Time Travel

2

Kiyo gasps her body lands hard on the  ground, jolting her from unconsciousness. "What the-?" She blinks rapidly, trying to focus, and her heart races. "Where am I?"

Above her stands a young boy with bright eyes and a wide, friendly smile. He's wearing a casual tee and jeans, his hair slightly messy as if he just rolled out of bed. "Are you okay?" he asks, tilting his head in concern.

Kiyo's heart skips a beat. She feels like she's seen him somewhere, but her brain is still fuzzy. She shakes her head to clear the fog, trying to take in her surroundings. They're in a park, the grass lush and green, trees swaying gently in the breeze. "I... yeah, I'm fine," she stammers, though her head is throbbing like a drum.

"Really?" He squints at her, looking unsure. "You don't look fine. You fell down!"

Kiyo raises an eyebrow. "I fell down?" She tries to sit up, but the world spins a little, making her dizzy. The sun seems to be setting, and she appears to be in some park. Wait, park? Wasn't she in the basement? What- What's going on?!

She looks at the boy and sucks her teeth before she asks, "What time is it?"

The boy pulls out his phone, the screen lighting up as he swipes to unlock it. "It's, uh, 5:13 PM," he says proudly, holding it out for her to see. But Kiyo's eyes zero in on something else- the smaller numbers at the bottom of the screen.

23-05-2013

Her breath catches in her throat. "No way." She gasps, staring at the date, her mind racing. "This can't be happening."

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks again, his smile fading a little as he notices the panic creeping into her expression.

Kiyo swallows hard, her pulse quickening. "What... how?" She glances at the boy's wallpaper-- her heart skips. It's a group of seven boys in casual clothes, looking like they're just hanging out.

She shakes her head in disbelief. "But they're not even famous yet," she murmurs to herself. "So how does he have a picture-?"

Then she looks up and her breath catches in her throat again. The boy's face- she's seen it before. It's him. It's Hoseok!

"Oh my god!" she cries, suddenly overwhelmed. Tears spring to her eyes, and she can't hold back the rush of emotions. "Hoseok! It's you!"

Hoseok's eyes widen in surprise, and he takes a small step back, his brow furrowing. "Did I do something wrong?" he asks, his voice laced with genuine concern. "I didn't mean to scare you!"

Kiyo wipes her eyes, trying to steady herself. "No, no! You didn't do anything wrong!" she exclaims, her voice a mix of excitement and confusion. "I just- this is so unreal!"

He tilts his head again, clearly not understanding. "Unreal? Like... are you okay? You seem a little out of it."

She nods vigorously, wiping her cheeks. "I'm just a bit dizzy," Kiyo admits, still trying to wrap her mind around everything. "But this... this is amazing! You're a soon to be band right?" She tries to sound casual, "Bangtan Sonyeondan? I've heard from a, a staff. You guys are amazing! I have been dreaming to meet all of you for a long time!"

Hoseok grins at her enthusiasm. "You're lucky, then! I had stepped out to bring food to them. Do you wanna say hi?" and Kiyo nods vigorously.

As they walk, Kiyo's heart races. "Are we really meeting your friends?" she asks, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Of course!" he replies, his eyes sparkling. "They'll be so happy to meet you! We practice nearby. Come on!"

Kiyo feels like she's floating, the idea of meeting BTS making her forget about her confusion. She can't wait to see them, to hang out with them.

They reach a large building with the logo of a company she recognizes. She recognizes the whole building. It looks old and murky- there's spiderwebs and dust and lizards all around. 10 years later, this company will be known as the biggest of all. Kiyo's heart races again. "This is it?"

"Yep! Come on!" Hoseok leads her inside, and she follows, her anxiety growing.

As they enter the practice room, Kiyo expects to see the lively, goofy faces of the BTS she's loved from afar. But what she sees makes her heart sink.