"What are you doing?" Jungkook asked as he watched Jimin fold papers.

Jimin's hand stopped and looked up at the young boy who stares at him with large curious eyes. He smiled, handing Jungkook a square paper. "I'm making paper cranes."

He finished another paper crane and placed it on a large jar placed on the table.

Jungkook stared at the paper and back at Jimin who now has a new paper on his hand. "What do I do with this?"

"I'll teach you how to make one."

"Okay."

He watched Jimin slowly fold the paper and followed it. He hummed as he finished one, satisfied with his work. He was about to put the finished paper crane on the jar when Jimin grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"You can have that. Keep it."

"What do I do with this?"

"I don't know, put it in a jar too? Make one thousand paper cranes and your wish will be granted."

"Is that what you're doing, hyung?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah."

A soft set of footsteps interrupted their conversation. Jungkook turned his head to the source of the noise and saw Taehyung’s mother with a tray of freshly baked breads. One of them is shaped like a bunny and another one is shaped like a bear.

"Taehyung should be out from the kitchen soon, he just needs to clean himself. He stained himself with chocolate syrup while making a dessert." She smiled and placed the tray on the table where the boys are folding the papers. Jimin grabbed the papers and kept it in his bag, flashing a bright smile to the woman.

"Thank you, auntie! You always give us free snacks."

She hummed, wiping her hands on her apron. "No problem, dear. I'm sorry you had to wait for Taehyung here. Ever since Seokjin moved to Seoul we've been having a hard time adjusting the work here. Taehyung needs to work extra in the kitchen."

"It's fine, we enjoy staying here."

"That's good, I'll head back to the counter now. Enjoy your snacks, there's more if you want." She turned back to the cashier and a customer entered the shop.

Jungkook stared at his bread, a bunny shaped one. It felt like it's been forever since he last saw Seokjin (which was three days ago). The younger boy cried until his eyes hurt, refusing to talk to anyone and it stressed his older brother out. Not knowing how to deal with a sad and upset jungkook because it has always been Seokjin who took care of the younger.

Jungkook felt betrayed. The fact that the older male didn't tell him about him leaving to Seoul rubbed him off the wrong way. He thought that maybe his hyung doesn't trust him with it, why? Is it because he's too young to be meddling with 'adult' affairs? He's beyond frustrated. 

He took a large bite of the bread, he bit the ears off and a pool of chocolate syrup came out from the bread. It dripped down to his hand and chin which made the older male who sat across to him to gasp in horror.

"Kookie! You're making a mess." he said, wiping Jungkook clean with a tissue.

He didn’t move when Jimin leaned in and wiped his chin and hand. He stared at the bread on his hand, "Do you think Jin-hyung hates me?"

"Why would he?" He asked as he went back to his seat, the chair made a screeching sound as its feet scratched the floor.

"Because I'm a burden. He always had to take care of me and maybe he's just being nice because I'm a kid."

A kid. It felt bitter in his tongue.

"I don't think that's the case." The older boy said, crumpling the used tissue.

"Then why didn't he told me earlier. He doesn't trust me."

"Maybe he doesn't want you to be sad. He wanted you to be happy that's why he took you to the beach."

"Well, I am sad now. He shouldn't have left if he doesn't want me to be sad."

Jimin furrowed his brows, "Do you want me to call Jin-hyung now?"

"No. I haven't replied to his messages yet and it's been three days...I don't wanna talk to him yet."

Jimin sighed. He ran his fingers through his hair. He clicked his tongue before he decided that he should change the topic, "Taetae is taking his sweet time there, you're going to be late to your review classes. We could go now if you want.”

Jungkook stared at Jimin who took a bite from his bread, "I can go alone. I'm old enough to know my way."

"But your mom told us to--"

Jungkook stood up and slung his bag to his back. He finished the bread before waving his hand to Jimin, "She wouldn't know. Bye."

He ran out of the shop, he bumped into few customers on his way. He murmured his apologies, much to the displeasure of the customers who gave him a nasty look.

-X-

He read the message that Seokjin sent him again for the nth time.

From: Jinnie-hyung

To: Jungkook

Kookie, study hard so you can come here too. Okay? I won't be there to help you with your homework and tests but you can call me anytime.

From: Jinnie-hyung

To: Jungkook

Kookie!! I just arrived in Seoul and remember that Yoongi guy from the phone before? He gave me a tour around the city and it's beautiful!!  I saw a shop with lots of Iron Man figurines~ I bought one for your birthday hehe. Also I saw few celebrities and singers here, they look so cool.

From: Jinnie-hyung

To: Jungkook

Are you okay? Are you mad at hyung? Taetae told me you were so upset. I'm sorry.

His finger hovered at the reply button. He thought about what he should say to his hyung. Should he say that he's sad and upset? No no no, he shouldn't. He should act more mature and think about his hyung's feelings. He always wanted to study there, right? He should congratulate him properly.

