Thread by @amethystjooonie

MY TIME

1700s era Jungkook was brought to the present in an event called time migration. As a new Beforeigner he has to adapt to society or risk being a time outcast. Luckily, the dimpled-cheek history professor was more than happy to help

#namkookau #btsau

Jungkook was crouched under a bush, trying his best to mask his laughter as the high-pitched voice trills his name over and over. He could barely make out her small figure as she checks behind each tree and undergrowth, trying to find where her brother could possibly be hiding

And then- a ringing sound. A sharp sensation on the small of his back, as if a hook had yanked him. His mouth only had time to shape his sister's name before he vanished into darkness.

-

When he came to, it was with extreme disorientation and confusion. He felt like a

newborn animal, unknowing how to support himself on his trembling legs. But at the very core, he knew what had happened to him, as what had happened to many in his village and beyond. It filled him with a dread that threatened to gnaw his insides.

His attempt to stand was futile. He braced his fall with one hand to the ground. Instead of smooth soil and soft crunchy grass, rough pebbles on hard, blackened ground grazed his skin.

Once the nausea passed and the ringing in his ears stopped, new sensations began to assault him. People walked around him, oblivious to his distress. The way they dressed made him watch each person in awe, observing arrays of colours and styles that made no sense to him.

Many had a small rectangular device in the hands, with something dangling from their ears connected to them. These things seem supremely important, as barely none of them looked up as they trudged ahead, bearing no mind to the world. Some even expertly dodged other people

and obstacles in their way without even a second thought, as if they had a sixth sense.

It wasn't until he had the strength to stand did Jungkook force himself out of the way, barrelling against a nearby wall. His breaths came out short and heavy, and no matter how hard

he tried, he couldn't seem to stop his hand from shaking.

"Hey, you alright there?"

A man garbed in all blue started approaching him, several pairs of eyes looking up as he did so, which made Jungkook even more nervous. The man couldn't be much older than him,

but he carried an authority that made him look intimidating.

'ID number, please,' the man said, whipping out a curiously small book from his pocket and started scribbling in it. Except he wasn't using a quill, but a quaint metal object that resembled a toy sword.

'Sir? ID number please.'

It was then when Jungkook made a noise of confusion, which caused the man to inspect him more closely: his wide, panicked eyes, his trembling body and his mouth trying to articulate words that wouldn't come out

'Oh shit,' the man mumbled, hastily stuffing his things back in his pocket. 'Are you new? Did you-did you just arrived?'

When Jungkook nodded, the man immediately went closer, his body language akin to someone trying to placate a frightened animal.

'It's alright. My name is Taehyung. Officer Taehyung. I'm a police officer, which means I'm in charge of helping someone like you. So you can trust me,' he ended with a warm smile that reached his eyes, so Jungkook willed himself to calm down.

'Can you tell me your name?'

'Jeon... Jungkook,' he managed.

'Well Jeon Jungkook,' Taehyung said, clasping his shoulder. 'Welcome to 2020.'

-
The policeman was even younger than Jungkook thought, barely two years older. He explained that he had just recently graduated from police academy (Jungkook learned this is where he trained, much like an apprenticeship), and wasn't expecting to come across a

Beforeigner. "That's what we call you guys,' he explained as he pulled Jungkook's head inside the car just before a truck zoomed past the cruiser. 'This is really exciting. I've never met a fresh one before.'

Jungkook tugged at the seat belt, not liking how it restrained

his movements.

'Where are you taking me?'

'Oh, we're going to the station. How to handle a new Beforeigner wasn't in the briefing packet. I was only supposed to take care of traffic. My CO would know what to do.'

He understood about one percent of that entire explanation,

but chose not to press further. Taehyung began humming an unfamiliar tune, his baritone voice so deep Jungkook could feel the vibration in his teeth.

'Hey, wanna see something cool?' he asked, the glint in his eyes suggesting something either magnificent or truly terrifying.

He reached forward and pressed a dial. Immediately, a sound blared out of the strange black instrument in front of them. Jungkook jumped so hard he hit his head on the ceiling of the car in surprise, Taehyung's cackles following suit

They arrived at the station to a cacophony of noise, officers and civilians alike bustling about. Jungkook made sure to trail closely behind Taehyung, not knowing what to do if he was lost in the company of such strange people in an even stranger time. He spotted several

Beforeigners, evident by the way they speak and carry themselves, even though they were wearing the clothes of this era. Jungkook looked down at his own clothes- besides the obvious filth they were in, its evident how shabby he was, making him stick out like a sore thumb.

