Chapter 44

JIMIN'S POV

In the early morning, I slowly opened my eyes, only to regret it the very next second. My whole body was aching as if someone had beaten me while I was asleep. My eyelids felt unusually heavy, my throat hurt whenever I swallowed, my nose was slightly runny, and despite being wrapped in a blanket, I felt warm and cold at the same time.

Great...sick.

But somehow... I still smiled.

Yesterday's memories kept replaying inside my head one after another. I remembered falling asleep on the couch because of my back pain. I even remembered the moment someone lifted me into his arms. I had actually woken up for a few seconds, but I didn't move. I simply stayed there with my eyes closed, letting him think I was still sleeping.

He had made soup for me with his own hands.

He had even replaced my schedule because my back was hurting and now I had fever too.

My boy...

The smile on my lips only grew wider.

Just when I tried to move a little, I suddenly felt an arm securely wrapped around my back.

I frowned in confusion before slightly lifting my face.

Yoon.

He was still sleeping.

For a few seconds, I simply stared at him.

Were we... hugging each other the whole night?

Only then did I realize my own hand was resting comfortably around his back while my face was buried close to his chest.

I wish I could stay like this forever.

Without thinking much, I hugged him a little tighter.

The small movement was enough to make him shift in his sleep.

I immediately shut my eyes.

Don't wake up... don't wake up...

A few seconds later, I felt him move.

Slowly... very slowly... he lifted his hand and placed his fingers against my forehead.

Then neck. Checking my temperature.

"He is burning..." he muttered quietly.

Even with my eyes closed, I wanted to smile.

He carefully removed my hand from around him, making sure not to disturb me before getting off the bed.

The moment I heard his footsteps moving away, I secretly opened one eye.

He was already walking toward the bathroom.

Whenever he turned in my direction, I quickly closed my eyes again, pretending to be asleep.

A few minutes later, I heard the shower.

Then the room became quiet.

He had probably gone downstairs.

I waited for a while before finally opening my eyes properly.

Not even five minutes had passed before he returned carrying a breakfast tray in both hands.

I quickly sat up on the bed as if I had just woken up.

"How did I come onto the bed?" I asked innocently while watching him place the tray beside me.

Without even looking at me, he replied, "Maybe you have a habit of walking in your sleep."

I almost laughed.

Instead, I kept a straight face.

"I don't have any habit of walking in my sleep."

He picked up a bowl, poured water into it and squeezed toothpaste onto my toothbrush before walking back toward me.

"Then how did I come onto the bed?" I asked again, raising an eyebrow as if I genuinely had no idea.

"You had fever." He finally looked at me. "As a doctor, I thought you should sleep on the bed."

"Oh..." I nodded. "So... as a doctor."

He didn't realize I was teasing him.

He simply handed me the toothbrush along with the bowl of water.

I looked at both things before looking back at him.

"And this?" I lifted the toothbrush. "Is this also your duty as a doctor?"

"Of course." He answered without hesitation. "If someone is sick, it's a doctor's responsibility to take care of them."

I immediately looked away before the smile escaped.

Really...? Since when do doctors personally put toothpaste on their patient's toothbrush?

I quietly brushed my teeth while he waited.

The moment I finished, he took everything from my hands and placed it inside the bathroom before returning again.



I started eating breakfast while sitting comfortably against the headboard.

It wasn't long before he quietly sat on the couch, scrolling through his phone.

Or at least... He was pretending to.

Every few seconds, I caught him secretly looking at me to make sure I was eating properly.



"It tastes good," I said after taking another bite. "But not as delicious as what my boy made yesterday."

Today's breakfast had been prepared by the maid. Yesterday's soup had been made by him. There was simply no comparison.

He didn't reply.

But just hearing me call him my boy made the tips of his ears turn slightly pink.

Cute.

After finishing breakfast, he came back carrying the medicine box.

Without saying anything, he took out the tablets, placed them in my palm and handed me a glass of water.

I swallowed them without arguing for once.

