Chapter Text
“The car’s all packed,” Jungkook announced. "We can leave whenever you're ready."
"Great!" said Hoseok, rearranging his toiletries. "I just need a few more minutes, and then we can set off!"
Hoseok had been saying the same thing for the last hour. Jungkook appreciated that Hoseok was thorough, it was one of his best qualities - but there was only so long Jungkook could amuse himself. He'd already rearranged the luggage in the trunk five times; he'd reached maximum packing efficiency.
"Come and help me with this, Jungkook," said Namjoon from his computer desk. "I know I saved these files so I could print them later, but now I can't find them."
Jungkook trudged over and leaned his chin on Namjoon's head, peering at the computer screen. Namjoon's filing system was a mess: everything was thrown into one unsorted folder, and the files had names like 'Cloud Ideas: Important' and 'Finalfinalthesisdraftv3'.
"This is terrifying, hyung," he muttered. "What are you looking for?"
"I had a brochure on the national parks, and a bird identification chart."
Jungkook laughed through a mouthful of hair. "You printed those for us last week. I've already packed them."
Namjoon rubbed at his forehead. "Really? I suppose I forgot."
"Mmmhmm," said Jungkook, trying to nod but only succeeding in digging his chin into Namjoon's scalp. "You have too many thoughts buzzing around in your big brain. That's why you should have a relaxing break and come with us!"
"I would if I could," said Namjoon. "You know that. It's just a bad time, I have so much to prepare before semester starts-"
"I know, I know," said Jungkook, cutting Namjoon off before he could spiral further. "You have important scholarly things to do. I'll just miss you, that's all."
"Don't be sad, Jungkook," said Hoseok, who'd finally packed his bag to his satisfaction. "Namjoon will definitely come next time, but for now, he's paid for an amazing holiday for you!"
Jungkook knew he was lucky. He had Namjoon, the best brother in the world, and Hoseok, a brother in every way that mattered. Plus, he was about to go on an exciting trip to the mountains. There was no reason for him to be sulking like a baby.
"Okay, only happy vibes from now on," he said. "We'll climb every mountain, and send hyung lots of pictures, and everything will be perfect."
Namjoon squeezed his arm, and Hoseok smiled at him proudly. There was a moment of comfortable silence, and then Jungkook said, "Seriously though, Hoseok-hyung, will you be much longer?"
The last bags were loaded, maps were checked, snacks were arranged, and they set off. Namjoon came out to wave goodbye - he stayed out in the street until they disappeared from view. Jungkook watched the slowly shrinking figure in his rear-vision mirror. Sometimes Namjoon didn't do well on his own - he needed Jungkook and Hoseok there to distract him from his thoughts and make sure he ate real food. But it would only be for a few weeks. Jungkook shook the melancholy thoughts out of his head, and focused on happier things.
"I can’t wait to be out of the city," he said, as they idled at an endless red light. "It’s horrible - I don't know why so many people want to live here."
"I remember you saying last week that you loved being able to buy ramyeon at 3am" said Hoseok.
Jungkook scowled. "Okay, fine. But aren’t you glad that we’re going back to nature for a bit?"
"I am," said Hoseok. “We are going to absorb all that healthy mountain air and come back brand new people.”
Jungkook was so excited he couldn't keep still. It was going to be amazing. A secluded lodge, silent birch forests filled with drifting snow, the moon reflecting off a still mountain lake... He sighed. "It's all just so romantic."
Hoseok startled and dropped his bag of snacks. "Romantic? Jungkook, you know that's not what we-"
"No no, not like that, hyung!" interrupted Jungkook. "I mean Romantic! Like a story! You know, old buildings, beautiful scenery, dramatic incidents."
Hoseok made a doubtful noise.
"It's a whole genre! Ask Namjoon if you don't believe me!" Jungkook subsided into his seat, pouting slightly. Even if it wasn't his thing, Hoseok shouldn’t dismiss gothic literature like that. If he'd just watched Dracula like Jungkook suggested, he'd understand.
They soon left the city behind. Jungkook’s mood rose as roads and buildings were replaced by trees and fields. Just seeing nature through the car windows was uplifting; when he actually stepped out into the wilderness, it was sure to be overwhelming. Emotions would be stronger in the mountains.
