#imagine being my friends when we watched bridge to terabithia a few months ago

[arledrone]

im a bad bitch until you get me watching something whimsical and then i Will tear up at anything that even remotely resonates with me but you know what maybe that’s a good thing

[princesssarisa]

22 questions

Thanks, @cinefantastiquemitho!

01. The book that transformed your life. Freak the Mighty. It traumatized me so much in middle school, I think it singlehandedly changed me from a mostly happy (if quiet and overemotional) child into a moody, anxious teenager. The same goes for it’s ‘90s movie adaptation, The Mighty, starring a young Elden Henson and Kieran Culkin. It’s about the unlikely friendship between two misfit middle school boys: Max, the big, hulking, “stupid,” somewhat mentally disabled protagonist with a traumatic past, and “Freak,” an intelligent yet small, severely crippled, and (spoiler alert) terminally ill boy who rides on Max’s shoulders and serves as his “brain,” leading him in modeling their lives after the knights in the Arthurian legends he reads. Basically, it’s like Bridge to Terabithia meets a PG-rated Midnight Cowboy with Arthurian themes. I was forced to read it and watch the movie in school and it shook me to the core because I identified too much with Max. Not that I ever thought I was stupid, but since I was also a physically heavy, intellectually disabled, socially awkward, often teased, withdrawn misfit, I saw myself in him, very, very much. So to watch his struggles, and then in the end to see him devastated by his only friend’s death, hit hard. If that spirit medium I recently talked to was telling the truth about my past life as Emily Brontë’s best and possibly only friend, then maybe subconsciously I saw her in Freak (since she was also a “freakish” misfit who nonetheless was highly intelligent, witty and imaginative) and relived her illness and death in his. At any rate, it plunged me into a long depression that must have seemed inexplicable to the adults around me.

02. The movie that changed your way of seeing the world. The 1983 telecast of Madama Butterfly from the Arena di Verona, starring Raina Kabaivanska as Cio-Cio-San. In hindsight, it was a flawed production. Kabaivanska was a 49-year-old Bulgarian grand dame, not the least bit convincing as a 15-year-old Japanese girl. The tenor, who was supposed to be her worldly seducer, was young enough to be her son. There wasn’t a single Japanese person in either the cast or the creative team – it was all a European fantasy of Japan. For that matter, Madama Butterfly is inherently problematic with its racial and gender issues (in other news, water is wet). But watching this old telecast on VHS, out of curiosity about Miss Saigon’s source material, was the real beginning of my passion for opera. I was already familiar with The Magic Flute, but this was the start of my love for opera beyond that one. The tragic romance of the story, the visual beauty of the sets and costumes, and Puccini’s sumptuous musical score captivated my fourteen-year-old self. It led me to VHSs of La Traviata, Carmen, La Bohéme, Tosca, Rigoletto, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, L’Orfeo and Turandot, as well as other videos of Butterfly, and then to opera performances onstage. It gave me a new passion and gave me something beautiful to share with other people through “Opera Quest,” the program I’ve created to introduce opera to elementary school students. I’m so, so grateful to it!

03. The music that makes part of the soundtrack of your life. Opera, Broadway/West End show tunes, and Disney songs.

04. Define longing. It’s wanting, but deeper and stronger. It’s constant wanting, painful wanting, wanting that almost becomes obsession.

05. If you got back in time, which scene would you visit of your life? Any of my Thanksgiving visits to my grandma in Mesa, Arizona. Of course I’d love to see her again – she died 12 years ago – but I also loved wandering around the pretty retirement community where she lived, listening to Les Misérables or to Andrew Lloyd Webber on my headphones, and then sometimes swimming in the outdoor pool. I also loved the restaurant we always went to for Thanksgiving dinner, and if possible, going to see the lavish Christmas lights at the Mormon Temple a day or two later.

06. The place where your heart is. Los Angeles. Even though I wasn’t born there, it’s the earliest place I remember. I grew up there and it’s only been four years since I moved away. Every time I’ve gone back to visit since, I I’ve had the overwhelming feeling of “I’m home!” Even though I’m glad not to be living in a big city right now, I wish I lived closer and could visit more often.

07. The travel of your life. I haven’t travelled very much outside the US, though I have been to Canada, London and Ireland. Within the US, I was born in Connecticut, I’ve lived most of my life in California, and I’ve spent a lot of time in New York (relatives live there), Washington State (more relatives live there), Arizona (my grandma lived there), Florida (other grandparents, plus Walt Disney World), Montana (still more relatives), North Carolina (still more), and Minnesota (family friends). Once each I’ve been to Chicago, Boston, Cape Cod, and small towns in Vermont and New Hampshire, and I’d love to go back to each of them one day. I’ve also been to North Dakota, but don’t remember it very well, and I’ve spent at least a few hours each in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, but not long enough to do much of anything.

