Fall.
once upon a taleJungkook stopped in front of a tree. “It's hers” He picked up something from the ground, and it was a handkerchief. It was a white fabric with the date of when and where it was made printed on the side; Jeju 1974. He remembered it clearly just a year previously, the Jeon and the Kim went on a trip to Jeju for a weekend get away with Taehyung and Jimin tagging along.
He smiled upon the kerchief. On the edge of the fabric, ’we’ll be at jung hoseok for the night’ was written with a black pen. “Clever as ever, ” he put it inside of his pocket, and ran back to his hyungs as fast as he could.
Taehyung and Hyena kept their mouth quite for almost an hour, for the time that they spent walking behind Hoseok and his hums. He took them away from the forest, only after 15 minutes of walking, they came out of it and enter a village, or what seemed to be that. Houses made out of the oaks and rock with small windows, lined up along the road. Children, woman and man spent their time just in front of their place, with laugh and joy. They were all polite, very polite. Compared to them, Taehyung, Hyena and Even Hoseok had a smaller eye and face, yet, they didn't bother to stare at them even though it was obvious that they came from a different place.
“Are they Europians?” Taehyung whispered to his friend. He got a hold on his strap and tried to not look around too much.
Hyena just shrugged. “Why don't we ask,” She moved on some few steps ahead and caught up on Hoseok. “Where are we?”
“The Northeast, The melting pot of the east, and the north” He briefly answered. He stole a glance at Hyena, and Taehyung in the back, and he started to wonder; “You both have never been here before?”
“…No…” Taehyung bit his lips while nudging at Hyena, hoping that she could explain more than him.
Hoseok didn't mind to ask for more than that, and just left the boy and the girl in his back, as he fasten his pace. “Let's go, I think my servant had cooked something nice for us”. He went to a road, where people weren't seen at all, a road that only fit for one car, with the pavement made out of red bricks. Bushes and wild flowers were decorating the side of the road and ahead, they could see a tall black gate with two people standing next to it, seemed to be guarding it. They had a black tuxedo with them, army boots and a leather mask covering their mouth; they look weird and somehow, scary. “Good afternoon,” Hoseok greeted the two men right after they opened the gate for them. “Thank you”
Once they were inside the gate, the first thing that Hyena and Taehyung did was turning around, looking calmly at the guards, and the road that they had entered. The guards didn't move an inch. The people who were warm and nice had many steps away behind them. They turned around again, continue to face the back of Hoseok and was surprised by the view ahead.
“Are you a prince or something?” Spontaneously, Hyena let out her thought. A big fountain made out of marble had a statue of a coral reef and little fishes around it in the center. it was a very detail sculptured and around it, white roses were the flower that protected the monument. Then, she understood why she couldn't see the house at all back then. Behind the fountain, a huge house was standing firm, with its white bricks and big windows facing rows of well-planted pine trees.
“No,” Hoseok only answered the question once they were in front of the big fancy door. “But I serves him,” And as if he had a remote control on his hand, the door opened for itself, showing a much more jaw-dropping view with what was inside. Hoseok’s house was practically a copy of one of the mansion that we can see on the TV. The wall was painted in shades of brown, it had some wooden touch on it. A big painting of Hoseok was set on one of the walls, where a stair that headed to the second floor was built right in front of them. The floor were all marble and had a soft carpet covering some part of it, which, he didn't mind to be stepped on with Hyena’s and Taehyung’s dirty shoes. “Let's go straight to the second floor, shall we? Your bags look heavy and you both might need some clean up too, am I right?”
As soon as they entered the room, Hoseok left them be. Taehyung and Hyena were once again wowed by a room. Hoseok told them that they were staying in his guest room, but then the room itself, is the size of their house. A big wardrobe, a dresser and sofa were set in one of the corner across the one big king size bed. And just in between the two corners, a very big window and a balcony gave them the view of the sea.
