ink bound (JJK, Book 1 of the Soulmate Series)

chapter twenty six

- JK's pov -

I can feel her hand in mine. Our shoulders brushing against each other as we walk to Jimin's apartment. I'm watching her toe her shoes off as she lets go of me with a smile over her shoulder. She skips over to Jimin and helps lay the alcohol out on the table. I see her. I hear her laughing at something Jin said. I see her smile when she hands Yoongi a glass of whiskey, her eyes rolling playfully at Hobi who is complimenting her tiktoks as he shows the dances she's done to Jimin. I see the reserved way she approaches Tae to hand him a beer. The way she cutely scolds Namjoon when he walks over to them to grab a beer almost bumping into Jimin and making him spill his drink. It almost feels like a dream to be watching all of this. To see her, so soon, in Korea. Like this. I don't know how I got so lucky to find someone who so easily fits into this family of mine. Who gets along so easily with my brothers and who has never once complained about sharing her time with all of us. It feels just a little too perfect that I figure this must be something only playing in my imagination.

Before getting my soul mark, I had my fair share of girlfriends. All of them just for fun, and in my later teen years all of them just wanting attention from Jungkook of BTS. Never Jeon Jungkook. Even when there were a little more feelings involved with one of the girls, nothing could ever rival what I feel looking at Taylor. Like the whole world moves in slow motion when she's around. Like every time I see her, it always feels like the first time all over again.

My eyes unconsciously watch her every move as she's laughing at some god awful joke Jin just made while I make my way over to the couch. Leaning back onto the cushions scrolling through some weverse posts, I don't expect the light scent of strawberries that hit my nose head on. Taylor plops herself across my lap, circling her arms around my neck. My arms act on instinct, circling around that pretty waist.

"This okay?" She asks teasingly and despite the confidence she carries in her tone, I see the tint of pink creeping onto her cheeks. I hear her rapid heartbeat in my ear.

"Always, Bella" I speak lowly into her ear, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Who's first?" Hobi speaks, grabbing the mics and turning them on.

"Taylor!" Jimin jumps up.

"Mmmmm" Taylor shakes her head, slipping herself off my lap and onto the space beside me. I grip her thighs and keep them in place on my lap before she can move them. "I'm not drunk enough for that."

"Taylorrrr!" Jimin whines, making her let out the sweetest laugh.

"Maybe in a couple songs, or a couple drinks." She says, holding her drink up to Jimin's then gulping the whole cup in one go.

"Okay Jimin-ah, pick your song!" Hobi says after Jimin refills Taylor's cup.

Jimin and Tae hog the mic for the first few songs, as usual. It was on the 3rd song that they were singing that had Taylor's eyes glistening. My attention immediately zoned in on just her.

"You guys are so comfortable in your gift, your talent." She said quietly before I could ask if she was okay. "I always felt like I had to sound perfect. If I loved music so much that it's my soul mark then I should sound perfect right? I should be able to hold a note. Any note. At any time." She laughs bitterly. "I should be," She audibly swallows, casting a sad look in my direction. "sensational."

"You are." I say firmly, brushing a strand of her hair back. She smiles at me, a tiny tiny heartbreaking smile. She looks back to Jimin and Tae.

"They sing so freely you know. Never minding how they sound or how goofy their voices will come off. I only do that with Malia."

"Because you trust her." She nods in confirmation at my words. "We're the same way. We trust ARMY. We trust each other. We trust you. Nobody outside that ever hears us like this. And if they do, they don't matter enough for us to pay any mind to them."