He peered up at the sky as he drove. It was an uninviting dull grey, not very scenic. But perhaps that was good - perhaps rough weather was coming.
"Do you think it's going to snow?" he asked.
Hoseok looked up from his phone. "I don't think so. I heard that we’re past the coldest weather for this year."
"But look at those clouds. They're kind of ominous. They could be snow clouds."
Hoseok peered through the windscreen. "Do you think so? I suppose there are quite a lot of them."
"Maybe there'll be a blizzard," suggested Jungkook, shivering happily. "And so much snow will fall that we'll be cut off. Completely isolated."
"Oh, I definitely didn't pack for a blizzard."
"And then the power will go out-"
"Please don't say that!"
"-and we'll have to huddle round the fire for warmth, and carry candles to get back to our rooms!" Jungkook could picture it all very clearly - the dead quiet, the eerie creaking of tree branches, faces illuminated by a candle flame. And then, after several days of isolation, Jungkook would bravely set off down the mountain to fetch help. He'd fall in a stream and nearly freeze, but he'd persevere until he reached civilisation - stumbling through a door and gasping out his information before passing out.
Hoseok's phone rang; he switched it to speakerphone, and Namjoon's voice said, "How's the trip going? All smooth so far?"
Hoseok didn’t waste any time on niceties. "Namjoon, do you think there could be a blizzard?"
"A blizzard?" asked Namjoon, sounding worried. "Has it started snowing? I'm sure that wasn't in the forecast."
"There are a lot of clouds, and Jungkook thinks we’re going to get trapped," said Hoseok.
"Oh no... hang on, I'll look up weather warnings for you." There were some shuffling sounds, and then the tapping of Namjoon's keyboard. "I can probably find you an alternate route if it's not safe for the car."
"If we ration our fuel, we can keep warm in a trapped car for an entire night," said Jungkook.
"Not helpful," snapped Hoseok, still staring out the window.
There were a few seconds of tense silence, and then Namjoon said, "I think it's fine. The forecast says it's meant to be cool but sunny for the next week."
Hoseok collapsed back into his seat. "Oh thank heavens."
"I’ll check the meteorology site and email you some more details. Just in case," said Namjoon.
"And I packed snow chains for the tyres, so we'll probably be okay either way," added Jungkook.
Hoseok reached over and ruffled his hair. "You're both so helpful, thank youuu!" he said. "But I really hope that our vacation is quiet and drama-free."
They talked about nothing much for a few more minutes, then Namjoon hung up. Hoseok leaned his head against the window - he looked tired and stressed, not at all in a holiday mood. Jungkook turned his thoughts away from snowstorms and onto cheerful conversation.
"Hoseok-hyung, what’s the first thing you want to do?"
Hoseok brightened immediately. "Well, I want to try the hot springs and the sauna. And then I think we could do a day-trip to learn about pottery-”
Jungkook smiled. Hoseok had a whole itinerary planned out - he’d put so much work into this. If it had been up to Jungkook, there might have been slightly fewer museums and more scenic rambles, but they'd find a way to make it work.
The landscape grew rougher and less inhabited. Every turn in the road revealed a new dramatic vista of forests and cliffs. They could have been driving through a movie. Jungkook saw huge trees that could be hiding spies, a narrow gorge perfect for an ambush, a windswept clifftop that was just begging to host a dramatic sword fight - but he kept these thoughts to himself. No need to worry Hoseok again.
Soon they were turning down the gravel drive leading to the lodge. Hoseok had become very animated, but oddly, Jungkook found he was nervous. Seeing the hotel for the first time was a big moment: all his important memories over the next few weeks would be made there. He stopped studying the scenery and kept his eyes on the road. He stayed focused as he found the carpark, stopped the car, turned off the engine, and only then raised his eyes to look.
Hoseok jumped out of the car, already moving towards the next task. "Let's check in, and then come back for our bags. I saw a sign to reception over there - Jungkook, what are you doing, why are you still sitting there?"
Jungkook was staring at the hotel. "It’s not… I didn’t expect it to be so modern."
