"promise" YOONKOOK

+chapter five+

NOW PRESENTING + 10:09 PM, SEPTEMBER 1, cont.

"Tae and Namjoon are already sleeping," Jungkook complains, throwing himself down on the bed. Yoongi rolls his eyes as the birthday boy stares at him in hopes of earning sympathy. "Hyung, you're the only one who can play with me. I have two hours left of my birthday, so you gotta do whatever I say. Deal?"

Yoongi snorts. "I'm not making a deal with you, kid. Sure it's your birthday, but the doesn't mean people are gonna do what you want them to."

Sighing, the ten-year-old crosses his arms over his chest and leans back against his pillows, watching Yoongi as the older fiddles with Jungkook's phone. He hasn't put it down since he got his hands on it. "Haven't you ever seen a phone before?" Jungkook mumbles rudely. "Besides, mine is a piece of garbage. The internet is way too slow to play games on. Go get your own phone and leave mine alone."

The cellphone is snatched out of Yoongi's hands by a pouting Jungkook.

"I don't have a phone, and yours is the first one I've actually used," he says, chuckling at the shocked expression on the younger's face. "To me, those things are like magic. You press a button and they light up. Games, music, and all sorts of stuff are right at your fingertips. It's pretty cool, if you ask me."

"But... but Yoongi-hyung!" Jungkook exclaims. "How do you not have a phone? Everyone gets one on their eighth birthday. Tae and Namjoon have them."

Yoongi suddenly realizes how much of a spoiled brat Jungkook is. He has a phone, gets an allowance every week, is allowed to have friends over anytime he wants, and can eat a mountain of chocolate without being yelled at. Jungkook takes everything for granted. The kid didn't even say thank you for all of his presents.

"Listen, not everyone is rich like you and your friends," he grumbles. "Some people don't get new clothes on their birthdays, or fancy electronics. They get cheap gifts. Handmade, maybe. And then there's some people who get no presents, no happy birthdays. They get nothing to make them think that there are people out there who care that they're alive and a year older."

Jungkook is quiet for a long time, and Yoongi is about to apologize for lecturing the shit out of him when he finally speaks up. "I care that you're alive, hyung."

"That wasn't about me, I was just—"

"Yoongi-hyung, when was the last time you got a present on your birthday?" Swallowing the lump forming in his throat, the older crawls out from under the warm covers of Jungkook's bed and makes his way to his backpack, unzipping it and pulling out his snow globe. He hands it to Jungkook, who gently shakes it and stares as the little log cabin in the dome of glass is obscured by white particles. "Who gave this to you?"

"My dad, on my ninth birthday," Yoongi says, nodding to himself as he tries to remember the scene from four years ago. "He'd just came back from Germany, 'cuz his job takes him to a bunch of different countries, and he brought me this. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, with all that fake snow floating around in there."

As Yoongi crawls back into bed, Jungkook hands him his snow globe before wrapping his arms around him. "I'll get you a present on your birthday." The older finds himself grinning at his words. "And I'll find the most expensive thing I can get, and then you'll have a present. You just wait, Yoongi-hyung. You can be happy again."

"Who said I wasn't already happy?" Yoongi asks.

"I don't think you're happy since you always frown and curse and have to deal with the bad guys at school," Jungkook replies confidently, like he's sure that he has Yoongi all figured out. "It's gotta be hard to fight them, right? And those two bullies hurt you real bad that one time."

Jungkook sits up on his knees and pulls Yoongi closer, letting the older rest his head on his shoulder. He feels sorry for him, even though he won't admit it out loud. His hyung can't possibly beat all the bad guys at school on his own, and Yoongi is so skinny that Jungkook could probably snap his arm without trying too hard. He doesn't look like he eats enough, or sleeps enough, or goes to the doctor enough. Jungkook is old enough that he can understand some bad things, and he understands that his hyung is poorly treated by both his parents and schoolmates. He also finds it hard to believe that Yoongi is a superhero. Maybe he's being bullied instead.

He's decided to try to believe his hyung's story about fighting off the bad guys and protecting the school. And besides, if that's true, then Jungkook would make the best sidekick ever. He'll train for a few years, and then fight crime with Yoongi.

"You're pretty great, you know that?" Yoongi murmurs, closing his eyes and letting himself lean against Jungkook. It won't hurt him to let the kid worry about him for a few moments. "You're kinda smart, too. I think you'll make your parents proud when you're older. Whatever you grow up to be, they'll be proud. I'll be proud."

"And I'll be super duper proud of you, Yoongi-hyung," the younger exclaims, tightening his grip on him. "You're pretty great, too. I have a really cool hyung. Everyone is gonna be jealous of us."

Yoongi hums, letting Jungkook pull them down onto their backs and tug the covers over the both of them. "I'll teach you everything I know, and then we can make people jealous of our smartness. And our good looks. You're gonna grow up to be handsome if you have any of your parent's genes."

"You're already pretty, Yoongi-hyung."

"Mmhm, sure. Whatever you say."

Jungkook whines in protest. "But hyung, you are pretty! You don't deserve to have bruises all over you." Yoongi can feel his face turning beet red. "I know what I'll do. I'll start working out, and I'll get lots of muscles. I'll be super strong. Stronger than Superman and Batman. And then whenever someone hurts you, I can come save you. You know what I wanna do when I grow up?"

"What?"

"When I grow up, I'm gonna protect you. Okay, Yoongi-hyung? I'll be your sidekick and you won't have to get hurt anymore," Jungkook says. He looks over at Yoongi, who looks over at him. "Will you wait for me to grow up?"

Yoongi blinks, trying to suppress the smile that's attempting to creep onto his face. "Sure, kid," he replies. "I'll wait for you to grow up."

awwww, this is cute!
there's currently a
foot of snow on the
ground here. school
was cancelled for
today. and my best
friend's dog died, so
she's really upset.