The Hidden Treasure

~2~

The man walked out of the book shop and stopped.  He turned and looked at the sign, grinning behind his mask. 

Bzzzz.

His phone began vibrating in his pocket and he pulled it out.  He glanced at the caller ID and sighed.  Sliding over the answer button, he then held the phone up to his ear.

"Yes?"

"Hyung!  Where are you?  It's practice time!"

"Yes, Jungkook, I know.  I'll be back soon.  On my way there now."

He ended the call and slid the phone back into his pants, making sure to shove it down deep into his pocket.  His members always worried he would drop it, or it would fall out of his pocket as he walked.  They were all worry warts.  He slung his bag over his shoulder and felt the weight of the book inside.  He smiled to himself as he walked, memories of the past flooding his mind.

"Who has their face buried in books now?"

"I'm...looking for a specific quote."

"Which one?"

"The one about that guy that did all the stuff during the war." 

"Which war?"

"That one...the...second world war."

"But that's a book about the American Civil War."  He eyed the book in her hands and a smirk played on his lips.

She glared at him and she seemed flustered.  She had nothing to say for herself.  The anti-book worm had turned into one, but she would never admit it.   Over the course of the last few tests, their grades were no longer several points away from each other.  It was more like half a point now. 

"So I like to read things.  Don't ever think it's because of you."

"Oh, I would never be so presumptuous."  He held back his laughter.  She was cute when she was flustered.  Her pride would never let her admit that he had actually had a positive influence on her; that something he had said had made a difference for her. 

She pulled her phone out of her locker and checked her messages while he was nearby.  Suddenly, her phone fell to the floor and she seemed frozen.

He leaned over and picked up the phone, placing it back into her hands.  "Something wrong?"  He had glanced down at the screen and saw the words, "parents" and "hospital."  He frowned slightly. 

Her wide eyes met his for a moment and then she turned and ran down the hall.  He looked at her still open locker and shut the door.  He turned his eyes back to the hall and saw her disappear around the corner.  That was the last time he ever saw her.

Namjoon continued walking down the street with his head down, lost in his own thoughts and memories.  He bumped into someone and stumbled back a bit.  "I'm sorry, excuse me," he mumbled, bowing and then quickly walking away. 

He needed to get back to practice.  He, out of all the members, needed it the most.  Except for Jin.  They were about equal in the dance department.  He giggled to himself and flagged down a taxi.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hyejin stumbled back as she bumped into the person walking down the sidewalk.  She frowned to herself and waited for the man to pass.  Who walked with their head down?  Seriously?  She shook her head and kept walking.  She held a bag of food in one hand and another bag of soda in the other.