I think this is one of my favorite chapters. Y/N and Jimin, then Y/N and Jungkook, then Seulgi and Hoseok, oh and then the first Yoonmin interaction (the interrogation doesn't count shh)... it's all too much for my soft heart.

~19:56~

You keep your arms wrapped around Jimin as one of his hands stays on your back, the other brushing your hair. You've been sitting on the ground in his embrace for who knows how long now. No speaking, only feeling. Neither of you are complaining. You probably won't admit it verbally, but you've needed him. You've missed him and his touch so much. You're so glad he came back for you.

For a couple more minutes, you simply enjoy his presence, thankful that he's here. However, you know that eventually you'll have to address the elephant in the room. So, you let out a small sigh and speak. "What did Jungkook say to you?" you whisper.

He shakes his head. "Nothing." Your eyes open and widen. He said... nothing? Then why did Jimin come back? Did Jungkook not explain that their hug was strictly a friend hug?

"That hug was just a hug Jimin. No matter what we're going through I want you to know that..." you trail off, fighting to find the right words.

"Y/N?" he questions, and you reluctantly pull back, meeting his eyes. His lips faintly curl up in a smile, but it's so small you barely notice it. "I know."

Your eyes soften, and so do his. No matter how mad at him you are, he still manages to find all the right things to say. You bite your lower lip and look down. "I'm sorry I ignored you today," you start.

"I'm sorry I was so cold to you a few minutes ago."

You nod, looking back up, "I'm sorry for what I said on the bridge. Saying the whole jealousy thing was messed up, even if I was pissed about the decision you were making."

He goes still for a moment, then kisses your forehead, closing his eyes and leaving his lips on your skin. You let out a long breath at his proximity. He pulls back after a few seconds and nods. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

That sentence makes you freeze, but you quickly regain your composure and nod. "I'm not going to lie, I'm still pretty pissed about it, but you did what was best for everyone. You're right - if my father went back and got killed... it doesn't matter how much I hate him, I wouldn't be able to cope with his loss. I've already lost enough people. I can't lose anyone else."

"Hey... hey," he coos, using his hands to cup your face. "You won't. Seeing you hurt... I..." he shakes his head, and you softly smile.

He brings you back to his body, holding you tightly and using one hand to rub your back while the other stays still. You let out a small sigh of relief, the tension you previously felt slowly fading away. You lean into his touch, breathing in his scent and trying to memorize it. You're so scared of your father coming and taking you away. That would mean you'd never be able to see Jimin or the crew again. You don't want to think about it, but you have to. If he takes you the crew will be safe. That's all that matters to you right now. You need them to be safe. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if something happened to your second family and there was something you could do about it.

So you memorize everything about Jimin. The way he nuzzles his cheek against your shoulder, the way his fingers clutch onto your back, trying to get closer. The way his breathing gets slower when you're in his arms, but faster when you're kissing. The way he always looks for you in a crowded room. Even the way he always cares about you, no matter what the two of you are going through. You know you're falling in love with him, but you don't know how to tell him.

"Y/N... I have to ask you something," he whispers, his breath hitting your ear. You slightly tremble at the sensation, but nod nonetheless. He pulls back, slowly opening his eyes and meeting yours. "Answer honestly." Now you're worried. Regardless you give him a determined look.

"I always am."

He sighs, glancing down for a brief moment before locking eyes with you again. "Do you still love Jungkook?"

Well that wasn't what you were expecting.

You're at a loss for words to say the least. Your mouth is slightly open, and for a few seconds, you stay like that before realizing that you're just staring at him. Truthfully - you do still love Jungkook. How can you not? You dated him for not one but two years. He was your first love. You can never forget those feelings. However, there's a difference between loving someone as a partner and loving them as a friend and/or someone you cherish. So, you nod. "Of course I do. I can't forget those feelings. He was my first... everything. First kiss, first love, first time..."

"So he did lose..."

"What?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it," Jimin says with a faint smile.

You softly chuckle, then shake your head. "The point is that I'll always love him - but as nothing more than a friend. I'm with you now. You. Not Yeonjun, not Jungkook... you."

He seems put at ease by your words. You and him both know you would never cheat on him, and he would never cheat on you, but you can tell that question has been eating him up. The curiosity to know if you still love Jungkook. He did appear again out of no where, right in the middle of you and Jimin developing feelings for each other. It's a perfectly valid question. "Okay..." he whispers, sniffling and nodding. You slowly let your hand approach his cheek. He lets out a relaxed sigh, leaning towards you. His cheek meets your hand halfway, and you immediately feel your heart speed up. Having him this close... it brings out a spark inside you no one else ever set off. You know it now.

