The whole way back to the beach, Taehyung filled Jungkook in on everything about Namjoon, the RV, and the others that were traveling with them. Taehyung could tell that Jungkook was having a hard time wrapping his brain around some of it, seeming visibly amused when Taehyung told him about how the RV could travel through time.

"There must have been a falling out between my adoptive father and Namjoon's grandfather," said Jungkook as he walked alongside Taehyung. "There was only one mechanism made for traveling through time, and I have a hard time believing that my adoptive father would want it to become part of an RV. It's as if Namjoon's grandfather hid it in the one spot he didn't think my adoptive father would look..."

"Well, I don't know anything about that," said Taehyung, "You'd probably have to ask Namjoon about that. You can trust him. He's a great leader."

"I will remain skeptical on that front," said Jungkook. "I haven't had a good experience with leaders. I'm tired of being under them."

"You sound like you're going to lead a revolt."

Jungkook smirked, but didn't say anything. Taehyung was half worried for a moment, but his worries were pushed to the back burner as they came back out into the clearing where the others were. All eyes turned to look at the two of them as they emerged from the trees; Suga being the first one to speak.

"Well look at that. Taehyung didn't go and get himself killed."

Taehyung's face flushed as Namjoon fixed Suga with a glare. Namjoon's gaze soon moved to focus on Jungkook.

"I'm sorry if I said or did anything that upset you," said Namjoon. "I didn't mean to. I was just trying to figure out..."

"It's fine," said Jungkook shortly in order to stop Namjoon from babbling. "However, I'd like to talk to you in private for a moment."

"Without a weapon though," spoke up Taehyung as he saw Jungkook lying his hand on the hilt of the sword in his sheath.

Jungkook turned to look at Taehyung with a glare for a moment before sighing. He undid his sheath, thrusting it at Taehyung's chest before starting to walk down the beach. Jungkook didn't stop to ask Namjoon to follow him. Namjoon sighed as he turned to follow after Jungkook.

"If Namjoon's not back in ten minutes, I will go after them to make sure Jungkook hasn't killed him," spoke up Suga.

"Giving Jungkook ten minutes is generous," said Tweedle. "I give your friend there maybe a minute if that to survive if Jungkook has it in his mind that he's a dead man."

Jungkook meanwhile had come to a stop near where they had tied the boat off to the shore. He took a seat down in the sand, tucking his legs up against his chest as stared out at the aquamarine waves lapping the shore. Namjoon didn't hesitate in sitting down beside him in the sand, letting his legs stretch out in front of him as he waited for the other to start talking.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

Namjoon didn't answer right off as he turned his head to the side to look at Jungkook. He shook his head after studying the other for a moment - and even though Jungkook was still facing the ocean - he let out a sigh at seeing that action out of the corner of his eye.

"I figured you probably didn't," said Jungkook. "Your answer doesn't surprise me."

"So Suga was right with his question," said Namjoon, "And I was right about how you knew CPR."

"Yes," said Jungkook.

"But how? How did you end up here?"

"I don't want to get into a tragic backstory. That's not why I wanted to talk to you in private," said Jungkook as he finally broke his gaze with the ocean to look over at Namjoon. "I want to know if you remember your grandfather's project partner. He was my adoptive father."

"Sort of," said Namjoon, closing his eyes to try and recollect the moment that had long since buried itself in his memory.

Even though Namjoon had enjoyed hanging out with his grandfather, he had only tagged along with him to his work a few times due to being in school and invested in his studies. When he went with his grandfather to his work, he always brought a book with him to entertain himself. Namjoon felt he couldn't risk falling behind in his studies and it wasn't like his grandfather could pay attention to him anyway. Even though his grandfather had told him that he would miss something by doing so, he didn't bother to listen. He figured that he wouldn't end up missing anything important and here sitting beside him was proof of how wrong that assumption was.

"I'm sorry that I didn't..."

"Stop. I don't want an apology," said Jungkook a bit curtly as Namjoon fell silent. "You weren't the one to desert me so I don't need an apology from you, and I don't want pity."

An awkward silence fell between them for a moment as Jungkook kicked at the sand with one foot before letting his legs straighten out in front of him.

"If you don't remember my adoptive father, you ought to be concerned that you're in possession of the time travel device," said Jungkook as he stared back at the water. "Leaving me stranded in the past is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to things he will do in the name of his passions. When he becomes fixated on something, he doesn't let go easily."

"Sounds like it wasn't a happy home with him," said Namjoon, causing Jungkook to smirk.

"It wasn't. I'd rather take the orphanage. At least there they were always blunt about not wanting me."