"Well of course it is," said Hoseok, giggling. "This place only opened ten years ago - you didn't think it would be a historical building, did you?"
"No, I knew that, but I still thought..." Jungkook had expected something picturesque, something that fit with the landscape. A tiled roof, long wooden balconies, smoke rising from chimneys. Not this large, off-white, rectangular building, gleaming with windows. It was bustling, efficient. Not romantic at all.
"Think about all the facilities,” said Hoseok eagerly. “Bowling, restaurants, an in-house noraebang - there’s so much for you to do. Once you’ve looked round, I know you’ll love it!”
Jungkook looked at Hoseok’s excited smile and changed his own face to match. He was being melodramatic, again. Only a child would get upset from a poor first impression. He climbed out of the car and followed Hoseok to reception.
Their room was more promising. Perhaps it wasn’t filled with intricate antique furniture, but there was a big ensuite, the beds were comfortable, and, best of all, there was a balcony. Jungkook went out to it straight away. They were a couple of floors up, so there was nothing blocking the view of dense forests and steeply sloping hills. Jungkook took a few breaths of crisp mountain air. This was more like it - this was the atmosphere he’d been craving.
"It's pretty, isn't it," said Hoseok, coming out beside him. Jungkook leaned his head on his shoulder, and they stood in quiet admiration for a few minutes. Then, Hoseok pulled him back inside to lift the suitcases.
Unpacking was quick and efficient, and the room looked cosy and welcoming with their clothes in the closets and their things arranged on the tables. Jungkook curled up on his bed. "So, tell me the plan, hyung."
Hoseok was flipping through the hotel brochure. "Hmmm," he said, not really listening.
"We could go for a walk," suggested Jungkook. "I think there are some that start right near the hotel."
"Oh, Jungkook, not today," said Hoseok. "It's already mid-afternoon, and I'm tired. You must be too, after that long drive."
Jungkook wasn't tired - he could have conquered a hike, long drive or not - but there’d be plenty of time for that later.
"I was thinking we could rest here for a bit, then get some dinner, and... ooh!" Hoseok sat up, peering at the page. "There's a themed dance on tonight!"
This sounded vaguely alarming. "What's the theme?"
"It says, 'Come meet your fellow guests and boogie the night away at our all-ages, disco-themed mixer!'”
Jungkook made a face. "Disco? Really?"
Hoseok threw a pillow at him. "It's a great theme, don't be a snob. We'll need costumes - thank goodness I packed extra clothes."
Hoseok got up and began rifling through the closets. A few minutes later, he started laying clothes on the bed. Jungkook watched him with apprehension. Planning an outfit would occupy Hoseok for some time, but he'd finish eventually. And then...
"What are you going to wear, Jungkook?"
"I think I’ll just stay in this," said Jungkook, optimistically.
His hope was in vain. "No! Absolutely not!" Hoseok stared at him, aghast. "You're all in black - you're the least disco thing I've ever seen! You'd look like crow in a flock of parrots."
"It's really comfortable, though," muttered Jungkook, but Hoseok had already started sorting through Jungkook's clothes.
"This is terrible," Hoseok wailed. "Did you pack anything with a colour in it? I'll have to lend you some of mine." He turned back to his own clothes, tapping his lip thoughtfully, then picked up an obnoxiously bright floral shirt. "This would look good on you."
"I'd rather be dead."
They compromised eventually. Hoseok reluctantly agreed to a solid-coloured but cheerful yellow sweater, and tinkered with Jungkook's hair and accessories until he was satisfied. He himself was resplendent in rainbow stripes. Jungkook didn't feel quite like himself, but he knew he'd feel even sillier if he was the only one in ordinary clothes. Perhaps, at the dance, he would discover a vibrant disco alter-ego. After a quiet dinner in their room, they headed downstairs. A few guests were already in the lobby - they looked Jungkook and Hoseok over with interest, but continued with their own conversations. Hoseok greeted everyone with a cheerful wave and settled in to wait.
Everyone was looking at them, Jungkook was sure of it. "Is it weird that we don't know anyone?" he asked, tugging at his hair.
"The whole point is to meet new people. Don't worry, your hyung will look out for you. And don’t play with your hair - I spent ages getting it to look that good."
Jungkook sat on a sofa and tried not to fiddle. Hoseok hummed a tune and practiced some disco moves. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes later that the doors opened and they were allowed in.
"Here we go!” said Hoseok, bouncing on his toes. “Happy face!"
Jungkook tried for a confident, relaxed smile.
Hoseok squinted at him. "Eh, close enough. Let's go!"
The sign over the doorway had labelled this "The Grand Ballroom", but it seemed like a perfectly average function room. Some effort had been made to jazz it up with fairy lights and streamers, and a DJ was starting an upbeat playlist. The large clear space in the middle was obviously the dance floor, and people flocked to it immediately.
Jungkook and Hoseok hung back. The crowd was thick, and Jungkook was elbowed several times before he pressed himself into a corner. "It's so busy!" he said.
"I know!" Hoseok replied, looking delighted. "I thought it might be dead at this time of year, but this is pretty lively."
A family of four pushed past, the boy stepping on Jungkook's foot as he went. Jungkook shifted closer to Hoseok. The crowd only seemed to grow bigger as the minutes passed. There were people of all ages here, from children to grandparents, and all of them were talking at once. The voices blended with the music to make a constant roar of noise.
"I think we should have waited upstairs a bit longer," he muttered into Hoseok's ear.
Hoseok turned and grabbed hold of Jungkook's face. "Stop worrying, my shy baby bird," he said. "This will all calm down in a few minutes, and then we'll start having fun. You trust hyung, don't you?"
Jungkook nodded.
"Well, I promise you that you're going to have a great evening. Cross my heart." Hoseok squeezed, and Jungkook managed to smile with his squished face.
"Good boy," said Hoseok, letting go after one last cheek-pinch. "I'm going to dance, but if you're not ready yet, maybe you can investigate the snack table." With that, he turned and sashayed onto the dance floor.
Jungkook rubbed at his cheek - Hoseok had strong fingers - and watched him move. A space immediately opened up around Hoseok, and he made full use of it, not minding at all that he was being watched. Somehow, he could perform difficult moves yet still look relaxed and approachable. He was so cool - Jungkook wished he had a tenth of that charisma. Instead, he was lurking in a corner like some sort of gargoyle.
When he got fed up with moping, Jungkook decided to set off in search of the snacks Hoseok had mentioned. There was a long table at the other end of the room covered with a variety of finger-food - but, as Jungkook discovered when he drew near, it was also surrounded by partygoers. He hovered, trying to see a way through to the food that didn't involve shoving shoving strangers out of the way. A woman made eye-contact and smiled pityingly, and that was enough to drive him off. He wandered back the way he'd come, hoping he looked nonchalant and not embarrassed.
So, no dancing, and no food. What were the other options? He glanced around; one of the long glass windows caught his eye, and he realised it was actually a door to the outside. He headed straight over and shoved at it, only afterwards realising that that might be a bad idea - what if it was alarmed, and the entire ballroom had to evacuate because of him? But no sirens sounded, and Jungkook slipped gratefully out into the quiet night.
It was much cooler outside - a proper winter evening. The moon was three-quarters full, and the trees made stark shapes against the sky. The hotel might not look like he'd expected, but Jungkook couldn’t deny that the views were perfect. All the stars were much brighter out here, away from the city lights. Once, years ago, he'd borrowed an astronomy book from Namjoon and tried to learn the constellations, with little success. He traced shapes in the sky, hoping his astronomy skills worked better in the wilderness, but no luck. Ah well - they were still beautiful.
This little bit of balcony was tucked around a side of the building, but it looked like it continued along the front. Jungkook meandered around the corner and found himself on a broad terrace. This must be a popular spot during the day time. Tables, chairs and sun-umbrellas were scattered attractively throughout the space. But at night, it looked eerie - the moonlight bled all the colour out of the scene, leaving it like a ghost of its daytime self. Jungkook felt ghostly himself as he wandered through the scene; like he’d slipped through a door to a secret alternate dimension, just for him.
