Beauty in the cracks

A friend, a lifeline

“I'm meeting them at lunch today..do you want to come with me?” He asked Jimin as the two of them sat at their desks 

“If you want me there, yes. I don't want you to feel overcrowded or cornered”

“Do you want to be there, though?” 

“Of course, Jungkook, I've already told you that I'm doing this thing with you. That I'm here for you no matter what you need. I want to help you, and I want to be there for you” 

“Okay” he sighed “I just don't want to annoy you or make you feel like you have to babysit me” 

“Never, kook”  

Jungkook half smiled at him and nodded his head before he went back to filling out his patient charts. He was so excited for his patient that was coming in after lunch, he hadn't walked in years without assistance but they finally got him to take a few steps the other day and Jungkook had been riding that high ever since. Even after Shownu had cut him off and didn't want to hear about it or celebrate his achievement - or ya know, everything that happened after. 

He had also been secretly playing matchmaker. He saw the way Jimin blushed whenever Yoongi came in for his sessions and the way Yoongi watched Jimin move around the office. He talks Yoongi's ear off about Jimin whenever he can and vice versa. He's fairly certain Yoongi only pulled out the big guns and pushed himself further because Jimin had walked into the room that day to ‘help’. 

He sighed and checked his phone. He had nothing from his fiancé and as much as it bothered him.. he also felt a sense of relief “can we take your car to the cafè?” 

“Sure” Jimin shrugged, Jungkook felt the urge to explain himself.. how Shownu always tracks his mileage and gas, but he doesn't want to give Jimin more reasons to overreact. The word ‘abuse’ had been thrown around a lot lately, and even though Jungkook was starting to wonder about it..he wouldn't have thought that if Jimin hadn't brought it up. 

So, Jimin wasn't an enemy, but he definitely made Jungkook feel some type of uncomfortable. But he was also the only person he would be able to see five days a week. And he felt so isolated. He knew he needed someone. 

He still wasn't sure why he was meeting Hoseok and Taehyung at the cafè but he had already agreed, and what was one more broken rule that Shownu didn't have to know about? 

“You're sure about this?” Jimin asked as he parked the car at the cafè 

“No” he shook his head “but.. I have to” Jimin nodded at his words and got out of the car 

“I've set an alarm on my phone for our lunch break. Where's yours?”

“On my desk”

“Oh” it clicked, Jimin forgot for a second that Shownu tracked his every move “Alright, let's go” 

Jungkook had never been to this cafè ‘Brewed Bliss’, it was tiny and cozy. He could see himself curled up on the big bench by the big window with a book in his hands soaking up the sun “Jungkook, you came” Hoseok beamed, he and Taehyung were sitting at a table off to the side with their drinks and snacks already served

“Uh, hi” he smiled

“Hello again, beautiful. Who's your cute friend?” Taehyung smiled

“Oh, sorry, this is Jimin. Jimin, this is Hoseok and Taehyung. Hoseok is Jay, and Taehyung is a bartender. Jimin works with me in my office” 

“Nice to meet you” Jimin smiled as the other two greeted him “I'll go get us our drinks and some food” 

“Thank you” Jungkook smiled

“Me and you are going to move to another table if that's alright?” Hoseok asked. He looked different with his clothes on, but he was still beautiful. He made Jungkook feel self conscious, Hoseok was everything Jungkook wasn't. He could see for himself why Shownu favored him over Jungkook. He would, too. 

“That's fine” he mumbled, Hoseok grabbed his stuff from the table and motioned for Jungkook to follow him more towards the back of the cafè, further away from Taehyung and Jimin so they could speak privately “um, what did you want to see me for today?” 

“I want to talk to you, that's all. If you have any questions for me, I'll answer them” Jimin came over then and gave Jungkook his coffee and a sandwich. The sandwich looked delicious, but it had mayo and cheese on it

“Um, I d-don’t want to be rude, but I can't eat this” not in front of Hoseok while he's feeling so self conscious as it is, and Shownu definitely wouldn't allow it “it's got mayo and cheese on it, he'd never let me eat this” 

Jimin put his hand on his shoulder “Kook, he's not here right now. You need to eat” 

“I'll eat when I get home then. Or I have my lunch in the office, I'll just drink my coffee, I'm sorry Jimin. I'm sorry, thank you anyway” 

“Kook-”

“Please” he lowered his head, Jimin sighed but took the sandwich and went to sit with Taehyung, Hoseok frowned as he watched the scene unfold. Clearly, it was worse than he knew

“Jungkook, I don't know how to tell you any of this. And I don't wish to upset you, but I really think you need to leave him” 

“I love him” he said just above a whisper with his head still down “and I still believe he loves me, even if he thinks he's in love with you. It's probably a stupid crush that will go away” 

“Jungkook, he has spent thousands of dollars on me. He belittles you when you aren't around, probably to your face as well, I'm assuming? He clearly monitors your food, your location, everything you told me last night, too.. the isolation and everything. If it were me in your shoes, would you tell me to stay?” 

“I would mind my own business” he huffed. He was lying, and they both knew it “when you say thousands..” 

“Easily over fifty grand Jungkook. I'm not cheap, I'm a hundred dollars an hour and he'll book me every Wednesday for nine hours. That's nine hundred right there, every single week. This doesn't include the drinks he buys me, or the presents he's given me, or the food he's brought me” he shuddered and closed his eyes “I hate him so fucking much for what he's done to you” 

“Presents?” He pouted 

“He's even gone so far as to get me jewelry from Tiffany's..” Jungkook looked down at the tiny, simple, plain, thin silver band around his ring finger and pouted. Not even for their engagement had Shownu splurged on him, and Jungkook didn't give a single fuck because it isn't about the ring, it's about the promise, the man, the love. 

The man that loves another man. 

More than Jungkook. 

He sniffled and wiped the tears off his cheeks. 

“I have something for you” Hoseok said softly, he reached into his bag and pulled out a small smartphone “this is my extra phone. I've never shut it off in case I needed it,  I've broken a few” he chuckled “I want you to take it. It has my number and Tae's, you should add your friends and your family too just in case you know? An emergency phone. Keep it in your office, or take it home with you discreetly just so you always know you have a lifeline. You don't deserve to be so isolated, Jungkook. You're beautiful, sweet, kind, and caring. Anyone can see that, and you deserve to have people in your life who are willing to show you that” 

“I can't if I get caught with this-”

“Don't get caught. Keep it at work for now, okay? Text me from work sometimes, I'll always answer you, even if I can't right away. And if you call me, and I don't answer, call Tae. Okay?” 

He cried a little harder “does he know the kind of person you are?”

“no, he only knows what I look like half naked and that I can swing my hips to a beat. Why?” 

Because Jungkook could see why Shownu would fall for Hoseok if he knew the kind of man he was

“thank you Hoseok” 

“call me Hobi” he smiled “all of my friends do”