~ 2025 ~

The six men finished their meals and drinks and rubbed their stomachs soothingly.

"Alright." Nam Joon clapped his hands and rubbed them together, "How about we go see Seok Jin?"'

They all nodded with smiles and stood from their seats. After a ten minute drive they all arrived. They parked their cars side by side and strolled down a narrow dirt path that was covered with beautiful trees. It was spring, and the flowers were in full bloom. They looked out at the mountains that surrounded them, and the field down below. The air was fresh and clear, the sun was out, it was a perfect day. 

They all stopped and looked down at a grave stone, which read..

Here lays Kim Seok Jin. 

4-12-1992 to 20-10-2015. 

One by one, they placed a white flower down by his grave stone. They held their hands by their sides and lowered their heads, for a minute silence. They held their eyes closed, smiling as they remembered his sweet face, his laugh.. His presence.

*If he had stayed.. What would our lives be like?*

That night after graduation he, locked himself in his room, and ended his life. Just as everyone expected of him, he came out with perfect exam scores and was accepted into the best universities in the country.

He left a note behind, his way as saying goodbye to those who loved him. 

'Whoever is reading this. I'm sorry. For not living like everybody else. To my friends, you know I love you right? I'm sorry I couldn't create as many good memories with you as you would have wished of me. To my parents, I'm sorry for not being a better son. I did well on the exams, and I'll use this letter to ask for your permission, my scores are good enough right? Please be proud of me. I beg of you. Goodbye.'

After visiting Seok Jin, the six men drove back to the local basketball court that they used to play at as kids.  They split up into teams, Jimin, Nam Joon and Jeongguk verse Tae Hyung, Yoon Gi and Ho Seok. 

Jimin glanced at the side bench, he saw Seok Jin sitting their, like he usually did. With the whistle in his hands, pointing and laughing at Nam Joon telling him he fouled. Jeongguk called his name, telling him to pass the ball and he snapped out of his daze. 

He quickly passed the ball to Jeongguk and they all followed him down towards the ring. Jimin looked back at the bench and saw the empty, wooden bench. He wasn't there. Although it had already been ten years since he passed, it still hurt him. Seok Jin always volunteered to ref their games, but now they had to argue amongst themselves to come to a decision. They needed him.. Even to this day.. They needed him.

Nam Joo