You love him.

"I meant what I said. What we have, it means everything to me." he whispers. Your eyes widen as his close, and you can't help but feel your entire body turn into a mess. You always knew you were falling, but not this hard. He's the best thing that's ever happened to you. Ironic that you found the best thing in your life by surviving the worst experience in your life. A part of you is almost grateful for it. Without another word, you lean up and kiss him. He's shocked, but quickly returns the kiss, needing your touch as badly as you need his. You hum against his lips, softly smiling. You pull back after only a few seconds. He opens his eyes, looking at you like you're the only thing that matters. Your entire body fills with ecstasy at just his look. He needs to know. He deserves to know what he means to you. So, you speak.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

~The Next Day || 13:07~

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jungkook asks Y/N, leaning against her doorframe.

She grabs her t-shirt from her dresser, throwing it on and shrugging. "I will be, but this isn't exactly easy." He nods in understanding as she walks over to her nightstand, grabbing her hologlobe and watching it hum to life in front of her eyes. The blue screen illuminates her features, and Jungkook can't help but stare. He's starting to realize how long it's been since he's seen her. He saw her face every day for literally two years. Not seeing her for so long really put a dent on his memory. She was always beautiful, but after everything she's been through she's matured. Jungkook respects that massively.

"I can go get Jimin for this, I'm sure he won't mind-"

"Jungkook." He gulps, nodding. She peeks up at him with an exasperated look in her eyes. "Get your ass in here."

He firmly nods again, stepping fully inside her room and closing the door. "Why me and not Jimin?" he asks as she plops down on her bed, searching up her father's name.

"Two reasons, A) I think Jimin and I both need a little bit of space from each other, even if we're all made up. And B) you know my father almost as well as I do. You're the one who saw him almost every day. Jimin succeeded in pissing my father off - granted, that was hilarious - but my father won't listen to him. But he may listen to you."

Jungkook's eyes slowly widen, "Me? You think he'd listen to me over his own daughter?"

"A hundred percent. He values rank. He may not have liked you dating me, but he always respected that you were a man of honor. And knowing that you're a platinum will definitely help. Not to mention an Executive Officer now."

"So, what's our plan?" Jungkook asks, walking over and sitting down next to her.

"I'll record you telling him about the Blackwell. We need to warn him about the creatures. Only together can we defeat these things. As much as I hate to say it... we need him. He knows his way around the battlefield. He's the best chance Ganymede has. It isn't as advanced as Mars or Earth or even the Belt. They won't survive if those creatures get out and Jungkook-" she cuts herself off, shaking her head slightly. "I can't lose my home. I can't."

He nods in understanding, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Whatever you need, I'll take care of it."

She lets out a shaky breath. "Thank you." They stay silent for a few more moments before Y/N sighs and hops up, grabbing her hologlobe and pulling up the camera. "I found my father's inbox, now all that's left is the explanation. Do you need any help with it?"

Jungkook bites his lower lip, fiddling with his fingers. "I should be okay. Tell him about the creatures and get him to go back to Ganymede..."

"That's it. You ready?" she asks.

He looks up, fixing his posture and making sure his appearance is okay before giving her a firm nod. "Ready." She presses record. Jungkook snaps into a different mode. He needs to be professional here. He needs to win him over and save Ganymede.

"Mr. L/N, I hope you remember me. Jeon Jungkook, Platinum Intelligence Officer and Executive Officer of the Moonchild. It's been a long time, and I regret that. I wish I was sending this to tell you good news, but unfortunately, Ganymede appears to be in grave danger. I understand you've taken an interest with these creatures... well, if my information is correct, Ganymede has been exposed to them. The ship named the Blackwell touched down there after they were infected with the alien life. We believe that whatever these things are, they're waiting for the right time to strike. You already saw what they did to Triton. If we don't act fast, Ganymede will be lost too. Please, we need your help in saving Ganymede. If not for the Moonchild or for Y/N, or even for Ganymede, then for the glory and your family. They need your help. You're the only one who has the skills to defeat these creatures. We're on our way there now, I hope we can put our differences behind us and work together for the greater good. Thank you for taking the time to listen to this, and I hope to see you on Ganymede."

Y/N cuts the recording and gives Jungkook a look of astonishment. "What?" he innocently asks, raising a brow.

