Jimin (
caughtinalie) wrote in
hotel_omelas2019-02-04 08:59 am
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a day on the beach [dated to 2/9]
It's really not warm enough for a beach trip, but maybe that's why they're doing it. It's an impractical trip, a flight of fancy that hadn't been planned or anticipated, a spare afternoon where none of them have other plans, or at least no plans that can't be changed. They have a free few hours and Jin's truck and nothing in the world sounds better than spending a few stupid hours together.
The hyungs all pile into the cab, Jin hyung and Joonie hyung up front, the other two just behind them while Jimin and Taehyung and Jungkook make themselves comfortable in the bed. Or at least as comfortable as they can with a few blankets, their cheeks turning a frigid pink as the wind whips at their skin. It's next to impossible to carry on any conversation back there, but that hardly stops them from trying, the three of them screaming and laughing into the wind, rejoicing in the opportunity to just be away from the rest of the world, to exist in just this exact moment with nothing else weighing them down.
Jimin's ears are ringing by the time hyung pulls onto the familiar stretch of beach, body buzzing from the vibration of the truck on the road as he hops out.
It's even colder here than it'd been in the city, the wind rushing off the water, chilling Jimin to the bone despite his big, puffy coat. But it feels amazing, the sand soft under his shoes as he runs up ahead, glancing back at his friends as he comes dangerously close to the edge of the water, hands still stuffed in the pockets of his coat. The dulled sunlight glints off the truck, a little blink as the sun is enveloped in another blanket of clouds.
They've only just got here, still have hours to spend doing just about whatever they want and yet, some part of Jimin is already dreading when it all ends.
The hyungs all pile into the cab, Jin hyung and Joonie hyung up front, the other two just behind them while Jimin and Taehyung and Jungkook make themselves comfortable in the bed. Or at least as comfortable as they can with a few blankets, their cheeks turning a frigid pink as the wind whips at their skin. It's next to impossible to carry on any conversation back there, but that hardly stops them from trying, the three of them screaming and laughing into the wind, rejoicing in the opportunity to just be away from the rest of the world, to exist in just this exact moment with nothing else weighing them down.
Jimin's ears are ringing by the time hyung pulls onto the familiar stretch of beach, body buzzing from the vibration of the truck on the road as he hops out.
It's even colder here than it'd been in the city, the wind rushing off the water, chilling Jimin to the bone despite his big, puffy coat. But it feels amazing, the sand soft under his shoes as he runs up ahead, glancing back at his friends as he comes dangerously close to the edge of the water, hands still stuffed in the pockets of his coat. The dulled sunlight glints off the truck, a little blink as the sun is enveloped in another blanket of clouds.
They've only just got here, still have hours to spend doing just about whatever they want and yet, some part of Jimin is already dreading when it all ends.
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He curls his own arm around Jungkook's waist, leaning in to their shared body heat, looking out across the beach as Jungkook speaks. He knows Jungkook's life isn't easy, that his home isn't as warm and comforting as it should be, that he struggles to be dependable and supportive of all his hyungs when he should be able to let himself be coddled as the maknae.
But in this moment he sounds free of the usual burdens, painting an image that all of them long for, an escape from the heaviness of their realities. Hoseok daydreams about it all the time, the seven of them living somewhere together, a big house with lots of rooms, no parents, no school, nobody telling them what to dream. And it's not remotely realistic, he knows that, but some nights it's all he can do to keep from cracking, imagining there's a future where they won't be alone or scared or hurting, neglected, lonely, riddled with guilt.
"Maybe we could camp," Hoseok says, Jungkook's words painting images in his head. "Build a fire and cook, sing songs under the stars." He inhales deeply, tasting salt at the back of his throat. "I've never been camping," he says. "Have you?"
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Jungkook leans back slightly, his nose wrinkled in excitement as he recalls all the details. Distantly, he remembers that his father was a man who enjoyed the outdoors, would always head to the water as he was growing up in Busan, and Jungkook can't help but wonder if this is something he would have enjoyed sharing with his son.