"Now sleep," he said while picking up the empty plates. "You're on leave today."

"As you say, Director Min."

He didn't even react.

Normally he would have argued with me by now.

I tilted my head.

"Director Min isn't fighting with me today?"

This time he looked at me before answering calmly.

"I don't fight with sick people."

After saying that, he simply walked out of the room carrying the tray.

I stared at the closed door for a few seconds before slowly lying back on the pillow.

"Oh..."

I couldn't stop smiling. Being sick honestly felt terrible... But being taken care of by him... I could get used to this.

YOONGI'S POV

Today Jimin was on leave, atleast he needs to think about his health. I came to the hospital around eleven.

Standing outside the elevator, I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the time. It was almost eleven.

The elevator arrived with a soft ding. The doors slid open, revealing nobody inside, so I stepped in and pressed the floor number. Just before the doors could close, two people hurried inside.



One was a middle-aged woman, probably in her late fiftees- sixtees, while the other looked around my age. They seemed to be mother and son.

The moment our eyes met, both of them smiled politely.



"You told him we were coming, right?" the lady asked, looking at the boy beside her.

"I did, Mom... but hyung didn't pick up my call," he replied, checking his own phone again as if hoping for a response.

I didn't pay much attention after that.

Must be some patient's family, I thought before quietly slipping my phone back into my pocket.

The elevator had barely crossed another floor when a loud thud echoed from somewhere above.

The entire lift suddenly jerked so hard that all three of us instinctively grabbed the nearest wall to steady ourselves.



Before anyone could understand what had happened...

Everything stopped. The elevator froze in the middle of the shaft.

The small ceiling light flickered twice before going out completely, leaving us surrounded by darkness. Since this wasn't a glass elevator, not even a ray of sunlight could enter. For a second, none of us spoke.

"M-Minsu..." the lady called nervously. "What happened?"

"I... I don't know, Mom."

His voice tried to sound calm, but I could hear the worry hidden beneath it.

Just then the elevator shook again, this time more violently than before.

The lady gasped and immediately grabbed her son's arm.

My own heartbeat quickened for a moment, but I forced myself to stay calm. If all three of us panicked, it would only make the situation worse.

"Don't worry," I said, trying to reassure both of them. "It's probably just a technical fault. Hospitals have maintenance teams twenty-four hours a day. They'll know the lift has stopped."

As soon as I finished speaking, I pulled my phone out and used its flashlight to brighten the cramped space a little. The white light immediately made both of them relax.

"Thank God..." the lady whispered, placing a hand over her chest.

I quickly searched for the maintenance number displayed inside the elevator before dialing the hospital emergency team responsible for lift maintenance.

The call connected after a few rings.

"Listen, elevator number three has stopped between the floors," I informed them while looking at the panel above the door. "Three people are stuck inside."

"We've received the signal, sir. Please don't panic. Our maintenance team is already on the way. It looks like a technical fault, but we'll have you out soon."

After ending the call, I looked at the woman who was trying hard to stay calm.

"They're coming," I assured her. "It'll take a few minutes."

She nodded, but I noticed her breathing had already started becoming uneven. Her fingers were trembling as they tightly held her son's arm.

"Mom... look at me," Minsu said, holding both her shoulders. "It's okay. They'll rescue us."

"I... I can't..." she whispered, shaking her head. "I can't breathe..."

My attention immediately shifted towards her.

Her breathing was becoming faster every second. She wasn't gasping because of a medical illness.

She was panicking.

"Mom..." Minsu's own voice started shaking. "Please don't do this... please..."

The elevator suddenly gave another small jerk.

The woman cried out, immediately covering both of her ears as tears rolled down her cheeks. She kneel down.

"No... please... let me out..."

I quickly knelt in front of her.

"Ma'am..."

She didn't respond. Her eyes had completely lost focus. She was no longer seeing us. She was trapped inside her own fear.

"Minsu..," I called calmly remembering his name.

He immediately looked at me.

"Does she have claustrophobia?"

He nodded without wasting a second.