08. An author that you have met recently, and whose works you want to continue to read. Not too long ago I took a writing class taught by April Halprin Wayland, who wrote the beautiful Jewish children’s book New Year at the Pier about the tradition of Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah. I’d definitely like to read more of her books, especially her Passover children’s book, More Than Enough. I’d love buy them for my little cousins on the Jewish side of my family.

09. Coffee or tea? Herbal tea. Rooibos chai is my favorite.

10. Who's your Doctor (if you don't watch Doctor Who, who's your favorite character from a TV series)? I couldn’t say. I don’t watch Doctor Who or much TV at all anymore. Let’s just say I love the main characters from all the TV shows I watched when I was little.

11. If you could just throw everything away and live your dream, what would you do? I’d buy a safe and luxurious self-driving RV (this is a fantasy, after all) and travel all over the US, living in a different place for a week, two weeks, or a month at a time. In this fantasy, there’s no pandemic going on, so I have the freedom to go anywhere. I’d visit every big city, every cozy small town, and every notable place of natural beauty, I’d go to the opera and see local productions of Les Misérables wherever I could. I’d visit my relatives whenever I liked. I’d present “Opera Quest” at a local school in each place I visited. But I’d also spend plenty of alone time in my RV, or in whatever hotel or inn I chose to stay in for a little while, and work on the books I’m writing, listen to music and meditate. There would be no pressure on me from anyone to do anything. That would be amazing.

12. If you could choose to be a character from a book, TV series or movie, who you would be? None. Some of them have nice lives, but they all have their problems too, and I’d rather keep my own problems than take on theirs.

13. What makes you not like a story? Characters we’re supposed to like being cruel and spiteful to each other and neither regretting it nor being properly called out for it. If their behavior is clearly supposed to be bad and treated as such within the story, it’s one thing. Even if they never regret their own behavior, that’s fine as long as the other characters call it out as bad. But when they don’t, I feel like the author is saying that anyone would be just as cruel and spiteful in that situation. That it’s no big deal, it’s just human nature and anything better would be unrealistic. I hate that.

14. Do you like romance in stories? Why? Yes, I do like it. Not if it’s badly written, but when it’s well written, I love it. I love watching two characters come to care so deeply for each other, fill each other’s deepest needs and bring each other happiness. Of course that happens with platonic love too, but romance is the way it most often happens in stories.

15. Which book did you hate having read? Well, I didn’t like having to read Candide as a college freshman, because despite all its humor, it’s cynicism depressed me. I was going through a stage where I was feeling overwhelmed by the world’s problems and had turned to idealistic spiritual beliefs to comfort myself, so I hated having to read a book that essentially said “Optimism is stupid, the world is a terrible place, there is no God and no good reason for anything, and all we can do is try to make the best of our individual lives.” (Yes, I know that’s a vast oversimplification of Voltaire’s philosophy – it just came across that way to me at the time.)

16. Which movie did you hate having watched? I’ve already mentioned The Mighty, above, so... another one... When I was seven or eight, I saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory for the first time, and I was very disturbed at the end by Wonka’s angry outburst about Charlie and Grandpa Joe stealing the Fizzy Lifting Drinks. Of course everyone can agree about how scary and mean Gene Wilder acts in that scene. But imagine how much worse it would be to an ultra-sensitive little kid on the autism spectrum, especially since I wasn’t expecting it. I had read the original book already, so the fates of the four bratty kids and the infamous boat scene didn’t phase me because I knew to expect them. But movie-Wonka’s final test is a movie-only addition, so I had no idea he was going to start screaming at poor Charlie, and to me at that age, an adult suddenly screaming in rage at a child was scarier than a child turning into a blueberry any day. Yes, it’s only a test, Charlie passes it and all ends happily, but it still upset me.

17. Do you like anime/manga? Any favorite? It all looks very nice, but apart from seeing Kiki’s Delivery Service and a few episodes of Pokemon as a kid, I haven’t experienced much of it. Maybe I should explore it more.

18. Who is the best villain you saw in a story? I don’t think I can choose just one from all the stories I know. For the best villain from Shakespeare and opera, I’d probably have to say Iago, because of how thoroughly effective his scheming and manipulation are. For the best Disney villain, I’d have to say Frollo, because of how horribly realistic he is: as an abuser of power, a racist, a religious bigot, a sexual predator, a psychologically abusive foster parent, and in the way he believes everything he does is holy and right. But there are so many good villains in all genres of fiction, choosing just one favorite is impossible.

19. If you could do an interview with any person, alive or dead, from our world, who would you choose and why? William Shakespeare. I have so many questions about his plays. They’ve all been interpreted in hundreds of different ways and I’d like to hear what his real intentions were when he wrote them. And for that matter, if he really did write all of them or if there’s any truth in the anti-Stratfordian theories.

