Work Text:
Part 2
Jungkook gets kidnapped by ghosts.
-
Jungkook thinks he's haunted.
No, scratch that. He's definitely haunted.
But he's too tired to give a shit so he ignores it. It's all very millennial of him.
It started a week ago.
He'd slipped in the bathroom because of a leak he'd been meaning to fix. The leak was miraculously fixed the next day.
Four days ago, he'd opened his cabinets and there were twice as many ramen packets than strictly feasible. He said thank you to the apartment and made two packs for himself then and there.
Two nights ago he had woken up in the middle of the night for water and something was in his kitchen. Jungkook greeted the shadowy entity, drank his water and went back to sleep.
Every so often, he'd find breakfast bars in his pockets like he bought them and forgot about them. Jungkook's too broke and too hungry to forget about expensive breakfast bars.
He's found cash rolled up and tucked away in his jacket pockets. He knows it's not his because he keeps track of his money and he's not about to forget stashing money in a hoodie he used two days ago.
Despite it all, Jungkook has been able to not worry about it.
His ghost has been nice to him and he's not the type to be scared so he never saw the point of actually acknowledging anything.
It's a little hard to ignore now, though.
There's voices in the hallway outside his bedroom. Two voices that are going back and forth. Loudly.
It's what woke him up.
He tries to shake the sleep off and listen but it's hard. Cocooned in his sheets on top of his mattress, his eyes fall shut almost immediately.
He's blaming the cold he has for his reactions. He should be an anxious wreck because he's definitely unemployed by now considering it is ten in the morning - four hours too late to make it to work. It also means there's no way he's going to be able to make rent this month. He'll be living on the streets in two weeks tops but all he can bother to care about is his lumpy mattress and how comfortable it has suddenly become.
The voices get louder.
Jungkook thinks that his time is up - this is how it will end. His amiable ghosts have come to make him one of them. Even with no future to speak of, he's not sure a life as a ghost will be all that great.
There's a loud shushing that derails his train of thought (a third ghost?) and everything goes quiet for a second. Then the voices are back with renewed vigor.
“Please don't kill me.” He says, as loudly as he can manage. “I know you probably want a little ghost friend but I can't commit to a life of translucentivity or whatever. I'm sorry.”
The hallway is quiet.
Then the door bursts open and a vaguely familiar guy with shoulders the size of his doorway barges inside.
“You don't look like a ghost.” Jungkook says, eyes open now but just barely. The man in front of him looks very human.
Maybe that's a thing ghosts can do in the 21st century? He makes a mental note to get clarification on the matter.
“Is he high?” The man in his doorway asks.
“Nope.” Another voice says. “Just probably overdosing on cough syrup"
He wants to apologize to the three ghosts for the shoebox his room actually is but then he remembers they're ghosts. They can probably stand in each other to ensure they fit.
He can't help but giggle at that. That turns into a full blown laugh attack which turns into great, hacking coughs.
“He's just a weird little bean with a fever and a cold.” A different voice says and Jungkook can hear the reluctant smile in it.
“I'm tired.” He grumbles to his ghosts. “Can you turn the light off when you leave? I'm going back to sleep.”
“What light?”
“I think he means the sun.”
“He's a weird bean alright.”
“I know! He's awesome. I'm so happy we're keeping him.”
And that's a little concerning.
He doesn't want to be kept..?
He should say something but there's a cool hand on his forehead and he kind of wants to ask the owner to leave it there forever.
“Okay, he's burning up.” someone says, he tries opening his eyes but there's a too-pretty face with full lips right there and he checks out mentally. The ghosts can have him.
“Tell Joon he'll need to come - we'll need to carry him out.”
“I'm not a baby.” He has to point it out because it's important. “I can walk.”
“Yeah? Sit up for me then.” The voice challenges.
Jungkook doesn't even bother trying, just grumbles unintelligently under his breath.
“I've got his phone. Don't think he'll need anything else from the apartment.” A third voice says.
The voice isn't wrong but there's a weird pang in his chest. He ignores it in favor of making a mental note to check if ghosts can use mobile phones.
“He's not dead then?” A fourth voice asks. It's equal parts relieved and equal parts breathless. Like the owner had run all the way to his apartment. Ghosts get winded?
“Nope, just has a raging fever.” The owner of the plush lips and cool hand says. “Come on. Let's get him out of here.”
He hears them move around him and suddenly Jungkook is being lifted along with his sheets.