"Jungkook... that was perfect. You didn't even stutter."

He shyly smiles, "You think so?"

She hums as she sends the video to her father, pleased with the results. "You did much better than I ever could. Thank you Bunny." He lets out a small laugh, shaking his head. "What is it?" she asks, her lips curling up into a smile.

"Nothing... I like it when you call me Bunny."

"Oh really?" she questions, placing the hologlobe down and leaning against her wall. She snickers, "It would be pretty funny if I only called you Kookie from now on."

He fakes a pout, "Do you really want to upset Bunny?" She laughs before shaking her head, walking over and plopping back down next to him. She sighs, then lies down again, staring up at the ceiling. He mimics her actions, lying down next to her. He turns his head towards her, and after a moment, she does the same, locking eyes with him.

"I really hope he comes back. We can't do this alone. If we do, it will be like Triton all over again..." He nods, then purses his lips, going deeper into his mind. He starts to think about all that has happened so far, all that she said. His eyes slowly widen when he realizes the truth. Y/N knows it, and now, so does he.

She notices his look and rips her eyes away from his gaze. "Y/N..." he whispers. She shakes her head, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "W-We can't do this," he adds, and she sniffles.

"We have to."

"Y/N, if we go to Ganymede and he's there he'll take you away. We'll never see you again."

She can't bring herself to meet his eyes. "If there's a way I can save you guys I have to do it. No matter what it does to me."

"No. We care about you too much to let you go. Hell, I care about you too much to let you go back to that monster. Y/N we can get his help and not trade you off."

She gains the courage to look up, meeting his eyes. "How?"

He sighs, "I'm not sure yet... but we'll figure it out." She turns her head back towards the ceiling, blankly looking up at it. He knows that she's set on her decision, but he can't let her go. He can't. He feels memories burning at his brain, and his cheeks start to glow as a result, tears tickling the backs of his eyes. "Y/N I've lost everything. My childhood, my friends, my family, my own body, Namjoon... you're the only thing I have left. My best friend. I can't lose you too." She looks back at him in shock, and he shakes his head. "I can't," he repeats, barely able to hold in his tears.

"Bunny..." she whispers back, and he manages to softly smile.

She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before breathing out. She slowly opens her eyes again, then nods. "Okay."

He's genuinely surprised by her reaction, a tear now rolling down his cheek. "You mean that?" he asks, disbelief filling his eyes. She gives him a warm smile, and in that moment, all his doubts are silenced. No matter where his mind is, no matter how numb or lost he is... that one smile brings him back to reality. He studies that smile and engraves it into his mind, just in case. Oblivious to his thoughts, Y/N continues to smile.

"I do."

~14:21~

Seulgi cracks her knuckles before picking up her pencil again, sketching a small landscape. She can't even remember the last time she went to Earth, but she wants to create something that reminds her of it. It's been a while since she's sketched anything. She misses drawing. It distracted her from the news and the world falling apart around her. And now, sitting in the dining hall alone, she feels herself at peace as she draws grass and trees along with sunlight peeking through the leaves.

Her mind wanders to her past life, sitting on her windowsill whenever it rained and simply drawing in the sketchbook her mother got her. Seulgi misses her parents greatly, but she's glad they're still in touch. She's terrified of going back. She knows she'll be okay deep down, but on the surface, she's scared that someone will come along and tempt her again. That's why she's drawing now, trying to find the good of Earth. A reason to go back.

After a few more minutes of her peacefully humming to herself, drawing numerous lines and shading in the details, there's a knock. She looks up in alarm. Seulgi's trained the longest out of anyone on the crew except for Jungkook, but she's still never prepared when Hoseok shows up.

He stands there, his fist hovering next to the wall where he knocked. He has a small smile on his face, and she slowly returns it. "Am I interrupting?" he asks, genuinely curious.

"Never. Come on in. I mean... I'm in the dining hall, who am I to stop you?" He bounces over to her table, sitting down across from her and giving her an eager look. She looks up at him, curiosity beaming in her eyes. "What is it?" she asks.

He points towards the paper she's drawing. "May I see?" She takes a moment to process his words before finally getting it and letting out a small 'yes' in response. She turns the paper towards him, slightly shy, but at the same time - this is Hoseok. Her Hoseok. The one who would sneak into her quarters at night to make sure she was feeling alright. 'You can't go to bed with bad thoughts on the brain' is what he would say every time. She honestly misses those days.

