Chapter Text
The evening sky was painted in soft yellow and pink, small and fluffy clouds floating around slowly following the wind’s direction. It was a beautiful sight that signalled the almost end of the day, the last sun rays covering everything in a soft glowing warmth. Up in the sky, a big mass of rosy clouds looked especially interesting when ripples started forming in its middle. The ripples grew in size as the seconds passed until an opening appeared. Right after, the front of a red and white van pierced through the clouds.
The psychedelic car had a small, gold owl ornament on its front. Its bright and ruby eyes seemed to be on the lookout as if its role was guiding and protecting its occupants from possible dangers on the horizon. The automobile’s gear was visible underneath it, the two parts that stood out the most being the two turbines and both wings on either side.
Yes, wings.
This van wasn’t an ordinary one. Thanks to them, the automobile could plough through the sky with ease to wherever its owners wanted to. Of course, being such a special car, its passengers couldn’t be any less peculiar.
Above the van, riding on its roof, there was a grey-haired guy with his eyes closed, hands resting on his knees as if he was meditating. Even if the sight of a man sitting on the roof of a moving car wasn’t something you encountered every day, that wasn’t the strangest thing about it: he wasn't sitting directly on the car’s roof but on a pink and yellow cloud. His yellow suit and the white sash of feathers that crossed his chest along with his black sunglasses made him at the very least an odd sight.
Inside the van, three more people were travelling comfortably, not at all worried about the other passenger.
“I am bored,” Jimin sighed loudly from his sprawled position on the van’s floor. It was the fourth time in five minutes that he had expressed his boredom out loud, so everyone was well aware of it by now.
Seokjin, who was resting in the back seat while looking out of the window using his wooden spyglass, couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his childish antics. “Stop being a brat. It’s not cute.”
“Stop lying. I’m always cute,” Jimin counterattacked, putting his hands under his chin as if he was a flower.
“Please, stop that. My eyes are going to rot,” Seokjin rolled his eyes, looking out the window once more and ignoring the younger’s indignant gasp.
“Hyung! That’s not nice! I—” Jimin continued, but he was abruptly cut off.
“Yah! Stop your whining. My ears are gonna fall off, and I’m trying to drive over here, you know?” Jungkook grumbled in annoyance.
“‘Yah’? Did you just ‘yah’ me?!” Jimin exclaimed indignantly. “I’m your hyung, Jungkook!” He pointed out as he sat up, glaring at him. He most likely wanted to appear intimidating by putting his hands on his hips, but he was sitting on the floor, so it only made him look even cuter. Jungkook had the theory that if you concentrated, you could hear a squeaky toy noise whenever Jimin moved around.
“I’m bigger than you physically and that has to count for something at some point in my life,” Jungkook stated, turning his head to him briefly before looking ahead again, hands gripping the steering wheel.
Jimin pursed his lips at Jungkook’s words and nonchalance, feeling pissed at him for disregarding his reprimand. It annoyed him to no end when their maknae tried to make himself look like the mature one when the dancer was his hyung.
“F you,” Jimin spat petulantly.
“Are you in kindergarten?” Jungkook scoffed. “The word you’re looking for is fuck.”
“Well, fuck you, then.”
“Language!” They heard Namjoon yell from above them, making them both jump in their seats at the unexpected shout.
“Sorry,” Jimin and Jungkook apologised in unison, lowering their heads a little, properly chastised.
Namjoon had zero tolerance for swearing. He always said that it was too vulgar. Also, if they were angry, there were plenty of words they could use to express their frustration instead of profanities.
“Fuck, Namjoon. You scared me,” Seokjin said, placing his hand over his chest and taking a deep breath.
“... sorry, Jin-hyung.”
Of course, there were some exceptions to the no swearing policy.
“By his grumpy attitude, Jungkook is clearly hungry, and Jimin needs to get out of here before he forces me to strangle him,” Seokjin stated. The two aforementioned frowned at being called out like that. “So, what about going somewhere nice to eat today?” He suggested, the younger boys’ expressions completely changing, eyes gleaming at the prospect of food.
At first glance, it couldn’t be denied that they were a strange combination of people. But each one of them had a role, and somehow, they made it work. Seokjin was the founder of their group: BTS. He was the one that kept them all together in spite of his obnoxious ways sometimes. He was the first one to start their bickering, but he also knew when they were going too far and didn’t hesitate to let the others know so.
Even though he wasn’t the eldest or the founder, Namjoon was their leader, their voice of reason. He was always trying to understand the world and people better. However, this came with its issues. Sometimes he got so immersed in his own head, he forgot that life shouldn’t be taken so seriously all the time. He was used to things going bad one way or another and having to find quick solutions. Luckily, the other three knew how to bring him out of his head so he could have fun and forget about his darkest thoughts.
On the other hand, there’s Jimin. He could be a brat at times, acting like a little kid without a concern in the world. But their little pink-haired dancer had demonstrated time and time again that he knew how to behave himself according to the severity of the situation. He was mature when it was needed, but he also had a big and innocent heart, which he didn’t hesitate to show. He had proved time and time again that he loved them all very much and that he would do anything to keep their little family safe.
