Hello everyone I really appreciate your patience. I will get Ganpati vacation soon so i will try to give more updates during the holidays so please tolerate as for now.
Also kinda long chapter ....
Chapter writing - ✅ completed
Physics homework - ❌ pending
Help meeeeee😭😭
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Word count: 2084
Chapter 2 The First Location
The first thing Jungkook noticed when the van finally stopped was the silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
The uncomfortable kind.
The kind where everyone instinctively looked out of the windows because nobody wanted to be the first person to ask-
Why are we here?
Jungkook leaned forward between the seats and looked through the windshield.
The road had become narrower during the last twenty minutes. The buildings had disappeared one by one, followed by shops, streetlights and eventually even proper roads.
Now there was nothing but trees.
Trees on both sides.
Trees ahead.
Trees behind them.
Jungkook blinked.
"Are we there?"
Jin turned around from the front.
"You asked that fifteen minutes ago."
"I know."
"And ten minutes ago."
"I know."
"And five minutes ago."
Jungkook frowned.
"I was checking."
Jimin laughed from beside him.
"Checking what?"
"If we were there."
"That sounds like the same question."
Jungkook ignored him and looked outside again.
Taehyung had his face almost pressed against the window.
"It's really quiet."
J-Hope leaned over slightly to look through the opposite window.
"There's literally nothing here."
Namjoon checked his phone.
"No signal either."
J-Hope raised his eyebrows.
"Already?"
"Yeah."
Jin immediately looked toward the driver.
"Excuse me."
The driver glanced at him through the mirror.
"Hmm?"
"Is there a reason we're in the middle of nowhere?"
The driver smiled.
"You'll find out."
Jin stared at him.
"That answer is becoming very suspicious."
From the back, Suga opened his eyes.
"We've been told nothing since we left."
Jin nodded seriously.
"Exactly."
Suga looked outside.
"Maybe that's the point."
Jin thought about it.
"...I don't like the point."
That earned a small laugh from J-Hope.
"Hyung, you haven't even seen the place yet."
"That's why I'm complaining early."
Jimin grinned.
"Efficient."
The van stopped completely.
One of the staff members outside approached the door.
"We're here."
Everyone looked at each other.
Jungkook immediately reached for his seatbelt.
"Finally."
Namjoon laughed.
"Wait, don't run out. We need to get the equipment."
Jungkook stopped halfway out of his seat.
"Oh."
J-Hope shook his head.
"You were actually going to leave us to carry everything."
"No!"
"You were."
"I forgot."
"You forget very conveniently."
Jungkook smiled.
"Hyung, you can carry it."
J-Hope pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"You're strong."
J-Hope laughed.
"Nice try."
The moment they stepped out of the van, the atmosphere changed.
The location was a large clearing surrounded by dense woodland.
There were a few tents nearby, along with tables covered with equipment. Several cameras and tripods had already been arranged.
But beyond the setup-
nothing.
No houses.
No other vehicles.
No people.
Just forest.
Jimin slowly turned in a circle.
"It's actually pretty here."
Taehyung nodded.
"Yeah."
J-Hope looked toward the trees.
"It would be prettier if there were more people."
Jin immediately agreed.
"Exactly."
Namjoon smiled.
"You two are already scared?"
"I'm not scared," Jin said.
J-Hope nodded.
"Neither am I."
A branch somewhere inside the trees cracked.
Both of them looked toward the sound.
Jin immediately cleared his throat.
"...I just don't like unexpected sounds."
J-Hope nodded seriously.
"Same."
Suga, who was helping unload one of the bags, glanced at them.
"It's probably a branch."
Jin looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"I don't."
"Then why did you say it?"
Suga shrugged.
"Because it's usually a branch."
J-Hope laughed.
"That actually makes sense."
Jin looked betrayed.
"Why is everyone against me?"
"No one's against you," Namjoon said.
"Yet."
Namjoon sighed.
"Let's just get everything ready."
They had expected the staff to explain what they were supposed to do.
They didn't.
Instead, everyone was told to stand near the main setup while the cameras were adjusted.
Namjoon looked around.
"So... what's the plan?"
One of the staff members simply replied,
"You'll be told."
Jin looked at the others.
"See?"
Jimin smiled.
"What?"