"Woooow. I've missed your drawings," he lets out, tilting his head ever so slightly and letting his eyes explore the canvas. She softly smiles at his expression. Seulgi hasn't talked one-on-one with Hoseok in a couple days. She knows that he's hurting, but for both of their sakes, she doesn't bring it up. She simply tries to stay positive - like him. "Remember when I tried to draw a portrait of you?" Hoseok asks, letting his fingers trace over the lines she drew.

"Portrait? You drew me a stick figure with long hair and boobs," she blatantly says, and he laughs.

"I tried!" She gives him a long look of doubt before he finally shakes his head in disbelief. "I did!" he insists, which makes her snicker.

"Uh-huh," she simply replies, grabbing her paper back and going back to work on the shadings.

"Let me try again," he offers.

She bites her tongue, glancing up at him. "Drawing a very demented circle and putting googly eyes on it does not count as a portrait Hobi. Trust me, my fifth grade art teacher gave me a long lecture when I tried it."

He blinks at her, his mouth slightly open. "Your fifth grade art teacher gave you a lecture for being a cute fifth grader?"

She taps her pencil against the table, thinking of what to add next. "Yeah, believe it or not."

"When I was in fifth grade, we made a bunch of paper hearts. My goal was to have the largest one..." he starts, falling into his memory. Seulgi watches his eyes move up to the ceiling. She can almost see the memory playing out in his head. She smiles, admiring the way he can be so positive, even if these past few days have been absolutely horrible. "I made a gigantic heart and put it in one of my big bags but, when I pulled it out and showed her, another guy came up and pulled out a bigger heart."

She bites her lip to prevent a snort from coming out. "And what did you do?"

He looks back down at her, slowly smiling. "I put my heart back in my bag and aggressively zipped it up." She can't hold back her long laugh anymore, her eyes squint as she does, her shaking her head and trying to dial down.

"Oh yeah, you showed that guy Hobi. I'm so proud." He does a small bow, looking up in time for her to give him a cute smile. "You had a crazy childhood," she says, shrugging.

"My story is probably nothing compared to the lecture you got from your art teacher," he replies, giving her a pout.

"Nu-uh. You don't get to hear that story yet," she says jokingly, picking up her pencil and letting her hand move across the paper.

He watches her movements as she does, her hand moving gracefully over the canvas, adding marks where she deems necessary. "Remember when I used to call you my Seulmate?" Hobi suddenly says.

Seulgi moves her gaze up to meet his. "Don't you still call me that?"

He shrugs. "Fair, but still."

She narrows her eyes but nods, "I do. What about it?"

"Well... do you think Y/N and Jimin are soulmates?"

She's not entirely sure how to answer that question. She's too shocked to really process it at first, but her mind slowly thinks of the right words to say. "Well, based on what Y/N's told me I hope so. You know what they say about love. The first love hurts, the second one is fun, then the third is the one you end up with."

"They say that?" Hoseok asks, and she gives him a small nod.

"From my experience, all my friends got married to their third love. And let's be honest - even if they aren't meant to be, which they probably are, they are way too horny to stay away from each other."

"Seul!"

She laughs, shaking her head, "I'm serious!" Hoseok sighs, faking a look of disgust for a few seconds before his eyes light up. "What is it?" she asks, and he fiddles with his fingers.

"You loved me, right?"

"Of course I did," she replies, looking down and adding a few more lines to the paper.

"What about me then?"

She continues to keep her eyes on her work. "What about you?"

He hesitates, "What number was I for you?" Seul freezes, feeling her heart stop as she mentally counts. She almost drops her pencil, but instead focuses on breathing again before she looks up. He returns her shocked look as she sighs, opening her mouth to speak.

"Third... you were my third."

~19:57~

Jimin walks down the hallway, thinking about the past few days. He's lost his best friend, blew up a station, went on his first date with Y/N, and subsequently had a fight with her one day later. He pauses for a moment, his eyes widening. These past few days have given him so much emotional whiplash he isn't even sure what to think anymore. Regardless, he moves again, a hot coffee in his hand. It almost hurts him, but he ignores it to instead slow to a stop in front of a door. He knocks softly, then, after a few seconds, it opens.

Yoongi's slightly shocked to see the Captain standing there, but in a way he seems pleased as well. Maybe not on the surface... but deep down. Jimin clears his throat, sensing the awkwardness. "I brought you coffee," he offers, holding the beverage out. Yoongi eyes it for a second, then snatches it from Jimin's hand. Jimin's eyes widen as Yoongi walks inside his room, leaving the door open as he immediately drinks the coffee.

