✔️I know What I Want

1. Enlistment day

"Seokjin-ah!"

"Fuck!" Seokjin jumped, startled as usual, but this time more loudly. He had been deeply lost in thought. Turning around, he saw the person responsible for his racing heartbeat.

"V... what the..." Seokjin’s tone softened as his eyes met Taehyung’s playful smile, his face both cute and mischievous. "Wow... you came?"

"Of course, I did." Taehyung tilted his head, raising his brows slightly.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Taehyung closed the distance and hugged him tightly. "I’ll miss you."

"I know." Seokjin hugged him back, tightening his hold.

"What were you doing?" Taehyung asked, releasing him to inspect the neatly arranged items on the table. "Is that... a cactus? The one I gave you during a 'Run BTS' episode?" Before Seokjin could answer, Taehyung continued, spotting something else. "And... whoa... the coat I got you for your birthday. The 'one-of-a-kind' one, ha! Well, I thought it was." He laughed, but then paused, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the other items. "Wait... this is all stuff I gave you!"

"Oh yeah?" Seokjin replied casually, giving his travel bag one final check. "Thanks for reminding me."

Taehyung looked at him with mock suspicion. "What were you doing, staring at all of it?"

Seokjin sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I was thinking. About which one to take with me."

He looked at Taehyung when he heard the silence and met with a big grin on Taehyung's face.
"whoa, calm down, it's not about you only. I choose one item from everyone.. Joonie, Jiminie, JK everyone... okay. It's like I won't be alone even though you guys won't be there with me"

Taehyung's grin got bigger seemed like he was laughing... mocking?

"Wait... are you planning to set all our gifts on your bedside table and chat with them like we’re still there? Ha!"

"Actually," Seokjin interrupted, zipping up his bag, "I’ve decided."

"Decided what?"

"I’m not taking anything of yours." Seokjin gestured toward the Taehyung-related items.

"What? Why? How can you be so cruel?" Taehyung pouted in mock outrage.

Seokjin just smiled, grabbing his cardigan to get ready. As he moved to leave, Taehyung grabbed his wrist, pulling him back. His expression had shifted to one of genuine concern.

"Hyung... if you don’t take anything, what will remind you of me?"

Seokjin's smile softened, now sincere. "I won’t need a thing to remember you."

The room grew quiet except for the heavy thumping of hearts. It was hard to tell whose heartbeat was louder.

Taehyung slipped a ring off his finger and slid it onto Seokjin’s. "Looks like you’ve got one more item from me. I want you to keep this."

Seokjin stared at the ring on his finger. "But Tae, I won’t be allowed to wear it." His voice wavered, eyes glistening.

Taehyung exhaled softly. "Keep it with you, in your bag, if nothing else." He placed Seokjin’s hand between his own, his gaze pleading for agreement.

Seokjin wanted to say he’d keep it, no matter what. But the words wouldn’t come out. He hadn’t realized until now just how much the ring, and Taehyung meant to him. Something had shifted, something important. He had always known this day would come, and that he’d be the first to leave. The group was prepared, ARMY was prepared.

He thought he was prepared too...
until this moment.

Taehyung was different. He was special, holding the softest place in Seokjin’s heart. The group loved him, but Seokjin never expected these emotions to hit him so hard now. He wasn’t upset about leaving, but he suddenly wished for more time.

But time was something he didn’t have.

"Hyungggg!" A familiar voice cut through the quiet, and in seconds, Jimin jumped into Seokjin’s arms, clinging like a koala. "Are you really ready to go?"

"Of course, I have to be, Jimin-ah." Seokjin chuckled, hugging him tightly.

But instead of hearing laughter in return, he heard quiet sobs. He opened his eyes. "Jimin, hey, why are you crying?" He smiled gently. "I’m coming back, you know."

"Don’t say it like that," Taehyung interrupted, frowning.

Once again, Seokjin’s attention shifted to Taehyung. It wasn’t the first time Taehyung had scolded him for being self-deprecating, but today felt different. His face flushed, his ears burning with embarrassment.

"Hyung, how could you say that?" Jungkook chimed in, entering the room.

Seokjin quickly wiped the blush from his face as Jungkook approached. "Oh, Kookie..." He cupped the younger one’s cheek. "I’ll miss you too."

BTS had gathered to see Seokjin off, and he felt a deep gratitude for each of them. No one could ever replace these people in his life. He might be the oldest, but whenever he was with them, he felt young.