"It'd be cool though, like... learning how to pitch a tent, and curling up in those giant sleeping bags. And we could bring one of those portable burners, and a pot or something, and have ramyeon out at night. I feel like ramyeon's always tastier when it's a little chilly out. And we could have a fire and roast some sweet potatoes, and maybe even some meat," Jungkook rambles, running and briefly kicking his feet out. "I wonder if Jin hyung would still be as good at cooking without all the accouterments of a formal kitchen."
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Hoseok had seen some of those variety shows too, back in the orphanage, and he always loved the idea of getting away from everything, being away from adults who can tell them what they can and can't do. Not that he has any aspirations of doing anything crazy (aside from maybe some drinking, but that's legal for him now anyway), it's just the idea of being able to stay out late and be noisy and not have to worry about anything at all is so appealing.
"You're right about the ramyeon too," he says, thinking about a bubbling pot of it right now, how the steam would rise up in the cold air, warming his face if he leaned over to smell it. "And sweet potatoes, god that sounds so good," he hums, his stomach growling just at the thought of it.
"We should totally do it," he states, decisive. "Maybe even this summer, after school ends?" he muses, trying not to think about the fact that they might not all still be here much after that, not wanting to believe that their time together as friends, all seven of them together, could soon be drawing to an end.
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He knows that sometimes it's hard for Hoseok to allow himself to look forward to the same things the rest of them do; of the group, Jungkook's pretty sure that he has the tendency to look the furthest ahead, but all of those desires he has for the future are things he's not sure Hoseok even lets himself think about. Things like marriage, like having children realistically, Jungkook knows that he might not have either of those things in his lifetime, not with having chosen Yoongi as his partner, but they've never seemed like insurmountable milestones based on Jungkook's identity alone.
And because of that, Jungkook finds that sometimes it's good to look for the small victories. Anything for which the only real blocker is time.
He makes a mental note to himself to talk to Jin later, to ask him how financially feasible it is for them to go on such a trip. How they can manage to do so on a budget that doesn't end up feeling like a burden to those among them who are more financially stretched.
"If hyung could pick the location, where would you want to go?" Jungkook asks, curious as to where Hoseok takes himself when he lets himself dream.
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He thinks a little harder, but he can't come up with anything practical or realistic. He thinks about the Bakhansan National Park, and he knows it's beautiful, that you can hike there, but he isn't sure about camping. There must be somewhere not too far out of the city, the countryside Jungkook mentioned, but Hoseok doesn't know where any of it is specifically, what places would allow them to camp.
The thing is, most of his world view comes from what he learns in school. He's never had very easy access to a computer, and even when he can use one it isn't anywhere he has the luxury of time to just browse. He has his cell phone now, but he has to be mindful of his usage, can't afford overages. So he knows about far off places and history, from classes, from the few movies and TV shows he's seen, but he doesn't have any real ideas about where they could go on a local camping trip.
"I don't, um," he says, rubbing at the back of his neck as his cheeks go warm with embarrassment. "I don't really know where you can camp around here," he admits. "Maybe somewhere near the Han? Or the countryside, like you said."
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Jungkook leans back, reaching back with his hands until the heels of his palms press against the cool sand and rock around the edge of the tide pool, tilting his chin up until he's able to stare up at the sky. Sometimes it's a little daunting to think about how much of the world is out there, and how much time they spend in so small a perimeter. How much they miss out on as a consequence of the system they've been born into.
"I wish it was easier to go far, far away. Not forever, but just... I don't know, if we work hard, if we save up. Someday, we should all go somewhere far from here and just see what else is out there. Maybe it doesn't even maybe it doesn't even have to be overseas, I guess it'd be fine if we stayed in Korea, but maybe we can go to the edge of the country. Somewhere we aren't always surrounded by all sides by the high rises, somewhere that feels different from Seoul. You know?" Jungkook muses, frowning to himself. "I've been researching Busan, it actually isn't that bad when you're like. Willing to stay in a love hotel or something, nowhere fancy. I just want to be somewhere that doesn't feel like here, even if only for a day."