"Yes... after an elevator accident years ago. She can't stay inside closed places... she starts having panic attacks."

I understood everything.

"Listen to me carefully," I said, placing my phone flashlight on the floor so the light spread through the elevator. "She isn't having a heart attack. This is a severe panic attack, so if you panic too, it'll only make her condition worse."

He immediately wiped his own tears and nodded.

I slowly crouched in front of her. "Ma'am... can you hear me?"

She kept shaking her head while breathing rapidly.

"I can't... I can't breathe..."

"I promise you, you can."

She looked at me with frightened eyes.

"My name is Yoongi. I'm a doctor. I need you to trust me for just a few minutes, okay?"

Her breathing remained rapid.

"Look at me... don't look at the walls. Don't think about the elevator. Just look at me."

She somehow managed to focus on my face.

"Good... now copy me." I slowly inhaled through my nose.

"Take a slow breath in..."

She failed.

"I can't..."

"You can. Again."

This time I demonstrated it more slowly.

"In..."

I raised my hand.

"...and out."

I lowered it.

Minsu also copied my movements.

"Come on, Mom... breathe with us."

She tried again.

The first few attempts were unsuccessful, but after repeating it several times, her breathing slowly began matching ours.

"That's it..." I encouraged. "You're doing well. Nothing is happening to you. You're safe, and in a few minutes this door is going to open."

Tears continued falling from her eyes, but her breathing was no longer as uncontrolled as before.

Outside the elevator... The entire maintenance team had already gathered.

Engineers were trying to restart the system while security staff kept everyone away from the area.

I could hear their voices. Between then i even heard Namjoon Hyung.

"How much longer?" Namjoon asked for what felt like the tenth time.

"They're safe, sir," one of the engineers replied. "Please let us work."

Inside the elevator, nearly fifteen minutes had passed.

The woman had finally calmed down enough to sit against the wall.

Minsu looked at me with grateful eyes. "Doctor... thank you."

I shook my head. "We're almost out."

Just then, a metallic sound echoed above us.

The elevator slightly shifted before stopping again.

A few seconds later...

"We've opened it!"

A loud voice came from outside.

Light slowly entered through the small gap as the elevator doors were forced open manually.

Fresh air rushed inside.

The woman covered her mouth before breaking into tears. Minsu quickly helped her stand.

The moment they stepped outside...

"Mom!"

"Minsu!"

A familiar voice echoed through the hallway.

I stepped out after them, only to look at them..

The young man who had been anxiously waiting outside ran straight towards them before hugging both of them tightly.

Only then did I realize...

Minsu...

Namjoon hyung's younger brother...?

I looked at Namjoon Hyung in surprise.

He looked equally surprised after seeing me walk out behind them.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then his eyes slowly filled with relief.

"You... were inside too?"

I nodded.

"It was just a technical fault."

Before I could say anything else, the middle-aged woman suddenly walked towards me. Without caring about the people watching around us, she held both of my hands tightly.

"Thank you..." she whispered with tears still in her eyes. "If you hadn't been there... I don't know what would've happened to me."

I smiled awkwardly. "I didn't do much, ma'am."

"You did everything."

Before I could reply, Namjoon Hyung looked between me, his mother, and Minsu before letting out a long breath he had been holding for the last few minutes.

"Looks like..." he said with a small, exhausted smile, "...I owe you thank you, Yoongi."

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling embarrassed.

"Please don't. Anyone in my place would've done the same. You saved me years ago I saved your family now."

Namjoon hyung looked at me for a long second before quietly shaking his head.

Then he turned towards his mother and brother, "You both are ok right?" He asked last time and they nodded

"Actually they came for my mom's check-up" He told me and i nodded.

At night, I arrived home much later than usual. The meeting had gone on longer than I expected, but honestly... I couldn't even focus there. My mind kept wandering back to him again and again.

How is he now? Did he eat? Did he take his medicine? Is the fever still there...?

I clicked my tongue to myself.

Why am I even thinking all this? I don't care.