“Uh.” Jungkook whispers. “How didn't I go right through you?” But then he thinks of the fixed leak and the hand on his forehead and okay, maybe ghosts can do that now - make themselves solid.
“He's high on cough syrup.” he hears as he is gently carried through his apartment. “He also thinks we're ghosts.”
That gets a short laugh from the person carrying him.
“Not ghosts?” Jungkook whispers, mostly to himself. He worries about his list of questions going unanswered.
“Not ghosts, baby. You're going to be okay with us, though. I swear.” The guy holding him says. This guy's voice has a nice soft deepness to it - he sounds like Jungkook’s favorite professor at his old school. It's nice.
Jungkook develops a flutter in his tummy at the word ‘baby’ but when he thinks about it again, it sounds more like the man is referring to him as a literal child. He's nineteen years old and yet it doesn't stop the flutters.
“Where are you taking me?” Jungkook asks with the last of his brain cells.
“Home.” The man says.
It's the last thing Jungkook registers before he knocks out.
–
He wakes up with two dogs on him. There's one black and tan Pomeranian on his chest and a brown poodle-ey sort of dog that has made like a scarf and draped himself over Jungkook's neck.
He's not quite awake and he worries about disturbing them even though he has zero recollection of them. He shifts minutely, just to get his hands up to move the scarf-dog but both dogs huff and slide off him in an instant. They both go back to sleep beside him, clearly not done resting yet.
Huh.
Jungkook wonders whose dogs they are and then wonders why they're with him. He was definitely not drunk the previous night so there's no way he stole someone's dogs.
He looks around and it's only then that he realizes he's not even in his own room. Maybe he wandered into some neighbor's apartment instead of his own after the pharmacy visit?
No, that's not possible either. The bed he's in is soft and the sheets are fresh. The room is as big as his whole apartment. He does not have neighbors like this. He doesn't even live in a locality that has such fancy rooms.
Which makes it worse.
He's dressed in the same clothes he last remembers sleeping in, so that's a relief. He shifts to move off the bed and is immediately made aware that there's two more dogs on the bed with him because one growls at him from near his feet. When he looks he finds an annoyed white Pomeranian glaring at him.
“Sorry, my dude.” He says quickly. “I didn't know you were there.” That's enough for the little guy and he goes back to sleep.
The Shihtzu who's curled up by his side doesn't give a shit and is snoring deeply.
There's some natural light coming through the windows despite the heavy curtains. The bed is a large king size thing with six or seven fluffy pillows he has established are not dogs. The room has a cupboard in one corner and a drawing table by its side. There's two simple wooden chairs by a window and nothing else.
Again he tries to think of why he would be in this particular bed but the only reason he can come up with is that he died of his cold and, in his state, made a left turn into doggy heaven or something in those lines.
He's just about coaxing his brain to get up and look out the window when the door opens. He flops back down and pretends to be asleep but isn't slick enough.
“Oh, nice! You're awake.” Someone says and before Jungkook can crack an eye open to check who it is, the person has left the room again.
He hears “He's awake!” being yelled outside his door and then he almost shits himself by the amount of footsteps he can hear in response.
The dogs - except for the Shih Tzu who's still snoring - get up and wait by the door, tails wagging madly.
Jungkook contemplates flinging himself out of the window briefly but stops before his impulsiveness can override logic. His singular brain cell works overtime when he sees the door pushing open again.
He throws the bed sheet over his head and lays there like an idiot.
Before he can feel embarrassed he hears a snort and the room is filling up. There's more sniggers of laughter and the dogs bark but he also hears them leave the room. Now he's alone with more than five strangers at least. The snoring Shihtzu is grounding.
“Why do you have a sheet on your head?” Someone asks and it's weird because, vaguely, he recognises the voice.
“Coping mechanism.” Jungkook replies. A giggle follows.
“Do you want to continue this conversation like that?” another person asks and Jungkook is reminded of a really cool math professor he had in school.
He pushes his hands around the sheet and clasps them in the front.
“I'm good like this.” He gives them a thumbs up.
“Right.” The same guy says. “My name is Kim Namjoon -”
The guy is still speaking but there's a theatrical record scratch that happens in Jungkook's head and he pulls the sheet off his head. He can hear his heart beating and it feels like it will fall out of his chest.
There's six men in the room with him and he knows all of them.
South Korea is run by a number of underground crime organizations. It used to worry people but it's become a very normal thing. Every city has one major family running it.
