“Yes appa.”

“Yes.”

“Okay, I’ll be there soon. Hmm.”

Jimin occasionally felt like a king. He had a lot of power. And he loved power. But then there were a few insecurities that would always show up like unwanted termites.

Jimin sighed as he cut the call. It had been a few days since he had returned. Work was piling up and he needed to get back soon. He had ignored and stalled for the past few days when the staff had called him up over and over, asking for his return date.

But now appa had called himself. And he cannot say ‘No’ to appa. He knew he had to return to his life at some point. He didn’t expect it to be so soon.

As he scrolled through his texts, he found one from Tae. It had been two days since the Noraebang incident. The boys, except Jin and Kookie, kept in touch through texts and calls.

They had all agreed that it was mandatory for Jin and Kookie to have a talk, resolve the issues. They needed to apologize to each other. And now that Jimin had to leave soon, it had become all the more necessary to be dealt with soon.

He didn’t want to leave his friends with an unresolved issue lurking in the air. He wanted the old days back. Those days that they spent at the Bowl were the happiest days of his life. And he wanted to relive them.

----

The boys had decided to meet up at Hoseok’s again.

When Jimin walked down the steps into the backyard, Tae, Joon and Jin looked up at him. When he waved, they faintly smiled back.

The sky was clouded today. It had already rained which made the grass look greener. However the air looked blue, if that was possible.

Everything looked different.
Everyone seemed different.
A lot of unspoken words hidden inside while they remained silent on the outside.

Jimin looked around as he slowly sat on the swing beside Tae. Nobody spoke a word.

While Joon and Jin sat on the steps, Kookie was inside the house tailing Hoseok. Kookie had been apparently staying with Hoseok for two days.

Which means Tae was alone at home. Jimin thought.

Yet he didn’t call or stay with me. He sighed.

Joon kept staring at something in the grass, perhaps a line of ants making their way to their home. His beanie secured all of his hair safe inside which showed his furrowed eyebrows. He looked tensed.

Jin was seen in a long overcoat and loose clothes, as if he had travelled back in time. His glasses threatened to fall off his nose as he stared into space. He seemed older, weaker. Suddenly he looked at Jimin and gave him a weak smile. Jimin felt his heart get heavier in his chest.

Kookie’s words must have really affected him. He thought.

He turned his face to the boy beside him. Tae gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. When Jimin smiled back, he saw Tae’s gaze dart to some point behind his head. Upon following his friend’s deed he saw Hoseok walk into the backyard followed by Kookie and Yoongi.


They all sat in and around the porch, feeling awkward. Usually Joon took initiative to speak on such matters. But today it didn’t seem like that would happen. Judging the atmosphere, Yoongi spoke accepting the role thrust upon him.

“So…I hear Jin hyung and JungKookie had a ‘spat’ on the Noraebang night?” he looked at Tae, air quoting his fingers for the word ‘spat’. Upon receiving a nod of approval he continued.

“Well I only know from whatever I heard from the others since I was not exactly ‘conscious’ during the incident-“

“Hyung, just stop,” Jimin cut him off midway when Yoongi air quoted again at ‘conscious’.

After Yoongi breathed a sigh of relief, Jimin cleared his throat.

“What happened was wrong, both of you know that,” he looked at Jin and Kookie, one after the other, “just apologize to each other. If you want, we’ll leave you alone.”

When neither of them spoke, Jimin stood up and gestured the others to follow him. After everyone got inside the house, he turned around and said,

“Just talk. Please.”

-----

Hoseok stood at the closed door, staring through the glass at the two boys who sat outside. Unable to hear anything, he turned around and faced the rest.

While Joon and Tae sat on the steps that led upstairs, Jimin and Yoongi were talking to his eomma. Torn between his fear and his objective, he decided to do what he wanted. He walked to Tae.

Tae and Joon looked up at the approaching boy. He stood by them silently with a smile. Judging the lull that followed, Joon stood up and said,
“I need some hot water. I’ll be back,” and walked away to the others.

Hoseok immediately sat on the recently vacated seat. Tae turned to him and smiled faintly. Returning the smile, Hoseok gathered all his courage. Feeling determined, he said,
“I talked to Kookie yesterday.”

Tae knew that. He had expected that when he saw Hoseok run after a very distressed Kookie. He knew there was a possibility that Kookie must have told him everything.

“Okay…” Tae responded.

As both of them sat side by side staring on the wooden floor, Hoseok said,

“He said that you might still be upset about our…” he paused to feel brave,
“Our argument…my mistake…from three years ago?” he completed his question.

This was when Tae realised what Kookie had discussed with Hoseok. Keeping his own secret, he had brought up other issues.

But he was right. Tae hadn’t forgotten about it. It wasn’t something that could be easily forgotten or forgiven.

As hidden rage took over him, tae said as calmly as he could,
“Hyung, now is not the right time or place.”

He closed his eyes and exhaled to let himself cool down.
“Maybe later. Okay?”

Tae smiled at Hoseok before he stood up. Hoseok returned it even though he could see that his smile didn’t quite reached his eyes.

Kookie was right.
He thought as he watched Tae walk to the others.