She had closed her eyes for only a moment, but when she opened them she found herself in a place she had never seen before. Scratching her head she glanced about at the trees and wildlife around her confused how she got there. But then as she spun around she spotted a familiar figure. He was squatted next to a rundown pool with a camera in hand recording the scene before him. In the pool were six friendly faces that were waving towards them.
"Oppa?" In Na said.
"Jin-hyung!" Jungkook called.
Lowering his camera the boy waved to the others, ignoring In Na completely. As he dropped into the pool with the others she ran to the edge.
"Hey! Oppa, what about me?" she called.
There was no response. None of the guys reacted to her outburst as they walked off to the other side of the pool. Was this a prank?
"This isn't funny guys! Was this Suga's idea? Jin why are you going along with it, you're too mean," she complained.
Again nothing.
Unamused In Na hopped into the pool and chased after the laughing boys. She held out her arms to tackle her boyfriend, but instead of grabbing him by the neck and sticking him in a headlock like she had done multiple times in the past In Na seemed to faze through him. Startled she stumbled and fell to the ground in front of the group.
"Jin?" she said scared.
As she sat on the ground several pairs of legs passed through her and she squealed at the sensation. It was like a gust of winter wind had blown through her. Patting her hands over herself as if to check if she was all there the girl glanced down, but she seemed fine. She wasn't transparent like in movies, nor were any parts of her missing.
Gazing at the boys screwing around she wondered why she was even there. If she couldn't interact with them then why was she there at all? Was it a form of torture because she couldn't talk to Jin?
Getting to her feet In Na made her way to the boys, if she couldn't be heard then she was going to at least stick to Jin's side.
"At least they can't pick on us now," she commented to the oblivious Jin.
He was filming Jungkook pushing Suga on a trolley. In Na crouched in front of him hoping to block his view, but he seemed to see right through her with no problem.
"But it's more fun when your partner in crime returns the sweet gestures," she sighed.
The girl stared at the smiling Jin, studying the way his eyes lit up with each new antic his friends started. How his mouth twitched before he busted out laughing. In Na memorized it all again as she followed him around. As they played childish games, arm wrestled, broke out in both bad and good dance moves she watched it all from over Jin's shoulder. She even got annoyed that Jin spent most of the time behind his camera, which meant he wouldn't be in any of the videos when they watched it back. She always complained about that when they hung out.
The boys seemed to split apart Jimin and J-Hope were sword fighting with sticks, Rap Monster and V were messing around with spray paint. In Na wasn't sure what the others were doing as she followed Jin out of the pool while he filmed the forest around them.
"It's a beautiful day," she commented like Jin could hear her.
She stretched her arms over her head as she took a deep breath of the crisp fresh air. The city was so stuffy.
"I didn't know you guys had a place like this. Is it one of those secret spots where girls aren't allowed? Is that why I'm like this?" she said.
Jin just walked along filming the foliage oblivious to the girl aimlessly chatting at his side.
"You know you miss all the good things when you wonder off like this," she commented.
Then he stopped and knelt down smiling at the picture showing through his camera. In Na leaned over his shoulder to see a butterfly fluttering in the tall grass.
She giggled at the delicate scene and breathed out, "Oppa I miss you. Your careful eye, your warm smile, your terrible jokes. I really miss you."
There was a pause in Jin's actions as he turned away from the camera and glanced around like someone had called him. In Na's chest tightened with a brief hope, but when his eyes slid right past her she smacked her cheeks and stood up straight.
"He won't see you," she told herself.
"Jin-hyung!" Jimin called to him.
With a wave the boy stood and returned to his friends. He switched from videotaping to taking Polaroids with the guys. In Na watched as Suga urged for a picture with a sleeping J-Hope, but when Jungkook jumped in for one too she decided to run in behind the boys and pose with them. She hovered over Jin's shoulder as she waited and watched the picture develop, but she was still disappointed when she didn't appear in it despite knowing her position.
When night began to fall the boys made themselves comfortable setting up an interesting campfire circle that In Na wished she could have joined. She tried to steal Suga's seat like she had been known to do, but as he went to sit she realized he would just sit in her and she didn't want to know what that felt like. So with an awkward scramble over the back of the couch In Na nearly dodged a face full of Suga butt.
Returning to her post next to Jin she listened to the jokes and watched as snacks were shared. Time between best friends, it was a moment that In Na knew she shouldn't have been a part of. She glanced from face-to-face until she finally stopped on Jin's. Her heart felt heavy as she peered down at the picture in his hands, but she didn't know why she felt so terrible about it.
Showing the picture to J-Hope Jin said, "Shall we go here?"
J-Hope nodded.
As Jin flashed the picture around the group the others nodded in agreement, except for Suga who seemed lost in thought. In Na watched as the youngest boy, who was using Suga as a pillow, swiveled around and blew out the flame of the lighter the older boy was fiddling with.
Then In Na was home, awake on her couch and worried. She wanted to call what she had just seen a dream but as she sat up her pants were covered in a dust that hadn't been there when she fell asleep and the photo Jin had been holding was now in her hand.
"What's going on Jin?" she asked the picture.
There was no answer.
•••
YOU ARE READING
Their Guardian (a story based off of the trilogy theory)
Fanfiction"Take care of them," his voice echoed in her mind. In Na sniffled as she wiped at her face. She had to stay strong, and not for herself. If Jungkook, the youngest looked like that, how were the others keeping it together? "Take care of them." •••• ...