He ran.

He ran as fast as he could, driven by a swirl of negative emotions. It didn’t matter that he could barely breathe or that he was choking on his own sobs. He ran down the empty road with no idea where he was going.

He stopped when he was absolutely drained and exhausted, physically and emotionally. Wonpil looked around and realized that he was lost. Not completely lost, he could return easily enough just going back down the road the way he came, but he was in no hurry to return.

Panting, Wonpil walked ahead until he couldn’t walk anymore. He collapsed on the side of the road and sat there, left alone with his thoughts. Every time he thought back to the fight, he started crying again. It took him hours to finally calm down. When he did, he still didn’t move from his spot on the ground. He picked at the grass or threw pebbles across the road.

He felt at peace, which was odd considering everything that had happened. But he was all alone with no one and nothing to bother him for once. He closed his eyes.

He heard the sound of an engine. Wonpil opened his eyes to watch the vehicle approach. He was surprised when the pick up truck slowed down before him.

A blond guy in the back and the one who was driving were smiling in a friendly manner, though Wonpil couldn’t understand why. The third one was comfortably leaned back and he was staring straight at Wonpil. It didn’t make him feel particularly uncomfortable, although the boy seemed to be evaluating him. What for, Wonpil couldn’t guess.

“Hey,” said the blond one.

“Hi,” Wonpil replied.

“Wanna join our band?”

Wonpil tilted his head. “Your… band?”

The one who’d been staring leaned forward and rested his chin on his fist. He was still looking at Wonpil intently, though his gaze had softened. “We don’t have all the details down. We’re not sure which one of us can sing and we don’t have my drums with us. Also I forgot his name already,” he pointed to the blond. “But we’ll get there.”

“I didn’t understand a single thing of what you’ve just said,” Wonpil admitted.

The driver had his arms crossed on the opened window, leaning forward. “That wasn’t a very good explanation, Dowoon just likes to be direct. I’m Sungjin.”

The blond was scribbling something on Dowoon’s arm with a marker. When he was done, he raised Dowoon’s arm to show what was written, holding him by the wrist.

“And I’m Jae,” he said, pointing to his name written on Dowoon’s arm. “Park Jaehyung, but you can call me Jae. Not too hard to remember, right Dowoon?”

Dowoon just shrugged. He glanced at his own arm and without even trying to wipe what Jae had written simply pulled his sleeve down.

“Kim Wonpil, nice to meet you,” he said flatly.

“So, are you in?” Dowoon asked.

“I’m still not sure what we’re doing other than forming a band,” Wonpil said.

“We’re going to Seoul,” Sungjin explained. “We don’t really have a plan on what we’re going to do there. Dowoon and I were supposed to just travel, but—” he shrugged. “—I guess we’ll see how things unwind.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jae complained. “I have a plan.”

“Not a good one,” Dowoon pointed out.

Watching them bicker, Wonpil couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle. He took a deep breath and took the time to actually consider their offer. He looked down the road in the direction they came from. He thought about his home – no, not his home, just the place where he lived – and about his brother.

In that moment he felt rage and spite rise in his chest in the form of a wave. They pushed Wonpil up to his feet and before he had the time to think it through he said, “Sure, let’s do it.”

Wonpil got small cheers from the three of them as a response.

Jae helped him into the truck and he settled opposite of him and Dowoon.

“We might have to go back to my place, though,” Wonpil noted, “I literally have nothing with me right now.”

“No problem. Where to?” Sungjin asked, turning around to look at Wonpil properly.

“Turn around and go down the road until you reach a ELEPHANT. I’ll tell you where to from there.”

“Okay then! Hold on,” Sungjin said and they took off.

“So… Any details on what we’re doing?” Wonpil questioned.

Dowoon and Jae exchanged looks.

“Sungjin and I wanted to travel the world,” Dowoon said, not at all sounding like he was joking. “We’re figuring it out. Plans change. His plan has changed significantly,” he said, pointing to Jae as if he still can’t remember his name.

Jae glared at him briefly, then looked back at Wonpil. “I was going to go to school in Seoul, but I didn’t have a real plan on how to do it. Now I’m just tagging along with these two.”

