𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

Full Kook

"THAT BREAD had mold on it three days ago, my love." Ariella says, her voice a melodic blend of concern and amusement as she strolls past the kitchen.

The afternoon sun streams through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air and casting a warm glow on the dilapidated countertops.

"I'll just pull off the bad parts. Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism." JJ retorts nonchalantly, his voice laced with a casual bravado that barely concealed the slight cringe he felt under Ari's scrutinizing gaze.

He held the offending sandwich aloft, a defiant glint in his eyes. Ari rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Just get your ass over here, J."

She saunters over to where John B was fiddling with the tattered package, JJ trailing behind her, sandwich still clutched in his hand, determined to prove his point.

"Let's do it." JJ declares, taking a confident bite of his sandwich just as John B tore open the package.

Ari momentarily glances up from John B to JJ, her eyes widening in a silent "oh no" as she saw JJ's face contort in disgust.

His bravado crumbles as the taste of decay assaulted his senses. He gags, clearly regretting his decision, and Ari shot him an "I told you so" look, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips as he rushes to spit it out in the nearby trash can.

Turning her attention back to John B, Ari watches as he carefully unfolded a map, its edges frayed and yellowed with age. He laid it flat on the table, and a collective gasp filled the room.

"Holy shit." Ari and John B say in unison, their eyes locking onto the familiar lines and markings of the map.

It was like an echo of a shared memory, a silent acknowledgment of the significance of this moment.

"Oh. X marks the spot." Pope points out, his finger tracing the bold X on the map with a sense of wonder.

The air crackles with anticipation as they all lean closer, their eyes scanning the intricate details.

"Longitude, Latitude." John B murmurs, his fingers dancing over the map as if trying to decipher its secrets.

The room fell silent, save for the rustling of paper and the soft breaths of the group, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Wait, there's something else in here, JB." Ari says, her curiosity piqued. She reaches for the open package and carefully extracted a small, rectangular object.

It was a tape recorder, its plastic casing worn and scratched.

She passes it to John B, their eyes meeting in a silent question. He nods, understanding the unspoken question.

"What's that?" JJ asks, his confusion evident as he looked at the unfamiliar device.

"It's a tape recorder, dumbass." Kie responds, her tone a mix of exasperation and affection.

John B looks to Ari, silently seeking her permission to play it. She nods, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

He turns his attention back to the recorder and presses play, the room falling into a hushed silence as they waited to hear what secrets it might reveal.

The only sound was the faint whirring of the tape, a prelude to the unknown.

"Dear Bird and Cinderella..."

"Who's Bird and Cinderella?" JJ asks, his brow furrow in confusion, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the group.

"That's what my dad called me and Ari. She was basically his second kid." John B explains, his voice thick with unshed tears. The nickname, once a term of endearment, now felt like a painful reminder of what he had lost.