Golden hour | JIN OS

time taken: two weeks                                                   published: 4th december '22

word count: 3k

thanx for the feature🧚🏼‍♂

DISCLAIMER: mentions of death, use of profanities.

the song used for the reocurring theme is entitled "Up in the sky" by Emilee Moore.

genre: tragedy, coming of age, sci-fi.

Use of italics for flashbacks and quoting.

Inspired by Jin's "The Astronaut" and "Your name" the anime.

GOLDEN HOUR | jin short story

“You and Me an unending history

oh you became my universe, the story of us”

AU : Jin as a little boy always dreamt of being connected with stars in the sky, it was his only dream till one day it all became reality; as astronauts are sent out of space in search of extraterrestrial life. Will he finally be able to connect with the stars above?

"Why are you crying?" Looking up from the pages into whatever direction the voice was coming from, not quite entrusting of the voice either, pointing to my book in my hands as tears kept pouring out of my eyes.

The strange raven haired boy nodded before sitting right beside me on the concrete floor.

"Is it really sad?" He asked, pressing against the wall behind us making himself comfortable.

Placing the book down, before whipping off the tears that won't stop for nothing. "No" I wheezed letting out a sad chuckle. " It's probably the happiest part of the book so far."

With a twitch of his nose and furrowed brow he looks up in confusion. "So, are you happy crying?" Shaking my head, looking down then up and laughing abit. "Then…why are you crying?" He gave up on whatever little guessing game he had been playing.

"Because"  I paused

"I wish It was me" I pointed to a picture in my book.

"OMG?!" The raven boy jolted, his bunny smile on display. "AN ASTRONAUT!?? THAT'S SO COOL!!-

YOU'LL BE IN SPACE- HOW AWESOME IS THAT!!!"

He rocked his little body back and forth, not being able to contain any of his joy and excitement.

I burst out into a giggle-fit wheezing, "OH! I never asked this but what's your name?" The giddy boy whips his head at me before he responds. "Oh yeah sorry- my name is Jungkook."

"No worries, call me Jin," he smiles back.

"It was nice meeting you Jin- would you like to become friends?" He urged wiggling on the palm of his foot sole. "Sure, I would like that"

Somewhere out in the galaxy…on a spaceship millions of light years away today…

"Are you sure that we'll have enough for everyone? I know this may seem sudden but it was not exactly pre planned either… if the ship is in the condition that you say that it is in then we've run out of options…we need to think logically and concise- we can't and we won't make mistakes…slice through every hurdle that gets in our way.."

Ending off that conversation, both voices bounced off the glass walls of the cabin, the captain and the second in command came out of that corner..walking towards the navigation system, little do they know that someone might be lurking around the corner listening.

“I wonder what that was all about…whatever it was it doesn’t sound all too promising” The raven haired boy slightly seethed feeling uneasy about the recent conversation.The second in command  gathered everyone into the crew cabin near the navigation room. “Hello everyone, thank you all for being here, we need all of you here so please be your brother’s keeper and let all of your crewmates have knowledge  of this meeting” , his voice bounced off the cabin walls  slightly irritating the bystanding crewmate who stood idly.

"Jin" the captain whispered, barely reaching his ears, stuck in his thoughts. Seeing this leaves Jungkook confused. "Aye Jin" the boy snaps his fingers regeressly in order to receive his friend's attention. "Oh, I'm sorry..what did you want?" he finally responds inquerying his friend and captain detached from his uneasy thoughts.

"Well you were out for awhile there buddy, cap wanted to gather everyone up for a meeting at the cabin…Are you sure that you're okay?" Before Jin could answer, the captain continued talking, as he saw that his crew member had appeared to be alright. Heaving a heavy sigh, just about done with everything "We'll talk later yeah?" Jin nodded in agreement, "Yeah, ofcourse." Both of them are now paying close attention to the captain's words.