“I don't understand…” Hyena put down her bag and took off her shoes. She walked and stood in front of the window, looking at the blue sea. The sky was not as bright as she remembered and so she believed the night was about to come. She came out of the room and stepped into the balcony. Feeling the breeze, the smell of the salt water that welcomed her the minute she breathe in, relaxing herself for a moment. “It's beautiful”
“It is, indeed,” And apparently, Taehyung was never away from her. He stood right next to her and started to look around. The house was built on the edge of a promontory, was very high from the sea. But he could also see a beach just right below them, below the cliff and it seemed that it was still reachable by a walk down the land. Next to them, he could see two more balconies, one seemed to be twice as big as theirs. He then sat himself in a one of the chairs. “I get tired, wowed, scared, happy, relaxed, excited… This feels so real, Hyena”
Hyena didn't nodded nor shook her head. For a moment, she only had her eyes onto the sky. “If only everyone is here, then I don't want this to end”
Namjoon looked at the watch on his right hand. “In five minutes, if he still hasn't shown his face then— eh?? Wait, my watch is not working??“
“Let's just look for him now, Hyung!!” Jimin who was anxiously circling around jumped out of frustration. “Ugh, that kid! Does he know—“
“Hyung!!!!!”. A shout made the two of them turning their head to the woods. There was Jungkook, running with a wide smile and a handkerchief in his right hand. He ran like a baby who had just learned to walk. “Hyu— Hyung!! I know where they are!!!!”. Once he got to sit with his hyungs, he didn't even bother to catch some breath and continue to speak. “Loo— look! Hyena left a me— message! They’re now staying the night at Mr. Jung Hoseok’s place!!”
Jungkook showed the fabric and the text written on it, letting Namjoon and Jimin to read it carefully.
“Oh, its Hyena’s writing” Jimin nodded. “So she’s here too?”
“Yes, and look, she said 'we', so thank god, Taehyung is with her too!” Jungkook hadn't stopped blinking his eyes. “Let’s go! You guys had enough rest right? Let's go and find them!”
“No,” Namjoon stopped jungkook from getting back, pulled him back to the ground. “We have, but you haven’t. Lets make a tent here and continue to look for them in the morning”
The Maknae furrowed. “What?” He believed that what he heard was a complete nonsense. “Hyung! Don't you understand?? They’re at Mr. Jung Hoseok’s place! A stranger! We— we don't even know whether we can trust him or not!”
“I— I think we do, he sounds like he is korean too,” Jimin intruded. “Kookie, it's okay, everything is going to be okay”
“But—“
“Hey, Hyena is a smart girl, right?? And Taehyung is reliable too! They’re going to be okay!” The oldest held Jungkook’s arm, telling to not leaving the place by any chance. “And the night is coming in a matter of minutes, how are we supposed to be lucky enough to find a person who knows the whereabouts of this Hoseok guy? Sit down, Jungkook. Help us to build the tent, and let's eat some ramen. Okay?”
As much as he hated it, Namjoon was right. “Okay” So as much as he wanted to run again, he could not.
“We’re so prepared for a drea—“ Jimin paused once he settled his eyes on the boy across him, on Jungkook who hadn't touched his bowl of ramen. “Jungkook, cold ramen is not tasty”
They had wrapped their self in jacket and made a fire to warm themselves and to make some instant ramen. The sky was dark already and surprisingly, it was full of stars lighting up the night. More than anyone, namjoon seemed to be the one who enjoyed the time for most; he was the only one who sets his sleeping bag on the grass and sprawl himself there, looking up to the sky. Jimin was busy as he was in charge with the dinner. His hardest task was to make jungkook eat, and for that, he had to move from his seat and feed his dongsaeng.
“Eat, kookie”
“Hyung,” whether it was unconscious or not, he willingly opened his mouth and let the warm noodles entering his mouth. Chewing it, swallowing it diligently. “You do realize that you’re supposed to hate me, right? Not keeping me alive”
Jimin followed the rhythm of his mouth. He knew when he supposed to get the noodles, and he supposed to feed it to his friend. “I don’t, I don't see why we supposed to hate you”. Before Jungkook got to say to himself, “And if you still insisted that you’re the one who dragged us here, then I too, insisted that we’re not going to hate you for it” Jimin made him close his mouth with the warm ramen. “I enjoyed this… journey, yes So far, I really enjoy this journey”
Without them realizing it, the bowl was empty by then.
“Jeon Jungkook, you’re hiding something. I can see that, obviously. I want to know, but, I’m not going to make you say it, unless you willingly tell me. Whatever it is, I swear, Jungkook, I wont hate you for that” Jimin put down the bowl, but not his eyes.
“Even,” After a moment of silence, Jungkook continue himself. “Even if I want to I can’t”
Hyena put down the comb even though she was only a half way brushing her long and wavy black hair. Someone was knocking the door, it made her ran from the dresser to the door. “Yes?”
