Maybe a dream

pt.8 Wounds

All humans live with wounds. That is the destiny of humans with emotions.

"Where did that come from?"

"I don't know, a storybook?"

It’s a profound fairy tale.
After having a trivial conversation, we headed to school as usual.

That was how our days were. Always.





















Jungkook was always there.
I headed to the storage classroom every single day without fail. Whenever I went to the storage classroom to play out of boredom, Jungkook was always doing something.
One day, I played the piano like Yoongi, and
Another day, I skimmed through the book Namjoon was reading, and
One day, I watered Hoseok's flowerpot.
Jungkook's daily life was buried there. A place that was his everything, and perhaps could become a part of his life.
I thought so.
And even when I went, Jungkook was already there. Seeing him welcome me with a smile, I started going there often. Sometimes I would bring banana milk or a snack.

"Sister, are you coming today?"
I ran into Jungkook on my way to school.

"Okay, I'll go today."
"Min Yoon-gi, what about you?"

I'll go
I shouldn't have let Min Yoon-gi come at that time. I should have sent him home. Even if it meant I got hurt.





















I was doodling in my notebook while waiting for class to end.
As soon as class ended, we met in front of the hallway and headed straight to the storage room where Jungkook was.
The sound of a piano could be heard from the classroom. We could hear it even from a distance. Faint, but it was Jungkook's piano.
Just then, a sound was heard from the classroom storage room.
crashing sounds
And then Jungkook's voice is heard
"uh..?"

Let's run first.
We ran down the hallway to the storage room at the loud noise.

"Jeonjeong-g..!"
We threw open the classroom door.
Jungkook's eyes trembled.

"...brother?"

In front of Jungkook stood a great adult. A being called an adult, different from us.
Jungkook's red, swollen face, as our eyes met, was expressing his apologies to us.

"Jeon Jungkook. Don't feel sorry."
That was all I could say. This was not a situation that required useless consolation or comfort.

"What are you guys?"
That old man, that whale. He screamed. The old man raised his hand again to hit Jungkook.
And Jungkook's eyes widened.
Min Yoon-gi was standing in front of him. To Jungkook, who was slumped over, Min Yoon-gi might have actually looked more like an adult.

"yunki min.."

"Ow, that hurts"

"brother!"

"Teacher, even a teacher shouldn't hit a child."

"You bastard!!"
Min Yoon-gi took a few more hits. Because of what Min Yoon-gi had said, it was difficult for me to intervene.

Even if I get hit, I take care of Jungkook first. Make sure he's not badly hurt.

I helped Jungkook, who was sitting there dazed, up.

"are you okay?"

"...I'm fine. How about you, brother?"
Jungkook answered, having roughly regained his senses amidst the commotion. One of his cheeks was red and swollen. "You're going to get a bruise... How hard did you hit me?"

".........Why did you get hit?"

"I'm skipping class... a little and coming a bit early to see my brother and sister..."
I see. I patted Jungkook's head and handed him a glass of water.

"Go to your sister's classroom for a moment. I'll bring your brother along, so please wait for me. Got it?"

"....yes."
I grinned and gave Jungkook a slight push from behind. Jungkook walked toward the classroom.
I went back into the warehouse classroom.
Min Yoon-gi was holding his ground without getting hit. I was simply grateful.

"Teacher, please stop."

"Huh, are you friends with this bastard too? Huh?"
Calling a student a bastard—there is nothing he won't say. I stood in front of Min Yoon-gi, blocking his path.

"What do you mean, 'little brat'? And this one is not at fault."
He hit me. I got a cut on my chin, probably because his fingernail grazed me slightly.
Ah, so if I strike now, is it self-defense? I thought to myself, silently suppressing my anger.
Min Yoon-gi remained silent. It was because he knew very well that I use formal speech when I am absolutely furious. He knew full well that if he provoked me even slightly, I could explode.

"Min Yoon-gi, are you hurt anywhere?"
I composed myself and asked.

Thanks to you.
Min Yoon-gi chuckled and looked at that person.
You will be seeing someone like me.
A face filled with nothing but rage—I let out a laugh of disbelief. Can that person really be called a human being?
Perhaps frustrated that he couldn't hit Min Yoon-gi anymore, his hand flew toward me again. I grabbed his wrist and spoke.

Stop it.
I gripped his wrist tightly, as if I wouldn't let go.

"You bastard! Won't you let go?"
Unable to control his anger, he pushed my shoulder, and when I fell, he moved away from me.
He stepped outside as if to retreat for a moment, cursing profusely, of course.
It became quiet like that.

"Pfft..."

"Pfft lol Wow, that's cool, Nam Ho-yeon. Are you okay?"

He'd be finer than you. Let's go pick up Jungkook.

Yeah, yeah.

Jungkook was crouching in front of my classroom. As soon as he heard the sound of us walking, he suddenly lifted his head and ran toward us.
"Brother! Sister!"

"Have you been well?"

Do you know how worried I was? That teacher is a scary teacher, you know...