Their youngest, Jungkook, seemed like a little bunny when they first met him. He was quiet and reserved, but now he bickered with his hyungs and even teased them whenever the opportunity arose. Nowadays, he wasn’t afraid to let go around them, and his hyungs were grateful for that. Even more considering how easily sad and frightened he used to get due to his new condition.
At one point, they didn’t know one another and had nothing in common. They would’ve never met otherwise, but something happened. They were still very different from each other in some respects but somehow, they fitted together perfectly.
The odds were 1 in 3000000, but they still found each other and that was all that mattered now.
“I’m just saying that if we went to Disneyland for my birthday, that’d be awesome.”
“And I’m telling you that we have a job to do, which involves saving people’s lives,” Seokjin replied, letting out a tired sigh.
Jimin had finally stopped talking about his boredom. However, they had seen a huge Disneyland poster in the restaurant’s run-through they had bought dinner at, and now he had a new idea that he was very passionate about. And of course, he was being very vocal about it.
“I’m not even asking for a whole free day. Just spending the morning there would be enough,” Jimin tried to negotiate with the elder, determined to convince him this time.
“Do you hear this child?” Seokjin asked, raising his voice whilst tapping the roof of the car to get Namjoon’s attention. “Tell him why we shouldn’t. I’m gonna get indigestion if I continue arguing with him.”
“It could be fun…” Jungkook murmured from the driver’s seat before he took a bunch of fries and stuffed them in his mouth.
“Jungkook, don’t eat while driving,” Namjoon’s voice could be heard from above them.
The youngest boy looked around to see if his hyung was watching him, but that wasn’t the case. When you live with the same people for long enough, you end up knowing them on a deeper level, to the point of being able to anticipate their actions.
“But I’m hungry!” Jungkook complained, frowning with his mouth full of fries.
“Continue eating when we stop. It's dangerous.” Looking defeated, Jungkook decided not to push it. Instead, he started mumbling to himself, no doubt protesting about his hyung being unfair as he continued driving. “And Jimin, we’ll celebrate your birthday, but we can’t just go to such a faraway place. We need to stay within the country in case something happens.”
“But hyung,” Jimin protested, pursing his lips as he looked up at the roof of the car even though he couldn’t see Namjoon.
“I’m sorry, Jiminie.”
Suddenly Namjoon’s voice sounded clearer, and both Jimin and Seokjin turned to one of the open windows of the van. He was leaning out from his cloud so only his head could be seen on the window, looking sorry towards the younger. Jimin crossed his arms and legs as he leaned against one of the sides of the car, no longer looking bratty but saddened by the negative response. He knew it couldn’t be helped. That didn’t mean it was any less disappointing.
“Joon, stop doing that. Knowing you, you’re gonna end up falling or something,” Seokjin scolded him in a tone that implied that Namjoon’s safety was a recurring theme in their conversations. Turning towards Jimin once Joon’s head disappeared again, he sighed ruefully at his expression. Sometimes he forgot how young Jimin and Jungkook were. “Hey, I promise you we’ll get a cake and candles. We’ll even prepare a gift, how does that sound?”
Jimin looked up at the eldest, still crestfallen, and shrugged his shoulders the tiniest bit, lowering his gaze to his lap. “It’s okay.”
Biting down on his lip, Seokjin stopped himself from saying anything else. Craning his neck to get to see Jungkook at the front of the car, he noticed how his expression wasn’t much better than Jimin’s. He knew the younger boys understood their situation very well, that’s why they didn’t push it. Some things just couldn’t be helped.
Sighing heavily, Seokjin took his spyglass between his hands and turned to one of the windows. The wind was slightly picking up, and although only small and sporadic clusters of clouds could be seen in the sky, it was a sign that the weather was changing. Rain is a natural and inevitable phenomenon. Bigger or smaller, storms are impossible to stop, and they’re necessary for people’s survival. They all knew that. However, there’s an exception to every rule.
Storms cannot be stopped. Unless their cause isn’t mother nature.
Legend says that a person’s sadness can create the biggest and most fearsome thunderstorms in the world. That’s just how powerful negative thoughts can be. Unfortunately, as they came to understand, this was no legend.
It was their reality.
Luckily, they also soon came to the realisation that although negative thoughts could be very powerful, nothing could compare to positive thinking. That was their most powerful weapon in these situations and that's why they always tried to see the bright side of everything.
They weren't strangers to storms by now, and by the wind’s musty smell, Seokjin could tell that a storm was coming.
“What's that?” Jimin asked, making Seokjin yelp and jolt at his sudden proximity. He had been immersed in his own thoughts, and the eldest hadn't noticed when the younger had positioned himself by his side.
“Oh my god. This kid is gonna kill me sooner than I thought,” Seokjin muttered dramatically before glaring at him. “What are you saying?”
Unfazed, Jimin pointed outside the window with his finger. “Look at that. It looks like it's approaching us?”
Hearing the commotion at the back, Jungkook used the rear-view mirror to see what Jimin was referring to. “Is that… a cloud?”
“We’re surrounded by clouds all the time. I don’t understand your surprise. The wind is picking up, that's why they’re approaching,” Seokjin tried to reason.
“But it's just that one!” Jimin argued vehemently, turning to Jin briefly before looking back. “Besides, it looks dark. Is that a storm cloud?”
