WHEN THE SUN SETS [JJK]

03

PART THREE
OF RINKO & JEONGGUK'S STORY

Jimin doesn't reply. Wants to, but there's really nothing to say. Nothing to feel other than empty, but other than the unsaid words left on his mind, he worries. Wonders if she'll be alright and as if on cue, the ticket for his trainride back to Busan comes out of the machine. Jimin hopes to surprise her just enough to ease the loneliness because he knows how much she really suffers. Just doesn't mention it to anyone other than him because it's burdensome and Rinko hates burdens.

Searching for a vacant seat, he looks out of the glass window to see drops of rain falling from the sky. It was almost as if the sky's crying at this hour. A little too dark but visible enough to see. Swiftly, he finds a chair nearest to the door where he'll be going out in a few hours time. Jimin's head is against the window when he closes his lids shut and listens to the pattering of the rain drops that replaced lullabies he used to hear when he was little. Misses the comfort of the teddy bear he named after his dead dog. Figured it'd be enough to remind Jimin of Milo if he's still in his memory, but as time goes by, there's really no such thing as reserving memories from the past. Jimin barely remembers the name of his dead dog and the worn out teddy bear is probably in some sort of dumpster since they donated it before moving to Seoul. Everything changes.

A soft tap on his shoulders wakes him up in confusion, panics a bit and worries about missing his stop. He's greeted by a grandmother in her late 60s asking Jimin if he's going to be stopping at Busan. He nods and flashes a thankful grin at the grandmother that reminded him of his own. Jimin wasn't the closest person to his grandparents. He never had that feeling of connection regarding his parent's parents. Sometimes, they're just there, staring at his every move and if he messed up, they'd lecture him about being a failure, but this doesn't bother him anymore. He's used to it because Jimin's used to everything that hurts.

—

The boy has never been a tour guide, never will be ever again because after an hour of touring himself to find Rinko's apartment without a specific address, he finally gives up. Thinks about calling to ask about her whereabouts, but his secret won't be kept hidden anymore. So he takes a chance and looks for the nearest beach, hoping she'd still be there. But she isn't.

When he gets there, it's past 8 PM and Rinko's nowhere to be found. Jimin sighs for the first time in a while and finds a small dusty bench to sit on. There's a type of nostalgia that hits him as he looks upon the darkness of the sky. It isn't supposed to be this gloomy at night, but maybe it is for the boy with the pretty smile. Waves crashing against the sand just like his heart when it comes to love.

After a few minutes of thinking, he finally dials her number. Rings a few times before he recognized the voice on the other line.

❛ jimin? ❜

❛ you home? ❜

❛ no, just finished my shift, i'm eating. ❜

❛ where? ❜

❛ i'm at this diner near the beach. that reminds me, you should really visit. it gets really lonely here. jimi—? ❜

He hangs up. Smiles to himself after thinking of such a brilliant plan to surprise his best friend. Just the sound of her melodic voice brings his spirits up after being down for so long.

Despite everything, Rinko's right. It doesn't take Jimin a long time to find the diner and upon stumbling over a few rocks or so. It'll be worth it once he sees her again. This all sounds as if they haven't seen each other in years when it has only been a month, but maybe it's the thought that counts?

As the set of bells placed on top of the rustic wooden door jingles, he steps into a space filled with familiar aromas. He knew this place quite well and could even get here with his eyes closed if he still lived here.

Now, everything looks foreign. The layout seems to have grown quite a bit bigger than what he imagined it to be and the locals are just some human beings he didn't recognize at all. Jimin remembers a neighbourhood with loving people living in each corner of the streets, but now it just looks empty. Looks more depressing than usual, a fake smile plastered on all the worker's faces whenever a costumer comes in. Seems like a dream, but Jimin's only here to be awakened into reality.

He's distracted from his recurring thoughts when he hears laughter from the far end of the diner. Probably caused by two people as he saw two heads moving at the sound of their echoing voices. Thinks that maybe they should consider the rest of the people wanting serenity at this place, but at the same time wonders why he can't bother to laugh so carefree like them.

The boy from the booth stands up from his seat with a smile still plastered across his face, grabs a piece of paper and writes something quickly on it. As the boy walks back and hands the piece of paper shyly to another person, Jimin curiously walks over to the booth and sneaks a glance.

"Rinko?" Oh.

It seems like everything falls apart in Park Jimin's life. A sort of curse that flows even in his veins because nothing ever goes right. Everything just goes wrong and there's really nothing he can do about it.

—

Rinko's smile fades into a frown. With Jimin's sudden appearance, she looks back at Jeongguk who has a look of confusion drawn across his face. But she should've known, from the way Jimin questioned her on the call. The familiar background noise that she heard while he hung up so suddenly after. Rinko should be thankful, should even feel blessed to have a friend like him, but she doesn't feel anything. To have her best friend and a boy she met a few days back go against one another is far from what she wants. Even feels the awkward silence in the air as she stands in between them.

Taehyung grins slyly and figures out the next person to get their heart broken. And from the looks of it, it definitely isn't his Gukkie.