The moment I stepped inside, I saw Jungkook sitting lazily on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Hearing the door, he looked up.

"Hyung..."

I hummed while taking off my shoes.

"Jimin ate dinner, took his medicine and slept already, okay?"

For a brief moment, I felt the weight on my chest disappear.

Good.

At least he listened.

I looked at Jungkook.

"Why are you telling me?"

He stared at me as if I had asked the world's dumbest question before laughing under his breath.

"Then who am I supposed to tell?" he asked, tilting his head. "You're the one who called me twice."

"I called to ask whether he took the medicine, nothing else."

"Exactly."Jungkook grinned victoriously.

"You can pretend in front of anyone else, Hyung, but not me."

I rolled my eyes and walked past him.

"Sleep early."

"You too," he replied, still smiling to himself.

I climbed the stairs without saying another word.

My eyes immediately searched for him.

Then I found him.

I let out a small sigh while shaking my head.

He was sleeping on the couch again.

So stubborn.

The entire bed was empty, yet he had chosen the couch as if it was the most comfortable place in the house.

Why do you always make things difficult for yourself?

I quietly walked closer.

"Even though I wasn't here, still you slept on couch" I murmured so quietly that even I barely heard my own voice.

Carefully, making sure not to wake him, i lifted him into my arms.

I made him sleep there.

AUTHORS POV

One week passed, yet nothing really changed between them. They still argued over the smallest things, still found reasons to annoy each other from morning until night, and if someone looked at them from outside, they would probably think the two couldn't stay in the same room without bickering.

But only they knew how much had changed beneath those arguments.

Yoongi still purposely annoyed jimin in hospital just to get on his nerves.

And every night, Jinin ended up sleeping on the couch while reading files. Yoongi never woke him. He simply waited until Jimin fell into a deep sleep before quietly lifting him into his arms and carrying him back to the bed. Jimin never mentioned it the next morning, and Yoongi never admitted doing it. Somehow... that silent routine became normal between them.

Today was different.

Today was finally the day everyone had been waiting for.

Camping.

Yoongi had tried every possible excuse during the past week. He said rudely that it's not a good idea.. he won't come. Unfortunately for him, Jungkook, Kevin and Aura refused to accept a single excuse. The three of them had practically cornered him until saying no was no longer an option.

Morning sunlight filtered through the bedroom window, making the room unusually bright.

Jimin was sitting on the floor in front of the wardrobe with an open travel bag beside him, neatly folding clothes one after another before placing them inside. Across from him, Yoongi sat on the edge of the bed with his phone in one hand, though he hadn't looked at the screen for the past five minutes. His entire attention remained on Jimin, watching him pack as if he had every right to decide what went into that bag.

Jimin picked up another hoodie. Then one of Yoongi's shirts. Without saying a word, he folded it and placed it inside.

"Don't you dare pack my clothes," Yoongi finally spoke, narrowing his eyes. "I'm not even coming."

Jimin didn't even react immediately. He calmly zipped one compartment before turning around to look at him over his shoulder.

"You are coming."

The answer was so simple, so confident, that it sounded less like a reply and more like a fact.

Yoongi clicked his tongue.

"I seriously hate this shitty type of camping. I don't understand why people leave perfectly good houses just to sleep in the middle of a forest."

Jimin quietly looked at him for a few seconds before picking up another sweatshirt.

"You do?"

"Hm."

"That's strange."

Yoongi frowned "What?"

Jimin folded the sweatshirt carefully before placing it into the bag.

"Because the last time you went camping..." He finally looked back at Yoongi. "...you confessed to me while I was asleep."

The room fell silent.

Yoongi stared at him without blinking. For a moment, he genuinely thought he had heard wrong.

"What...?"

"I wasn't sleeping that night."

Jimin's voice remained completely calm, almost as if he had merely revealed an ordinary fact.

"I was awake."

Yoongi felt his mind go completely blank.

He remembered that night so clearly.
Jimin lying beside him with his eyes closed. Believing he would never hear those words... Believing those feelings would remain his secret forever.

