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Abandoned village, is the first thought that comes to his mind as he clicks a few more photos, staring at the empty field in front of him from his viewfinder.
Mindlessly he walks ahead, thinking he could capture it better, the village past the fields.
"Hyung!!" A hand on his shoulder jerks him back, starling him a little. Yoongi looks up from the camera . He looks behind him, Jungkook's hands are still on his shoulder shaking him a little.
He frowns at why the young photographer stopped him. Jungkook retreats his hand seeing his expression "You could have fallen" Yoongi still doesn't get it. "In the drainage!!" He points to the canal in front of them. Yoongi is just a few steps away from the edge.
"Sorry kook, didn't see" he sighs leaving the camera resting on his stomach.
"Let's go back" Yoongi gestures towards the inn's direction. They start walking towards the small inn they found earlier.
"You okay?" Jungkook asks genuinely concerned "You were spacing throughout the shoot" he points out.
"Yeah, just tired" he exhales, shoving his hand in the jacket's pocket. "We should leave now, I've got enough pictures" he feels different in this place. Ever since they arrived he feels gloomy.
"Ah, about that" Jungkook hesitant of his next words "Jin hyung called me earlier, said we are staying the night"
"Why?" Yoongi questions trying not to sound panicked.
It's unusual for Yoongi not to want to stay in such places. He likes empty fields, places with fewer human settlements. "He's tired both Namjoon hyung and him" they keep walking.
"I could drive," Yoongi offers. It's still 1:30 pm if they leave now they could reach another town till 5 maybe….
"You look tired too, Hyung you should rest and…." Jungkook goes on to give a list of things for why they shouldn't leave.
"Fine kid, we leave tomorrow at 6 am hmm?"
"Oh- okay" Jungkook seems surprised by Yoongi's answer. But don't say anything more. They are quiet and the inn seems far.
It looks like it had rained before they came. Few puddles on the road and the wet smell of soil is still fresh. He inhales the earthy aroma which somewhat calms his mind.
They strolled too far from the inn.
As they get closer to the inn Yoongi has a stronger urge to return and go past the empty fields. Yoongi, who wanted to leave the minute they got in here now wanted to turn back and run.
They see the inn and Yoongi stops in his tracks, if he stays there he will be restless. He knows he'll be restless staying in the inn but not going in the village, to find out…
"Hyung?" Jungkook is a couple of steps ahead of him.
"I'm going to the village, you go ahead" he explains. He can't stay here doing anything.
"But.."
"I need to go" Jungkook doesn't understand why he needs to be there when seconds ago Yoongi wanted to leave. But the urgency in his voice tells him it's important.
"I'll come with you" he suggests, worried about Yoongi's behaviour.
"No I need to go alone, I'll call you if I need anything"
Jungkook nods. Yoongi turns and starts walking away from the inn towards the village.
"Just don't fall down the drain," Jungkook calls out . "Won't be there to save you"
He chuckles because his friends sometimes care too much about him.
He walks pacing fast down the slope. He passes by the board, village name and the population of 150 it read. It makes sense why the place seems so empty.
When he was five, the place used to be lively. As he grew up more and more people left to go to the city. Even when the population was declining it used to be filled with people in every turn and lane.
It's been 6 years since he left the village since he left him. Sure time does change everything.
He strides down the hill. There's moss-covered cement walls on one hand and railings keeping the wilderness apart from the road on the other. As he gets closer Yoongi thinks the path around the village looks different. He has his childhood memories going up and down these hills.
The closer he gets the faint scent of sea comes off stronger. Then Yoongi sees it, the coast and the sea. Blue of the sea reaching infinitely and the small waves hitting the rocks.
They would spend most of the summer evening here.
"Yoonie"
"Yoonie hyung” they are looking up in the sky, the blanket of stars stretching infinitely. Their feet are dipped in cold water keeping them sane.
“Hmm?” Jimin is clinging on his arm and his head resting on Yoongi's shoulder.
Jimin was whining about how his classmates had their first drinks but not him. Yoongi being weak for Jimin instantly agreed. He also didn't like the idea of Jimin getting drunk for first and he wouldn't be there for him.
So they sneaked to the coast outside the village to drink.
