Into The Forest [Jeon Jungkook]

*Based off of "Hotarubi no Mori e" or otherwise known as " Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light" by Yuki Midorikawa*

At the age of 6, for summer, my parents sent me off to the countryside to spend time with my grandma. She was living alone, said that she liked the peacefulness the countryside had to offer. Of course, she loved that I was around but she wanted me to be a kid and go have fun. Behind her house was a forest; dense, leafy, lit by fireflies in the summer night. One day, when grandma was busy cooking lunch, I ventured out into the forest.

And I'm not sure what I met, but I knew he was real. He wasn't human, but he wasn't a ghost either. He said that he was a mountain spirit. When I reached out to touch him, to see if he was real, he pulled away from me. He said that he would disappear if a human touched him. And that his name was Jungkook.

For the rest of the summer, I would sneak back into the forest to see him again. Our interactions went so far, but I enjoyed the times I got to spend with him, promising that I would return every summer from then on.

I'm 16 now. Summer break has started and I couldn't wait to visit Jungkook. Grandma welcomed me like always.

"You've gotten so tall," she complimented. "And pretty." She punched my cheeks. "But you were always a pretty one."

I smiled at her compliments, thanking each one, even if I heard it thousands of times. I went to put my bags in the extra bedroom. When I came out, grandma was lying on her bed, snoring away with the sun blazing overhead. I smiled as I covered her with a light blanket to prevent any coldness she might feel.

My first thought was set on heading off into the forest to search for Jungkook. During the school year, it got a little harder for me to focus and study whenever I would think about him. And soon my heart would start to beat a little faster than normal whenever he appeared in my dreams. It was a sinking feeling to be so far away from him, not knowing what's going on, not knowing how he is.

The forest welcomed me like I was one of their own as I pranced through the clear space with the big tree leaves up above shielding most of the sunlight from me.

"Jungkook?" I called out into open space. "Are you there?"

Walking further into the clearing, the sound of rushing water hit my ears. A small stream flowed openly in the middle of the forest. All rocks and no fishes. I hopped over it with ease. The trees started to disappear as I walked further into...somewhere. The sun was high above and with no trees to cover the brightness; I had to squint my eyes to make out what was in front of me.

Jungkook was lying on his back, in an open field. The grass swayed to one side when the wind blew, moving his brown hair along with it. He looked so at peaceful, arm on his forehead with one leg bent at the knee and the other one flat on the ground.

A huge smile crept onto my face. And I ran towards him. My heart fluttering with every step I took towards him. An urge in me wanted to fall on top of his and hug him, but I remember what he told me years ago. I'll disappear if a human touches me.

I stood over him, shadowing him but he didn't seem to mind. His eyebrows scrunched together, and then his eyes fluttered open. I smiled down at him, and at the sight of me, he smiled back.

"Miss me?" I asked him.

And his smile got larger. I took that as a yes. I noticed he fisted up his hands, it was like he was preventing himself from hugging me.

For all the years I knew him, Jungkook never said a word. Not with his mouth at least. More with his eyes. But that was more than okay for me.

Jungkook patted the empty space of grass next to him, silently asking if I wanted to lie down next to him. And I did.

We laid there in silence, listening to how the wind blew, listening to our breathing, and the rapid beatings of our hearts together.

The sunset was faster than I imagined. It was already night time before I knew it. Grandma must have been wondering where I was. Getting up from my spot, Jungkook also sat up.

"It's already dark out. I have to get home."

He stared at me with doe eyes, listening to my words. His head tilted to the side, mouth slightly gaped open, showing his two front teeth. He looks like a bunny.

Then I remembered an event that was happening.

"There's a Lantern festival tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?"

He excitedly nodded, giving me a big smile. I smiled happily back.

"I'll see you tomorrow night then."

He rose up his hand and gave me a wave goodbye. I did the same motion back to him and ran back home.

Grandma stopped questioned where I would run off two years ago. She was just relieved I'd make it back home safely.

"Gram?"

We were having dinner and she was busy picking the bones out of the fish. She looked up. "Huh?"

