going to have to kiss four members of ATEEZ, four K-pop Idols! They had been nothing but gentlemen today, but she realised that they will want to bond before she leaves again.

Every minute for the next two weeks Zoey was going to wonder if that was the moment that it would happen.

This is going to be exhausting!