“Friends are the siblings God never gave us.”  

Jejudo, 2016 – 01:04 PM - [day 0/5.]

if there's one thing absolutely only jeju island had, it would be the fresh air.

the island itself was surrounded by sea, isolated from the hustle and bustle. and that what makes jeju feel special, especially for seulgi. seulgi have a career, a good one, with a hectic schedule. this trip to jeju was definitely not her first time. this is what she called “runaway”, if kang seulgi can't be found anywhere, she's at jeju island. everyone acknowledge the fact, including jaebum who has a hard time learning this.

with contentment her foot stepped the gas pedal, taking their car away from the airport with beautiful views awaited them. heading to their hotel nearby, the car ride only took 10 minutes, and even during that ten minutes, their car is full with laughter. they never stop talking or cutting each other's sentences make the situation seems funny for seulgi. mino's phone call to irene was probably the peak of their noisiness, he is the most paranoid human and it's fun teasing mino, and it's not even a day since they left seoul.

without them realizing, the noisy group already arrive at the hotel. they already booked two room on the internet before checked in and went to their respective room. joy share a room with irene and seulgi share a room with wendy. irene, being a total hygienic, went straight to check the pillow case. she has to make sure they changed the pillow case by herself or else she will go nut. everyone can only shook their head seeing irene's frantic effort to make sure everything is clean.

"oh my god joy! your shoes are so dirty," irene hissed as she looked at joy's converse, "but they are not covered in mud," while arranging her suit case, she tried to lift her head to show her smile. "c'mon irene, we're here to take a break, breathe a little," wendy who was eating a chip said waving her other hand up and down, seulgi snickered after seeing irene's reaction, "guys, please–" irene took the bag of chips and pour the content into a bowl, "–there's this invention called garbage can if you haven't noticed." she throw the plastic junk to the can while the other laughed. "irene-ssi please take a seat and calm yourself," seulgi said glancing joy who's holding irene's favorite blanket, "or else i'll throw this at the swimming pool," from that, an intense pillow war occurred. first, it was irene who throw a pillow right to joy's face, but wendy attacked behind her back.

they were laughing out loud, before gradually stop when seulgi took her journal filled with must-go-places-at-jeju list. she also took the car key and toss it to wendy, "you'll drive this time. our agreement, don't act like you forgot!" wendy who was acting stupid broke into a laughter, "alright, but don't you dare say i'm a bad driver."

going to dongmun market was a total no-no for irene. she hates chicken, seeing it is also disturbing. unfortunately, it was first on seulgi's list. wendy bought tons of orange, while joy and seulgi took a stroll around the traditional market while irene, all she does is begging to get out, at that instant. of course the rest ignored her and even tell her to taste the orange herself. after irene's constant nagging, they went to jeju mokgwana. this historical site mostly known by it appearance on successful drama, winter sonata. seulgi came with pure intention of pleasing her curiosity. wendy and irene were also enjoying the view their metropolitan city will never provide. joy on the other hand busy taking pictures of historical buildings with her fuji camera. she is also slash their photographer for the day, good that she wasn't even complaining about it. 

before their long trip ended, they decided to stop at a cafe nearby. irene and joy sat down first while seulgi and wendy talked about something outside. when they walked in, irene and joy already ordered iced tea for themselves, "i want a hot jasmine tea please," she said, "in a hot day like this drinking hot tea? pour your sweat in a bucket please?" joy said with visible sarcasm on her voice, seulgi can only chuckle hearing her.

actually, for something she doesn't know, her heart feel restless. 