"Alright, so it has come to our attention that the engine needs to be repaired otherwise we’re all stuck in a floating trash can in space"

The voices muffled in the cabin, reflecting off the walls getting louder and louder, as each second ed. Every crew member stood pin-straight, too engulfed in the ominous atmosphere, too speechless to react. "How do we repair the engine? None of us took that field of training for this profession", Jungkook uttered, breaking the silence. Everyone else slowly nodded their heads in agreement as it was thought that there wasn't anyone capable of doing the task. "As crewmates and fellow astronauts our main objectives are to conduct scientific experiments and maintain the space station, nevertheless we need to fix what has been damaged inorder to get our findings to HQ…If you can't achieve these simple requirements then you've failed as an astronaut…we've failed as crew …SO we all are looking forward to each other's cooperation i must solidify…".

The captain belted his voice alongside his second in command finally pacing out of the cabin hands behind his back shoulders tensed, his jaw clenched.

"Are you going to tell me what happened earlier that had you completely spaced out?" The raven haired crewmate pestered his brown fluffy hair friend. "Well actually…umm it's nothing big…it isn't even important at all.." Jungkook stood staring blankly at his friend as though he was looking through glass, "Don't give me that bullshit..we've known each other for years now, we're technically brothers…we're connected and I know whatever facade you're putting up right now isn't working on my buddy…" .

"Jungkook i promise- I swear on RJ's life that i'm being one hundred percent real right now" , the taller exasperated tired of the latter's persistence. Chuckling at that, Jungkook felt slightly relaxed, "you've never sworn over RJ before…ever since we were little you had him everywhere you went clutched tightly like those ladies that clutch their purses when they are confronted by a thief.."

The boys' laughter could possibly heard down the hall from their bunker, if they're lucky enough, their captain hasn't heard from them but their other crew could just as well rat them out, they're already way too loud and playful together it wouldn't take much for their crew to get annoyed and frustrated by them.

After calming down from the chaotic cackle session, both boys now engrossed with silence, feeling content. " I'll go check around the station to figure out how we're going to repair the engine…I mean I have to make some use of myself." "Jungkook?"The boy turnt on his heels as he was just about to leave.  "Yeah? Jin?" He questioned. " Don't ever think that you need to force yourself to make something of yourself, because the time will come when you will be given the opportunity to do so, to make something of yourself " The boy forgot his own words. "Ofc- ofc I understand…you always give the best advice." With a smile blooming on his face, his face turned beet red as he saw that his fluffy brown haired crewmate was smiling staring in his direction.

He reluctantly left his shared bunker. Upon the latter's absence Jin sighs looking down, "I wonder if he re you.." snatching something from his shelf on his small desk. A white plushie, with short stubby, an abnormally large head, a set of weird eyes on a supposed black masked face. "Wootteo I hope that he re…it will make everything easier for me…it would make this… easier."

"Um..excuse me?" A little boy tapped on my arm. I turned around to get a better view of him, "Yes? How can I help you buddy?" I asked, looking down at him, his body was so small. "Oh umm…" he just stopped talking, i stood up trying to figure out what could be the problem. I saw parents walking out of classrooms. It's parents' day, I thought. "Are you waiting on your parents' little man?" I questioned him with my silly antics. When he looked up at me my smile dropped, he looked so gloomy with his pale face droopy eyes worn by a quivering frown. " I don't have parents…I'm an orphan.. I was wondering if you would like to walk around the park with me- ummm.." his speech cut abruptly, "since I saw you here in the hall by yourself but you were with a teacher at the time so I couldn't ask you then.

Smiling at this I took his little hand and dragged him with me "let's go to the park for a walk and i'll get you something to cheer you up, yeah?" He quickly nodded his head, obviously liking the sound of that.

I saw him stand  in front of a claw machine. Staring at a cute plushie. I should get this for him. "Hey, buddy? Would you like that plushie?" I used my pointer finger through the glass box. "It's okay if you can't get it.." he posed staring longingly at the box, "nonsense…i'll get you that toy." So said, so done.

"Thanks for winning me this toy- it's my first toy ever…but I'm afraid that something might happen to it at the orphanage…the kids there aren't always the nicest…Can you hold on to it for me? Just for a while…till I'm old enough and on my own.." I looked at him for a moment, "I won't mind holding on to it for you…it's safe with me" he smiled at me. "Oh you said that you wanted to be an astronaut.."