On the outside, the cities have the required people in positions of authority but everyone knows who really runs the place. It's all quite civilised nowadays.
It's the Parks in Busan, the Chois in Gyeongju-si, the Lees in Incheon, the Mins in Daegu, etc. Two years ago, by some unholy aligning of stars, the eldest sons of five major organizations came together and they overthrew the reigning power in Seoul.
There was a lot of bloodshed, Jungkook remembers very clearly, but since then there have been significant improvements in the economy all across the country. The sons became untouchable very quickly. Practically royalty. They chose to call themselves Bangtan which Jungkook remembers thinking was fitting.
Kim Namjoon, of the Ilsan Kims, is standing right in front of him looking slightly comical because he's frozen mid-speech.
Kim Seokjin of the Gyeonggi-do Kims is to his left, not smiling, but he raises his hand in greeting when Jungkook looks at him.
Park Jimin of the Busan Parks is to Seokjin's left. Taehyung isn't directly descended from the main families but he has made enough of a name since he joined Bangtan. He stands beside Park Jimin and has the black and tan Pomeranian zipped up inside his hoodie as he waves at Jungkook. Him and Jimin are the only ones smiling at him.
To Kim Namjoon's right is Min Yoongi of the Daegu Mins and Jung Hoseok of the Gwangju Jungs and they're both watching him like they know he thought of jumping out of the window.
“So,” Seokjin starts to say. “You recognise us.”
He recognises them, sure. Every single South Korean will be able to recognize the people in front of him. It still doesn't make any sense, though.
No, because, why the fuck would the most lucrative crime organization of Seoul have him in what appears to be their spare room.
Part 1
Jungkook is not an asshole.
-
Two months earlier.
Something is off with the alleyway.
It's possible the tiredness of double shifts is getting to him but it doesn't seem like that.
It's the alleyway beside his building and he has seen it a million times by now, he should know if something was off.
There's the pile of disintegrating sofa cushions in the corner. The old, stained mattress propped against the wall. The stacks of rotting wood against the other wall. The overflowing trash bin. The pair of leather boots sticking out from behind the cushions…
Right.
Leather boots. Attached to legs.
He can't see much more from where he stands at the entrance. It's pitch dark given that it's almost midnight and he doesn't have his phone on him so he stands there contemplating for a while.
Someone could need his help or there could be a body he should report to the police. Either way, he'll need to actually go look.
He would much rather not but if there is someone who needs his help…Then he would try at least.
He's not an asshole, he tells himself.
He flings the rubbish he was there to be discarding into the bin and makes his way warily to the back of the alley.
He holds his breath to brace himself for some reason and sticks his head around the cushions to look for the rest of the body.
It's a guy, not much older than him, Jungkook thinks but it's hard to be sure because his face is… unrecognizable. There's blood, he's ninety percent sure it's blood, all over one side of his face and there's bruises covering the other half. He's dressed in all black but the shirt he's wearing is wet in the front and Jungkook assumes that it's blood too.
He's pretty positive the person is alive but it still makes him jump when the person looks up at him.
“Very happy you're not dead.” Jungkook says with feeling. The man doesn't reply, just stares at him with the one eye that's not bruised shut.
“I'm going to run up and call you an ambulance okay?” Jungkook says, backing away slowly like sudden movements would startle the guy.
Immediately he shakes his head more violently than Jungkook would have thought possible. “No doctor.” he croaks.
“Uh.” Jungkook says, at a loss. “You need to be looked at, man. I don't have the expertise to help –”
“Phone?” the guy says and that Jungkook can do. He doesn't bother pushing the man about the hospital but he can understand. Hospitals are expensive.
He does some quick thinking and decides it's best if he takes the man back to his apartment instead of running to and fro with his phone.
“My phone's in the apartment so I'm taking you with me.” Jungkook says, already moving closer. “I'll help you up, come on.”
The man is a good sport. He stands with difficulty but he doesn't complain. He can see that the guy has to support his right arm but there's nothing to do now. Jungkook ducks under his left arm so he can support him and hold on to his right even though every movement makes the guy gasp and wince.
Jungkook tries to be as gentle as he can as they walk the short distance to the front of his building. He stops there so the man can rest for a second. Each breath comes out as a wheeze and Jungkook is worried there's a wound he's worsening. The guy starts forward on his own and Jungkook stops worrying for the time being.