He was awake...?

"So..." Yoongi finally managed to speak, though his voice sounded quieter than before. "You heard everything?"

Jimin simply nodded once.

"I heard everything."

Yoongi just sat there, unable to process it.

He knew...?

He knew all these years...?

A hundred thoughts rushed through his head at once, yet not a single one reached his lips.

Jimin smiled faintly after seeing the rare speechless expression on Yoongi's face before returning to the bag as though he hadn't just revealed something capable of stopping Yoongi's heart.

Within a few more minutes, everything was packed.

Jimin stood up, lifting the travel bag from the floor.

He wore a blue striped shirt over a black T-shirt, while Yoongi had already put on a brown jacket despite constantly complaining about the trip.

As Jimin reached for the bag near the door, Yoongi's attention shifted toward the camera hanging from his shoulder.

His brows furrowed for a brief second.

Since when does he carry a camera...?

He wanted to ask. The question reached the tip of his tongue.

Yoongi, Jimin and Jungkook were already standing outside their house, waiting for the others to arrive. Just like last time, everyone had decided to go on bikes instead of cars. Jungkook's bike and Jimin's bike were parked in front of the house, and after thinking about it since morning,

Yoongi had already made up his mind that he would sit with Jungkook this time. Last time... all he had wanted was to sit behind Jimin.

The distant sound of multiple bike engines soon echoed through the quiet neighborhood. One after another, several bikes turned into their street before stopping in front of the house.

Everyone removed their helmets.

Jin climbed down from the bike first while Namjoon parked it properly beside the gate. Kevin removed his helmet as Aura hopped off behind him, and only then did Jimin notice another familiar face.

"Minsu?" he asked in surprise.

Namjoon smiled before pointing toward the young man. "Yeah... my brother."

Then he pointed toward the girl who had climbed down behind Minsu.

"And this is Myra. She's my cousin... my maternal uncle's daughter."

"They're joining us too."

Jimin looked at the girl before looking back at Namjoon.

"Isn't she the daughter of the same uncle you lived with since childhood?"

Namjoon nodded. "You're right."

Aura finally took off her helmet and stretched her arms.

"Thank God," she said dramatically. "I seriously thought I was going to spend Three days surrounded only by boys."

Everyone laughed.

"That's exactly why I asked her to come," Namjoon admitted, making Myra shake her head in embarrassment.

"You make it sound like I'm invited only to save her."

"You are," Namjoon replied shamelessly.

"Wow..." Myra folded her arms. "Nice to know my importance."

Jungkook laughed before another question suddenly crossed his mind.

"Namjoon hyung..."

"Hm?"

"Aren't we going camping?"

"We are."

"Then..." Jungkook frowned in confusion. "Where are the tents? Don't tell me everyone forgot them."

A mysterious smirk slowly appeared on Namjoon's face.

"You'll know after we reach."

Jungkook whined. "That's not an answer."

"It is."

"Hyung..."

"I planned everything for a reason."

Now everyone looked even more curious than before.

Without explaining anything else, Namjoon simply wore his helmet again.

"Let's move before it gets late."

Everyone nodded before walking toward their respective bikes.

"Jin hyung," Namjoon said while sitting on his bike, "sit properly this time."

Jin immediately climbed on behind him and wrapped both arms around Namjoon's waist without even pretending to hesitate.

"Of course," he replied confidently. "I value my life."

Namjoon chuckled before starting the engine.

Their bike was the first one to leave.

Kevin adjusted his mirrors while Aura quickly sat behind him.

"Hurry up," Kevin said.

"I'm sitting!"

"No, you're fixing your hair. Looking good isn't important right now"

"I have standards."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "You'll survive without looking perfect."

"I won't."

Their playful argument continued until Kevin finally drove away after Namjoon.

Minsu and Myra followed on the next bike.

Only three bikes remained.

"I'll sit with you, Jungkook," Yoongi suddenly said, already walking toward him.