"Yeah?" I questioned not understanding what he meant by that. He looked at the plushie cradling it in his little arms, "How about…we name it …Wootteo?" He looked up at me. "Wootteo..the space wanderer" , he like that.

"WOOTTEO!! THE SPACE WANDERER!! AND JIN ADVENTURES!!!-  THAT'S SO COOL !!"

"The awesome adventures of wootteo and jin huh" laughing at that walking past a bench we decided to sit for a bit and just talk. "Your parents didn't come for your parents' day jin?"

I nodded. "They were on a business trip so i was excused from class" ,he nodded as he understood. "My parents ed away but I was too young to anything, everything afterwards was the orphanage… there was this song that my mom would sing, she had a soft voice" looking ahead, as though he was stuck in his thoughts. "I how the song goes…would you like to hear it?" Shaking my head, "yes of course, I won't mind that." stood patiently, I waited for him to start the song.

"...Where did you go?

I miss you so, I'm all alone

You're up there, you're up in the sky

It's hard to see

Beyond the sun, beyond the trees

But oh, I can feel you here

Every day, you're with me, oh-oh.."

On completing the lyrics he stated, "mom always sang it to me…it's not the full song but the beginning is quite meaningful and I can relate to it..maybe someday I can sing the full version for you." "The song was beautiful, I would be honored if you sang the full version just for me…you have an amazing voice."I smiled when I heard his bubbly giggle.

I was walking down the hall from our bunker, heading over to the navigation system.

"I need crew Park Jimin and Kim Taehyung to check the equipment..it seems that our suits are running low on oxygen in their tanks" "Yes sir" answering stiffly as they make their way out of the navigation center. "We're losing oxygen?...now of all times?" I asked no one in particular but myself, everything seemed to be a disaster. I decided to follow them, just in case they needed a helping hand. "I heard the captain and second in command was talking to Jin about the engine repair.." Why would they? I thought as I kept my steps discrete.

"Yeah apparently he's the only member that knows the mechanics of it all, and the captains seemed like all three of them came to a final decision.." "What do you mean by that jimin?" Taeyhung asked the shorter, "What i'm saying is…that this is going to be a suicide mission…we're already low on oxygen..not just in our suites but in the cabins as well…but we need Jin to repair the engine for everythingelse to run smoothly…" "But they're putting Jin in one of those suites…he won't make it long out there"

Taehyung halted his steps in a loss for words. "What about …Jungkook?..doesn't he have a right to know?" Don't I? "Where is he? Where is Jin?" I finally spoke needing answers to whatever the hell is going on. "Jungkook…I'm so sorry…Jin probably didn't want you to get hurt" I scoffed, "..Jin knows..i'm not little anymore..he knows he's all that I have right now.."

" I'll go check around the station to figure out how we're going to repair the engine…I mean I have to make some use of myself."

"Jungkook?"

"Yeah? Jin?"

" Don't ever think that you need to force yourself to make something of yourself, because the time will come when you will be given the opportunity to do so, to make something of yourself " I was at a loss for words.

"Ofc- ofc I understand…you always give the best advice." Upon closing the door, I listened carefully as I heard ," I wonder if he re you.."

Wootteo?..I thought.

"Let's go back to the navigation center to check on Jin's suit s.." Jimin pressed as all three of us brushed past the corners of the hallways. "He's …already out" stood staring out the cabin window, I see Jin floating with his tool box."His vitals appear to be stable out there..for now although the rate of oxygen might decrease in minutes.." crewmate Park warned as seconds flew by.

"Come on brother..you can do it"

"Thanks for winning me this toy- it's my first toy ever…but I'm afraid that something might happen to it at the orphanage…the kids there aren't always the nicest…Can you hold on to it for me? Just for a while…till I'm old enough and on my own.."

"I won't mind holding on to it for you…it's safe with me"

"Oh you said that you wanted to be an astronaut.."

"Yeah?"

"How about…we name it …Wootteo?"