“What? How can it…?” Using his spyglass, Seokjin finally saw that the younger was right.
A small grey cloud was fast approaching them from the left. It was only now that the cloud was closer to them that they could see it more clearly. Compared to the other clouds they were passing by, this one was darker, smaller and fluffier. And of course, while the others were slowly moving along with the wind’s force, this one seemed to have its own velocity. And it was quite fast.
One moment Seokjin was observing the cloud, and the next he had Namjoon’s face right in front of him, scaring the shit out of him and making him jump again.
“Do you see that, hyung?” Namjoon asked him, having come down from the roof of the car to the side, still floating on his cloud.
“Oh, god. This family is gonna be the death of me,” Jin lamented, panting dramatically, spyglass clutched between his hands while he tried to calm down his fast-beating heart.
“It’s not our fault you’re easily startled,” came Jungkook's muffled response, his mouth full of fries again, taking advantage of the commotion.
“I didn't raise you to be so disrespectful.”
“But you didn't raise me…” Jungkook protested under his breath, hunching in on himself a little as he clutched the steering wheel with his gaze fixed in front of him.
“I heard that!”
“Hyung, look!”
Jimin sounded excited, and Namjoon looked at him in resignation, not understanding how he could be so cheerful when facing an unknown situation. He wasn't jealous of his blind courage. However, he cared for the younger boy deeply, and the moment he saw him approaching the door of the still moving van, his heart skipped a beat.
Jimin opened the door abruptly, without a warning, and he slowly began to make his way around the van. To do so, he used a fraying and coarse cloth that was wrapped around the side of the roof rack to not fall in what would be certain death. In a few seconds, he made it to the short ladder at the back of the car with ease and climbed up until he was standing atop the roof of the car. Of course, all of this happened amidst Jin’s screams because they were still flying, and Namjoon followed behind the younger nervously, riding on his cloud with his arms outstretched in case he had to catch him.
Jimin was such a reckless kid.
And meanwhile, Jungkook only cackled at his hyungs’ panic. Most likely because if he wasn't driving, he would have joined Jimin.
Reckless psychos, Namjoon thought to himself. They were so lucky they loved them.
Turning around, they noticed how the mysterious cloud wasn’t slowing down as it reached them. Not knowing what to do, they could only stare in disbelief as it went directly to Jimin, and it started turning around the little dancer quickly as he giggled excitedly, trying to follow it with his eyes. The cloud spinning slowed down little by little until it came to a stop in front of Jimin, floating in mid-air. Tilting his head, Jimin stared at the small cloud curiously, smiling widely when it mirrored his movement.
At the lack of another response on the cloud’s part, Jimin tried to take the initiative. “Hello,” he greeted, waving his hand. “Who are you?”
“Namjoon! Namjoon!” Came Seokjin’s panicked voice, half of his body out of the car’s window, trying to see what was happening above, “What’s going on?! Is Jimin okay?!”
Namjoon, who was gaping at both the cloud and Jimin’s interaction, could only stand there, floating on his cloud while staring at the bizarre sight before his eyes. “I think they are… communicating,” he responded in disbelief.
But it wasn’t enough information for the elder, who by now was pressing his lips together tightly, unhappy with the scarce details. So he took matters into his own hands.
Literally.
Grabbing Namjoon’s jacket and ignoring the other’s incredulous sputtering at being pulled so suddenly like that, Seokjin shoved his body out of the van with a groan as he climbed on top of his cloud. The car momentarily swayed a little from the sudden lack of weight on its side, making Jungkook look at him like he was crazy.
“Hyung, what the fuck!”
“Now you don’t find this so funny, huh,” Seokjin dragged the words, muttering them with clenched teeth at the exertion. “And don’t fucking curse, you bunny kid.”
Trying very hard not to lose his balance, Seokjin sat awkwardly on Namjoon’s lap, twisting and grabbing him by the shoulders to secure himself. Once he had a good grip on him, he didn't miss a second, and he turned his head, eyes wild, just in time to see Jimin extending his arm towards the small cloud.
“Hyung! Are you crazy?!” Namjoon screamed, scared shitless at what could’ve happened. His voice was muffled by Jin’s chest that was pressed against his face. The eldest had just literally climbed him like a monkey would a tree. And he was being ignored as if he was one too.
“Yah! Jimin! What are you doing?! We don’t know what that is! Don’t touch it!” Seokjin yelled at the younger.
But it was too late, and the younger’s fingers were already coming into contact with the grey cloud. Jimin gasped as it lit up for a second, and a small rumble resounded in the almost absolute silence of the late evening if it wasn't for the car’s engine and the flapping of its wings.
“Woah!” He exclaimed, taking his hand away, startled at the sudden and unexpected response.
“Jimin, are you okay?! Did it hurt you?!” Jin screamed hysterically, his grip on Namjoon tightening while trying in vain to get closer to the dancer.
“What was that?!” Came Jungkook’s screams from inside the car, trying and failing to see what was going on. He wanted desperately to see what was happening to his friends, but he was afraid of taking his eyes off the route for too long, so he could only scream at them and hope for an answer.
“What’s happening?! I can’t see!” Namjoon screamed next, voice still muffled as his face was pressed even harder against the eldest's chest.
