Reversed

☆29☆

The two youngest members of BTS watched Jimin dance, moving around the practice room like his body was made of pure water, each motion more fluid than the last. They stood against the wall near the door, their arms folded, eyes completely focused on the dancing man. 

Taehyung felt an elbow nudge his side.  He moved his eyes slightly to the maknae and grunted.  "Hm?"

"He's doing it again," mumbled Jungkook. 

"Brooding?"

"Yeah."

Taehyung nodded slightly.  "I know."

He let out a light sigh and settled back against the wall, propping one foot up against it. "You're going to have to do it."

"No. No way.  I have a reputation to uphold."  Jungkook kept his eyes trained on the dancer.  He refused to be guilted into breaking his long held tradition.

"You have to," whispered Taehyung insistently.  "It's the only thing that will make him smile right now."

"Tell me again why I have to be the sacrificial lamb?"  Jungkook's tone remained calm and low, even though the music more than covered up their conversation. 

"Isn't it obvious?  You're the maknae.  He thinks you're special or something."

Jungkook side eyed his friend and sighed.  "Nope.  Not doing it."

"Don't make me pull the hyung card," warned Taehyung through gritted teeth.

Jungkook' face scrunched and he whimpered like a disappointed toddler.  "This isn't fair," he griped, stomping his foot slightly to make sure Taehyung was well aware of his displeasure. 

"Just consider it as taking one for the team.  We need him happy and soon.  We have a week of promos and fansigns to get through."  Taehyung sighed, an air of aloofness now hovering about him. 

"How long are you expecting me to do this for?!"  Jungkook now turned his head directly to Taehyung, staring in disbelief, eyebrows furrowed and mouth hanging open.

Taehyung slowly lolled his head over to face Jungkook and smirked slightly.  "As long as it takes to get him to a happy place."  His smirk slowly slid away and he turned his head away just as slowly.

Jungkook sighed and his eyes were heavily lidded as he shook his shoulders slightly.  I can do this.  It's not that big of a deal. I can do this. He repeated the mantra under his breath as the music ended and he watched as Jimin, now panting and sweaty, walked over to the water bottle waiting for him on a side table.  The older man took a swig from the water bottle, before sucking as much air into his lungs as possible.

Out of the corner of his eye Jimin saw Jungkook slowly approaching him.  Despite how he teased him, Jimin loved the maknae.  He reminded him a little of his younger brother he'd left behind in Busan.  Sometimes teasing and doting on Jungkook was the only way Jimin could cope with the homesickness.  "What's up," he mumbled between gasps of air.

He watched Jungkook swallow and his eyes then lock on a spot on the floor.  He wondered what the kid could be up to.  He looked agitated and a bit disgusted.  As Jungkook's mouth opened and then closed and then opened again, Jimin began to feel a bit irritated as well.  He leaned around Jungkook and looked over to Taehyung who was still casually leaning against the white wall. 
"What is this kid's problem?" 

Taehyung innocently shrugged and made no move to come over to join the two men on the other side of the practice room.  Jimin ran a hand through his hair and placed his hands on his hips, shifting his weight to one foot.