The Butterfly Effect | 방탄소년단 (BTS) [Editing]

1.4

「 Jin 」

The boys were having fun as usual. I didn't feel like getting into their crazy shenanigans because I had an idea on how it was going to end, so I had to stay sober. I was sitting on the table, watching as they were going through a pillow fight Hoseok and Jimin started.

The cause of it? Great question.

...in..

As feathers flew everywhere, I took a few sips from my drink and watched the scene unravel in front of me. They laughed all the way until they dropped on the floor from the exhaustion.

When everything dies down, and the boys are all hanging out and drinking along, I hum to a song that I can't see to remember the name. I suddenly turn my head down to the table where I find a bunch of scattered cards I have never seen before in my life.

I grab one by one and start to build a small tower to spare some time. I can sense the guys coming closer to me as they gather around to observe but I try my best to not lose focus on the masterpiece.

...Jin...

I place the last two cards on the top of the small house I created, giving the finishing touches. "Haaa you see how--" I couldn't even get the chance to brag about it when Taehyung swipes the house of cards in 0.3 seconds.

The little shit.

I was about to slap him silly when he looks away playing with a card on his mouth for some particular reason. I sigh as I rub my neck in defeat, one of the boys consoling me by patting my shoulder from behind.

... Seokjin!

It took me a moment to realize my name is being called. I confirm right away that it is a voice coming from a girl.

I start to remember different flashbacks of the guys crying, my father hugging my mother, the sound of the ambulance...

Then her figure appears. Her back profile only visible, with her long raven hair dancing in the wind; small hands trying to gain cover inside her jacket's pockets from the inevitable cold temperature. She turns around, and I finally see her face. Dark orbs with tears streaming down her cheeks slowly, her nose a rosy color.

Seokjin!

The scene surrounding me changes so fast, it takes me a while to recognize where I am. Fortunately, I find a portrait on top of the drawer at the end of the bed. When I look at it, I see me and the boys in one of those crazy adventures we would do every once in a while.

That picture is all it takes to recall my room. Everything else became known to me: my bed sheets and pillows, still in the same mess I left them that last day; the phone charger I always manage to forget unplugging; my Mario Bros figurine collection on the drawer next to another portrait.

I take a look at that photo, it is one of me with a a group of friends from my old high school. We are all laughing in the picture, I can't remember what it was about... Heck, I can't remember any of these people at all, even though they look so familiar. We were all wearing the school's gym clothes, it was probably the annual sports festival.

One thing really caught my eye in the photograph. There is a pretty girl, long hair with her bangs clipped back, leaning against my arm as she hugs it.

I feel strange. I feel like I should be remembering this person but I can't seem to recall anything.

Wait, isn't she the one--

Seokjin!

The voice was the same one that woke me up from my senses just a couple of minutes ago. The female voice took me by surprised that all of the sudden I drop the photograph accidentally. Of course, it makes the loudest noise yet as the glass cracks into pieces. "Oh."

Then I hear footsteps coming from outside of the room, nearing closer and closer as the clock on my desk ticks.

"Shit shit shit." I mumble to myself as I try looking for a place to hide, but next thing I know the door slams open, revealing a person I never thought I would see for a while after he left for the military a few months ago.

My older brother looks at the shattered glass on the floor. He looks confused at first, scanning the room for anything that caused such misfortune. Any sign of life.

He kneels, and starts to pick up the pieces slowly so he doesn't get cut. I stare at him for a good minute before ducking to his level and continue observing him closely.

From the last time I saw him, only few months of difference, he seems to have aged. I can imagine he hasn't slept at all in the past few days, since his dark eye bags are clearly visible.

"How are Mom and Dad doing, hyung?" I ask him, although I'm aware he can't hear me at all due to the obvious circumstances.

Or so I thought.

He stops half-way picking up the pieces of glass, and immediately averts his view to me. I don't know what to do at this point so I stay in place, waiting for his possible response to my random question. However, his eyes give me mixed feelings. He is looking at my direction, but at the same time it seems like he is staring at something else.

"Hello? Who is there?" He says alarmed. Maybe he can't see me, but maybe he can possibly hear me if I try well enough.

"Hyung, please don't freak out... It's me, Seokjin. Can you hear me? I was the one who broke the portrait by accident... I'm sorry by the way. How are you dealing with everything?" I wait almost impatiently for his response. He looks thoughtful, as if he is thinking about replying.

Instead, he sighs. I barely witness a tear falling down his cheek, which he quickly wipes off with his shirt's sleeve. He stands up from his position and glimpses at one of his hands. He checks his finger and notices he got a small cut on it, so he turns around and walks out without looking back.

I just stood there.

Feeling nothing.

Nothing but emptiness.