A static sound woke Jungkook up the next morning, the boy sleepily blinking his eyes open in the sunshine.

The walkie talkie crackled for a split second, and then Seokjin's voice.

"Jungkook? You there?"

Yawning, Jungkook sat up and threw the covers off of him.

He grabbed the walkie talkie and pressed the button on the side, speaking into the microphone.

"Yeah, good morning."

"Rise and shine, city boy! Namjoon's boat is scheduled to pull in at noon, meet me at the docks in ten?"

Jungkook checked his phone, seeing it was half past eleven. He couldn't believe he had slept so late!

"Sure, be right there!"

He quickly slid off the bed and changed into street clothes.

His uncle was already in the kitchen when Jungkook came down the stairs.

Dal waved. "Morning! Want some breakfast? Or should I say lunch?"

Jungkook took a seat. "How about brunch?"

Dal carried a pan over from the stove, sliding a grilled fish onto Jungkook's plate. "Hope you like salmon."

Jungkook did, digging into the lemon garlic seasoned meat.

He ate quickly, not wanting to be late for Seokjin.

His uncle was understanding and wished Jungkook a fun day, humming as he turned back to his cooking.

Jungkook pocketed his walkie talkie, running down the heat cracked road to the docks.

He had most of the town mapped out already from just yesterday, since it was so small.

Seokjin was sitting on a rock, eating an apple he had plucked from the overhanging apple tree and waved Jungkook over.

"Hey, you're just in time, the boats are pulling in now." Seokjin handed him an apple, which Jungkook bit into.

He cast his eyes towards the water, where a few ships were slowly coming to a halt by the docks.

Jungkook watched with fascination as they all somehow came to a halt before hitting the docks, men jumping out to tie them down to the waves wouldn't carry them back out to sea.

He wondered which of the people climbing off the boats were Namjoon.

"Where's his dumb face," Seokjin mused, standing on top of the rock as he scanned the crowd, his hand raised to block the sun from his eyes.

Jungkook's attention was caught by a boy with a backpack jumping off a boat, the sun shining on his black hair, making it shine.

He was tall, Jungkook could tell even from a distance. He carried himself in a confident way, and Jungkook's heart skipped a beat as his eyes raked down the boys legs, exposed by the shorts he was wearing. He wanted to know this boys name. Seokjin would know, he knew everyone on this little island.

"Hey, Jin, who is that? The one in the dark shirt and jacket?"

Seokjin looked over and broke into a large grin. He leaped off the rock and raced to the docks.

"Kim Namjoon!" He shouted, and the boy looked up.

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat, hurrying after Seokjin.

Seokjin leaped at Namjoon, the taller boy catching him with a laugh as he spun them around, much to the amusement of the people around them.

"Jinnie! I missed you!" Namjoon hugged him tightly, setting the boy's shoes back down on the docks.

"Not as much as I missed you!" Seokjin stepped back, grabbing Namjoon's hand and pulling him down the dock, out of the way of everyone.

Jungkook was struck silent as Namjoon came closer, taking in the boys warm, dragon eyes and his beautiful smile, those endearing dimples-

"This is Jungkook, he's Dal's nephew from the mainland." Seokjin explained.

Namjoon smiled at him. "Hey, nice to meet you. Dal would not stop talking about you ever since he heard you were coming over."

Jungkook blushed and stammered, his skin tingling from when Namjoon shook his hand. "H-hi, nice- uh, yeah, to meet you, t-too."

"This summer is going to be so fun," Seokjin threw his arms around both of their shoulders, walking them to the town. "I got my best friend back and a new friend!"

Namjoon chuckled. "You're not even going to let me stop at home first?"

"There's no time for boring stuff like that!" Seokjin exclaimed. "Let's get lunch and then do some hiking!"

Jungkook wasn't hungry since he had just ate, but he wasn't about to decline hanging out with them.

They entered a restaurant and slid into a booth.

Jungkook's heart raced when Namjoon slid in beside him, their thighs touching in the small booth. 

