what happened to jeongguk? [ thriller ]

six.

APR 5, 2019.
10 : 51 AM
JUNG HOSEOK.

jung hoseok didn't know what to expect on his first day at work.

he did of course expect a throng of zombie-like pedestrians swarming into Extra Dose in hopes of snatching at least a grande americano on their way to work. he also expected a lengthy line of languid millenials with sunken eyebags waiting while he haphazardly tries to organize the register in the least self-destructive way as possible. while all expectations manifested into his reality, what he didn't expect was a heated commentary about park jimin by the farthest window booth.

"convenience store? jimin?" namjoon says from the front seat of taehyung's second-hand honda.

with the lack of a license and the ability to drive, hoseok learns that namjoon takes the subway to work when his secretary isn't there to pick him up. luckily enough, taehyung was on a persistent pursuit to chase namjoon to the ends of the earth if he had to, fortunately not without his red honda parked in the public garage across the street.

(taehyung had enthusiastically explained his coincidental encounter with namjoon on the street, hence the current situation right now).

jung hoseok had explained all the details regarding the incident, from start to finish and especially emphasizing the way park jimin had attempted to literally strangulate him behind the register (which of course earned a dramatic double-take from the two in front, with namjoon having a little spit out of his americano). hoseok leaves the part with the candle, convinced it will dismantle and discredit his entire story because that spectacle seems so out of touch with reality (he's learned his lesson).

namjoon calls the agency and the local detectives right after, telling them to recheck the missing person file and implement a search.

"did you even report this?" namjoon almost yells in disbelief.

"i wasn't sure if it was him," hoseok lies. it's better like this. "i was too scared and it's not like i had any evidence either. the cameras were out."

"still," namjoon says, obviously overwhelmed. "this is..."

"i told you i wasn't lying," taehyung says. "he's back and for some reason he's acting like a fucking deliquent."

"he's not like that," namjoon mutters. "i swear he's not like that. i don't know what he's doing."

"me neither."

"did jimin say anything?" namjoon asks. "like, anything at all? it's just... it's really hard to believe."

"i don't know he seemed pretty occupied trying to suffocate me behind the register," hoseok says jokingly. namjoon shoots him a side-eye. "sorry. coping mechanism. and no he didn't. i didn't even get a single utter from him."

"you got any idea why he's doing this?" taehyung chides.

"i..." namjoon sighs. "i honestly don't even know."

"hey," taehyung calls mildly. "you okay?"

"i'm... i'm just really overwhelmed," namjoon says slowly. "and confused. mostly confused. like, he's back. jimin is back. i should be happy, but i just feel... shocked. it doesn't even feel real. it's hard to even believe, so i just feel... numb? to be honest, taehyung, i didn't really believe you at first. but this—this. this feels like a confirmation telling me that this is actually real. like it's for fucking real."