Record #21

I opened my eyes as Taehyung moved next to me.

“Sorry I wake you up,” he whispered and I looked up to him. He was holding the camera straight. I turned to where he was focusing and rubbed my tired eyes.

Jungkook and Anri. Anri and Jungkook.

Her head on his shoulder and his cheek on her head. Her frame under his long arm and fingers interlaced, both of their hands resting on his leg.

I took the camera from his hand and took the picture myself with a grin. I looked at the picture and smiled wider in satisfaction. It came really good. Perfectly good.

Taehyung thumbs me up once he saw it.

“Sometimes I wonder why they try to hide it,” Taehyung whispered. “It's really obvious they love each other.”

“They have their reasons.” Mikki didn't turn to us, but was aware of the situation. She was pretending to be asleep as I took the picture. I saw from the corner of my eyes how she was turning softly. And I must be paranoid, but she looked broken. Sad. Yet her blank face told me otherwise.

“You know why?” Taehyung asked, but Mikki shook her head. From her rear view mirror, I could see her. Neutral, but her eyes and lips shown a downcast look.

“I believe they'll end up together sooner or later,” Jin said. His lips turned up to his right. “Just give them time. Maybe they believe now isn't possible.” Jin looked through the upper mirror to Taehyung. “Unlike someone.”

Taehyung giggled proudly.

“Wake them up. We already arrived where you wanted,” Jin added as he made a final turn.

It was afternoon. We arrived hours before the sun setting. The beach was glowing and singing with nature.

I smiled widely and came closer to the window. Taehyung opened the window for me. I acted like a dog. Face near the opened space and inhaled the salty scent from the deep ocean. The marine smell filled my nose and shivered from the small touches the wind took from the waves emitted from far. The voices from the trunk made me smile wider. They were having fun too. They were excited too.

“Oh. We already arrived.” Anri rubbed her eyes with her hands. She shook Jungkook and he woke up. His lost gaze was kind of funny.

If only they knew.

Taehyung hush me and I nodded. We shared intimated smiles as our eyes turned to the sea once again. Then he kissed my temple. I smiled with content and so did he.

Once the car stopped, everyone stepped down and ran towards the ocean.

All of the boys were fill with excited eyes as they ran around.

Taehyung took my hand and pulled me to touch the cold water. I ran away every time the waves almost touched me. But once my boots got wet, I gave up. My fingers were exposed to the freshness of the ocean.

Anri was writing messages in the wet sand and walking backwards when the sea came near her. Jungkook laughing at her. Suga was watching over them as he let his shoes get wet next to the letters in the sand.

Jimin was trying to make a castle with J-Hope. Mikki standing with them as she giggled when their tower fell down. Ro’s wings opened as it spoke, making fun of them too.

Rap Monster appeared next to Taehyung and they talked. They kept an eye on me as I play with the water.

And Jin had the camera, taking photos and recording everything he could. When he appeared and spoke to me, I waved to the camera.

“Let’s do a race,” J-Hope said as called everyone.

“We need a filter round,” Taehyung added. “Everyone except Jungkook, Anri and Jimin.”

Jin still holds the camera. He had stopped recording for a minute. “Are you going to make me run? Then who’ll record the whole race?”

“I will,” Anri took the camera from his hands. “You won’t get away with this so easily.”

“Just imagine there’s a buffet waiting for you at the end,” Jimin joked. Everyone laughed even Jin smiled.

“At least, you aren’t an awkward runner, Jin,” Rap Monster said and patted his shoulder.

“Then let’s make it like this,” Mikki said. “First round, Jin, Suga, J-Hope and I. Second round, Eunbyul, V and Rap Monster. Whoever wins first place goes to the final round.”

Meters away from the runners, the truck was parked. That’s where we needed to reach. They were waiting, Anri and Jimin. Anri had the camera on and recording. Jungkook was standing next to us. He counted down before the first of us went towards the goal.

The sand and air flew.

J-Hope and Mikki had left behind Jin and Suga. And I giggled when Suga felt to the ground once he reached last. Jin’s imagination didn’t help him reach first. Mikki was second for a few seconds.

“Ready?” Jungkook smiled at me with eyebrows raised.

I shook my head with my lips bitten. I was standing ready yet told otherwise.

My feet started running. The wind brushed my hair. The sand sparkled in the air as well as drops from the sea. Everything passed so fast. And my heart races with every step and breath I took. I reached the trunk and Taehyung was already next to me. My eyes turned and Rap Monster had already given up seeing us from he was.

“It’s not funny if you give up at the middle!” Anri told him with the camera zooming at him. Rap Monster stumbled with the sand and rolled, but made a final awkward pose, a superhero one, we all laughed and chuckled.