20. If you could meet and and befriend a writer, who would it be? I just said Shakespeare, but I don’t want to repeat the same answer twice... Well, if that spirit medium was right, then I’ve already met and befriended three famous writers in a past life: Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë. Supposedly I spent “many hours” with all three of them, but was especially close to Emily. If that’s true, then I’d love to meet them again, do some catching up, and talk with them about the modern controversies surrounding their books... especially Wuthering Heights, which seems to defy easy interpretations of its characters and themes.

21. Cats or dogs? Dogs. I just adore them!

22. If you could choose any time period or society to live, which it would be? A year ago, I would have said “right here, right now.” But with this global pandemic taking place and the future of the world and of America in particular feeling so uncertain, I’ve changed my mind. I’d rather live in one of the fantasy worlds I’ve created: either the Sisterhood of Nira’s valley (the setting of my completed but unpublished novel An Eternal Crown) or Zalina Island (the setting of the Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid retellings I’m working on). Those places might have flaws of their own, but at least they’ve made social progress that this country hasn’t made, and they have magic too. If I could I’d move to one of them, at least until the pandemic is over and we have a new president.

I tag @simone-boccanegra, @astrangechoiceoffavourites, @nitrateglow, @thatvermilionflycatcher, @sunlit-music, @theheightsthatwuthered, @fairychamber, @wuthering-valleys

[peachitaetae]

The River We Run From

The death of a friend is something no one truly heals from but that friends ghost returns begging Jungkook to save Yoongi he has to bring the gang back together and that really isn't going to be easy...they haven't talked in like two years.

OT7 

word count: 4k

genre: Coming of age

warnings: Character death, mentions of drugs and Alcohol, tissues may be required 

A/N: inspired by Anohana, Bridge To Terabithia and a few others I thinks. I’m like super dyslexic so apologies for all my errors 

Not edited hehe

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Youth is a funny thing. 

It’s the shortest part of our life, yet it’s the part we hold dearest to our hearts. Looking back on the memories we shared with our childhood friends, some of who are now either married, successful, maybe even dead. But that’s okay because we’ll always have those memories even if we crumble like dried flower petals.

Our lives are an ever-flowing river that we just can’t run from.

“Give it back!” A frustrated Jungkook barked.

“Aw, can’t reach all the way up here, shorty?” 

Jungkook pulled at Hoseok’s arm, trying to reclaim his now stolen banana milk. The boys playfully bickered out behind the usual hangout spot, Rose's Shake Shack, home of the best waffles you’ll ever taste. They usually found themselves there each day after school or before they headed over to their hut on weekends. Today was a typical Sunday, Seokjin and Namjoon were inside getting their food while the rest hung outback.

“Hoseok, don’t be lame. Give the kid his milk!” Yoonji giggled, punching his arm softly.

“I’m only a year younger than you guys!”

Jungkook turned slightly to avoid his milk being stolen again; he sipped it, giving the least threatening glare ever to exist. Hoseok laughed, wrapping his arm around Jungkook, pulling him into his chest as he booped the younger's nose.

“Ah, Kook, you're the closest thing I have to a baby brother, so you bet your tiny ass I'm gonna tease you every chance I get.”

“Hobi, don’t you think you’ve teased him enough for today?” Yoonji chirped, nudging her shoulder into his.

Hoseok felt himself get flustered, turning a subtle shade of pink at her sudden proximity. Turning on his heel, he rigidly made his way over to the others as they spray painted their mark on the back of the Shake Shack wall. He looked anything but casual, earning a giggle from both Jungkook and Yoonji.

Jimin was bouncing on his toes, feeling anxiety rise in his stomach. He wasn't typically one for trouble. Still, he'd go along with anything his friends wanted, even if it meant vandalizing all their favourite places with spray paint. He stood there watching as Taehyung and Yoongi worked together, perched upon the rubbish bins in order to reach the designated spot.  

Jimin puffed out his rosy cheeks in frustration, shoving his hands into his fluffy jumper, trying to calm his nerves.

"Tae, hurry up! Someone's gonna catch us!" He eventually cracked, voice jittery.

Taehyung glanced down at the nervous boy, pushing his unruly curls out of his face with a short burst of air. He flashed him a reassuring smile.

"You can’t rush a masterpiece." Taehyung joked.

"You've drawn exact thing like four times already." Jimin countered. "Need I reminded you this is the first time we’re doing this in daylight?’

Hoseok let out a sigh, tugging at Jimin's jumper to attract his attention.

"Don’t sweat it, it’s all under control. Jin and Joon are inside ordering loads of food. The staff is distracted. No one is gonna notice us." Hoseok reassured him.

