Eyes open to a thin crescent with blurry vision, the girl needed to see whether it was still holding her. Whether it had gone, or true to its promise was still caressing her hair, marking her as its child, and never letting her go.

Gulping with relief, Jisoo realised it was gone.

It had finally left her after what felt like hours. When it dragged her away, she couldn’t cry because was too dry. She passed out from blood loss. There was no food or water in this strange place and her small lips are chapped and drier than the Sahara Desert.

But how could she think of anything when her body had never stopped being frozen? Each moment, she was silently crying, containing her breaths and begging someone in her mind to save her.

She had opened her eyes after two days, but she didn’t know that.

In her sleep she relieves herself. Unaware of how skinny she has become, when she tries to lie down, her hipbones create friction against the floor. Her skin is glass pale.

Eyes now wider, the atmosphere was still murky and grey. But the petrified girl could finally run.

Looking around, she was under the shelter of a withered tree with no leaves. The branches curled like fingers of a monster.

Her legs were weak, she could feel a heavy weight engulfing her mind and soul, this must be how people die.

She could not run, so ended up crawling.

On all fours, she silently slid her body across the ground. A dull ground made of charred nothingness, with deep cracks and crevasses running through its land.   

Just as she felt like closing her eyes, a figure blocked her vision. Squeaking, she bawled her eyes out soundlessly, thinking the witch had returned.

Because Jisoo wasn’t looking up, the figure bent down, crouching to her level. But her face had dropped to the floor with fright. 

She was a shaking ball.

The figure watched her for a while.

Realising it was not about to haul her away any time soon, the fearful girl looked up and met a pair of warm eyes. Eyes which were drooling smiles at her, they were radiating goodness and only then did she find her voice. Her trapped sounds had released themselves as she began to cry loudly.

Before she could pass out, the figure picked her up gently and cradled her over his shoulder the way a mother puts her sleeping child back in its bed. her back soothingly, “Shh, it’s okay. You’re safe now, you’re safe.”

The voice was deep but young. Jisoo allowed herself to be taken away as she rested a head on his shoulder. His shoulder was cold but his breaths were warm. They walked some more before a door opened and closed as they began walking down creaking stairs.

The grey, foggy and misty sky was shut out as she was now inside a building of some sort. It was dark, but not scary. Ash infested all walls, giving the air a dusty and charcoal flavour.  The floor was clean marble, but murky grey as though white was its real colour. Yet, there was a bizarre feeling of homeliness.

Jisoo was placed on a bed of some sort. It felt soft, but was extremely cold like the rest of this extraordinary world. Shooting her eyes open, her heart melted at the thought of being reunited with her mum and brothers.

Glancing up at the face of her saviour, “W-where am I?” Her voice cracked.

Staring at her for a while before tilting his head to the side, his movements were slow. But sure enough, he sat next to her and poured water in from a clay cup. She slurped it down hurriedly, feeling her soul returning.

Afterwards, she felt calmer.

Taking a deep breath, “Who brought you here?” His voice was a little angrier. But he watched her with affection and kindness.

She gulped before tears poured out of her dry eyes, “Jim...Jimin,” she whispered, remembering how intimidating he was.

The boy clenched his sharp jaw. Jisoo analysed his face and first noticed his deathly pale complexion before realising he was handsome like her brothers Taehyung and Jungkook; but he was bony and his jaw stuck out fiercely. He had black hair which fell across his eyebrows and his eyes were far set and cat-like.

“I promise to take you back home to your parents and siblings. But you must rest here until I return.”

Reaching out to grab his large hand, “N-no! Please don’t go...please don’t leave me...she will get me. She wants to h-hurt me.”

The mysterious boy gawked at her hand touching his before he smiled, “Nothing will get you down here.”

All of a sudden, whispers could be heard everywhere. Jisoo leant into the boy for safety as faces soon appeared. They were children. A whole group of children her age who smiled happily at her when she met their eyes.

Rubbing her eyes with a fist, she blinked slowly. The children were even paler than this boy who saved her.

A girl stepped forward and Jisoo’s eyes widened like tennis balls as she thought a mirror was placed in front of her. This girl had a beautiful eye smile and thick lips paired with a button nose.

The boy her hair, but nothing on her head came out of place.

“The bed you’re resting in is hers - Park Jisoo,” he turned to the flabbergasted girl, “Just like you, Jeon Jisoo.”

The scared Jisoo was very confused, “Y-you look like m-me.”

Chuckling, the pale and smiley Jisoo came closer, “Yes, what a co-in-cid-ence,” turning to the older boy, “That’s the way you pronounce it, right Yoongi?”

Said boy nodded and turned to the other children, “I am going to fix everything very soon. All of you promise me to take good care of Jisoo, she is a lost wanderer. You must make her feel welcome until she feels ready to travel back to her home.”

All the children nodded, “We promise to take good care of Jisoo.”

And as the lost girl was lost in the other Jisoo’s eyes, she felt hope. Jeon Jisoo felt hope because all she saw reflected in Park Jisoo’s pupils were sadness. Jeon Jisoo wanted to make everyone feel happy with her presence because it felt like none of these children had the opportunity to smile in years.

As the children were getting familiar with each other’s presence, Park Jisoo leant in to hug Jeon Jisoo’s fears away, but all Jeon Jisoo felt was a hot breeze. Their eyes locked as a sad truth overcame them.

All of a sudden, Yoongi began to crinkle his nose at a familiar stench. His eyes became wide as Jeon Jisoo smelt it too.