"We've been told absolutely nothing."
Taehyung nodded.
"I think that's intentional."
Jungkook pointed toward the trees.
"Are we going in there?"
The staff member smiled.
"You'll find out."
Jungkook's expression dropped.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
J-Hope laughed.
"Maybe that's the entire concept."
"What's the concept?"
"Finding out."
Jungkook stared at him.
"That doesn't help."
"It wasn't supposed to."
The cameras finally started rolling.
They filmed a short introduction about the location.
Namjoon stood in the middle while the others gathered around him.
"Hello, everyone."
"This is BTS!!"
The group greeted the camera.
Namjoon continued.
"Today we're at a very-"
He paused.
He looked around.
"-strange location."
Jin nodded.
"Very strange."
Jimin added,
"Extremely strange."
Taehyung looked toward the forest.
"Suspiciously strange."
J-Hope laughed.
"Why are you making it worse?"
Taehyung smiled innocently.
"I didn't say anything bad."
"You definitely did."
Suga looked at the camera.
"We don't know what's happening either."
Namjoon laughed.
"That's actually true."
Jungkook nodded.
"They haven't told us anything."
Jin raised his hand.
"I'm starting to think they don't know either."
The staff laughed behind the camera.
Jin pointed toward them.
"See? They're laughing instead of answering!"
After the introduction, a staff member finally approached them.
"Your first activity is simple."
Everyone became attentive.
"You'll have to find three markers hidden around this location."
Jungkook immediately asked,
"How big are they?"
The staff member shook his head.
"You'll have to find out."
Jungkook sighed.
"Again?"
J-Hope laughed.
The staff member continued.
"You have fifteen minutes."
"Do we split up?" Namjoon asked.
"No."
"Together?"
"Yes."
Jimin nodded.
"That might be easier."
Jin looked at the forest.
"Or harder."
Taehyung smiled.
"Let's stay together."
They were given a small photograph showing what the markers looked like.
Then the timer began.
"Go!"
The seven immediately scattered around the clearing without actually separating too far.
J-Hope crouched near one of the tables.
"Check everywhere."
Jimin searched around a tree stump.
"I don't see anything."
Jungkook looked underneath a wooden bench.
"Nothing here."
Taehyung suddenly called out,
"Wait!"
Everyone turned.
He was holding up a small piece of red cloth.
"Is this one?"
Jimin walked over.
"No, that's different."
Taehyung looked at it.
"Oh."
J-Hope laughed.
"You got excited for nothing."
"I thought I found it."
Jungkook continued searching.
"Maybe they're hidden higher."
He looked up.
Jin immediately said,
"Don't climb anything."
Jungkook turned around.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to explain to the staff why you fell."
Jungkook laughed.
"I wasn't going to fall."
"That is exactly what people say before falling."
Namjoon shook his head while checking behind a tree.
"Guys, focus."
A few moments later, J-Hope found the first marker tucked underneath a loose piece of wood.
"I got one!"
Everyone gathered around.
Jimin smiled.
"Nice!"
J-Hope held it up proudly.
"One down."
Suga looked around.
"Two left."
Jin pointed at him.
"See? This is why we need you."
Suga raised an eyebrow.
"For finding things?"
"For counting."
Suga shook his head and walked away.
Jin laughed. (Jin's famous windshield laugh 😌)
The second marker took much longer.
They searched around the clearing, near the equipment, beneath benches and beside the trees.
Eventually, Jimin noticed something strange.
"Wait."
He crouched.
There was a tiny metal box half-hidden beneath some leaves.
"Is this it?"
Namjoon came over.
"Open it."
Jimin opened the box.
Inside was the second marker.
Jungkook celebrated as if they had won a competition.
"One more!"
J-Hope clapped.
"Let's finish this."
Taehyung pointed toward the trees.
"I think the last one might be over there."
Everyone looked.
There was a narrow path leading slightly into the woods.
Jin immediately frowned.
"Do we have to go there?"
Namjoon smiled.
"Probably."
"Why did you say that like you're happy about it?"
"I'm not."
Jimin laughed.
They followed the path only a short distance.
The forest became noticeably darker beneath the thick branches.
J-Hope looked around.
"It's colder here."
Taehyung nodded.
"Yeah."