"Besides, no one ever comes back here." Yoongi piped up from beside Taehyung, placing the cap back onto his can of spray paint.

"You know the only reason we’re doing it now and not later is because it’s gonna rain all week, so it’s best we just get it over with while we have the time." He continued, helping Taehyung tuck the rest of the art supplies back into his bag. Taehyung zipped it shut, hopping down onto the floor with Yoongi following.

"We could have waited till after the rain," Jimin grumbled, mostly to himself.

"Are you guys done yet?"

Everyone turned to see Seokjin and Namjoon holding paper bags, presumably full of their food.

"You bet! We’re good to go." Yoongi took the backpack from Taehyung, swinging it over his shoulder. Languidly, he walked over to Seokjin, grabbing one of the bags, "Shall we head up to the hut then?"

"Ugh, but it rained earlier. It'll be all wet, won't it?" Jimin scrunched his nose.

"No shit, it’ll be wet. Don’t be a baby, let’s bounce!" Yoongi answered, already heading off. The others began to trail behind, Yoonji pinching Jimin’s cheek teasingly as she passed the now grumpy boy.

"I’m not a baby..." Jimin grumbled, resisting the urge to stomp his foot.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, now let’s go before the snackage gets cold." Yoongi's gaze wandered back to look at Jimin trailing behind them, who had crossed his arms over his chest, bottom lip jutting out slightly.

Jimin was cute.

Even when mad, he still managed to be somewhat endearing, something that everyone – even Yoongi – couldn't deny.

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 The squelch of wet leaves under their feet echoes as they wander through the forest. A soft golden light falls over them as the evening rolls around. The gang head towards the bridge to their hut, Yoongi as always leads the way as he carries Taehyung’s backpack and one of the food bags. Namjoon jogs past Seokjin and Jungkook holding hands to get to Yoongi helping him by taking the food from him. Taehyung picks up a fallen tree branch and starts hitting the trees as he passes them.

A playful smirk grows on Jimin’s face as he bends to pick up a branch of his own lightly hitting Taehyung on the back with it. Only for him to stop dead in his tracks to look at Jimin, for a split second Jimin thought he’d done something wrong.

‘Oh, now you’re in for it’ a familiar box-like grin settles on his face as he chases after Jimin, their giggles fill the woodlands around them. Taehyung swings the branch back only to hit Jungkook, cutting his hand.

‘Ouch!’ 

Not realising he continues chasing Jimin. Jungkook covers his now sore spot as Seokjin pats his head lovingly.

‘Don’t worry I’ll put a plaster on it when we get there’ Jungkook looks at his friends then back at Seokjin and smiles sweetly.

‘Nah, I’m tuff I don’t need a plaster’

‘Jungkook you’re bleeding’

He looks at his hand the back at Seokjin, smiles, then licks the blood off.

‘No, I’m not’

Seokjin scrunches his face in disgust.

‘Ew’ 

Not far behind the others is Hoseok carrying Yoonji on his back. She shifts on Hoseok, slightly lifting his fuzzy jumper, to looking up at the trees above. She traced the outline of the trees with her fingers, Hoseok never really understood why she always did this but he guessed that’s just how she absorbed the world around her. 

‘I love it here and if I could live in these trees I would, forever.’ 

He smiles to himself. He adored how much she loved these woods. She was the one that had convinced them to explore it all those years back, he thinks it was when there were about seven? Had she not insisted they probably would never have found the old hut and claimed it as their place, or maybe someone else would have found it before they did? He can’t imagine not having that hut. They had so many memories there, Like when Jungkook fell off the roof on to Namjoon breaking both their arms or Seokjin making Jimin laugh so hard he peed. He chuckles at the memory. A heat burns his cheeks as he remembers one specific memory.

His first kiss.

It was only a few months ago when he’d turned fourteen, they’d all decided to sleepover in the hut and when the others had been asleep Yoonji had kissed him. He remembers the way his heart did flips, how her lips were so soft. He’d opened up to her about how he was scared to do it and shed offered to kiss him so it was with someone he trusted, she’d done it as a favour not because she liked him. He really needed to tell her how he felt.

Because he really liked her.

He glances back at her again. She’s smiling up at the trees again. 

‘The rain makes everything all shiny. It’s beautiful’.

He smiles ‘yeah beautiful.’

He switches his gaze back to look at the others wanting to hide his now blushing face from her. He put her down as they reached the bridge she adjusted her jeans retucking her sweater into them. They watched as Yoongi and Namjoon walked across, Hoseok smiled remembering how they built it from tree branches they had found around the forest. They had a little help from Jungkook’s carpenter father. But it was theirs. Something they had made together. They’d even carved their names into the wooden railing, he lets out a soft laugh remembering how Jimin had cut his finger only for Taehyung and Yoongi to argue over would help him. 