The people of this time wear better garments, with less emphasis on social position. For all he tried, he couldn't tell a peasant from a lord.

'Right through here. We' re almost there, ' Taehyung said, leading him further into the building.

They left behind the general chaos and encountered less people. Jungkook was amazed at the structure of the building, so vast and grand and made from stone that could withstand a thousand storms. The floor was polished to such a shine he could see his reflection on it as if it

were water, which made him even sorrier at the muddy footprints trailing behind him.
They entered a room full of square metal boxes, with more officers sitting in front of them, their fingers clacking away and making a bizarre symphony of mechanical clicks.

'Jungkook?'

He turned towards Taehyung. He was already joined by another man. The new officer was tall, with probably the widest shoulders he'd ever seen.

'How are you? I'm Kim Seokjin, head of the Beforeigner Placement Bureau. Taehyung told me you migrated this morning?"

Jungkook gave a small nod, reaching out to receive his handshake. It was surprisingly warm, as was the smile he was giving him.

'Sorry,' Jungkook said in an almost whisper. 'I'm terribly confused. "

'That's understandable. We'll do everything to make sure you're comfortable here, as well as get you adjusted. How bout we go in my office? I'll explain everything.'

The trio went inside another room, where Jungkook could see they were separated from the others. Seokjin - or Jin hyung - as the elder told to call him, sat behind a large desk, while he and Taehyung took seats opposite him.

'Some tea, Jungkook? It will help soothe your nerves.'

Jungkook accepted the cup gratefully, relishing the taste. It was the first familiar thing he'd had in this world, and he settled more comfortably in his chair.

'First, the basics. Can you tell me where you're from?'

Jin spread out a map, where Jungkook could read names of places he knew. He scanned the map and pointed to a place.

'Right here. My village is here, beside the sea,'

Jin looked at where he pointed. 'Ah, you're from Busan, then.'

He moved his finger a little further north.

'We're here now, in Seoul. It's still the same country, only its called Korea now instead of Joseon. And you're more than 300 years in the future. We're now in 2020.'

Upon his silence, Jin continued.

'What happened to you was called time migration. It was caused by a faulty time travel experiment that went out of control three years ago. It resulted in people from Old Korea being transported here through time.

We don't know yet how it happened and what kind of people were chosen to be sent here. What we do know is that once they come here, they couldn't go back. So this Bureau was set up to help Beforeigners like you assimilate into society. And it's very important that you do.'

Jungkook could sense the particular emphasis Jin placed on that last sentence, almost like a warning.

'What happens when I don't?'

Jin gave a glance towards Taehyung.

'You could become a time outcast, where you'll fit neither in the past or present. It's like being out of loop

and in more severe cases, the people just...vanish.'

'Vanish? To where?'

'We don't know. But it's unlikely they were brought back to their time. We have received reports of Beforeigners falling sick and just... fading away. It's like they were erased from existence.'

A quiet descended on the room as Jungkook soaked up the information. Taehyung placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. We have a really great program that can help you. A lot of Beforeigners have settled here, with their own little communities. You'll be fine"

"And we have a great team of volunteers, which brings me to my next point, ' Jin said as he took out a file.

'One volunteer will be assigned to you for your transition period. They'll be helping you with everything you need until you can manage for yourself. Now let's see..."

Jin perused the file, one finger going down a list until he found it. 'Ah! You're in luck. Namjoon's free to volunteer.'

'Oooh. Namjoon hyung's awesome. You're in good hands,' Taehyung piped up.

Jungkook frowned at the unfamiliar word. 'Oh... somme?'

Taehyung laughed. 'Awe-some. It means great or amazing. Hey, you learned your first slang word. Well done.'

Jin watched the two, like a big brother amused by little kids. 'Well, Officer Kim, I trust you to bring Jungkook to meet Namjoon. I think you'll find him at the

university. And don't forget to take him to Records and process his file. "

Taehyung tipped his hat. 'Will do. Cmon, Kook. It won't take long. See you later boss.'