This older sister defeated it.

"Haha, so that's what you call defeating?"

"Shut up, Min Yoon-gi"
We joked with each other.

"Let's go home. Jungkook, do you want to stop by my place too?"

"great"










I found the medicine box at home, prepared some ice, and applied an ice pack to Jungkook's face. I hoped his face would heal quickly.
"When you get home, put on some ointment. Got it?"

"yes"

Ah, that teacher's hand really hurts.
Min Yoon-gi, holding ice to both cheeks, grumbled.

"Brother, what should I do?"

"what"

That teacher is close with the principal..

"omg..?"
I let out a short exclamation. Of all people, why did I have to get stuck with someone close to the principal? What bad luck. That was the thought that crossed my mind.
And then a thought suddenly crossed my mind. Seokjin senior in the principal's office. What the principal was saying.
Not long after hearing those words, the teacher came to the storage classroom where no one rarely visited.
Is this really a coincidence?

I wish these seven people could stay together. It was because they looked happy when they were together.
I remembered what Namjoon said.

Even so, we have to believe.

Isn't it truly precarious, like a tower built of cards? From a third-party perspective, that is how they appeared. A fleeting friendship that might one day scatter.

"What are you worrying about so much? Are you worried about getting expelled because you're close with the principal?"
Min Yoon-gi smirked, sat down next to me, and asked

"That's true. Teachers can just keep their mouths shut."

"don't worry."
I gave a bitter smile at the way he said it was okay and told me not to worry.
I know that he trusts Seokjin sunbae, too. That is why I couldn't tell them what I had seen and heard.

"Ugh, just hold onto the ice pack on your face."
I roughly applied ointment to the scratch and put on a bandage, saying

"And Jungkook, we can still meet even if you don't come that early. Always be careful. Got it?"

"yes"

I patted Jungkook's head and sent him home. Even after going down to the first floor, he kept looking this way and waving his hand before hurrying toward his house.

And Min Yoon-gi.

"uh?"

"Do not get hurt, even for the sake of others."

"Okay, sure."

And don't trust people too much.

You too? Well, I'm not really the type to believe that anyway.

"...Well, figure that out yourself."

We sat in silence for a moment, watching the sun slowly set.
Because the darkest hour is before dawn.
Because even if we get hurt, we have to get back up.




















We headed to school again today, as always. This day became the last day to see Min Yoon-gi.
"Hey Nam Ho-yeon, they're telling you to come to the principal's office."

"suddenly?"

I don't know why. Anyway, go ahead.
I saw Min Yoon-gi while walking to the principal's office.

Where are you going?

Principal's office.

"you also?"
Min Yoon-gi nodded as if to say he was right.
We walked together to the principal's office like that.
The principal was at the spot I entered after opening the creaking door.
The principal staring only at Min Yoon-gi with fierce eyes.

Sit down.
We sat down on that thick chair. As soon as we sat down, a slight old smell wafted in.

You know why you were summoned.
We didn't say a word to each other.

As punishment for them, Min Yun-gi is expelled, and Nam Ho-yeon is to clean the storage classroom.

"...........yes..?"
I looked at Min Yoon-gi. Min Yoon-gi, who had told me yesterday that everything would be fine, smirked as if he already knew.
 
Is there a valid reason for the expulsion?
I asked defiantly. My mind was filled with the thought that I had to prevent Min Yoon-gi from being expelled at all costs.

"This was decided by internal consensus. There will be no further reversals. Go back."
A dismissive tone, as if there was no need to tell us.
Min Yoon-gi didn't say a word, then grabbed my wrist and led me outside.

"...Did you know? That you were going to be expelled?"

"uh."

"But why...!"

"Don't worry. This is the ending."

Then what are you going to do from now on?

I guess today is the last day. I should go back now. Thanks.
With those words truly as his last, Min Yoon-gi simply packed his bags and returned home. To his original home.
As I always have, I entered the gray house. The space, which had seemed a bit cramped during the time we had spent together, now looked too vast. It was emptiness.


Min Yoon-gi was expelled so futilely.


I have no way of knowing where Min Yoon-gi lives or what he liked more. Nothing except that he said he liked music.
While tidying up the room Min Yoon-gi used to use, a computer caught my eye. I wasn't sure if the music he promised to play for me once he finished it was inside, though.
I turned on the computer.

As expected, there is nothing.
Just as I was about to press the shutdown button with a dejected heart, a file caught my eye.
[To Us]
A single file written with the title...
I naturally clicked on the file to check it. And there was a piece of music inside.
There was one unfinished song included under the title [If We Are Together].

As I listened to that music, Jungkook's words came to mind.
Why do you like playing the piano?

Because I like Yoongi hyung's piano.

"Why?"

"It's just that Yoongi hyung's music is like my heart. That's why I'm sad."

Right, so that's why people say music is good.
As I repeatedly listened to the still rough and edgy music, I thought that.


































P.S. Hello :) The 8th story has ended. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who read today.
Please understand that I am uploading slowly because I am busy with real life.