BTS Eighth Member | The Life: Year 2014

Chapter 29- Emotionally Drained

! Disclaimer -> mentions of the Holocaust !

Underlined = English

July 25th, 2014:

Last night after we finished eating, Jungkook and I watched YouTube videos together until Yoona kicked him out of our room at 1am. I was then woken up by Yoona at 8am since we were doing our photoshoot for the photobook at noon.

I was now in a van, all dolled up, with the rest of the boys and Sejin and Yoona upfront.

"So where are we going?" Hoseok asks.

"The Holocaust Memorial," Sejin answers nonchalantly.

I look away from the window shocked.

"We're taking pictures at the memorial?" I verify, surprised.

"Yes, we asked if we could take pictures and they told us there were no restrictions. It's a beautiful area," Sejin answers.

I look towards Namjoon sitting in the same row as me since I felt he was the one that would get why I was a little surprised the most.

"Are you sure it's acceptable?" Namjoon asks after seeing my "really?" face.

"Yes, of course. They told us that anyone could take pictures at the memorial, and it has great places for shadows," Sejin continues, oblivious to our concerns.

I was speechless. I might not have learned about the war through and through, but I knew enough to know that this might not be a good idea for us to go through with. I felt like it was the equivalent of us taking pictures for a photobook at the War Memorial in Seoul or the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in China.

"You do know what that memorial is meant to commemorate, right?" I finally ask.

"Yes, Y/N. I'm not stupid, but as I said, they told us it was fine," Sejin answers sounding a little annoyed at my questions.

I look out the window still in disbelief.

"Ok..." I say quietly.

Even if Sejin said the authorities in charge of the memorial said it was ok, I don't know if I was all that comfortable with it, but there was little I could do, I had no power.

The van stopped and we were told to get out. I look at the endless row of blocks, it was so eery. I silently go to walk in between the blocks, getting lost and feeling slightly overwhelmed at all the grey and shadows and endless rows. I run my hand on one of the blocks and shiver. I noticed there were no names, no plaques, no words at all, just grey blocks. Endless rows. I start thinking of the thousands that lost their lives at the hands of the Nazis and just how well made this memorial was to make me just want to sit and reflect on the atrocities and my role in this world moving forward. I was in awe. Thinking of the pain that this place signified, I couldn't help but let a tear fall. I didn't have any Jewish relatives, but I knew people on my dad's side of the family had fought in the war and just how destructive the war had been for the world, but also for our family. I couldn't imagine just how horrible it must have been for European Jews, as well as all the other minorities targeted. Suddenly, someone grabs my shoulder.