Jungkook hastily got up from his chair and made a beeline towards the door before remembering. He turned around

and gave Jin a deep bow. 'Many thanks, good sir.'

Jin gave a smile and nodded. 'Take care, Jungkook. I wish you all the best.'
-
Jungkook was still reeling from having his picture taken. He was warned that they would be a bright flash, but it didn't prepare him for the

blinding white that branded itself into his brain. He felt like a stunned animal, and that was before they showed him an exact portrait of himself, looking quite alarmed, in full colour.

'What sorcery is this? ' he said, awed and frightened at the same time.

Taehyung laughed. 'One word. Technology. Dont worry, it's not a curse. We just need it for documentation purposes. Now, can you write?'

Jungkook nodded. His father secured him a good apprenticeship before he died, and all apprentices were taught to read and write.

He spent the next half an hour filling up a form, with Taehyung supplying him the words. He held the same toy sword he saw the elder used earlier, learning that it's called a pen, and that it had an almost everlasting supply of ink. He sometimes forgot and looked to dip it in

an inkpot that was never there. But he got used to it towards the end, and handed the officer in charge the form filled with his awkward handwriting.

Taehyung gave him a congratulatory grin, sticking his thumb up in the air. He wasn't exactly sure what the gesture meant,

but copied it all the same.

Taehyung took him in the cruiser again. He can never quite get used to getting to places at such monstrous speeds, or not hearing the clip clop of hooves underneath him.

'Alright, we're here,' Taehyung announced.

Jungkook could see they were

in front of a large complex of buildings, people bustling about in groups, many carrying books and notes. He distinctly remember Jin mentioning a university, so maybe this Namjoon was involved in academia.

Once again, Jungkook felt severely out of place. He would have been ignored, but Taehyung's presence made that impossible. He was just too charming and magnetic, saying hello to everyone he met. Jungkook walking silently behind him didn't help. They probably thought he was in

trouble.

Taehyung stopped a man to ask for directions, and they found out Professor Kim Namjoon was finishing up a class in Auditorium 25.

'Awesome. And it's almost lunchtime. If we're lucky we could get him to buy us some food,' Taehyung said, rubbing his hands together

in anticipation. When he caught Jungkook staring he shrugged. 'Hey, no judging. Don't tell me you'd turn down free food.'

Well, looking at how much his stomach's growling, he suppose he wouldn't.

They arrived at Auditorium 25, and Jungkook peeked in through the open door.

Most of the vast room was filled with hundreds of seats, but only a few were sprinkled amongst them, no more than 30 people. A voice boomed across the space, startling him.'

'Don't forget to hand in your assignment by the 16th. And reference, people. Please, I'd beg you if it

means anything.'

Taehyung snickered. 'That's gonna be tough.'

'How do they do that? How is the voice so loud?'

'They use a speaker system, it amplifies your voice in a large space so everyone can hear you clearly no matter where they sit.'

They stood aside as students peter

out of the class, until a lone man was left at the desk in front of the room. Jungkook hadn't noticed him before, too fascinated by the grandness of the space.

'Knock knock.'

The man looked up, squinted through his glasses. 'Tae?'

'Hey, Prof. Got some time?'

They went inside and approached him. Jungkook braved a peek from behind Taehyung. Namjoon was taller even than he, dressed in something he could only describe as "effortless charisma." In his time, glasses were only worn by the very elderly, but on Namjoon it exuded

a kind of mystical aura. He wondered if Namjoon was an oracle of this time.

'Difficult class?' Tae asked.

'I won't bore you with the details, but ironically history is being more ignored now than ever. Oh, hello.'

Namjoon had noticed him, and was giving him the kindest smile

a human being could possibly give. Taehyung stepped aside.

'Namjoon, meet Jungkook. He's new, arrived just this morning. I found him myself.'

'Oh, did you? I believe that's a first.'

Taehyung winked. 'Something to brag about to the squad.'

'Hello, Jungkook. I'm Namjoon.

I teach History here, with special attention to Beforeigners. Its nice to meet you. '

When Jungkook took his hand to shake it, he noticed black and blue stains, like he had been playing with paint. The hand itself was warm, gripping his reassuringly.

