The following three months were a whirlwind of emotions as BTS was swept back up into the wild ride they had been on before.  Their fans loved them harder and worked harder for them, and, after having their happiness forcibly taken from them, had even learned to accept Namjoon and Yoongis significant others.  Taehyung and Jungkook still chose to keep the truth behind them quiet, and their brothers supported them but slowly everyone was getting back to the way it had been before.  A tour was planned, an album was planned, variety shows were planned, vlives were planned, music videos were planned, photoshoots were planned and the boys found themselves laughing as they asked if they needed to schedule time to breathe.  They had honestly never expected a response like this.  If they thought they had been everywhere at once before...  This was a high they thought they would never get used to.  Zephyr still rode by Yoongis side, and Somang was the center of Namjoons world and as crazy as it got, everyone took the time to make sure it all worked.  

Yoongi requested time off for a small ceremony to tie the knot, and of course the boys were invited, and in true Zephyr fashion it was a party to behold.  Only the closest of family and friends were invited, and they themed it for Halloween, but it was festive and fun with painted faces and fancy costumes and special memories and smiles all around.  Zephyr managed not to mess up her make up and held in her tears until Yoongi could no longer hold in his, and then everyone started to cry before laughing as the happy groom kissed his equally happy bride.

The reception was held in a dancehall in the same venue so no one had to travel and as a slow song came on Namjoon took Somangs hand and led her outside.

"I don't think I've told you how thankful I am to you lately," he said softly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, breathing her in as he calmed his racing heart.

"What for?" she asked, used to his random thank yous by now.  

"For putting up with me," he said as he squeezed her a bit before letting go, his tone somewhere not quite right.

"I think that goes the other way around," she said as she pulled back.  "Is something wrong?" she asked in concern.

Namjoon just gave her a soft smile and shook his head.

"I think everything is just right," he said, his eyes sweeping over her as he commited how beautiful she looked to his memory.

"And I mean it.  Thank you.  For putting up with me, and sticking by me, and loving me.  Even when I was angry and hateful and said things I never should have said.  Thank you for loving me when I was lacking and...when I fell to my knees and screamed that night because I didn't know what else to do..."

"Joonah..."  Somang breathed.

"Do you regret meeting me?" he asked, trying to not sound scared.

"No," Somang breathed.

"And when the sea of lights go dark...will you love me still?" he asked, looking her in the eyes.

"Always," she said as she looked back at him, slight panic rising in her chest.

"I love you so much, Babygirl," he said as his hand came up to caress her cheek.  "I don't know what I would do without you..."

Namjoon took a deep breath and turned around for a moment, trying to compose his thoughts.

"I never meant to take your freedom from you," he said as he looked out over the lights around the venue, not facing Somang.  "And I never meant to guilt you in to loving me but..."

Namjoon turned around slowly, his expressing passionate and burning.

"Now that I have you...I don't ever want to let you go..."

"Joonah?" Somang asked, trying not to fall over the edge to the attack she felt building.

"Why didn't you just run away when you found out who I was?" he asked as he closed the distance between them, his forehead bowing to touch hers and his eyes closing.

"Because I was already in love," she admitted to him, her hands resting against his strong chest.  "I'm not strong enough to walk away...even if I wanted to..."

"Do you?" he asked.  "Want to walk away?"

"No," she admitted, sounding almost like a child.  

"Good," he said, a small smile gracing his lips as he pulled away and looked at her, one hand taking hers as the other slid into his pocket as he took a casual stance.

"I got you something," he said, his saucy smile falling back into place.

Somang couldn't help but smile.  

"What is it?" she asked.

Namjoon laughed and pulled his hand out of his pocket, his fingers making a heart as he gave her a goofy grin.

"My heart," he said with a bit of aegyo.

"Joonah!" she squealed as she laughed.

"Seriously," he said, his smile dimming a bit.  "I got you something," he said as he pulled her close by the hand he still held.

"You don't have to---"

Somang was stopped mid sentence as Namjoon dropped to one knee, a box appearing in his hand as he held it out for her to see.

"Marry me," he said as the world around them froze.

 

Somang gasped as her train of thought started to process again and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Joonah..."

finite incantatem