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"I've never stayed in a hotel," Hoseok says idly, looking back down into the tide pool, watching the surface of the water ripple. "It sounds fun, though. A love hotel sounds really fun," he adds with a laugh. He imagines that Jungkook's research is for him to go to Busan with Yoongi, and it makes him smile to himself. He hopes they will go, that they'll get to be alone together and do whatever they like, just be together, to not have to share their time with anyone or anything else.
He wonders if that's something he'll get to do with Jimin, some day. They aren't together yet, of course, and there's a chance they won't get to be, that Taehyung won't be okay with the situation. It's hard to not daydream about it a little, though, to think about where he and Jimin might go, if they could stay in a hotel together too. Though maybe he should be more careful about letting his hopes get out of control; even if things do work out, a big trip like that is probably something they shouldn't rush into. And also there's no way Hoseok can afford something like that, not unless he spends a lot of time being careful what he spends his money on otherwise.
"Will you go to Busan with Yoongi hyung?" he asks, turning his gaze back to Jungkook.
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Every treat they offer themselves now comes with that backdrop of knowing it's just that much less they can lean on later. But for a first trip to Busan, it feels worth it.
"I guess it's nice that you don't have to make your own bed, but the mattresses are usually just kinda meh. It's less about having a great place to stay over at, and more about having the flexibility to stay somewhere far away," Jungkook muses, the corner of his lips curling. "The love hotels can be a little more interesting, but they also get super hokey, from what I've heard. I'll have to see; I've never actually been in one. But I hear that they compete sometimes by having different themed rooms and it sounds... I don't know, interesting."
He kicks his feet out as he turns to gaze Hoseok, smile warm and bright. "Is it super obvious? Yeah, we really wanted to make a trip together. It's taken longer than we expected to save the money, but..."
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Though he suspects that Yoongi and Jungkook will probably use their hotel room in Busan for that anyway. It makes him smile; he's a romantic at heart, and even though his own chance and romance is still up in the air, the idea of his friends getting to be close and intimate and happy warms his heart. He can't help thinking that maybe someday he'll get to experience that too. He really can't wait.
"You guys are so cute," Hoseok says, the breeze off the water cooling his flushed cheeks. "I'm a little jealous," he adds with a grin. "But maybe, you know. Maybe soon I'll have someone I can go on a trip like that with."
He bites his lip. He really wants to tell Jungkook, wants to tell someone. It's too early, he knows, nothing is certain yet. He just feels really hopeful now, that he and Jimin can find something together.
"What kind of a hotel are you guys going to stay in?" he asks, tucking his knees up, wrapping his arms around his shins.
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For that future to look a little brighter.
If he's honest, the suggestion on Hoseok's part is so much more interesting to Jungkook than talking about the more practical details of his planning with Yoongi. But, he reminds himself, sometimes it's better to let these things take their time. He remembers how careful he'd been with Yoongi before announcing to the group, needing to prepare themselves, to steel for any awkwardness or disapproval. Maybe Hoseok needs the same.
"Aww, I'm sure lots of people would line up to go to a love hotel with you, hyung," Jungkook laughs, leaving it at that for the time being, reaching over to squeeze Hoseok's shoulder with a broad grin. He wrinkles his nose a moment later. "Honestly, I don't think we'll be super picky when it comes to hotel? We're not exactly swimming in cash, so probably whatever place has the best deal and is, you know, relatively safe and all that. It's the food that I really want to work on saving up for. So much good seafood out by Busan, I've heard."
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It's too early to think about things like going to a love hotel, way, way too early, but the idea of getting to go to a place like that with Jimin makes Hoseok's heart skip a beat. He isn't even thinking of anything sexual, just getting to be alone with Jimin, getting to look into his eyes and talk for hours, holding hands, sleeping side by side, maybe sharing a kiss... It's too much, it's too good, and it makes Hoseok's chest want to burst with happiness.