'Likewise,' he muttered, unable to meet his eyes.

'Sarge put you in charge of him. I've his document right here. The placement centre is full so he has to crash at yours for now.'

Namjoon gave the document a quick once over. Jungkook liked the way his mouth

pursed in concentration. If he was honest with himself, it was the lips alone that did it for him.

'Yeah, this should be no problem. My place is a little messy though Jungkook, so I'll apologise in advance,' he said sheepishly.

'I'm sorry if I'm being a trouble,' Jungkook said.

'No, no. I don't mean it that way,' Namjoon was quick to clarify.

'It's just his thing. Messy, clumsy hot professor. A sweetheart,' Taehyung quipped.

Namjoon rolled his eyes. 'Don't you have parking tickets to give out?'

Taehyung feigned hurt. 'Wow that was the least I expect from you, hyung.'

'What do you expect from me?'

'Food!' he said, tapping his watch. 'It's lunchtime.'

Namjoon sighed. 'Sometimes I wonder why I keep feeding you when you run on a paycheck.'

'Obviously because you love me.'

'Very debatable.'

Taehyung turned to him. 'See? Told you hyung's the best. I'll show you the finest food around.

What do you think about getting hotdogs?'

Jungkook stuck out his thumb hesitantly. 'Awe-some?' he said, giving out a nervous smile.

Taehyung burst into bass-induced cackles as Namjoon looked on, slightly horrified.

'Oh, that's good. You'll fit right in, Jungkook.'

-
As soon as they reached the hot dog stand, Taehyung got a call from his station to come back immediately.

'Dang it. I really wanna eat though,' he grumbled.

'I'll buy you one next time. You better go before your squad leader makes you do fifty.

'Oh, alright,' he sighed. 'Enjoy the food for me,' he told Jungkook before bidding them both goodbye.

'Well, Jungkook. Any that caught your eye?'

He studied the menu, but just reading the names made him dizzy: chilly cheese, double dog. And what on earth is a blt?

Namjoon chuckled. 'I don't eat here too often as well. Only when Taehyung wants me to buy for him. How about we have his usual?'

Jungkook agreed, and Namjoon ordered two Greek Gyros for them. They sat on a bench by the stand while waiting for their food.

'Just for clarification, we are not eating actual dogs, are we?'

Namjoon's eyes widened in confusion, and burst out into a silly guffaw that was absolutely at odds with his sophisticated look. But it brought a smile to Jungkook's face seeing the dimples crescent on his cheeks.

'Goodness, no. But probably even worse. Processed meats. I don't know how Taehyung revolved his diet around it. He probably has home cooked food five times a year.'

'It tastes good but not so much on your body,' he added. 'Don't get addicted to it.'

Jungkook nodded, making a mental note. But the advice was slowly eroding from his mind when the cook began setting the grill, sizzling deliciously with a smell that made saliva flood his mouth. He began tapping his foot impatiently without realising it.

He practically ran to the stand when the owner waved at them, handing them each of what looked like a cylindrical meat resting between the two halves of a cut oblong loaf. it was loaded with sauces and ingredients Jungkook could not identify, but if the smell was

any indication, he bet it would taste amazing.

'Alright Jungkook, congrats on your first hotdog. Dig in.'

He watched as Namjoon tipped his head sideways to bite one side off and copied him. As soon as he did, a cornucopia of flavors barraged his mouth at once, making it the

most amazing mouthful he had ever had. He chewed in an almost dazed wonder, before practically chomping on the rest.

'Whoa slow down. Good, I take it?'

'This is food of the gods,' he said reverently, turning towards the owner. 'You are a god.'

It was Namjoon who almost choked

'Stop,' he laughed again, trying not to spill his food. 'Why are you so funny?'

Jungkook felt his neck warmed, but it was probably because of the sun.

Namjoon bought him another one, seeing the sad look on his face once he realized he had finished his share.

'I guess you won't be eating anything else for a while,' he sighed, yet staring fondly as Jungkook finished his meal.

-

They went back to Namjoon's place. He lives in a very tall building with several hundred people, all in their own individual units.

'Have you ever seen a honeycomb? It's sort of like that,' he explained as they rode a metal box that carried them smoothly upwards. Namjoon told him that they were on the sixteenth floor a couple hundred metres above the ground as Jungkook marveled at the scenery from

the floor's lobby window. He could see a wide river, cutting through the bustling metropolitan.

