The Specter's Guardian • jhs✅

06

Before the clock strikes 4 in the morning, a group of men enter the studio where Vera and the artists were. Untying the rope around her body and leaving only her wrists restrained, they forcefully pulls her out of the studio. As she walks past the artists, she makes eye contact with Taehyung, who gives her a peculiar stare.

Vera had no idea where these men were taking her, but she assumed they were their guards. She is then ushered into a van, and just before the door closes, she catches a glimpse of Hoseok standing outside, looking unsure of what to do.

It was a familiar sight to her.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ten guards marched towards the group, swords pointed at each of them.

"What is happening?"

"No!"

"Sir, let go!"

"You bastard! Release me or I'll break your neck! I'm your General!"

*

"Please state your name," said the tall and handsome man in front of Vera. He wore glasses, a button-down shirt neatly tucked into black pants, and a pen hung from his collar.

"Sooho."

The man raises an eyebrow at her immediate response, "And yours?"

Staring at her skeptically before placing his hands on the table, Vera looks up at him, "I'm Lee Jongsuk. Now, please take this seriously."

She crosses her arms as he begins asking questions, "Were you paid to sneak into BTS' dorm? Or are you a fan?"

"Nope."

"Then why were you there? What was your purpose?"

"Investigating."

Jongsuk's brows furrow, "What? What do you mean, miss?"

"Hoseok's case."

His ears suddenly turn red, gaze becoming sharp. "You have no right to drag his name into this and use him as an excuse, miss." With gritted teeth, he emphasized each word.

The guardian just shrugs. Their conversation was interrupted when the door to the room opened revealing a chubby man with glasses, and Jongsuk immediately bows.

The man take Jongsuk's place and looks at the unwavering guardian, "I'm Bang Si Hyuk. Nice to meet you, Miss Sooho."

*

Hoseok was filled with concern for the guardian, and what frustrated him was his inability to do anything to help her. He let out a sigh, feeling breathless, and shifted his attention to his friends who were interacting in the living room.

"How did she manage to sneak in? We always make sure everything is locked, especially Hoseok hyung's room," Jimin questioned.

Hoseok takes a seat on the empty sofa, surprised that he didn't go through it.

"Well, she must have done it countless times before," Namjoon commented, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Unless she has magical powers," Taehyung suggested, earning skeptical looks from the rest.

"Wait, where's Yoongi hyung?" Jimin asked, realizing that they were not complete as a group of six.

"Saw him sleeping," Jungkook, who had become less talkative since they lost a friend, replied while munching on chips.

The older members exchanged glances, and Jin was about to speak but was interrupted by Namjoon. "Hyung, don't," he said, causing Jin to pout in response.

Hoseok feels a mix of relief and sadness. He was relieved that they weren't consumed by sadness over his absence, but he was also saddened by the fact that he couldn't be with them anymore. He would continue to watch over them and witness their lives moving forward.

He had so many things he wanted to experience: performing on stage with their fans from all over the world, meeting the love of his life, starting a family, teaching his kids to dance, living in the same neighborhood as his friends and their families.

"Let's go and get ready, we have rehearsals," Namjoon announced, prompting everyone to stand up and head to their respective rooms.

"I'll cook breakfast," Jin offered before making his way to the kitchen.

Hoseok also stood up, unsure of who to follow. Deciding to visit them in order of age, he makes his way to the kitchen where the eldest among them is.

However, he was taken aback to find Jin gripping the sink and staring blankly ahead, as if he wasn't himself.

"Hyung?" Hoseok called out, even though he knew the elder wouldn't hear him.

Jin lets out a deep sigh and rolls up his sleeves, preparing himself for what he is about to do. Trying to distract himself from the overwhelming emotions he was feeling, he turns on the faucet and wash his hands. As he did so, a single tear escaped from his left eye, prompting him to immediately wash his face.

At that moment, Hoseok couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. He couldn't shake the feeling that his friends were not fully coming to terms with his passing. Determined to confront this, he made his way to Yoongi's room.

Upon entering, Hoseok notices Yoongi facing the other side of the bed. He quietly approaches, squatting down to get a closer look at his friend's face. A pout forms on Hoseok's lips as he reminisces about how Yoongi always took care of him and supported his every decision.

Suddenly, Hoseok's heart skips a beat when Yoongi's eyes flutter open and meet his gaze. Hoseok's lips curl downwards as tears begin to flow from Yoongi's eyes, much like a faucet that has been turned on.

"Hoseok..." Yoongi whispers, voice filled with sorrow as he continues to cry. He had dreamt of Hoseok, seeing him move around the dorm as if he were still alive.

Feeling a mixture of emotions, Hoseok lets out another sigh. After a few minutes, Yoongi's tears subsides and he drifts back to sleep. Hoseok gently places a kiss on his friend's forehead before quietly leaving the room.

As he walks down the hallway, Hoseok couldn't help but question whether he should continue with his current course of action. The fear and sadness he witnessed in his friends' hidden pain weighed heavily on him. However, he knew deep down that they needed him, and he was determined to provide them with comfort, even if it couldn't be in a physical form. After all, they were like his brothers, and that's what brothers do.