Only he wasn't alone. Someone else was here, looking out over the balustrade. It was a man, in evening dress. The view must be very interesting, because his gaze was fixed intently downwards.
Jungkook crept closer, curious. He tried to stay quiet, but he must have made some small noise, because the man turned to look at him. The moonlight washed over his face, and Jungkook's whole world changed.
This was the most handsome Jungkook had ever seen. He was tall; his dark hair fell perfectly over his forehead. The light glinted off his eyes, his cheekbones, the hints of sequins on his silky shirt. He must have stepped straight out of a fairy-tale - some ethereal, untouchable fairy king.
The apparition smiled gently, opened his beautiful mouth, and spoke.
"Do you think I could throw something from here all the way into the swimming pool?"
Jungkook blinked. "…Sorry?"
"It's quite far," the man continued, "but I think if I believe really hard, I could do it."
Jungkook looked over the railings. Now he saw the pool - a little ways distant, but not out of reach. "I think it depends how good your throwing arm is," he decided.
The man grinned. "I’ll take that as a yes. Thank you for your encouragement! Alright, here I go!" He leaned back, rotated his very impressive shoulders, and hurled a stone over the balustrade. It landed short, bounced a few times, and came to rest on the lip of the pool.
"Oh, bad luck!" said Jungkook. "You were pretty close."
"Well, that was just a first attempt," the man said. "With a bit of practice, I’ll have perfect aim."
Jungkook leaned over the railings, judging the distance. "You know, I think I can do it."
"Really." The man scrutinised him, eyes traveling down then back up.
Jungkook straightened up and stared firmly back. He might not look like some sort of vampire prince, but he was confident in his ability to throw things. He raised an eyebrow with a hint of challenge.
"Alright," said the man. He pulled another stone from his pocket and handed it to Jungkook. "Show me what you've got.”
The stone was smooth, roughly oval - the weight felt right in his hand. Jungkook hefted it, visualising the route to the pool. He took a deep breath, pulled back his arm, and threw. The stone made a flawless arc through the air and landed in the water with a plop.
"Yes! Perfect score!" said Jungkook, bouncing on his toes. He turned with excitement to the man, completely forgetting to be modest. But the man was grinning back at him, looking equally delighted.
"A bullseye!" he exclaimed. "I admit defeat this time - but don't think I won't practice and beat you later. Well played, sir" He put on a solemn face and held out his hand, as formal as an opponent after a duel. Jungkook shook it, gripping firmly to show he wasn’t intimidated. He wasn’t sure how long the handshake should last, so he just kept going. The man didn’t stop either; he stood there looking at Jungkook with a quirk at the corner of his mouth. All at once, Jungkook realised he was standing on an empty terrace, in the moonlight, essentially holding hands with a stranger.
"What were those stones?" he asked, pulling away. "Where did they come from?"
The man shrugged. "Some kind of decorative pebbles, I think? I took some from under those trees over there."
"Oh." Jungkook glanced back at the pool, where the dark shape of his stone was visible through the water. "I hope they weren’t important for the plants."
"I'm sure someone will fetch them out with one of those scoop thingies."
"Jungkook?" Hoseok's voice came from the direction of the doors, and after a few moments the man himself appeared, peering around the terrace. He spotted Jungkook and scurried over. "There you are! I turned around and you'd just disappeared!"
"Sorry, hyung. I was out here talking to..." Jungkook trailed off as he realised he had no idea who the stranger was.
The man quickly remedied that. "I’m Jin," he said, tapping his chest. "I’m staying here. Pleased to meet you."
Jin. A one syllable name, just like a rockstar. Jungkook turned the name over in his mind, then remembered his manners. "Jeon Jungkook," he said, "and this is my friend Jung Hoseok."
"Hi, nice to meet you," said Hoseok, giving Jin a cautious smile. He turned to Jungkook, holding out his shirtsleeve.
"I spilled some drink on myself. Just here, look! Do you think it's going to stain?"
Jungkook squinted at the fabric, but with the dim light and the bright stripes, he couldn’t make anything out. "I can't tell, hyung, but we can wash it, and I think I packed stain-remover. I'm sure it will be fine."
"I hope so," said Jin. "It would be a tragedy to ruin such an amazing shirt."