“What do you think of mermaids hyungie??” He’s drunk, they both had alcohol but Yoongi is just a little tipsy whereas Jimin is far gone.
He groans he shouldn't have let Jimin have so much.
“Half human half fish?? they’re pretty I guess” if Jimin's mom saw him like this they would be dead.
“Do you think they exist?” Jimin asks, pressing his body closer to Yoongi’s.
“It's a good example of what people imagine when they are in a state like yours Minnie,” he chuckles.
“B-but they are so cool” Yoongi gazes down at Jimin. His cheeks are tinted red because of alcohol.
“I want to be a mermaid Hyung” he looks up at Yoongi jutting his plush lower lip.
Yoongi smiles at their dumb conversation, which Jimin might not remember when he wakes up. “If you become one, take me to Atlantis, hmm?”
“Yes, oh you could be my sea-cat like seahorse and w-we can stay there together Hyungie” Jimin squeals excitedly. He beams at Yoongi, stars reflecting in his eyes.
“Sure Jiminie” he grins back at younger.
Park Jimin, Yoongi had known him all his life until he left.
He crosses the main entrance to the village. Now that he has entered he feels eerier like the village is taunting him for coming back after so long and never once returning when he promised someone.
The cold wind blowing sends shivers down his spine at the same time the sun above him makes him warm. He zips up his jacket.
There's no sign of people, it makes sense, it is almost 2, people must be napping wrapped up in warm blankets or curled up in the warmth of the Sun.
He walks to his left until he comes face to face with a cream coloured house or home-like once he used to call it. His house, a few other houses and community hall were separated by a stream from the main village. The few houses that were separated were newly built and had colour on them.
Colour of his house looked duller, wild plants growing in the crack of the walls. The giant lock looks the same on the front from when they left. Looks like no one came to live after they left.
Yoongi shuffles closer to take a better look at the house, also clicking pictures of small wildflowers growing in the yard.
Yoongi would lie down in the yard under the shade of the roof or you could say he would lie down on Jimin's lap.
“Yoongi,” he pokes his finger in Yoongi’s cheek.
“Min Yoongi '' Jimin calls out bopping his cute button nose this time.
“What?” Yoongi grumbles, eyes still closed.
“I’m bored” he complains, “I thought we were going to play or watch movies instead you're napping on my lap again!!"
“Just five more minutes” he curls up against Jimin's leg.
“You said the same ten minutes ago!!” he groans well aware they are not gonna do anything. Jimin would come when Yoongi calls him even if they are going to laze around in his yard.
He likes being with him even if they are not doing anything.
Yoongi takes one last look at his old home and crosses the wooden planks which act as a bridge between both the sides.
The centre or main part had secluded houses. The houses are made up of ship planks as most of them had their living off fishing. The planks were rusting making all the houses look similar. It would be confusing if you didn't know the place well.
And the deeper you go narrower the path becomes.
Houses are so close you could hear what's going inside. Yet right now Yoongi couldn't hear anything walking past them.
Right next to the path are drainages which makes the road even smaller. Fresh water flows through the mossy waterway. Growing up Yoongi learned even if they look alike, the houses have their charm.
Some are built slightly higher than others, therefore having stairs while others have cement walls around them. Several had tiny herb plants growing on their porch , others had vibrant flowers over them. These little things made them unique and were easier to distinguish if you knew these details.
Again you could get lost if you didn't know the place, the narrow alleys and look-alike houses make it difficult and those small details were hard to notice.
Yoongi was seven when he learned all the directions correctly whereas Jimin was five.
"Minie slow down!" Yoongi yells at five-year-old Jimin who is far ahead of him.
"Yoonie fast or it disappears" he's not stopping for his Hyung. Yoongi has to catch up with little Jimin.
"Why didn't you catch it if you were so scared?" He asks, holding Jimin's hand so he doesn't outrun him again.
"I scared, it would have bitten me" turtles don't bite, it's just an excuse.
"And it won't bite me? Are we even going in the right direction?" Jimin ignores the first question, he knows his hyung wouldn't say no to him.
"I know all the roads don't worry Yoonie" Yoongi is stunned but not shocked at Jimin knowing all the roads.
"Honestly, someone must have caught it or maybe the cat must have ate the turtle," Yoongi teases.
