CAPTIVE | JIKOOK

Talk

"Wall."
"Vhall."

"Bed."
"Bed."

"Spring."
"Zvring."

Jimin sits cross-legged on the bed saying the words for things Jungkook points to. Jimin's time here is measured in nouns and despite the fact that it can't be any later than midday, it seems to stretch the day on and on. Making it feel like he's been trapped in this room with Jungkook forever.

"Finger."
"Feengar."

"Hand."
"And."

He tries to only focus on Jungkook instead of his own worried thoughts. He stares at Jungkook's black eye, imagining himself with one. He'd never been hit, not really, and never his face. He tries to imagine what it would be like to be hit in the face. What would it be like being punched in the face?

"Hair."
"Air."

Would it be like shutting his finger in the door, where he knew what had happened but it took a few moments for the pain to reach his brain? Or would the pain be instantaneous? Would he feel the blood vessels popping in his face or would it just be one big hurt? Jimin shook his head trying to rid his mind of what he believes is his inescapable future. Thinking about it would do nothing but freak him out more, which won't help him in teaching Jungkook how to speak Korean.

Jimin's focus is brought back to Jungkook who repeats a list of words, "Vhall, bed, zvring, feengar, and, air, Jimin." He smiles at his own cleverness.

Jimin smiles weakly. Jungkook's pronunciation isn't great but it isn't awful either.

Jimin sighs, as much as he is filled with anxiety and trepidation about what his future holds teaching Jungkook the short list of nouns is distracting, but only to a point. He's used to the background noise of the city: people, traffic, and electronics. Here there is only silence and silence only punctuates the absence of that sound.

Jungkook seems to be more than entertained however; he is practically vibrating with energy. He points at everything trying to gain more words, more ways to communicate. He tries to add verbs to his list of words; miming simple actions.

"Run."
"Rhun," Jungkook tastes the new word in his mouth.

"Jump."
"Yump."
"Ja-jump."
"Jump."

"Good," Jimin nods in approval.

His mind wanders again. And he is suddenly thinking about his family; his mother and his father. Would they even know he was missing yet? How long will it take for them to notice that he's missing? It's true that he didn't live with them, and wasn't the greatest about regular contact. At the longest, they would report him missing in about three days.

"Walk."
"Valk."

"Kick."
"Keek."

He isn't important, a student at university, a no-one really... but his father is important. He is Korea's representative in the United Nations. While his father was one of approximately one hundred and ninety he was Korea's only general assembly representative. By proxy, Jimin saw his value in that he was the only son of Korea's only general assembly representative in the UN. He wondered if there was any other reason why he was chosen, he couldn't think of any other than his father, he was worthless nothing special, he was just not important enough.

Jungkook had begun with nouns again.

"Forehead."
"Foorheed."

"Eyebrow."
"Ayevrow."

The only piece which didn't seem to fit into this puzzle was Jungkook. Jungkook was American and not allowed to speak English. Was Jungkook important? He couldn't remember the American GA rep to the UN, let alone if he had a son. Maybe the creeps who had kidnapped him and Jungkook were trying to create some sick type of collection, like prizes from a cereal box, collect the whole set. Or maybe they were picking their favorite countries. He sighed it just didn't make sense. None of it really made sense. Jungkook was the non-Korean speaking enigma.

"Eye."
"Aye."

"Eyelid."
"Aye leed."

Jimin began to wonder how long Jungkook had been here. He guessed it had at least been a month, judging by the healing marks on his body. It could be no less than a month, but it could be more. This brought Jimin's thoughts to the inevitable; how long would he be here? And God knows how long it would take for the authorities to find his cold trail. He wasn't even kidnapped from home.

Jimin had to not remember where he is. He had to not think about what may or may not happen. He tried to only exist at this moment. He tried to think about only Jungkook. Jungkook holds answers to Jimin's questions locked in his head. Language is the key and the only way to get those answers is to teach Jungkook.

Jungkook reaches toward Jimin's face and gently wipes away a single tear.

"Tear."
"Tear."

"Sad," Jungkook says on his own.

Jimin nods and bites his lips together swallowing a sob which he could feel. He was not going to cry, there was plenty of time for that in the night.