Jin tossed and turned in his sleep before eventually waking up to the uncomfortable quarters he and his companions had built to shelter them for the night. His time asleep had offered him temporary relief at most, with the reality of the group’s current situation hitting him the moment he was dragged from dreamland. He sat up with a groan, and memories of the day’s events came flooding back as he glanced around at his friends, who were all asleep within their makeshift accommodation. Well, all except one. The sleeping mat right beside his was unoccupied, prompting him to wonder what their leader was up to and if he was alright.

It looked to be around midnight when he emerged from the tent, with the surrounding area bathing in the soft light of the Moon and the numerous stars strewn across the dark, velvety sky. A salty sea breeze constantly blew over the place, keeping the air cool, and the gentle rustling of the leaves of nearby trees were accompanied by the soothing sound of small waves crashing against the shore up ahead. Being in this unfamiliar location would have actually been rather pleasant if not for the circumstances.

A jarring blare of static suddenly cut through the serene ambiance. Jin sighed in exasperation, figuring out where their missing member was. He made his way over to the wreck of the boat they had arrived in. It was not exactly destroyed, but it was damaged enough to leave them stranded where they were. Sure enough, Namjoon was inside the small cockpit fiddling with the vehicle’s radio. Jin flinched when another blast of static left the radio, and then leaned over the edge of the boat to look into the cockpit.

“Joon, what are you doing?” The older asked wearily.

“What does it look like, hyung? I’m trying to contact someone, anyone, who can help us,” came the reply.

“You know what I mean, Joon. You’ve been at this the whole day. At least go lie down for a bit.”

“I’m fine, hyung, go back to sleep.”

“I don’t want to, I had this weird dream about a glowing alien whale,” Jin remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, his attempt was unsuccessful this time, and Namjoon only shook his head as he continued to work on the radio. “It sounds like you’re starting to lose it, hyung. You see? We can’t stay here, we just can’t.”

“I’m serious, Joon, you’re going to be the one losing it if you don’t get some rest. You’ve done enough. Please, just stop.”

“I said I’m fine, hyung,” Namjoon repeated, a hint of the frustration he had been supressing now lacing his voice. “I’ll know when I have done enough. I have to keep trying. What kind of leader would I be if I just gave up finding a way to help us?”

“We know that you’ll never give up on us,” Jin sighed. “But we care about you, and we don’t want you putting this whole thing on yourself. There’s only so much you can handle before it takes a toll on you. It isn’t worth it, Joon.”

Namjoon turned to glare at Jin, his irritation now clearly showing. “Isn’t it? Really? Look at the huge mess we’re in, hyung! This isn’t the kind of stress we experience preparing for some performance, or running late to an interview, or when we get lost on some reality show. We’re trapped here and no one knows where we are! We don’t know where we are! We’re literally going to die here if we don’t find a solution, so please spare me the lecture and leave me alone if you aren’t going to help me out!”

Jin was starting to lose his patience. “You know what, Joon? If you think trying to show some concern for you, to stop you from shouldering all this pressure alone isn’t helping you out, then I have nothing to say, but I’m not going to let you continue doing this to yourself, and neither will the other members!”

“Hyung, I am not kidding. Go. Away.”

“Neither am I,” Jin snapped. “I’m not going to-”

“I said stop and LEAVE ME ALONE!” The other yelled, flinging the handheld device against the control panel. “DANG IT!!!”

Namjoon had finally cracked, visibly shaking as he quietly sobbed into his hands. Jin watched the upsetting scene in front of him with silent pity. Rarely did he or any of the other members see their leader in such distress. He was right about one thing – their current situation was one in which they had never been before. Jin could almost picture the immense anxiety wrecking the younger’s mind at the moment, but just like many other difficult times before this one, he was not alone, and he needed that reminder.

The older climbed over the edge of the boat and into the cockpit before wrapping the crying heap in a firm embrace. The latter gripped him tightly and continued crying into his shoulder, wetting his shirt with his tears. The two stayed like that for some time before Namjoon spoke again, stuttering in between his sobs.

“I- I’m sorry, hyung… I d- don’t know w- what to do anymore. I just can’t…”

“It’s okay…” Jin whispered comfortingly, rubbing circles on the younger’s back. “Just let it out.”

“H- How long can we stay here, hyung? What about everyone else? W- What are they thinking? How long before they move on? I- I don’t want to be forgotten, I don’t want them to forget us…”

“They won’t. Our family and friends, HYBE, ARMY… they’re thinking of us. I’m certain that everyone’s looking for us, and they’re going to find us, eventually. Till then, you’re here with friends, and we will survive this, together.”