Let Go

Chapter 1- Consternation

The wind howled vehemently outside. The fog started to thicken, making everything else outside a blur. The violent shaking of the windows from the living room can be heard through the corridor. Autumn is almost over. Seokjin stood by the fireplace, the wood crackled as it spit glowing ember in the air. A moment's passed, and the flames begun to die out. The wood broke in the middle and flopped into the ashes beneath the grills. Namjoon threw in another couple of dried branch and fanned it to revive the flame.

"We're running out of firewood. I'll find more outside. I'll be back quick." He grabbed the ax, and put on his wool coat and headed out. Seokjin stepped closer to the door, his back against the threshold. He watched him until his tracks are no longer visible. "Be safe" he whispered to himself and then went back to cutting vegetables for the stew for dinner later.

From above the stairs was a faint creak of a door. A young man came out, sluggishly walking while scratching his head. "Mom, what's for dinner?" he mumbled as he sat slouching by the couch. "We're having some vegetable stew." Seokjin answered flatly. Jungkook just sighed and then shrugged his shoulders. "Can I go out? Taehyung has a new game, he said we should try it out." he asked sheepishly. "No, you can't. The news said there'll be a storm outside. I can't have you get sick." Seokjin firmly replied.

"But--"

"No buts. You can play in your room, tell him to come over. But you are not allowed to go out."

"Fine!" Jungkook pouted as he stormed back to his room. The kitchen became dead quiet again, and it's slowly getting cold. The woods have all burnt out. Seokjin soaked the vegetables in iced water and placed them in the cooler. He then took his red knitted scarf and mittens, and went out to where Namjoon headed. The autumn breeze crept under his skin despite the thick canvas poncho he was wearing. Dried leaves of apricot, mahogany and orange colors drifted helplessly in the billowing wind. His eyes searched for Namjoon, he couldn't have gotten far. He continued walking.

Amidst the dusts and leaves, his eyes caught a figure of a person lying down. "Is anybody there? Help!" a voice screamed in despair. Seokjin run, he felt his heartbeat climbing up to his throat which suddenly felt so dry. And as he reached the place where a man sat still beside someone who laid on the ground, he saw a man holding Namjoon, who was bleeding. He felt the colors drained from his face. "W-what happened here?" he uttered in disbelief.

"I don't know. I'm a merchant who was ripped off by a scum. I don't know where I am and I was just looking for the closest town. I was just passing by when I saw him on the ground. I put pressure in his wounds, but he's already bled too much. Can you help me?"

"Help me bring him to our house, he's my husband." Seokjin said, as he tried to lift Namjoon up. "What are you staring up for? Hurry up, help me!"

"Ah-- yes. Sorry!" the man stood up and assisted him.

As they slowly walk, the man couldn't help but throw glances at Seokjin from time-to-time. He's a tall, slender guy, with a thin, pointed nose. He had a curious, rounded eyes which were partly covered by a wavy, dark brown hair.

"Here we are." Seokjin pushed the door open. "Lay him down the couch." he commanded. The guy followed. "How else can I help? Should I start the fire? I picked up the woods that laid beside him earlier. I think it's meant to be used here." he suggested. "I also have some crude left from my supplies. You can have them."

Seokjin remained silent as he tended to Namjoon's wounds. They looked more serious than it seems but he was able to treat them with utmost care. "Thank you for helping us." he finally spoke as he cleared the place from cotton pads and swabs he used earlier to clean Namjoon's injury. "You said you are a merchant, yes?"

The man nodded, "Yes. I am. I came to deliver goods to trade to a nearby city, but the cab I rode stole my stuff and my money and left me in the middle of nowhere. I am not from this place and I have noone to ask for help or a place to spend the night with."

"This cabin isn't much, but you can stay for the meantime. It's in exchange for helping my husband." Seokjin smiled as he pour some tea into a small cup and gave it to the man. They both sat comfortably by the fireplace on a chopped log that served as a chair. "Husband you say?" the man asked. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to pry. But--"

"No, we're not a gay couple. It's just how we've grown into calling each other. I'm sorry, I should have kept in mind about that. Not everyone is accustomed to our weird family set-up." he giggled softly. "We're meant to leave for an extended break. My team and I decided to leave our country, but it seemed the odds were not in favor of us. We didn't know how we got here. We just woke up in God knows where..."

"Supposed to leave your country, so... you are a foreign as well. I'm not from this place, too. Where are you from?"

"We are from South Korea."

"What great coincidence, I am from Gwangju, South Korea. My name is Hoseok, Jung Hoseok."

"Kim Seokjin." he replied, extending his hand to Hoseok. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"You are too formal. How old are you?"

"I'm turning 22."

"Oh, should I call you Hyung?" he teased.

"Everybody here calls me Eomma Jin. But, I guess hyung isn't bad considering it's our first meet."

"Understood. Anyway, I saw you tended to his wounds so well. Are you in the medical field in profession?"

"Oh, no. I just got used to it. He hurts himself quite a lot. At first, i freak out when he bleeds. But as the time went by, I got used to his clumsiness which is way out of proportion."

"I think clumsiness is an understatement." they both laughed.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere doesn't seem too tense anymore. The warmth of the flame gives a sense of comfort in the cold of the night. They got too caught up with telling tales of how Seokjin ended up in this twisted family set-up and the memories of them during the first few months being "parents of the house".

"We actually have our 'sons'. One's up in his room." Seokjin recalled as he placed the pot in the fireplace. "Please help me prepare the stew. Do you know how to cook?"

"Not a very good cook, but, yeah."

"I'll just call him down so we can have dinner all together. You will adore him. He's such a cute little bunny." he said as he wiped his hands on the cotton towel by the table.

"Jungkook! Jungkook, come down! Dinner's almost ready." he yelled by the staircase, but there is no response. "Jungkook?" another beat skipped his heart. Seokjin ran up to Jungkook's room. All that was there is an empty bed and an open window with a blanket tied down its rail.