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III

ENTRY 3.III: JIMIN
December 31, 2009: 13:34
There was no movement throughout the whole market, all of the hundreds upon hundreds of people on the street stuck frozen in the grip of time.

Today, unlike the first time he'd witnessed time stop, Jimin was responsible for the frozen scene. He'd been out of his family's grasp for almost three whole days now, and he was still stuck on his own continuing to get used to everything that came with running away. Now that he could do practically anything, he found this living alone thing to be easier than it should have been, at least to him, that is. Getting around was nothing, and whenever he needed something to eat, he would stop time and go down and take from the market so that no one would notice that anything had happened.

That's what he was doing now. The market was never usually as crowded as it was that day he was there watching over the people. At the point he was at then, he was beginning to lose track of time, but it didn't take him long at all to remember that that day was New Year's Eve, which was why, he quickly realized, the market was more crowded than usual.

Jimin maneuvered around and through the still crowd surrounding him, stopping and taking from whatever stands happened to catch his eye that day. He'd always felt bad for doing that, for taking from the stands at the market so recklessly without giving any gratitude for it, but he'd always kept that thought at bay by reassuring himself that no one would ever notice that anything was gone. Once he felt satisfied with what he'd gotten, he revealed his wings again so that he could return to the rooftops with his things and unfroze the crowd, continuing to observe the bustling marketplace from afar.

This had been what his normal was for three days now, and it was all becoming nothing but a new routine to him. Every day alone had been the same; he would get up, take, travel, take, travel some more, and then take again until he finally settled in for the next sleepless night. It was at this point when he began to wonder in curiosity what his family was doing with him gone. Without him, what else could they do besides sit around unhappily, wondering aimlessly to themselves—just as he was then—about where he'd gone and why he'd run away so suddenly? Jimin himself hadn't had much to do either besides watch people from the rooftops of Busan and try as hard as he could to keep away from his family. That would be what one would expect for someone out alone with nothing with them and with nowhere to call home, wouldn't it?

On the contrary, Jimin had a home, though. He just didn't want to go back to it. He wanted to stay as far away from it as he could for as long as possible. That place that he had to call home had done nothing but curse him with happiness, so much so that seeing otherwise scarred him for life—and quite literally, too.

That day, he'd watched people from the rooftops mingling happily—whether it was a group of friends on a stroll, a family going shopping, or a couple walking hand-in-hand joyously through the crowded place. New Year's was always like this; Jimin knew from experience. There was never anyone seen alone or unhappy during this holiday, even in the toughest times or in the saddest, most lonesome of people. The thought of a chance for a new beginning appealed in the best way to everyone during this time, which is what brought along such excitement and happiness every year. Seeing all of these people down below made him think back to his happiness, the past joyful times with his family that had been shattered and crushed under what he now called "The Reveal." He was one of the only exceptions to the infectious happiness during the New Year at that time. Even that night when New Year's Eve became New Year's Day, he still knew he wouldn't be able to find happiness, even with the cheering crowds, the fireworks, and the joyous music.

Invisible to all, Jimin had briefly left his hiding place on the rooftops that night to fly to the height of the fireworks. Watching them on their level was even better than being one of the people watching them explode and see their sparks shimmer a rainbow of colors and dissolve in the air from the ground down below. He was at eye-level with the explosions now, directly over top of the crowd of people under him while still keeping a safe distance from the lights. It was truly a beautiful sight to see up close; he couldn't avoid admitting it to himself. His smile had returned a few times that night as he watched the fireworks, finally becoming at least a little bit happier for the first time since when it was lost, since the Reveal, but it would all come to only last for a few short minutes.

When the smoke finally cleared and the fireworks no longer shined their colors, Jimin had caught sight of a familiar group of people in the crowd below him.

It was his parents and his younger brother, crying in each other's arms as his father grasped a photo of Jimin tight in his hands.