Book 3: 24/seven | A Jung Hoseok BTS Fan Fiction

Strange Fiction

Hobi came rushing out of their bedroom. "Jimin-ah! Jimin-ah!" he called out frantically going from room to room. He found everyone in the dining area. Jin and Jeongguk were preparing dinner while the others set up the table. "Where's Jimin-ah?" he asked. Jimin popped up from behind the counter with a jar of kimchi in hand.

"What?" Jimin smiled. "Are you done?" Hobi nodded and in frustration crossed his arms over his chest as he fidgeted and paced. Everyone laughed. They were all finally on the same page.

"Hyungie, is Soswaewon a magical place?" Taehyung asked.

"Didn't you say you went there with a girl?" Jeongguk followed.

"Oh, oh...Did you make a wish when you were there?" Jin asked pointing a cucumber at him.

Hobi looked at each of them and put his hands on his hips. "Why are you asking me all this? Do you think I'm Hopi?"

"Are you Hopi?" Yoongi asked from behind him. Hobi turned around and shrugged.

"That's ridiculous." He replied with a head tilt, "Of course, I'm not Hopi."

"If you say so." Yoongi said under his breath. Namjun quietly chuckled. Jin winked at Yoongi's gummy smile.

"Jiminie, when did you say the next volume is coming out?" He asked.

"Next weekend." Jimin smiled as he went around the counter and handed him the kimchi. Hobi opened the jar and set it down on the table. "I'm going to the bookstore tomorrow to pay for my pre-ordered copy."

Hobi shook his fist in the air in frustration. "I'll go with you." Hobi offered.

"Wow, Hope." Namjun teased, "You're really invested."

"It hits here," Hobi replied, hitting his fist dramatically on his chest.

"I'm sure it does," Yoongi muttered making everyone laugh.

As they gathered and sat around the table passing food, the boys were quiet for a moment. The book did make them all do a lot of thinking. "What would you have chosen?" Namjun asked around the table.

"I think it depends when. Was it before we auditioned? Was it pre-debut? After we debuted? Now?" Taehyung replied.

"I think," Jin answered thoughtfully, "When we didn't know where we were heading, and love was the sure option, I would have chosen love. Even in the beginning, it was tough, wasn't it? But when we committed to each other, that was it. Since then, I think we all would be choosing the dream. Now, where we are, I think I also want to know how the other probability would be like."

"Yes.." Taehyung nodded, "I'm wondering a lot now where else destiny is taking us and why does it have to be so lonely." The boys all looked at Taehyung who just voiced out their unspoken thought and he clarified, "Not that I'm not happy to be with all of you. What I'm saying is, yes, we're together and I don't feel alone, but there are many times that I feel lonely. Does that make sense?"

Everyone nodded. "The thing is," Jeongguk started, and they all turned to look. Jeongguk never says much and always gave way to his hyungs for wisdom, When he does speak, it was meaningful to the rest because he always sees things from a different perspective. Being observant, he always ended up shedding light to things they miss out on. "I don't think it is about being lonely. I certainly did not feel lonely before I met Nira. I did not have emotions for what I was missing out on. I could only imagine being lonely. If I was sad, I will just go up and bother one of you. But Nira...hmm.. Nira..opened...a new door where I am...more than who I think I was?" He struggled with his words, but his hyungs understood.

"That's it" Jin slammed his fist on the table comically. "Beginning tomorrow, I'm going to scour all the cafes in Seoul." They all laughed. 

The following day, Jimin and Hobi tried on different outfits. Hobi stepped out of their walk-in closet wearing a black puffy jacket and a fisherman hat. "How do I look? Do I look like me?" he asked Jimin. Jimin turned and tilted his head sideways. "Yes, but maybe because I know it's you. How do I look?" Jimin turned around wearing one of Namjoon's plaid shirts. He looked grungy in baggy jeans and red converse. Hobi gave him a meh face. 

"The masks will help for sure. Just don't wear a beanie. You'll be easily recognizable." Hobi replied. It was very hard for them to go around in public, but they still try. 

The plan was to hop out, go to the bookstore, and if they can-- go around a bit to see which stores were open. Jimin dialed for a car pick up and they went to the lobby to wait.

"Supposing you were Hopi, hyung." Jimin started again in the car. Hobi brushed him off. "No, really. You can't deny it's not impossible. You met a girl the same way. You went with the girl to Soswaewon. Hopi's wish..that sounds like something you would say. And Hopi's hair. That was your hair when you auditioned!"

"Yaaa. I told you that's all just a coincidence. Everyone wore their hair that way back then."

"I didn't!" Jimin laughed. 

"If it happened to me back then, I'd still have chosen to follow my dream. Besides I never saw the girl again after we found her friends in the park."

"What was her name?"

"Her name was Aiko."

"Hyung," Jimin whispered with his face coming up very close to Hobi. "What if you forgot her?" 

"Stop nagging. I'm not Hopi!" Hobi replied with a tinge of irritation. He made a face at Jimin. "You're getting just as persistent as Kookie-ah." Jimin laughed heartily.

The car turned into the driveway and drop them off at the curb. Jimin and Hobi put on their sunglasses and stepped out after thanking the driver. There were not many people in the open area as there would have, but that was the new normal. They pointed to each other all the stores that seemed open as they made their way to the bookstore. 

The bookstore was near the end of the row of stores facing the courtyard. It had a brick facade and on the window were the posters of the bestseller list and all the upcoming events. Before going inside, the two stopped to read the list and Jimin pointed to the one with the cover of H.O.P.E Vol. 2. "Oh look, they have a book signing next week. Do you want to go to that one?"

Other than the launch date and the book signing information, there was nothing else in the poster except the picture of the next book and Hikari, the last name of the author.

"What's Aiko's last name?" Jimin asked. Hobi shrugged, "Beats me." was his reply.

They walked inside and were relieved that there were only a handful of people there. Jimin was able to walk straight up to the Customer Service desk to inquire about his book reservation. Hobi, who stood behind him, looked around checking the interior of the bookstore. It had a nice mix of bamboo panels mixed with greens contrasting against the raw beams and polished poured cement. Jimin was greeted by a young woman, most likely a college student. She was amiable to Jimin. If she recognized him, she didn't make a fuss.

Half paying attention, he only heard the last thing the attendant said. "The author is right there." she had said. Both Jimin and Hobi turned to look. Hobi followed Jimin's gaze towards a woman who had her back turned to them. She had her hair loosely bunned at her nape and she was stretching out a giant tarpaulin with details of her book launch. She made a move to turn, but the tarpaulin curtained her altogether leaving only the lower part of her body to be seen. 

On his peripheral, Hobi knew Jimin turned to look at him with a smile, but he was rooted to his spot. "Ya, what's wrong with you? If you were an app, I think you just crashed." Jimin laughed. Hobi couldn't help but wait for the tarpaulin to go down. He doesn't know why, but maybe he was hoping it was Aiko.

Jimin didn't see the tarpaulin lower because he was busy teasing him, but it was a moment that went into slow motion for Hobi. Jimin snapped in front of his face. "Hyung." he said, getting his attention.

Hobi didn't say anything else except, "It's Aiko." 

Jimin's eyes grew large and he snapped his head to look. The next thing he knew, Hobi was pulling him out of the bookstore.