"Wootteo..the space wanderer"

"WOOTTEO!! THE SPACE WANDERER!! AND JIN ADVENTURES!!!- THAT'S SO COOL !!"

"The awesome adventures of wootteo and jin huh"

Unfortunately that memory was cut short. "GUYS JIN'S VITALS ARE DECREASING HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH OXYGEN LEFT!!"

Taehyung screeched, stressing out about monitoring everything. "Get the walkie talkie on..we need to talk to him.." I took it in my hands and said, "Jin…Jin can you hear us? ..Jin" not a few seconds ed " yeah I'm here…i'm here..i'm low on oxygen..if this suit works the way i think it does, when i'm on my last minute the head of this suit is going to pop right off.." No. Please no. "Guys…can I have some time together with my brother?" "Yeah, sure..no worries man" Taehyung came hugging me, jimin patted my shoulder firmly, before going out of the room. "..Is it cold out there? Are you lonely?" "Kook.." "I need to at least …know that you're alright.." "Kook look at me…i'm here right now…and later? I'll be out with the stars..…that song that you sang to me, everyday you'll feel me everyday with you.." I couldn't help but chuckle a little. "So don't cry for me when i'm gone…be happy…and I won't be lonely because…I have you and the stars above. I wouldn't wish for anything else." I wiped my tears. "I Love you always.." "I love you too Kook.."

"Dad, your brother sounds so COOL !! Where is he now?.." I looked at her tears threatening to escape, "he's up there" stretching my hands pointing to the window, where stars shone the brightest. "He's…a star now?" I smiled "yes dear, he's the brightest star in the sky..the one that you see every night" so shocked she sat up in bed with her mouth wide open, she turned around to talk towards the window. "Hello uncle, this is your niece…I hope that it isn't lonely up there…dad misses you very much I hope that one day you and dad can meet again…so he can be happy" smiling again, i took her blanket and tucked her in, kissing her forehead, switching off the lights, "goodnight dear" "goodnight dad" with that I closed the door.

Standing in front of glass walls I opened the door to the balcony, to get a closer view of stars.

"My parents ed away but I was too young to anything, everything afterwards was the orphanage… there was this song that my mom would sing, she had a soft voice"....

"I how the song goes…would you like to hear it?"

Looking up at the stars, I faintly whispered the lyrics of the song. I closed my eyes.

"...Where did you go?

I miss you so, I'm all alone

You're up there, you're up in the sky

It's hard to see

Beyond the sun, beyond the trees

But oh, I can feel you here

Every day, you're with me, oh-oh.."

"mom always sang it to me…it's not the full song but the beginning is quite meaningful and I can relate to it..maybe someday I can sing the full version for you." "The song was beautiful, I would be honored if you sang the full version just for me…you have an amazing voice."

"...Dreaming with you

Bright blue balloon

House on the moon

Laying with you

Loss come too soon

Dark afternoon

Thousand strings tie you to me

..Where did you go?

I miss you so, I'm all alone

You're up there, you're up in the sky

It's hard to see

Beyond the sun, beyond the trees

But oh, I can feel you here

Every day, you're with me,.. oh-oh

Where did you go?

I miss you so, I'm all alone

You're up there, you're up in the sky

It's hard to see

Beyond the sun, beyond the trees

But oh, I can feel you here

Every day, you're with me, oh-oh…"

" I told you that I would finish the song for you"

A single tear finally left my eye, "goodnight brother..take care."

Author's Note

Essentially this story was influenced by jin's departure due to his military duties. The inspiration that was taken from "The Astronaut" the symbolism behind it left room for the use of connotations. I took the meaning of the song to re-establish it through fiction. Ofcourse the tagging "death" in the story, death doesnt always neccesarily mean that someone has ed, atleast not in literary , it can represent abscence, it can be exaggerated or taking another step. In this story when jin acctually "dies" it means that his earthly self has acsended to the other worldly plane (earthly self meaning he's with us, other worldly self meaning that he would adhere to his military duties) So, when Jungkook finishes singing his song, he is reminicing the memories he has of his brother, knowing someday that they would meet again.

#EarthtoJinsMoon