Days of Grace | vkook

°12: Bushy Eyebrows

   "No, no, no, no, NO! I'm one hundred percent sure that his eyes were dark!" threw Jimin into the room.

The small yet well-built boy wedged himself between the other soldiers, fixing a penetrating gaze on the artist who was in the midst of creating the initial sketches of the mug shot. The poor man was at his wits' end because everyone had their own distinct idea of the criminal.

"Shut up, Park. You didn't even last a second against him, but got knocked out like a wuss," one of his 'comrades' silenced him, eliciting chuckles from the rest.

Shame and anger flushed the chubby cheeks of the blond, turning them bright red. He was well aware that he'd have to endure further insulting remarks in the future, and although he had already come to terms with his abject failure, Jimin couldn't prevent the weight of disappointment from engulfing him once again. On top of the self-recrimination and General Min's cruel comments, he didn't even get a respite from his colleagues, who seemed to regard Jimin's misery as their personal tank of high spirits.

Frankly, at times he felt more like the court jester than a member of the military.

"Y-Yeah, I know! But that doesn't change the fact that I saw him, even if it was only for an instant," Jimin insisted, recalling the fleeting memory of the intruder in his mind's eye. "And I'm sure I saw brown, malevolent eyes."

It was strange. One second, he had a vivid image of V right before his eyes, but as soon as he attempted to describe his appearance, he felt the memory slipping through his fingers. No matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't hold onto the image but instead watched it dissolve into a hazy darkness.

"Now that's something to start with!" exclaimed the artist, who had finally discovered an approach to his masterpiece.

Hoseok observed the scene with skeptical, furrowed brows. He had known from the beginning that the whole mugshot endeavor would end in disaster because most of the people present, including himself, had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the criminal. The General and the Pastor were the exceptions, but it was a sensitive subject best avoided in public.

"Let's get out of here," he muttered to his friend, hoping to spend his time more productively rather than wasting it with these airheads.

However, Jimin showed no intention of leaving the room.

"I even think he has bushy eyebrows. Well, at least the front part was," he added, vigorously rubbing the bridge of his nose as if the motion would help him remember. 

"Oh my goodness," Hoseok sighed, feeling helpless.

He distanced himself from the group, contemplating whether he should simply drag his friend out of the room or go on his own. However, it wasn't in his best interest to linger alone.

Just as he was leaning towards the former option, he caught sight, from the corner of his eye, of the General's long black coat fluttering in the air, closely followed by Jungkook's hurried footsteps.

Instantly, fear gripped Hoseok as he wondered if the General's sudden appearance meant Jungkook had done something wrong. He couldn't help but associate the worst scenarios with his superior.

Casting a quick look at the bustling crowd, Hoseok stealthily approached the door and silently observed the two figures as they vanished into Min's office.

Hopefully not, he whispered in a prayer-like manner, hoping that his concerns were unfounded. 

It seemed he'd have to endure a bit longer in this madhouse.

*

"No offense, but I'm afraid it won't be of any significant help," General Min stated, his eyes fixed on the scrap of cloth with unwavering vigilance.