HYYH 1 Notes (ENG)

The Direction Where the Sun Rises (PT4) + Epilogue

YoonGi
30 August Year 22

I got off from the bus and strolled along the railroad. Containers emerged from the distance. I saw TaeHyung from the bus window on my way here. He was also walking towards the direction of the containers. The others must be coming too.

I completed the piece several days ago.
I changed the version I sent to HoSeok
a few more times. I gave it the title "Hope". To be honest, the title didn't actually match the piece. It contained my fear, cowardice, and inferiority.
It contained all the moments I tried to avoid, get away from, and reprimanded myself for. But I couldn't think of any other word that could encompass all.

NamJoon's container appeared. Someone was standing out in front.
His face wasn't visible but, based on
his physique, it was JiMin. I stopped and looked around when someone called me from behind. That someone
was waving at me in front of the first container.

SeokJin
30 August Year 22

I received the bouquet of Smeraldo flowers at the last minute. It was past the appointed time and I was looking
at my clock impatiently. Fortunately,
the delivery truck appeared before
she did. The flower shop owner was driving a truck with the Flower Smeraldo logo on the side.

"Sorry, the fireworks festival held me up."

After the truck left, I discovered, there was no card in the bouquet, which I'd ordered with the flowers. I called the owner right away.

"Ah, I'll make a U-turn right now. The light just changed."

Before the owner finished his sentence, she came into view, walking towards me from an intersection far in the distance.

JungKook
30 August Year 22

I arrived at the railroad really early. The air had cooled down after the sunset, and it was dark. I thought of going into the container but decided
to sit on one corner of the platform across the railroad. It'd been a while since we all met. A mixed feeling outweighed joy and expectation.
I was constantly reminded of the day
of the accident.

JiMin was the first to arrive at the container. He opened the door,
checked inside, but didn't go in. I jumped off the platform and crossed the railroad again. YoonGi appeared
at that moment, walking slowly with
his eyes fixed to the ground, and looked back. There was HoSeok behind him, loaded down with bags in both hands.

I felt uneasy and agitated. I was excited to meet them. But I couldn't just enjoy this moment freely. I'd been waiting
for so long for this moment but wanted to turn around at the same time. The first set of fireworks burst into the air without warning. The white flamed surged into the middle of the night
sky and exploded into millions of sparkling, blazing petals with a big popping sound.

SeokJin
30 August Year 22

The delivery truck came to a sudden stop after making a U-turn. Its headlights flashed. I stood there helplessly amidst the scene of crashing, bouncing, and falling. I couldn't hear or feel anything for a moment. It was the summer, but the wind felt chilly. Then I heard something hitting and rolling on the road. The fragrance of flowers tickled my nose. I came back to reality. The bouquet of Smeraldo flowers fell from my hand. She was lying in the middle of the road. Blood began to spread out from underneath her tousled hair. Dark red blood flowed down the road.

With a loud pop, the first set of fireworks burst into the air on
the night sky in the distance.
Somewhere, I heard a mirror
crack.

--------------------------------------
Epilogue: Nightmare

Taehyung
11 April Year 22

It was dawn when I awoke. Dad's familiar smell and snore streamed
from his room. Murky air on the
other side of the piece of translucent
glass inserted into the front door ruffled. It took only three steps from
the narrow entrance where shoes
were scattered all over to the master
bedroom. I'd begun to sleep there
since I don't know when.

I felt a pressure on my back and shoulders as I picked myself up.
I stepped outside with a glass of
water in my hand. I carelessly
slipped into any shoes and walked
slowly. I passed the police station,
alley, and pedestrian overpass, and
the railroad beyond came into sight.
It was before the sunrise, and the
street was immersed in silence with
no cars out yet. Someone's vomit
from earlier reeked.

I walked along the railroad. One, two, three, four. I stopped in front of the fourth container from the end. It was NamJoon's. I reached out for the doorknob and came to a halt. NamJoon must be asleep now. And what I saw last night in my dream must be nothing more than a nightmare.

I took a sip of water and turned around. The dilapitated station and railroad, abandoned houses, and trees and weeds that were growing haphazardly in between. A black plastic bag rolled towards me and then flew into the air. It was a poor neighborhood.

In my dream, this area was enveloped in flames. The entire scene seemed to shimmer and wave. Maybe it was because of the heat or maybe it was because I was dreaming. Someone's scream, some kind of a crashing sound, the sound of crying, and the sound of something crumbling all came together and flooded my mind. The images that shimmered in the far distance suddenly drew near at full speed. I felt nauseous and shut my eyes, but it was a dream. I couldn't get rid of them by shutting my eyes.

My gaze, first blocked by flames, pushed through people standing
with their backs to me the next
minute, and then stopped suddenly.
One, two, three, four. The fourth
container was NamJoon's. The door
had fallen off. There were blood
stains. Flames surged inside. People
stepped aside one after another. The
floor came into view. NamJoon was
lying there. Someone blurted out.
"He's dead."

I opened my eyes to find the ceiling
of my house. I could hear Dad's
snore. It was all a dream. My palm
hurt suddenly. I turned on the cold
tap water and held out my palm. It
felt numb under the jet of water. I
filled a cup with water and drank it.
It was a dream. A nightmare.