“Ok. That makes it up.” Anri had captured everything. Everyone laughing and holding smiles.

“Good to know I’m your personal clown, guys.” Rap Monster walked to us tiredly and out of breath.

“If we had parked a bit farther, Eunbyul could have beaten V,” J-Hope said.

Taehyung patted my head proudly.

Honestly, I was proud I reached this fast. It was a game I was enjoying.

I climbed the trunk and sat between Jin and Mikki. He had started recording as Jimin, Jungkook, J-Hope, Anri and Taehyung walked away. Rap Monster and Suga were next to the car, their backs resting against it.

“Ro, you better not bite whoever reaches here,” Mikki placed Ro between her legs. She glanced to me and giggled.

“Eunbyul, help us know who reaches first,” Suga turned to me. “It’s always a battle between the goldens. We’ll keep an eye on the other two.”

“Got it.”

Rap Monster had his arm lifted and counted down.

My eyes got wider and I had to giggled when all did a different version of a somersault before running seriously. They were laughing as running. Shouting. They were having fun. Jungkook and Jimin were bumping to each other. Taehyung was grabbing J-Hope’s shirt. They were trying to make Anri felt too, but couldn’t.

Anri reached first, Jungkook second by a millisecond, Jimin, Taehyung and J-Hope in an order I didn’t see, because of the two first.

J-Hope and Anri had reached were Ro was, but chose to bite J-Hope. Mikki reprimanded as he jumped away.

“Ro, this will leave a mark,” J-Hope showed his bitten finger to Ro, who flapped it’s wings. J-Hope blinked and hide strategically behind Anri.

“This happens because you threat the poor thing.” Anri said turning to J-Hope. “Look. Eunbyul is next to Ro and hasn’t tried to bite her.”

“It’s because she hasn’t try fried duck yet.”

Ro flapped even harder and flew to him.

“Ok. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” J-Hope made Anri turned as he did to prevent Ro from coming closer.

Anri laughed and told Ro to go back to Mikki. Ro followed her orders and Anri sighed as she calmed herself.

“Someday, before you cook my duck, I’ll castrate you and cook your members instead,” Mikki smiled and jumped out the trunk. J-Hope, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook paralyzed immediately. “I’ll go and check around.”

Mikki left and sat on inside the car. She had the laptop on.

“You know what’s scarier,” Taehyung whispered to me. “She’s capable to do so.”

“I bet she is,” I patted his back.

The sun was starting to set. And I could hear the ocean’s waves hit the surface softly. My hair kept on flying against the air. I started walking away.

“Where are you going?” My head turned as he followed me.

“For a walk.”

Taehyung nodded. And by choice, followed my steps. Rap Monster and Jimin followed us too.

I walked ahead as I jumped in my feet. I felt the three boys presence behind me.

“Why you following us?”

“You don't want us with you?” It was Jimin’s voice.

“That's not what I meant.”

“You want time alone with Eunbyul?” I heard Rap Monster. “That's why we are following. To check you behave.”

“What exactly does that even mean?! We started dating about a day ago.”

“Dating. But you liked each other since months ago.”

“I won't do anything to her unless she lets me,” Taehyung’s voice came as a whisper.

“That's good to hear,” Jimin said. “But we’ll still walk with you.”

“Do as you please.” Taehyung sounded a bit irritated.

I stopped when I saw a sea star. I bent and eyed it carefully. The waves touched its hands and it moved silently. It cringed and breathed. Or at least, that's what I assumed.

Then the sensation to feel the sea electrify me. I wanted to touch it with my feet. The coldness and freshness.

I unleashed my boots and put them away, and folded up my pants. I shivered as soon as the water touched me.

I saw my feet through the clean water. I even saw my orange and yellow reflection. A second and third wave came. A fourth approached when I turned around.

They smiled and waved at me.

The ocean was utterly beautiful. Gorgeous. And tremendous. You can see where it begins, but never where it ends. That's its mystery. It's charm.

Now that I glanced back at them, I get to guess some details.

Jimin and Taehyung are the same age. That's why they joked and tease each other so much. They trust and act similar.

Rap Monster is only a year older than Taehyung, but they've been through so much together. Before me, and even before Jun, Rap Monster used to be Taehyung’s partner in action. Even in crime. They learnt so much hand in hand.

Taehyung is like his younger brother he takes cares off. And Rap Monster is the older brother he always wanted to have. Both smart in different aspects. Both with authentic personalities.

The sand sticked to my feet as I walked away. The hem of my folded pants was wet because I dived into a little bit more than I should have.

We walked back. I had my boots in my hands. The moon was starting to show. The sky was getting darker. The stars have woke up.

They were sitting in the sand, next to the truck.

“We’ll stay the night here,” Jin said as he told us to sit down too.

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