From the corner of his eye, Jimin slowly looked at him.

Jungkook looked from Yoongi to Jimin and then back again.

"Why, hyung?" he asked innocently. "Just sit with Jimin."

Yoongi adjusted his helmet. "I don't trust his driving."

Jimin rested one elbow casually on his bike before looking at him.

"First try sitting behind me," he replied with complete confidence, "then decide whether you trust it or not."

Before Yoongi could answer, Taehyung suddenly groaned.

"...Fuck."

Everyone looked toward him.

"My bike's punctured."

He crouched beside it before pressing the tyre with his hand.

"It's completely flat."

Jimin glanced at the tyre before speaking. "Park it inside our parking."

Taehyung nodded.

"No one is behind Jungkook anyway. Sit with him."

"Fine."

Taehyung pushed his bike inside while Jungkook waited for him.

Jimin slowly turned back toward Yoongi.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Looks like you don't have any other option now, my nerdy boy."

Yoongi quietly looked at him for a few seconds before letting out a defeated sigh.

"...Fine."

He walked toward Jimin's bike before wearing his helmet properly and climbing on behind him.

Jimin couldn't hide the small victorious smile tugging at his lips.

"I'll give you one free piece of advice," he said while starting the engine. "If you're scared, just hold my waist."

"I'm not scared."

Instead of holding Jimin, Yoongi deliberately grabbed the metal handle behind the seat.

Jimin didn't say anything. He simply smirked to himself.

The next second...

He released the clutch and accelerated before squeezing the brake almost immediately.

The sudden jerk made Yoongi lose his balance.

"Oh.. "

His body shifted forward, lightly colliding against Jimin's back, and before he could fall any further, both of his hands instinctively wrapped around Jimin's waist.

Jimin's smile grew even wider beneath his helmet.

"I thought," he said, trying very hard not to laugh, "you weren't scared."

Yoongi immediately realized what had happened. "...You did that on purpose."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Liar."

"You can remove your hands if you want."

Yoongi stayed exactly where he was.

After a few seconds, he quietly tightened his grip instead.

Jimin smiled to himself before finally driving ahead, following the other bikes.

Meanwhile, Taehyung climbed onto Jungkook's bike.

"I'm telling you beforehand," he said while adjusting himself on the seat, "after halfway, I'm driving."

"Sure."

Jungkook answered so casually that Taehyung blinked.

"...That's it?"

"What else should I say?"

Taehyung placed one hand on Jungkook's shoulder to balance himself before immediately removing it.

Jungkook noticed through the rear-view mirror.

"You can hold properly."

Taehyung looked at him for a second before quietly placing his hand back on Jungkook's shoulder.

Jungkook smiled faintly before starting the bike.

Within moments, the last two bikes also disappeared down the road, following the others toward whatever surprise Namjoon had secretly planned.

After almost three hours of continuously riding their bikes, they finally reached the destination.

The moment they stopped in front of the entrance, everyone instinctively looked around in surprise.

It didn't look like an ordinary camping site at all.

A large wooden entrance stood before them with KING OF FOREST carved on top in bold letters. Beside the entrance was a spacious parking area where visitors could leave their vehicles, and an old watchman was sitting on a chair under a small shed, lazily waving his hand toward the parking space.



But no one was there. Not even single human

"Park the bikes there," Namjoon said before parking his own.

Everyone followed him, still looking around curiously. As soon as they locked their bikes, another man wearing the staff uniform approached them. Without saying much, he handed a folded map to Namjoon and spent the next few minutes explaining several instructions while pointing toward different places marked on it.

The remaining nine people simply stood there, exchanging confused glances.

They had all come here thinking it would be another ordinary camping trip like last time.

Instead... It already felt different.

"What is he even explaining for so long?" Taehyung asked, narrowing his eyes as he watched the two from a distance.

"Jin hyung, do you know what's going on?" Jimin asked, hoping at least Jin had been informed.

Jin immediately shook his head.

"I genuinely have no idea. He didn't tell me anything either."