“Oh, Good afternoon, Kim Hyena” There he stood in front of him, Jung Hoseok. This time, he wasn't alone. There was a girl, more like a woman, standing right behind him. She was about as tall as Hyena, wearing a black simple dress that touched her knees. She was pale, a beauty with a blond hair and almond eyes, thin lips and a warm self. “This is Aria, she will help you and Taehyung for the time that you both will be staying here. She was about to call you both for dinner but then i bumped into her, and decided to just come here myself as well as I introduced her to you both— wait, where is Taehyung?”
“He—“
“Did someone called for me?” Hyena didn't have the time to answer since Taehyung was already there, standing behind her with his wet hair, dropping some water on to her shoulder. “Oh, Mr.Hoseok, I was taking a shower,”
“I bet you were” Hoseok nodded calmly, looking at Taehyung who had his bare chest covered with Hyena’s back. Being the Taehyung himself, he forgot to put on some clothes and just ran out of the bathroom, with only a towel on his waist. “Now, Aria, would you mind to show them their robe? taehyung looked like he needs some help”
Aria, the woman stepped up and entered the room, went directly to the wardrobe and took two pieces of clothes. “Do hope that this will fit you, miss,” She handed the first piece to Hyena after she bowed a little to her, “I do believe that this is the right size for you, mister” and then to Taehyung.
“Yes Taehyung please put that on, now” Hyena muttered, didn't feel the need to look at her friend on the back.
“Oh! Yes! Yes! sorry!” Taehyung wrapped himself with the robe. With the silk pastel robe. “Ah! this is so comfy!”
Hoseok was the one who felt flattered ; “The east are always famous for our garment, we have a very excellent taste, as you can see”. Hoseok was simple, he liked to see his guests feeling comfortable at his place. He felt happy by that. “Now Hyena we can still wait for you to change, if you like, or we can—“
“No thank you, I’m fine” Hyena cut him off. She didn't need to checked on herself from head to toe as She believed that the shirt, pants and boots that she was wearing was better than the fancy robe. “Lets just cut the talk and eat some dinner, shall we?”
Instead of being offended by the initiative, The host rather smiled upon the spirit. “We shall”
Namjoon reached for the nearest blanket that wasn't his. “Jungkook??”
He looked to his right, where Jimin was soundly asleep, “Hyung,” yet awakened by him.
The oldest sat himself, and looked around the little tent. He was only with jimin and one sleeping bag was abandoned. “Jungkook??” without putting too much of a thought, Namjoon got up and jumped out of the tent. “Jungkook!” That name was the first thing that he said once the cold breeze welcomed him, once the stars came back to his sight. “Ya! Jungkookie where are—“
He left his mouth hanging, as someone pat his shoulder lightly. “Hyung,” He looked to the side and it was jimin, who was also pointing his other hand to a spot where the maknae was sitting alone, having his vision focused on the silhouette of the hills and mountains across himself.
Both of them took their steps slowly to approach the lonely Jungkook on the field. He wasn't wearing his jacket, but wasn't freezing either. He was just there, locking himself alone with the night.
“Jungkook you’ll catch a cold,” Namjoon sat next to him, placing his hand on his shoulder, “Are you okay?”
“I can’t sleep,” he muttered with his sore voice. “I want to run and get them back, but I can’t”
“Because of us?” Jimin joined them, sitting on the right side of Jungkook.
Jungkook stopped looking at what was across nor looking up to the stars; he looked down, settling his eyes on his feet. “Because the moment I leave guys, it will be the moment where you have to fight me”
The two hyungs were taken aback by the words, they were mostly confused, but the sense of wanting to know more got a hold on them. “Is everything okay?”
“Hyung,” Jungkook got up and turned around, facing down at Namjoon and Jimin who never left their eyes on him. He raised one of his hands, it was the right hand. In the air, his fingers started to move around and suddenly, the wind stopped blowing. The coldness was nowhere to be found and above, right above them, the stars were moving like some scattered beads. “Nothing is okay,”
They were taken aback, for the second time. “He— heoll..”
Jimin stood himself, putting his head upward and looked around. “Beaut— beautiful”
“Indeed,” Rapmon agreed. Unlike Jimin, he kept his eyes on Jungkook, and so did Jungkook. “So in here, you— you can control the sky?”