"That sounds so fun," Hoseok says, and he's mostly talking about Jungkook's trip to Busan with Yoongi, but maybe there's a bit of his own dreams tangled up in those words too. "Have you been researching restaurants? What dishes are you the most excited to try?"
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It stands to reason that they'd be far tastier there.
"Ah, but probably any seafood restaurant would be great. And I've heard that some of the usual stuff just has a different style there, like the hotteok they're like, crispy? Which I wonder about. And the ddeok there are supposed to be pretty thick, and ah, I don't know, maybe some of it's just rumors, but I've watched a lotta YouTube videos and it all looks so good," Jungkook chuckles, leaning back and digging his fingers into sand. "Mom says Dad lived there when he was little, so I've always wanted to check it out."
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He grins and Jungkook outlines all the things he thinks he might like, how foods they're used to are supposed to differ in Busan, how it relates back to Jungkook's dad. That part strikes a different sort of chord with him, his smile fading slightly.
Hoseok doesn't know where his father is from. He has no memory of having a father, and even the memories he has of his mother have started to fade into almost nothing more than dreams. He doesn't know if he was born here or if he was born somewhere else, where any of his family comes from, what kind of people they might be. When he was first in the orphanage some of the workers told him his satoori sounded like he might come from the Jeolla province, but whatever dialect he had disappeared quickly, going to school in Seoul.
"Crispy hotteok sounds really interesting," he says, his smile brightening again as he shakes off his thoughts. "You'll have to tell me what it's like! And the fishcakes too. Maybe you can even smuggle some back?"
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He smiles, pulling his legs up so that he can wrap his arms around his knees. Jungkook isn't very afraid of the cold in general, but now that they've been sitting stationary for a while, there's a little bit of chill that starts to cut through.
"I'll definitely take pictures of everything," he promises with a grin. "And I promise not to wave them in front of everyone's faces if they start feeling jealous. But we can definitely bring some stuff back! Like fishcakes, and maybe we can like — maybe we can have Jin hyung host a party the next weekend. I bet he knows how to make odeng-tang."
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Not to mention how much he loves cuddling, especially with his dongsaengs. Of all of them Jungkook puts up with it the best, and Hoseok hopes it's because Jungkook likes it as much as he does and not just because he's humoring his hyung. Either way Hoseok loves it, and he won't keep Jungkook close if he starts to wiggle, would never want to make Jungkook uncomfortable.
"I'd love to see the pictures," Hoseok says, rubbing the outside of Jungkook's arm with his hand to warm it up a little. "And anything you bring back would be great! But don't feel like you have to, of course," he insists. "This vacation is about you and Yoongi hyung. We'll all just be happy to hear you both had a wonderful time away together."
Squeezing Jungkook against his side, he looks out across the ocean, the breeze ruffling his bangs where they stick out from under his hat. "I'm sure Jin hyung will be happy for any excuse to throw a party," he adds, daydreaming about it already. "I wonder if he'd let me come over and help him cook something."
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In his mind, the two are totally separate issues.
"Eh, but part of what's so good about dating Yoongi is that we basically love the same people," Jungkook points out, tilting his head playfully back and forth. He remembers how much fun they had shopping for everyone's Christmas presents, before they were even dating, and wonders how much more enjoyable it'll be now for them to shop around for souvenirs though they'll have to be a little more frugal than they were previously, considering the cost of the trip itself. "We'll share the memories. Definitely."
He leans forward, resting the side of his head against his knees, making it easier to watch Hoseok. "I bet Jin hyung would really appreciate an extra pair of hands in the kitchen. Provided they're not as clumsy as Namjoon hyung's," Jungkook grins. "He's a pretty good teacher, too. Yoongi's learned a few dishes from him."
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It's been a couple months now, but Hoseok's still really anxious around Jin after everything that happened the night he stupidly confessed to him. It was messier than it needed to be, Hoseok tangled up in his feelings, unable to escape, to keep them in anymore. Since then Jin's been nothing but a good friend, a supportive older brother, just like always, but Hoseok can't help wondering if he worries about being alone with Hoseok now, if he has to be extra careful about what he says.
