outbreak | bts

020

Jin watched, ansty as Jungkook embraced his friends. After Jungkook had cried some more, Jimin, who had noted Jin's restlessness, stepped forward. Cupping the back of Jungkook's head with his hand, he urged the boys to go inside.

When the entrance to the minibus was cleared, one by one, a group of young girls stepped out, looking uncertain. Then another door opened and a woman walked around to the right side of the minibus where everyone was gathered. A pause blew over the space as the girls took a cautious look at the group of men gathered.

"...Teacher Kim?" One particularly tall girl blinked at him. Jin felt a smile break out.

"Ya, An Yujin, you made it!" He called out as she waddled over to him with her arms stretched out. He ruffled her hair playfully before she could hug him, causing her to grumble.

"Teacher Kim, we're here too." Another tall, perhaps younger girl pointed out, pouting as her eyes filled with relieved tears. Jin walked towards her and laid a tender hand on her head, Yujin trailing behind him. Glancing over at the group, Jin counted five of his students. Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jiwon and Wonyoung.

"I know Wonyoung-ah. Well done for making it here. Thank you all for surviving so far." Jin's voice nearly cracked at the end, but he maintained his composure as the girls lost theirs, weeping in relief. Joohyun stood to the side and remained silent as the girls cried. After a few minutes, she clapped her hands together.

"Since we've confirmed that we're all alright, would anybody mind lending me a hand? We brought along some provisions." She queried, looking pointedly at Jin. Nodding, the teacher offered to help and ushered the girls into the terminal. When they had left and only Jin and Joohyun were left in the bus and coach park, the two teachers looked at each other for a long time.

Exhaling, Joohyun clambered into the minibus, Jin following behind her. Crouching in the aisle, she covered her forehead with her hand, facing away from her colleague. Judging by the way her shoulders tensed and her grip on one of the seats got tighter, Jin figured that she was crying.

"Noona?" He dropped formality and approached her. As the two youngest teachers in the school, the two had bonded and encouraged each other. Joohyun lowered her hand and stood up, wiping her face before turning to face him again without making eye contact.

"We had more students with us when we were in the tuck shop. When I said that it wasn't safe to stay in the tuck shop with so many rabid people around the school, a few of them were too scared to leave. I couldn't force those who wanted to leave to stay and I couldn't force those who wanted to stay to leave. Everyone had their own convictions and stuck to them. Some girls also... sacrificed themselves while trying to get others to safety." She informed him, tone even. Jin felt his heart clench.

"W-who did we lose?" He was almost too scared to ask. This was not what he had anticipated his fellow teacher and friend would say upon reuniting with him. Joohyun gazed out of the window of the minibus before casting her eyes to the crushed seats that she stood next to.

"Minjeong, Yizhuo and Aeri." She finally revealed, keeping her eyes anywhere but on Jin. She wouldn't be able to stand the sight of him breaking down. He was the kind of guy that treasured each of their students like she was his daughter or sister. Such news would not be taken well. Jin sank down to a seat. Those girls had been students in his food economics elective class.

"...What about Karina? Those girls were all her friends." Surprised, Joohyun finally turned her head to him. This news he could likely digest better.

"I'm not sure. We lost a portion of our group as we were escaping. Perhaps it would have been more or all of us that got lost if it weren't for Eunwoo and Yugyeom. They had incredible senses and were able to lift us around certain things so that our contact with infected people was minimised." Jin blinked up at her, taking a second to mentally praise Jungkook's friends for firstly being okay and secondly ensuring that even this small number of girls had made it to safety.

"Of the girls we lost, we lost contact with Karina, Chaewon, Yunjin and Kazuha. But if they were all in the school when the explosion happened..." She didn't need to finish the sentence. The chance of them surviving in those circumstances was little to none.

Remembering Jungkook and his friends just hours earlier, Jin offered a prayer of hope that perhaps they would also get a pleasant surprise, jolting in shock as a tear slipped down his cheek. Huh? Jin hurried to swipe the tear away but another replaced it, and more fell still from his other eye.

Locking eyes with Joohyun, Jin was mortified as he wept. Joohyun shuffled over to him and leaned over the back of his seat as he crouched over, hiding himself from her. The events of the past few days seemed to have finally caught up with him. His broad back shook while he sniffed uncontrollably, scrubbing at his face as his ears reddened.

Joohyun shifted into the aisle and crouched beside him, grabbing his trembling chin. Directing his gaze to hers, she maintained unwavering eye contact, silent. Don't hide, her stare seemed to command. Eventually, Jin ceased his sobbing. Taking one massive sniff of finality, he managed to compose himself.

"I'm sorry. You saw a lacking side of me-"

"You just found out that students you treasured have been lost to this madness. It's rather me that is strange." She rebutted, looking down at her shoes.

The students had been preparing for the school's annual harvest festival when the outbreak happened, so she had come in casual clothes to help them set up. Had it been like any other school day, would she have been able to move as she had? Would she have been able to grab Rei and Kazuha and drag them to safety? She feared not. Jin followed her gaze and bristled ever so slightly at the sight of dried blood on the bottom and lower sides of Joohyun's trainers.

"Please don't say that. I'm sure the fact that you were able to maintain a calm demeanour was really reassurring to the students under your care." Jin attempted to reassure her but she held up her hand. Jin understood. Joohyun liked to tough out situations that upset her, so comforting and being comforted were things she was still uncomfortable with. Rising, Jin tapped her on the shoulder once.

"Thank you for your hard work, noona." He murmured, glancing around shyly. Spotting some boxes, he pointed to them. Joohyun nodded and he silently piled two of the boxes on top of each other and trudged off the minibus.