open two new messages
from parkthatjiminshi?
yes | no

parkthatjiminshi

parkthatjiminshi
you cant even see your face dumbass

jjungkookie
I SAID NO

parkthatjiminshi
BUT THE FAN SERVICE

jjungkookie
FAN SERVICE??? WHAT???

parkthatjiminshi
you have over 100k followers don't
WHAT me -_-

jjungkookie
im CONFUSED WHAT DOES MY FOLLOWER
COUNT HAVE TO DO WITH IT

parkthatjiminshi
you're big now kook and you don't have
a SINGLE picture online

jjungkookie
yeah that's the point

parkthatjiminshi
give them sOMETHING and that picture
doesn't even show your face much

parkthatjiminshi
it shows off the new apartment too

jjungkookie
I said no minie

jjungkookie
my name is already in everyone's mouth

jjungkookie
I don't need my face plastered on every
news source in all of korea too

parkthatjiminshi
fine loser

parkthatjiminshi
don't complain if people start losing
interest

jjungkookie
I don't even care?????😭😭

jjungkookie
you can have all my followers minie

parkthatjiminshi
im not a charity you shit

jjungkookie
you just-

jjungkookie
make up your damn mind

parkthatjiminshi
I think that it's crazy how you haven't been
caught in a lens yet

parkthatjiminshi
like you travel with me and my face is public

parkthatjiminshi
shit idk but you're lucky jk

jjungkookie
don't ask how I wouldn't know

jjungkookie
but yeah im lucky I am aware

parkthatjiminshi
aNYWAYS MR.FACELESSIDIOT

jjungkookie
oh shut up hoe

parkthatjiminshi
the foods almost ready so I'll be back in
like half an hour

parkthatjiminshi
you're treating hoseok hyung well right?

parkthatjiminshi
I'll chop off your head if you're not

jjungkookie
you cant even reach my head

jjungkookie
and yes hobi hyung is good, he's on a call
right now with someone

jjungkookie
minie it's scary being alone with him

jjungkookie
like the elephant in the room... I wanna
ask about tae but also don't wanna make
it awkward and sad

jjungkookie
don't tell me you dipped shitface

parkthatjiminshi
chill your potty mouth I was collecting
the food

parkthatjiminshi
it's you of all people kook, he definitely
already knows you're wondering about tae

parkthatjiminshi
also im only five cm shorter than your
stupid face

jjungkookie
oop he's done

jjungkookie
time to commence embarrassing jimin story
time

jjungkookie
damn imagine getting exposed to your idol

parkthatjiminshi
you're so fucked when I get back

jjungkookie
you wouldn't cause a scene in front of the
guest would you??🥺🥺🥺🥺

parkthatjiminshi
you rotten pile of horse shit broccoli

jjungkookie
:D

Truth be told, Jungkook was sweating. Palms clammy and fingers massaging the back of his neck for some relief to the tightness in his tense muscles... he was swaying nervously on the couch as Hoseok fell into one of the desk chairs of the small flat BigHit had provided to Jimin.

"Sorry about that," the dancer frowned, tucking his phone away, to which Jungkook hurriedly shook his head.

"No, no, I completely understand. Everything okay?" He asked instead, dread deepening in his gut as Hoseok's smile faltered ever so slightly, completely missable without observant eyes.

"It's alright, Jungkook," the elder mumbled instead, falling back into the chair tiredly. "Thanks for letting me help you both out over here. The change of scenery is nice, 'ya know."

"I should be thanking you." Jungkook leaned forward, hands clasped and resting on his legs, stilling the soft bounce in them. "You wanted to get out of a specific place?"

"Just all of it." The elder replied truthfully. "Nice to be somewhere where all the buzz isn't crazy with security and uptight about interactions."

"Things must have gotten much stricter."

Hoseok glanced up at him, their gazes meeting and the elder smiled painfully. "It was inevitable. Happens any time a big idol is in some stitch. Part for show and part for the protection. Any company would do it."

"Are they still tracking him?" Him as in Bogum, of course. When Hoseok dipped his head once a small breath left Jungkook's lips. "Thank god."

"You're silly for letting me wait around for dinner. I mean, it's sweet and all, but you two should enjoy." The elder picked at a loose thread on his shirt, material baggy and colorful on his chest.

"Please," Jungkook scoffed, casualness kicking in at the thought of Jimin. "He'd much rather have you around than my annoying ass."

The small chuckle was automatic as Hoseok let his arms rest on the hand rests, rubbing a finger gently over his lips in thought for a moment before meeting his eyes. "Hey Jungkook, you can ask about him. I know you want to."

The photographer's eyes shot wide, snapping his gaze to the large windows looking out over the main street. He felt like a lioness caught taking her share of the meal before the lion. Was it that obvious? Was he looking that desperate to find out about Taehyung?

"Jungkook." Hoseok's voice rang deep through his head, bouncing off the walls inside his skull. "He's okay. As okay as he can be right now."

"That's good." Jungkook's heart clenched longingly in his chest, wanting to hear the truth from Taehyung... because in his gut, he knew Taehyung was fooling them on purpose. "Is he overloading with work?"

"Yeah," The celebrity dancer's voice was airy, like what Jungkook had said was a good thing despite the negative implications. "Doesn't give him much time to dwell on it. At least, that's what he said and wants."

