To say that I managed to stay up til daybreak was a miracle, I thought for sure I was going to fall asleep at some point but being the nocturnal person I was, I occupied myself with thoughts and writing. My journal was going to fill up quick at this rate, as well as running low on sample kits. I was intrigued by the fact that a banana tree could grow so easily in such a climate, as well as other nearby plants I could see from my vantage point. So I took samples of the soil, hoping I could possibly bring it back, if I get back, and look at it under a microscope.
The morning sun was basically shining brightly, as I snacked on a banana for breakfast, noticing that Jungkook finally stirred in his sleep.
He sat himself up, bleary eyed while all the while I watched him with his tussled hair and sleepy eyes, I couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
"What?" He groaned in a husky voice heavy with sleep. "How long did you let me sleep for?" He rubbed his eyes squinting one shut from the glare of the sun.
"I'd say you got a decent four hours of sleep." I looked at my watch, reaching down I broke off one of the bananas and held it out to him. "Breakfast?" I offered.
"Huh?— oh thanks." He took it from me still delirious but quietly started peeling it.
"Here, you can have this back. Thank you again by the way." I tossed him back his army jacket, the day was quickly warming up and I didn't exactly want to be sweltering in it.
"Oh, it's no problem." He said while chewing. "You can borrow it anytime."
I gave him a kind smile of acknowledgement before turning back to my journal. Now awake, he seemed curious as he attempted to peek at what I was writing.
"Have you been writing all night?" He asked and I simply nodded.
"Well, if we're going to survive I've got to make sure we take note of things thoroughly. Like this—" I showed him a page.
His eyes widened in amazement, "wow you drew all of this?" It was a page I've listed of the current dangers we had come across, the poison ivy, the poisonous berries.
"Yeah, it's if let's say— something happens to me so at least you'll have this to survive without me." I smiled up at him but his now piercing gaze, made my smile falter.
"Stop talking like that."
"Talking like what?"
"Like— you're not going to survive." He frustratedly said, running his fingers through his hair. My eyes couldn't help but linger on that action he did. Immediately I looked away when he looked back. "Professor— I mean Hana." He started, "I won't let you die alright? You have my word, and if there were a situation, I won't hesitate to hand my life over first."
"Jungkook—"
His hard glare shut me up.
"I'm not joking Hana, you're my mission and my priority, and I stand by that." He affirmed, so I nodded knowing I wouldn't have a say in any of this. "But—" he pointed down at the page, "thank you, this was very thoughtful of you." Breaking out into an adorable smile I didn't expect, the way his nose crinkled with his eyes, made my stomach do flips.
This man would end up being the death of me at this rate.
I realised I was staring too long so I quickly looked away. "It's no problem." I said softly, not knowing what to do with my hands suddenly.
"Alright, since we managed to survive an entire night without being massacred, I'd say that's a good start!" He got up with such positive energy, he had a good sleep too. "So let's say we explore a little?" He suggested.
"What if we lose this spot?" I question, the forest was like a maze.
"We won't go too far, we'll stick along the stream and not go into the forest." He suggested and that seemed reasonable so I got up. "Oh—" he halted making me stop too, "do you know how to use a gun?"
My eyes widened and shook my head vehemently.
He stuck his tongue in his cheek, "thought so. Okay uh— what about a knife?" He asked and I shook my head again. He bit his lip and thought for a moment, "alright, now that's something we need to fix."
"But I have you, right?" I asked feeling panicked, was he going to leave me? He chuckled at my sudden panicked question.
"You do, But it would be best if you'd at least learn some basic combat skills, just in case of course." He ruefully smiled up at me.
My mind relaxed, that was a good suggestion, I guess it would do me good though, I hoped I never had to fight anything.
"Sure, sounds good to me." I agreed making his face brighten.
"Great! That would give us something else to do, and then we can finally find a way to leave this place." He grinned.
"What about Jimin—?" I asked full of worry.
