Always With You | BTS (Kids)

4

Warning: violence

Hobi was startled awake from his sweet sleep by rustling in his blankets. He woke up and fumbled in his bed, his hand brushing against a little face that was drenched in cold sweat. "Oh my gosh, when did you get in here, Kookie? You scared me!" 

"Hyung, mommy and daddy are scolding each other." Jungkook whimpered, shivering under the sheets and curling into a tight ball. "I'm scared, so I ran out of there when they finally fell asleep. I'm scared, hyung. Let me sleep here tonight."

Upon hearing Jungkook, Hobi immediately pulled him up to the pillow so they could share, and he inched over to make room for the younger boy. He tidied the blankets and pulled them up to their chests, hugging Jungkook close to him. Right away, Jungkook snuggled closer into his brother's embrace, holding Hobi's pinky finger tightly, as if it made him feel more secure. Hobi didn't mind, and let Jungkook move as close to him as he liked. Hobi could feel Jungkook's heart palpitating, and he put an arm across his chest to calm him down. "Don't worry, Kookie. Hobi-hyung is here." Finally finding reassurance, Jungkook snuggled up against his brother's chest and fell asleep.

*******

In the morning, Jin and Yoongi woke up to see their parents sharing the morning paper at breakfast. "Did you sleep well?" Chaesung asked her sleepy sons as they rubbed their eyes and yawned, obviously wishing they'd just stayed put in their warm nests and slept a little longer.

"Good morning, mommy." Jimin came bounding down the stairs, greeting his mother brightly. "Can we have breakfast?"

Chaesung hugged him and was just about to take Jimin into the kitchen when Wooseong noticed.

"You boys, stop ordering your mother around!" Wooseong suddenly raised his voice at Jimin's question. Jimin stopped cold in his steps, shocked and surprised. "Get breakfast yourself, your mom is not your servant, is she?" Wooseong ordered Chaesung to sit down and the table, and told Jimin to get his own breakfast.

"He's just a child, Wooseong. He's only five." Chaesung hissed. "Why are you doing this to him? He's just a child!"

Wooseong looked adamant. "Spare the rod and spoil the child. I'm not spoiling my boys. There's no time to pamper babies in this household."

From the kitchen, Jimin could hear every word. Gulping down the lump in his throat, Jimin climbed up the counter silently to get his cereal bowl and bread, tears brimming in his eyes. Jin was in there, and he hurriedly enveloped the shivering boy in a tight hug and dried his tears. "It's okay, Jimin." Jin tried to comfort him. The older twins, along with Tae and Jungkook came down for breakfast, and Yoongi quietly poured cereal into four more bowls while Jin handled the milk. They waited for all seven boys to come down for breakfast before they took their places around the table.

The children ate quietly, even Jungkook, the playful one, was silent. Wooseong eyed him, then said, "Lee Jungkook, where did you go last night? Which room did you run to?"

Jungkook's face lost its colour instantly. His voice began to shake and he stammered. "I...I wanted to s-sleep with Ho...Hobi-hyung." He managed to say.

"Who told you that you could sleep elsewhere? Your bed is in our room and there is where you should sleep."

Chaesung stopped slicing the bread and mumbled so only Wooseong could hear. "That's enough, let him be. He's just a little child. He's just three years old. If Hobi makes him feel safe, let him be! Hobi can take care of him." Obviously dissatisfied, Wooseong gave Jungkook a hard flick on his forehead as a punishment, but said no more.

Then, Chaesung asked, "Hobi, you have a dance competition coming up, don't you? Have you practised your routine?"

Hobi's face lit up when she mentioned dance. Oh, how he loved it! He loved the rhythm, the beats, the way his body moved so naturally, the way people cheered and clapped for him and called him a prodigy, the way he filled his soul with music. "I practised, mommy! I practised in my room with Jimin. I have the music for my performance in a recorder. Do you want to see me dance, mommy? It is really good!" Hobi exclaimed, excited.