HYYH Notes 2

The Most Beautiful Day of Our Lives

Yoongi
22 May Year 22

Finally, we saw the shore outside the window. We all stared at it, but no one spoke. The sky was clear. As if they should be, the sky was blue and the clouds white.

Because we were in a fast-moving car, the ouside scenery looked still, but not lifeless. Being in that space where the sky, ocean, and the shore all came together, my heart fluttered with excitement. No matter how long I stared at it, I couldn't get used to its force of life and vitality. It showed us clearly how gigantic the world was and conversely, how insignificant we were.

The fastest speed we could generate was probably one tiny movement in this world. And suddenly, I had a question: why had we come all the way to the beach?

Seokjin
22 May Year 22

I don't know why but I stopped. Soon, Jungkook would say that he'd like to take a picture. "In front of Seokjin's car." Jungkook would point to my car, and Jimin would climb up on the hood followed by Taehyung, Hoseok, Jungkook, and Yoongi. When Namjoon would shake his head, as if to say no one can stop these guys, I'd set the camera timer and walk in front of it.

Out of the blue, so many moments swirl around in my head: the pouring sunlight, happy faces, laughter, the fishy smell of the ocean, the camera shutter, "Seokjin, hurry up," the voice calling me. All of it popped up and disappeared before I could hold onto it.

Going through countless time loops, I came here again and again to take a picture, but I had forgotten about it. I grabbed my head and turned around. It felt as if a sandstorm was blowing through my head. Every moment at the beach was bright, painful, and aching. I couldn't bear the torment and sorrow. I didn't know why.

Next came the physical pain. The similar emotion and the similar pain that I had felt at Namjoon's container. But it was much worse and vicious compared to the last time.

"There will be a price." Is this the price that the voice meant? The unexpected headache I have to endure? I didn't mind it if I could find a clue to end this cycle. Even if I had known that I'd be subject to godawful headaches, I would've chosen to find a clue and pay the price.

I had to be cool-headed. More rational. So that I could save myself from the never-ending cycle of time.

Taehyung
22 May Year 22

"Let's take a picture here!" Jungkook said to Seokjin. Without waiting for his answer, he pointed to Seokjin's car. Jimin climbed up on the back hood followed by Yoongi and Hoseok.

Seokjin stayed where he was, frowning. He still took out his camera and set it up in front of us. Hoseok gestured him to join us, but Seokjin shook his head, looking stoic. After pressing the camera shutter, he peeled his eyes off the camera.

I walked towards Seokjin. Not because I was paricularly concerned with how he was. As the sun set behind him, I saw his face. In the pained look on his face, so many other expressions also surfaced. And in one moment, our eyes met, but lost in a thought, he didn't even realize that.

"Are you okay?" I went closer to Seokjin. He was himself, the Seokjin that I'd known. That was the only way I could describe him. He was the Seokjin that I'd met two years ago, the real Seokjin, the one who smiled awkwardly when teased by his friends who were younger than him, the one who seriously listened to his friends' troubles, and the one who always hesitated and thought about what would be a better choice for us.

Soon afterwards, I was faced with a different Seokjin. The one with the same expression as when he had been caught by Namjoon while talking to the principal in the classroom. I remembered his eyes back then. His eyes that said, "I don't know how it happened. I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to get out of this. Help me."