BTS SMERALDO THE NOTES 1 (Edited & Translated)

Taehyung: 24 July Year 22

After Returning from the Sea
Part 17.2

The lights grew brighter and more boisterous as we approached the busy street. It was late into the night, but the brightly lit street was crowded with people and cars passing by. It was 3:30 in the morning. We sat at a table outside a convenience store.

"Ah, I'm thirsty," Jungkook said, halfway through our instant cup noodles.

I went into the store to buy drinks and when I came back someone was standing by Jungkook. I quickly ran over to him. The man wore a dark khaki overcoat in the middle of summer. He had a dirty mop of bushy grey hair, and his scraggly beard was stained with ramen broth. He reeked of alcohol. And he was eating my noodles. It'd be no use asking him who he was and what he thought he was doing eating someone else's food. I was surprised, maybe even a little scared. But not angry.

At that moment, a group of trouble makers came out the store. One of them walked over to us and shoved the man's shoulder. Another tripped him. The man fell and bumped our table on his way down. Jungkook's noodles fell off the table and the broth spilled all over his legs. Jungkook quickly got up and shook it off.

"It's okay," Jungkook said. "The broth already cooled, so it didn't burn me."

The man stayed on the ground, his hand grabbing the table covered in noodles. He stared at the cup. I couldn't bring myself to ask if he was okay.

"Shouldn't you apologize?" I shouted out to the group that was walking away, snickering. "You just made this mess!"

"No we didn't!" one of the them replied, looking back. "And no one told you to sit there. Little punks out at this hour." The men cursed as they walked off.

The man looked up at me then. His yellow eyes met mine. His face was aged. He reminded me of someone. Someone who drank constantly, trying to wreck everything with their fists, trying to look like someone who could control others, a weak soul. He reminded me of my father.

And what happened next, was something I expected of myself to do. I flung myself at the group of trouble makers. I dodged the first punch they threw at me. But the second punch grazed me on the chin. Jungkook tried to stop me, but got caught up in the fight as well.

The convenience store tables were turned over, the "No Parking" sign got kicked down, the part timer called the police. He was probably used to seeing fights like this. A minute later we heard the police sirens and scattered.

"You're lucky to get away this time!"

I have to admit I'm good at running away. I got caught on purpose sometimes, but now wasn't the time. Jungkook followed behind me. I checked every now then to make sure he kept up with me. A silver car passed us at full speed. The side mirror grazed Jungkook. Stunned, he fell to his knees.

He'd just been in a car accident two months ago. It was only natural that he was stunned. The car came to a sudden stop and one of the men from the fight stuck his head out the window.

"Watch it. We're only letting you go just this once. There'll be no mercy next time."

With that, the car was gone.

Jungkook held onto my arm as he slowly picked himself up. He looked uncomfortable. He must've hurt his leg when he fell. I wiped my mouth with my hand, flinching at the dull throb.