"Ah—"
His face fell at that, he looked perplexed for a moment, thinking. "I'm sure Commander Namjoon would also try to help get him out of here too, I'm sure they'll be fine." He grinned again. Seeing him smile for some reason really calmed my nerves. It was as if there wasn't a bad thing in the world, well except that he was literally strapped up in fire arms.
"Anyway, I'll train you later in the evening when it's less hot. Shall we?"
We walked along the bank of the stream, I looked back at the spot I saw the man named V, I wonder who he was and where he went off to or came from. Also his heeds of warning, troubled me. I watched as Jungkook found a long stick he observed it for a moment before sharply throwing it at the water like a spear making me flinch.
"Yes—!" He cheered as he pulled the stick out, on its end he managed to skewer a fish, I gasped. He turned to me with one of his nose crinkling grins, "look, lunch!"
I couldn't help but break into a smile and laugh at that, I liked that he was making light of the situation, no matter how terrifying it really was, I was soon beginning to see this once intimidating army man to just a young guy with a lot of character.
"That was so impressive! Where'd you learn that from?" I inquired.
"My commander of course!" He grinned form ear to ear, like a son who was so proud of their skills learnt from their dad.
"Wait— hold still." I rummaged into my satchel, pulling out a Polaroid camera I had. Taking it out I snapped a picture of him and his achievement, seeing it printed out, he came by my side and watched with me as it developed.
"I didn't know you had a camera on you. Shouldn't you be using it for more research purposes?" He asked before we both broke out into laughter at his pose with the skewered fish at the end of the stick like a trophy.
"That was the purpose of it, but it's alright. I have a lot of film packed, plus, it seemed like a moment that needed capturing." I shrugged. "Here." I gave the Polaroid to him.
"No, you keep it." He smiled, "you can put it in our journal and title it, "Jungkooks first fish."
The both of us snickered away at the silliness but I liked it, so I kept it for that purpose.
"Anyway, come on let's go. I think we've walked far enough this way. There doesn't seem to be anything different and I'm afraid the stream isn't exactly going to end very soon. Let's head back for lunch?" He eyed the fish that was still wiggling once in a while.
"Yeah, then you could teach me how to fight?" I asked and he grinned.
"Sounds good. I like a motivated student!"
After having a satisfying lunch consisting of fish and more bananas, and a break, Jungkook and I were finally prepared to start my lessons.
"Alright, let's start this easy. Do you know any self defence?" He asked.
"Uh— if you could count learning those classes in highschool? I guess I do know some." I laughed nervously.
"Alright, good now throw those out the window."
"What?!" I laughed.
"I'm going to show you how to really fight." Jungkook grinned, "now follow me, get into a defence position."
I copied his moves, "good, now just lower your body a tiny bit. The lower your centre of gravity, the more stable you'll be." I noted with a nod. "Alright, now punch me."
"Huh?"
"Come on Hana, I said punch me. You know what that is right?" He mocked with a sigh.
"I mean— of course I do but, aren't you supposed to teach me how to actually fight?" I asked incredulously.
"I am now just punch me!"
I immediately swung my right first at his face instantly, but he quickly gripped my wrist, twisting my arm to my back making me wince and then pushed me down onto the ground so fast I swear I didn't even blink. Luckily for me, the grass was plush and the only pain that coursed through me was the way he twisted my arm.
"Ow— ow!"
He quickly let me go and helped pull me back up. He grinned widely, "Sorry, but geez, you really didn't hold back on that punch at my face did you." He teased.
"Hey—! You said punch you! I'm not going to half ass a punch." I huffed, "also what the hell was that?!" I rubbed my arm, nursing it.
"Sorry, was I too rough?" He asked with worry, gently examining my arm.
"N-no I'm fine." I swatted his hand away. "So what was that?"
"Just a basic defence manoeuvre. If someone strikes you, you can just turn the momentum back against them. There's many ways to do this, especially against a bigger opponent than yourself." He grinned.
"Okay.. but that's if I'm up against a person? What about beasts ?" I asked. I mean, we were in a forest after all.