Seoul, 2016 – 04:00 PM

the first thing yoongi did after he landed at seoul from new york is breath the air, this used to be his hometown, where he spent his young days. this town, full with energy, hyped up with creativity and youth. different from new york, everything went static, unchangeable routines he had to do from dawn to midnight. maybe new york taste bitter due to his loneliness, the fact he lost most valuable people at almost the same time, or maybe because of his own sorrow that he kept only for him. 

he hails a taxi. showing the driver a crumpled paper from his shirt pocket before the driver nodded. the car started going in motion as the sun slowly disappear. yet, without sun shining brightly above them, seoul still seems blinding. even though the traffic jam was quite a headache, he did not like it, even a bit. although it still gives him more time for himself to calm down. his heart was thumping crazily, followed by his unconscious murmuring of stuffs to assure himself. after almost an hour, the car stopped in front of a house, it's not quite extravagant, but decent enough. with tall black fence surrounding it, giving border to another houses next to it.

the tall black lamppost, the memory replayed as if it happened yesterday. standing beneath that yellow light, after a “date” with her. after a long walk from his friend's cafe, namjoon, who also love art in general, invited them to a poetry reading, and his cafe happen to be the venue. still trembling with cold, the smile on their face didn't fade. he took off his own red scarf and circling it around her neck. she was surprised, clearly seen on her face, but that turns to a gentle smile. the rest was predictable. their forehead touched each other's before he leaned for a kiss. not his first kiss, but it was hers. 

coming back to reality, his feet slowly took him in front of the house. he pressed the bell precisely three times before he hears a voice, "who is that?"

the voice owner he assumed was a middle aged woman. thus, he changed the way he speak, softer and more polite, "excuse me, does she still live here?"

"who is she exactly?"

"kang seulgi."

yoongi was half numb when the woman replied with something he should've known from the beginning, "i'm sorry but that name doesn't exist on this household."

he thanked the lady and apologized deep down inside his heart. he just waste someone's time by his foolish act, again. yoongi dragged his body back to the taxi. the sky is already dark, moon replaced the sun, glows beautifully. adoring the view can't help him to soothe his troubled mind, so he took a piece of paper and a pen. writing help him the best, at times like this where he got nowhere to run. his writing was messy because ideas, feels, altogether rushing at the same time.

after he arrived at the hotel room, the first thing he do is pressing number 3 on his speed dial.

"hello?"

"noona. this is yoongi."

chaelin's melodious laugh lasted for a few minutes, "yoongi, i know it's you. i'm just wondering why you suddenly call," yoongi lift his suitcase on top of his bed with force, "want to grab a drink? i'm here at seoul."

"what on earth that make you suddenly decide to go here? what about your job?" yoongi ignored that one, "c'mon, my rare offer will be expired at 3, 2—" he heard his noona sigh, "good sister don't let her little brother get drunk, especially when the little brother is clearly upset. what's up with that voice, huh?" , i forgot she's so good at this, "for now, let's grab a drink. i need alcohol down to my system."

"i won't budge until you tell me," his eyes wander to an old photograph, a lady is smiling on the picture, "maybe i'll fly there, i don't know noona. tell me what to do." finally, he said it. chaelin smiled although he can't see her doing that, "do what your heart tells you to do. now go get a good shower and get dressed, i don't want a hobo in my car." and for the first time that day, he finally laughed.

later that night, after he went out with chaelin, he booked the earliest flight to jeju.

Jejudo, 2016 – 09:12 AM - [day 1.]

"oh my god, finally, seulgi consider someone's else bucket list."

seulgi's eyes widen when everyone laughed along, "what? wendy want oranges, blame her too!" 

eating jeju's famous black pork was definitely on joy's, or probably everyone's bucket list. it's a must eat food there and and it's highly unlikely you'll find black pork in other cities in korea. hwaro hyang is their favorite black pork restaurant, and even since they first landed, ​joy kept stressing about how she need to eat some black pork before leaving jeju. they know joy is really stubborn, that's why they came so early because joy won't join the trip unless they have breakfast at hwaro hyang, which is, probably a huge mistake for the rest.

"i thought eating black pork would be a brilliant idea to cure hangover, but oops, my bad," wendy said as she flipped the pork meat, "but no regret. live music performance, great acoustic guitar action going on there, accompanied with splendid mojito, c'mon, don't say you didn't enjoy last night!" seulgi said excitedly, it wasn't obvious enough for her friends to notice the nervousness hidden underneath her high-pitched voice. she still feel restless, it's not due to the massive amount of alcohol left on her system, it's the heart. she's anxious, for something she doesn't know. maybe future will tell her why.