"Yoonie don't say that!" He shrieks looking at his amused Hyung. "You're meanie" he pouts furrowing his brows.
When they reach they do find the turtle, it's inside the side of the drain slowly walking. "I'm not going in" if Yoongi jumps in his clothes will be dirty and his mom will scold him. "You didn't say it was in there"
"Hyungie pleaseee" he circles his arm around Yoongi's hip. "I can't go in me tiny and Yoonie so tall" looking up to his Hyung with puppy eyes.
"Or we can leave it here?" Yoongi asks, looking down at clinging Jimin.
Jimin's lower lip trembling like he is about to cry "Don't, I'm going in, brat"
Jimin hops giving him a toothy grin.
Yoongi catches it, his clothes do get dirty and his mom scolds him.
Eventually, they leave the turtle near the coast because little Jimin said "the turtle's missing it's home Yoonie"
The next place he arrives is the village temple. He could directly go to Jimin's house but Yoongi purposely avoided his house and took the longer route. He doesn't know if he'll be able to see Jimin or not or if Jimin is still living here because after Yoongi left the village they lost touch, even when they promised to call each other every week.
He doesn't know who stopped it first but it happened gradually. Sometimes Yoongi would go days ignoring Jimin's text. Then Jimin wouldn't reply until next week. He knew Jimin was angry for not texting him back but Yoongi was busy with college.
They both were being childish. At least Yoongi being the older of the two should have called Jimin. When one day he did Jimin had already changed his number.
Yoongi was too cowardly to search for his name on social media. He didn't try to reach out thinking Jimin would not want him or worse he wouldn't even recognise Yoongi. They'll be strangers, he thinks.
Maybe this is the last time he's visiting this place and he wants to relive all his memories from here. Yoongi doesn't want to forget the last place where they were together.
It's dumb he tries to capture their memory through photos, yet it's not enough because the entire village has their memories. Not a single corner is unexplored by them together. Yoongi was Jimin's first friend, it was natural they would hang out all the time.
The ancient temple was tucked away in the very back of the village. He had been told it was there before Yoongi's grandparents were born. It was much more maintained than the other public places.
Yoongi enters through the wooden door, the temple looks the same. The path is wet and covered with dried leaves. Yoongi wasn't religious but he liked coming here. He loved the architecture of the temple.
He and his granny would visit the temple together. While his granny would pray, Yoongi would look around. After she's done they would sit around with Yoongi's granny explaining the placement of every little thing placed in the boundaries.
Then his granny died and he had no reason to go back.
He goes around the temple looking for the graveyard. Within the perimeters of the temple was a graveyard of some noble, soon after placement was claimed to be haunted. But those were just rumours to keep lurking teens away at night.
Well, Yoongi didn't believe in those rumours.
“This is the dumbest dare ever!!” Jimin strides across the gates of the temple “Who is even scared of here, I swear they sent us away so they could have all the booze to themselves” he complains. “Right Hyung?”
"Hyung?" He tries again.
No answer, “fuck, this is not funny Hyung” Jimin gulps. He slowly turns around only to find no one standing behind him. He swears Yoongi was him until the gates. He should be here “Hyung?” he calls out a little louder this time. He returns to check if Yoongi's outside, he is not. "Yoongi?"
Again no response.
Jimin huffs thinking Yoongi must have abandoned him and went back halfway through. He's mad at Yoongi for backing out, he knows it was only his dare and he dragged Yoongi here. But Yoongi had promised he would never leave him.
In a state of anger, he walks even faster at the end of the dark empty temple. Upon entering he takes off his phone and takes a quick picture as evidence.
Almost when he is about to turn he hears the rustling of leaves. Jimin freaks out a little as he had just checked Yoongi wasn't outside.
It sounds like footsteps are getting closer. Jimin is too scared to even look back, frozen in his place.
"Yah" a hand appears on his shoulder. Jimin jumps as he turns around to accost whoever it was.
“Woah, easy, it's just me” it's Yoongi.
“fuck, you almost killed me” he clutches his hand on his chest kneeling. “Should've known you’d pull something like that”
“What do you mean? I was tying my lace. It was you who ran off” he accuses Jimin pointing a finger at him.
