Precious Self in the Storm • Seokjin [✔]

18 - Begin Again

The sun rises, the sun sets. The moon and the stars took its place in the skies. Days and nights go by, as it follows the cycle of the universe.

It's December now. A month has gone by since-

Seokjin cleared his throat. A month has gone by.

He found a room he could rent at the edge of town. It's small, a little cramped, but it's a place with a roof and a bed. A part of Seokjin makes fun of him for having such low standards, but another part of him says that it's still much better than being a beggar on the streets.

Craigslist is, again, a blessing. The fortune he makes isn't much, but it gets him through the day without starving. And just last week he even managed to score a job as a fruit seller down at a nearby market. Again, it's nothing great but it's progress nonetheless.

It's nothing great but it's Kim Seokjin working to rebuild his life up from scratch.

He doesn't try to open his social media. Buries down any curiosity regarding how his...past is doing. He digs a hole and leaves all the memories there, never intending to dig it up ever again. It's a new chapter now. A new start.

As Seokjin promised himself; his life continues on.

*****

He met a girl yesterday.

She had been choosing some mangoes at the fruit stall when she and Seokjin lock eyes. She's pretty; wavy brown hair framed her face, and when he handed her the change her smile was as sweet as honey.

"You know, you can easily be a model if you want," she said. "How'd you end up working at a market stall?"

Seokjin chuckled. "It's a long story."

She offered her number. He accepted. That night she texted him, asking if he'd like to have breakfast tomorrow. He accepted that, too.

A new start. A new chance in life.

So, there he was; at a quaint little shop that sells omelets and toasts. The smell of bacon reached his nose and he listened to the chatter of people as he fiddled with menu on his hands.

She showed up shortly after, and they exchanged smiles. She sat down across him.

"We haven't introduced ourselves," Seokjin said, offering his hand. "I'm Seokjin. Nice to meet you."

She seemed taken a back for a moment, before giggling and shaking his hands. "Seokjin, huh? What a coincidence; you must be tired of all the BTS jokes that's been going around. My name's-"

The mention of that name almost made Seokjin flinch. The rest of the girl's introduction became a blur of noise as he tried to process what she had said.

"Wait, hang on, sorry. Did you just mention BTS?"

The girl's eyebrow furrowed. "Um, yeah? Y'know, all those rumors saying that they're going to get a new member called Seokjin or Jin or whoever. Anyways-"

Seokjin blinked, then blinked again. Whatever the girl had been talking about went straight past him. BTS? Getting a new member named Jin?

Are they replacing him?

He couldn't think. His head pounded.

"And- Sorry, are you listening?" said the- oh yeah, said the girl in front of him.

Seokjin shook his head and she raised an eyebrow. Before Seokjin could even think he began to stand up.

"Um, Seokjin-ah?"