It was dark. And really late. It had been a long day.

The boys walked slowly through the path in the forest. With a shovel in hand, Yoongi led the pack with a very jumpy Hoseok. He held onto Yoongi’s arm snapping at every direction at the slightest of the sound. Had anyone seen them, would think they were up to no good.

Yoongi turned around to look at the others, Joon in particular. His hand automatically went to his pocket and clutched his phone. Closing his eyes, he resisted the urge to pull it out and check a certain text.

I can’t deceive him. You are his best friend. Until things get okay at home, I can’t meet you. I’m sorry.

Those words were etched in his brain. He had read it a thousand times by now. Each time in a different tone. But the meaning never changed.

When he had left three years ago, he had thought he’d be the one to move on first. Turns out, he was the one who couldn’t.

He had almost let his secret out on Noraebang night while he was drunk. He thanked the heavens that he didn’t. If he had, she would have hated him forever.

Joon, oblivious to Yoongi’s worries, was tensed for quite other reasons. The tyre that he had put in the trunk, was seen where Juan’s friend was found dead.

He prayed to the skies for it to be a different tyre, of a different rare edition Skull board, owned by someone else in their tiny district.

Sighh.

Jimin walked with Jin, still supporting him however possible. He seemed weaker now.

As Jin pulled on the neck of his light blue sweater, Jimin asked him,

“Is the sweater too uncomfortable? You keep stretching it.”

Jin just shook his head with a smile. Watching his hyung, Jimin couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

Those events from three years ago might be haunting him.
Jimin thought.

But he noticed his hyung’s concern for Joon as they walked.

Of course, Joon hyung had always been there for him.

Jin slowly picked up pace to get beside Joon. As he tried to loosen the neckline of his sweater, he said,
“Please remain calm Joonah,” as he patted Joon’s back.

Out of frustration Joon shrugged his shoulders, pushing Jin’s hand away.

“I want to be alone,” he mumbled and walked away from his hyung.

Jin stopped at his tracks at the rejection, staring at the boy who had just left. An arm linked through his own, pulling him, as Jimin came by his side again.

“It’s okay. Let him be,”
He said to his heartbroken hyung. Joon’s behaviour had disappointed him.

But he wasn’t the only one. Hoseok had noticed it too.

Kookie and Tae walked side by side, occasionally glancing at each other.
Tae needed an opportunity to resume where they had left off.

But even if he did, he didn’t know what to say. It was too awkward now. He wanted to hold Kookie’s hand but he couldn’t decide if it would mean the same.

Kookie’s confession had certainly affected him. Which was why it was important to talk. He also worried if the others would notice the change in their behaviour.

But since the major situation in hand was scary enough, no one had noticed the distance between them.

Kookie wasn’t scared anymore. He felt relieved. As if a huge burden was off of his chest. After years of silence he had finally opened up.

As long as Taehyung hyung is in my life, I don’t care what our relationship is, I’ll be happy.

He reassured himself.

After walking for a few more minutes, they were finally at their destination. Yoongi, Hoseok and Joon got into work immediately. While they dug, the others watched with racing hearts.

Just like the night from three years ago, cold wind blew from the lake. Leaves rustled. Hoseok felt like he was being watched. He occasionally turned his head to random directions imagining voices.

“Did you hear that?” he asked looking behind him, when he heard a sound.

“Let’s just finish soon and get out of here,” Yoongi mumbled as he continued digging.

While Kookie, Jimin, Tae and Jin leaned or sat by the trees, holding their flashlights, the boys who dug had started sweating profusely irrespective of the temperature.

Fear and worry clouded Joon’s thoughts as he dug further. His chin pointed and his brows furrowed. He had started panting. But he kept going to prove his innocence. Even though he hadn’t reacted much, Kookie’s accusation had affected him.

When he paused to catch his breath, Jimin walked to him,
“Hyung, I’ll dig for a while now. You look tired.”

Joon shook his head,
“It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Jin came by his side and held his hand that had the shovel,
“Joonah-“

“I SAID I’M FINE!”

Joon slapped away Jin’s helping hand which caused Jin to stagger back a few steps.

Tae gasped. Kookie’s eyes widened in shock.

While Jin looked hurt, Jimin yelled,
“Hyung!” angrily at Joon and ran to his Jin hyung’s aid.

“That’s it!” Hoseok put down his shovel and walked to Joon.

He shoved the tall boy and said,
“I have been noticing for a while now. Why are you mistreating him? Wasn’t he your favourite?”

Tae intervened,
“Hyung is just tensed about tonight! That’s all!” He got in between Hoseok and Joon to keep them apart. Kookie stood up unable to decide what to do.

“I have my reasons!” Joon yelled at Hoseok trying to push away the thin barrier in between that was Tae.

“You know, we don’t have time and I can’t do this alone!” Yoongi’s voice spoke from behind.

Kookie hurried to Yoongi and he picked up Hoseok’s shovel.

“What possible reasons could you have to treat Jin hyung this way?” Hoseok yelled at Joon.

“Guys, we need to stick together and support each other at times like this!” Tae struggled to calm them down.

“You are no different than those bullies!”

“Hoseokah! No!” Jin cried from within Jimin’s grasp.

Hoseok lurched at Joon but he was pushed back and moved farther away by Tae.

At his statement, Joon lost all his control and sprinted towards Hoseok. He caught hold of his collars and raised his hand into a fist.

CLUNK!

All boys turned their eyes towards the sound. They saw Yoongi’s shovel midway in the air while Kookie’s shovel in the hole in the ground. His eyes shifted between the hole, Yoongi and rest of the boys, in surprise.


After digging further, Yoongi and Kookie dragged out the trunk from the hole. The boys gathered around the trunk in a circle. Feeling nervous, Joon clutched the fabric of his jacket into a fist.

Raising the shovel in the air, Kookie applied force to break the lock.

Placing his hand on the handle, he looked at his hyungs. When Tae nodded in approval and anxiety, Yoongi said,

“Let’s get this over with,” and flung it open.

Several gasps were heard from the circle as they looked at the contents of the trunk.

Tae and Kookie raised their eyes and looked at each other in reflex. However, Tae immediately looked away feeling a little flushed.

Joon’s jaw fell while Jimin’s mouth slightly opened, unable to think or speak. Hoseok blinked to make sure he saw it right.

The trunk was empty.

“Aish!” Yoongi squeaked in exasperation, his face showed disbelief. He took out his phone and switched ON the flash light. Shining light into the trunk he crouched by it. It was then that he noticed a folded piece of paper lying in the corner.

Feeling a little scared on the inside, even though he would refuse if asked, he took it out and opened it.

Kookie felt a little scared when he saw, for the first time in a long time, a rarely seen expression on his Yoongi hyung’s face.

Fear.

So did Jimin who read the note while standing behind Yoongi, his hand slowly moved to cover his mouth that had fell open slightly.

Joon felt impatient and snatched the note from Yoongi’s hand. He opened the note and read the content. Heart racing, eyes wide, he was left speechless at the words it held.

A sweat slowly made it way from his forehead to the tip of his nose as he re-read the note. It said,


If I was indeed your friend, why wasn’t I included in this time capsule?

-Jung Taemin