Into the Wild | BTS

Prologue

"Professor Hana!"

A young man shouts along the corridors for me as I turn around to see him stumble and bump into numerous people along the way. I sigh deeply, adjusting the glasses atop my nose whilst holding my clipboard and papers towards my chest.

"What is it Jimin, and you know you can just call me Hana." I pointedly said.

"I know I know, It's just more professional if I'm shouting your name in the corridors. Anyway—! look at what I found!" He held up the paper he was holding as he still gasped for air. It was a scan of an old newspaper clipping from the 1980's. I quirked my eyebrow at him before reading the paper.

Forest of Nightmares?

Recently a group of hunters went missing on March 12, Their last whereabouts only but a small fire at the edge of the thick of a Forest. No remains nor evidence of death found as if they have been abducted by aliens or presumably spirited away.

I sighed deeply and handed back the paper to Jimin. "Seriously Jimin? You're still researching about the forbidden forest?" I took off my glasses and put it in my lab coat pocket. He deflated upon my statement.

"Hana, there has to be something going on here! For years since the 1940's even— people have gone missing there like the Bermuda Triangle!" Jimin grasped my arm.

"Jimin, let it go. We're just a bunch of researchers; not mystery enthusiasts." I rub between my eyebrows where the bridge of my nose is out of stress.

"But that's the thing! This is about animals!" Jimin whined and pouted and I swear he was younger than me by the level of maturity he had but we were the same age and had been working here together since day one.

"Jimin, just because there was one article where a man managed to get a very obviously photoshopped or sketchy image of a smudge in the tree line doesn't give us a reason to go." I exasperatedly said. "The forbidden forest is forbidden for a reason."

Jimin still pouted, "I know it's just— I can't believe no one has even attempted to set foot in it again since we'll—." He grumbled and looked away.

My eyes softened at him, "Jimin, you know what chief would say."

Jimin sighed deeply, "I know I know— he would tell me to stay out of it." He crossed his arms. "Which is stupid, I mean he's literally the one that should be—"

"Professor Hana, Professor Jimin."

Someone said behind us making us quickly whip and bow in the direction of the voice. They chuckled, and smiled pleasantly.

"I see the two of you are working very hard in the hallway." He said with no hint of scolding but it didn't make us feel any better.

"Chief, I apologise. I was just on my way to—"

"Oh don't worry Professor Hana. I am not here to tell the both of you off, I'm here to call you both into a meeting, now follow me." Their chief announced and started walking.

Jimin and I exchanged confused looks before quickly following him close behind. We never had a meeting planned for today with the chief, at least, we never had a meeting with him ever in our time working here.

"What do you think this is about?" Jimin whispered to me as we walked.

"I don't know maybe you're in trouble for researching about that topic." I whispered back and the shock and fear on Jimin's face made me want to laugh but was abruptly cut off by halting behind the Chief.

"Alright please enter you two."  He gestured to the open door and we both walked in confused. It was the main meeting room, the large table had only two other colleagues of ours and the other side had men in army suits we didn't know of. Why were they here?