"Hello?"
"Nuri"
The voice on the other end sounded like a soft breeze, soft enough to make Nuri wonder if he had actually heard Kin's voice of if he was just hallucinating.
"Nuri-yah"
Nuri felt all the air leave his lungs as he grappled with the fact that he was hearing a voice he hadn't heard in two weeks.
"Hia?"
As Nuri paced back and forth in the dimly lit living room, his phone clutched tightly in her hand, he couldn't shake off the worry that gnawed at his insides. He had been trying to reach Kin for 2 weeks, his heart heavy with concern for his soulmate.
"Hia, where are you? I'll ask Ming Ge to bring you home.
"Nuri-yah, please," Kin's voice was strained, pleading, "I can't come back. You don't understand."
"Why not?" Desperation seeped through Nuri's words, his heart needing his soulmate beside him. " Hia, you can't keep running away. We need you here, with us. Please come home."
There was a moment of silence before Kin spoke again, his voice heavy with guilt, "It's my fault, Nuri. Jimin... I couldn't protect him. I can't face our family knowing what I've done."
Nuri's heart ached at the pain in her brother's voice. "Hia, it wasn't your fault. You can't blame yourself for what happened."
"I have to do this, Nuri," Kin's voice wavered, "Please, don't look for me. I have to do this so they....you all are protected."
Just as Nuri was about to argue further, he heard the unmistakable sound of loud music in the background, followed by a voice mentioning telling Kin that Eleven was looking for him. His stomach churned with apprehension at the thought of Kin being in some kind of trouble.
Kin responded that he'd be right there and Nuri realized that he was about lose the only connection he had with his missing soulmate.
"Hia, wait! What's happening?" Nuri's voice rose with panic.
"I... I have to go," Kin's voice sounded distant, distracted, "Someone's looking for me. I'll be okay, I promise."
"Hia, please!" Nuri's voice cracked, desperation lacing every syllable.
But before he could say anything else, the line went dead, leaving him with nothing but a haunting silence echoing in his ears.
Tears welled up in Nuri's eyes as he realize he might be losing another soulmate, and desperation lead him to do the one thing he would never have done on his own. He walked to the patio and sat on the steps. Closing his eyes, he entered into his memoryscape, hoping that he could find traces of Kin there and follow it to his current location.
---+---
As Nuri emerged from the depths of Memoryscape, the comforting embrace of reality enveloped him once again. His heart skipped a beat as he saw his soulmates waiting for him, along with his precious son, quite chatter filling the air. Boss and Du Feng were engrossed in a playful game withDaeshim, their joyous laughter echoing in the garden, while the other six sat patiently, their eyes filled with concern and relief as they saw him return.
Mingjue, always the stern and protective one, wasted no time in scolding Nuri for his reckless behavior. "Nuri, what were you thinking? Going off on your own like that, without someone to watch your back. You could have gotten hurt!"
Nuri hung his head in shame, silently accepting Mingjue's reprimand. He knew all too well the dangers of his actions, especially with so many people depending on him.
"I'm sorry," he murmured softly, the weight of his guilt heavy upon his shoulders.
His soulmates exchanged worried glances, their concern evident in their eyes as they updated him on their futile attempts to locate Kin. Nuri's heart sank at the news, the ache of worry for his missing soulmate gnawing at his insides. They had already lost one of their soulmates, and it nearly broke them. He wasn't sure if they could survive the loss of another soulmate.
"He's alive." Nuri whispered softly
"How do you know that?" Junwoo asked, head cocked to one side like it always did when he didn't understand something.
"He called me. I think he didnt mean to."
"Did he tell you where he is?" Momo asked "or when he'd be back?"
Nuri shook his head "He said that it was the only way to protect them and us."
"Wait. Who is he trying to protect...other than us?" Yuna asked. "I already checked with the elders. The house of evernight is still in seclusion."
Junwoo's voice cut through the somber atmosphere. "In other news, the company thinks it's a good time for a live stream, with those of us who work in the entertainment industry."
Mingjue, always the protective one was quick to object. "We aren't ready for something like that. It hasn't even been a month."
"Ming Ge, you know that this was what Min ge would have wanted . He was always talking about normalizing Soul groups." Momo said softy, resting his head on the Junwoo's muscular thigh.
Yuna, always the nurturing one, chimed in, her gaze soft as she turned to Nuri. "And what about including your son? I think it's time we introduced him to the world."
Nuri thought about it. Before all this had started, He and Jimin had talked about introducing Daeshim to the world. He knew it was time to share his soul group with the world, to let everyone know just how blessed they were to have each other. Even if they were missing two of their soulmates
With a determined nod, Nuri agreed.
As Nuri and his soulmates discussed the details of the livestream, the tranquility was shattered by the shrill ring of the phone. Nuri's heart skipped a beat as he reached for the receiver, a sense of foreboding settling over him.
The voice on the other end was solemn and grave. Nuri's stomach churned with unease as he listened to the words being spoken, his worst fears coming to life before his very eyes.
A wave of anger and disbelief washed over Nuri as he processed the news. How could Jimin's own mother stoop so low, especially in the wake of such tragedy?
"There's more." the lawyer began, his voice heavy with regret, "She is trying to gain control of Jimin's assets by suing custody of Daeshim. It seems like she has been in contact with Daeshim's grandmother."