A Day In September - BTS Zombie au

30: Board Games

"Those limbs didn't belong to living people, I know that much," Jin commented. Namjoon appeared unsure, sharing the doubt in his face to the other. Jin pensively looked around the room, as if rethinking what he'd just said.

"Did Mara ever tell you what she saw in that cave?" Namjoon darkly asked.

"...No. She only spoke to Jimin about it. But he told me something about...people nailed to the wall," Jin looked uncomfortable, "And if that's right, then I can't imagine what her nightmares must be like."

Namjoon looked skeptical, "And you believe her?"

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged, "I mean, you said if, yourself. Everybody embellishes their stories to make them a little more dramatic. Scary and threatening, even," Namjoon gave a pointed look, "And wasn't she severely malnourished. Couldn't she have been...I don't know, hallucinating?"

"Why would she threaten anyone? If anything, it's a big warning to never go into that cave," Jin argued, "Plus, she told me she was driven to starvation by those people after she first saw that man."

Namjoon eyed Jin, "She was looking for trouble, then. What idiot goes into a cave they know nothing about?"

Jin shook his head slowly, "I don't know, man. But these woods we're in are not friendly. Those ugly energies are something else."

Namjoon scoffed, "Don't tell me you believe in that."

"Until you see it yourself, you'll never be convinced," Jin eerily whispered, eyes far away in thought while Namjoon simply leaned back into his chair, arms crossed and stern as ever.

"It's really weird that all he wants is Mara. Nothing else but her," he mused, gaze shifting as if to find a reason why. He mulled over the fact as Jin suddenly reached out to Namjoon, looking him in the eyes.

"That's why I'm worried about her. From what Jimin said about the other day, I don't think they want to kill her," he stressed, "Jimin said that they mentioned Mara having to become something."

Namjoon studied the worried look on Jin's face, "Sounds to me like a cult," he muttered.

"I don't want you to get into her head and make her think she has no other choice than to go with them if she gets kicked out," Jin scolded, narrowing his eyes at Namjoon, "You haven't been the most welcoming."

"I don't want her taking advantage of our kindness-"

"Our?" Jin humorlessly chuckled, "You've been everything but kind."

Jin stood from the table, now looking out the window when catching a glimpse of Mara from below. She smiled at someone, a healthy glow on her face as she sun shined down on her. Her wrists didn't appear as thin, nor did she, and her clothes fit her more snug. She seemed a lot happier at that moment, distracted from whatever nightmares were outside the walls. Jin's face fell.

"If you let us vote on whether Mara gets to stay or not, and if we lose the vote," Jin hesitated for a moment, "I'll accept the loss. But I'll still do my best to make sure she leaves with plenty of things to take care of herself."

Namjoon sat silently for a moment, eyes never leaving Jin's and arms never uncrossing. Jin was pleading for someone he did not know, for a girl he could only vouch for to a certain extent. Sure, all those things mattered but there was still Jimin's experience with her, one Jin refused to dismiss.

"I still don't know why you dislike her so much. She's just a child," Jin whispered sympathetically. Namjoon gave him a look, and Jin squeezed his shoulder knowingly, "Let go of all the past misfortune. It only makes the bad luck cling onto you for longer."