“Move this stupid cloud and get us closer to them right now, Namjoon!” Seokjin continued panicking as he squirmed in the other’s arms.
“We are gonna fall, stop that!”
“What’s going on?!” Jungkook yelled again, his voice taking a panicked high pitch at the end.
“Calm down the three of you!” Jimin yelled back, “I’m okay! It didn’t hurt me. I think…” he turned towards the small cloud again after successfully quieting them down, “I think it’s trying to tell us something.”
“What are you talking about?” Namjoon asked, mouth showing up from above Seokjin’s arm that was still gripping his shoulders, as he brought both of them closer to the other two.
“When I touched it, I saw something,” Jimin explained as Seokjin finally got off Namjoon’s lap and stood on the van’s roof on slightly shaky legs. Thankfully, Jungkook had slowed down after Jimin had gotten out of the car, so it wasn’t so hard to stand out there. He immediately made his way towards Jimin and grabbed him by the arm to bring him closer to him as he glanced warily at the grey cloud. “A huge storm was forming somewhere.”
“You saw it?” Namjoon questioned, confused as he approached them, floating by Jimin’s other side.
“Yes. It’s gonna sound crazy, but it was as if it just… planted an image in my head the moment I touched it,” Jimin tried to elaborate as best as he could. “Does that sound crazy?”
“A little bit, to be honest,” Namjoon confirmed.
“Says the guy floating around on a cloud,” Seokjin deadpanned, regarding Namjoon with an arched eyebrow. “Let’s not talk about unbelievable stuff, it will be our loss.”
“Can you talk?” Jimin asked the cloud, taking a step forward and ignoring Seokjin’s disapproval.
It was at that moment that the cloud’s fluffy surface started to shake slightly and immediately after, it began spinning fast.
“Oh my god, is it angry?!” Seokjin exclaimed, taking Jimin back by the arm as he tried to put some distance between them.
A couple of seconds later, its spinning stopped and suddenly, it wasn’t a fluffy cloud. Just like before, it stood before their eyes, floating calmly in the air, but its shape had changed into an X.
“What was that?” Namjoon asked for what felt like the millionth time that day, narrowing his eyes at the unexpected change.
After a couple of seconds in which nobody knew what to make of what had just happened, Jimin gasped loudly. “Are you trying to talk to us? Is that a no? You can’t talk?”
“What?” Seokjin sputtered, staring in disbelief at the cloud. “Are you serious right now?” Spinning again, the cloud changed its form into an O this time. “I can’t fucking believe this shit,” he muttered, sounding more tired than surprised.
“This is amazing!” Jimin cheered, beaming as he got closer to the cloud again.
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Namjoon muttered incredulously, approaching Seokjin to stand by his side. By the vacant expression adorning his face, he could tell they were both feeling the same way which, in his opinion, was the normal reaction.
Jimin’s something else, he thought as he watched the little dancer giggling and jumping around the grey cloud that had gone back to its fluffy state.
“Oh, then,” Jimin suddenly halted his jumping. “Do you have a name?” He asked him, eyes shining in anticipation.
The spinning this time didn’t come as such a big surprise, but Namjoon and Seokjin didn’t seem to get used to it just yet. It couldn’t be said the same about Jimin, who looked completely thrilled at the situation.
“V?” Jimin said out loud, looking at the new shape which indeed was the letter V.
The three of them were looking at the letter floating in the air, and Seokjin noticed how everyone was feeling a different emotion: elation on Jimin’s part, bewilderment on Namjoon’s, Seokjin’s concern as he wondered what was the meaning of it all.
And of course, their maknae’s radiating annoyance.
“I swear I’ll stop this damn car’s wings in mid-air if nobody tells me what the hell is going on right now!” Jungkook screamed from inside the van, breaking the silence.
“Don’t swear,” Namjoon reprimanded automatically, still looking disoriented.
“I think that's actually a good idea. Kookie, let's land for the night!” Seokjin told the younger, understanding of his anxiousness at his lack of information. “We’ll talk down there,” he finished, turning around to look back at the grey cloud.
Or well, at V.
The sound of the logs crackling in the improvised campfire they had prepared was quite calming, Jungkook noticed. It certainly was very much needed after the night’s events. All of them were exhausted from the avalanche of emotions they had gone through. Well, everyone except Jimin, who was running around with the grey cloud following close behind. He seemed quite happy about having a new friend.
Jungkook didn’t have a hard time believing what had happened when his hyungs told him about it, all three sitting around the small fire. It wasn’t like this was the first time they were confronted with supernatural phenomena. But he surely had a hard time understanding why it had sought them out. From what he had been told, the cloud didn’t meet them by coincidence. The moment it saw them, it knew who they were and rushed towards them.
Was V another misfit? Or did it need something from them?
Loud chuckles interrupted his train of thought, and he looked over his shoulder. Jimin sure seemed to be having the time of his life. He was now sitting cross-legged on the ground as he hunched over because of his laughter, cheeks turning pink. It seemed like V was entertaining him just fine with its shape-shifting abilities.
“I… I can't believe you just turned yourself into a… a spit-roasted chicken,” Jimin said breathlessly, trying to calm down from his fit of laughter as he looked up at the cloud again while V continued spinning slowly as if it was being roasted. “Let's try another one,” the dancer suggested, not being able to look at it without giggling. “Mmm… what's your favourite animal?”
