Chapter 23

Later that night, Yoongi was busy working his shift at the café. The place had a warm, cozy ambiance with soft lighting and the smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. Jimin's mom, Mrs. Park, was busy behind the counter, expertly crafting beverages and chatting with the customers.

As the night wore on, Yoongi looked up and saw his friends walking through the door. Jennie, Namjoon, Jin, Taehyung, Jungkook, Yungmin, and Hoseok all filed in, bringing with them an energy that instantly lifted his spirits. They found a large table near the window and made themselves comfortable.

Mrs. Park noticed the group and gave Yoongi a knowing smile. "Your friends are here to keep you company, huh?"

Yoongi grinned. "Yeah, they couldn't resist."

After a few minutes, Yoongi brought over a tray filled with their orders: steaming cups of coffee, tea, and some pastries. As he set the drinks down, Hoseok raised his cup and said loudly, "The coffee's the best in town, Jimin's mom!"

Mrs. Park laughed heartily at Hoseok's enthusiastic endorsement, especially when he emphasized "Jimin's mom" instead of her name. "Thank you, Hoseok! But you know you can call me Mrs. Park," she said with a wink.

Hoseok feigned a shocked expression. "What? You have your own name? I thought you were just 'Jimin's mom'!"

The table erupted in laughter. Mrs. Park shook her head, still smiling. "Alright, alright. Enjoy your coffee, you jokers."

As Mrs. Park returned to the counter, Jennie took a sip of her latte and sighed contentedly. "Hoseok's right, you know. This really is the best coffee in town."

Jin leaned back in his chair, eyeing Yoongi. "You should be proud, Yoongi. You've got skills."

Yoongi smirked. "Well, I do my best. Plus, having the best teacher helps."

Namjoon nodded thoughtfully. "Speaking of teachers, can you believe we already had a graded recitation on the first week of classes?"

Yoongi rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. Teachers are always up for recitations. I thought my heart was going to explode."

Taehyung laughed. "At least you knew the answers. I heard someone in my class got asked to define postmodernism and just... blanked."

Jungkook snorted. "That sounds like something that would happen to me. I'm still trying to wrap my head around criminology. Everything's so intense right from the start."

Yungmin nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's like they're trying to scare us off early."

Hoseok grinned. "Engineering isn't any better. We've already got a project due next week. I'm considering living in the library."

Jennie shook her head. "You guys have it tough. In tourism, they're already talking about internships and field trips. I'm excited but also kind of overwhelmed."

Jin looked at Yoongi sympathetically. "How about you, Yoongi? How are you handling everything?"

Yoongi shrugged. "I'm managing. It's just a lot all at once. But hey, we have each other to complain to, right?"

Namjoon raised his cup in a toast. "To surviving another semester, and to Jimin's mom-uh, I mean, Mrs. Park-for providing us with the fuel to get through it!"

Everyone raised their cups, clinking them together in a celebratory gesture. Mrs. Park, hearing the commotion, smiled fondly at the group from behind the counter.

The conversation flowed freely from there, filled with jokes and lighthearted banter. Jin shared a story about a cooking disaster he'd had recently, which had everyone in stitches. Jennie talked about a bizarre tourist encounter that had her rolling her eyes but laughing in hindsight. Taehyung tried to convince everyone to join him in a business venture selling "Taehyung-themed" merchandise, complete with his own face on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs.

As the evening went on and the café buzzed with chatter, the door swung open, and in walked Minji.

"Hey, Yoongi! Still making this place the go-to spot for caffeine fixes, I see," Minji greeted, giving Yoongi a playful nudge. She then turned her attention to the rest of the table with a grin. "And look at this-my favorite bunch of troublemakers. How's everyone doing?"

The group greeted Minji with smiles and waves, already familiar with her from past visits. Yoongi nodded toward the table.

Minji gave a mock bow. "Lovely to see you all again. I hope Yoongi's still treating you to his famous coffee and not his questionable cooking."

The group laughed, and Yoongi rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Minji. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure, I'll take my usual. And let's see if it's as good as ever," Minji replied, flashing a playful smile.

As Yoongi went to prepare Minji's coffee, the rest of the group took the opportunity to catch up with her, especially about Jimin.

Hoseok leaned in with curiosity. "So, Noona, it's been a while since we last heard from Jimin. Any updates on where he's been or what he's up to?"

Minji took a sip of her coffee, savoring the flavor. "Well, if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that, I'd be on a tropical vacation right now. Honestly, we haven't heard from him in about four years. He's like a mystery wrapped in an enigma."

Jin nodded. "That's a long time. Did he leave any clues or reasons for disappearing?"

Minji shrugged, her tone both exasperated and amused. "He left a note saying he needed some 'soul-searching time' or something dramatic like that. Typical Jimin move-always needing to go on some grand adventure. But seriously, we don't have much info. He's been pretty good at keeping us in the dark."

Yungmin leaned in, intrigued. "Did he mention anything about why he left? Any specific reason that you know of?"

Minji's eyes sparkled with a mix of humor and sympathy. "Not really. Just the usual vague Jimin stuff. He said he needed to find himself or whatever. I guess he's been busy doing his own thing. We just hope he's okay and doing what he needs to do."

Jennie sighed sympathetically. "It must be hard not knowing where he is or what he's up to."

Minji nodded, her tone softening. "Yeah, it can be tough. But you know, you can't stay mad at him forever. Life can be rough, and he had his own battles to face. We just have to trust that he's out there handling things in his own way."

Hoseok, trying to lighten the mood, grinned. "Well, if he's anything like his sister, he's probably out there being fabulous and taking the world by storm."

Minji laughed, her sassiness returning. "Oh, definitely. If he's not, he's missing out. But enough about Jimin. Let's focus on this coffee and see if Yoongi here can still impress us."

They all said their goodbyes as they all parted their ways. Hoseok, who just got his brand new car, decided to take a different route for him to have a quick stroll and alone time with his self.

He had realized that this route will take him to Jimin's house as he just shrugs it off even though he'll take a full-hour to reach his own apartment.

As he was strolling, he decided to take a little peak to Jimin's house, just a little curious. He hand his head low, peeked, and a gasp went out from his mouth.

Jimin's house was pitch black when he left. All lights are off, security cameras not blinking. But right this moment, his house were now full of lights as if it was Christmas night.

"Oh my gosh, I have to call Yoongi."