“At night,” He flicked his hand and the stars started to blip in motion. He flicked it again, then everything went back to normal. The wind came back, the stars went back to where it was placed. “I can do so many things,”
Jungkook put both of his hands together, clapped, and placed his mouth on it. He slowly pulled it away together, and some sort of light appeared from his palm. It was bright, as bright as the stars above. It could be seen that it was made out of particles, as if it was made out of the stars itself. It created an image, a motion, a figure of someone. A face of her, who they all know. “Hyena?” Jimin and Namjoon moved closer to him, with doubt and curiosity blended in one soul. “Taehyung??”
Jungkook nodded “And so that guy must be Hoseok,”.
Aria placed close to Hoseok’s ear and whispered; “Sir, you have a mail,”
Hyena and taehyung who sat across him just watched while trying to understand what was happening. Just a second ago, they were in the middle of having a feast, with the salad, cakes and bread that they have on the table. They’d taste the most delicious orange juice ever and they’d eat the softest cremebrûlée, or they believed as so since they’ve never eaten one anyway.
Hoseok received a piece of an envelope, it was red and sealed with a white stamp. “I have a good feeling about this,” He smirked, while stealing some glances at his two guests. His slender fingers carefully opened the sealed, and took the piece of folded paper. He unfolded it, and once he put it on the table, the ink raised from the paper and flew in the air. Dancing around, making words out of a handwritten text. Hoseok parted his lips in reflect, and so the ink disappeared into ashes, falling down to the ground. He shifted his eyes to his guests, the people who had the same expression as he was after seeing the weird envelope and what it consisted of. “He’s here,”
Hyena didn't wait to ask. “Who?”
“The heir of the night, one who holds justice over mercy, who value honesty more than his soul, Vasiariah”
“They’re having a dinner?” Jimin still wowed with the motions on the maknae’s hand. It was like a video, one that they never thought would come out of a clap. “With a stranger?”
Jungkook clapped his hand, and it was all gone. “Yes, I supposed, I can only see that much, I still can’t talk to them,”
“Still can’t? But you will?” Jimin asked again. “Wo— wow, I don’t know what to say…”
“Then let's go find them,” Namjoon got up and his motionless self abruptly changed into a man filled with worries. His smallest movement was shaky, the coolness that once was there disappeared in a blink of a second.
“Hyung are you okay?” Both of his dongsaeng tried their best to catch up. “Hyung, we can—“
“I— I’ve seen him before, that hoseok guy!” The oldest almost screamed in Jimin’s face, “Jung— Jungkook do you have any idea on where and how to find them??”
Jungkook nodded. “I think I do,” He ran back to the tent, so did Jimin and Namjoon. “I supposed I can track them using the stars, but I need something that belongs to at least one of them” Jungkook reached for something in his bag, Hyena’s handkerchief. Once he got the piece of cloth he ran back to the exact same spot as before. He held it with both of his hands and ripped it off, torn into pieces.
Jimin and Namjoon stood themselves in front of the tent, keeping the distance from him. But they never once left their eyes on him, for the things that he did with the cloth in his hands. The fabric turned into dust as Jungkook crumbled it all in his hands. It fell off his hands, just like the sand on the beach and once it touched the ground, it gathered around, each of the particles, forming a piece of paper. Jungkook lowered himself to pick up the paper and it shined on his hands, as if again, it was made out of the stars. Black inks appeared and made its marks on the paper before it flew just an inch above it, moving around like a trapped soy sauce in the air.
By his will, the ink stopped moving and giving them answers, in a form of a map. One that seemed to be leading their way to Hyena and Taehyung. “This will only last until dawn, hyung” Jungkook muttered. “We better go now”
By the look that Taehyung gave to Hyena, she agreed with him, on how weird Jung Hoseok was. He was then staring at both of them after he finished reading the mail. “Vasiariah?” Hyena repeated.
“I thought this is not the tale of the east land only,” Hoseok rested his chin on his hand, seeking for comfort. “So you don’t know—“
“Okay, now I’m tired” The girl who was on her chair couldn't take it. She got up, hooking her eyes on the host and pointed a hand on him. “Mr, Mr Hoseok, I can't take with more of your— argh!! We— we just want to wake up, stop playing this game or— story— or— argh!” From pointing her hand, she swung it to the table and made everyone but Hoseok startled. “Dear god allowed me to wake up!!!”