It creaked as they crossed, they didn’t notice, they just happily sang along to their current favourite song ‘Wonderwall’. It was the norm, they’d spend their days causing a little trouble around town then head off to their not to secret hut, that they’d spent years decorating it with useless nicknacks from all around the forest and town. Jimin had supplied the comfort and entertainment of course. Beanbags, games, a table and a few fairy lights all there thanks to his very giving mother. granted she only got him these things because she felt bad for what she’d done.

But even though these guilt gifts made him feel bad they made his friends happy so he was okay with it.

‘Tae, key please.’

Taehyung smiles taking off his necklace that held the key to the hut placing it in Yoongi’s hand. He kicks the door open after unlocking it, passing Taehyung back the key he drops the food jumping into the beanbags.

‘Anyone notice the river was like, higher than normal?’ Seokjin asks no one in particular.

‘Probably because it rained a lot last night, it’s gonna get higher tomorrow since it’s gonna rain again all night’ Namjoon answers.

‘Jimin pass me a soda’

Jimin chucks Hoseok the first one he pulled out of their soda basket, it was November so it was cold enough for the sodas to not need a freezer. Seokjin nudges him.

‘Still want me to pierce your ears?’

Smiling wide Jimin sings a sweet little ‘yes!’

Jungkook looks around at his friends as he rests his head on Namjoon who was of course reading yet another comic book. He loved watching his friends. He always felt so safe and at home with them. It was a feeling he craved when they were apart. This was the usual. Taehyung would draw while Yoonji sat with him and watched. Hoseok and Yoongi would always play fight, sometimes they’d go a bit far and have to be broken up, but they always smiled after even if they had a bloody nose. He looks at where Seokjin and jimin sat, watching as Seokjin slices an apple. 

‘Ready Jimin?’ Jimin nods unsurely but he trusted Seokjin. He places one hand on Seokjin’s leg, he’s not sure why he just wants something to grab on to. Seokjin places an apple slice under Jimin’s earlobe.

Ah, it’s cold, Jimin thinks.

Seokjin settles the needle on his ear as gently as he could.

‘On three okay’ He looks into Jimin’s eyes checking if he was really okay with this. He nods again, but more at ease this time.

‘One’ Jimin’s eyes close tight.

‘Two-’ Jimin’s gasps as Seokjin pierced his ear a second earlier.

‘You big fat liar! What happened to three!’’

‘Three’ he smirked holding back a laugh.

‘That’s not funny!’ Jimin whines grabbing a pillow to hit Seokjin repeatedly as his window wiper laugh fills the hut. ‘Stop laughing! You jerk you tricked me!’

Yoonji giggles and turns to look at Taehyung, she expects to hear his deep giggles. But he isn’t giggling at all.

‘Tae. Are you okay?’ She places her hand on his shoulder showing her concern. Taehyung turns to look at her he sniffs as if he’s holding back tears.

‘I um, I’m just thinking about how it’s getting darker earlier and I don’t wanna go home…at least not yet’

She rests her hand on his and offers that beautiful smile they all loved so much.

‘I know things are hard at home, you can always stay over at mine and Yoongi’s tonight. Mamma won’t mind’ rubbing his eyes he gives her a soft smile nodding. She places her hands on his bread cheeks cupping his face lovingly brushing a tear away with her thumb. 

‘Your starting’ 

Namjoon mocks as he nudges Hoseok who’d come to sit with him and Jungkook.

‘What?’

‘At Yoonji. Your staring’

‘I was just. She has a nice smile’ he looks at his hands fumbling with his fingers. He refused to look at Namjoon. He knows what he’s thinking. Of course he knows. He’d caught them the other month when they’d kissed. It was all Hoseok had thought about since.

‘You know Yoongi would be cool if u tell him how you feel about her-‘

He presses his hand to Namjoon’s mouth. ‘Shhhh! I can’t tell my best friend I kissed his sister and now it’s all I can think about!’

‘Well why not?’ He questions removing Hoseok’s hand from his face. ‘I mean you just told me so why not?’

‘I just. Not yet okay. I’m still unsure what I feel anyway I don’t wanna put that on him or her until I understand what’s even happening in my head’

Namjoon nods in response.

Yoongi moves from the beanbags over to his sister to lay his head on her lap.

She begins playing with his hair. Stopping to look at him.

‘Hey Yoonie. I wanna dye my hair. Green I wanna dye it green.’

He sits up to face her properly. ‘Like bright green? That sounds kinda gross but if that’s what you want-‘

‘No like mint green. But I don’t wanna do it alone.’ She clasps her hands together looking at him hoping he gets what she’s asking without actually having to ask.

