"HOW IS he?"
"Fine," Jin replies from the other line. Long, interminable days have already passed ever since Jin and Taehyung took Jimin away and kept him under observation back in their house.
Within those days, you realized how much the apartment had gotten less lively, especially when all Jungkook would usually only ever do in his free time was to sleep inside your bedroom. Otherwise, he would rummage in your kitchen to find food, or watch TV.
On your day off, he willingly helped you clean your apartment, much to your gratefulness.. Well, except for the part when Jungkook had accidentally dropped your toothbrush in the toilet. Consequently, you had to buy a new one with the bunny hybrid practically following you as he muttered out a million sincere apologies every 5 minutes.
At least he was genuinely sorry about it.
"But as expected, he refuses to go out of his room every time we ask him to go down for breakfast and dinner. What a child."
You chewed on the last piece of your pancake with a small chuckle, sneaking a quick look at Jungkook who was watching TV in the living room. He seemed so immersed in whatever he was watching, doe eyes focused on the screen with both his hands resting on his lap.
Avengers.
"Is he always like that?" You asked the question that has been lingering in your mind ever since you first called Jin to check up on the orange-haired hybrid and just like the usual, he'd always tell you the same thing.
He's good, fine, refuses to go out of his room, constantly complaining about how he wants to go back to your apartment, about how he misses you, and other repetitive fatuous words.
But one thing is for sure: you definitely weren't used to this type of Jimin. You found it weird to think about, too. What if he was still here with you, inside your apartment?
"Jimin? Hm.. Partly yes, partly no." He replies, making your curiosity augment. You tilt your head to the side, running the fork through the leftover syrup on your plate. "What do you mean partly yes, partly no?"
"He's normally not the type to miss someone excessively when he's in that certain type of state." He stressed the word. "I've known him long enough to know that. Don't you think it says a lot?"
"Meaning..?" You trailed off, not really catching on to what he's trying to propound. You heard an amused chuckle elicit from his lips, making the crease in between your brows more prominent.
"Meaning, huh? Really, Y/N?" The amusement in his tone remained patent.
"Just get straight to the point," You scoffed.
"You're so oblivious.."
"Hey! I am not!" You retaliated a little too loudly, straightening your posture. You notice Jungkook glance at you for a moment before he returns his attention to the TV.
"Haven't you noticed? Obviously, Jimin has a big fat cru—"
"HEY Y/N!" A loud, baritone voice exclaimed, abruptly interrupting the elder's words.
"What the — Hey Kim freaking Taehyung, I told you to keep an eye on Jimin! What are you doing here?!"
"Well, first of all, I miss Y/N too! And second of all, Jimin is being a little bi—"
"That's it, out!"
"Alright alright fine!" Taehyung huffs. "Bye Y/N! See you soon! Mwah!"
"Taehyung you nuisance! If you don't get out of here—"
"BYE!" You heard a few hurried footsteps until a door swung open and quickly clicked shut. Jin releases a sigh and you couldn't stifle the laugh threatening to escape your lips anymore.
"It's not funny, Y/N! I have to deal with those two every single day!" He rants with a huff. You nod, somewhat understanding his frustration. Jimin annoyed you too from time to time, but that doesn't mean you already hate him.
"Anyway, I have to go. I really don't trust my brother with Jimin."
"Why? Taehyung seems like a nice guy."
"If only you know.." He sighed.
You chuckled. "Sure. Talk to you later, Jin!" You quickly ended the call with a huge smile on your face. You've noticed that you and Jin have gotten closer in recent days. You had only intended to call him to check on Jimin, but then you wound up getting a 20-minute talk with the elder instead.
"Noona, It's your off today, right?"
You looked up to see Jungkook who was already standing in front of you, leaning towards the counter as he faced you. You nodded.
Your manager had granted every one of his employees a five-day vacation to celebrate the bistro's fifth anniversary, which happened just the day before yesterday. Nothing special. Just a small 'thank you' to all his workers for working hard for the past years.
"No, which gives me a lot of free time to hang out with you!" You smiled. "Is there anything you want to do today, Koo?" You asked. You felt bad when all he was able to do was to sleep and eat in recent days. His best friend wasn't here to accompany him, anyway. Maybe a little time spent outside wouldn't hurt.
His bunny ear perked up at the sound of the nickname you gave him. He looked up the ceiling in thought, and soon a wide grin stretched on his lips as a suggestion struck him. "Can we go to Jin hyung's house, please?"
"Jin's house? Why?" His bottom lip jutted out. "Don't you want to know how Jimin hyung is doing right now?"
"I called Jin earlier and he told me Jimin's fine. Plus, if something does happen, your hyung is only one call away." You wiggle the phone in your hold with a sad smile, making a glum sigh elicit from his lips.
"Okay.. maybe some other time?"
"No, Jungkook. Sorry." You finalized with a small laugh.
"Fine.." He muttered, his ears slowly drooping down. "I really miss Jimin Hyung.."
You smiled, but not enough to reach your eyes. "Me too."
"So you like him?!" He widened his eyes at you.
Intuitively, you responded in kind, hysterically shaking your head. "What? No no, of course not! that's not what I'm trying to sa—"
"You do! You like Jimin Hyung!" He places a hand on his mouth. "You like Jimin Hyung! And Jimin Hyung likes you—"
"Jungkook!" You exclaimed, a threatening undertone flaunting in your voice. He gives you a laid-back shrug, all the while grinning. "That's okay, you're still in your denial stage, anyway. That's normal!"
"I am not!" You retaliated.
"Why do you look so nonplussed?" He grins even wider, tilting his head.