He usually hates that his apartment is on the ground floor but today, it's really lucky. He knows this guy would probably pass out if there were stairs involved. Jungkook knows his own strength and even though the guy is a lanky type of tall and is the same height as him, he knows he wouldn't be able to support his weight enough to not cause more damage.
“I'm in the apartment over there.” He points to a door two doors down the corridor beside the stairs. “We just have to make it there and you can lie down.”
The guy's relief is audible. He moves forward and Jungkook supports him as best he can and they make it to his apartment. Jungkook fumbles a bit with the keys but gets the door open eventually.
They enter and immediately the man beside him slumps. Jungkook had left the light on and he gets his first good look at the guy.
It's a good thing he's got a strong stomach because the sheer amount of blood he can see would make a weaker stomach hurl.
“My bedroom is right there.” He says pointing at one of the doors just beyond his tiny kitchen. “I'm sure you'll be more comfortable there.”
“urghhhh.” He hears and he can almost imagine a petulant ‘fiiiine’ at the end of the noise. The guy moves with purpose and they make it to his room considerably quickly.
Jungkook helps lower him into the mattress. He doesn't have a bed because beds are expensive and he tells the man about it. He gets waved off.
“Alright, stay.” Jungkook says, not hearing what he's saying. He gets a flat look. “I'm getting you some water and my phone.”
Jungkook feels a little blasé about the whole incident. He's unsure why but it doesn't matter at the moment.
He pockets his phone and goes to fill a bottle of water. He also hunts for a pack of straws he knows he has and he finds it at the back of his kitchen cupboard. On the way back he gets a small towel from his bathroom and a tumbler of water. There's nothing more he can offer but he hopes the guy has friends who will be able to pick him up soon.
The guy looks like he has fallen asleep when Jungkook gets back. Jungkook sits cross legged beside the mattress and tries to scooch as close as possible. He jostles the mattress accidentally and that makes the guy jerk awake.
Jungkook props the bottle by his head and bends a straw enough so he can take a sip without needing to move. He drinks enough that Jungkook is glad he didn't come with just a glass.
“Do you remember a number?” Jungkook asks eventually. Valid question because he doesn't know a single number off the top of his head.
The guy nods and proceeds to groan out a series of numbers Jungkook has to strain to hear.
“Shall I talk to them for you?” Jungkook asks because it seems like the best option at this point. He gets a hesitant nod.
“What's your name?”
“Tae.” He gets in answer.
He presses the call button with the guy watching him. He puts in on speaker and the call rings through for a half a second before someone picks up.
A rough voice answers. “Who's this?”
The guy on his mattress relaxes as he hears the voice and Jungkook thinks that's a good sign.
“Um, I'm Jungkook.” He hesitates. “I found your friend, he says his name is Tae?”
Immediately the voice gets cold and clinical. “Where are you now?”
After he rattles off his address he demands to speak with Tae. Jungkook put the phone as close as he can to Tae.
“Be nice, hyung.” Tae says with a lot of effort and that seems enough to calm the man on the line a little.
“How hurt are you on a scale of one to ten Tae?” His voice is completely different, more warm, more soft.
“Six” He says which surprises Jungkook. It looks like at least a twenty four but Jungkook knows nothing about this person's lifestyle. There's a long sigh from the other end.
“Hang tight, baby. Sejin is coming to get you, he's closest.” he hears and thinks they're not friends then.
“He will be needing medical attention, though.” Jungkook says, seriously. He's a little worried this person might refuse or something but it does seem like he cares.
“A doctor will have a look at him as soon as he's home, no need to worry.” Tae's hyung says, back to sounding cold. “Someone will be there in twenty minutes.”
And that's a relief.
“Okay, I guess.” Jungkook says and the call ends.
“Apologies.” Tae says. “He can be a bit short but he's not a complete ass.”
Jungkook waves it off even though he didn't like being spoken to that way. It's fine. He's gotten used to it at his job.
“I'll try and clean you up, shall I?” Jungkook asks and gets a nod.
He spends the next ten minutes wiping gently at Tae's face wishing he had some warm water. But he hasn't had warm water in ages and he knows the cold water will have to do. Tae doesn't complain.
Jungkook finds a huge cut on his forehead, just at the hairline, is the cause of all the blood and with it cleaned off, everything looks a little better.
“How is this a six?” Jungkook asks, curious again. “Looks pretty bad to me.”
