Healing Castle | TXT Fantasy Novel ft. BTS

15 - Beomgyu

Beomgyu doesn't quite know why he was chosen to be the pirate. His appearance is far from rough. I mean, he's always been the pretty one in the group. And he's never imagined holding a revolver or controlling a crew of crooks through rough and winding seas. And aren't there cockroaches on pirate ships? He could never survive.

The only association to pirates he has is having Toto, a parrot.

Beomgyu wonders what his little self was thinking when he decided to play as a pirate in the game. He might have chosen it because at the time, pirates were the newest addition to the game. Oh! It's kind of like how he was last to join the debut team.

After meeting with Jungkook, Beomgyu is feeling a bit better—like the Mage will leave them alone eventually.

In addition, BigHit finally responded to his messages. The company has agreed to give the boys a week or so more of vacation, as long as they come back by January. This is the most generous they've ever been in terms of off-days, and Beomgyu is wondering whether Bang PD somehow knows of their mission.

Over the course of the week, Beomgyu realizes he's becoming much too dependent on his teammates. They do pretty much everything together, and as much as he wants to spend every moment with his brothers, he'll have to fight for himself.

He's trying not to tremble as he braves the sidewalks alone.

In the morning, while trying not to tremble, he'd convinced Soobin that he should be the one to fetch them lunch.

"It's time that we need to separate," he told his leader. "We can't just walk around like a huge target for the Mage."

"We're stronger in numbers," his leader said, using a rare stern tone. "I can't have you guys splitting up. I'll be too worried."

Beomgyu pouted around for five more minutes before deciding that he could be responsible for his own actions. So with his mind on the most empowering songs he could think of, he quietly exited the apartment and began to roam the streets of Dongdaemun.

"Nothing strange yet," he tells himself. "Nothing strange—"

A little kid darts out from a side alley, practically rolling onto the street, and Beomgyu's heart stops in his chest. Realizing the kid is only playing, and that the mother is close by, Beomgyu continues on his journey to find a Korean supermarket.

Passing a bakery, a hanbok shop, and a CD store he's tempted to check out, Beomgyu finds an underground market. Taking the stairs one flight down, his legs begin to wobble. Don't be such a scaredy cat! Soon Huening Kai will want to adopt you.

The market is bright, overcome in welcoming tones of yellow, orange and white. He begins to make a pass, nodding to the ajumma when they shout at him to try their baked goods. He nods and smiles, but he can tell they're disappointed when he moves past them.

Beomgyu wishes Taehyun were here with him. Even though he's a year younger, he's always levelheaded in situations where most people would feel awkward or nervous. He can't count the amount of times he was able to remain calm as an idol thanks to him. Taehyun and his wise sayings—words belonging to a true mage.

Moving quickly, Beomgyu picks up the necessities—packets of Jin ramen, chocolate covered snacks, and a few microwavable bowls of bibimbap. Just when he thinks he's finished in safety, he turns and finds one of the ajumma just a few feet away.

Her eyes dilate before turning completely onyx. She smiles like a vampire and takes another step forward, her body beginning to emit a thin shadow.

Once, as a child, he awoke after having nightmares about vampires—more terrifying versions of the ones he saw in YouTube videos of Twilight. His parents had comforted him until dawn. But now, he has no one.

He only has himself, and he must either fight or run.

Beomgyu almost drops all of the food, but he manages to hold the basket close. "Get away!" he shouts.

The lady rears her teeth, jagged like miniature throwing knives.

Beomgyu makes his choice. He turns and runs like he's mad, darting past other shoppers who clearly don't see the evil before them. He's beginning to regret the fight with Soobin. Maybe he does still need all four members watching his back. Maybe he's still too dependent on others, a need that has never gone away since joining the company.

While he's running past aisles of snacks and canned meats and toilet rolls, he's reminded of one of his fights with his father. He was nothing but stern when Beomgyu admitted that he didn't speak up for one of his friends—who was bullied for a botched haircut.

There are some things worth fighting for, son. His dad continued to scroll through the morning news on his phone. The world needs people who are brave. Fighters who can stand up for the weak.

Right now, Beomgyu can't ever imagine being strong. He just wants to be back with his teammates. He wants to hide behind Yeonjun, he wants the maknaes beside him and Soobin telling him what to do.

He doesn't want to die while reminded of such a cowardly moment in his life. He sets the basket down in a burst of panic like liquid fire in his veins. He faces his arms outward, just like he practiced in the hot sauna. But his hands are shaking.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon." Beomgyu's words are like a prayer as the ajumma rounds the corner. Her smile is wicked, and her teeth show like a viper's.

"You will not prosper if you go against the Black Mage," she says. Then she holds out her arms as well. Tendrils of darkness shoot toward Beomgyu.

"No!" Beomgyu shouts. He doesn't quite know what he's trying to negate. No, he's not actually a coward even though he clearly is? No, he won't go down without a sad excuse for a fight?

No matter, he channels all of his energy into forming a talent. A blue revolver forms in his hands, and multiple bullets shoot out. But they hit everything but the darket, absorbed into the surrounding aisles and a display of aluminum pots.

But even so, the tendrils of darkness evaporate. The ajumma laughs, clutching her chest and mocking Beomgyu's horrible aim.

Then she returns to normal. She stares straight ahead as if noticing Beomgyu for the first time.

On the way home, Beomgyu mopes, staring at his shoes as he comes back from the grocery store with only one packet of ramen and a bag of apples—the only items he managed to buy after he almost fainted in the store. The other shoppers stared and gaped, shuffling their children away. He felt like the opposite of an idol.

He could cry, but he has a sense the Black Mage is still watching him. He's just waiting for an opportunity to laugh again—at his weakness, at how easy he breaks down under a bit of pressure.

Outside the apartment, he finds an angry Soobin waiting while tapping his feet. He's never seen his leader like this, with everything on his face tightened from his brow to his chin. Even so, he's relieved. He's never been happier to see one of the members.

Soobin coughs, a sharp "Yah!"

Oh gosh. He hopes he'll survive this fight as well. 

A/N: The boys' performances never fail to amaze me. I can't believe how talented they are. Let's keep supporting them!