"I'm excited," Aura said, unable to hide the smile on her face.

"Me too," Myra quickly agreed before looking at Aura. "By the way... what do you do?"

"I'm an event planner," Myra introduced herself. "What about you?"

"I'm a doctor."

"I already like you."

Aura laughed. "Just because I'm a doctor?"

"No," Myra replied dramatically. "I have a feeling we're going to become best friends."

"I think so too."

Kevin watched the two of them for barely a minute before shaking his head.

"I swear girls can become best friends literally anywhere."

The two girls ignored him completely and continued talking as if he hadn't spoken at all.

A few steps away, Yoongi was quietly looking around with obvious excitement. His eyes wandered over the tall trees, the wooden entrance, the strange atmosphere... everything looked beautiful to him.

Jimin slowly walked closer until their shoulders lightly brushed against each other.

"You look happy," Jimin said.

Yoongi nodded without even trying to hide it.

"I am."

"I mean i am annoyed."

Yoongi said making Jimin laugh.

The two of them looked toward Namjoon at the same time.

Almost as if he felt everyone staring, Namjoon finally walked back while folding the map neatly in his hand.

Jungkook was the first one to speak.

"Namjoon hyung... what's that map for?"

Namjoon simply smiled. "You'll know soon."

The answer only made everyone more suspicious.

Definitely... He had planned something. The place was unbelievably quiet. There wasn't another tourist in sight.

Only the old watchman sitting near the entrance remained behind. Even the staff member who had explained everything to Namjoon disappeared a moment later, leaving the ten of them completely alone.

"Come on," Namjoon said while looking at everyone. "Let's go inside."

Without questioning him any further, everyone followed.



Namjin naturally walked at the front, Jin lazily holding Namjoon's hand while Namjoon kept checking the map every few seconds.

Behind them came Yoongi and Jimin, who had somehow already started bickering.

"Told you I didn't want to come"

"It will be fun..."

A few steps behind them, Aura and Myra were walking together, completely absorbed in their own conversation. Within less than ten minutes, the two had already forgotten everyone else existed.

Kevin ended up beside Minsu after discovering they were both Ronaldo fans. Their discussion had somehow jumped from football to the World Cup, then to club rivalries, neither of them willing to admit the other had a point.

At the very back, Taehyung and Jungkook were surprisingly getting along well for the first time, casually talking while occasionally laughing at something only the two of them understood.

The deeper they walked into the forest, the quieter everything became.

The scenery was breathtaking.

Tall trees surrounded them from every direction, sunlight slipped through the branches in scattered patches, and a gentle breeze carried the earthy smell of the forest.



It was beautiful.

Namjoon kept looking down at the map before taking another turn, sometimes left... sometimes right... without explaining where exactly he was leading them.

Nobody had the slightest idea what kind of camping this actually was.

"Joon..." Jin finally spoke after another few minutes of walking. "Is this some kind of paid adventure camping or something?"

Namjoon looked up from the map and glanced at Jin before nodding.

"You can say that.".Then he smiled to himself. "It used to be very famous."

Yoongi, who had been looking around curiously, frowned a little before asking the question everyone had unknowingly been thinking.

"If it was so famous..." he looked around once again, "...then why is there no one here? We've been walking for so long, but it's just us."

The moment Yoongi asked, everyone instinctively turned toward Namjoon.

"Exactly," Jimin agreed. "I was wondering the same thing."

Namjoon stopped walking.

He slowly turned around to face all of them, looking unusually calm.

"People stopped coming here a few years ago..." He paused just long enough for everyone to wait for the rest. "...because they claimed they saw ghosts."

He said it so casually, as if he had merely mentioned today's weather.

For a few seconds...

Absolute silence. Every single face visibly lost its color.

Nobody even blinked or says anything. Their minds were still trying to process what they had just heard.

Did this man seriously bring them to a place that people abandoned because of ghosts?

A place where no one had dared to come for years?

"What?!" everyone shouted at the exact same time, staring at Namjoon in complete disbelief.