Hoseok sighs. He's good at compartmentalizing a lot of the time, and he's put his feelings for Jin (and for Yoongi) in a box, sealed it up and buried it as deep as possible. But the dirt is still disturbed, and sometimes Hoseok trips over it, often can't ignore it. It's not that he's holding out any hope or anything, it's just still there, as much as he wishes it wasn't.
Maybe, if things work out between him and Jimin, maybe then, finally, he'll be able to let go completely.
"I don't want to be a burden," he says, taking a deep breath to try and clear the ache from his chest. "I probably shouldn't ask."
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They probably have different reasons for having held back so far.
"I don't think you're a burden," Jungkook says quietly, his gaze briefly skirting off to the side, making sure that there's no one around to overhear. "Having feelings doesn't make you a burden to anyone, it's — it's probably more a burden on you than anyone else, hyung. But if you want to spend time with Jin hyung again, I think you should reach out. I know hyung really cares about you. Probably misses you a lot. It's just... you know, more about how much peace you think it'll give you."
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Maybe that's part of why he's been nervous about being around Jin. Because he can say he understands and he can tell Jin that it's okay, but he can't hide the way his heart aches. It wasn't like he ever really had any hopes of getting to be with Jin like that, but it's harder now, knowing he was right, harder now that Jin knows, that Jin's had to reject him.
Jungkook's seen through him entirely, of course. He knows what Hoseok's thinking without Hoseok having to say it because he can see it in Hoseok's eyes, because he knows Hoseok well enough to be able to read what he sees.
"I want to spend time with him," Hoseok agrees, inhaling against the ache in his chest. "And not just... I mean, I'm trying..." He sighs, looking out across the ocean for a minute, wishing there was some way the cold waves could just wash all these feelings away.
He hears laughter then, turns his head to see Jimin and Taehyung down the beach, running along the surf.
He swallows. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time," he says, turning back to Jungkook. "And, like. Fix what I did wrong. Change things. It was better when he didn't know," he explains with a laugh. "It would be better if he didn't. Easier."
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He realizes, of course, that Hoseok might not feel particularly happy about where he is now. That the loneliness he lamented when they spoke months ago might still be pervasive through his life. If only, Jungkook thinks, he could pass over some of his optimism. Some of that firm belief that he still so easily holds on Hoseok's behalf, that there will be better times to come.
"Maybe it'd be easier, but I guess... I don't know," Jungkook says, wishing he had the right words. Sometimes he just feels clumsy, stumbling around sentiments that don't sound as nice when he explains them out loud. He stretches his legs back out, letting his toes skim across the chilly water, splashing some drops out into the distance. "You never know what good things might come down the line, thanks to where you've been. Right? I think about my dad sometimes, and how much I wish he was still around, but. If he was, then I probably never would've moved to where I am now, and I don't think I would have met any of you. Stuff like that."
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Jungkook's doing that for him now, trying to take a bad situation and find something positive about it. And then Jungkook mentions his dad, about how his dad leaving brought him to where he is now, and Jungkook doesn't say it but there's something in his tone that might be an implication; if Hoseok had to guess, he'd say Jungkook wouldn't even think about giving up his life now to be able to grow up with his own father, even it if meant getting to live with two people who love him, who don't hit him.
Hoseok loves his friends, he loves them all so much, more than anything. They're his family, they take care of him, take care of each other, hold each other up. Hoseok wouldn't know how to smile without them, wouldn't have any kind of future to look forward to.
But if he had the choice, if he could have his mother back, could return to that amusement park and count all the way to ten, uncover his eyes and see her standing there, there's a big part of him that wouldn't be able to say no. Even knowing that having her might keep him from meeting these boys, the people who matter most, who will always matter most.
He's glad it's not a decision he'll ever have to make.
"You're right," he says, watching Jungkook dip his toes in the water, the ripples he creates, cause and effect. "It's good that we can't go back. I mean, we'll always make new mistakes," he adds with a laugh. "And this one, telling Jin hyung... It's not the worst mistake I've made."