Namjoon knew that Jungkook wasn't a person to ever admit that he was hurt - but in looking over at him - Namjoon could clearly see the hurt look in Jungkook's eyes.

"I want to show you something," said Namjoon as he leaned back to pull his grandfather's journal out of his waistband. Seeing that it was important to him, Namjoon made sure he carried it whenever they left the RV.

Not able to withstand the curiosity that coursed through him, Jungkook turned his head to the side to look at what Namjoon now held in his hands. He watched as Namjoon flipped through the pages until he reached the section where it talked about the people his grandfather had lost throughout time. Namjoon pointed out a sentence, sliding it closer to Jungkook to indicate that he ought to read it.

"As the ship sailed away beyond the horizon and out of sight in the setting sun, I thought again about how I lost him," said Jungkook as he read it out loud, pausing as the realization of that sentence came over him along with the memories.

'What do you call that?'

He had only been traded off for a few minutes, and he was already hating his life. Jungkook turned to look at one of the greasy pirates that had him by the forearm who was prodding his black hoodie with an equally greasy finger as if he was a science experiment. Prior to the curiosity about his clothing had been the curiosity about his ruby red hair.

'Better yet, what's this?' asked the pirate that had his other forearm; the pirate using his free hand to rummage through Jungkook's hoodie pocket to pull out his cell phone; his ear buds tangled about it.

'Give it back...' growled Jungkook as he tore his gaze away from his adoptive father as he finished sealing the deal with Captain.

'Or what?' taunted the pirate as he held it up high as if Jungkook were a little child. 'You gonna...'

Jungkook kicked out a free foot right at the taunting pirate's jewels, causing him to double over immediately. Jungkook's cell phone fell onto the deck which caused the screen to crack. As Jungkook looked down at his darkened, fractured reflection in the face of the screen, he realized that it mirrored how broken he felt inside.

Anger funneled through Jungkook as he suddenly gained Samson like strength, yanking his arm forward and out of the remaining pirate's grip. He turned and punched the pirate in the face to keep him from coming back at him, reaching to grab up his cell phone from the deck and tuck it back in his hoodie pocket. As he looked back up, he saw that Captain was standing there, looking at him.

The urge to run coursed through Jungkook. They were just starting to leave the shore. There was still a time to make a run for it. He tore off across the deck as fast as he could; the clamoring of footsteps sounding out behind him. Racing up the steps to the main deck, he fought through all the pirates that stood in his way and made them fall down like bowling pins. He was soon standing near the rail of the boat where he had a good sight of the shore as they made their way out towards the ocean. His adoptive father wasn't even looking his way; instead looking at the time travel device that was in his hands as if it were his baby. His partner on the other hand looked as if he had just lost a son. He had raced out into the ocean water up to his knees; eyes locking with Jungkook's. He held out a hand towards him as a welcome invitation back. Jungkook moved to crouch up onto the rail and was debating whether to jump into the water when he was grabbed by the back of his hood. He coughed from the sudden action as he ended up on his back on the deck with Captain above him. Captain pressed the tip of his sword against Jungkook's chest; a smirk painted on his face.

'You definitely have potential. You're a perfect addition,' said Captain.

That had been the first time that Jungkook had ever heard those words. He didn't know if it was that fact or the fact that he had once more been abandoned that caused the tears to brim in his eyes. Whatever the reason - as the tears brimmed in his eyes as he laid on his back on the deck - it blurred the setting sun into a mess of runny yellows and oranges.

"Fu-"

The curse died out as Jungkook shoved the journal back at Namjoon and jumped to his feet. Jungkook could feel a few tears running down his face silently; angrily and quickly trying to brush them away. He sniffed a bit as he tried to calm down, using his sleeve to rub under his nose. Namjoon closed the journal and tucked it back into his waistband before slowly moving to his feet. He silently moved to stand beside Jungkook, not looking at him in order to give Jungkook the privacy he needed. After he heard the sniffing die down, Namjoon continued facing the horizon before them as he said, "My grandfather never forgot about you. It's why we're here. We were here to find you and bring you home."

"Why would I want to go home? What do I have there?"

"You'll have us," said Namjoon. "We may seem like an odd bunch, but we're a family."

"Talking about family makes you sound like Taehyung," said Jungkook with a huff, rubbing his sleeve under his nose once more.

Namjoon dared to reach out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Please think about it at least. We'd love to have you."

"I'll think about it," said Jungkook as he straightened his back, trying to collect himself, "But before I can think about it seriously, there is one thing I have to do."

"And what's that?"

"Take Captain's ship."