‘Mint green. You’d be mint Yoonji.’ He snickers. ‘and I guess that’ll make me mint Yoongi’

She screams hugging him ‘Best brother EVER!’ 

He’s not. He just knows their parents will flip if she does it alone but if they both do it it’ll listen the blow. Honestly, he’d do anything for her, she was his other half. Always getting him out of trouble. If anything he owed it to her to do this because really if ether of them was the best sibling ever. It was her.

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 ‘Goodnight!’

‘See ya tomorrow!’

They part ways outside the forest and set on their ways home. Jimin and Namjoon walk up the hill as Jin enters his house, he’s lucky his house is right by the forest entrance. Taehyung sets off going with the Mins and Hoseok, normally jungkook would join but.

‘Crap! I dropped my tamagotchi!’

‘Want us to come with you to get it?’ Yoonji offers but he shakes his head.

‘Nah I’m all good’ he heads off as Yoongi yells after him.

‘Are you sure dude?!’

Jungkook gives them a thumbs up before jogging back into the trees. He knows they worry about him since he’s the youngest but he is 13! He can handle himself.

I mean yeah sure it’s dark. And cold. And scary.

Maybe I should have had them come along he thinks.

He reaches the bridge and he sees it. His tamagotchi was just by the river bank.

Must have fallen out my pocket.

He crouches to pick it up cleaning the mud off with his sleeve. He feels a drop of water on his neck, looking up he feels another boop his nose.

Rain great.

He stands turning quickly as he senses someone’s presence.

‘Well lookie here boys we found ourselves a wild bunny’

‘How’s it hangin bunny boy?’

The two boys walk closer. Jungkook knew who it was, it may have been dark but he’d recognise those fire red curls and blond bowl but anywhere. These boys where splinters under his nails that he just couldn’t get rid of.

‘Eddie, James, I’m not looking for trouble. I-I just wanted to find something I dropped.’

‘We don’t give a shit’ Eddie says pushing Jungkook. He stumbles and catches himself on the bridge. He looks up a tear rolling down his cheek, he knew what was coming. He should be used to this by now they beat him up every chance they get.

‘Please it’s cold I just wanna go home. I’ll give you my tamagotchi.’

He hands them his toy only for them to burst into laughter. James snatches it ‘you’ve gotta be shitting me! You play with this shit? What are you 5?’

He wants to say no or just anything but he doesn’t. James chucks it up and catches it a couple of times. ‘Hm wonder if your lil toy pet can swim’

Without a second thought he chucks it into the river, looking proud of himself he turns to his buddy. They give each other a mowing look. Jungkook feels it right across his cheek. A sharp punch. He gets up and tries to run across but the Eddie pulls him back by his jumper and they start hitting him over and over he can hear the bridge creak and crack under him.

‘Okay that’s enough’ James pulls Eddie off him. ‘Let’s go man!’

‘See ya later bunny boy’ Eddie spits running his hands through his hair.

Jungkook watches as they disappear into the dark curls up into a ball he just cries. He can hear them laughing. Their laughter fades as they get further away then all he could hear was the rain dropping around him and the loud rush of the river below. He wished it would crack under him taking him into the water below.

He struggles to sit up. I can’t think like that! He scolds his thoughts. He tries to think positive but his heart hurt so much. He just wanted to know what he did that made them hate him so much.

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 It’s monday. Jungkook loved monday’s. He gets to go to school and see his best friends. He stumbled out of bed falling flat on his face, a pained grown escapes his mouth. He’s clearly still in hurting from last night.

‘Jungkook? Are you alright’ he laughs to himself his mother clearly heard his epic face plant.

‘I’m okay, don’t worry ma’

He runs downstairs, not easily, and out the door. He knows he can’t eat breakfast at home because his mum will see all his bruises so he crosses the road to the Min’s house. He’s never been so thankful they lived across the street. He opens their door, It’s almost never locked, and heads into the kitchen to see the twins and Tae. They’re sitting at the table eating what he guessed was their mother’s oh so delicious blueberry pancakes.

‘Hi, guys!’

‘Hey kookie’ Yoonji greeted as he brother mumbles his hello with a mouth full of food, his sister wipes his face as some syrup drips down his chin.

She always babies him must be nice to have a sister Jungkook observes how she giggles at Yoongi opening his mouth to show all mushed up food. Yeah, it must be great.

‘Jungkook. What happened to your face?’ Taehyung points cause if the twins to actually look at their young friend probably.

‘Dude what the fuck?’ Yoongi stands.

Yoonji walks up to him gently placing her hands on his face. Yoongi speaks again.

‘Who did that to you! I’ll beat their ass!’

Jungkook shushes them not wanting their mum to come into the kitchen.

‘Our mums at work Jungkook. Tell us what happened’ Yoonji looking into his eyes almost likes she trying to read his mind.