'Is that the Han River?' he pointed.

'Yes, have you seen it before?'

He shook his head. He had never left the greater region of his province. He knew of the great river of course,

the lifeblood of the nation. It made him feel something that the river had endured hundreds of years since his own time. Maybe he could too. Endure this.

Namjoon's place was much smaller than the buildings he'd seen so far, but bigger than his own little cottage he lived in with his mother and sister. He watched in silence as Namjoon began a sort of ritual as he entered his home, and compared it to his own.

The lights came on with a click on the wall, no candles needed. He pressed on a button and cool air wafted off a box hung near the ceiling. He would usually be fanning himself with his straw hat, especially during the summer. Namjoon went to another section of the house and

grabbed a glass. He placed it under a humming machine and water flowed from it, like a magic fountain. Jungkook remembered drinking from streams that ran near the woods.

Namjoon watched him as he just stood there.

'Are you angry?'

Jungkook looked up in surprise. 'No. Why would you say that?'

'Come here,' the man beckoned him, and he stood beside him. He was well aware of how close they were, arms almost touching.

'Some Beforeigners, they became angry once they see how we live,' Namjoon began,

handing him a glass of cold water. 'A lot of them are the working class, you know. Farmers, labourers. When they see that their equivalents here live in what looked like the height of luxury, they were angry. A lot accused us of using dark magic. Even as we educate them,

they felt they were cheated of a better life for simply being born in a different time.'

Jungkook quietened, staring down at his feet. They were standing on what looked like cool white marble, a stuff only found in palaces. His own floor had always been the earth or woven

straw mats.

'I'm not angry,' he said slowly, forming his thoughts. 'Of course, things change with time. I think I would be more surprised if you still live the way I did.'

Namjoon gave an amused chuckle.

'I think I was just... remembering how things were, and how different

they are now. Jin hyung spoke of the Beforeigners that disappeared because they failed to cope. I, myself, am not good with changes. I think that's what scares me most.'

'Hmm, let's see. You've learned a new slang word, you ate one of the most defining cuisine of modern history, and didn't freak out one bit with everything that's been happening around you, all in less than 24 hours,' Namjoon listed. 'Many have fared much worse, believe me.

If the situation was reversed and I was stuck in the 1700s, I would go mad.'

'No, you won't. You're too smart for that.'

'Maybe. But smarts don't always work.'

Jungkook bit his nail, considering something.

Namjoon peered down at his face. 'Something else is bothering you.'

It's going to be hard hiding things around Namjoon considering how perceptive the man is.

'Have there...have there been families that got time migrated here?'

Namjoon leaned back, sighing loudly from his nose. 'Not all at once, no. These time migrations are individualistic.

There are cases of Beforeigners reunited with a family member who was also brought here, but they are very rare cases, even rarer to be reunited with more than one.'

'I'm sorry, Jungkook,' Namjoon said gently.

Mother, his sister. He would never see them again.

'I just wished I had said goodbye,' he said, finding himself enveloped in a tight embrace as quiet tears flowed down his face.

Jungkook found himself left alone in the guest room of Namjoon's house, a stack of clothes next to him. The elder said they used to belong to his old housemate, and he could wear them for the time being.

The room was minimally furnished compared to the rest of the apartment,

since it wasn't much used. The only sign of personal property was a peculiarly shaped instrument with strings running down its middle, propped against one side of the wall.

'It's his old guitar. You can try play it if you want. I'm not any good.'

Now, Jungkook found himself slowly reaching out for it. He carefully positioned it across his body like Namjoon showed him, and ran a finger to gingerly pluck one string.

It made a screechy, resounding twang. He'll work on that.

Jungkook plopped down hard on the bed, the guitar still lying across his chest. His mind flashed the memory of him crying not 30 minutes ago, and he groaned.

It was really liberating then, to finally let it out. But now he was only feeling embarrassment. He wasn't exactly

the most graceful crier. He hadn't taken a look at his face yet, but could guess how red and splotchy it was.