“They've seen worse.” Tae says making a noise that could be considered a laugh. Jungkook has no further questions about it.
Jungkook unearths a few more cuts and scrapes on his face and more bruising on his neck that disappears under the collar of the shirt he's wearing.
“What the hell happened to you?” He asks.
“Met some bad guys but they look worse than me so it's okay.” Tae says and it's obviously a redacted version but he's fine with not knowing the details. He was only asking rhetorically.
There's a loud knock on his door that startles him so badly he drops the towel on his sheet. It's pretty much ruined at this point but Jungkook still feels sad about it.
He goes to open the door and there are two huge men on the other side. One smiles at him, the other is looking down the corridor like he’s prepared to tackle anything that may run at him.
“I'm Sejin and I'm here for Tae. Are you Jungkook?” The smiley one says. Jungkook nods and he's gently pushed to the side as both men enter his apartment.
They're in his room before he can turn around after shutting his door. When Jungkook reaches the doorway he's just in time to watch Tae be hoisted into the burly man's arms. There's no space to maneuver around them so he has to stay where he is.
“Oi, careful.” He says like he has a death wish. He's fairly certain these people are powerful and he shouldn't get on their bad side but Tae groans really loud as he's lifted and it brings up a protective instinct Jungkook wasn't aware he had.
“It's okay, Kook.” Tae says from where he looks like a ragdoll in the man's arms. “They're fine.”
He even manages a thumbs up with his uninjured hand. Then he's being carried out of the apartment.
“Hope you get better soon!” Jungkook yells because it feels wrong to let him just leave like that.
Sejin is still in the apartment and when Jungkook looks at him, he's smiling big again. “He'll be fine. His boyfriends are very doting.”
Right.
He doesn't have any comment for that. Sejin goes to leave and Jungkook has to put his hands in his pocket to stop from giving the man a thumbs up.
“Thank you, Jungkook.” Sejin says and doesn't wait for a reply or anything. Just leaves and pulls the door shut behind him.
He feels oddly bereft. Unfulfilled.
All of the day's tiredness comes back to him all at once. He doesn't want to think anymore so he pulls the soiled sheets off his mattress and puts himself to bed.
–
He wakes up to a knock on his door.
It's odd enough to jolt him into consciousness.
He's annoyed to find it's merely two minutes before his alarm has to go off. Now his entire day is ruined.
The person knocks again.
Jungkook groans as he hefts himself off the mattress. He gets to the door, ready to yell at whoever his visitor is but when he pulls the door open there's no one there.
Just a massive box on the floor.
Jungkook half expects something to pop out of the box but nothing happens.
There's a small note on the box that he pulls off to read.
‘Thanks Kook :)’
It says with ‘Tae’ written at the bottom with a heart by his name. Jungkook only then remembers the events of the previous night and he's curious.
He pulls the box inside and shuts his door.
When he finally opens the box there's a bundle of soft material there. It's blue with white stripes and when Jungkook lifts it out he realises it's a thick duvet. Under that are two more sheets, thin but soft, and a matching towel too.
Under that is like 500000 won.
–
Part 3
Jungkook is tricked into staying kidnapped.
-
“I'd like to go home now, please.”
Taehyung's smile falls off his face. “No wait!” He says and makes to come closer to the bed. Kim Seokjin yanks him back by the hood of his jacket. “You don't even know why we brought you here! I made a PowerPoint presentation!”
Jungkook is thrown by that tidbit of information. He has to tell himself these people are the literal mafia three times to get past it.
“You're the guy I tried to help a few months ago and unless I'm very wrong, this is some convoluted way to thank me or something.” Jungkook says and takes a little joy in watching six people look stumped at the same time.
“Not gonna lie, we thought you hadn’t made the connection yet.” Min Yoongi says.
There had been an article in the paper about three men who had been killed in gang related activities the night he had found Taehyung. Jungkook had put two and two together and had realized who he had helped.
Jungkook wants to explain but he wants to point out another thing.
“Hey, I spoke to you on the phone that day!” Jungkook says accusingly. The man winces.
“I was hoping you would never make that connection, actually.” Min Yoongi says. “I also have a presentation with an apology.”
He pulls out a tablet from his jacket and looks like he has it ready to play.
“Mine first!” Kim Taehyung says and grabs the tablet Park Jimin passes to him.
Jungkook has no doubts that they will actually make him watch both presentations.
“Have you guys been in my apartment?” Jungkook asks, hoping to distract them from the presentations.