At this, V immediately started spinning fast as it changed form until, in front of Jimin, there was the head of a tiger with its mouth wide open.
“That’s awesome!” Jimin cheered, still amazed at its abilities. “I really like penguins. The way they waddle is very cute.”
“You should let him rest for a while,” Jungkook intervened, getting up from his place by the fire and approaching them. “Maybe shape-shifting is tiring.”
“V is fine,” the dancer brushed off, flapping his hand without looking at the youngest. “Hey, how about a person? Can you transform into one?” He asked V, eyes sparkling with excitement at the idea.
“Hyung, you really don’t know when to stop, do you?” Jungkook sighed, standing beside him with his hands in his pockets.
“Oh my god, V!” Jimin exclaimed, losing his shit as he laughed very, very loudly until he ended up falling backwards with his hands on his belly.
Turning to the cloud, Jungkook’s face twisted into a grimace. He was looking at himself, it was his face V had turned into. It was very impressive; he couldn’t deny that. From his hat, his hair, eyes, nose and mouth, it was exactly the same.
Except for the two big bunny ears that stuck out from his hat.
“What the fuck,” the youngest drawled, staring at the cloud in disbelief.
“Language!”
“Are you seeing this?!” Jungkook protested, becoming aggravated as he turned towards his hyungs while pointing at V as if that was enough of an excuse for his cursing.
“V, you’re so amazing,” Jimin tried to say between bouts of laughter. He had managed to incorporate and was sitting again with some difficulty, one of his hands on the ground, supporting his weight as his body shook with glee.
Jungkook glared at him. He was having the time of his life making fun of his dongsaeng. His other hyungs’ audible sniggers weren’t exactly helping his increasing annoyance.
“I think it’s very accurate,” Seokjin said, trying to control his laughter at noticing the youngest pissed off expression.
Tired of the mocking festival in his honour, he grumbled to himself and decided he’d had enough of it. “Yah, stop that,” Jungkook growled as he reached V with three determined strides, swatting his hands at the cloud in an effort to dissipate his own caricature. He guessed that that way he would be able to change its shape. However, that also meant coming into contact with the cloud.
It served its purpose as they saw how V turned back to its original shape, but something else happened too. Suddenly, Jungkook stopped every movement, looking in front of himself with vacant eyes, hand still buried in V’s fluffy surface. He looked like he was seeing something that only he was able to perceive. And that’s exactly what was happening, Jimin thought to himself as he observed Jungkook. After all, he had already experienced it once.
After a few seconds, Jungkook took a sharp breath, eyes focusing again. Removing his hand from the cloud’s surface, he took a step back just before rain started falling from V after a soft rumble of thunder was heard.
“Woah,” their maknae was gaping at V, overwhelmed by what had just happened. “You weren’t kidding. He really can put images in our heads.”
“Why would I lie about that?” Jimin inquired, feeling offended and putting his hands on his hips.
“To keep him.”
“I wouldn’t do something like—” the dancer was quick to respond before he stopped himself, thinking about it for a second more before mumbling, “I guess I would, wouldn’t I?”
“Yes, you would,” Seokjin agreed with a concerned look on his face, extending his arm and beckoning them to come closer. “Come here, you three. What did it show you, Kookie?”
“Yeah, V seems… upset,” Namjoon decided to say, watching as a little poodle started forming under the cloud before the three of them made their way towards the campfire. Jimin and Jungkook took a seat, but V remained floating by Jimin’s side, raindrops still falling.
“I don’t know where that place is,” Jungkook started explaining, “but there was a massive storm brewing up. It wasn’t a normal one, though. This one was made of very dark clouds,” he continued with a sombre expression. Feeling protective, Jin wrapped his arm around his shoulders, hugging the youngest close to him. “I’ve never seen one like that. It’s still not a proper storm, it wasn’t that big, but it looked very scary.”
“The sources must be in a lot of pain for such a storm to be brewing,” Seokjin commented, worrying his lip with concern written all over his face.
“But it still wasn’t raining, so I think we can still do something about it,” Jungkook provided, trying to see the bright side and not wanting to worry his hyungs too much. Seokjin smiled at him softly, messing his hair a little. Their maknae’s early annoyance at being teased was already forgotten.
“So that’s why V came to us? He’s warning us about that storm?” Namjoon thought aloud, elbows resting on his knees as he rubbed his hands nervously.
“Is that true, V? Is that why you’re here?” Jimin asked, tilting his head as he regarded the cloud, saddened by his friend’s state. The rain wouldn’t stop. “It’s okay, we’ll help you,” he assured him with a firm nod and determined eyes. “Right, guys?” The dancer asked, facing his friends, the light of the fire reflecting on their faces.
“Of course we will. We will try our best, V,” Seokjin tried to put the cloud at ease with a kind smile.
He didn’t deem the cloud a threat anymore, not after being in his presence for that long and after making Jimin laugh like that. They only knew it for a few hours, but he could tell it didn’t harbour any ill feelings towards any of them. So, Jin decided that they could trust it.
Seeing the eldest agree so easily, Namjoon rested assured that the cloud’s intentions were good, and he added: “After all, this is our job. We can’t just ignore something of this magnitude.”