Your hand involuntarily skimmed your cheek and you look up at him with an indurated glare. "Stop it, Jungkook.."
"Alright, I was just kidding, Noona! I only wanted to see your reaction." He reasoned out, no hint of humor in his tone.
"Even so, Jimin is a hybrid and I'm a human, remember? And even if I do like him, I can't. But that will never happen." You assured him.. Or more like yourself.
"Okay.." He smiled. You swore you heard a bit of skepticism in his voice but you shrugged it off.
"Thank you, Jungkook." You smiled. "Now let's go get some food!"
•┈┈••✦♥✦••┈┈•
You breathe in the brumal air, smiling to yourself as you kicked a small pebble from under your shoe. The two of you were seated on a bench. There weren't that much people inside the small park which gave the place a more pleasant, tranquil atmosphere.
You watched two kids from afar who played with their kite as they ran across the grassy field. They looked so happy and carefree. Their parents must love them so much.. The type of love you always wished your parents gave you.
"Are you excited to see Jimin Hyung tomorrow, Noona?" Jungkook asked beside you. You looked at him, giving him a nod. "Of course I am. Are you?"
"Obviously!" He beams with a wide grin. "It's good that Jin Hyung let Jimin Hyung live with you. He trusts you, after all."
"I know.. but you know Jimin can't live with me forever. He's gonna have to return to his original owner sooner or later, which by the way, isn't me." You explained, trying to hide the glumness in your tone but to no avail.
You didn't want to think about it, but you couldn't help but feel sad about it. The thought was of course inexorable; he's going to have to leave you soon, whether you liked it or not.
Which meant that you needed to come to terms with his original owner soon. Whoever they were. Jimin can't just depend on you for the rest of his life.
The thought gave you an idea.
"Jungkook, can I ask you something?"
He glances at you and nods. "Anything!"
"Um.. Do you perhaps know who his original owner is, and where they could be?" You asked with a hint of hesitancy dripping in your tone.
He stopped. He stared at you for a few seconds before he releases a small sigh, looking away. "Do you wanna hear a story, then?"
You frowned. "Sure.."
"He fell in love with a human." He started. You immediately dismissed the foreign sensation that you slightly felt and listened to him with open ears. "He fell in love?"
"Well.. used to." He added, playing with his fingers as he stared at the cerulean-like blue sky with an inscrutable face. "That was 2 years ago. I met Jimin Hyung when I saw her enter the house one day with him in his cat form cuddled against her. I didn't know how she found him since she never told me anything about it. I figured she just adopted him or something."
"Who was she?" You couldn't resist asking anymore.
"Kim Nari." He answered, lowering his voice as if saying the name out loud was forbidden.
You nodded. The name didn't sound familiar, nor did it click anything in your head.
"She was the best owner we had back then. She took care of us, fed us, you name it.. Basically, the three of us were like an inseparable trio." He chuckled, his eyes flickering a twinkling mixture of woe and happiness.
"But one day she just.. I don't know. She changed. And the Nari we used to adore never came back again." His voice broke as he stared down on his lap.
"What happened? You can tell me, Jungkook." You slowly reach for his hand and entwined your fingers with his soft ones. He glances up at you with tears beginning to fog his eyes.
"She went back home that night. The night when Jimin had also decided to confess his affections towards Nari." He spoke.
"And I.. I supported him because I knew she was gonna make him happy, despite the two being a separate Hybrid and a human." He wiped his now moistened cheeks with the back of his palm.
"But things didn't go well. I remember when she suddenly shouted at him and pushed him hard that he almost hit his head. That's when everything started to take turns for the both of us.." He let out a quiet sob but he quickly covered his mouth. You didn't hesitate to pull Jungkook into a tight hug.
He immediately encircled his arms over your waist and silently cried on your shoulder like he didn't want anyone to see his face.
You weren't used to this. Jungkook was a very bubbly guy with a carefree personality. Seeing him in this state somehow made you weak, too. In fact, you may have only been with him for a couple of days but he already felt like a little brother to you. A loving little brother that you never had, but wish you did when you were a child.
"We trusted her so much, Noona.. But why? Why did she suddenly become so abusive of us? Why does she always hurt Jimin Hyung?"
"Shh, Jungkook.." I caressed his hair. "Don't worry, the two of you are safe with me, okay? I won't let anyone harm the both of you.." You reassured him, smiling.
He shook his head, pulling away to look up at you with soft eyes. "I can't stay with you forever, Noona.. I only went away from the house because I wanted to search for Jimin Hyung.."
"When?" You creased your brows.
"I searched for him for almost a month. I stayed at Jin Hyung's house that time. Actually.. I was almost on the verge of giving up, but not until I saw Jimin Hyung with you on the mall. I started to follow him since then."
"I wasn't actually supposed to show up that time but I got hungry.." He chuckled. You smiled. Typical Jungkook.
"What about Jin's house? I know he's kind enough to let you live in his house instead." You spoke. "Doesn't he know about what Nari does to you and Jimin?"
"He doesn't. Nari told us not to tell anyone about it.. Plus, Jin Hyung is Nari's cousin. He won't believe us even if we tried explaining." He explained. "And I made a promise.."
"A promise?" You repeated.
He nodded. "I made a promise to Nari.."
He cuts his sentence for a moment before continuing. "I made a promise that I will never leave her.."
He glances at you, then smiled. But there was something different in his smile. Like it was trying to tell you something he couldn't say directly towards you. "So please promise me something too, Noona.."
"Anything, Jungkook." You smiled back.
"Please take care of Jimin Hyung, and love him.. More than how much he loved her."