What We Used To Be and Will Be

Chapter 11

The bunny is finally out to play again.

"So, who's going to start the ball rolling?" Hobeom eyed the two pairs of same-age friends, obviously waiting for either of them to spill the beans.

Sensing that the boys were feeling uneasy, Sejin knew that they were definitely hiding something. He turned towards Namjoon, "The last time when we spoke, you told me that you guys are working on what you said was some sort of argument. It seems that it didn't work out well."

The leader could not bring himself to look at his manager for he knew that there was no way he could give an answer.

Sejin and Hobeom remained quiet and continued to scrutinise the boys.

Unable to bear the suffocating silence, Hoseok spoke up, "Trust us, hyung. We've got it sorted out."

"Sorted out? What has been sorted out? What we saw just now was obviously not an indication that things had been sorted out! What the hell is going on?!" Sejin's patience was running short.

"I know you guys probably don't want us to worry, but some things cannot be left ignored, not especially with what we saw earlier." Hobeom tried to talk sense into the boys.

Silence.

"Fine. I shall go talk to Kook and find it out myself." Sejin had enough and made a move to walk towards Jungkook's room where the maknae is currently in with two of his eldest hyungs.

"No!" Jimin and Taehyung blurted out loud.

Sejin raised his eyebrow and eyed at the two suspiciously. "And why not?"

"Uh..."

"Hyung, three days." Namjoon finally spoke up and was looking at the two managers earnestly. "Give us three days and I will definitely give both of you a satisfactory answer. Both of you know us in and out. There is nothing that we cannot resolve."

Hobeom looked over at Sejin and after what seem like a telepathic conversation between the two of them, he said, "Fine. Three days it is then. We expect a full explanation on every single detail though."

"Yes, hyung."

The boys finally let go of their breath and slumped down onto the couch after their managers had left.

"What are we going to do now?" Taehyung felt so helpless about the entire situation.

No one answered but they had collectively looked towards the direction of their maknae's room.

*******

Jungkook had not spoken a single word since his hyungs brought him into his room.

He lied down on his bed with his blanket tugged under his chin. He was just staring blankly at the ceiling, only occasionally blinking to chase away the impending tears threatening to fall again.

Jin and Yoongi did not speak but also did not force Jungkook to talk too. They just slot themselves under Jungkook's blanket and cuddled with the maknae, each on his side.

When they eventually felt Jungkook's breathing even out and was deep asleep, Jin and Yoongi allowed themselves to fully relax. That night, they did not leave their maknae's side.

*******

Yoongi woke up, feeling hot and sticky, as though he had been stuffed into the sauna for hours. He had almost wanted to kick the blanket until he remembered that he was not on his own bed, but in Jungkook's room with the maknae and his hyung.
Yoongi turned his head to the side and saw Jungkook's face almost pressed up against his. With his mouth slightly open, Jungkook looked so peaceful in his sleep. He looked carefree too, not quite like the distraught boy that Yoongi was desperate to console last night. The elder wondered when did his and his members' presence caused so much misery to his bunny.

As his thoughts drifted away, Yoongi heard the turn of the doorknob.

"You are up. How is Jungkookie?"

"Good morning, hyung. Well, he is still asleep. I didn't want to wake him up. He looked so comfortable and at peace."

Jin smiled softly, "Well, can't be helped now. I've made breakfast. Wake him up and bring him out to eat. Drag him if you have to."

Yoongi rolled his eyes. Why do I always have to be the bad guy?

Reluctantly, Yoongi untangled Jungkook's arm from around his waist and sat up. He lifted his hand to brush the fringe off the maknae's forehead before letting out a soft sigh.

"Jungkook-ah." No reaction. "Jungkookie." Still no reaction.

Chuckling softly, Yoongi found it endearing to see his bunny being such a deep sleeper.

Raising his voice just a little louder and with a new gesture of shaking the youngest's shoulder, Yoongi called out, "Bunny, time to wake up. It's nine in the morning now and we have to eat our breakfast."

