"I just want..." the dying fan whispered, his voice cracking like old vinyl.
"I heard Jungkook and Jimin are coming back today...from the military." His lips curved in the faintest smile. "I just want to see them live on Weverse. As usual, before they went to join military... just once. I just want..."
Somewhere in the sterile quiet, the soft whisper of a song played-one of memory, of presence.
"Still With You" by Jungkook, like a ghost in the air.
His eyelids closed gently.
A single tear slipped down his cheek.
...
Somewhere far off, on a floating barrier suspended between two realms, neither demons nor citizens of Honmoon could tread; The golden gate slammed open. The realm trembled..
The soul of Baby Saja, the youngest Saja among the five Saja boy's band, had fallen.
Not by force.
Not by exile.
By choice.
He had heard a voice.
A dream.
A fleeting wish from a stranger's final breath.
And something in that wish called him.
...
In the hospital room;
"One more check!"
A doctor shouted, slamming his palm down on the man's chest. A chorus of footsteps and urgent whispers filled the room as nurses circled the bed, each movement precise, frantic, and rehearsed. Then machine beside him screamed-a long, flat tone. Then suddenly: Click. A beat. Beep. Another beep. Rhythmic. Faint. He was breathing again.
The doctor leaned over, checking the monitor. Sweat glistened on his forehead. He looked up at the woman standing frozen near the door-her hands trembling, eyes wide, filled with disbelief.
With a voice both tired and awed, he said, "It's a miracle...Your son is back. We saved him just in time."
The eyes opened, they no longer belonged to the dying fan.
They belonged to Baby Saja.
The woman quickly went to the bed beside where Baby Saja lay. She simply reached for his hand.
That soft, wrinkled hand lying beside him. Her fingers found his, gently curling around them. Then she lifted his hand, slowly, and pressed it to her lips. A quite, aching gesture. Almost like an apology. Almost like a crime. Almost like love.
The doctor stood back and the nurses turned away. They knew they weren't needed here and quietly left the room.
Baby Saja blinked. Then blinked again clouded with confusion looking at the woman. The woman burst with tears saying "I'm sorry my cutie pie...I didn't mean to say those harsh words to you that I really regret to have a gay son when you openly came out to me," She continued now soothing his temple with another hand while looked at him with regretful gaze, "I was just confused and scared of what your father and our family will say. When you stopped breathing, I was almost having heart attack thinking you're about to leave me," she continued while sobbing, " Please don't try to get sick again. Mummy loves you so much."
"Mummy? Gay son," Those words triggered in Baby Saja's mind.
Still overwhelmed with confusion, the room buzzed with noise from the television screen mounted high on the wall. A whirlwind of flashing headlines and rapid-fire commentary blurred together, like the world was spinning too fast to catch up.
"Still toppings the charts-Huntrix's latest single holds the number one spot for the third week running..." The anchor's voice was crisp, slicing through the static of excitement.
"Meanwhile, excitement brews across fandoms worldwide as BTS members Jimin and Jungkook are expected to return from military service today. Speculation grows: will this reunion break the charts?"
Images of screaming fans, waving banners, and holding light sticks flashed across the screen.
#BTSREUNION, #JIKOOKISBACK, #NEWERA trended across the ticker at the bottom.
"Some say the long-awaited comeback might challenge the current K-pop queens Huntrix, who recently stunned the industry by dethroning bands like Black pink, Stray kids, Enhypen and Twice."
Still gazing absentmindedly at the flickering wall screen, the woman beside her leaned in and whispered with a knowing smile, "Now your bias is almost back. Are you excited?"
He turned to her slowly. "My bias?" he asked with a puzzled look.
The woman blinked in disbelief. "Jungkook of course. Always has been since you were fifteen."
There was a pause, then a soft laugh. "Even when Huntrix took over the charts, you were still loyal. Everyone else was obsessed with new girl group, but you? Your heart stayed with BTS."
"Even Saja Boys," the woman continued, "They came, stole hearts, then disappeared. But you...you were never swayed. You still remained loyal.
"Saja boys?" he murmured.
The words lingered.
And that's when it hit him.
The memories. The body.
A strange weight settled in his chest remembering something that pierced his heart.
"The new role has begun," he thought.
Mommy...can I borrow your mirror?" he asked faintly, his voice barely more than a whisper.
She looked down at him, surprised. Her hand was still wrapped gently around his, her thumb stroking the back of his fingers in a rhythm she hoped would comfort him.
"A mirror?" she echoed, uncertain.
She hesitated only a second before reaching into her handbag, which sat on the chair beside her. From it, she pulled out a small round pocket mirror-soft pink enamel on the back, a gift from years ago. She flipped it open carefully.
"Here," she said, her voice quiet, the weight of her breath shaky.
She placed the mirror gently into his free hand, still holding the other.
He raised it slowly. And for the first time, he looked at himself.
And there it was; his face, framed by the soft hospital light. Pale, yes, but striking. His features were almost delicate; smooth skin, long lashes, a small, pointed nose, and lips that curved gently even in stillness. There was something about his eyes too; a depth, a softness. Not just beautiful...but unforgettable. The kind of beauty people might call ethereal.
His hair, tangled slightly from the pillow, caught the light in a way that made it shimmer...green. Not bright or fake-looking-but a soft, mossy hue, almost as if the color had been whispered into the strands, not dyed.
He blinked.
Green...?
A strange flutter moved through his chest. A feeling. A memory-not quite clear, but familiar, like hearing a song you once loved in another life.
"What a coincidence," he thought quietly. "In my previous disgusted human life...green was someone's favorite color. I even disgusted my hair that way mostly. It made me feel like a quite devotion."
He touched a strand of his hair, as if checking the color.
The woman beside him looked at him in astonishment, wondering silently.
"Are you all right, Jihae?" she asked gently.
"Jihae?"
He blinked slowly.
Jihae...?Is that this body's name?