wonder | jikook (extended version)

Wonder Extended Version (1/2)

- W O N D E R -

Chapter 3

"You see, one loves the sunset when one is so sad."
– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

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Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are

There's a planet out there with few past inhabitants of Earth.

But that is not important. Among them, there is a boy with a book about a little prince.

His only person with his favourite book.

Too many Earth years have passed, but he never stopped waiting for him.

Jimin never stopped waiting for Jungkook.

He said they'll come for me. He said the captain promised they'll come for me.

Then why have they not yet?

That is what Jimin kept wondering about for a month after he missed the ship. Yet he never gave up. He kept waiting. A year passed. Another year passed and another and another.

But did he stop waiting? Never.

Jimin slept a lot. Jungkook had said he should sleep and he obeyed. He trusts his best friend with his whole being.

Every night Jimin splayed out across the roof like they used to. He watched the stars. One of the stars glowed the brightest among them.

It was Jimin's star.

He wondered if that was where they went. Jungkook did say they were going to his star. He wished he was with them. With his only one person.

He wondered if Jungkook had planted cherry blossoms in his star. Wonder. That is what he did every night.

And he started to love sunsets.

Destiny always has plans for everyone. And it had a plan for the two boys too. The two boys who did not choose to grow up. The grown-ups are too complicated for them.

The day of the departure, the atmospheric lattice generators were turned down for sure, what they never noticed that there was a technical error. The oxygen on Earth should have been depleted by the next morning. But the error was like a second chance for the two best friends.

One error which changed two lives. However, the two lives were oblivious of this change.

The oxygen level depleted from Earth, but not completely. It was like a leakage in the process, consequently still providing oxygen to Earth. At least that was enough for the survival of the last person on Earth.

Jimin was laying on the couch, Jungkook's favourite book clutched tight to his chest. Gardening for Dummies.

He smiled remembering the times, the chats he had with Jungkook. The smile was soon accompanied with small salty drops of pearl which slid down the boy's fluffy cheeks. He always kept wondering. What else could he do but wonder? They were too far away.

Jimin wiped his tears with his sleeves. He can't give up. Not after waiting for so long.

I have to be strong for Jungkook.

His eyes wandered around the room, gaze falling on the device through which he talked to Jungkook for the last time through the ship's radio contact.

All these years he tried his best to get any signal from the ship once again. Anything. Even if it were a static noise. Just anything. But it was always a failure. The device never connected but only died down with a small beep.

Maybe, just maybe if I try for one last time?

Jimin got up from the couch and picked up the device. Bringing it close to his face he tried to get a signal one last time.

"Hello? Jungkook?"