If anything, Namjoon was great at pretending not to care about it. Or maybe he really /didn't/. Jungkook isn't the type to trust people so easily, but the energy he got

from him was different. He was genuinely trying to help. And when he was holding Jungkook close while he was basically clutching him from the onslaught of emotions that steamrolled him, the elder just gave him small reassuring pats on the back, occasionally brushing his hair

in such a calming gesture that Jungkook felt almost like he was floating. He had known the man for all of half a day, but already felt safe in his arms as he was in his own mother's.

He wonder...

No. Not now. Not today. He squashed it down as deep as it could go

and rolled over to one side, guitar forgotten. Head buried under one of the soft fluffy pillows, Jungkook drifted off to sleep.

-

He woke up to almost darkness, head and mouth stuffy with sleep. He considered laying there for a while, but his stomach had other plans,

and he could hear Namjoon doing something in the kitchen, metals clanging together that reminded him of being at a blacksmith's

He went outside, immediately greeted by the smell of dinner.

'Ah, you're awake. Hold on a moment. I'll have dinner ready soon.'

'What..time is it?'

'Uh... around 7 pm?' Namjoon said as he cocked his head towards one wall, both hands struggling with something in the sink.

Jungkook looked up to where he indicated, and saw a round face ringed with blue hanging alone, hands ticking solemnly.

He approached closer, listening to the very faint, steady ticks. Carefully, he reached out and began to examine it.

'Jungkook, can you handle spicy food?'
Namjoon asked, eyes still to the sink.

'Yes, I suppose,' he replied absentmindedly, turning the clock over.

'Good, because I just spilled a bunch of peppers and have /no/ idea how to get them out.

He noticed something like a latch and clicked it open, revealing a small cylindrical tube resting within it. He poked and prodded it with his finger and ending with accidentally

popping it out of the slot. He quickly turned the clock over again and noticed the hands had stopped. He inserted the tube again and the clock came back to life.

Interesting. It seemed that the little tube powered the clock automatically.

'You like it?'

He looked up, and found Namjoon looking at him.

'Yes, it's different from the ones I'm learning to make but... interesting...' he trailed off again, having found another eye catching mechanism.

'Wait, you're a watchmaker?' Namjoon asked.

'An apprentice to one. Haven't been for very long, though. About half a year or so,' he said, practically trying to pull apart the clock to study it. 'It's so big. Do you just hang it there? How do you tell time when you are outside? This can't possibly fit in your pocket.'

'Okay, slow down,' Namjoon said, taking the clock away before any more damage could be done. 'Help me set the table. Questions, afterwards.'

-

Namjoon made something called ramyeon, which was actually very easy to make. The ingredients consists of a packet of flavourings and

noodles that are packed together. Add both to boiling hot water and you get dinner.

'I could never imagine only waiting 3 minutes to get my diner ready,' Jungkook said, slurping the noodles. The spice kicked harder than he thought, scrambling for water as tears got in his eyes.

'Sorry,' Namjoon winced. 'I like to put in extra chillies but could never quite get the right amount. I'll try and make something else next time.'

'I like it,' he said, going for seconds. 'And I can do the cooking if you want. I'm quite good. You just have to teach me how to

use these appliances.'

'Really? Oh, that's good. I'm hopeless at cooking,' the other replied. 'And speaking of things you're good at, tell me more about your apprenticeship.'

Jungkook told him then, about the apprenticeship his father secured for him before he turned 18, when boys became men and are expected to provide for the family. But his father fell ill, and so Jungkook had to put off his apprenticeship to care for his sick father,

his mother and his young sister. He thought he had lost the chance, and when his father died he was ready to get on a ship far into the ocean, taking on what his father had done before him, as many Busan men had. But the watchmaker approached him and offered him

to be his apprentice, as a token of thanks for his father's kindness. And so although Jungkook was fairly older than the other apprentices, he worked hard and had a bright future as a watchmaker.

'I had a dream of having my own shop,' he smiled, thinking of those

naive memories. 'I dreamed of making a watch so exquisite and fabulous, the King himself would buy from me.'

Namjoon had watched him without talking, head resting on one hand.

'Maybe you still can.'

Jungkook looked up, brows knitted in confusion.

'I know someone, a close friend. He runs an antiquities store, but specialises in watchmaking. If you want, I can introduce you to him.'

Jungkook couldn't believe his ears. 'Really? Would you really?'

