The Gifted (Txt x Itzy)

三十九

The ten had drifted off away from each other to explore the village, Beomgyu hanging behind to look out of the large window of his shared room with Soobin, seeing the children frolic in the outdoors.

"Hey," A voice startled him, and Jimin stood there, smiling at him. "Oh, uh, hi," Beomgyu managed out eloquently. Jimin stood next to him and gazed out the window. "Quite beautiful, isn't it? We took years to get here," The older said. Beomgyu didn't know what to say, so he remained silent. Jimin nodded, then turned to Beomgyu.

"You have a memory you don't want, right?"

"Wh...what?"

"A bad memory, of a time you wish not to remember. May I?"

Jimin pressed a finger lightly to Beomgyu's temple, and silvery and wispy rectangles filled with colours unfurled in front of them. The colours took shapes, and there were memories, all from Beomgyu's point of view.

"How...how did you do that?"

Jimin gave a wan smile, "My ability is memory alteration. I can sense you have a memory you wished did not exist."

Some of the silver rectangles enlarged, Beomgyu could hear himself laughing, and he saw his friends, and his brother, all smiling. Then other silver rectangles expanded, and he saw his mother, wailing and throwing glass, her fingers scratched and raw. He tried to offer her water but she swatted it away, the porcelain cup smashing down on the floor. Soobin scrambled forward to protect his brother, and his mother lunged forward, jagged fingernails digging into Soobin's face, his brother crying out in pain.  Beomgyu desperately shut his eyes, but he couldn't block out the unmistakable sound of his brother's sobs. Then it stopped. Jimin had frozen the rectangle, looking pitiably at the image.

"You felt weak, you felt like you couldn't protect your brother, and he got injured because of you."

Beomgyu didn't say anything.

"It was also the day your father left."

Tension built up behind Beomgyu's eyes. "I hate that memory," He seethed, his voice choked with anger and hatred, "I hate what I couldn't do."

Jimin's eyes were sad and gentle, doe-like. "If you want, I can-" His fingers plucked that silver rectangle, where it stayed swirling in his palm. "I can alter it for you. You won't forget it completely, but you'll stop beating yourself up every time you think of it. It'll be a distant haze in your brain."

Nodding shakily, Beomgyu lifted his gaze to the older. "Okay."

Jimin closed his fist, and like a magician, when he opened his hand, the silver rectangle was gone. The others dissipated into thin air. Jimin squeezed Beomgyu's shoulder tenderly, and they stood there together for a while in silence.

-

Gentle piano music played from the back of the dining hall, hidden behind pillars in a dimly lit corner, beckoning to Kai like a crooked finger. He found Yoongi seated behind an old worn piano, immersed in playing, with Taehyung leaning on the wall next to him, listening with his eyes closed. Kai stood there for a while, letting the calming music wash over him. Taehyung opened an eye to study Kai. "You're small," He casually commented.

"What?"

"He's trying to say you're cute," Yoongi explained, his fingers coming to a rest, the music ending abruptly.

Taehyung flashes a grin, letting his eyes flutter shut again, "Isn't that the same thing I said?"

"What song was that?" Kai asked, "I've never heard of it before."
It was Yoongi's turn to beam, a pure sweet gummy smile, "I wrote it myself. Composed it, named it, added lyrics, then played it. I like doing that."

Kai started to look like an excited kid, "I like writing songs too. Though I probably wouldn't be able to publish them."

Yoongi replied, "Why do you have to publish them to enjoy them? Play them to yourself, or people you love. That's enough, isn't it?"

Kai thought of how Yuna liked to listen to him when he played any instrument.

"Yeah," Kai said, a smile spreading on his lips, "I guess it is."

"Play another song," Taehyung urged, "Preferably one detailing the awesomeness of-"

"No."