Film Out

5. Breakthrough

Jungkook stood by the counter as he wondered where Jimin had disappeared to. He had come back from teasing Aspen to tell Jimin all about it to find him gone. Normally one of them had to stay stationed out front in case - on the rare chance - there was a customer that needed their assistances it was odd to Jungkook that Jimin just wasn't there. Jungkook kept the megaphone he had found in the closet in one hand as he watched a few customers start to trickle out past him to leave and go about the rest of their day. He raised a hand in parting, getting a few in return.

It was after an elderly lady and her husband left that he turned his head and saw Aspen appear down the hallway. She had her hand behind her holding the hand of a man dressed in a black suit. His jet black hair matched the suit; the tips hanging down over his ears some. Behind the man came Jimin with his hands clasped over the stranger's ears. Jungkook cocked a brow in interest, moving away from the counter with the megaphone in hand.

"Aspen, what the heck is this?"

"This is a man that I found in the theater room you scared me in," said Aspen. "It wasn't empty like you thought, doofus."

Jungkook looked at the man. He looked familiar for some reason even though Jungkook knew in the same instance that he had never met this man in his life. Jungkook held up the megaphone partly in his hand.

"Scared you like this, right?"

Jungkook caused the megaphone to let out a squawk again after he finished speaking. The sudden loud and abrasive sound was too powerful to be muted by Jimin's hands and scared the crap out of the stranger before them. The man shoved backwards against Jimin in an attempt to get away from the sound, sending Jimin onto his backside. The man's hand dropped free of Aspen before he ran off past them. Jungkook turned to look at the man run, watching him disappear into the darkness of the closet. Aspen reached out a hand to slap Jungkook on the back of the head.

"OW! Hey!"

"You're a genius," said Aspen, rolling her eyes. "Look what you just did. You probably gave this man a heart attack."

"Nah. I mean - if I did - he wouldn't be running."

"Aissi!" muttered Aspen as she moved to walk towards the closet.

Jungkook turned his gaze towards Jimin who was still sitting on his butt in the hallway, watching Jimin reach a hand behind his back to rub it.

"I'm going to kill you or that megaphone. Maybe both of you," said Jimin.

Aspen reached the closet, knowing better than to reach for the light switch. This man was obviously afraid. She had to take this slow. She stood still, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness before she could see his outline in there. He was shuddering near the back wall; his hands clinging tightly to one of the metal racks as his forehead was pressed against it. His face was turned away from the door. She entered slowly, picking her way among the mess that Jungkook had left behind when he found the megaphone. When she reached the shaking man, she put her hand gently on his back.

"I'm sorry for my friend," she said softly.

He didn't say anything, but did turn his head to look at her. She watched as the man tried to move his lips, but nothing came from them. Perhaps the man was mute. She looked about the closet, finding a pad of paper nearby and a pen. She held it out to him. Maybe he could at least write. He looked down at the offered things before letting go of the rack that he was holding tightly to. He took them from her, beginning to write something down. He turned it to her after.

- Where am I?

She held out her hands for the notebook, writing down her response and putting an 'A' at the beginning to stand for her name.