'Of course. He's already looking for an assistant, and I think you'd

be perfect for it.'

Namjoon was in for a surprise when Jungkook bounced from his seat and tackled him.

' Oh, thank you thank you thank you!' he said, almost jumping with glee.

Namjoon laughed, a thought briefly flashing through his mind of how much he liked the younger's smile

-
They went for a trip downtown on a nice autumn afternoon. It was Jungkook's favourite season, and he found experiencing it hundreds of years into the future has its own charms. The leaves were all brass and gold, crunching under his feet with every step.

But perhaps the most pleasant addition is walking alongside Namjoon. The man looked effortlessly amazing in a beige coat covering a turtleneck, his windswept hair adding to that unreachable aura. Women and men alike spared multiple glances as they crossed streets

and cafes. Jungkook felt a stab of envy, not because he felt overshadowed, but those dimple-laced smiles the other give so freely to strangers.

He somehow wished they were all his.

'Are you cold?'

Jungkook turned, slightly swallowing as he realized Namjoon had

bent down closer to his face.

'Just a little bit. Why?'

'Your cheeks are all pink,' Namjoon replied, slightly brushing his face with a knuckle. It was so brief- the other just went and walked ahead. But Jungkook was so flustered he truly panicked as he felt

heat burn up his neck and upwards to his face. He dug his chin to his chest and lifted up the scarf around his neck higher, fastening his pace.

Namjoon finally stopped when they reached a nondescript side of town, where only fringes of the crowd remained. Jungkook stared at the sign atop the store: "Kim & Min Clockware and Antiquities"

"After you," Namjoon said, opening the door.

It was like stepping back in time.

Or in Jungkook's case, back to where he was from. The store looked so much like his old master's it gave him goosebumps. A rush of comfort descending on him like a blanket as the familiar cacophony of ticks and toks filled his ears,

the warm brown of wood such a welcome after the many white walls. The air was filled with the smell of roasted coffee beans - also very familiar since Namjoon had five glasses a day at home.

Jungkook loved the place so much. He didn't think he'd ever leave

'Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,' a deep, dragging voice announced.

Jungkook noticed him then, only because he had been so quiet. A man at the register peered at them through round glasses, a book in his hand. A steaming mug sat close by, the source of the

warm smell.

'Yoongi, you know cats are too lazy to do that,' Namjoon replied, shedding off his coat.

The other man- Yoongi, snorted. 'You should have seen what Klaus brought me the other day,' he sniffed as he trudged towards the entrance.

The two men stood in silence,

as if sizing each other up. Then Yoongi mumbled 'Idiot,' and practically clung onto Namjoon for a hug. A deep rumble escaped from the latter.

'I'm sorry,' he said, patting his back. 'I was swamped with work.'

'Too swamped to even give me a call,' the other replied drily,

a pout in his voice.

'Well, I'm here to make it up to you. Yoongi, this is Jungkook. A new Beforeigner I'm helping. Jungkook, this is my very best friend in the whole world, and part time cat whisperer, Yoongi.'

'I'm sure you've thought of that intro all the way here.'

'And the vending machine of witty remarks,' Namjoon added with fake exasperation.

Yoongi walked up to him. He was almost a head shorter than Jungkook, but the way he carried himself--with a quiet self-confidence and no bullshit attitude made Jungkook straighten

his back and clasp his hands in front of him.

'You look really young,' Yoongi commented, then said nothing else.

'Well um,' Jungkook began, toes fidgeting in the manner whenever he was nervous.

'You too.'

Behind Yoongi, Namjoon let out a spurt, then quickly

covering up traces of laughter with the back of his hand.

Yoongi was unfazed. 'What year did you come from?'

'1721. I was from Busan.'

'1721,' Yoongi muttered. 'You were in the plague.'

Jungkook nodded. 'It took many, including my father.

Thankfully, the rest of my family and I were spared, though not without consequences.'

'You're a strong one,' the other said, holding his arm firmly. If you made it through that, you'll thrive here.'

Jungkook never had an older brother, but he felt Yoongi would manifest that

role very well.

'Now, what brings you back here, Joon? Not a trip down memory lane, I'm sure,' Yoongi said as he pulled up one of the stools near the counter.

