Bangtan

3 - Welcome

"How's that annoying brat?" Taehyung mumbled, looking at his phone as he sleepily limped into the kitchen.

"Okay chill, you're the same age." Yoongi tossed a couple of cheese balls into his mouth, which he loudly chewed as he walked away.

"You haven't even talked to him, why'd you call him that?" Hoseok chuckled, pulling his hood away from the chair next to him, for Taehyung to have somewhere to sit down and it his cereals.

"Probably 'cause Jeongguk's called him that." Namjoon answered what Hoseok actually already knew, he just wanted to see what excuse Taehyung would make up.

Confirming they'd been right, Taehyung just shot Namjoon a glare and let his gaze fall to the bowl in front of him.

"He'll be fine, has Jeongguk noticed that he's not at their place?" Hoseok looked at Taehyung who blushed and stuttered a bit before finally answering.

"H-he stayed the night. It got late, I told him that uhm, he should take the mattress on my floor."

"Riight." Namjoon grinned.

Patting Taehyung on the shoulder, Hoseok stood up from the table and went to check in on the guy, Jimin. He'd been resting in the couch all day, and when Hoseok turned around to walk over to him, he seemed a lot better, talking and laughing with Yoongi. Just as he sat down, Jimin lowered his voice a bit, glancing at Hoseok where he now sat, every other word. Yoongi seemed to have noticed as well, and furrowed his brows at Hoseok, trying to get him to leave; but Hoseok wasn't going to let it go.
The look the guy had given him when he sat in the car, Hoseok had assumed to be caused by shock and confusion or whatever, but every single time Hoseok as much as walked by the room, or went to get something in the living room, Jimin flinched and looked at him as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Okay spit it out, why are you acting like I'm about to kill you?" Hoseok blurted, sounding a bit more irritated than intended.

"Hoseok." Yoongi growled.

"N-no, I.. I'm not." He was facing his own lap, carefully curling up and away from Hoseok.

"Tell me. I won't get mad or whatever." Hoseok tried to sound as casual as possible, but it was hard, as he only really wanted to punch the adorable little guy in his fluffy fucking face.

"My aunt, s-she.." Jimin took a ragged breath, pulling his bangs out of his face, revealing his dark brown eyes. "She said you shot her son."

"What?" Hoseok gasped. "Yeah well fucking tell her that was because he shot me and three of my best friend, alright?"

Jimin seemed as shocked as Hoseok at his answer, immediately turning to face Hoseok. Staring at him with confusion in his eyes, Hoseok, after the shock had passed, noticed that as the innocent little guy not so innocent eyed his bare chest and arms before hastily returning to Hoseok's now even more confused gaze.

It had been a long time since Hoseok thought of that, and he had been glad it wasn't what was occupying his thoughts day in and day out, but of course this little jerk had to bring it back, remind him of it, take him back to the days when it all began. The uneasy feeling he so gladly had forgotten all about returned to his stomach, making his lungs clog up and his heart pound in his ears and head.

"Welcome to our place then." Hoseok spat, rushing out of the room.

On his way to the staircase, going up the stairs, as well as the few steps remaining to the bedroom, he could hear Namjoon cursing at Jimin, and the others trying to calm him down although they seemed just as upset. They most likely assumed the worst, that Hoseok would have some kind of relapse and fall back into old habits, which would make things worse for everyone and not just himself.

Although Hoseok knew they were freaking out - someone even followed him close behind, but he shut the door on them - he wasn't exactly in the mood to calm others down, much less himself. It wasn't as bad as "oh let's take out the old hidden away stash of drugs", but it still made him crave some time alone to think. Just a day, or two.

Music. Hoseok sat down in his king sized bed and plugged the aux-cord from his speakers into his phone. Choosing the first spotify list that he managed to open, he turned his speakers to full volume, shutting out whoever was knocking on the door just barely violently enough to overpower the music.

"Please talk to us, Hoseokie."

"We know this shit's hard on you, but just please, open the door."

With closed eyes, he leaned back against the headboard with his hands behind his head, ignoring their nagging.

"Just one fucking minute, Hoseok. Please."

As probably half an hour went by without them surrendering, Hoseok eventually paused his music and stomped over to the door, ripping it open after unlocking it. He expected to be met by Yoongi, or Namjoon, maybe Tae, but instead he had to lower his gaze a bit to look the rose-cheeked, tousled and dark haired newcomer in the eyes. Someone else was hurrying down the staircase when Hoseok opened the door, leaving the two of them alone.

"I just wanted to apologize." Jimin began, his voice a lot more sturdy and confident now than earlier.

Hoseok held up a finger and smiled as to pause the boy, who gladly responded to his politeness by nodding and waiting for Hoseok to speak. Still looking the younger in the eyes, Hoseok slammed the door shut between them, leaving Jimin outside without making another sound.