✔️Fire & Ice || Jikook

Hiraeth

The war's over.

The Imperials won. Many lost their lives fighting for their kingdom.

Many from sacrifice.

The five remaining boys searched everywhere for their two missing friends and were devastated when they found one resting peacefully in the destroyed room of the castle, the other they found lying in the snow.

Jimin was the one who survived. He woke up weeks later in the medical room of the castle, soft daylight trickling down his cleaned face. He remembered only one thing: Jungkook's last words and smile as he died in his arms.

Jungkook.

A lot of time has passed since they first encountered after four years of burning hatred for each other. Jungkook slowly drew him in, however, when they began to realize their love for each other. It was a slow process that both saved and destroyed Jimin.

It was an unfair story.

Jimin remembered feeling numb after waking up. His expression remained unreadable even when his friends came in and attacked him with hugs and comforting words. Yes, he acknowledged them now. He finally accepted that he had people who truly loved him and cared for him.

But how could he ever feel the same when the person who made him realize this is gone from his life?

His brilliant bunny smile and laughter that rung like bells in the air. His large, doe eyes that were always filled with affection when they met with Jimin's. His strong arms that wrapped around Jimin and made him feel safe and warm.

All gone.

Blinking away the tears, Jimin sat up on the bed and placed his bare feet on the cold floor. He guessed his arm was mostly healed since he could move it around a little. Carefully, he stood and padded towards the door, the tubes attached to his other arm disconnecting and falling to the floor in strings.

No one noticed his silent presence that whisked across the halls and through a set of doors that led outside. He was still in the white hospital clothes that hung loosely off his body when he traveled all the way to the train station and booked the first train to the outskirts of the kingdom. A few passengers gave him strange looks due to his attire, but he paid no attention as he just gazed out the window. His eyes reflected the moving scenery, and the sound of the train clicking across every track soothed his mind.

Hours passed as more and more people left the train at every station until Jimin was the only one left. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the fleeting colors of dusk began to fade away with tangerine and lilac painting the sky.

Finally, it was the last stop. The train conductor had to saunter to the back of the train to wake him up from his sleep. Jimin thanked him and stepped off onto the wooden platform, sleep slowly wearing off and senses kicking in. He watched the gleaming structure flee from the station and into the darkening horizon, white mist spiraling off to the sky. Heaving slightly, he moved across the planks and outside, where hills of lush grass stretched on and on. He lumbered along the dirt path until he reached a small village that looked very familiar. Face expressionless and movement ingratiating, Jimin walked up to one of the wooden houses and knocked on the door.

A few seconds passed until he heard a couple voices muffled behind the door. It opened and revealed two middle-aged people who stared at him with gaping mouths. Both sported wrinkles over their elongated faces; gray streaks of hair strayed over their glossy, drunken eyes.

"I-I-It's h-him!" The woman gasped in horror. "The murderer! Honey, hurry and close the - "

"I'm here to talk," Jimin interrupts smoothly, "I promise I won't hurt you."