"Do you believe in mountain spirits?" I asked her.

I remember asking her the same question when I was younger, but it seemed like she pushed it off because she thought I was imagining things.

"You really saw one didn't you?" She asked me back.

"He's my friend. He doesn't say much - anything for that matter. But I like him."

She sighed. "Child, you know he disappears at human touch."

"I know! And I've been so careful not to come in physical contact with him! And-"

"Have you fallen for him?"

"Is that weird?"

She gave me that reassuring smile. The one that said, "I support you". The one that makes every bad decision see a light.

"I'm going with him to the Lantern Festival."

"Oh, it is that time again, isn't it?"

Grandma got up from her chair. She went into the room I was staying in and when she came out she was holding the most beautiful lantern I've ever seen.

"This is my gift to you."

At the Lantern Festival, everyone writes a wish on their Lantern and cast it off into the sky with a fire inside.

And I knew exactly what I wanted to wish for.

I woke up excited for what was to come at night. I quickly changed and ran back into the forest, in search of Jungkook.

He was waiting for me beside a tree, his back against it and his eyes closed. He was breathtakingly beautiful. Everything about him. Just. Beautiful.

I walked up closer. His eyes open and he looked at me with the kindest look. His lips curved up into a heart-pounding smile. In his hand was a branch. He held it up to me and I knew what he wanted me to do. I grabbed onto the other side and let him lead me into the unknown parts of the forest. This was our version of holding hands.

He led me back to the stream that I found yesterday. Except now, it wasn't a stream, but a pond. The water was clear. There were fish and frogs. Lily pads covering half of the water. Like him, it was beautiful.

Jungkook walked closer to the water and I followed. I crouched down to a squat, sitting on the heel of my foot and he followed along. I smirked as an idea came to my mind. Using one hand, I cupped up some water and splashed it on him. A loud laugh escaped my mouth to see the shook shocked look on his face. And using both of his hands - mind that they were bigger - did the same action to me. I laughed as I lost my balance and fell down on my butt.

It was 9 PM when I left my grandma's house to go find Jungkook. Instead of having to enter the forest this time, Jungkook was waiting for me outside, a lantern in his hand.

"Hi," I said to him.

He put his hand up and waved at me, and then he stuck his hand into his back pocket and took out a long white ribbon. He tied one end to my wrist without touching my skin, and I helped him tie his end. Then he took me to where the festival was held.

The place was crowded, lighted up in lights instead of the sun. There were booths on both sides of us, selling everything. There was food, toys, lanterns, charms. I was surprised that despite how many people there were, Jungkook managed to avoid them all. Jungkook stopped at one of the booths that sold masks. He pointed to the cat mask.

"Do you want it?" I asked him.

Then he pointed at me.

"For me?"

He picked up the mask, putting it on my face. Out of thin air, money appeared on the table; thank god the woman running the stand was too occupied with the other customers to notice.

He pulled me away from the scene and into the forest. Our little getaway. I still had the mask on my face, and not much was visible besides for him. When Jungkook stopped, I stopped as well, keeping a distance between the two of us. He turned around and looked at me.

"What?"

He leaned in and kissed me. The mask between the two of us, keeping that safe distance. The sound of children running through the forest filled my ears, along with the sound of my own heartbeat. When I opened my eyes, one of the kids knocked into me, causing me to fall forwards. Causing Jungkook to hold onto me, preventing the painful fall.

And all I thought was, No

I took off my mask to see a bright blue light coming from him. He was disappearing. I held onto him even tighter, my tears slipping out before I could hold them back.

"I love you," he whispered into my ear.

I tighten my hold on him until I no longer felt his presence there. I looked up at the starry night sky to see little butterflies fluttering away. On the ground, his lantern laid, with writing.

Saying I Love You to Her

Wishes do come true.

I looked at mine which was beside his.

Saying I Love You to Him

Grabbing both of the lanterns, I went back to Grandma's. I found matches inside one of the cabinets and released both of the lanterns into the sky.

"I love you."

♡♡♡

Nothing's been proofread, sorry for the mistakes.