"i completely agree about the mojito, i would come again for it," irene plopped a big chunk of meat to her own mouth, "but i notice someone didn't drink last night," wendy said, "you said you want to tell us something, when? i'm—​we're dying to know." seulgi nodded her head, approving the previous statement. joy smiled. her hand gently put down the chopstick she's holding and make their way to irene's hand. at the end they were holding joy's hand tightly. joy breathed in, it was clear that she's nervous.

"you guys are going to be aunty soon—"

there's a pregnant pause before irene gasped, followed by seulgi's hand on top of her lips, trying her hardest not to scream, and wendy, the shock was clearly written all over her face. "oh my lord, are you–?" 

"maybe! you guys, i don't clearly know if it's true or not. i'm going to take another test, just to make sure."

"when?"

"i took the test yesterday."

"you don't do it inside of a flying plane right?"

"well, i did."

seulgi was smiling from ear to ear. it's not her, but the happiness didn't go any less.  joy, the prankster who was unlikely to become a mother on the group, turned out to be the first one, soon. "i always thought irene or wendy would be the first person to have children," wendy laughed, irene too, and irene was about to cry. "i'm so happy for you, i'm the one who's getting excited!"

seulgi get up from her place and hugged joy, "group hug! congratulations to park sooyoung," irene and wendy get up too, hugging joy.  joy was overwhelmed with bliss, "we'll be the greatest aunty! and you know, we'll always be there for you." wendy said, with glee, "also, i'm only a call away, don't forget about that." irene furrowed her brows, "what one call away if you're staying at the other continent?"

"mark decided to move here, so—"

the rest screamed, "you're not joking right?"

"—ditch the almighty face time because i'm not joking! i'm staying at seoul!" they all laughed. feeling content with two good news today. seulgi even cried because everything seems so unreal. they spent high school together, now they're about to spent another stage together.  

"i hope you're next irene, can't wait to see how mino handle tiny human."

"seul,"

"hmm?"

"are you sure you don't want to go to lotte mart later?"

seulgi shook her head, "nope, i feel the urgent need to buy toothbrush, i can't stand using hotel toothbrush." irene too, "i also need to buy something," wendy groaned, "you took the longest when you go shopping, irene. i need to buy coffee." irene rolled her eyes and seulgi grinned, having solution for the “problem”, "you drop us first, then buy a coffee. there's starbucks near here, you and joy just go," she said and wendy only nodded. she drove the car to lotte mart before going to starbucks. wendy parked the car outside. while she ordered her regular coffee, joy sat on one of the chair. starbucks has big clear windows, she looked to the scenery outside to keep herself entertained.

suddenly, wendy heard a shriek, she knows exactly it's coming from joy's mouth. wendy hurriedly came to her seat. she couldn't care less if she spilled her coffee on her way there, "i swear i just freaking saw min yoongi!" joy stomped her foot on the ground. wendy looked at joy's forefinger direction and she gasped. what she sees a man, walking. the man's figure was eerily similar to yoongi, even though he dyed his hair blonde, the pale skin and the way he walk was so yoongi. wendy and joy quietly make their way to their car, following the person they suspect is yoongi. 

"i'm one hundred sure that's yoongi," wendy glanced to the window once in a while and joy nodded, "who else would bring a freaking huge old-school polaroid camera everywhere?" that's exactly what wendy thought of. yoongi is widely known for his love towards polaroid cameras when they're still in high school, making him look unordinary and at the same time, really attractive. "old love die hard. he looked awesome, by the way." joy widen her eyes, wendy just chuckled, "don't get me wrong, i love mark, and he was always seulgi's anyway."

they really keep an eye on where yoongi going. they got a few complaints for going too slow considering how much people behind them honk their horn. irene already call a few time, but joy calmly swiped left. they keep stalking him until he entered what they thought a guest house. "this is it. he probably stays here." wendy opened the window a little, only for her eyes to see. "so he stays here, huh?" wendy turned her head to joy, "park sooyoung!" joy was circling her scarf around his head, she wore sunglasses too.