"So how was college?" Seokjin asked, not looking over the menu since he already knew everything they sold here.

"You wouldn't like it, it's a bunch of smart people being smart." Namjoon teased. 

"What were you going for?" Jungkook asked, hoping they didn't pick up on how shaky his tone was.

"Marine biology." Namjoon gave him a smile so warm that it made Jungkook's cheeks turn a  sunburned blush color.

"Fucking nerd." Seokjin threw a wadded up napkin at him.

The two immediately started teasing each other and Jungkook tuned them out, his eyes wide as he stared at Namjoon's sun kissed skin, his wave tossed hair, his strong arms, his toned body, his-

They were both looking at him.

"Huh?" Jungkook snapped out of it, terrified he had been caught.

"He asked if you were good at climbing." Namjoon explained. "Some of the trails here are really steep and we don't want to make you nervous or anything."

"I can do it." Jungkook nodded quickly, not wanting them to think he was weak. 

"See, told ya." Seokjin said as the waitress came over.

"Namjoon!" She squealed, hugging him. "You're back!"

"Hey Haley." He smiled. "How have things been here?"

"Boring without you." She pouted, pouring him some coffee. "Here, free for you."

Namjoon turned shy. "You don't have to do that."

"Too late, it's done." She looked them over, eyes landing on Jungkook. "I know your two orders, but you're new."

"He's Dal's nephew." Seokjin explained.

"Ah, gotcha. Well, what can I get you?"

"Um, whatever you recommend." Jungkook squeaked. 

She smiled and turned away.

"Everyone is so nice here." He said, turning his attention back to the table.

"Yeah, well, that's what happens when everyone knows everyone, and where everyone lives." Namjoon chuckled. "It's nice though, at least there's never any drama here. Every day is peaceful and calm."

"Except for days we have those severe storms." Seokijn said.

"Well that goes without saying, Jin."

"I said it anyways, what are you going to do about it?"

Namjoon threw the napkin back at him and the war started back up.

Jungkook watched them, smiling at the boys cute laughter, enjoying their dynamic.

Seokjin had gone a whole school year without seeing his best friend, and Jungkook suddenly felt spoiled for complaining about being away from his friends for just a summer.

The food arrived and talk died down as they all dug in. Jungkook sipped his soup lightly, not that hungry, but he still enjoyed the new flavor. This island food was going to make him fat.

After finishing up and paying, they island boys led Jungkook along a new road, heading into a forest.

"This is where everyone goes hiking." Namjoon explained as the pavement ended and a dirt pathway took its place. Tall trees hung over them, sunlight shining through in spots.

"We'll show you our spot," Seokjin called over his shoulder as he led them off the dirt trail, into the tall grass and thorny bushes.

Jungkook followed, not used to hiking but happy to hang out with the two best friends.

"What does Shima mean?" He called, a little out of breath as the trail started to slope upward.

Namjoon laughed, just ahead of him. "It's really dumb...it means island."

Jungkook stopped. "Wait, so you live on a place called island island?"

"Welcome to island island! Can I get you a coffee coffee? Want to go fish fish? Maybe do a hike hike?" Seokjin called, batting a tree branch out of his way.

Namjoon held the branch back and let Jungkook pass. "It's Japanese. The ship the first settlers used to get here was called the Shima and I guess it just stuck. It's like chai tea or the Sahara desert."

Jungkook realized he knew literally nothing about this place. "First settlers?"

"It's actually kind of a deep story." Seokjin said, sitting down on a flat, sun warmed rock to rest.

Namjoon pulled out a water bottle from his bag and tossed it to him. "Believe it or not, this island wasn't the intended destination for the voyage. Ten years ago, we were all traveling from Korea to Hawaii for a vacation, but the ship crashed on this island. We had no way to radio for help with the comms broken, and by the time people discovered where we were, we had already set up camp here. Some people went back to the mainland, but a lot of us liked it here and decided to stay."

"Whoa, they really liked island life that much?" Jungkook was shocked.