Jimin's slightly confused but doesn't question it as he enters the man's room, closing the door behind him. He's still cautious of the outsider. However he doesn't let that show. The Captain needs to make him feel welcomed, after all. Maybe Jimin can learn to like him. He's learned to like Taehyung. Jin... is Jin. That's all Jimin will probably ever think of Jin.

"You holding up okay?" Jimin asks. Yoongi shrugs, walking over to his nightstand and placing the cup of coffee down. After a few beats of silence, Jimin clears his throat. "You like coffee?"

"You brought me coffee... without asking me if I like coffee?" he asks so calmly it almost makes Jimin confused. How is he so calm?

"I figured it was the polite thing to do. I could take it back it you'd like," Jimin says, starting forward, but Yoongi gives him a death stare that makes him freeze.

"I know where your room is. You touch my coffee and see what happens." Jimin blinks at him for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. Yoongi's left standing there, puzzled. "Do you always laugh this easily?" he questions, his tone sounding sleepy. Jimin shakes his head, dialing down from his laughter.

"You just... you look like a grumpy cat."

Yoongi looks too tired to be offended. "Fair enough." Jimin isn't really sure what to say after that, so he watches as Yoongi sits down on his bed and takes another sip from his coffee. "Did you need something?" Yoongi asks as he places the cup back down.

Jimin shakes his head. "No. Not yet anyway."

Yoongi is only left confused. "Yet?"

Jimin looks down, then back up. "We do need to discuss what your game plan is."

"My... game plan?"

"How long are you planning on staying with us?" Yoongi seems exhausted, but he also understands Jimin's questions. Jimin's honestly amazed that the man is accepting another barrage of questions so soon.

"However long you'll let me stay. I don't really have anywhere else to go. Triton is gone, so is my crew."

"Taehyung said you came out of no where. Were you born on Triton?" Yoongi goes quiet. Jimin leans his head forward, raising a brow. "Were you?" he repeats. He doesn't trust this man yet. He wants to, but as the Captain, he can't. He can't take any risks, especially not with his crew at risk... with Y/N at risk.

"I wasn't," he quietly replies.

Jimin furrows his brows. "You don't look like you're from the Belt. Earth?" He shakes his head. Jimin is only more perplexed. "Mars?" he tries, but Yoongi sadly shakes his head again, taking another sip from his coffee. Jimin sighs. He's had enough of this guessing game. "Alright, enough of this. Where were you born?" Yoongi hesitates for a moment, then speaks.

"I was born on Kepler."

Jimin's eyes slowly widen, his breath momentarily leaving his body. "Kepler... so that's how you know where it is. Not the whole friend story you told us?"

He somberly nods, "I was raised there, then they transferred me to Triton. They wanted someone on the inside to monitor transmissions... but I hated them with every fiber of my being."

Jimin leans against the wall, still not fully understanding. He knows once again that he has to ask the hard question. "Why?" he softly asks, slightly scared of the answer. Yoongi sighs.

"Because they experimented on me."

"Oh my God," Jimin whispers in response. Yoongi seems to be showing emotion for the first time since they met, and Jimin isn't sure how to feel. He's so conflicted.

"I've never told anyone this... so maybe now you'll trust me but..." he trails off, shaking his head. "Those experiments... were enhancements." Jimin can't even being to process the shock going through his body right now. There's another enhanced onboard his ship. How is he supposed to react to that?

"You're... enhanced?"

He nods, "Intelligence. They experimented so they wouldn't show on my body. Normally there needs to be a tell, like glowing eyes and lips, maybe cheeks, fingers... but they made it so I can blend right in. Be the ultimate spy. In high stress situations, my brain activity runs faster and smoother, making for higher intelligence."

At the end of the man's explanation, Jimin can't help but feel guilt and pity rise up in his chest. Yoongi senses this and shakes him off, abruptly standing. "I don't need your pity or your apologies. I told you my past. I only want you to trust me enough to stop being on edge around me. I know you have an enhanced of your own, so if you judge me based on that, I don't even know what to say to you..." he trails off, giving Jimin a challenging glare.

Jimin meets the man's eyes with a soft expression. This surprises Yoongi, and the hardness in his eyes fades away. "Alright..." he whispers. Yoongi raises both of his brows, curious to hear what Jimin has to say.

"I trust you."