Jungkook suddenly stopped.
"Guys."
Everyone turned.
He pointed at the ground.
There were footprints in the dirt.
Not theirs.
Jimin crouched beside them.
"Those are old."
Namjoon looked carefully.
"They could belong to the staff."
Jin immediately nodded.
"Definitely."
J-Hope looked at him.
"You agreed way too quickly."
"Because I don't want another explanation."
Taehyung smiled.
"Hyung, you're funny when you're scared."
"I'm not scared."
Jimin grinned.
"Sure."
They continued.
A few metres ahead, something red was caught between two branches.
Jungkook reached for it.
"The last one!"
He pulled it free.
Everyone cheered.
J-Hope raised both hands.
"Done!"
The staff called out from the clearing.
"Time!"
They walked back together.
The entire activity had been simple.
Almost too simple.
But it had allowed them to explore just enough of the location to notice how isolated they really were.
When they returned, the staff collected the markers.
Namjoon looked toward the trees.
"So that's all?"
"For now."
Jin immediately looked at him.
"For now?"
The staff member smiled.
"Yes."
Jin sighed.
"I knew there was going to be a 'for now.'"
The next hour passed with smaller filming activities and interviews.
Nothing particularly strange happened.
They joked.
They talked.
They were given a few more little challenges around the clearing.
J-Hope kept trying to make everyone laugh whenever the atmosphere became too serious.
Jimin and Taehyung kept distracting Jungkook whenever he tried to concentrate.
Jin complained about being hungry at regular intervals.
Namjoon kept trying to understand what exactly the staff had planned.
And Suga mostly stayed quiet, occasionally joining the conversation when something caught his attention.
At one point, Jungkook sat beside him.
"Hyung."
"Hm?"
"Do you think the mansion is actually real?"
Suga glanced at him.
"I don't know."
"Do you think we'll actually have to go there?"
"Probably."
Jungkook looked thoughtful.
"Are you scared?"
Suga gave him a look.
"Why are you asking everyone that?"
Jungkook smiled.
"Because it's fun."
Suga shook his head.
"Go ask Jin."
"I already did."
"What did he say?"
"He said no."
Suga laughed quietly.
"Of course."
Across the clearing, Jin suddenly shouted,
"I HEARD THAT!"
Everyone laughed.
As the sun began to lower, the staff finally gathered them together again.
Namjoon looked at the sky.
"Is it already this late?"
J-Hope checked his phone.
"We've been here for hours."
Jimin looked toward the road.
"So we're going back now?"
The staff member shook his head.
"No."
Everyone paused.
Jungkook looked confused.
"No?"
"You have one final thing to receive."
A staff member brought over a black folder.
Namjoon immediately noticed it.
"Is that our next task?"
"Yes."
Jin sighed.
"Here we go."
The folder was placed on the table.
The staff member opened it and pulled out a folded sheet.
Namjoon stepped closer.
"What is this?"
"You'll need it for the next part."
The paper was unfolded.
It was a map.
A very old-looking map.
Namjoon carefully picked it up.
Everyone gathered around.
There were trees drawn across most of it.
A river ran through one side.
Several paths crossed the forest.
And farther away, near the edge of the map, was a small drawing of a mansion.
Jungkook leaned closer.
"That's far."
Jimin nodded.
"Really far."
Taehyung traced the river with his finger without touching the paper.
"There's a river here."
J-Hope looked at the map.
"Are we supposed to go there?"
The staff member only smiled.
Jin looked suspiciously at him.
"You're not going to tell us anything, are you?"
The staff member shook his head.
"No."
Suga looked over the map once.
"Do we get anything else?"
"No."
Namjoon looked up.
"No GPS?"
"No."
"Any directions?"
"No."
Jungkook stared at him.
"Just this?"
"Just the map."
J-Hope laughed nervously.
"Well..."
He looked at the others.
"This should be interesting."
Jimin smiled.
"Definitely."
Jin looked at the enormous stretch of forest drawn across the paper.
"I have a feeling we're going to regret saying that."
Namjoon folded the map carefully.
He looked at the mansion drawn in the distance.
None of them knew exactly what waited there.
None of them knew how long the journey would take.
And none of them knew why the staff had chosen this particular place.
For now, all they had was a map.
And a destination.
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