lotus || j.jk.

00

"The people of Seoul express their growing fear and apprehension as officials discover yet another slain body in the Han River area. Tension and terror gripped the residents of the city after the body of 16-year-old Kang Min-ji was found today at 8:33 PM, local time. She was declared missing by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency five days ago. Although more details to the story are needed, the people of Seoul were sent into a frenzy earlier this evening following the news of her body's recovery. They believe the 'Lotus', a name given to the suspect of five homicide cases that have plagued the news within the last two months, is responsible for her death."

"Despite the SMPA's best efforts, not enough is known about the suspected killer besides the patterns in the slayings - wherein all five victims were female high school students in their adolescent ages, found in the vicinity of the Han River. Another definitive link officials found among the killings were dried lotus petals stuffed throat-deep into the victims' mouths, hence the name 'Lotus.' Kang Min-ji was reported missing by her parents on the 21st of February, hours after she did not return home from school. Her mother claimed that she was always punctual- "

A phantom hand reaches slowly for the black remote. The television shudders for a split second before reflecting a black screen.

It's quiet and he can only stare at his reflection, imagining with half a mind what it must've been like to report such a horrendous thing to a city full of already petrified people.

A breath and then an exhausted sigh.

How many more times will these news anchors report essentially the same thing with just different names on their scripts? How many more weeping mothers and fathers will demand for justice? How many more promises from the police to the people of Seoul that they will catch this pathological terrorist and end these crimes?

He himself hates to be inconvenienced - the reason, he believes, why he would think every so often about the people intertwined with the homicides.

He did not feel bad, though - not a bit, not at all. He just wonders, idly, how much less burdensome their lives would be.

Jeon Jungkook shifts in his seat, his movements causing the wooden floorboards to creak beneath him.

Ending what could possibly turn into his nightly routine, he plants his gloved hands on the firm armrests of his chair before pushing himself up and stretching side-to-side, limb-to-limb, and upwards, the tension releasing from his joints.

Yawning softly, he could feel his adrenaline slowly but surely crashing and being replaced with expected fatigue.

He peels the black gloves off his hands and discards them on the floor without care, pushing the idea of ​​washing them immediately to the back of his mind.

He'll save that for tomorrow. He decides to bathe now and rest up after the long day he had.

Uncovering the hood from his head, Jungkook makes his way to the bathroom, ruffling his dampened dark hair vigorously and- unbeknownst to him- a single lotus petal falls to the floor.