 “Something is burning!” She yelled as all children simultaneously turned in Yoongi’s direction.

He swallowed a lump and feigned a smile, “I have to leave now,” squeezing the lost girl’s hand, “I will be back soon, so always be prepared to go back home.”

And with that said, Yoongi raced out of the mansion basement, down the secret tunnel, up flights of stairs and stopped when ravaging lights reflected in his eyes. Everything was burning. Yellow, orange and amber was spitting at him, but he knew better than to be afraid of fire which destroyed everything once before.

Racing to the third floor, he opened a door and slowly approached the bed in which a still figure was laying peacefully.

Wiping tears away, he trailed a finger down the warm face whilst inspecting the body. Gently lifting the hospital gown up, the burnt torso was healing, albeit slowly. Patches of shocking pink were still soft, but a light brown layer of fresh skin was desperately growing over.

Smirking before flicking away stray tears, Yoongi wishes his mind would heal too.

Counting to three, he knew what must be done.

He knows two boys share Wither and only one can survive.

One of the boys doesn’t know Wither is in him.

For whilst Yoongi lived in that strange realm, he uncovered grisly truths.

Yoongi’s soul dived back in.

A deep breath and convulsing body later, bloodshot eyes blasted open. Blinking rapidly as the burning smell entered his nostrils, he knew there wasn’t time to grow accustomed to his body that had lain still for six years.

The fire was still growing and the boy turned sharply to the sound of distant sirens.

Stretching his limbs, he yanked all the wires attached before sluggishly throwing his heavy feet to the ground. He can’t remember having such a tall body nor can he recall being this far from the ground when he stands.

Fighting his nervous system and the intense dizziness curtained behind his eyes, he faced the reality of this world.

It was time to put old wrongs right.

Blinking only to see fairy lights, he staggered out with double vision.

* * *

A lonely basketball shook the back square of the hoop before circling the net and bouncing out with an echo.

Catching the ball, Hoseok stopped and gazed into the sunset lit sky before allowing his body to droop down to the tarmac. Sighing, he was lost in thoughts of his best friend Taehyung. How they’ve known each other since pre-school, but Hoseok moved to Busan and both were only reunited in this high school. How he knows each one of Taehyung’s habits and personality traits and most importantly, how broken Taehyung actually is. How destiny made Hoseok in charge of making sure his wide eyed brother would be alright.

But what Hoseok cannot shake off is why Taehyung thinks his aunt is his mother.

Taehyung’s mum died of brain cancer years ago.

She didn’t want Taejin to know so he never attended the funeral.

Nobody but Hoseok and Taehyung know this truth.

Gulping, Hoseok fears the worst.

He fears the voices and illusions have returned to his estranged brother and he regrets not being there for Taehyung when he first took drugs and first started misbehaving. Maybe Hoseok could’ve prevented it.

But what ifs and maybes don’t solve anything.

Lost in the slowly changing night sky, the boy didn’t realise a presence until he was engulfed by a standing shadow. Jerking his head up, he squinted to the figure, “Can I help you?” He questioned before using his athletic legs to pump his upper body up so he was now standing.

The pale figure nodded, “Do you go to Busan High School?”

Analysing the stranger, Hoseok guessed they were a similar age. Flashing a friendly smile, “Yes I do. My name is Jung Hoseok. What’s yours?”

Staring at this Hoseok character, “Yoongi.”

Nodding awkwardly, “Hi, Yoongi.”

There was a brief silence between them which elongated as the two shared eye contact. Chuckling nervously, “Okay well um, see you around, Yoongi.”

“Wait.”

Pausing, the boy turned. Yoongi was dressed in all black and had black hair. It made his pale skin look even whiter but there was something intriguing about him. His aura shouted stay away, but his eyes begged for a friend. And this is Jung Hoseok’s speciality.

Dropping eye contact for the first time, “Actually I’m new to this town so I was looking for someone to help me around.”

“New? When did you move?”

“Well, I used to live here, but everything’s changed so much.”

Beaming, “Well why didn’t you say so! I know all the cool places and can show you around if you want!”

Yoongi was confused at the kindness so he stared angrily at Hoseok, “Why?”

Eyebrows raised, Hoseok laughed, “What? Why? Because you look like you need a friend.”

Nodding, the pale boy was taken aback at his generosity but trusted him for his integrity. 

“I would like that very much, thank you Hoseok.”

“Oh you can call me Hobi, everyone around here does.”

And so they smiled at each other and bonded over contrasting personalities, whisking away into the night life of Busan, not knowing what destiny has in store for each of them.

* * * * *

Watching the older rummage through his stuff gave Jungkook an odd feeling in his gut. Something riled and it was close to anxiety and fear of the near future.

Drawers were yanked out of their dresser and clothes littered the single bed as Taehyung was wildly searching for something.

He didn’t realise the presence of Jungkook yet.

After their kiss that lunchtime, both had gone to class like normal but neither spoke about it since.

Taehyung hadn’t returned home, leaving Jungkook to face a silently fuming Jimin who grabbed onto the younger’s hands immediately. It was a strange feeling, as though Jimin was searching for something - and this lasted for a good minute until the older shot Jungkook the dirtiest look he’d ever seen.

That moment made Jungkook slightly weary of Jimin’s personality. It made him question who Jimin really was, and whether he really knows Jimin.

Said boy was currently attending a social class with their parents, so Taehyung slipped in through the back door only to awaken their neighbour