Looping Hearts

Chapter 9 - The explanation

 The two elders still standing looked at him questioningly before sitting down again and returning their attention to the young man. Jimin opened his mouth to talk about Taehyung but Han Ye Seul was faster than he was once again.

« - Hold on! I'd like you to tell us why you went there first. Without any authorization and alone. »

Yo Seung Ho rolled his eyes again, much more curious about a stranger than the motives of a young man to break several rules at once just to see the ocean. He did not say anything, however, and just kept on looking at Jimin who grimaced before answering. And although the latter already knew beforehand that his explanation would never suit them, he still confessed honestly what had driven him to do what he had done. How he had always wanted to discover the ocean with his own two eyes ever since Ji Chang Wook had told him about it for the first time. How he had always wanted to know if such a place would be different from the rest of the world. Or how he had really thought he might be able to see animals there.

« - So you thought it would be different, that you would find another form of life, so you left without saying anything because you wanted to go alone, is that it? »

Jimin nodded as Yo Seung Ho turned his head from left to right and Ji Chang Wook winced slightly in the direction of the doyen.

« - And why would it have been different, tell me?! »

« - I- »

« - And animals? Even if they were there, how could you have seen them since they live underwater? Have you even thought about it? »

« - Actually- »

« - And do you honestly think we would have failed to say where the sea is if the place was not dangerous? I really don't understand what has gone through your mind. If we have had the opportunity to see the sea and then count its stories, we obviously know more or less how to get there. Didn't you think that there must be a reason behind our silence on this subject? » Han Ye Seul asked, gradually raising her voice.

Jimin opened his mouth to answer but closed it almost immediately, realizing that he had absolutely nothing to say for his defense. He just lowered his head again and whispered a simple « I'm sorry .. », which was followed by a sigh from the elder.

« - Nevermind. It's okay. » Said Ji Chang Wook a little playfully to relax the atmosphere.

Han Ye Seul gave him a cold look and he swallowed hard.

« - Well, no, no it's not okay, it's very serious! » He quickly took back. « But let's put it aside for a moment. Seung Ho said you met someone outside, I would like you to tell us more about this. »

Jimin raised his head, more confident this time, and began his little story.

« - At first I took him for a fish since he was floating in the water, but it turned out to be a man. His name is Kim Taehyung. He remained unconscious a long time after I pulled him out of the water, that's why I was gone for such a long time. He seems to have lost his memory for many things. You have taught us in the past that when you lose your memory, you either forget everything about yourself and what surrounds you, or you forget everything else; like what a tree is for example. But for him it seems to be a mixture of both, it's quite disconcerting... Despite that and from what I have seen from him, he's someone very nice. I wanted to bring him with me to meet you in the afternoon but since he was still sleeping when Yo Seung Ho came I didn't want to- »

« - He what?! » Railed Han Ye Seul, jumping out of her stone stool one more time. « Do you mean he's at your house right now? Did you bring him here? »

Yo Seung Ho and Ji Chang Wook opened their eyes wide in realization following Han Ye Seul's words. Jimin, confused by the strong reaction of the elders, spoke again after a few seconds of silence, much less confident all of sudden, and quite perplexed.