Yoonmin in Malta

13 - The second evening

Soon the band starts preparing dinner, all six of them busy in the kitchen, cooking for ten. Everything as usual. Only this time they prepare pasta, as is customary with the locals in Malta.

"Let's go out for a drink tonight," Hobi suggests when the table is quiet after everyone has eaten.

"I think it was best that we were in two groups today. You can experience things much more intensely than in one big group," Namjoon interjects.

"Then let's do it again, but this time in different formations, I'm going with Yoongi!" suggests Jungkook, and immediately announces his choice, slapping him on the back.

The latter breathes heavily and submits to his fate, but sets a condition.

"We're going to a pub, I hope you realize that. This hyung is going to teach you about whiskey." Yoongi points demonstratively at himself.

"I will teach you how to drink a single malt whiskey properly, that will take our friendship to the next level," he explains dryly.

And so the friends part again that day.

The bucket hat group, Jungkook and Yoongi, set out to find a pub.

Jin and Hobi leave more spontaneously, without a destination, unlike Namjoon and Jimin. Namjoon knows exactly which places he wants to visit this evening.

"After sunset, Hastings Gardens and Upper Barrakka Gardens should have the best views," he informs Jimin.

Soon Jungkook and Yoongi are sitting at the counter of a whiskey bar thinking about which drink to start their whiskey lesson with. They decide on the Irish Bomb. As soon as the drink is served to them, the lesson begins for Jungkook, who actually looks at his hyung like a student.

"You have to drink it within one minute before it gets hard, go!" They both drink hastily, with Jungkook looking at his teacher as if he needs reassurance on how to empty a glass in one go.

The lesson continues as the next drink is brought.

"You have to drink this whiskey slowly, like tea. Smell it first."

Jungkook smells the drink and immediately makes a face. Then Yoongi sips his glass under the disgusted gaze of the maknae. One can tell from the look of the youngest that this evening at the pub is more of a test of courage for him than a friendship trip. He secretly curses his overly enthusiastic request to spend the evening with Yoongi.

The whiskey lesson didn't last long. Yoongi has noticed that the youngest doesn't really enjoy drinking whiskey, so they move on to cocktails.

The rest of the group had also made their way to various bars. Jin and Hobi are enjoying sweet cocktails in a side alley of Valletta's busy main street.

Namjoon and Jimin sit in an outdoor bar at the edge of the Upper Barrakka Gardens, enjoying antipasti and beers that turn out to be bigger than expected. However, Jimin starts to empty his glass in one go, as if he had been trained by Yoongi.

Suddenly, the two hear a dull bang.

"Is that the cannons? Kookie and I missed the cannons today," Jimin asks his hyung, who surely knows better than him.

"No, it can't be. Do you want to go check it out? I'll stay here."

Namjoon has hardly finished his last sentence when Jimin gets up and goes to the terrace directly above the firing range. To get there, he has to cross the entire park because the bar is on the opposite side. Even as he crosses half of the Upper Barrakka Gardens, he realizes that the banging noise is fireworks.