into the woods ; namjin

ㅡ ii

INT. BOMI FAERIE HQ - NIGHT

Green-skinned faeries wander about, busy with errands. Infant faes, whose wings are still a solid gray, run around with wide, carefree grins on their tiny, guileless faces.

Two soldier fairies; NAMJOON and HOSEOK enter, matching scowls on their faces.

HOSEOK
What do you mean someone set a bush on a fire? Aren't humans supposed to be peaceful during the 'night' time?

NAMJOON
(rolling his eyes)
Another idiot must have tried 'camping' for the first time.

HOSEOK
Can't we just send a junior soldier? Why must a lieutenant and sergeant handle something this trivial?

NAMJOON
I really wish you'd stop whining. I've not had a proper case for a while now. Desk jobs suck ass.

HOSEOK
(mumbling)
It's not so bad. Very lovable once you get used to it...

NAMJOON
(rolling his eyes)
Swap 'it' with 'him' to say the whole truth...

HOSEOK
Shut up.

EXT. FOREST GROUND 1 - NIGHT

Seokjin sits on a short log, defeated by the forces of nature. Did he want to freeze his ass of? No. Did he do something about it? Yes. He lit a nice little fire that kept him warm in the middle of nowhere. Did the fire last longer than Seokjin's love for Naengmyun though? No. But then again, nothing could ever outlast his love for Naengmyun.

Seokjin's mini-campfire was blown out after about twenty minutes; leaving Seokjin cold and alone in the dark.

Before Seokjin could attempt to light it up once more, the winter winds lifted a dying ember and threw it into a neighbouring bush.

Seokjin screamed in surprise as the bush next to him suddenly lit up into flames. He cautiously steps towards the aflame bush.

[Enter HOSEOK and NAMJOON, behind Seokjin]

SEOKJIN
Uh, God? Is this some sort of sign?

HOSEOK
You utter fool!

Hoseok rushes to put out the flames, rescuing countless tiny bugs. Seokjin gapes at the human-sized faeries; trying to convince himself that he's not dreaming. Hoseok's transparent wings shimmer in the moonlight.

HOSEOK
(indignantly)
How did you manage to light an entire atriplex hortensis on fire?!

SEOKJIN
(mesmerised by Namjoon and Hoseok's wings, his lips slightly parted)
Mhmmm?

Hoseok scoffs incredulously, and turns to Namjoon.

HOSEOK
I've met actual beetles with better speech skills! Remember the one colony of beetles that were-

Hoseok stops abruptly when he realises that Namjoon isn't listening to him at all.

The stranger's hair is a dark, tangled mess; there are leaves and clumps of mud. His face is dusty, but his cheeks are still seem clearly flushed from the biting cold. His shirt is missing a button or two, still modestly clinging onto his lean body. His lips...

HOSEOK
Joonie! Are you even listening to me?

Well, the stranger was hot and all, but Namjoon had a duty to serve. Namjoon clears his throat.

NAMJOON
Who are you and what is your business in these parts of the woodlands?

Seokjin narrows his eyes at how weak the faerie dude's "interrogation" is.

SEOKJIN
Okay so, I'm Kim Seokjin.

NAMJOON
(repeating) Kim Seokjin.

SEOKJIN
Why am I here, huh? Well, you see, I...am lost..? I can't find my way home. I've been wandering these paths for over four hours now. Also, my arm's broken.

The faes look at Seokjin skeptically.

Now, Seokjin knows if he tells them the truth, they'll simply help him out of the forest and make sure he never gets to see their kind ever again. Seokjin's curiosity is piqued by the faeries, and he just can not let the opportunity of exploring the world of "faeries" go away. Also, he really doesn't want to see Jiwoo.

NAMJOON
Well then...

HOSEOK
(sighing)
Okay, follow us. We'll get that broken arm of yours fixed and then you can go back to where you came from.

SEOKJIN
W-wait!

Hoseok turns around, and gives Seokjin a hard glare.

HOSEOK
What's it now?

SEOKJIN
Do you guys have...names?

HOSEOK
(pointing to himself)
Hoseok.
(pointing to NAMJOON)
Namjoon.
(glancing up at the sky)
And we really should get going, this is taking way more time than we thought it would.

NAMJOON
And your arm must be killing you...

SEOKJIN
Y-Yeah...

Hoseok and Namjoon turn around and start walking deeper into the woods, and their pace makes Seokjin feel like he's running rather than simply walking.
The faeries zip through the woods so easily that Seokjin is only focused on not losing them. He isn't able to pay attention to the route, and has frankly no idea where he currently is.