"Leave that up to me, but if there was really a situation like that, then you just run, alright?" He quirked his eyebrow at me, I nodded, not wanting to argue. "Anyway back to the lesson. These manoeuvres can be done all sorts of ways to put you at an advantage. Once you get good enough, you can add a knife in and then the situation is upon your favour!" He exclaims as if this was the most exciting thing in the world. "So shall we try it?"
I narrowed my eyes at him, "okay, but don't break my wrist. Also, slower this time." I pout making him chuckle.
"Of course."
After a few times literally being pinned to the ground by this man twice the size as I was, I think I managed to note his movements so I decided to give it a go.
"Alright, you ready? I won't punch you don't worry, let's take this slow so you can do the steps." He just held his fist out as if he was punching, but I already had the movements in mind so I did as I remembered, and at a lot faster rate than I realised, I managed to pin him to the ground first try.
"Holy— Hana, you're hurting me." He grunted.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" I quickly scrambled and helped pull him up. He dusted himself off and I was scared he was angry at me until he suddenly engulfed me into a hug surprising me, he pulled back with the biggest of grins.
"That was incredible! You did it on your first try!" He excitedly said, "now do it again!"
We practiced a few more times and I seemed to get the hang of it well, and I was feeling elated from learning something new.
We we're both exhausted by the end of it, I joined him on the plush grass on the ground as we stared up at the leaves from the looming trees, filtering the sunlight.
"So? How did I do?" I asked out of breath.
"I'd say, you're my best student yet." Jungkook turned to me to smile and I smiled back.
"Did you have many students?" I asked.
"No, just you." He scrunched up his face in a grin and for the first time it truly made me blush, as my heart sped. I looked away.
"Well, thank you for taking me in." I added, looking back up at the leaves.
We laid their quietly for a while, just listening to the leaves rustle and the sounds of the forest. When I turned to look at him, I flinched back seeing him propped up on his elbow staring at me with such an intense gaze.
"W-what are you doing?" I ask.
He only but narrowed his eyes, "I've been wondering. Sorry if I'm overstepping my bounds as we've only known each other for twenty four hours, what made you and Professor Jimin write that article?"
Ah
"Well," I looked back up at the leaves, not able to concentrate with him watching me, "Jimin and I have been friends with each other since school til now. We went through numerous highs and lows, and there were many moments the both of us were going to give up. We both applied to the same institute, aiming for the top, but I actually got rejected." I smiled to myself.
"What? Aren't you like— one of the leading scientists now?" Jungkook asked completely baffled, this made me smile even wider to myself.
"I mean, now it's amusing to look back at but— back then I was devastated. Jimin and I swore we'd work in the same place, the boy even tried to pull strings internally but he knew that wasn't what I wanted." I closed my eyes, "I wanted to earn my place, so I worked hard, really hard to prove my worth and luckily for me, I had my first ever breakthrough."
"Oh— I think I read about that! You appeared in the newspaper." Jungkook excitedly said and I was honestly touched, I didn't realise he had even bothered to notice such a thing.
"Yeah, and it's because of that, they got me in and the rest was history." I turned to him and grinned, "that's why Jimin wrote that article, he wrote it about me. And he wanted to tell the world, that what you deem as the end is never the end. Its only an illusion to stop you for moving forward."
All this talk about Jimin made me emotional as I started to feel tears pricking at my eyes. I quickly looked back up, hoping I could blink them away. "Sorry." I sniffed wiping at my eyes with an awkward laugh.
"You must miss him huh." Jungkook said as if almost a whisper, but I had heard it.
"I do." I admit, now wiping my tears that were now falling without my consent, "I miss him a lot but I told myself, like how you believe in your commander, I too believe in Jimin, and I believe everything will be okay, and that he would be okay too." I say basically to myself.
Suddenly I was pulled towards him, my face collided with his hard chest, making my breath hitch.
