Tales of the Unspoken

Renaissance

If the BTS dorm would have had a soul, it would have been empty. If the BTS dorm would be able to develop a personality, it would have learned envy. The inhabitants of the apartment in Seoul were not home because, sometimes, one has the need to run anywhere else but home. That was precisely what Jin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jimin, Tae, and Jungkook did. They ran together. They saw deserts turn to seas together. They visited the deepest pits of the Earth and sat in flames. They existed in galaxies unnamed. Seven kids transformed into eons and yet they felt mortal pains, aches, and happiness. If once they chased happiness by running until their feet bled now they were traveling at light speed all over the void, searching.

That night they were in a secluded cabin in the woods.

No managers and no directors were there to see how seven boys blended all their personalities together and became the one singularity that they were so carefully raised to be – BTS.

"Was it really destiny? I have no idea who I am without them. What Fates decided that my life would be intertwined with theirs? For how long?" Namjoon was pensive as he sat on the couch with a beer in his hands. Thoughts of existence wouldn't stop rolling inside his busy mind. He watched the others as they were talking, laughing, drinking, and playing a game that involved slapping each other. Jungkook and Hoseok were the most invested in it although their rules didn't make sense and they kept changing them as they went. Taehyung was sitting next to Jungkook and although Hoseok caught his hands a couple of times and slapped him quite hard, Jungkook barely touched him every time he could have applied his full force because Tae didn't pay enough attention.

"I'm fair to everybody else but you..." Namjoon could hear Jungkook sing in his ears even if he couldn't remember the last time the maknae sang those particular lines. The leader could see Jungkook act out that exact verse right in front of him. Namjoon knew. A part of him always knew. A part of him could never dissociate lyrics from facts and art from reality.

"Now I can't live a day without you..." The song kept playing in his head, looping Jungkook's voice annoyingly.

He glanced to his right to see Yoongi on the floor, talking and explaining something like he rarely gathered the energy to do. Jimin was sitting down next to him and he leaned on the couch for support when whatever Suga was telling him became too funny. They both held whiskey glasses in their hands and they sometimes turned their attention to the slapping game just to root for their favorites.

Namjoon smiled. "Am I really losing them?" he wondered and his mind went blank. Only the song he hadn't heard in ages remained. He closed his eyes and his own lyrics came to mind. They hurt.

"I empty my drink but it gets filled with loneliness
I should've just given in, why did I argue all the time?
Even the trash bag thrown away on the street makes a lonely sound in the wind"

"You still shine
You're still like a scented flower
Now trust me, hold me once again
So I can feel you, hold me"

Jin began singing lightly as he had returned from the kitchen and upon taking his spot in the armchair he recognized the song Namjoon was mumbling to himself. Even if he sang it in a low voice, he caught the attention of both Namjoon and Hoseok who received a severe slap from Jungkook when the maknae realized his hyung was distracted.

"Ouch! I wasn't ready! Man, that hurt..." said Hobi while rubbing his red hands. His attention shifted to Jin. "Ah, what song was that? It sounded familiar."

"What? What song?" came Taehyung's curious reply after he offered Jungkook one of his boxy smiles for his victory.

"The one Jin was singing..." Hobi said and turned the music volume down. "Do it again." He insisted.