Men in black armor appeared from behind the curtains, cabinets and even windows, pointing their swords and arrows to Hyena who was still closing her eyes due to her power of shouting her thoughts. Taehyung couldn't move an inch as even one of the sword was a tad closer to his neck. The men were covered with the same mask as what they saw when they entered the house earlier and it didn't make anything better to both Hyena and Taehyung.
“Easy, everyone, put down your weapons,” As Hoseok commanded them, Hyena slowly opened her eyes and tried to not be surprised by it. The troops went back to their hiding place with no sounds produced and turned the room back into the fancy dining place. “Forgive my men, but they are very sensitive regarding tones and pronunciation” He continued. “But, my dear, as much as you want this to be just a dream, this is not”
Hyena didn't go back to her chair, stuck to her feet standing on the cold floor. “What?”
“I guess I need to stop pretending too,” Aria served him a cup of tea, one that he needed the most for holding his self. “When we met the first time this afternoon, the first thing you both did were lying to me, I know that none of you came from the southwest, the direction that you both were pointing at the woods” He ended his words with chuckles. “Like me, you both are more like the people from the east, but, it is impossible for people from the east doesn't know anything about the northeast, so, that’s only meant one thing,” Hoseok paused his smile, raising an eyebrow, “Kim Hyena, Kim Taehyung, how’s korea?” and was satisfied with his own words as he started to laugh, clapping his hands, alone. “Hahahahaha! oh my— oh my god I can't believe that— ahahahahhaha! Oh my Lord! This is finally happening!!”
Taehyung had his eyes on the girl. “Hye— Hyena…”
“Mr.Hoseok you scared me…” And the girl was no where near her bravery. The more Hoseok let out his laugh, the more fear she got from him. “Mr—“
“Hahahaha, oh— oh— my!” And after a while, Hoseok finally closed his mouth. “Ah— Oh my, Lord, you both are real, huh? I can not believe it,” he finished his cup of tea in one gulp, then asked for another one. He couldn't stop grinning, he even got up from his seat just to jump around on the floor. To guess, the fully composed Jung Hoseok was only a complete mask, because the mad person with sophisticated taste in front of Hyena and Taehyung was way more convincing in term of a true form. “For real! How’s korea?? wheres your hanbok??”
“In— in my closet of course,” Hyena had slowly make her way towards Taehyung, without no one noticing it. “Are you— you from seoul?”
“Seoul?? No, I was from Hanseong!” Hoseok proclaimed.
Taehyung flicked his hand “A— ah! you are from the korean empire era, then?”
“You both are not?” He then wondered completely stop being amused.
The two guests shook their head.
“As I recall, I was born on 1958, and This guy was only 9 months older than me” Hyena patted the head of her friend, “You must be a very old and left behind man”
Hoseok gasped, “Ah, no wonder you two act so unmannered” and rolled his eyes. “over 50 years of gap? Just why am I supposed to deal with you both”. After a hissed, he went back to his seat and took a sip of the warm tea which Aria just poured. He looked at the mall again and decided to rip it off. “I wonder how long I should take care of you both before his highness calls for you”
“So Mr.Hoseok, are we—“
“How old are you?” The eyes of Jung Hoseok straight went to Hyena’s, cutting her word off and being in charge. He rested his chin on his hands and watched the two people trying to catch some air.
“17,” She said.
“Oh, what a young lady,” Hoseok nodded and looked away. “I must be a grandfather to both of you, but I’d love to believe that I am forever 22. Now please, dinner is off and you both may go back to your room, I will see you soon," he got up first and left the room in a jumpy walk, " perhaps”.
Namjoon put his hands on his knees, heavily breathing. After a second of looking down at his feet, he reached out for the boy in front, “Jungkook,”
Jimin was walking between the oldest and the youngest but always closest to his hyung in the back. He stopped walking and turned around, “Hyung are you okay?”. In his eyes, Namjoon was looking far from okay. He went to him and reached for his shoulder. “Jeon Jungkook we have been walking for more than two hours!”
From where the tent was set, they turned east, following the map, walking away from the mountains. It was a rocky way to where they were standing at that moment. They went inside a forest for a bit, then came out of it. Walking in three, in the middle of the night on a soundless pavement. There were no lights but the stars above them, but the map on Jungkook’s hand. The huge bag that they carried was starting to suffocated them and so the only thing that made them not fall asleep was their trust in the youngest Jungkook.
