Jungkook sat upright on the bed, blanket loosely wrapped around him, staring at the unfamiliar faces around him.
He counted silently.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
"…Why are there more people?" he asked carefully.
Seokjin crossed his arms. "They arrived while you were explaining that your name was Ian, oh no my bad Ee-an."
Namjoon nodded. "Which caused concern."
Jungkook groaned. "I said I was confused, not contagious."
One of the newcomers stepped forward, smiling brightly like this was a very exciting situation.
"Hi! Jungkook, you fine? Remember me? Jimin!"
Jungkook blinked. "…OK?"
Jimin tilted his head. Confused with the word he heard "Oh? 'OK'?"
"That's it?" Hoseok suddenly leaned in, eyes wide. "No hug? No tears? No dramatic reunion?"
"…Should there be?" Jungkook asked honestly.
Jimin gasped, clutching his chest. "He really doesn't remember us."
Hoseok nodded solemnly. "This is tragic. He is out of his mind now"
"I just woke up after being hit," Jungkook muttered. "Forgive me if my memory is a bit blurry."
"I've never knew this guys anyway" Jungkook says on his mind
Seokjin sighed deeply. "See? This is why you don't swing things without looking. Right Namjoon?"
Namjoon bowed slightly. "Again, my fault. I promise that I will more careful now"
Jungkook rubbed his forehead. "So let me get this straight. You two, " he pointed at Seokjin and Namjoon, "almost killed me."
"That was an accident," Namjoon said quickly.
"and don't point on us. We are older than you Lord Jeon" Seokjin sighs in disbelief and nod of patience
"And you two," he pointed at Jimin and Hoseok, "just appeared. Out of nowhere?"
"Yes! You probably missed us badly!" Jimin smiled brightly.
Hoseok added, "We're here for moral support! And checked you if you are still breathing"
Jungkook stared at them for a long second.
"…I don't know how to react to that."
Jimin leaned closer, whispering loudly, "Is he always this quiet? He used to be loud, you must have hit him real hard"
"Shall we hit him another time?" Hoseok added
"No! And He was louder earlier," Seokjin replied. "About his name."
Jungkook sighed. "Please don't start again."
Before another argument could break out, a calm voice echoed from outside the room.
"Did he regain consciousness?"
Jungkook froze.
His chest tightened.
That voice.
"…I know that voice," Jungkook whispered.
The others turned toward him.
Jimin frowned. "You do?"
"Yes," Jungkook said slowly. "I've heard it before. Somewhere… important."
Namjoon looked playfully confused. "That's impossible."
Seokjin scoffed a sarcastic banter "He forgets us but not him that's rude Lord Jeon."
The footsteps grew closer, each step making Jungkook's heartbeat louder.
The voice spoke again—closer now.
"How's Lord Jeon doing now?" The voice asks
The dream flooded back.
The arrow.
The fall.
The blurred face.
His breath caught.
"…No way," he whispered.
The door began to slide open.
And Jungkook realized—
some faces don't need introductions.
They are remembered by the heart
long before the eyes can see them.