Wonder || JiKook

10

"He's just one person," the first man says, and he sounds like he's trying to convince himself more than anyone else, "we can't endanger the lives of tens of thousands of people for just one per--"

"But he's my one person--he's my only person..." Jungkook's body goes slack and the arm around his waist loosens.

A crowd has gathered around the cockpit, watching the entire scene unfold like some gross spectacle in a circus show.

"He's the only family I have... that I've ever had.."

He barely hears his own words over the sound of his breathing, can barely taste them over the sadness settling on his tongue, the aftertaste of a bad, bad nightmare that refuses to go away.

"Yer... not talkin' bout a little boy, bout yer age... shorter, with dem cheeks, are ya?"
An old man's stepped out of the crowd.

People are murmuring and muttering, stepping back to make room.

Jungkook's head snaps up and he almost falls over the edge of the platform.
"Yes! That's him! Have you seen him? Is he here? Where is he? Is he--"

"Said he had t'go get summat he fergot at home... sounded real important n' told me t'look after his place in line fer him. Ne'er did see him come back."
The old man shifts his hat on his head and heaves a deep sigh.

"And you just.. let him go?"

Jungkook makes to launch himself forward but the second man's strong arm finds its way around his middle again and it knocks the wind right out of him.

"We can try to make radio contact," the first man's voice says from behind Jungkook. It is soft, imploring, almost desperate. Try as they might, hearts are still made of soft things, tissue and blood and muscle. Things that wound easy. Things that tend to scar instead of heal. "Would that be okay?"

Jungkook is gasping for breath that isn't there but he nods. He nods and nods and nods.