After a lot of accusing each other Jimin finds Yoongi did stop to tie his lace and got lost a little. Turns out Jimin was walking a little too fast to notice Yoongi tying his shoes.
A little later Yoongi apologizes for almost killing Jimin, Jimin for leaving Yoongi alone.
“You can let go of my hand now, Minnie”
“Nah you might get lost again”
“We are together now and laces are all tied see” he gestures at his shoes.
Jimin ignores him and keeps dragging Yoongi out. “Ah, I get it you just want to hold my hand Minnie,” Yoongi says smugly. "You could have just said that"
“I don’t trust you” Jimin rolls his eyes.
“You’re not even denying it Minnie!!” Yoongi presses closer to Jimin. He swears under the darkness there's a faint red blush on Jimin’s cheeks.
“You're so annoying, Yoongi” Jimin whines as they still hold each other's hand.
Yoongi loves holding hands with Jimin.
Dark clouds are gathering above, it's going to rain soon. He should get back before it starts raining. He has to just visit Jimin's house.
Yoongi hurries down towards the direction of Jimin's home. It's not far from the temple, he had his home and backside of the village where they had more free space.
Jimin's home looked different back then, they always had pretty flowers growing in the empty land next to the house. Right now his house looks like every other one, lifeless. Pretty flowers once are now replaced by dried dead plants.
Yoongi feels hollow inside when he looks up to the window. Pale blue curtains are fluttering out and Jimin would not like them. He always had colourful curtains.
Jimin's room was vivid compared to Yoongi’s plain one. He always had huge posters stuck on his walls. Bed occupied by plushies barely had any space for another person to sit. Jimin and Yoongi spent their free days reading comics in his room, Jimin's favourite artist playing in the background.
Yoongi recalls his last time in Jimin's room.
They had decided to throw a farewell party at Jimin’s house for Yoongi and two of his group friends who were leaving the town for the college.
Yoongi was done with the cleaning but JImin was nowhere in sight. Jimin had disappeared halfway through the party.
Yoongi was stunned by how Jimin first reacted to him leaving, he was happy and congratulating but his absence in the party was stating otherwise.
Jimin was staring up at his room’s ceiling lying on the bed when Yoongi walks in. His room was glowing because of those glow in dark stickers and the moonlight coming from the half opened window.
“Cant sleep?” Yoongi lies next to Jimin. He looks up trying to see what Jimin is looking at.
“Hmm, was thinking” Jimin whispers.
“About?” whatever Jimin must be thinking must be really bothering him.
“Its dumb” Jimin sighs.
“Hey” Yoongi snakes his hand on Jimin's stomach to intertwine their hands. “You dont have to tell me but its not dumb if its bothering you”
Jimin's hand is warm against his, he’ll miss the warmth when he leaves. Jimin doesn't say anything so he closes his eyes trying to sleep.
“I’m sad” he didn’t expect Jimin to speak. “I’m sad because you are leaving” Yoongi doesn't say anything because he wants to listen to Jimin. Jimin was really calm when Yoongi broke the news to him. He didn't expect Jimin to behave like that.
He caresses Jimin’s hand as encouragement to keep speaking. “I don't want you to go,Yoonie” Yoongi expected Jimin would say something like that. He thinks a cup of Jimin had earlier made him brave to say that.
“I should feel happy because you're following your dream and you're happy” Jimin starts “I tried to be happy for you but it doesn't feel right hyung, i keep thinking... i just don't want you to go”
Yoongi looks at him, Jimin’s eyes are open, tears are flowing across his cheeks. He tries to cover them with sleeves but Yoongi beats him.
Yoongi drapes his free arm over Jimin's waist pulling him so they are face to face. Jimin doesn't look at him he simply wraps his arms around Yoongi burying his face in Yoongi’s chest, crying. The older boy does nothing but hug him tight, he promises he would not forget Jimin and they would call every week.
Some time passes, Jimin stops crying and Yoongi believes Jimin has fallen asleep. Then he hears it "I think I love you hyung" barely audible.
Yoongi just stays silent too scared of his own feelings. He is fucking coward for not saying his feeling out loud.
Next day Jimin acts like last night didn't happen. When tried to confront he’d changed the topic the day Yoongi left.
