(JIKOOK) Texting Story Snippets

Fear

White clusters of descending snowflakes gather on the surface of Hoseok's thin, hooded sweatshirt. He regrets not throwing a heavy winter coat on top of it, but his mind was already preset with a first priority. He's exhausted and shivering in the misty white fog of the night.

The park isn't far from his house, a couple blocks and he's walking fast. "Should've let Taehyung come with me." He mutters to himself, mostly to hear his own voice. The howl of the wind swirling around his head makes him wish that he wasn't alone. Taehyung wanted to come, but Hoseok persisted that he stay back to rest. The younger was already fighting against heavy eyelids during the movie they'd watched before while waiting up for their friends to return. The eerie sounds of the wind and the emptiness of the streets fuels his desire to run back home to safety. Hoseok misunderstood the bravery he thought he had upon making the decision to go outside to search for his best friend. But, that's right. He is searching for his best friend, and when he finds him he won't be alone anymore.

It's only more motivation to find Jimin than he really needs. The cold and his sleepy eyes give him motive enough already, on top of the twisting sensation in his gut. Hoseok wants to find comfort over how relieved he's going to feel when he locates Jimin, but he can't silence his thoughts on the dangers of walking alone on snowy winter night. There's so many, it's mind numbing. The breeze whistles past his left ear and it sounds like an angry hiss as it's icy boned fingertips claw through the material of his clothing. He curses lowly to himself. Hoseok's fingers grip the edges of his tucked away phone in his pocket, keeping it close for an emergency.

The weathered steel poles that hold up the playground sign soon come into view. His footsteps stop for a moment. The heavy sign swings back and forth on the rattling chains it hangs from, creating a sound Hoseok can relate to more than a handful of horror films. The squeal of metal grinding shoots fear directly into his veins. He feels petrified for a moment and can't even find an excuse as to why it scares him as much as it does. It's a sound, not a monster. Hoseok tells himself, but he's terrified.

The plastic tops of playground equipment can be seen with a mere two or three steps closer towards the park. Hoseok shuffles slowly, more afraid of the confinement of the park foundation than the openness of the dimly lit streets. The wintry fog covering all that surrounds him sends his heart into a thumping race. He can feel his adrenaline rising. "Jimin?" Hoseok quietly calls out, shaking his head to force his hood to fall. His freed hair lifts, the chill of the breeze assaulting every portion of uncovered skin with a force he isn't prepared for.

The spine tingling, low screech of rusted metal grinding against rusted metal halts as soon as his voice reaches the bit of the park Hoseok can see from his purposeful distance. The sign is still rocking on the waves of the wind, but there is no sound. If he thought the sound was creepy before, the sudden absence of it chills him to the bone. "J-Jimin? Chim?" Hoseok repeats his friends name.

The gritty noise of gravel crunching under feet fills the silence in the air. Hoseok almost loses his breath, almost gasps for more. One rattle of chains follows before the squealing continues in a slower sequence than before, an unbalanced pattern.

It's not only the cold that makes Hoseok frozen in place, unable to move forward. He contemplates the idea of getting the hell out of here, running back home and maybe involving the authorities in the matter. He's afraid, it's only this, and it makes him feel ashamed of himself. Jimin is alone out here and he can't give up on finding him because of a series of irrational fears. He steps closer once more, calling out for his friend in a more determined voice this time. Pretend bravery is better than showing the real side of his fears to whatever can see him now. Being alone doesn't sound all that bad anymore.

"Jimin, are you here?" Hoseok says louder, startling himself with the contrast of his voice against breeze. The beams of the playground swing set appear atop the settled fog hovering over the park. Somebody is definitely there and even if it makes sense for it to be Jimin, he's wary. "If it's you, answer me." He doesn't get a response. It's hard to make out much definition from the distance he maintains between himself and the unknown before him. He dares to move in closer, grounding his first steps carefully onto the concreted pathway leading up to the entrance of the park. There is a figure, the hooded frame of another body accompanying the night and making a first appearance.