In Seven Days

Monday; 10: 13 PM

"Are you sure that there aren't any more rooms?"

"Yes."

"Really sure?"

"Positive."

"Really really sure?"

"Yes I am."

"Can you check again? Maybe there's rooms you've forgotten and—"

"For the fifteenth time," —the middle-aged woman in front of Jin closed the record book with a slam and a barely-contained scowl— "there are no more rooms in the guesthouse."

Jin could feel his knees go weak at what the woman had just said. He had been standing in front of the counter for more than 30 minutes in an attempt to bargain with the owner of the guesthouse—to no avail.

He wasn't even supposed to be here: standing in the lobby of a small local guesthouse, a pool of rainwater forming underneath him. At 10:30 in the evening, he was supposed to be sitting on the padded chair of an 8-hour train ride back to Seoul. His ass might be sore after the train ride but at least he wasn't begging some stranger for shelter from the storm outside.

But alas, nature had other plans.

Just 5 minutes before 9, Jin arrived at the train station with a confused mind and a heavy heart. He had found Byulyi, sure, but at what cost?

With the reunion with Byulyi came the discovery of Seokmin. His child. HIs own little human being.

His train of thought was promptly cut off by the train's conductor who blocked Jin before he could enter the vehicle. Apparently, a portion of the mountain beside the rails had a landslide. They estimate that the train wouldn't be approved for travel until next week.

Which meant Jin was basically stuck here for seven days.

Which meant he needed to find somewhere to spend the seven days in.

Which meant that he better convince this woman to give him a room or else he might sleep in the streets for seven days.

Jin hugged his black windbreaker closer to his torso. "There's got to be some room in there. I've tried everywhere and this is the only place that's still open. Please there's gotta be some extra room there somewhere."

The woman sighed as she gently shook her head. "I'm really sorry young man but we only have 20 rooms. All of them are already taken."

The idea had been growing in the back of Jin's mind ever since he was refused in the first hotel he found. The only thing holding him back was sheer dignity and the small disembodied disapproving voice of his members at the back of his head.

But what use was dignity if he didn't have a place to stay?

"Look, I hate to use my fame at a time like this but I really am desperate." Jin sighed dramatically as he tried his hardest not to blush—though he could already feel his ears grow warm. He leaned his forearm on the counter beside the record book, making the old woman step a miniscule step back. A pleasant grin spread across his lips to mask the growing shame in his chest.

"You know BTS?"

The raindrops had roared louder than at that moment. The corner of Jin's lips twitched but he pressed on.

The woman tilted her head and blinked at him. "Who?"

"Bangtan. Bts. Worldwide artists."

She blinked again. Her face showed no signs of recognition.

"Grammy nominee? Owns the most daesang in all of Korea? Biggest boyband in the world?"

The woman gave her a once over then took another step back.