"You can cry." He voiced, his chest rumbled when he spoke. His words seemed to open the gateway and now I was full on bawling into his shirt. But I felt bad, I didn't want to soak it so I attempted to pull away but was instantly pulled back into him. "It's okay." He assured as if knowing why, so I gripped onto his shirt tightly and just cried as he gently caressed my back, rubbing soothing circles.
"Jungkook, I'm scared."
"I know."
"What if we don't make it."
I visibly feel him tense up a bit but held me tighter to his frame.
"We will. I swear it."
In that moment I had never felt more safe being wrapped up in this strangers arms. I had only known him for a day, yet he felt like I've known him for years. To reach this level of comfort, and security was not something I was familiar with. Now that my cries have settled, I was starting to feel the exhaustion take over me.
"Get some rest Hana, you didn't sleep enough."
"But—"
"Why must you always test me." His chuckles rumbled in his chest. I flushed in embarrassment at his remark so I let it go.
"Sleep." He said again, now caressing my hair gently.
My last thoughts as I dozed off were, how if we weren't in this situation where anytime we were mauled by a shadowed beast, I'd probably have fallen hard for this man holding me, but alas. I didn't even know if we were going to make another day here.
Jungkook felt my body fully relax, knowing I had fallen asleep but he kept on caressing my head, having me tucked in the safety of his arms. He thought of how small I was compared to him, how perfectly I fit against him, and was scared at how fast he was growing attracted to me. He had once wanted to just meet the professors that kept him going through that article, to only realise that I was more attractive than he had ever imagined. He felt proud that he was positioned as my personal guard and even now, he still felt proud to have me by his side.
—
"Hey Jimin, wake up."
Jimin stirred in his sleep, sitting up he sees Namjoon looming above him. Rubbing his eyes, he sits upright yawning.
"How long did I sleep for?" He groaned and stretched.
"At least a few hours, we should probably get moving while it's light." Namjoon hoists his bag over his shoulder. "How's your ankle?" He asked.
They had rested for over twenty four hours. Namjoon, had done everything from skewering fishes and making sure Jimin got his rest before they started moving again. Luckily for them, nothing bothered them. Jimin tested it out, moving it, it didn't make him flinch, just only feeling slight discomfort. "Good to go."
Jimin groggily gets himself together, splashing his face with cool water from the stream to wake him up before drinking it. Replenishing his thirst before their long trek ahead.
"Alright, let's go."
They walk for a while in a direction, Namjoon leading the way.
"Do you know where we're going?" Jimin asks.
"Technically we're heading west, back to where the coast is so we can get you out of here." Namjoon says.
"But what about Hana?" Jimin asks with worry.
"I'm sure Jungkook and her will probably do the same. Your safety is our priority Jimin. If. They're not out before we are, I'll go back in to find them."
"What?" Jimin looked up at him with wide eyes, "You'd come back in here?!"
Namjoon turned back around, "yes Jimin. As I said, you and Professor Hana are our priority. I'd like to say the same about the others but I'm afraid they're as good as dead considering the state the place was left in." He says with a sigh.
They walked for a while, staying relatively nearby the river by constantly hearing the water nearby as precaution. Namjoon marked the trees like he did but for some reason the longer he kept doing that, the more Jimin's stomach was rising with anxiety.
"Wait—"
Namjoon was about to strike another tree but Jimin halted him. He looked back at him confused for a moment.
"Uh— I know this is strange to say but, could you maybe not, do that?" Jimin asked, his words confusing himself as he pointed to Namjoon's machete.
"Why would I do that? We don't want to get lost do we?" Namjoon questioned.
"I mean that's true but— this isn't exactly a normal forest, jungle, whatever you call it." Jimin rambled, "I don't know, I just have a bad feeling whenever you make a mark on a tree."
Namjoon sighed deeply, "Jimin, it's fine alright? We really don't want to get lost here." Namjoon swung his arm and made a mark on the tree anyway. "See? There's no harm in doing so—"
But he was cut off my a deafening Silence. A silence none of them ever wanted to come across again as their eyes widened and hearts elevated with fear.
"Fuck—"
—