Whispers in the orchard

Chapter 3 – Whispers in the Orchard

The next morning, the village was bright and bustling, but Jungkook moved through it as though in a dream. He had hardly slept. The memory of the boy—his voice, his impossible power—played again and again in his mind. It felt too vivid to dismiss as fantasy, yet too strange to speak aloud without sounding foolish.

Still, there was one person he could trust.

Jimin.

He found his friend near the well, hauling up buckets with his usual cheer. “Kook!” Jimin called, flashing his familiar grin. “You look like you wrestled a nightmare all night. Don’t tell me you were studying instead of sleeping again?”

Jungkook gave a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not exactly.” He glanced around; villagers bustled by, trading goods and gossip. He lowered his voice. “Can we talk? Somewhere quiet.”

Jimin raised a brow at his tone, but nodded. Moments later, they slipped away to the shade of the orchard—the same orchard where it had all happened. Jungkook’s pulse quickened just being there.

“All right,” Jimin said, crossing his arms. “Out with it. What’s got you so pale?”

Jungkook hesitated. Then, in a rush, he told him everything: the shadowed spirit, the boy who appeared out of light, the way he commanded the blossoms. Every detail tumbled out, his voice shaking between awe and disbelief.

When he finally fell silent, Jimin stared at him. For a long moment, only the sound of leaves rustling filled the air.

“Jungkook,” Jimin said slowly, “do you hear yourself? You’re saying you met a spirit. Not just any, but one that… looks like a boy?”

“I know how it sounds,” Jungkook muttered, frustrated. “But it happened, Jimin. He was real. He saved me.”

Jimin’s playful demeanor faded into something more serious. His gaze flicked toward the orchard trees as if they might be listening. “My grandmother used to tell stories about them,” he said softly. “Spirits who walk between worlds. Some are kind. Some…” His voice lowered. “Some bring curses.”

Jungkook frowned. “He didn’t feel like a curse.”

“That’s what makes them dangerous,” Jimin replied. “The old legends say—once you look into their eyes, fate ties you to them. For better or worse.”

The words sank heavy into Jungkook’s chest. He thought of the boy’s gaze—ancient yet fragile, like starlight on water. Fate. Could that really be what had pulled him into that moment?

Jimin sighed, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Kook, I’m not saying you imagined it. But if this spirit boy exists, you have to be careful. The villagers fear what they don’t understand. And if you get too close…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

Jungkook clenched his fists. “I don’t care about legends or fear. He saved my life. That means something. I need to find him again.”

Jimin’s eyes searched his, worried yet knowing he wouldn’t be swayed. “You’ve always been stubborn.” He gave a small smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Just promise me one thing. Don’t lose yourself chasing after him.”

Jungkook nodded, but in his heart, he already knew.

He wasn’t chasing.

He was being pulled.

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