Jungkook started stirring in his sleep and let out a cute whine before burying himself deeper into his blanket. Trying not to laugh at his maknae's adorable little ministration, Yoongi pulled the blanket down and tried to coerce him, "Come on, bunny. I can smell that Jin-hyung has prepared your favourite pancakes."

Clenching his hands into little fists, Jungkook rubbed his eyes lazily. Yoongi resisted the urge to tap his finger on the maknae's pouty lips.

"Hyungie~ Kookie want to sleep. Kookie tired."

Yoongi's cat-like eyes grew wide as he tried to comprehend what he had just heard.

"K-Kookie?"

Yoongi got nothing in response except a soft hum and a pair of big doe eyes staring back at him.

"You are Little now?"

Yoongi wanted to slap himself when he saw the maknae's face fell.

"K-Kookie... Kookie no mean to. Kookie wake up and he is Little. Hyungie no like Kookie to be Little? He can try to be Big. He will try now—"

"No, no, no! Hyungie like it. Hyungie love it. Hyungie miss you so much." The elder had never been so quick to grab his precious maknae into a tight hug.

"Hyungie not angry with Kookie? K-Kookie no mean to be meanie to Chimmy. Kookie just... Kookie just want hyungie to—"

"It's okay, bunny. Chimmy had already told us what happened. Hyungie is so sorry for not hearing you out. Will you forgive hyungie?" Yoongi leaned back, pressed his forehead against Jungkook's and looked straight into his eyes, wishing that his sincere apology could be conveyed to the maknae.

"Will hyungie promise Kookie never to shout at him again? Kookie don't like when hyungie shout. He gets scared."

"Aww, bunny. Hyungie promise to never shout at you ever again. Hyungie is so sorry." Yoongi was now holding Jungkook's head in his hands, thumbs brushing his bunny's cheeks lightly.

"Okay! Kookie forgive hyungie!" If people said that looks could kill then right now, at this moment, Yoongi felt himself attacked by the blinding bunny smile that greeted him.

"Thank you, bunny." Yoongi booped his nose against the youngest's before adding, "And you know what? Your other hyungies are sorry about it too. They are waiting for you outside now and I know they will be so happy to see you again. Will you forgive them too?"

Little Jungkook looked down as he fiddled with his fingers and mumbled something under his breath.

"Huh?"

"Kookie don't know. Kookie sad. Other hyungies don't like Kookie..." Sadness tinted Little Jungkook's voice.

"Oh my dear bunny. This is not true. All the hyungies love you so much. They care about you a lot."

Little Jungkook just shrugged his shoulders and continued to look down at his fingers.

Yoongi did not push further. He knew that things did not end on a good note the last time Jungkook had been Little. It was already a miracle that his bunny was willing to forgive him, no doubt because Yoongi had always been the one that the maknae would look for, Big or Little.

"It's okay. Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's get out of bed first."

Little Jungkook's head shot up at record speed and his eyes sparkled excitedly, "Pancakes?"

Yoongi laughed, "Yes, pancakes. But first, we have to brush our teeth. Now, I know you don't like it but we don't want bad bugs to come to you and you won't be able to eat your candies and chocolates right?"

Little Jungkook slapped his hands over his mouth and muffled, "Kookie want candies and chocolates. Kookie brush teeth now."

"Haha. Alright. Let's go now then".

*******

"What's taking them so long? I'm gonna go check on them again. Remember, guys. Do not say or do anything that will trigger Jungkookie. Let him set his own pace." Jin reminded his dongsaengs.

Before he could step away from the dining table, the members heard a pair of footstep sounds, instead of what they expected to be two.

Thinking that their maknae had refused to interact with them again, the members took to bombarding Yoongi with their concerned questions about Jungkook. However, before they could say anything, what they saw was more than enough to shut their mouths effectively.

In Yoongi's hold, Jungkook was placed on his hips, head tucked into the crook of his neck, arms wrapped around his shoulders and legs around his waist.

The members immediately knew what that meant.

Their bunny was finally out to play again.