“Just tell us the coordinates, and I’ll get us there in no time,” Jungkook nodded firmly, having already forgotten about his annoyance towards V. He was mature enough to know when it was okay to joke around and when a situation required his complete attention and professionality. And this was one of those.
“See? You don’t need to be so upset. Tomorrow, we’ll set off and solve this problem,” Jimin smiled sweetly at the little cloud.
Little by little, V’s rain stopped pouring.
As promised, they went to see the storm with their own eyes the next morning with V as their guide. The moment they arrived, Jungkook stepped on the brake softly until the car came to a stop, its wings still flapping to maintain them in the air a little ways away from the brewing storm.
“So… we have a problem,” Jungkook announced.
The mass of clouds was as scary as he had seen in V’s vision. Dark clouds kept accumulating, and the soft rumble of thunder could be heard now and then. It was a big contrast taking into account the sky’s condition on their way here: clear blue with very faint white clouds from time to time. This was totally different from that. Jungkook could tell it had grown overnight. Not by much, but if they let it be for a few weeks, he didn't know if they’d be able to stop it before it started pouring.
“Yup, a big problem,” Namjoon agreed, floating down from the roof until he stood by the van’s side to be able to talk to them properly.
“There's no way we can just pierce through it so Namjoon can dissipate it from the inside,” Seokjin commented, worry evident on his face. “It’s too dense.”
“And it keeps growing,” Jungkook added, watching with hopeless eyes the brewing storm in front of them.
“Then… there's nothing we can do?” Jimin asked softly, glancing at V, who was floating in front of their van after having led them there.
Small raindrops started falling from it again. V was sad.
“I didn’t say that,” Seokjin shook his head, eyes still glued to the stormy sky. “But we’ll definitely need to ask for help.”
“We are the Bye Thunderclouds Squad after all,” Namjoon added, sending the younger a dimpled grin and a thumbs up, clearly trying to dissipate the heavy atmosphere. Jimin returned the smile, eyes brimming with hope and a little giggle escaping his lips at his hyung’s silliness. “Don't underestimate us just yet.”
Jimin knew they all hated that name. After much complaining, Jimin had been the one to choose the name of their group. Who would’ve thought that the dancer would be able to win a game of rock-paper-scissors knowing how bad he always was at it? But he did, and the rest could do nothing but accept the name he had come up with reluctantly. They all came to terms with it eventually, especially after Jimin told them that they could shorten it by using the initials: BTS. Being aware of their dislike for it, whenever someone from their group acknowledged their full name without grimacing, Jimin couldn’t help the overwhelming warmth that enveloped him at how much he loved his family and how much they loved him in return.
It was a small gesture, but it meant the world to Jimin.
Finally taking his eyes off the storm clouds, Jungkook twisted in his seat to look at them in the back seat of the car. “I guess we’ll have to talk to Hoseok, right?”
Seokjin nodded. “Everyone, grab your sunglasses.”
Putting his head out of the window, Jimin beckoned the small cloud with a gentle smile on his lips. “Come on, V. Get inside with us. We are gonna visit a friend.”
“But first stop leaking, please,” Jungkook pleaded mockingly, staring at the small shower V was creating with a grimace.
Approaching the youngest’s car window, which was open, V stood in front of Jungkook, who was eyeing the cloud suspiciously as it stopped its 'leaking'. His words must’ve embarrassed or upset the grey cloud because when V sent him a bolt of very small lightning that struck his arm, the attack couldn’t have been described as anything but revenge.
Jungkook flinched at the small but sudden prickling sensation, letting out a yelp. “Yah, what the heck was that?!” He spat, looking at V perplexed.
“V doesn't seem to appreciate your leaking comment,” Jimin retorted mockingly. “You deserved that,” he sniggered at the younger while keeping the door of the van open. “Hop in, V. Or well, float in.”
Turning the car around once V was inside and still grumbling under his breath, Jungkook drove them back, following the same direction from which they came from and leaving the storm behind. With one hand on the wheel, he used his other one to open the glove compartment where he kept his sunglasses and put them on. As they advanced, the sky cleared up until it was entirely blue again, and the sun shone strongly.
At the back, Seokjin and Jimin were searching around for their own pairs if the noises they were making were any indication. They had made many changes to the van over time to make it more comfortable. After all, this was their home, where they lived and spent most of their time. They had gotten rid of the individual seats to make more space for other things like plants, a TV, a small chiffonier, a few lamps and a rug to make it cosier. They had only left the long seat at the far back, which ended up looking like a couch, it just happened to have seatbelts. From the ceiling also hang dreamcatchers and garlands, which had been Jimin’s idea, to give it a dreamy look, or whatever he had meant by that. It looked very pretty at night when they turned the lights on, and there was enough space to sleep sprawled around for all of them.
Their den.
“Guys? I can’t find my sunglasses,” Namjoon admitted sheepishly as he palmed his jacket in search of his pair.
“You are a genius, but you can be such a dork sometimes,” Seokjin told him, reaching out to take the sunglasses that rested atop the other’s head. “You are lucky we find you endearing.”
“You weren’t saying that when he broke your old umbrella,” Jungkook sniggered while driving, remembering that incident and Seokjin’s exasperated screams.