Jungkook also stopped, but just to look around. The forest was way behind them and they were facing a stone wall, a big and tall pile of stones that seemed to be endless.
“Dead end?” With a help from Jimin, Namjoon made it to Jungkook’s place. “This look firm,” He knocked on the wall, then slid himself to the ground. “Should we climb this?”
“Hyung, can you hear it?” Jungkook put his finger on his lips, asking them to keep quiet. “Its, its behind this wall—“
“Sea, the sea!” Jimin exclaimed. He searched for something on the wall and found a that luckily was still reachable to his eyes. The young boy peeked inside. “Oh, that is weird,”
Namjoon got up and stood himself next to Jimin. “What is weird?” Jimin moved a little to let Namjoon peeked inside the wall too. “Another wall?”. Because of the height of the wall and the very small hole, Namjoon couldn't say anything but the other wall behind the stone wall. “So now what?”
“We, we have to climb this,” Jungkook went to them with the map and showed something. “See, they’re close! They are right behind the walls!”
In the eyes of his hyungs, what he showed was nothing but a blank paper.
Jungkook seemed to understand the blank face that Namjoon and JImin has. “I— I know you guys find it weird that I’m the only one who can read this, but really, we must climb this wall!”
“Hfft,” One of them took a deep breath, “It has been a very weird and a long day, so, might just try this one also” And it was of course Namjoon with his solely eyes. His hands reached for his bag behind and put it down. It moved carelessly to look for something. It wasn't his sleeping bag, wasn't his food. Wasn't his dead flashlight, was not also his clothes. “Okay, now wish me luck” It was a rope that he looked for.
Namjoon tied the rope around his waist.
“Are you going to climb this up?” Jimin asked.
“Umm, I don’t know, do I look like I’m going to marrying this wall?” For some reason, he started to become agitated. “And hell no, Kookie, you are not going to climb this wall”
“But—“
“If you dare to touch this wall without my permission, I will tell Hyena your secrets” He had reached the first stone and stepped on another one. After a few reach out, Namjoon made it high enough for him to look down. “Each of it,”
“Taehyung, psst,” Hyena rolled to the other side of the bed and set her eyes on the boy on the sofa. “Are you awake?”
“Of course I am,” He changed position, turning over his back and showed his face to her. “Do you really think I can sleep after a day like this?”.
The girl sat herself and took off her blanket. In the end, she doubled her clothes with the robe because the night was colder than she thought. She looked around the dark room that was only lightened by the moonlight. Neither she or Taehyung like the room completely black so they decided to not put on the curtain since they didn't know how to turn on the lights of the room. “Taehyung do you think if I jump out of the balcony this stupid dream will end—“
“No! No! No! Are you crazy!?” He abruptly got out of the couch. “Don’t do anything stupid!”
“I’m not, I’m being rational—“
“Whats so rational about jumping out of a cliff?!?” He threw his pillow at her. “Just stay there! And wait for the sun—“
“So what, after the sun comes, what should we do?” She threw back the pillow at him with a power twice stronger than his. “Arghh!!! I really am going to be crazy—“
Her whines were completely shut off by the figure outside the window. Not just her whines, but also Taehyung’s worries toward her. He no longer only worries about his friend, but also himself. “Hye— Hyena—“
“Yes— I— I know,” The girl breathed out.
The white panther was back and set on the prowl.
Under the moonlight, its white fur and blue eyes were clearer than the afternoon. It's almost like it sparked through the lights. The creature was rather calm and composed as if it only watch them from afar and not wanting to do anything to them.
Hyena placed her feet on the floor, stood up.
“What are you doing??” Taehyung quickly noticed it.
She walked towards the window, towards the balcony in a very sure step. “I’m going to let myself eaten by it and then let’s see what will happen” Only an inch away from the knob, Hyena already stood herself right in front of the panther. The glass was the only thing that separated the both of them who already set their eyes on each other’s. Hyena reached for the doorknob and pulled it slowly.
“That is enough,” Before the door open, Taehyung already pulled her to his side as they both fell onto the floor. “Kim Hyena, stop thinking that this is only a dream even though it might be is!” He made her look only at his eyes before he made it clear to her, “Do you know how worry I am every time you think about wanting to wake up?? Knock-on your head to the trees, jumping out of the balcony and now being eaten by a panther?! Like hell yeah I’m not stupid and aware of this nonsense world but really! Can you for once just go with the flow?! Like, lets just pretend that this is real and act based on—“
Clack. His rage was ended by the sound of an opened door.
