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(A/n: how can he look so tiny??? 😭)
No one was prepared for the sudden personality transplant Jungkook seemed to have overnight. If he was considered a hard worker before, now he seemed determined to work himself to death. Somehow he managed to pop out five songs in as many days, he helped Hobi choreograph a new dance break for Dynamite and even tried his hand at editing Run BTS episodes. He barely stopped for long enough to catch his breath, let alone had the time to irritate Hyemi. From the outside, it was as though the lecture they'd received about being professionals had somehow overcorrected. But it wasn't until he found himself correcting Namjoon's English during an interview that the members called him out on the abrupt changes.
"You're freaking us out Jungkook, what's wrong with you?" Yoongi demanded tactlessly, in the car on the way home, not missing the jittery way Jungkook's eyes flit around the group.
"I'm not sure," he mumbled, the confidence that had led them through that interview suddenly dissolved into nothing. He had never been good at talking about himself, especially in such a direct way. If anything, he was more at ease having deep conversations on camera because it excused the way he avoided questions and gave him the opportunity to brush things off jokingly.
"You've barely said ten words this past week," Jin continued, a bit more cautious with his words than Yoongs.
"Sorry Hyung," Was all the youngest managed, or rather attempted. If he tried, could get his whole inner monologue out into the open, but he just never tried. He never opened up, not really, he only ever gave away scraps and crumbs of the inner workings of his mind.
"We're not annoyed Jungkook," Jimin spoke next, he was the best at emotions after all. "We're worried." Somehow, coming from Jimin-hyung, it didn't sound condescending or judgemental, Jimin sounded genuinely concerned and although guilt rose from hiding, Jungkook wasn't about to open his mouth and spill all his secrets.
"I'm fine-," he insisted, offering his hyungs a believable smile
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, all good," JK persisted and the subject was dropped and the conversation dragged on.
Once again, Jungkook vanished away to write a song, leaving the older members to discuss their next approach. Trying to break down Jungkook's walls was like threading a really small needle, the more you poke and prod the harder it is to pass the frayed yarn through the eye of the needle. Sometimes you succeed and are able to sew up the hole in your trousers, but most of the time one of two things occurs instead. Either, 1: you manage to thread the needle after hundreds of attempts but the yarn falls out during the first stitch. Or 2: The yarn refuses to go in completely and you ended up leaving the whole thing boiling with rage. Neither were beneficial and both end up with you giving in altogether.
"As peaceful as the past week has been for me, what's wrong with Bunny boy and why is he being so strange and unproblematic?" Mimie questioned, greeting the group in the kitchen whilst half bent over a huge vat of something that smelt really good. She was standing on a step ladder to be able to see into the pot and had JK been present, it would have been something she'd never of lived down. But he wasn't there to make fun of her and for whatever reason- it wasn't sitting right with her.
"What makes you think we've got any clue?" Yoongi shrugged. His sarcasm masked the very real concern he had for their youngest member. On the one hand, he was worried that the young boy was displaying a final burst of enthusiasm for their job before he became completely burnt out. It wasn't that hard of a stretch considering Kookie had worked non-stop for nearly a decade, giving up his childhood and his family and his youth for Bangtan. On the other hand, more selfishly he was worried that Jungkook had picked up one of Yoongs' bed habits- throwing himself blindly into his work to his from a bigger much more pressing issue.
The guilt of knowing he'd taught the younger boy something truly self-destructive was not something he was sure he could face. Before Bangtan, he'd never been a hyung, not really, and now he'd had the position for long enough to see the influence he had on the younger members and honestly it was a little terrifying to him. Jin always told him the secret to being a good hyung was not to take responsibility for the others' choices, but it wasn't easy when they choose to act the way you would in their position.
"Shouldn't one of you go and talk to him?" Hyemi frowned at the way they seemed to shake off any acknowledgement. She wasn't Jungkook's biggest fan, but the kid was clearly going through something.
"We don't even know where to find him," her eyes drifted to Jimin as he spoke, the frown persisting. Jimin was usually the first to jump to Jungkook's assistance; seeing him act so nonchalantly toward the maknae was disconcerting. The phone in her hand lit up, distracting Hyemi from giving any further opinion.
"I've got to meet Hana," she announced to the Namjoon who had attempted to read the message over her shoulder.
"Right now?"
"Yeah, she just broke up with that German guy and she's regretting it and so we're going to get drunk and watch one of those old English movies with Hugh Grant in," Mimie attempted to hide her excitement, but she was a sucker for 1990s Hugh Grant, something Joon was overly aware of.
"But dinner..." he pouted in vain, he knew already that he couldn't beat Hugh Grant and Soju.
"It just needs to simmer for another five minutes and it'll be ready." Jumping off her stool, she bid Joon goodbye with her usual kiss on the cheek and ruffling of his hair. Remembering how Jimin sulked last time she left without a goodbye, she sent a flying kiss over her shoulder to the rest of the boys before disappearing out the door.
Half of the tub was already gone when Mimie arrived at Hana's flat.
"Your hair is blue," Mimie greeted, eyes wide at the girl's new hairstyle.
"Don't you love it?" Hana beamed as if she hadn't been crying down the phone to her friend just two hours before. The correct response of course was 'yes, it's perfect, it suits you so well,' but all Mimie managed was
"It's blue," Hana just giggled in response, tugging Mimie through the doorway by the wrist and ending up on the sofa.
"Karl hated blue," she explained simply, pressing play before Mimie could comment any further and distracting her with the into to 4 Weddings and a Funeral.
"Bridget Jones isn't 90s," Mimie argued when it came time to pick the next movie,
"Bridget Jones is a classic,"
"But Hugh plays the arsehole," she pouted, although she wasn't that against it because Hugh was still in it.
"Please, please, please, I'm really sad," Hana pulled Mimie into a hug, wrapping her legs around the younger girls waist and pressing kisses to her head until Mimie shoved her off and relented, rolling her eyes.
"Fine we can watch Bridget Jones but then you actually have to tell me what happened with Karl," Mimie countered making Hana freeze before retracting her limbs completely from Mimie's personal space.
"Ok, let's not watch Bridget Jones." She began fumbling with the remote, trying to scroll past the film to find something else on Netflix. Her swift change in behaviour didn't sit right with Mimie, Hana was the sort to love to gossip or rant about the men in her life. Not jumping at the opportunity was the antithesis of her character.
Reaching for the remote from Hana's shaking hands, Mimie spoke up,
"How about you tell me what happened now, actually," the older's eyes darted about the room desperately. Her body was stiff though, she was unable to bring herself to reach for the remote playfully the way she usually would have.
"Nothing happened, it just ended," Hana lied determinedly. Mimie hesitated for a moment, trying to read her friend's eyes; but all she could see was desperation. Worried she was the cause, she abandoned the inquisition quickly and poured them both another drink before starting the movie Hana had wanted, tucking the older girl into her arms and playing the big spoon as she did for Joon when he got overwhelmed.
