Hello, my buttcheeks. Im sorry for the late update TT_TT but I hope this chapter makes up for it!! I luv you all so much once again, and I hope to see you next week!

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I'm still the same me
The me from before is still here but
The lie that's gotten too big
Is trying to swallow me up

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'This is stupid. I feel restless.'

'Why? Kim Namjoon is a dependable, respectable man. Not once has he let down someone before. I'm certain Min Yoongi would find us in no time.'

Jungkook pointed at the sun, causing the fiery ball to shrink at the unwanted attention, especially from Jeon Jungkook.

'You see that?' He gestured to the streak of light just barely grazing the sandy horizons, 'The sun's almost down! And it's the middle of summer! We've been waiting for hours and not even a single damn fly has crossed paths with u-'

Just then, a figure so distorted from the sheer amount of speed they were nothing but a blurry ball crashed into him. The unknown specimen snatched the sheet from his hand and toppled his hat over unintentionally as well.

"A meteor," Jungkook thought when he could finally form coherent sentences again, "I've been struck by a meteor."

He slowly opened his eyes, expecting his dark irises to be met with the clean and pure gates of heaven with doves ornamenting the pillars. Or, at the very least, the devil himself, offering Jungkook the throne.

But when his vision cleared, the only thing Jungkook saw was a pale-skinned man hunched over the sheet music, scanning wildly with blind devotion to the score, drinking in every fermata and accidental, not even leaving a single note to be squandered. It was as if his eyes alone could play the entire sonata.

Elysian went up to him while the Jester still recovered from being tackled, 'Uhm...excuse me, good Sir. Are...you perhaps Min Yoongi?'

Ignored.

'...Mr. Min Yoongi? You...You are him, correct?'

Elysian was met with silence again.

'...Mr...Mr. Min...?'

His frenzied gaze finally halted. And slowly, without uttering a single word, pulled something worn and small from the pocket of his jacket. No, two things. Tickets. Hand-drawn and cut unevenly.

Yoongi placed the tickets in the palm of her hand, and ran off, not bothering to take his eyes off the sheet music.

'Well...that was fairly simple...'

'My arm's healing process won't be, though.'

She waved him off, clutching the two tickets in her hand and trying to read the script, 'You're going to be fine. Besides, this would take us to the next person: Kim Taehyung. I heard he's running a traveling carnival these days.'

She whipped her head around, flashing a teasing grin at him, 'Oh, goodie. Another clown we'll perhaps be meeting! You'll have a friend just like you, Mr. Harley!'

'Why, you little-'

She laughed, sprinting off and trying to dodge his attempts at grabbing her. Every time, he could come so close, only for her to pull some unknown amount of speed and deftly evade his grasp. Sometimes, during the chase, having felt a need to not expend extra energy, Jungkook had hoped and believed that by running around in circles like this, Kim Taehyung would magically appear. But, of course, his main goal was catching the surprisingly quick girl. And Jungkook wouldn't admit it, but that was the most exhilarated he had felt in a long while. The duo ran for hours in a direction unknown to man until the both of them were heaving for both air and water.

Elysian recovered first and pulled Jungkook to his feet, 'There! Get up, Mr. Harley! I can't believe it! It's Kim Taehyung!'

'You...' Elysian looked at him with awe, 'Sometime during our chase...you believed, didn't you? Believed that Taehyung would miraculously cross paths with us...?'

He looked away, '...Don't get me wrong. It wasn't because I actually believed. It was just so that I could confirm you were telling the truth.'

The girl knew otherwise but didn't prod any further.

'By the by,' He started a blatant attempt at changing the subject once again, '"Mr. Harley" makes me sound old.'

'Oh? You'd like for me to change it? Depends. How old are you?'

'...I don't know.'

'What!' She asked, incredulous.

Jungkook looked straight ahead, seeing the little traveling carnival stop become near as they walked, 'Well, my parents died before I was old enough to remember dates.'

"Oh," was all she could say before looking away, guilt seeping in her heart. She never would've guessed the Jester was an orphan. He was more like...a spoiled, rich boy who always got his way. Yet, when she looked at his glassy eyes, it was evident that Jungkook grew up without love.

'Well," she gulped, afraid of how he would react, "how about I give one for you!'

He looked up, his doe eyes meeting her bright ones, surprise written on his face.

'Hmm...let's see,' she walked up to him, examining his face and body structure, 'you're pretty muscular. In good shape as well and you have a lithe frame. No wrinkles on your face either. I'd say...about twenty-one or twenty-three!'

'And as for the exact date?' Jungkook asked, hoping the question might distract her from the growing blush on his cheeks from her compliments.

'Well...how about the date we met? It's been five days so far...so five days ago would be...September first! Good thing summer over here lasts 'till October. Babies born during Winter or Spring usually are less flexible and less adaptive than those born in Summer or Fall.'

He had to ask since her date of birth never came up, 'When's yours? Birthday, I mean.'

She gave a soft smile, 'May...third. Spring-time. I don't know the year. But I doubt I'm younger than nineteen or older than my early twenties.'

