"Ah..."

 

The sound of exhaustion echoed the woods. It was just four in the morning but he has to go and gather sticks to light up the furnace any sooner and now he's hurrying up for before the sun rises, he must fetch plenty of water for the troop to drink and wash. It was tiring. Everyday is a battle against muscle pains. Though with 15 years of experience eversince he was seven, he is still human who experiences pain.

 

"Jungkook!"

 

Someone called him. A guy with a bright smile and is a happy virus in their troop. Someone he calls 'hyung' and trusts the most

 

"Hoseok hyung!"

 

Jungkook responded back. He stood up and wiped off his sweat that's covering his face

 

"Yah. Why did you not wake me up and tire yourself all alone doing this?"

 

Hoseok complained to the younger. Jungkook just offered him a smile and a slight punch on the forearm

 

"You'll cook food for everyone later on. Why should I wake you up and make you tired?"

 

Jungkook responded

 

"Yah. You. Tss. Okay. Fine. But let me help you with these, at least"

 

Hoseok said. Jungkook nodded with a chuckle. As they go back up to their tiny village in the woods, Jungkook saw how the sun rises from the beautiful East

 

"Hyung"

 

Jungkook called out

 

"Uhm?"

 

Hoseok responded without giving a glance to the younger

 

"Someday, am I allowed to see what's beneath the mountains?"

 

Jungkook asked. Hoseok halted from his walk. He himself wanted to do that too. But what else can they do? It's a total chaos beneath there. And there will always be blood shedding down there as what their elders said

 

"I am as curious as you, Jungkook-ah. But you know, we know, that there are rules we need to follow. Soon, when we reach the age of 25, we'll have to see what's beneath"

 

Hoseok said

 

"Lucky for you, hyung. You only have a year"

 

Jungkook said

 

"I still need four long years. Ah"

 

Jungkook continued

 

"Yah! Stop talking for now and let's get these water to the village. I'm sure soon, they'll all be awake"

 

Hoseok said. He know for a fact that entering the age of 25 will put them in battle. That's where the sun rises for those who won't make it back alive. A different side of the sun rising. It's not warm. It's cold. Hoseok despises that age. That age is a curse. Hoseok lost his parents in the battlefield because of that. But despite being disgusted of the reality, Hoseok is curious. He is curious on how to take vengeance for his loss.

 

"Hoseok hyung!"

 

Jungkook called out. That's the time Hoseok knew he was spacing out. He flashed a quick smile to the younger and started walking again.

 

As a return of Hoseok's help, Jungkook offered a hand on cooking.He started the fire and chopped some of the ingredients for his hyung.

 

"Hyung"

 

Jungkook called attention

 

"Uhm?"

 

Hoseok said without sparing a glance and is just focused on chopping the whole chicken he boiled from the village's chicken field

 

"Do you happen to know my father?"

 

Jungkook asked out of the blue

 

"You know? I was only five when he passed away. I only found his note when I was 15. He told me very strongly there that I must become like him - to be one of the greatest warriors"

 

Jungkook added

 

"Yes. But faint memories are left with me Kook. I was only 10 that time too"

 

Hoseok said

 

"I guess every men in our troop is destined to be a warrior. But just like how our fathers made their mark on our lives. We should train hard too"

 

Hoseok answered more. A chuckle came off the younger's mouth and threw a piece of garlic to his hyung

 

"Yah!"

 

Hoseok threatened

 

"Hyung. I wonder how you overcame all your fears. You're fearless now, even seeing that big spider in front of you doesn't make you flinch. Why, hyung?"

 

Jungkook asked

 

"Is that a compliment?"

 

Hoseok asked, earning a nod from the younger

 

"Maybe because I am as curious as you, like what I said earlier"

 

Hoseok replied shortly. Jungkook just scratched his nape trying to find an answer from Hoseok's answer.

 

"Hyung. You'll not leave me, right?"

 

Jungkook asked

 

"Leave you?"

