Glitch | 김 석진

Nine

Jin kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other was twined with Victoria's. He never wanted to be away from her again. He wanted to always be by her side.

She was stroking his skin with her thumb, head laying back against the headrest. Her eyes scanned the shore they passed on the way to their friends.

It was only then that Jin realized he was wearing a white hoodie, a complete contrast to what he was wearing when he fell asleep in his truck in the rain. However, this was a different reality so naturally he would be wearing something different.

It didn't even dawn on him that his hair was black as opposed to light brown. Even when he pulled up to the beach to find the boys all waiting for them, he didn't notice that they all had black hair as well, even Iseul.

All he did was smile the biggest he ever had at the happy look on his friends faces. It seemed like he hadn't even seen any of them in years. He stood on the sand, hand still interlocked with Victoria's, looking at them.

His eyes darted to Jimin, who was leaning on Hoseok. Finally, he wasn't locked up in a hospital. He was free.

A sort of bliss sprouted in Jin's chest. He and Victoria joined their friends on the sand and together they spent the day running around the beach. The construction platform was visible in the distance. The same platform on which Taehyung jumped off.

He knew that somehow next to the platform was the fire pit that they sat at that night. Maybe this time he could make good memories there.

At the time the sun was beginning to set, Jin rounded everyone up into his truck and drove out to the tall structure. They all sat on the edge of the concrete portion, feet dangling over the edge.

For the first time that day, Jin let go of Victoria's hand to climb the structure just as Taehyung had. She almost didn't notice, as Jungkook was imitating Jimin and making everyone laugh.

When he reached the top, he pulled his hood down and turned to look at his friends that were so small all the way down there. Somehow sensing this, Taehyung looked up at him. A strange feeling washed over him watching Jin stand in the same place he had in a different time.

Is this how his friends felt when he had jumped?

At Taehyung's notice, they all gazed up to see Jin looking upon them fondly. They didn't shout for him to get down—only waved.

Jin pulled out his camcorder that he didn't know he had in his pocket until then and began recording the ants. He zoomed in on them, Taehyung's calm face standing out among the others that began dancing or making gestures at the camera.

He then turned the film on the wide ocean beyond. The horizon line was almost surreal. It would never look as good on camera as it did in real life. He closed the camcorder as quickly as he had opened it, and shoved it back in his pocket.

Jin smiled.

It was finally over.

-

"The holes didn't close up?" Jungkook asked Yoongi in surprise as they all sat around the fire.

The sun had finally sunk all the way to the other side of the earth, plunging Korea into darkness. Yoongi, Namjoon, and Victoria didn't smoke this time, so obtaining a lighter was a bit more difficult, but they eventually got the flames to light.

Taehyung looked at the two quizzically from from beside Namjoon. "What holes?"

"In highschool," Victoria started, sitting in Jin's lap while he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Jungkook bet Yoongi fifty thousand won he wouldn't pierce his ear all the way up."

Yoongi laughed. "I still haven't seen one cent of that money."

Hearing Yoongi genuinely laugh was a foreign sound to Jin's ears, but nobody else seemed fazed. They only laughed with him.

"You were immature back then," Iseul began, smoothing Jungkook's hair back. "And you're immature now."

"Hey!" he yelled indignantly, fingers immediately going to tickle her sides.

Jin snickered lightly at the way she giggled under his touch. They were so happy. He almost didn't feel it when Victoria turned in his lap so they were face to face, her legs dangling off the side of his thighs.

"Baby."

He raised his eyebrows with a smile, pleased at the name. "Hm?"

Arms wrapped around his neck, she ran her fingers through the back of his hair. "Are you okay? You haven't said much."

"I'm wonderful." Jin brought her closer, pressing his lips against hers, loving the way she smiled into the kiss. The feeling he had—it was unexplainable in its nature. Almost....

Euphoric.

He pulled away to look at her face and moved a few strands of hair out of her eyes. They were so brilliant, even in the dark lighting. "God, I love you."

"You've said that a lot today," she giggled.

He rested his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. "Just say it back," he requested quietly. She had every time he's said it, but Jin needed extra reassurance.

"I love you," she said softly, hands still threaded through his ebony locks.

He only nuzzled into her further, grateful when she pressed gentle kisses to his head.

The fire continued to sizzle and crack for hours as they sat around and shared stories from when they only knew a few of each other or just watched the flames in content silence.

When everyone was getting ready to take off, Jin stood by the water alone, watching the waves crash in the night. He sensed someone beside him and turned to see it was Taehyung.

The younger male only stared as well, a small smile on his face. "I don't think I've ever been this happy."

"Me either," he agreed.

"Hyung," Taehyung said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"This isn't real, is it?"

Jin's brows drew in at the question. It wasn't a complicated one, either. He just didn't want to answer it truthfully. He wanted to stay in this place forever. But, as Victoria always said, nothing lasts forever. He sighed.

"No, Tae. It isn't."