‘I’m fine haha I ugh fell out of bed!’

‘Jungkook.’

‘I just. I don’t want to talk about it’

Three older friends look between themselves. Yoongi sighs ‘you know Jin won’t let it slide this time Kook. None of us will, this is the third time this month you’ve looked like this.’

‘It’s Eddie and James isn’t it.’ Jungkook freezes for a moment. He looks at Taehyung. ‘I know it’s them Kookie. I’ve seen them spit balls at you in class. I’ve had my suspicions for a while.’

‘Tae please I just. I don’t want to talk about it!’

‘Fine’ Yoonji hugs him ‘but please tell someone someday? Please’

‘If you don’t Kook I will’ He knows Yoongi means that. He knows he has to tell. He’s just scared, he already feels weak the idea of having his friends save him makes him feel worse.

Without another word they finish their food and head out to meet the others on their way to school. It was a Monday he refused to let Eddie and James get to him. After all he loved Mondays.

 ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

 ‘Stupid rain! It’s been like this all day! I wanted to go to the hut!’ Yoongi moans pouting resting on the couch with his head in his hands as he stares out the window at the dark and gloomy world outside Jin’s house.

They always went to Jin’s on a monday for dinner. His dad cooked a mean spaghetti that they just couldn’t get enough of.

‘It’s to wet and cold for us to go to the hut’

‘Jimin we can just wrap up warm and take umbrellas!’ Yoongi turns to Jimin pouting. He knows Jimin can’t say no to a Yoongi pout.

‘Ahhhh! Jin save me, tell him no! I’m weak!’ He buries his face into Jin’s side to avoid seeing the deadly puppy eyes he knows Yoongi is making at him.

‘Yoongi if we go out we’ll catch a cold!’

‘Come on not even for like ten minutes?’ Yoonji questions.

‘Not you too! Please don’t make me go into the cold!’ Jimin whines.

The twins both come close to Jin pouting with their hands pressed together in a cute pleading manner, Jin like Jimin was weak to the pouts of the twins. But he had to stay strong he knows it’ll be too dangerous to go there now. Hoseok and Jungkook join them earning a laugh from Namjoon and Taehyung.

‘Guys no!’ Jin tries to be sound as stern as his dad does only to sound unsure of himself. 

Taehyung jumps in ‘come on “dad” live a little we’ve done worse.’

‘Valid point’ Jin recalls the time they decided to go to their hut when it snowed only to get snowed in. They all caught a cold but at least they got a week of school.

‘Please Jin’

‘Pleaseeeeee’

Everyone but Jimin was begging now, he doesn’t think they should but. ‘Fine it’s just a bit of rain’

Jimin sits up suddenly ‘this group is going to be the death of me!’

Jin smiles but he makes them all wrap up warm with hats and gloves getting Hoseok and Yoongi to grab the umbrellas from the cupboard under his staircase. Taehyung helps Jimin put on his mittens, Namjoon coming up behind him putting Taehyung’s beanie over his curls.

It takes what feels like forever for them to reach the bridge. Jungkook thinks it’s because it’s freezing and they’re all soaking wet so it feels like longer. He knows they all regret coming out but they won’t turn back now, because in Yoongi’s words ‘well we’re wet now if we go back we’ll have got soaked for nothing’

Jungkook noticed something was off. He didn’t know what but something felt wrong like they should be there, he could tell Jin thought the same but didn’t want to be a buzz kill.

The forest floor was slippery. They struggled to walk as their shoes kept getting stuck in the mud. Yoonji didn’t want them all to be miserable so she started to sing the theme song from ‘Friends’ she smiled when she heard the boys do the clap in response soon joining in with her to sing.

She was always the best at lifting their spirits. Their glue. She always made sure they had fun no matter what. It’s because she knew that their little friendship bubble was all most of them had, life had been cruel to them all their group was everything to all of them. Especially her.

‘It’s scarier than usual’ Jungkook looks down at the river bellow. They’d reached the bridge pretty quick but as soon as they saw how high and fast it was the mood switched back to an uncertain one. Jungkook feels a hand on his shoulder.

It’s Yoongi.

‘It’s just water Kookie, we drink it and that never harms us’ his statement causes Namjoon to give him a funny look.

‘But the water we drink isn’t moving at a high speed.’

‘true’ Yoongi laughs as he strolls across the bridge.

Creek.

He turns on his heels when he gets to the other side.

‘See nothing to be scared of.’

Jimin turns too Taehyung ‘can we go together? I’m a little scared’ Tae happily holds his mitten covered hand as they walk across.

Creek.

Hoseok looks over the river bank to see the rushing water, he lets out a huff and turns to Yoonji.

‘See you on the other side Sunshine’ smiling at her he moonwalks onto the bridge.