The carnival finally was within three feet from them.

'I guess we're made for each other, Mr. Harley.'

Her svelte wrists latched onto his, dragging him along toward the man in a black top hat.

'...Perhaps so, Miss Cavier.'

___

Two hours later, a stuffed rabbit was dumped in Jungkook's arms, and multitudes of hairpins were placed in Elysian's hair. All prizes in which were won by Jungkook. Unwillingly.

Taehyung gasped in astonishment, "Another one?! We got a winner here! Again...!"

Several more stuffed animals were loaded into the fool's arms.

"I swear! Why is it that only you win?! The game is rigged! You must know him!"

And although on paper it looked like she was angry, Elysian was having the time of her life. Her jubilant giggles rang out whenever Jungkook was clearly not even trying yet managed to score everything perfectly. Once, he even ran nineteen feet away from the carnival and closed his eyes but still managed to win twenty prizes from that throw alone.

"My arms are getting sore! Why not let us go?" He said while preparing another throw.

"Nonesense!" Both Taehyung and the girl in white exclaimed.

And Jungkook, although he may take it to his grave, was secretly relieved. For he was having fun as well, no matter how heavy his arms got or even when Taehyung ran out of prizes, so he started taking them back one by one whenever he won, instead.

The game continued until it was nearing dawn, leaving the duo exhausted and with only the original stuffed rabbit and two hairpins: rose, and lily, in Elysian's hair. Kim Taehyung was not tired at all.

"I'll see you guys around!" He cheerfully waved them goodbye from his horse-drawn carriage, "Let's all have fun together some other time!"

Jungkook shot him a weak grin, "Me too..."

The girl next to him managed to have enough energy for an exclamation mark, "It was fun!"

And with that, the two of them collapsed into the sand and begun their peaceful slumber.

Of course, until Elysian was awakened by something tickling her nose. Something...smooth, fragile, and...fragrant.

She opened her eyes and was met with a man. Strikingly handsome and had soft features much similar to a white rose.

Park Jimin cleared his throat, "Fair maiden, good morn. This humble tailor hast stumbled upon thee. And I wish to make a bargain."

"A...bargain...?" Elysian drawled warily.

His eyes gleamed, "Precisely, M'lady."

"Well, what do you want?" She hoped it wasn't something vital of hers. Like her heart, or something. For hers already belonged to someone else.

"Nothing much, really. Only that." He pointed toward her rose hairpin.

Elysian exhaled a breath of relief, "Oh, only that. Alright."

She proceeded to whisk the hair decoration off her and placed it in Park Jimin's gloved hand. A look of pure love and adoration from him fixated unto the object but was quickly tucked away. No, sealed away. It was clear to Elysian that what he wanted to express had been taken out forcefully.

"What's...What's wrong, Sir..."

"Park Jimin," he finished for her, "I was cursed, you see. Well, I brought the curse onto myself. Willingly. I...I was in love with this fair lady, you see. Asked for a dress from roses, she did. And in the end, it was nothing more a foolish tragedy. A-And...it was like someone poured lemon juice all over my creamy chocolate heart. The pain was too much. So I asked the gods to give me the ability to see anyone's greatest desires in exchange for my ability to feel love."

It didn't go unnoticed that Park Jimin easily dropped his formalities. And other than the fact that it was just because the author was too lazy to continue writing fancy text, Elysian concluded that his susceptibility to opening up to others too easily is what caused his heartbreak in the first place.

Jimin cleared his throat, shakiness from his voice gone.

'Anyway, I thank you for the hairpin. And in exchange for your cooperation, I shall give you,' Jimin paused for dramatic effect and then brandished a bouquet from his suit, 'ta-da!'

Elysian's hand flew up to her mouth, 'It...it can't be...!'

'Oh, it is, fair maiden.'

After gazing at the roses for some time, she reluctantly plucked a rose from the bouquet and marveled at the intricate folds and creases of each rose petal forming a flower. And an idea came to her. Sneaking a peek at the sleeping man beside her, she nimbly but carefully tucked it behind Jungkook's ear, fighting a giggle in the process.

However, after realizing that almost certainly, he looked prettier than her, Elysian snatched the rose back again.

She turned around and met the eyes of a cheeky Park Jimin, staring at her.

'...What?'

He grinned, 'You like him, don't you?'

Instantaneously, her face became as red as the vibrant rose held betwixt her fingers.

'L-Like this fool?! Why I never! I...I...I would never...' She stole a glance at his sleeping, serene, face, no longer marred with a frown like it was a couple days ago.

She didn't bother to finish her sentence. The way her eyes softened at the sight of him said it all.

'I...' she gulped and turned toward Jimin to deny it, but he was already gone, leaving behind six roses. But then, a flower petal flew past her ear, encasing a message along with it.

"I wish with all my heart that your love story won't end up like mine," the velvet petal whispered.

And suddenly, tears streaked down her cheeks.

'I hope so too,' she whispered. 

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1.8k words later....things are about to get spicy....

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