"Well, when you think this is your new life, and build houses and learn to hunt and fish and gather and leave all your other worries at home, a lot of people saw how less stressful life here was. They sold their cars and houses, quit their jobs and moved here. This place is small but it really grew in the past decade." Namjoon explained. "And by then some people were too old to make the journey back, and of course we didn't want to leave them here alone to die, so some of us stayed. Island life just...grew on us."

"And we all lived happily ever after." Seokjin tossed the water bottle to Jungkook. "The end."

"So you were all like, sixteen when that crash happened then?" Jungkook guessed. "Don't you miss stuff like Internet and video games and shopping malls?"

"I miss Chinese food a lot." Seokjin admitted. "But when you get used to fresh food every day and the freedom to go anywhere at any time, you kinda learn to let go of those things."

"And besides, we have the freedom to go back to the mainland whenever." Namjoon said. "I go there for school, and to catch up some times. Seokjin prefers to stay here."

"I go back for hot chocolate." Seokjin said. "We don't have that here."

Jungkook couldn't imagine leaving everything behind to stay on a small island, but he did admit everyone was really kind and friendly here, there probably wasn't even any crime. The island definitely had its benefits.

"Would you come visit me?" He asked them. "When I go back home after this summer is over?"

Namjoon smiled at him. "Of course."

Seokjin leaped off the rock. "Let's get going, I want to reach the top before it gets dark out!"

-

It took five hours, but finally they had hiked to the very top of the trail, a cliff that looked over the whole island. It was the highest point on Shima, and a cold wind blew their hair back as they looked over the dark blue ocean.

Jungkook squinted, vaguely seeing the mainland on the horizon.

Namjoon sat down on the dirt with a deep sigh. "Shit, I forgot how much this hike kills my legs."

Jungkook collapsed beside him. "My thighs and feet! I can barely feel them."

Seokjin chuckled. "You two are going to be sore tomorrow. Can't relate."

"No fair, you haven't been sitting in a classroom for hours a day like I have." Namjoon threw a stick at him.

Seokjin kicked dirt at him. "Nerd."

"How come you didn't go back to school with him?" Jungkook asked.

Seokjin shrugged. "I went back to finish high school, but college was never going to be my thing. I don't need a degree when I'm going to stay here, you know?"

Jungkook nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it wouldn't be worth your while." He looked to Namjoon, who had his face turned to the sun. "So what will you do with your degree? Study marine life here?"

Namjoon frowned. "Well..."

"He wants to leave to be a scientist on the mainland, but his dad wants him to stay here." Seokjin said. 

"Oh, why?" 

"My dad is the chief of the island." Namjoon said, and Jungkook's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "He wants me to stay here to take over when he eventually passes."

"The chief? So he's like, the president?"

Seokjin chuckled. "I guess so. He was the captain of the boat, so everyone was used to following his orders anyways, so we just stuck with that."

Namjoon curled his knees up to his chest. "I don't want to be a leader, I just want to live my own life. I love this island but if I'm chief I can't leave to go back to the mainland anymore. I'm just...not ready to give up that freedom."

Jungkook felt bad and he put his arm over the boys shoulders. "I'm sorry, Namjoon. Maybe he'll come around. I'm sure there's someone here who would like to take over after him."

"I'm sure there's a lot of people who would." Namjoon agreed. "But he's just not choosing them. He only wants me to. I guess he wants to keep it in the family."

Seokjin chuckled. "Maybe you should tell him you're gay, so that won't work."

Namjoon's cheeks flushed bright red. "Jin!"

"Oh, don't be dramatic, Jungkook's been giving you puppy dog eyes ever since he first saw you." Seokjin teased.

Now Jungkook's face was bright red.

"I h-haven't!" He stuttered meekly, quickly facing away from the other blushing boy.

"Sure." Seokjin grinned. "Shall we head back down? It's getting dark."

Namjoon and Jungkook hastily agreed, scrambling to their feet.

Seokjin laughed as they all headed back down.

"You two are cute."