Namjoon beckoned him, and Jungkook and he both took their seats.

'You made a fine work out of this place, Yoon. Dad would be proud.'

'Well, I have to, don't I? Since you still insist on paying the bills and all.'

Namjoon turned to him. 'We go way back. You and Yoongi here share a similar story. He was my father's apprentice.

His favourite.'

'There was no competition,' Yoongi quipped, raising an eyebrow in quiet smugness.

'Anyway, he was getting on with age. He needed someone to pass on the craft. We were both in college, and Yoongi had finished his apprenticeship with flying colours.

My father and I both agreed to let Yoongi continue the business, while I pursue History. He handles the business and management part while I handle all the utilities and legal parts of it. I try to come often. But the store's in good hands so I don't worry about it.'

'How'd you like the place, Jungkook?' Yoongi asked.

Jungkook looked around, he felt a kinship seeing all the age-worn things around him, as if they'd found their own place amidst a storm of fast-moving time.

'I love it. It feels like home.'

Yoongi gave a proud smile. 'It's not exactly the most profitable business, you know. People don't turn to the old classic things anymore since technology is much more convenient. But being here,' Yoongi swept a hand around. 'It gives me a sense of peace. My own secret world.'

Jungkook nodded in agreement. He understood the feeling perfectly.

'And that's why I came,' Namjoon said. 'Jungkook here could use your help. Like I said, he was a watchmaker's apprentice, just like you. I thought you could use his help in the store.'

Yoongi stared at the young Beforeigner for a long time. 'Are you sure about this, Jungkook?'

The confusion must've been apparent on his face, because after a sip of his coffee, Yoongi continued.

'This is a whole new life for you, a second chance. You are not obliged to your

past and the expectations that tied you to it. The 21st century has a lot more to offer. You can be a pro gamer, a wrestler, anything under the sun. You don't need to be stuck in an antiquities store with only ticking clocks to keep you company. I might not be

the chattiest of people, but I know a good character when I see one, and I'd hate for you to lose your potential.'

Jungkook was quiet for only a heartbeat. He reached out a hand. 'May I?'

Yoongi quietly assented, holding out his own.

'A clock on a wrist. Fascinating,'

he murmured, tracing the glass face and leather band.

'It's called a wristwatch. First invented in the late 19th century.'

Yoongi unwound it from his wrist and handed it over.

'Looks very well maintained. I assume you oil the leather regularly. As well as the mechanics inside

Based on the design and how worn out it is, it's probably decades old and judging on how comfortable you are with wearing it as well as the regular maintenance, I would say it's a gift from someone very close to you. A figure you respected and

miss dearly, because they're no longer with you.'

A light had shifted in Yoongi's eyes. A newfound appraisal as he was handed back his watch.

'You're right. It was a gift from my grandfather. He died when I was a teenager. This was the only thing of his I had left. Clocks and watches were his passion and that's how we spent a lot of time together. In his little wooden workshop out back, tinkering with

these tiny machineries. I was a child with a lot of energy, always restless. And making these watches helped calm my energy. I fell in love with watchmaking and after I met Joon and his father, it felt like the most natural thing to do.

I found my calling. And while it's not always easy, it's what makes me the happiest.'

'Its the same for me, too,' Jungkook replied. 'I know, that there could be so many things for me to explore out there. But I'd feel as if I would be wandering forever, never satisfied.

I'm happy with my apprenticeship and it's what I imagined myself doing. So no matter what it is, I know I'd end up in the same place in the end.'

Yoongi gave Namjoon a grave stare, before shaking his head. 'I don't know how you ended up with this kid, but I'm glad

you did.'

Turning to Jungkook, he offered an outstretched hand. 'Congratulations, you're hired.'

Jungkook just about jumped out of his seat in giddy excitement, vigorously shaking Yoongi's hand. He turned to Namjoon, a beaming smile indicating the happiness he felt.

Namjoon gripped his hand without a word, although the pride is evident in his eyes.

'You can start tomorrow. I'll give you your list of duties and how to handle customers. Once you've gotten the hang of it, we'll slowly get back into your apprenticeship. If you

somehow manage to surpass my impossible standards then we can consider fast-tracking your way into a master. In the end, it's all up to you. And I hope you can see it through to the end.'