“I have!” Kim Taehyung says and Jungkook gives him a look.
The others all manage to look varying degrees of sheepish.
“You said hello to me the other night.” Jung Hoseok says, smiling like he hadn't just admitted to a crime. “I was replenishing your ramen cabinet.”
“To be fair, your apartment had a shit lock.” Park Jimin says but shuts up when Jungkook slits his eyes at him.
“Look, Jungkook,” Kim Namjoon says, voice placating. Jungkook is reminded of a nice professor he had in school. “It started because we wanted to say thanks for helping Taehyung that one time.”
“You sent me the sheets and all that money with no way of giving it back. That was enough of a thanks.”
“We thought it was.” Kim Seokjin said. “Then Tae kept mentioning how nice you were and how worried he was for your welfare, so we had to come see. And we found you barely surviving.”
“Hey!” Jungkook yells. “I was surviving just fine!”
“You had one towel and one bedsheet and you used both on me.” Taehyung supplies, very matter-of-fact.
“Wait a second now.” Jungkook says. “I'm not a complete ass. Of course I had to use them for you.”
“The day we came to check on you, you had a bruise on your chin. You had knocked yourself out because of the slip in the bathroom.” Min Yoongi says.
“Wait a minute…”
“You had one pack of ramen in your cupboard that you were going to split for two meals.” Kim Namjoon says.
“Hey now, they don't pay me very much at the supermarket.”
“You were wasting away with a fever that you didn't have the right medication for.” Kim Seokjin says.
“The pharmacist said it was alright …”
“You had three t-shirts and two sweatpants in your cupboard. You bought one with the money we left you.” Park Jimin says.
“Okay, that's enough.” Jungkook says, annoyed now. “I'm poor but it doesn't mean I am not doing the best I can.”
It had been a hard year for Jungkook. Ever since his parents had kicked him out of the house, things had been shit and his future was bleak but Jungkook didn't need to be called out for that.
Many of them sigh.
“We know Jungkook, we know you did your best.” Kim Namjoon says, voice soothing again. “We're just saying you don't have to struggle so hard just to survive now.”
“We'd like to help.” Jung Hoseok says. “We found that scholarship to SNU you had. You can still go back and won't have to worry about dropping out because you don't have spending money.”
“I lost that scholarship the day I was kicked out of home.” Jungkook said. His parents had answered the one call the university made to the house and had somehow managed to cancel it. He'd gotten the notification on his phone when he was literally living on the streets.
“Ah, we spoke to them. They'll be happy to have you back next semester.” Park Jimin says, smiling brightly.
Jungkook just blinks at him.
He had forgotten who he was talking to for a second.
“I want to go home now.” He says.
All of them lose the straightness of their shoulders at once.
“Just stay till you feel better, please.” Kim Seokjin says. “We'll drop you off when you're better. I swear.”
“I'm fine.” Jungkook says and he isn't lying. He remembers feeling like death when he was in his apartment but he's considerably better now. “And I'll take the bus, I've inconvenienced you enough as it is.”
“Noo, please!” Taehyung says, “Let us help!”
He gets shushed by Kim Namjoon.
“Well, if you insist.” Kim Seokjin says. Five other heads thwip to stare at him incredulously. “You slept for almost twenty four hours so you're well rested and I don't feel bad about letting you leave. But I did make a huge breakfast and I'm packing it up for you. There will be no negotiations.”
Jungkook shrugs with less gusto. He's a little shocked they're letting him go this easily but he's not about to say anything that could potentially change their minds.
Kim Seokjin drags Taehyung out the door with him who's kicking and screaming. When they're gone, he's left to be scrutinized by the remaining four people in the room.
“I've already put our numbers on your phone. Please call if you need anything.” Park Jimin says and hands his phone back to Jungkook. Then he leaves the room.
“Your boss called and fired you.” Jungkook winces at Min Yoongi's words. “I've sent you details for another job. The guy who owns the place has been told to expect your call. It will be the same type of work and it's closer to your apartment. Please call him, he needs the help.”
“We're also very serious about the scholarship.” Jung Hoseok says. “They will have sent you a mail. Don't wait too long to reply to it, please.”
Min Yoongi and him leave the room then so he's only left with Kim Namjoon.
“We promise we won't come around your apartment again but you need to promise to call us if you need us.” Kim Namjoon raises a hand as if he knows how Jungkook is going to protest that. “All of us love Taehyung and we're very grateful you helped him that day. He wouldn't have died there but it would have taken us a lot longer to find him if it weren't for you. We just wanted to show our appreciation but somehow we got carried away. I hope you'll forgive us for that.”
Jungkook sighs. He's already forgiven them but he doesn't want much more to do with any of them. He tells Kim Namjoon as much and the man nods in understanding.
“Still, we'll come if you need us. You just have to call.” He says. “You can freshen up in the washroom across the corridor before you go, if you like.”
And then he leaves too.
“The fuck just happened?” He says to the dog who's, surprisingly, still snoring beside him.
–
He takes his time in the washroom. It's clear it's an extra but it's clean and well stocked. He spends a lot of time just sniffing the various shampoos and lotions on the shelves.
When he's done, some thirty minutes later he wanders around trying to find his way out of the corridor. He passes a number of shut doors but eventually finds the stairs and descends into a cozy hall. It's bright and full of soft looking furniture with bookshelves that line two whole walls.
He has to remind himself that he cannot stay here.
The Shihtzu from the room is now napping on the plush couch somehow. He stares at the dog trying to figure out if there's actually two of them and he's looking at another identical dog.
“That's Mickey.” Jung Hoseok says from the open kitchen that's on the other side of the room. They're all there, fiddling with containers and food and Jungkook finds it mildly hilarious. “He came downstairs when you left the room, he likes to be where the people are.”
Two of the other dogs come up to him from behind the kitchen counter. They both sniff at him. Jungkook bends to pet them and their wagging tails get faster and happier.
“The toy poodle is Holly.” Park Jimin says. “The pom is Monie. Short for rap mon.” And there's a snort and a smack but when Jungkook looks up they're all just watching him with small smiles.
“And the other Pomeranian?” He asks.
“He's Yeontan.” Taehyung says and Jungkook hears a bark from somewhere but he doesn't see the dog.
Jungkook looks up to try and spot him but is distracted by the sheer amount of containers that have accumulated on the counter.
“What the hell.” He yelps. “I don't have a fridge for all that food.”
“Then you'll just have to finish it as fast as possible.” Kim Seokjin says, unbothered as he bustles about putting more food in even more containers. Jungkook’s mouth waters.
“We, um, kind of got you a fridge and a heater.” Kim Namjoon says, not looking directly at him.
“What?” Jungkook asks, flabbergasted.
“And a geyser for hot water. And a bed.” Jung Hoseok says, focused on putting the containers in a humongous bag. “No strings attached.”
Jungkook groans loudly.
“Here you go!” Jung Hoseok says, coming around the kitchen island and extending the almost overflowing bag towards him, effectively cutting off his complaints. “Don't forget to put it all in the fridge.”
Kim Seokjin has packed him another bag to hold in his hand. It is also overflowing.
They help him put on a fleece jacket he's never seen before and then put the backpack on his shoulders. Jungkook thinks his back is going to give out. The other bag is shoved in one hand and a lollipop is put in the other. Then they frogmarch him to the door.
“The bus stop is just down the road.” Kim Seokjin says and there's a horrible glint in his eye that makes Jungkook wary.
“Thanks, I guess.” He says, still unsure.
They gently move him out of the doorway and close the door behind him.
What the fuck?
He stays on their nice porch for a few minutes, unsure of what to do now.
His phone says it's almost seven, and he has no idea where he is. It doesn't matter though, he can check his location on his phone so he starts walking down the driveway.
There's a small, well kept garden he has to pass and he stops to smell the flowers. There's varieties he has never seen before and they're pretty. He takes a few pictures.
Then he's out the gate.
He's a little weirded out by how normal their house looks. It is big, modern but not the straight-lines-must-be-everywhere and grey-is-bae type of modern, but it isn't crawling with guards. When he thinks about it, it makes sense though. No one would be stupid enough to mess with Bangtan.
He pulls the gate shut behind him and walks down a cobbled road that meets the main road. He's surprised to actually find a bus stop there but he's glad. There's no other houses nearby and the stop is on a turn so he can't see much else in either direction.
He finds the location on his phone and isn't shocked to find he's in the poshest area in Seoul. He's even more surprised that there's a bus route here.
He tries to sit to wait for the bus but his bags get in the way so he just stands and waits. It's not even two minutes before he sees a bus rounding the curve.
He gets on, pays with his phone and stands in a corner. Everyone, even the driver, is giving him weird looks. Jungkook ignores them in favor of fiddling with his phone.
