Perhaps, there is still some hope.
To say the next few days was awkward was an understatement of the year.
Jungkook was listless, never initiating any conversations with his hyungs. He kept to himself in his room all the time, only leaving when he had to eat, go for his gym session and boxing classes or to the company for dance practice. Even so, Jungkook was non-responsive to his hyungs. The hyungs tried their hardest to engage him in their conversations but each time, Jungkook would either give a one-word answer or just a simple hum to indicate that he had heard what they said.
Jungkook was also being exceptionally formal with his hyungs. Behind the camera, they had long since dropped honorifics with each other but Jungkook has gone back to his old ways as though he was 13 years old again. He was cooped up in his own world and reluctant to let his hair down (not that it was that long to begin with).
The hyungs were not having any of it. If they could bring down the walls of their maknae nine years ago, so can they again. They ain't going down without a fight.
They decided that the first step to breaking down any walls was to initiate skinship but who knows, their maknae wasn't appreciative of it at all. Each time when he felt his hyungs approaching him, Jungkook would either surround himself with the people near him or place himself in a stance such that no one could touch him.
Even when the members surprised him from the back and sling their hands on his shoulders, Jungkook would shrug them off and mumbled something to excuse himself. The only exception comes when there were other staff round, especially their managers. As much as Jungkook was upset with his hyungs, he knew that he should not draw unnecessary attention or suspicions to themselves. Often than not, Jungkook ended up having no choice but to allow his hyungs to touch him in whichever ways that they desired. But under their touches, the members could feel Jungkook flinched and tensed up. However, that spurred them on even more and they were determined to turn the tables around.
When the hyungs realised that skinship was not working, they decided that it was time to take things up a notch.
The dance line tried getting Jungkook to try out new dance routines with them, but the maknae was always quick to be the first one to leave the studio after their usual practice.
Yoongi tried inviting Jungkook to his studio so that they could discuss and work on music together but Jungkook would always excuse himself, "Not today, hyung. I have to work on my G.C.F. videos." Yoongi resisted on rolling his eyes for he knew that it was not true.
Namjoon tried engaging Jungkook into small talks but the latter would brush him off, "Hyung, is this about work? If not, I would like to rest now. I am tired."
Jin tried to start mindless bickering with Jungkook but the youngest was either oblivious to it or unwilling to accept his antics. Even those Dad jokes that Jungkook used to laugh at were a failed attempt.
Honestly, the hyungs knew that they had it coming. They were the ones at fault after all. They broke off the trust that the maknae had in them, as hyungs and as caregivers too. They knew that they had to work doubly hard if they want to regain the trust from their maknae.
On another hand, Jungkook wasn't oblivious to his hyungs' behaviours. Many times, Jungkook found himself almost giving in and had to fight the strong urge of running into their arms.
But Jungkook knew that he should not allow himself to fall into their traps anymore.
They only care about Jimin-hyung. They are only acting nice now because they want to lighten the guilt that Jimin-hyung is probably feeling now. Hell, they did not even ask how I had been during those days when I was away. And my boxes are nowhere to be found. The rubbish collectors can only dispose of items after seeking confirmation from the apartment owners. So that means hyungs really allowed it to be thrown away. They are not sincere in wanting me back, Big or Little, at all. It's okay. I don't want hyungs either. I will not let them hurt me anymore.
As careful and subtle as they tried to be, nothing could escape the eyes of their managers.
One day, after their usual dance practice, Sejin dragged Namjoon to a corner to interrogate him.
"What's wrong with you guys?"
Namjoon feigned ignorance, "Huh? What do you mean, hyung? We are perfectly fine."
"Cut the crap with me. I have known you guys for the past 10 years. I know you guys in and out, even the size and color of all your boxers. There is definitely something wrong between Jungkookie and you lot. Spill it."
Namjoon heaved out a loud and long sigh, "Looks like we can never hide anything from you. Well, there is some sort of argument between us." When Namjoon saw that Sejin was about to speak, he quickly interrupted, "But! But we are working on it. Please trust us. Give us some time."
"Alright. But don't take too long. The final concert in Seoul is just 6-weeks away and we have a pre-concert press conference next week. Get it fixed by then."
"Yes hyung, we will."