Both Jungkook and Hoseok turned in surprise. Jin smiled at them, apparently completely sincere.
"Do you like it?" asked Jungkook. "I would have thought your taste would be more" -he gestured at Jin's outfit- "fancy."
"Oh god, I know, I'm so overdressed," laughed Jin. "I thought this was a formal meet-and-greet, but I showed up and everyone was in neon. That's why I came outside - I couldn't stand there like an awkward penguin any longer."
Hoseok's smile this time was more genuine. "You do look very suave, though. That's a great jacket."
"But not very disco," said Jin. "Next time they have a theme night, I'm doing my homework."
"I think the next one is beach-themed," said Hoseok. "I'm already going through my shirts."
"Oh, that's perfect, I have this great collection of novelty sunglasses."
Jungkook listened to the conversation with relief. Hoseok liked Jin; and Hoseok was great with people, so Jin must be a good person, and therefore he, Jungkook, hadn’t been doing anything wrong by talking to him alone on the terrace.
“It’s freezing out here,” said Hoseok with a theatrical shiver. “Let’s go inside. The DJ might only be here for a few more hours, and Jungkook hasn’t danced yet."
"Don't you like dancing, Jungkook?" asked Jin.
"I do, but… Hoseok-hyung’s the real dancer, I just look stiff next to him."
"I'm not a great dancer either, but I don't let that stop me." Jin looked at Jungkook thoughtfully for a moment. "How about this - if you come and dance with me, I'll show you my world-famous version of the Lawnmower."
Jungkook couldn't refuse an offer like that.
They made a spectacle of themselves on the dance floor. Jin was actually quite a good dancer, but he made every effort to disguise it by being as over-the top as possible. He’d removed his jacket, and borrowed some of Hoseok’s jewellery, so he was a confusing mix of formal and chaotic. Still very handsome, though. Hoseok more than matched his energy, and together they were an irresistible force of dancing enthusiasm. There was no way Jungkook could remain self-conscious - he stopped worrying and let himself be energetic.
The three of them jumped around and got into an increasingly ridiculous dance-off, and only left the floor when the DJ switched to playing "Time to Say Goodbye" with a meaningful look. They gathered up their discarded clothes and stumbled out of the ballroom. Jungkook wanted to race down the hallway and swing off the pot plants - if it had only been him and Hoseok, he just might have. As it was, he restrained himself, but inside he was filled with a fizzing, restless energy.
"Well, this is where I leave," said Jin, as they reached the staircase. "Thank you for an exciting evening."
"No, thank you," said Hoseok. "Best disco I've ever been to."
Jungkook giggled. "It was fun. Will we... see you again, maybe?"
"Oh, definitely," said Jin. "I'll be around - just look out for the devastatingly handsome man in the bright pink glasses, you won't miss me." He blew a kiss, winked at them both, and disappeared up the stairs.
"Wow," said Jungkook, staring after him. "He's amazing."
"He's really nice," agreed Hoseok. "Didn't I tell you we'd make friends?"
"You did."
"So you admit you should have trusted your hyung all along? And that I'm always right?"
Jungkook screwed up his face into an exaggerated grimace. "I wouldn't go that far."
"You cheeky little..."
Jungkook laughed and took off down the hallway before Hoseok could grab him.
Back at the room, Jungkook wasn't ready for bed yet. He was still too revved up. He roamed around, picking up and putting down objects and talking non-stop. Hoseok, who had settled into his skincare routine, started to look impatient, so Jungkook exiled himself to the balcony. He did a few star-jumps to relieve his feelings, then leaned on the railing for one last view of the night sky. The moon was still bright and shining - Jungkook gazed at it until he felt calmer.
Hoseok was already in bed when he came back inside. "What do you think?" he asked, looking at Jungkook from under his eye mask. "A good start to our holiday?"
"The best," said Jungkook. "We're going to have an amazing time."
Jungkook was sure it would take him hours to fall asleep, but once in bed, he dropped off quickly. He had many dreams that night - when he woke up, he couldn't recall exactly what had happened, but he was left with hazy images of dark trees and swimming pools and moonlight.