They were hoping for the other door instead of that one being opened, instead of the one with a panther which never leave its place. Due to the windy the night, the door was slammed back and so there was nothing but fear that parted the two of them and the white panther. “Oh god,”
Jimin and Jungkook took a few steps aback so that they didn't have to tilt their head to high for looking at the person on the top of the wall. “Hyung are you good?”
After a long climb, namjoon finally made it to the top. “I am, but I’m very confused”. To start, his rope nearly reached the ground as it was already five meters long. But then that was not the thing that made him confuse the most. The sound of the wave, from where he stood, it was if he already faced the beach across himself. “How to— how to explain this,” what was in front of him was another green field like the one that they had passed often, however, from the top of the wall where he stood, and another wall across him, right below him and in between those walls, there was a very pitch black enormously huge gap, about more than 20 meters long. “It’s endless” He took a rock from near his feet and dropped it into the darkness. The sound of it hitting the ground was never heard. “Or not really…” Because the only thing then he could hear was the sound of it hitting the water that echoed up to his place.
The other two on the ground could also hear the sound. “So there’s a sea beneath us?” Jimin still kept his eyes on Namjoon who already sat himself on the top of the wall since the wall was thick enough to let him did so. “Okay, Kookie, now what?” but then changed it to Jungkook and his map.
“We, we still have to climb this,” Jungkook answered it with his hands trapping the rope which Namjoon already hooked it to the wall. “It somehow says that—“
“Jeon Jungkook, I said don’t touch the wall” From above, Namjoon glared at the maknae. “Now what. Should I go down or jumped there?” He was sort of angry, as he didn't put a space for agreement. “What does your map tells you—“
“Sorry hyung but I need to climb this wall too,” In a gesture of hands Jungkook made Namjoon froze in his place, trapped inside the starry dusk that lightly covered his whole body. He took the chance to reach for the rope and climbed the wall. It didn't take him long enough to make him sit next to Namjoon, Jungkook was reaching each of the stones as if he was casually walking on the street. “Hyung,” He flicked his hand again and Namjoon stopped freezing. “Sorry,”
“Jeon Jungkook you are dead….” Jimin muttered from below.
Namjoon didn't say a word and only stared at the maknae in a cold gaze.
“If anyone is going to fall it has to be me,” As for Jungkook, he couldn't recall just when was the last time Namjoon being that angry with him. “You can always hate me anyway—“
The sound of waves gotten stronger and stronger, replacing the role of the wind.
“That is not the point,” Said Namjoon. “If you are ever going to fall, then how am I supposed to explain it to her?”.
Neither Jungkook nor Namjoon wanted to say another word. Both of them were then stood themselves at the very top of the stone piles. Didn't looking at each other, but very sure about one another. They inhales and exhales in the same pace, so did they trembling legs. “Together?” The wind came back and made them feel like they wore nothing to protect their bodies from the cold. So did the mysterious bottom, all they knew was that it must’ve been water down there. But how deep it was? No one knew. “1…2…”
“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Namjoon and Jungkook turned their head to the right. Someone tried his best to reach the last stone. “You wait for me guys!!” Jimin sat himself first for a second before he stood himself right next to Jungkook. “Oh… god…”
“What are you doing?” Namjoon couldn't help but to smirk at him.
“What are you doing hyung? trying to be the hero?” He smirked back as he reached for Kookie’s hand. “Now, we must hold onto each other’s hand first so that no one is left behind,” No one knew where the spirit came from but Jimin was rather excited up there. “Now Jungkook, please do have the honor to count down”
The youngest reached for Namjoon’s right hand. “I might come to hell for bringing these two nice hyungs with me,”
“So are we going to die?” Namjoon asked. “I thought you trust your map”
To the three of them, the pitch black gap and its wave sound were like a hand to push them all in any kind of second.
“I do, but look, the sun is right in front of us,” None of them realized how it was easier then for them to find each other's hand. Behind the second wall, across the field that started to look green again, the sun has slowly risen up and taken out the darkness. “I cannot guarantee you guys a thing at day”
Jimin tightened his grasp. “But we have trusted you for the all night long, and neither Namjoon hyung nor I feel like we made the wrong decision”
“Exactly”.
They looked to the center, to the boy who had his eyes closed and both of his hands holding onto his other lives. “1…2…3—“
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