"what? if he sees us we're doomed. need a good coverage."

wendy squirmed at her bed. unable to sleep, she sat instead. she looked at seulgi who's sleeping. she looked so, peaceful. her lips held a faint smile as her feet took her out from their room. knocking to the room next to hers, irene's tired face greeted her first. joy sat on the bed while irene chose to sat on the sofa. there was a deep sigh coming out from irene's mouth. joy glanced at wendy, as if she was afraid to speak, "so what are we going to do with this information?" 

"do i need to tell seulgi? the answer is obvious, she have the right to know."

"for what? you all haven't forgot how he clearly dump her, through letter, a single letter! wendy, what he did was described as cruelty. her life completely shatters only because he left her!" irene raised her voice, something she would only do if she's completely mad and she can't tolerate anything. joy, being in the neutral side, start to speak, "i know how ruined seulgi was. she won't eat, wont sleep, to the extent where she won't even go out from her room–" wendy rubbed her cheek with her hand, irene's constant sigh is starting to bother her, "–so what's the best for her right now?"

"i think this is a destiny," irene was about to open when wendy hurriedly continued, "i know the coincidental meeting was kinda weird. we're all here, yoongi is also here. jeju is quite big, why me and joy are the one who met him first if it's not fate?"

"then you think the whole universe gave this a blessing?"

"yes."

"then why it's not seulgi who's meeting him? why it's you both?"

"i just don't want to keep any secret from seulgi, it's not fair for her."

irene hung her head low, massaging her temple. joy sat next to her and wendy took a chair and sat in front of  them. they hold each other's hand, one habit they do when they encounter a problem or to soothe one another. joy began to speak, "i think i agree with wendy's opinion. i mean look at this way. jaebum and seulgi are only a few steps from marriage. don't you think seulgi needs to hear yoongi's explanation in order to live peacefully with jaebum? if they resolve the problem, both of them can continue their own life."

"but because she's going to settle down with jaebum, why we have to mess things around anymore?" irene said, while the rest went silent. what irene just said was half true. but irene feels the silence is suffocating so she gave up, "okay, let's say we want them to meet, but how? we still have to be careful. what if when we tell seulgi about this, then suddenly he doesn't want to meet her?" 

"oh no, how if yoongi come to jeju with his wife? and they are here for their honeymoon?"

Jejudo, 2016 – 06:20 - [day 2.]

the clock on his phone shows it's his time to wake up, and he truly doesn't even plan to open his eyes anytime soon. he even ignored the ringing telephone that now stopped. it was the second time it rings and whoever that called him must have been really stubborn. he sighed in relieve as one, two minutes passed in full silence and peace.

the third time is the charm they said. for this person who seems have a urgent need to call him. the telephone rings again and he can't take it anymore. he pushed his blanket to the floor, as his feet touched the floor, he cussed deep inside his heart. it was freaking cold, or was it just him? he dragged his body towards the telephone, with one of his eyes still closed.

"hello?" his sore throat making his voice sounded raspy over the phone. he was greeted by the receptionist. "good morning sir. sorry for disturbing your morning, but you have a visitor who wants to meet you."

his body doesn't know what to react. several thoughts rushing to his brain, shut it out anyone. he can hardly breathe, but when shock begins to melt away, everything returns slowly​. he let out a sudden sigh before continuing, "who?"

"hello, yoongi."

wendy? 
 

seulgi never thought their visit to modica this morning will make her feel the whole situation is ridiculous; it offend her, the news. it was outraging, unbelievable on top of that. 