“So, none of us knows what we’re doing?” Wonpil asked, looking between the two of them.

They both shook their heads.

“Good. I thought I was the only one.”

Jae cracked a smile. “Well, at least now we have enough people to form a band. We can figure out the rest along the way.”

Wonpil heard Dowoon calling his name. He glanced over and barely managed to catch the water bottle Dowoon had tossed.

“You look dehydrated,” the younger said.

“Uh, thanks.”

And he really was was. Wonpil had no idea how long he’d been out in the sun before he was picked up. In the moment Wonpil sipped from the bottle, the pickup truck went over a pothole and of course most of the water ended up on his shirt.

Jae and Dowoon burst out laughing. For a second Wonpil was baffled, but after that moment passed he joined in the laughter.

“You can’t even drink water right,” Jae said, doubling over. He was laughing so hysterically Wonpil was afraid his glasses would fall off.

Although he was laughing hard as well, Dowoon wasn’t as hysterical. His cheeks and ears were red, his eyes squinting as he giggled.

Still giggling, Wonpil glanced to the side and noticed Sungjin looking at them in the rearview mirror. He was smiling at their silliness. When he noticed Wonpil looking, he shook his head and focused back on the road.

“So. Our band. We have two guitars. Who plays?” Wonpil questioned.

Jae raised his hand and pointed at Sungjin.

“I play the drums,” Dowoon announced. “Do you play anything? Or sing at least?”

“I play the piano, the keyboard, synthesizer... Anything with keys. And I’m a decent singer I suppose, but I can’t really judge myself.” Wonpil shrugged.

“I can sing,” Jae cut in.

Dowoon looked from Wonpil to Jae then back at Wonpil. “I think Sungjin should be the singer. He’s our safest bet.”

Jae frowned. “What’s that supposed to me—”

“Trust me,” Dowoon said. “If you’re that determined, you can sing backup.”

“I don’t agree with that plan,” Jae said.

“Does everything have to be about you?”

“Hey,” Wonpil interfered, “How about Jae sings for us and Dowoon can decide.”

Dowoon sat up and leaned forward with a smile. “Yeah, sing for us Jae.”

He only huffed, looking to the side. “I don’t have to prove myself to you.”

Dowoon poked his arm. “You’re shy.”

 Jae attempted to swat him away, but Dowoon just kept poking him.

“Sing, Jae. To shut him up,” Wonpil said. He didn’t mean to pick sides, but he really wanted to hear Jae sing.

Jae made a frustrated noise, ruffling his own hair. Looking away from both of them, Jae started to quietly sing.

Even though he clearly wasn’t giving his all, it was enough to shut Dowoon up. And Dowoon wasn’t hiding his admiration in favour of pride. When Jae’s voice faded, indicating that he’s done, the two gave a small applause.

“I stand corrected,” Dowoon said with a smile.

Jae ran his hand through his hair again; it may have been a nervous habit of his. “Thanks. So, am I qualified to be the singer?”

“Maybe we don’t have to have the singer,” Wonpil suggested.

“Maybe. But so far we’ve got Sungjin and this one,” Jae didn’t even bother to complain about his name that time. “We don’t know if you can sing.”

“And what about you? Can you sing? And what qualifies you to be the judge?”

Dowoon shook his head. “I’m the drummer. Drummers don’t sing.”

“That’s not a rule,” Wonpil pointed out.

Dowoon raised his arms in surrender. “Fine! We’ll have to sit down and talk it through.”

“Besides, unless we find a keyboard I’ll have to sing since I’ll have nothing else to do.”

Dowoon seemed to be considering it. “You’re right,” he decided.

A silence occurred. The three of us hardly looked at each other until Sungjin spoke up, “Do you think we have room for another member in our little band?”

I could hardly believe it but straight ahead there was someone walking on their own, quite conveniently carrying a guitar.

“I guess today is our lucky day,” Jae said.

“Let’s hope it’s a bassist because that’s the only thing we’re missing,” Wonpil blurted out.