Tuesday the 23rd, Oct 2018.

The colour was just like Seokjin's. It wasn't worn out at all. Heck, it could have passed as new, if Seokjin hadn't noticed how none of the strings were tuned. It was cheap too, and the seller wasn't too far away from where he was in the city.

Seokjin let the morning gust rake through his hair as he leaned on the rails of the balcony. All his forlorn feelings were gone with yesterday evening's pound of pork.

That day he didn't have eggs for breakfast. He flipped pancakes instead. He was quick to lock up and leave the apartment.

--

The bus ride was a calm one. He didn't have anything to worry about, so he just let his mind wander around sweet and savoury stuff. He thought of his shift at "Flour Cloud". His tapping foot voiced how much he couldn't wait for Friday.

Taking his phone from his pocket and drawing out his earpiece from the smallest compartment in his bagpack, Seokjin thought about listening to music. Taehyung had transferred quite a number of nice songs to his SD card, but he hadn't been bothered to try any of them out.

He felt it was ironic; how he loved playing the guitar but didn't have too much of an interest in leisurely enjoying music, as others did when they felt like they wanted to get hyped when working, or they wanted to zone out during a time they considered scheduled for rest. He suddenly felt sorry.

Putting the earpiece on, he tapped the play button on his phone, and for the rest of the ride, let his ears tune to combinations of soulful rhythm, instead of the regular rumbling pattern of the bus engine he heard every morning.

He regretted not having tried that sooner.

--

Seokjin was surprised to meet Namjoon in the hall first, waiting for them. It wasn't like it was something so rare it barely happened; but it still managed to bring a little shock every time it did. Seokjin wasn't exactly sure why.

He watched Joon send a little wave his direction. Soon, he was sitting beside his friend in their regular row of seats and waiting for Taehyung.

'He's late today', Namjoon said, pulling out his notes. It was a mere six minutes to the start of class. His watch had said so.

'I'm sure he'll be here any minute'.

Taehyung was.

--

The last class seemed to move so quickly, but it probably seemed like that only in Seokjin's mind. The time to get his "new" guitar was fast approaching.

The professor made his last point and Seokjin crossed his last 't'. Then all was done.

'Yes'! He fisted his palms and did a happy dance.

Taehyung stared at Seokjin. 'I only get this happy when I beat Hoseok at PUBG, and that happens every once a blue moon'.

'Formally introduce me and Yoongi to him,' Namjoon voiced, sounding all certain. 'Lets have a game night sometime. Yoongi would flog that Jung guy at PUBG, I'm certain.'

Taehyung stroked his chin and seemed to think hard.

'Hmm. I don't know, Joon. Should I do this and hurt someone else's child?'

Namjoon's mouth flew open. 'Hurt him how?'

'By introducing him to you both'.

Namjoon's confused face was comical. 'How would that hurt him?'

'I don't know. You both would find a way. Ya'll weird like that'.

Joon looked betrayed. He got up and gave Tae's eyes a stare down. 'We never should have talked to you first in fourth grade.'

'I would have talked to you either way'.

Namjoon's teeth slowly made an appearance as his lips stretched. 'So you're saying we'd have drawn you in either way? The deep crack in us would have called out to the deep crack in you, like a cheesy destiny movie?'

Tae got up too, staring Joon in the eye. Then he shook his head and turned the other way, looking forward to leaving with Seokjin.

'Oh? He left?'

Namjoon looked over Tae's shoulder and pointed a finger down the stairs. 'There he is'.

Seokjin was scurrying past other students to fly out the exit.

Taehyung sighed, scowling hard. 'We'd have to finalise the dorm thing quick. I can't bear anymore of you.'

Namjoon's eyebrows scrunched. 'What dorm thing? What are you talking about?'

'I can't anymore', Taehyung breathed, already sliding out of the row.

Namjoon watched him stomp down the stairs. Then he raised a hand and waved.

'Break a leg!'

Taehyung stomped faster.

--

The one who had the guitar on sale had agreed to meet by 6 o'clock at a simple cafe somewhere about three or four streets from Seokjin's university.

He had been there once with Joon, when the latter had taken him and his friend— Yoongi, it was— on a day out for relaxed photo shooting. They had stopped there for a quick bite.

Seokjin thought the place felt pretty homely; with the simple furniture and kind middle aged serving lady; and he had thought to eat there again whenever he visited the area. He was happy he was doing that now.

The bus turned the second corner to the next street. Seokjin played some music on his phone again. He remembered how cross Taehyung had gotten when he told him that that morning was the first time he'd checked out the songs he sent him. Then he remembered how his face had tuned in relief after he told him how much he had enjoyed them.

A few minutes walked by, and soon the bus had pulled over at the bus stop Seokjin was waiting for. He walked out and stood beside the road. From there, as he recalled, it was only a— plus or minus— three minute walk to the cafe.

In no time, as presumed, he was there.

He wondered if the waitress would still recognise him; It had only been about six months.

She almost didn't, but when he probed her memory further by giving her more details of how his appearance that day had been like, she beamed and her eyes lit up a 100 watts.

'Ah Jin! Great to have you here again! Your friends? How are they? Are they with you now?'

He told her how he had come alone and was waiting for a certain someone to make a purchase with.

Namjoon couldn't come along because he needed to make a quick visit home, and Taehyung had ice hockey practice to go for. That was fine-he didn't mind at all.

The lady ushered him to a nice table at the corner of the room. It was where he and the rest had sat when they were there together.

Seokjin could still remember how Yoongi and Namjoon had taken about a thousand-alright he was exaggerating— a hundred photos, and wouldn't let him enjoy his latte in peace. He thought of how good the chocolate cupcake he had had had been, and he suddenly wanted to have it again.

'Excuse me—', he called out to the lady. 'One chocolate cupcake please.' He couldn't forget the latte. 'And one caffe latte'.

She was on it as fast as she could.

Seokjin checked his watch (no, he would never have forgotten to strap it to his wrist on a Tuesday that fine). It was 12 minutes to 6pm. He wished this person would decide to come a little sooner. The lady brought his order. He appreciated her.

He relished in the first bite of the cupcake; he let his tongue revel in the deliciousness of the latte's frost. In that moment, the bells attached to the door chimed, and in walked a man with a guitar case; the strap crossing diagonally over his hoodie clad chest.

Just great. Seokjin was about to meet a complete stranger with a milk moustache he wasn't even aware of.

The new arrival didn't acknowledge the serving lady's presence.

It wasn't hard for the man to figure out that Seokjin was the one he was there for— there were only about four or five others in the shop-but Seokjin stood up anyway.

Hoodie made a beeline for Seokjin's corner table. He was going to say hello, but his words got caught in his throat.

Seokjin himself felt his eyes grow so big, one would think the saucer of his latte cup doubled and replaced them.

The man beat him to what he was going to say.

'You...'

'You are me—'

~
Well dayuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum