The Art Teacher | Jikook ✓ | The Next Chapter

Part 1

Ki-moon

"We have the whole summer off?" I ask, astounded. "But we've been doing so well!"

Jungkook chuckles, running his fingers through his mint hair. "That's why you deserve a break. You're all still young. You need time to yourselves."

The other four members look unsure. On one hand, a summer to spend however we want it is something that any idol would kill for. On the other, we've finally gone international. Language barriers are hard to break through. We got to attend the Grammys. We weren't nominated, but we were invited.

Dae-ho nods. "I might be able to visit Daegu with Uncle Yoongi and Hoseokie and see my mom. Even just a month-long break would be good, honestly."

Jungkook quirks an eyebrow. "You all work too hard. Here's what we'll do. We will have monthly check-ins to decide whether or not to continue the break. Remember, just because you're on break doesn't mean you have to not even play a note. The practicing and structure just won't be there. If you decide to work on solo stuff or subunit stuff, I won't stop you."

I look at Dae-ho and he looks excited.

"Getting excited, Dae?" I question, holding his hand, our matching arrow tattoos pointing at each other.

He blushes. "I wanna make a mixtape with my uncles' help."

My eyes widen and I squeeze his cute cheeks. "That's amazing, Dae! Please keep me up to date!"

Nam-gi turns to Yong-gi, stretching. "Do you want to go to Ilsan with me?"

The older contemplates before nodding, causing the younger to blush.

I chew on my bottom lip. "I guess I'll stay at the dorms to watch the fish." I scratch my head. "I hope everyone enjoys their vacation!"

Jung-nam wraps an arm around my shoulder and I look up at him.

"We can both stay in the dorms since there isn't much room for me at my parents' house. Plus, we can always go bother Jungkook at his house."

Jungkook scowls. "I was taking off to spend time with Jimin and the twins."

I grin. "Uncle Ki-moon will spoil them!" I lean into Jung-nam and giggle. "It's funny to think that you're the age Jimin was when he met you."

"With three-year-old babies!" Jung-nam bounces excitedly. "Mini Mr. Jeons and Jimins!"

Dae-ho cackles. "I'm just surprised you didn't give him the five kids he wanted."

Jungkook puffs his cheeks out. "You're our five kids. Shut up."

"Mr. Jeon stopped trying 'cause he had twins the first time. The seed was too strong. A true alpha. Can't even have a single kid to start off with. I bet he was scared he'd keep having twins or quadruplets if they tried again." Yong-gi laughs.

My mouth drops open. "Yong-gi, you can't talk about stuff like that! You don't even know if that's a sensitive subject."

Jungkook blushes. "No, Jimin just didn't want to give birth to multiple babies at once again."

"Super seed!" Yong-gi laughs and Nam-gi cuffs him.

Jung-nam's lips form an 'o.' "Woah. Scary. But I still wanna see Heejin, Jiho, Pepper, and Jiminie."

"You can keep Pepper here." Jungkook rolls his eyes as Nam-gi hums excitedly, dancing around the dorm like a little ball of sunshine.

Yong-gi grabs the hood of Nam-gi's Batman hoodie and the second youngest member blushes.

"Are we allowed to travel abroad?"

Jungkook nods slowly. "Please be safe though. I'd prefer if you stayed in Korea, especially since you only have a month."

Yong-gi laughs. "If those dorks want to have one month when you offered the whole summer, fine, let them have a short break. But Nam-gi and I are traveling abroad for the whole time."

"Yong-gi—" I start.

"Look, if you want to work yourself to the point of exhaustion, have at it. But I know my limit. We accomplished a lot. We've been a group for a while and this constant grind has made me miss out on a lot of stuff. We've traveled, but it was always work related." The redhead puts the hood over Nam-gi's head. "It was our five year anniversary last year and we didn't get to do anything except a small dinner in our dorm room. I learned English. I'm taking my boyfriend to America properly."

Jungkook places a hand on Yong-gi's shoulder. "Take the full summer, but still check in so we know you're okay."

He smiles and I look at the floor.

"Oi, Ki-moon, you're a good leader," Yong-gi says and I look up. "You're just too good. We're in Golden, remember? We're allowed to breathe. You don't need to constantly be doing something. Relax."

"I'll try."

Jung-nam wraps an arm around my shoulders. "I'll make sure he relaxes."

Nam-gi smiles. "Please do." He hugs himself and giggles excitedly before running off to pack up. "I'm going to Americaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"That shithead. Tink, wait up! We share luggage!" Yong-gi calls before running after his boyfriend.

"It's weird having a couple in the group." Dae-ho chuckles. "But it's cute. I'm just surprised we didn't know for so long. Their whole anniversary thing only goes to when they labeled their relationship. They've been couply longer than Asp!re has been together."

Jungkook laughs. "Yeah, and longer than I've been with Jimin and we're married with children."

"So, wanna bet they'll be getting married?" Dae-ho asks.

"Without inviting us? What the hell? I'd beat Yong-go's ass."

Jung-nam nods. "Nam-gi promised I'd be his best man. I'd know if they were getting married. But we were like sixteen at the time and he said that they're gonna get married on their fifteenth anniversary, so I dunno."

"Wouldn't that make Yong-gi thirty?" I ask.

"What's wrong with getting married at thirty? Jimin married me at thirty."

"Yeah, but he met you at twenty-eight. You hadn't been all kissy-face since you were teens."

"They're of a different breed. They have an apartment together already." Dae-ho smiles softly. "It's back in Ilsan."

Jungkook grins. "They're adorable. They act like a normal couple and they do things their way. It's good."

"I envy them." Jung-nam hums.

I face him. "You're eighteen, Nam-Nam. You have some time. You haven't even dated anyone."

He blushes. "That was because of reasons. I'm going to try and date this summer."

"Oh, are you now?" Jungkook asks the maknae.

"Yeah, I am. I'm not a kid anymore. This is the summer where I get to be free to be me."

Dae-ho. "This will definitely be a summer for the books."

I look around at the hopeful members and feel myself grow hopeless. "Yeah, one for the books."

Author's Note: The members have broken up into their units, but everyone seems to have their own plans. Some people are excited and others are apprehensive. Whose story are you most excited to see?

What do you think of the story so far?

Make sure to take care and love yourself as best as you can.

With lots of love,

-BBM