“We don’t talk about that,” Namjoon hissed at their youngest before glancing at Jin apprehensively, who was frowning at the memory. “Th—Thank you, hyung,” he stammered with a nervous smile.
Shaking his head, Jungkook finally started to descend once they arrived at their destination. Slowly, he managed to land the van on the usual hill, clapping his hands once when he turned off the engine.
“We’re here.”
One by one, everyone got out of the car and looked up at the clear sky. V stood there with them and spun around until it transformed into a question mark.
Smiling at him, Jimin shook his head. “It’s okay. We’re gonna introduce you to a friend of ours. But we can only talk to him from the highest mountain in the country, that’s why we’re here in Hallasan.” That didn’t answer the cloud’s questions. If anything, it seemed more confused than before. “It’s okay, you’ll understand everything soon,” Jimin said, empathising with V before turning around to look in the sun’s direction like the rest were doing.
Standing side by side, it couldn’t be denied that they made an odd sight. At the far end was Seokjin with his red hair, wearing a cream coloured hanbok, multiple necklaces and his inseparable umbrella. To his right, Jungkook was leaning on his cane, wearing his white suit that matched his hat, always trying to use the same scheme of colours because he felt uneasy otherwise. By his side, Namjoon was sitting cross-legged on his cloud and his yellow tracksuit along with his white sash of feathers were very eye-catching—If riding a cloud wasn’t attention-grabbing enough. Lastly, between Joon and V, Jimin was wearing beige overalls and his matching aviator pilot hat and goggles, which he had on instead of sunglasses.
They all looked quite intimidating in a what-are-they-planning-to-do-they-seem-suspicious kind of way. Also, all of them standing in a row wearing black sunglasses while looking up at the sky didn’t exactly inspire trust.
After a few minutes, there was a change in the light around them. It was as if suddenly the sunrays were directed at them, and a warmth not at all unpleasant enveloped them.
Smiling up, Seokjin was the one to break the silence. “It’s been a while, Hoseok”.
Slowly, a beam of light that was brighter than the rest started descending towards them, taking shape as it slowly landed in front of them. The silhouette was that of a person, a young man. He was made of light, but his features could be discernible. He was smiling as brightly as his own light.
“It’s good to see you all again. And in one piece,” Hoseok chuckled, shoulders shaking slightly. “New umbrella?” He asked, raising his eyebrows, clearly amused.
“We don’t talk about that… please,” Namjoon muttered, avoiding Seokjin’s gaze.
“Hyung,” Jungkook called the new boy’s attention. “The cane’s been working wonderfully. Thank you again,” he told Hoseok, holding said object between both of his hands.
“I’m happy to hear that, Kookie,” his smile faded a little as his eyes widened. “Have you grown taller?”
“Yes, I have!”
“No, he hasn’t.”
Both Jungkook and Jimin responded at the same time: the maknae proudly, the dancer grumbling.
“He’s just mad because he’s shrinking,” Jungkook mocked his hyung.
“I’m not shrinking!” Jimin protested, stomping his foot on the ground, glaring at Jungkook.
“Ugh, stop screaming. I’m in the middle,” Namjoon sighed in exasperation as he covered his ears.
“Some things really don’t change. You bicker as well as always,” Hoseok observed, amused.
“Are you listening?” Seokjin tried to catch their attention while Jimin and Jungkook kept arguing. “He’s politely saying that you are both still a handful.”
“We are not!” Both denied in unison, matching frowns on their faces.
“Who is your new friend?” Hoseok inquired softly, changing the subject as he tilted his head, trying to see what was behind the group.
V, who had been very shocked at what was happening, had taken rescue behind them inadvertently, afraid of the—although apparently friendly—strange man.
“It’s okay,” Seokjin reassured the cloud, looking at it with care. “This is V,” he said, facing Hoseok again with his arm extended in the cloud’s direction. “We are here because of him.”
“Oh, how’s that?” Hoseok asked, intrigued.
“We met yesterday,” continued Namjoon, “and it warned us of a storm. Today, V took us there and… let’s just say we’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It’s scary,” Jungkook added. “And it continues growing as we speak.”
“Wait a second.” Hoseok stopped them with a confused frown and his hands in front of himself. “V told you? V can speak?”
“V’s not a normal cloud, hyung,” Jimin smiled, proud of his new friend. “It’s very intelligent. It can shape-shift and also show us images in our heads when we touch it.”
Hoseok’s perplexity was soon replaced with delight at the new information. Seokjin couldn’t help himself and chuckled softly. “I knew you would react like that.”
“How can I not? This is marvellous!”
However, the cloud didn’t seem to think so, still waiting on the sidelines. If it had a face, Jimin was sure that V would be looking warily at Hoseok and his excitement. Despite that, instead of feeling dejected at its reaction, Hoseok kept his gaze fixed on V as he took a step forward when Seokjin and Jungkook stepped aside so he could approach the cloud, all eyes on both of them.
“Can I?” Hoseok asked for permission, extending his arm towards V. At its reticence, he offered the cloud a gentle smile. “Contrary to my appearance, I promise I won’t burn or hurt you,” the boy chuckled, still offering his hand.