He finds the promised mail and has to work to hold back tears. Losing the scholarship has broken him and to see it within his reach again was heady.
He would forever be in Bangtan's debt.
It makes him feel uneasy to be so accepting of their extravagant gifts but he knows he was barely surviving. Kim Seokjin was right.
He needed some help and if they were so willing, Jungkook isn't going to refuse.
In retrospect, he doesn't think it's weird that he doesn't notice something is wrong. His mind was a bit occupied after all.
But there's definitely an excited barking coming from his backpack.
Jungkook takes the bag off immediately and in one of the ample pockets is Yeontan. He has his head sticking out of the bag and he looks very pleased with himself.
“You can't have a dog on this bus.” The driver tells him and he's already stopping the bus.
Jungkook wants to throw a full blown tantrum. He knew something was off!
Damnit!!!
He doesn't even bother arguing with the man. He just pats Yeontan and puts the bag back on. He's barely off the bus when there's a car honking at him from behind the bus.
He finds Taehyung and Park Jimin waving at him from the front seats. The bus leaves and they pull up in front of him.
“The penalty for dog theft is breakfast with us.” Taehyung tells him, seriously.
Jungkook thinks ‘fuck it’ with his whole chest and gets in the car.
Part 4
Jungkook is oblivious for a whole year
-
One year later.
He rolls over and gets smacked in the chest.
“Take your heavy arms off me.” Jimin says and pushes him away but Jungkook beefed up for a lot of reasons and maybe one of them was this. He ignores Jimin and pulls him closer till they're squished together.
“HELP!” Jimin shrieks but it only attracts a wild, sleepy Taehyung who yells ‘group hug’ and rolls onto both of them.
All three of them had played video games for most of the night and had passed out together in his room.
Holly joins them on the bed but hops off when they start a tickle fight.
“Oi, get up.” Yoongi says from the doorway. “Lunch is ready.”
There's some pushing and shoving to get out of the door but in twenty minutes they're all seated around the table, mouths watering.
“Before we start,” Namjoon says, “we have something we want to ask you Jungkook.”
Jungkook freezes in the middle of his reach for the rice. “What?”
“Right.” Namjoon starts. “We've been wanting to ask for a while now and can't wait any longer.” Jungkook wants to laugh because the guy actually sounds nervous. “We would like to take you on a date. Would you be interested?”
There's another record scratch that happens in his brain.
“Wait, you guys like me like that?” He asks, genuinely shocked.
Jungkook has stamped out crushes he developed on every single one of them at different points in the past year. He just never thought they'd be open to adding another to their relationship.
“You're literally sitting in my lap, Kook.” Namjoon says from behind him.
“Yeah but that's not definitive at all.”
“I've dropped you to college and picked you up everyday.” Yoongi says, looking at him quizzically.
“Yeah, but you work close by.”
“Jungkook, the only work I ever have to do now is from home.” Yoongi says, sighing.
“Wait a second…”
“I've been flirting with you at the gym everyday, Jungkook.” Jimin says, incredulous now.
“I thought you were just being nice! You've been flirting with me?”
“Have been for the past year, pretty devastated you haven't noticed actually.” Jimin says, voice petulant.
“I let you beat me at Mario Kart, baby.” Seokjin adds and he looks like he wants to laugh.
“Hey now, that is not true.”
There's five snorts from around the table. Seokjin smirks at him.
“I come with you to concerts for people I hate.” Taehyung says. “Who even is Lil Ezy? God, that guy was torture.”
“Hold up now. You bought tickets before I could even mention him.”
“Jungkook, you had marked the date of the concert five months before it happened. Of course that meant you wanted to go.” Taehyung sighs.
“I've posed for you, half naked because you couldn't find a decent reference for college.” Hoseok says, not bothering to hide his mirth.
“To be fair, we've all done that.” Namjoon says. “How haven't you noticed yet, Jungkook? You even live here!”
“No I don't, I go back to my apartment occasionally.”
“Jungkook, you haven't been to your apartment in at least three months now.” Yoongi points out.
“Jungkook, you've crawled into our beds to cuddle on multiple occasions and we've let you.” Seokjin says. “I don't know how much more obvious we could have made it without flat out asking you.”
“Wait. You guys like me? Like, like me like me?”
"Yes, Jungkook!"
"We should've made a presentation." Jimin says to Yoongi, who nods.