Creek.

Stopping halfway giving his friends a twirl before walking off.

‘Show off!’ yoonji yells and he pokes his tongue out at her.

It was Namjoon’s turn. He walked closer to look at the river, the water was harsh and dark. He stands there motionless as the rain peppered his face with cold kisses, he’s starting to feel numb his body frozen in fear. He looks up at his friends on the other side. Jimin sandwiches himself between Hoseok and  Yoongi as taehyung jumps up and down clearly they’re cold.

I need to cross I’m holding everyone up. He lifts his leg to cross but its like something is telling him no.

‘I… I can’t, I’m scared’

Yoonji walks up beside him.

‘It’s okay I’ll go. Don’t worry Joonie nothing will happen to you’ she walks to the middle and looks back at him and she smiles. She turns to walk again and slips falling to her knees.

Creek.

The boy’s hearts drop.

‘I’m okay, I’m okay’ she gets up holding onto the barrier her eyes meet Hoseok’s, she smiles sweetly as the cool wind blows her hair. He smiles back at her.

SNAP!

Then everything went in slow motion. Hoseok’s heart drops Taehyung’s eyes go wide as Yoongi lunges his body forward pushing Jimin off him, he falls flat on the floor but all he could do was stare at the bridge as it broke under her. Namjoon gasps hard enough for the cold air to burn his lungs, Jin’s grasp on Jungkook tightens so much hell definitely have a bruise there the next day but none of that mattered. Because right before their eyes the one thing that they feared happened. The bridge broke pulling Yoonji into the cruel water below.  

‘YOONJI!’

They scream, all instinctively run down the bank following the river as it drags their friend under like she was nothing more than a leaf that had fallen.

‘YOO-HEL-ME-I’

She tries to scream but her cries are drowned out by the rushing water.  

Jin runs off out of the forest to get help.

Jungkook runs to keep up but trips over a tree root namjoon instinctively stopping to help him. Yoongi and Hoseok sprint ahead of Taehyung and jimin catching up to her. She fights to stay above the water her cries cut right through Yoongi’s heart, she’s terrified and he knows he has to do something.

Anything.

Hoseok yells at her to try and grab the tree branch that was hanging over, she just about reaches it, but she struggles to hold on. It’s slippery and the water taunts them pulling her back away from the edge. The further down the river they ran the higher the bank got and they were running out of ground since there was a small cliff they couldn’t get down. If they don’t get her before then. They’ll never see her again.

‘Don’t worry we’re coming! It’s okay!’ Hoseok screams.

He doesn’t really know if they will be and silently begs for that to be true, he doesn’t want her to panic more than she already is so he has to sound calm. Taehyung runs ahead of Hoseok carting up with Yoongi leaving Jimin to trail behind them. He looks down at her in the water, it’s a terrifying sight. Her arms flailing randomly as she tries to stay up and catch her breath. The river keeps pulling her under each and every time Taehyung’s stomach twisted tears streaming down his cheeks. Yoongi runs ahead and jumped onto a tree that had partly fallen into the river, it’s the only thing keeping him from being pulled in.

‘GRAB ME!’

He reaches out for her to grab his hand.

She forces herself up reaching for him.

Only for their fingers to brush each other.

He goes to dive in after her only for Taehyung to pull him off the tree back to safety. He kicks and screams pleading to let him save her.

Jin runs into the street by the forest’s edge screaming so hard it hurt. All their neighbours started rushing into the pouring rain to see what was going on. Jin stumbles and trips while running as his parents run to him. His mother instantly cradles him in her arms trying to calm him so he could speak.

‘Yoonji-rih-river-she-dra-drowning-help-please-I’m-su-sorry’

He tries to get out but his sobbing made it hard to get a coherent sentence to form. His father yells for others to follow him as the adults run into the forest to see what’s happened.

The Min twins parents run over to Jin asking where their children where and what he means by Yoonji drowning. Of course they knew but they hopped he didn’t mean it. Jin didn’t know if she was still in there or not all he saw was her fall in and he knew they’d need the adults to save her so he left he didn’t know if the others had saved her or if she had saved herself.

He just hoped she’d be okay.

Three days went past.

The boys were all really quiet in class they tried to keep their spirits up. Maybe she’d gotten out and got lost further downstream stream. It was Yoonji after all, the toughest and strongest of them all.

It was around their second class when the boys were called to the heads office their parents already there waiting. The Mins looking particularly distraught. They had to think positive. Maybe it wasn’t distraught, maybe it was just pure tears of joy that she was safe…

Or.

Maybe not.

They had found her body curled up on the river bank about a mile downstream. Needless to say, they broke down screaming and wailing pleading that it was a lie.

But it wasn’t.

Yoonji was dead.