Flaw in the System

26

The air was thick as Sungjin stared at Jungkook.

Jungkook nervously sipped his water and Jeno looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Please say something" He mouthed to me and I gave him a small nod and a reassuring smile.

"I-I'm Lee JaeHwa, Jungkook's soulmate." I introduced myself and bowed. Sungjin piercing eyes softened as his eyes turned to me.

"Jeon Sungjin. I'm the eldest brother." He smiled and bowed.

"Yeah, but everyone calls him Bob." Jeno interjected and Wooseok elbowed him and gave him a dirty look for making such a joke at this time.

"Bob?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Bob... It's cause I look like Bob the builder." He sighed and Jungkook snorted a laugh which abruptly stopped at Bob's glare.

"I'll go... Order food. Jeno, come with." Wooseok demanded and the youngest nods and pushed his chair in.

"Noona, what do you like to drink? Is there anything specific that you'd like?" Jeno asked, a charming yet attentive smile adorned his face.

"Oh, me and Jungkook will share a large cup of arnold palmer. Thank you!" Jae smiled sweetly which it was returned along with a head nod.

"Where did you go?" Sungjin voice turned dark with seriousness. His hands were clasped on the wooden table in front of him as he stared at the scared Jungkook.

To anyone else, he would have seemed calm but the way his pointer finger scraped against his thumb cuticle gave away to Jae that he was nervous. Jae sighed and figured that this is something he should do alone. Jae squeezed his hand and kissed his temple as she got up.

"I'm going to keep them out of trouble." She whispered as she eyed the two boys in line who took turns pushing and punching each other.

"Please, make sure they don't hurt each other. Also, Jeno likes to add extra hot sauce, don't let him. He gets bad stomach aches." Jin politely says and Jae nods and runs off. She jumps to bring Wooseok's head down and nuggies him. Her loud laugh echoed the restaurant and Jungkook smiled a bit at her.

"Where have you been?"SungJin demanded again, catching Jungkook's attention.

"I ran away with a guy from the company after my uh, metal breakdown." Jungkook started, saliva become thick in his mouth as he prepared to tell his brother a partial truth of his hidden life. The thought of his past life and that mental breakdown made a rock stuck in his throat. He painfully swallowed it before continuing.

"We left to the other side of Korean, we traveled. We made it, got jobs and through connections, we started producing music. We've been around, flying everywhere." He cupped his knee that crossed his other leg.

"Why did you leave?" The eldest moved onto the next question. Jungkook nodded a bit and he check on Jae that was playing rock, paper, scissors with the other boys.

"I didn't want to be reminded of my loss. There was an incident at the company too. I didn't make it due to some girls playing a mean pranks and mom-"

"Wanted you to debut." Sungjin finished for him and Jungkook sighed.

"I was made fun of, humiliated and ridiculed. It was too much, hyung."Jungkook monotonously spoke, he was used to masking his emotions now. Whenever it was needed, he would. He had to .He couldn't show weakness.

"Why did you never come back?" Sungjin whispered, leaning forward as this was the question that rung in his mind for years.

"I was scared." Jungkook admitted and he sighed, "I left. I was scared you'd hate me."

"We're your brothers." Sungjin stressed the last words and Jungkook shook his head.

"You never know with people now, Sungjin." His voice broke Sungjin and in that moment, he knew that Jungkook had been through things that he may never know. It was clear that the younger wouldn't open up anytime soon, that he's hurt and beyond prepare. But God, he was just happy his brother was back.

"Alright."

"Alright?" Jungkook was surprised that we was let off that easily.

"Yeah, I'm fucking hungry and I swear they forgot our food."

-

"So you're in CUBE company?" Jungkook asked surprised and Wooseok nodded, with a wide smile.

"He wanted to go in it so that maybe he can find you, but he ended up falling in love with music." Sungjin explained and the tallest's cheeks tinted.

"I can't even believe you didn't tell me you and Hobi Oppa used to be trainees!" Jae shook her head, being over dramatic and called him a traitor every few moments causing Jeno to giggle.

"Yeah! Maybe you can help us produce one day." Wooseok offered and Jungkook nodded.

"Maybe," He hummed, feeling a bit guilty.

"What do you do now?" Jae asked the other two.

"I just study and hang with my friends." Jeno shrugged and ate his noodles.

"I'm actually a teacher. I teach in a school of art, I teach guitar and vocals. " Sungjin smild and Jae giggled.

"Such a musical family." She smiled lovingly.

"Yeah, now- how did you and Jungkook meet?" Sungjin asked and for a moment she froze but decided to wing it.

"Yeah, you're so pretty! How did hyung get ya?" Jeno flirted to the upteenth time.

"Bumped into her in a coffee shop with my friends." He said with his mouth full.

"Yeah, and his friend pointed out we had the same mark and I was just... Taken." Jungkook snorted at Jae's choice of words.

"Nothing special." He shrugs, "What about you?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing."

"Nothing." They all said at once and Jungkook chuckles.

"Well, let me see your mark." Jungkook raises an eyebrow and Jeno giggles and nods.

"Right here." Jeno pulls the neck of his shirt down to show the white, thick line cutting across his skin.

"A white line?" Jungkook asked and Jeno nods his head.

"Dunno what it means, but it looks cool." He absent mindedly says and Jungkook chuckles.

"I have this." Wooseok lifted his hand to show them the snake ringing it's black body around his pinky.

"Aye, that's badass!" Jae nods and takes his hand to examine it, making the blue haired boy blush.

"I uh- don't know if I can show you." This caught Jungkook and Jae's attention as they both sat back and looked at him.

"Why not? Is it on your asscheek?" Jungkook smiles and he shakes his head.

"My hip."

"Show it. Do it. I dare you." Jae giggled and Sungjin blushed and looked at Jungkook.

"We're waiting." Jungkook cackles as Jae buzzed in her seat to know. The eldest stood and looked around before dipping a bit of his pants down and his shirt up to see flowers cascading his body.

"W-wow..." Jae stared at it in awe.

"He was a late bloomer! It didn't arrive to way later! It goes from his hip to his back and his leg!" Jeno bounced in his seat.

"That's so cool!" Jae smiled widely at Sungjin who gave her an appreciative smile.

A phone call interrupted them, making Jungkook smile awkwardly and stand, "I'll take this outside." He pecks Jae's temple and walks out.

Next thing he knows, someone drives by and hits him with a pipe.

Remember to practice self care. ❤

-min