The Baggage You Carry • Jung Hoseok

Part 4 • Hoseok

Friday, March 20
Northbound Train
Gyeongui-Jungang Line, Seoul
7:31am
Hoseok

Hoseok boarded his train and started to feel like his luck was starting to turn around when there was a seat available. He sat down and slightly groaned because his rib was starting to hurt. How he was going to teach dance for the next eight hours was beyond him.

He got situated in his seat and restarted Yoongi's song. He listened intently and started thinking of notes, and unintentionally started thinking of choreography that could go with it.

He started making mental notes of the lyrics and the beat, and figured he might as well start writing it down because there is no way he was going to remember everything all day. He bobbed his head along to the beat of the music and reached into his bag, but he was taken aback for a minute.

"What the fuck is this?"

Hoseok was feeling a touch disturbed - whatever the heck this thing was felt long, narrow, slightly cold, smooth and fuzzy at the same time? What the actual fuck is this and why is it in Hoseok's bag?

He pulled out the offending item and was confused when he saw - wait, are those knitting needles? And is that, yarn?

Hoseok's mind was reeling. When did he take up knitting? And, if he didn't take up knitting, why the fuck was there knitting needles and what looked to be the start of a scarf in his bag?

Hoseok placed the knitting equipment down and continued his search for his journal when his eyes caught the look of a pin on the front of his bag - but it wasn't his pin.

No, his pin was a smiley face sunshine that his sister had bought for him before he left Gwangju to move to Seoul. That pin made him feel happy when he was starting to feel a bit homesick. The pin that was on the bag was not that pin.

This pin was an enamel shark, and Hoseok was confused - he didn't even like sharks.

But then, the pieces started to fall into place - the knitting needles, and the pin? This wasn't his bag.

But, that's impossible. Because this was the only bag that was on the ground at the train station. Hoseok started to feel some panic bubble up - if this wasn't his bag, then where was his bag? Not only that, but whose fucking bag is this?

He couldn't believe this - as if his day couldn't get any worse. And what was he supposed to do now? He couldn't return the bag to the Seoul Station - he heard a rumour awhile ago of a guy to dropped off a bag at the train station and was later arrested for attempting to commit an act of domestic terrorism. The rational part of his brain was telling him that that guy wasn't arrested for simply dropping off a bag but like, Hoseok didn't want to find out firsthand.

So, Hoseok guessed he should probably start learning how to knit because he apparently was now in possession of a set of knitting needles and the start of a scarf.

Hoseok groaned and rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out what the heck to do now. At least he forgot his wallet today, because otherwise, he'd be in a massive pinch.

He continued to listen to Yoongi's song and started writing down his notes on his phone (gross). He didn't know what it was, but there was something about handwriting notes that helped him organize his thoughts better than typing it out on his phone. It helped him feel more in touch with what he was trying to verbalize - whether it be a random inspiration for choreography, lyrics or notes for any of his friends' projects.

Hoseok continued typing away until he heard the overhead speaker announce that they had arrived at the Ilsan station - Hoseok's stop.

Hoseok stood up, put the bag on his shoulder (cause what else was he gonna do? Leave it?) and promptly exited the train. The dance studio he worked at was only about a 10 minute walk from the train station, so he knew he'd make it there in good time.

On good days, Hoseok would usually spend at least a half an hour before classes start to warm up and start thinking of more choreography, while writing his thoughts and plans in his notebook.

Because his notebook was in his bag, and his bag was not with him, he guessed he would have to make do with using his phone (again - gross). He just knew it wouldn't be productive because one of the big reasons he would use his journal to record choreography was because of how chaotic his brain was. He often thought 10 steps ahead of where he actually was at, and his notes often got confusing, so a lot of the time, he'd draw little stick figures doing the move he was thinking of.

But, you can't do that on a phone, so Hoseok was going to hate whatever he came up with today - he just knew it. His rib was also really starting to bother him so he knew that the rest of the day was gonna go exactly how it started - like complete and utter shit.

Hoseok opened the door to the studio and saw one of the other instructors, Jimin checking over the schedule at the front desk. Him and Hoseok nodded in acknowledgement of the other and Hoseok continued to the dressing room.

He (luckily) brought some extra clothes down to the studio yesterday, so he was thanking the gods that at least one right thing happened today. He grabbed the bottle of Advil that he kept in his locker (he had been a dancer long enough to fully anticipate constant sprains and injuries) and popped three - hoping to just numb the pain so he could focus on his day.

He quickly changed and went into one of the rooms and started lightly warming up - not wanting to disturb his rib even more. As he stretched his legs out, he mentally went through all the choreography he had been working on for one of his own songs. He bobbed his head along to the melody and ran through what he had so far and was prepared to start adding to it when he realized:

The cassette tape with his music on it was in his bag. The bag he was not in possession of currently. Meaning he couldn't do anything right now.

He could scream with how frustrated he was. To the person who ended up taking Hoseok's bag, they had better hope they never meet Hoseok in real life because they will have to face the wrath.

This was such an unfair trade too - this person got a copy of his mixtape that no one (besides Namjoon and Yoongi) had listened to, and his journal that had every intricate thought he seemed to ever have about anything he was passionate about.

What did he get? A pair of knitting needles and a stupid shark pin.

Why did all this garbage stuff have to happen to him all at once? Like, he was a good person right? He did everything he could to make everyone around him smile and happy and this is what he got in return?

Ugh, this day could not end fast enough, and it's barely even started.