 

Hoseok seemed puzzled

 

"Don't let them kill you too. You have to see me kill them for you too"

 

Jungkook said

 

*

*

 

"Yah! Kim Taehyung! That's mine!"

 

Jimin shouted. Taehyung just laughed and put his hands higher, knowing that he's much taller than the short Captain.

 

"I'll aim the gun at the base of that chicken wings or you'll put it down on my plate yourself"

 

Jimin threatened. And it worked. Anytime. If it's a gun, Taehyung will back off. He knows that Jimin does everything he says.

 

"You're still threatening your best friend. How could you?"

 

Taehyung said

 

"I know. Because you're my best friend"

 

Jimin replied and chuckled. Taehyung just grunted a bit and stood up to get them another set of chicken

 

"Your leg looks beaten up. You okay?"

 

Taehyung asked with a worried face. Jimin just nodded and stuffed his face with chicken and drank his beer

 

"Can you please tell me just once that it hurts? I need to do something for you too. I want to treat your freaking wounds at some point too. What's my use of being a doctor? Tss"

 

Taehyung nagged. Jimin looked at him in the eyes with a reassuring look

 

"I don't want to give you my money because I checked in for a medication"

 

Jimin said, earning a piece of whine from the younger

 

"Yah!"

 

Taehyung said

 

"Just continue to be yourself. You're doing just fine towards me"

 

Jimin said

 

"Cheers?"

 

He added. Jimin took his can of beer and Taehyung took his glass of strawberry juice. They both smiled at each other. Such soulmates.

 

*

*

 

"Jungkook-ah, what do you want? Thigh? Wings? ? I'll save your part"

 

Hoseok asked the younger who ha been helping him up to set the table for everybody

 

"Wings hyung. I would like to have chicken wings"

 

Jungkook replied as he placed the rice on the table with banana leaves plated on it to serve as the base for their food. No one eats alone. They all go together and share their meal on one table. That goes as their tradition.

 

Soon enough, people gathered around the table. You would not imagine that these guys sharing meals happily are against the government. It looks so simple. No one would've wondered. Their joyous laughs and merry songs surrounds the area after their breakfast. All smiles, no hidden blood elsewhere. But who would have known? They're also people who fights for their rights. Not to be judged. Not to be isolated if only were given a chance to voice out. But reality made them voiceless so they made their own way to make a stand

 

How cruel must that be to the young minds. Jungkook and Hoseok for instance grew up in that situation. It's either they continue and fight too or they'll flew off and shot dead halfway through.

 

"Hyung"

 

Jungkook called out

 

"Can I just skip my age and be 25 next year too? I want to fight with you, you know?"

 

He added

 

"Yah! You're pretty 21. How could you?"

 

Hoseok joked the younger

 

"Aye. I'm already the best in the town hyung. I even beat you up on duels. Everyone knows that"

 

Jungkook boasted leaving the older to hiss. Well, that's the truth

 

"Yah! Narrow-headed Jungkookie. What are you fighting for?"

 

Hoseok seriously asked

 

"I don't know. I'm fighting just because I'm good at it. Maybe. Or because my father told me strongly to become like him. At least. Or, because I want to help you, hyung"

 

Jungkook lengthily said. Hoseok chuckled and ruffled the younger's hair

 

"Have a reasonable reason first before I tell the elders"

 

Hoseok said. Jungkook pouted. 4 years is such a long time. He can be better at battlefield, he always says at himself

 

*

*

 

"Min Yoongi!"

 

Someone called out the general. The voice seemed too familiar, Yoongi immediately knew who this person is

 

"Yah! Until when are you going to call me that without honorifics?!"

 

Yoongi protested. The younger just strangled his arms on Yoongi's shoulders and patted his head

 

"Aye. I want to omit honorifics when not in work. You're rank is higher than mine already. Give this one to me"

 

Jimin said and smiled widely showing his sparkling whites. Yoongi hissed and threw a soft elbow on Jimin's side

 

"Ow. You're so grumpy. No wonder why people call you names"

 

Jimin said

 

"Let's go eat! You're having too much fun before even saying you're hungry"

 

Yoongi said