*******
The room was quiet, to an extent that even a drop of the pin could be heard. All the members, except Jungkook, had gathered in their leader's room.
"Sejin-hyung just spoke to me earlier. He has already sensed something wrong with all of us. We can't let this situation drag on for too long. We have to do something about it."
"But what more can we do? We've tried skinship, which failed miserably. We've tried getting him to do things with us, which I believe all of us know what the outcome was. It takes two hands to clap and without Jungkookie's reciprocation, things will never work out at all." Taehyung said helplessly.
Jimin added, "What Taehyungie said is right. You can't expect us to deliver any result when the party involved is not putting in any effort to respond to our advances."
"I'm not sure if you guys know but the other day, I saw Jungkookie sulking in the service balcony. He was staring the cardboards. Do you think he is thinking about his stuffies, clothing and toys? Should we tell him that we did not dispose them of? Maybe this can be a starting point for him to talk to us?"
"No, Hobi-ah. The fact that Jungkook threw them away proves that he is being put off by it, even if we were the cause of it. By telling him that, it might trigger him off. Let's just keep it from him for now." Damn, if only Yoongi knew how wrong he was.
"I'm not trying to be a brat or what, but why is Jungkookie so upset? Put aside the fact that I played with his things without his permission, what have we done to make him react in such an extreme manner?" Jimin mumbled timidly.
"That's probably because you don't know anything about kids at all. If you guys recall, we usually only discipline Jungkookie when he is in his headspace which usually ranges from three to six years old."
Taehyung paused when he saw that his hyungs were throwing him questioning looks.
"Well, you see. Kids from birth to six years old are cognitively vulnerable, resulting in them being highly dependent on adults to find out who they can trust and seek protection from. They tend to be emotionally attached to their caregivers as well. They cannot protect themselves, physically or psychologically. So, I am guessing that when we scolded Jungkookie on the day we found him shouting and hitting Jiminie without finding out the truth from him, and thereafter ignored him and even vented our frustrations on him, it probably dawned on him that he could no longer trust us and that we were probably not going to protect him anymore."
"How are you so sure about this? He was already Big on the next day."
"I am not hundred percent sure, but this is the only logical reasoning that I can think of. Otherwise, what do you suggest then, Hobi-hyung?"
Nobody said a thing until Namjoon spoke up. "So, are you suggesting that Jungkook feels and thinks that we do not care about him? As in we do not want him anymore?"
Taehyung shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe."
"And may I add that Jungkookie seems to be struggling to not slip into his headspace? I have been observing him and there were many times when I caught him on the verge of slipping. His eyes would glint as though the entire galaxy reside in his eyes and that bunny smile too. I can tell even though it was gone as quick as it appeared because that's exactly how I felt each time before I slip too." Jimin said sadly.
"Alright, this is it. Looks like we have to really take things into our own hands and get him out of his shell. Him resisting his Little self is obviously not going to have a positive effect. We cannot allow this to go on unless we want to risk him breaking down sooner or later." No way was Jin going to let anything happen to their maknae.
"And what are we supposed to do? Are we going to help him ease back into his headspace? If so, how are we going to do it? Jungkook has always been the one that slipped by himself."
Yoongi looked towards Namjoon and stood up, "Haha, count on me bro. I've already done an extensive research on how we can ease him into his headspace."
As Yoongi spoke, he took out a few pieces of folded paper that were left unnoticed by the members and motioned to them to choose. "Pick your choice. Just follow them and see if it works."
"Is this what you have been doing in your studio for the past few days? And here I am, thinking that you were working on some songs for our next comeback." Namjoon snorted.
"Yah, you punk! At least I'm doing something constructive. Unlike someone who's always on Twitter for God knows what reasons." Yoongi snapped.
Namjoon was dumbfounded.
"Yoongi-hyung, are you sure this is going to work? You're not joking right?" Hoseok raised his head after seeing what was written on the piece of paper in his hand.
"We just have to do our best and work this out. Start trying it as soon as possible. We do not have all the time in the world." Jin instructed.
With that, all the members retreated into their own room with a heavy heart.
They were relieved to know that there was some sort of direction that they are heading towards to but also skeptical about what results it was going to bring.
As each member pondered over the paper that they have picked from Yoongi, they began to do their own individual research.
This time round, we really have to make sure that we succeed.