"he really wanted to meet you," wendy explained, in a tenderly manner. not rushing, wendy emphasized words by words and most importantly, never break the eye contact. seulgi's eyes were staring blankly to hers before diverting to the empty plate, almost lifeless. "when he returned to seoul, he went by to your old house," she gave an i-am-underestimating-him snort, "tch, my old house? what a genius." after several seconds of silence, curiosity killed the cat. seulgi glanced at wendy who was looking down, unsure whether to continue or not, "what else did he say?"

"he said after he finish his business at jeju, he plan to search you at seoul." 

that, got her tongue tied. seulgi admitted. she was stupefied for the longest time before irene barge in, "but, if you don't want to, you have the right to say no, right?" irene took a brief look at wendy, and she hesitated, "yes, but that if you really don't want to."

everyone looked at joy now, especially irene with her killer stare. joy gulped, "well, in my opinion, everything, what matters the most is you seul. just do what you think right for you—" irene nodded, agreeing joy's statement, "—for irene, for wendy," seulgi tilted her head with one of her brow raised in confusion, "i'm sorry seul. i can't focus on what we discussed earlier, but you get what i meant right?"

seulgi smiled and nod, irene shove a glass of mineral water to joy, "just drink first, alright?" seulgi took her glass and drink the remaining water in one shot. irene sighed and she face seulgi. it was obvious this irene did not want to joke, "seul, whatever you choose, we are here to support you. that's one thing for sure." there's a long piercing silence before she opened .

"nine years he went missing."

she shook her head slowly, the corner of her lips tug a bit, "and now, out of nowhere, he wants to give me an explanation? so weird," she shifted her body to left, and everyone can only stare at her back, "i don't get it."

"i don't want to."irene widens her eyes, "like, don't you think so? why we have to poke an expired problem? right?" seeing everyone went silent and no one dared to speak, seulgi continued, "wendy, can you please tell him, i don't want to meet him." wendy nodded almost reluctantly, but after all, it was her request. seulgi turned her head, with this huge grin, "now, let's continue our vacation! oh by the way where's the dessert?"

little did they know, the excitement was fake. and hiding a disappointment was hard.

jejudo, 2016 – 03:00 PM 

"nothing happen, seriously!" 

seulgi chuckled, what a stubborn slash demanding man, "i miss you," she inhaled, "i miss you jaebum," she said once again, as if she's confirming her heart. she smiled despite the restless feeling kept creeping inside her heart, but now at least she know why. from afar wendy screamed, bringing her back to reality, "hey seulgi! let's take a picture together!" seulgi raised her hand, tell her to wait by her gesture, "i think i need to go now. i'll call you again, love you."

seulgi ran a bit. there was only a few people at woljeongri beach​. it was windy and near the sunset time so it was the right time for them to take a group picture. wendy interwined her hand with seulgi's while they walk slowly across the beach. the sand against her bare feet somehow feel ticklish for seulgi, because suddenly she laughed, so hard. wendy was looking at her before she laughed too, "who told you to take off your sandals?"

"someone told me you get full experience if you go by bare feet."

that someone, wendy knew well who. so she can't help but to smile bitterly.

i'm sorry seul.

finally, after a long thought and consideration, yoongi stepped slowly to a seemingly old house. everything colored in white, from outside it seems so peaceful, so comfy, it imitate what he thought he can call home. he stopped and took the photograph, it was his mom's old picture. she still look very young and beautiful despite the smile that anyone could tell was forced. he flipped the photograph, Jeju-do Jeju-si Haean-dong​ 58C.

he observe the building, only looked around but never have any intention to press the bell.  at the end his feet took him as far as he can go from that house, preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of his surroundings. a long vibrate on his pocket stopping him from going further.

one new massage. 

wendy son.  

a/n: omg sorry for the loooong wait, disclaimer: i know absolutely nothing about jeju, i never been there so i'm sorry if there's any mistake, i count on the internet to give me the information. okay first, suga's mixtape is lit /insert thousands of fire emoji here/ you should check it out! second, sorry if the genre was blurry, from angst-friendship-romance. gosh, i hope you'll keep subscribing until the fun begins. thank you for reading! (sorry for any typos or grammatical errors)