Yoongi wipes his eyes with the sleeves of his jacket.
"Excuse me" a voice calls out from Jimin's door. A middle-aged lady is staring at him. "You okay? You had been staring for a while"
"Yeah, I just... I'm okay" he didn't realize he'd been standing so long.
The lady nods about to go in when Yoongi speaks "Actually I'm looking for someone, Jimin, his name is Jimin.." he takes a few steps to get closer to the lady and talk.
The lady seems confused for a second. "Oh, you mean Park Jimin…."
It's dark when he returns to the inn. His friends don't ask much when he directly goes to bed. Even the youngest of the group is quiet.
Later at night when Jin enters his room, he asks "Yoongi are you awake?"
Yoongi hums shifting in the bed making space for Jin to sit.
"Are you okay? You look sad.. and it's fine if you don't wanna tell us, you know we are here for you right?"
"Hyung I'm from here" he says moments later.
"Huh?" Jin blinks at him confused.
"This is my hometown"
"Oh" Jin takes a moment to realize, he instantly wraps him in a hug not asking him further.
Yoongi doesn't remember if he had told Jin about Jimin or not. He thinks Hyung must have assumed something bad had happened, nonetheless he is grateful for having someone like him.
It reminds him of his and Jimin's relationship, always protecting each other.
He sleeps snuggling Jin that night.
When they wake up it's still dark. They had a weather check last night before sleeping. It was going to rain in the morning around 7-8 am, they would be stuck for another if they left after sunrise. So they leave early.
All quickly pack their stuff, still half asleep and thank the owner of the inn.
Yoongi takes one last look at the village covered in darkness, Sun Rays slowly peeking above it.
Yoongi rolls down the window when he gets inside. This reminds him of the time he was leaving the village.
Yoongi's parents had decided to leave when the people were still asleep. Nobody came to say their goodbye, not even Jimin.
Jimin had said he had exams therefore he won't be there. Yoongi was sad but he hoped Jimin would come to see him.
He waits thinking he must have slept through the alarms that's why he is late. But he doesn't come and Yoongi's mom drags him into the car.
They start driving. Yoongi looks out the window ,as the village disappeared as they drove further.
Eighteen-year Yoongi was still waiting for Jimin to appear out of nowhere. Whereas twenty-four-year-old Yoongi had no one to wait for, Jimin had left the town after his high school just like Yoongi did.
They were almost out when Yoongi spoke "Hyung can you stop the car, I've to take pictures"
Jin stops next to the wooden staircase, those stairs lead to the village down the hill. You could see the entire village from top. The sun was rising, covering the entire village in golden rays, this felt familiar.
Yoongi was peeking out of the window as the golden rays spread across his face. He was mad at Jimin.
But then he saw brown hair bobbing up the stairs. Yoongi was probably dreaming there's no way…
Slowly his face became visible as their car passed the spot.
"Mom stop, it's Jimin, it's Jimin!!" he shrieks jumping out as soon as his mom stops.
He runs towards his best friend who's out of breath and his cheeks flushed.
Yoongi runs towards him and when Jimin sees him he starts crying. Yoongi hugs Jimin and he starts crying too.
"You slept through your alarm again right Minnie??" they giggle at Jimin's habit. "Was waiting for you, knew you'd come"
“I'm sorry for saying I wouldn’t come. I wanted to see you but when i got no-no one was at your house, I-i thought you already left Yoonie" Jimin whispers against his neck. Yoongi's neck is wet from Jimin's tears.
“Its doesn’t matter you’re here, we met and we will meet again Jiminie I promise”
"I will miss you Yoonie" Jimin smiles last time at Yoongi.
"I'll miss you too Minnie" He smiles back.
Yoongi still has the picture of them crying, sunrise behind them. His mother sneakily took those. She teased about it looking like a drama scene. Those dramas where the lovers leave each other behind but they get back later. Yoongi hopes someday he'll meet Jimin again, like those dramas.
Yoongi gets back in the car and they leave the village behind, unlike last time Yoongi doesn't look back from the car waving to Jimin until he disappears.
Yoongi is not sad like eighteen-year Yoongi because this time he is not leaving Jimin behind. This time he's just leaving the abandoned village