"It's not what he needs," Jungkook felt his irritation flare across his chest and throat, choking up calmness and leaving anger to stab out. "Hyung, tell me, was I just a problem in this whole thing?"

"You are exactly what he needs, but that wasn't the right time for you to be in his life. Even a month can be too early in this world." Hoseok leaned forward. "Bogum came back and gaslighted it all..."

The elder trailed off as his lids fluttered shut, head drooping as some form of understanding came to him. Jungkook waited in anticipation, waited for something new to play for his ears. He just needed to know where he stood and if it even made sense to hope for a part in Taehyung's life.

"You made him smile when no one else could," Hoseok rung his hands, fingers paling of color the more he did it. He began to explain the differences further. "You can be private with your life, something impossible for us. We deal with a lot of leeches, Jungkook. They befriend us for the picture, for the title of knowing us. It's hard to distinguish fakes and reals, but the more fakes you suffer from, the easier it is to notice the difference. He doesn't want you to have to deal with that, he knows you value your privacy."

"Being private makes things more personal... more special." Jungkook shrugged as though it was the most common truth in the world. "Like when you don't publicize your birthday to all your friends, the ones who truly care reach out first. I just... it's scary, too, how it happened so fast, but it's just a self-pact I've made to stay as authentic to myself as possible."

"And that's what he respects about you so much." Hoseok's smile was one of awe, utter appreciation to be talking to someone, of such a different life than his, with so must ease. "I respect you, too. We were also once just ordinary people, but we chose this life. Nothing's perfect. Not our company, not our work, not us, but it's our job to make it seem that way. It's the way fans love and grow themselves, because of us, that makes us continue to suffer through the impossible perfection."

"I know it's not easy. And you all have each other's support for that reason." Jungkook was beginning to really take in how flawed even Hoseok, the man of endless sunshine, could be. Sure, he'd been heartbroken to hear Taehyung's story, see it in the news. But knowing that every celebrity faced their own battle, knowing that so many stories of pain were left in the dark so fans would focus on the good things... it was a new terrifying kind of understanding. "I get it."

"Then you'll get why it's impossible for us to help each other the way you do for your friends," Hoseok frowned and Jungkook numbly nodded his head. "It's too easy to lose ourselves for our image, and equally taxing to try bringing it back. It's impossible to help someone with such public matters without risking yourself. You somehow do that for him, bring the authenticity back in him, effortlessly. And, frankly, it causes a chain reaction for the rest of us."

There it was. The reason why Jungkook deserved to be apart of Taehyung's life. He had earned the trust, the utmost ability to bring the elder's laugh back.

It was more assuring to hear it from Hoseok over Jimin, and only because it was a different life that his best friend wouldn't understand every detail of. Hearing it from another celebrity, someone who truly understood the drastic situation, was what he needed.

"It's not just one way. He makes me happy, too," Jungkook wasn't speaking in a defensive tone. He wasn't saying that he was another fan using Taehyung for his face. It was merely him speaking what his heart poured out. "I feel so capable with him. To hold my ground and make someone happy, it's beautiful. He's beautiful. And honestly, Hyung? I just want him to be able to see himself one day."

The photographer took a shaky breath, feeling wetness prick at the corners of his eyes.

"I want him to look in a mirror, one day, and just smile. Just see him for him. Not the face, not the fashion, just look into his own eyes and see himself, healed and loved."

His hand snapped up to his face to catch the single tear that slipped, jumping onto his smooth skin. "And I know— I just know I can help him. That's why I need him to stop running away."

"Its beautiful you think that way," Hoseok smiled gently, leaning across the center coffee table and tapping his shoulder. "But running away is all he's ever known. He came to the industry at an early age, Jungkook—"

"I know. I know about his past, which is why I know he's strong enough to do this."

The elder frowned and pursed his heart shaped lips. "You're right. He is strong enough, but he has a new weakness."

"A new weakness?"

"You."

"Huh?"

"Kook," the nickname threw him off, but the younger tuned in fully for the following words. "Why do you think Bogum went to him now after so many years? He saw Taehyung with a chance for happiness because of you and wanted to crush it. It's such a small example, but it happens so often. People get jealous of success and happiness, especially when it's something they missed out on. Bogum doesn't deserve fame and he knows that, so the next best thing is tearing down the person who revealed the truth about him."

"So I am the cause of this—"

"Let me finish," Hoseok smiled apologetically for pausing in such an manner and sparking such doubt. "Weakness isn't bad. It shines light on where you can grow. If you're his weakness, then you both just need to work together and make it a strength. It's very possible."

"That's not the priority, though." Jungkook frowned. It depicted his lack of selfishness right away. Hoseok was here, telling him, that their friendship had room to grow and gain steady ground, but Jungkook was only thinking about Taehyung's broken relationship with his soul.

"No, it's not the priority," Hoseok agreed. "But, while this is going on, don't give up on the possibility of it. No more running away."

—

I have some prewritten chaps
and I'll keep trying to work on more
so updates can be more frequent :D

thank you for being patient with me!!

ALSO THANK YOU FOR 12K
AND 1K VOTES????
last chap it was a thanks for 8k and now—
you guys are incredible and I hope
you're enjoying the storyyy

love you always
—neeto💙