JIMIN IS NOT lost. Though he's strayed away from the path many times, calling out for Jeongguk, he knows his way back.
Sometimes, he wishes he were lost.
The pain and blood and cries still remain with him, even when he's away from their base camp, which he's come to call home.
If Jimin were lost, then he could start fresh.
He would give a lot to start fresh.
He makes his way out of the worn-out pickup truck, looking back to see the person who'd driven him back onto the path. They sat on the hood of the truck with a drum on their lap.
"Thank you," says Jimin. "Is there anything I can do in return?"
Although he knows that the person who drove him here did it against their will. (And yet, Jimin couldn't find it in himself to feel guilty.)
They shake their head no. Jimin nods and turns, heading back, and as he looks up at the sky, he sees 6 doves flying by.
;;
TAEHYUNG IS IN a deep sleep.
He's lying on the ground, head propped up on a log, snoring away without a care in the world.
Or, that's how it would seem to those who didn't know him.
Taehyung has burdens to carry.
Someone shakes him. Taehyung swats their hand away, rolling over and sleeping on his side instead. The person shaking him becomes more persistent.
Taehyung blinks open his eyes, muttering a string of curses under his breath.
"What the hell do you want—"
The little blonde girl that he'd been travelling with stares at him, brows furrowed.
Taehyung rubs his eyes and groans, sitting up straight.
"Sorry," he says, "sorry, kiddo. Why. . . why are you already awake?"
The girl doesn't say anything — well, she's mute and Taehyung knows that, but Taehyung still treats her as he treats anyone else.
"Was I snoring too loudly?"
The girl nods. She's holding a blindfold in her hand — she hasn't let go of it since she and Taehyung escaped confinement.
Taehyung was confined after being caught trying to help the children escape. Then he'd been beaten and starved — but Taehyung took all the pain in place of the kids because he knew that Yoongi would bust them out.
And he did. Yoongi showed up and saved him and the kids. Now, Taehyung is travelling and returning the lost children to their families. This mute girl is last on the list.
Taehyung had given her the blindfold so that she wouldn't have to see the dead bodies and blood as they traveled.
"Sorry," Taehyung apologizes. "I think I screamed so much that I actually damaged my throat."
Taehyung's voice is probably permanently damaged now. His voice is deeper than it was before, and throatier, raspier. He can't yell as loud as he could, nor can he breathe as easily.
Taehyung stands up, slinging his bag over his shoulder, as well as the girl's bag.
Taehyung holds out his hand. The girl stands as well and takes it.
"C'mon, kiddo," says Taehyung. "Let's get you home."
