9: CAN'T HIDE FROM REALITY

"Contrail," by Moonmoon

                There was an old office room on the top floor of Jae-Dong Highschool that had mostly been occupied by storage for years. Besides storage, it had become the infamous hangout of smokers, secret couples, iljin, and the like. There was a sort of unspoken pact between these different groups: if they caught one another in the act, it was considered unseen. This rule applied to no one as much as it applied to the biggest group of iljin, or as they liked to be called, Bul-ui Agma. [Meaning ‘fire demons’].

                They were the most feared at Jae-Dong High. Everyone thought iljin, in general, were a nuisance to society and terrible bullies. Bul-ui Agma somehow seemed worse. It wasn’t really obvious why. It might have been the way they had flawlessly and silently established their domain over the entire school, faculty included. It might have been their intimidating leader, Shin Juyoung, who was said to be involved in a real gang. Maybe worst of all, it was all the rumors. Rumors that went as far as murder and beyond.

                Needless to say, when Bul-ui Agma crowded into the old office early Tuesday morning, nobody bothered them. They spread about the room, some crouched on the floor, some slouched on boxes, others splayed about on random piles of junk. They had smuggled in a few beers and some cigarettes  and were passing them around.

                When Shin Juyoung got up, everyone went quiet. He was the already the tall, but he towered over his sitting followers.

                “So. Park Jimin is back from hiding. Some of my father’s men saw him leaving from this old church down by the third stop location. They’re thinking it might be one of Buk Gil Pa’s hideouts.”

                Whispers broke out, until Juyoung silenced them again.

                “And they don’t just think that because of Park Jimin. They say a familiar face showed up. Min Yoongi.”

                One of the younger ones there immediately tensed up at this. He had been sitting as far in the back as he could. Now Shin Juyoung’s attention was totally concentrated on him. He couldn’t hide from the older boy’s piercing glare.

                “I heard something that really surprised me. It surprised me because I would have thought someone would tell me about it before I found out through reports. Wouldn’t you think so, Jungkook?”

                Jungkook flinched when Juyoung said his name. There was no use hiding now, no use waiting for it to be said. He his lips nervously. “Min Yoongi is my half-brother—”

                The room buzzed with surprise.

                “—But I haven’t seen him in almost two years. My father disowned him. We never talk. I don’t even know where he is right now.”

                Juyoung frowned. “Look here, you little bastard. You’ve already gotten on my nerves more than once and you’ve only been with Bul-ui Agma for about a semester. If it turns out that your half-brother was in league with Buk Gil Pa this whole time, you’re really gonna wish you were dead. You know we don’t tolerate people who mess with Sa Hyeo Pa.” [Buk Gil=North Way]

                Jungkook bit on his tongue. Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out.

                “I…you…you can—”

                “Hey, everyone!” called one of the iljin situated at the window. “I think Park Jimin just got here!”

                They all rushed over, trying to get a good look at the big, black SUV that had just pulled up to the school curb.

                “Aigoo, look at that security upgrade!”

                “They must have gotten nervous, huh?”

                The side door swung open and Jimin hopped out, trying to avoid the driver, who was outside of his vehicle, trying to speak to him. He pushed the driver away and ran toward the school doors, until he ran into another person—Jung Hoseok. For a moment, Jimin looked up at his friend, before pushing his head down again and hurrying on again. Hoseok was left behind, looking from the SUV to the door. He shook his head and ran toward the door.

-------------------

                “Yah! Jimin-ah! Where you going?”

                Hoseok shamelessly shouted his head off as he made his way down the crowded school hallway, ignoring all the stares. Jimin tried to escape via the bathroom, but Hoseok caught on.

                “Jimin-ah! Aigoo, slow down!”

                Standing before the sink with nothing but a blank stare and his backpack, Jimin looked as if he hadn’t even heard anything. Hoseok reached out and held the younger student by his shoulder, determined to see his eyes.

                “Yah, why are you running away from a friend?” asked Hoseok.

                “I wasn’t running.”

                “Jimin-ah, is something wrong? Was it something one of us did? I feel like I haven’t been a good hyung to you.”

                “No. It’s not you. It’s not any of the hyungs. It’s…it’s nothing.”

                Jimin pulled away and began walking out the door. Hoseok didn’t try to chase him this time.

                “I hope you’ll be careful, Jimin-ah. I don’t want you to end up back in that place where we met.”

                Jimin stopped. An uninvited shiver ran through his body. He walked out the door.

Author’s Note

I always wanna say something here and then I’m like noooooooooo can’t give anything away RESIST.

There is so much going on right now, is it too much? I feel like it’s a tad confusing. Everything has a meaning, I promise.

I’m really happy the story made it to 50 subscribers last time, thanks everyone :)

Thanks to exo-la-vida24, Serenblossoms, and amina23 for answering my question last time. I just saw, actually because today was crazy!!!! Thank you :)