“It’s okay, V. He’s one of us. He’s a good friend and a good person. He really won’t hurt you,” Jimin tried to reassure the cloud, standing by its side and, for the first time, he wished he could hug V.
After a few more seconds of silent reluctance, the grey cloud seemed to make up its mind and got closer to the other man. Letting him come into contact with its fluffy surface, Hoseok's eyes lost their focus as his head was flooded with the images V wanted him to see.
Eyes focusing again as he withdrew his hand, an amazed expression spread across the sunshine man’s face, lips parting in awe. “That was extraordinary,” he breathed out.
“Yeah, and not at all weird,” Jungkook murmured under his breath, earning himself an elbow to his ribs, courtesy of Jimin, who had heard him. The youngest grunted and gave his hyung the stink eye, but the dancer just ignored him.
“Thank you, V. I appreciate your trust and honesty,” Hoseok told the cloud, voice soft as if he had emerged from a very intimate moment and his body still felt lethargic. “Really.”
“What did it show you?” Namjoon asked eagerly at Hoseok’s reaction.
“I think Seokjin already knew about this,” Hoseok turned around, looking at the eldest with gentle eyes. “V was once a human.”
“What?” Jimin gasped, quickly turning to face his hyung properly.
“How is that possible?” Namjoon intervened, just as perplexed.
“Hyung, you knew that and didn't tell us?” Jungkook inquired sharply, looking hurt as he glared at Jin.
With all eyes on him, Seokjin could only squirm in his place, fidgeting slightly. “I had a hunch? I knew something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what.”
“How?” Namjoon asked this time.
“I could sense how it was feeling, so I thought it could be a possibility,” the eldest explained, justifying his silence. “But I didn’t want to say anything yet because I wasn’t sure.”
“Even if you were wrong, we’re a team,” Jungkook intervened again. His annoyance fading as he continued speaking, visibly affected by being left in the dark. “And you and Namjoon-hyung are always saying that we have to talk about things amongst ourselves no matter how stupid we think they are,” the youngest protested weakly with puppy eyes that he most certainly didn’t know he was making.
Jin was sure Jungkook wasn’t aware of how cute he looked at the moment, but the eldest bit down on his lip and decided not to let him know—it would only anger him again.
“But this is different. I didn't want anyone to get their hopes up just in case,” Seokjin continued, putting an arm around Jungkook's shoulders and giving him a small nudge. “Sorry, Kookie.”
The youngest boy sighed softly, still sulking, but he just shrugged and didn't get rid of Seokjin’s arm. Being the most reserved of their group and on top of that the youngest, they had all made an effort to help him open up to them since the moment he arrived. They had been very worried about how he was coping with this new situation, but Jungkook wouldn’t let them in. Soon, they discovered that the youngest tended to just shrug off everything that was bothering him to not get in anybody’s way. Even though Jungkook thought he was doing everyone a favour by being silent, he was only making his hyungs worry more about his well-being.
That’s why they had done an intervention where they had told him as such. It had been hard for Jungkook to see their point, and they still had to be on the lookout for any possible discomfort on the youngest’s part, but they were getting there. Little by little, he was feeling more comfortable relying on his hyungs and telling them when something didn’t feel right or fair.
That was also probably the reason why he didn’t fare well with being left in the dark. If he couldn’t keep secrets and had to speak up his mind so had his hyungs, which was fair. At times, his words could come off as rude, but that’s why they usually just brushed them off. They knew that wasn’t his intention; he was just trying to voice things as he felt them. And honestly, his hyungs were just glad he was finally being vocal about what irritated and worried him.
“What did you see, Hoseok-hyung?” Jimin asked, bringing back their attention to the topic at hand.
“They were memories of his time as a human,” he started explaining. “He was a boy. Very happy, very active. And he was surrounded by many people…” Hoseok’s face fell as he continued talking, voice faltering. “He showed me other things too…” Taking a deep breath and shaking his head a little, he composed himself before resuming. “But the urgent matter right now is the brewing storm I saw. I’m gonna be honest with you all. I’m worried about the possible damages that such a thunderstorm could cause.”
A tense silence followed. Everyone seemed to be assimilating the implications of Hoseok’s words, and an uncomfortable feeling settled in their stomachs. For him to feel scared meant that they were facing a very serious and dangerous situation. And although they had been in front of the storm and it hadn’t looked like a joke at the time, it was now when they began to realise what an important threat they had encountered this time.
Seokjin noticed Jungkook nibbling on his lip and gripped his shoulders tighter, trying to give some comfort to their youngest while sharing a look with Namjoon, who had his lips pressed together, eyes stern.
It was Jimin who broke the silence.
“Okay, so what can we do?” His voice sounded as determined as his stance; back straight, hands in fists by his sides and earnest eyes.
Namjoon’s expression softened with a slight tug at the corner of his lips. There he was. Their brave, little dancer being their strength once again. Jimin was one of those people who had the power to draw you in with just one smile; of getting rid of your darkest thoughts and making you feel like you were 10 feet tall. He was often mistaken as a harmless, cute boy because of his friendly and even childish antics sometimes. But he was so much more than that.
Namjoon glanced at Seokjin and Jungkook. He observed their encouraged expressions and matching soft smiles at Jimin’s intervention. And he knew that they would all be fine.
They were ready for their next battle.