From: Jungkook

To: Jinnie-hyung

I'm sorry, hyung I lost my phone. I found it under my bed now. I'm not mad....congratulations, hyung! You're so cool.

"Jungkook?" a voice interrupted his thoughts as he pushed the send button in his red flip phone. He looked up and saw a girl standing in front of his desk, with two other girls behind her who are currently laughing and murmuring to each other. Jungkook rolled his eyes at their actions. They're being obvious.

He doesn't remember the girl's name, he never paid attention to his classmates anyway. He looked at the girl again and god he felt uncomfortable. All he wanted right now is to flee from here and avoid any contact from the opposite . It made him feel awkward unlike when he’s with Jin-hyung or Taehyung or Jimin. He concluded maybe girls are just weird.

"Yes?" He replied in a small voice.

She turned her head to her friends and gave them a slap on their arms, told them to shut up and turned her attention back to the boy. "I saw that you didn't do good in the English pre-test and I was wondering if you need a tutor? I can tutor you after class." She smiled, "Well, that's only if you want. It's okay if you don't. "

Junglook squinted his eyes, he could always ask Jimin for help anyway. Why would he need a help from this girl?

"What's your name again?"

The girl's eyes widened, obviously wasn't expecting to be asked such question. "I always sit next to you.... " She turned her gaze to the empty desk next to Jungkook's, “but anyway I'm Kim Eunseo."

"...Sorry." Jungkook tried to avoid her stare, "I'll think about it. I umm have to be home early today."

"Oh sure! No problem, just tell me whenever. Can I have your number? I'll give mine too so you can contact me anytime."

Jungkook felt more uncomfortable now. If it's even possible, "I don't have a phone." was his automatic answer.

"But you're holding it right now...." She pointed her finger to the red flip phone.

He closed his phone and kept it in his pocket, his hands trembled in the process. "Not mine!"

"...Alright." She said before she bowed and left the area with her friends.

When Jungkook was sure that she was gone, he let out a heavy breath that he didn't know he was holding in. He buried his head on his desk when he felt his phone vibrate. He took it out from his pocket to check it.

From: Jinnie-hyung

To: Jungkook

Oh my god, Kookie. I was so worried!!! Ugh, Taetae is just making fun of me now, isn't he? :((

Jungkook can already imagine what his hyung looked like right now.  A small cheeky smile made its way to his lips.

The bell rung and he immediately kept his phone in his pocket (he already made a fool of himself in front of that girl, he wouldn't do it again) and his classmates started filling up the room again for another exhausting hours of review classes. His notebook and pen are already placed on his table, though he doesn't have any plan of actually using it. Honestly, if not because of Jin-hyung getting disappointed he would have thrown the pen away. Preferably to his teacher.

Oh. His Jin-hyung isn't here to know so maybe he could.

-X-

He was on his way home when the girl from earlier approached him (he doesn't remember her name again).

"Our houses are in the same way. We can walk home together."

What? How did she know? Jungkook felt his body go stiff, he swore he's sweating buckets right at this moment. The girl stared at him expectantly. How is he supposed to react? He doesn't want to walk home with her, he regretted not asking Jimin or Taehyung to fetch him (so much for trying to act old enough. He didn’t know it came with talking to girls).

At this rate, he must be allergic to them.

He stared at the girl who is still smiling at him. Okay good, she doesn't have any idea of the internal conflict that is happening in poor Jungkook's brain. He tried to calm himself, he can't be rude. What would Jin-hyung do in this situation? 

Right, he'll walk her home. He's just that nice and Jungkook isn't.

"Uh, yeah. Sure." His voice cracked.

The girl beamed and twirled her hair and Jungkook got confused. Is that some kind of a sign language? He doesn't know and he doesn't want to know.

He shrugged and started to walk, the girl followed him.  

The walk home was painfully awkward. Sometimes the girl would walk a bit too close to Jungkook’s liking, invading his personal space and Jungkook would step away to maintain a safe distance of ten steps away from her. He could smell the sweet scent of the girl’s perfume. It smelled like the cotton candies from the amusement park, the color blue ones. Sometimes when the girl is too close to him and the wind blows, her long hair would slap him on his face so he would step away from her and the girl would apologize.

She was also annoyingly talkative. More talkative than Taehyung so if anyone will ever complain that Taehyung’s mouth doesn’t know when to stop talking then they’ve never met this girl before. She talked about how they’ve been classmates for years already and they never talked so she was glad that they’re talking now (though Jungkook isn’t exactly talking), and that their houses are close to each other but they never hang out so they should do it soon and invited him to her house. She talked about more things but Jungkook tuned them out already.

Never in his life did he thought that his house is too far away from his school because it usually just took him fifteen minutes to walk, so when he saw his house coming to a view he felt the strong urge to just lock himself inside his room and never talk to anyone for the next two days. He already used up all his socializing skills with that fifteen minutes walk and would probably need to recharge it soon.

When he reached his house, the girl said that she lives two blocks away and that she can walk home alone (the young boy doesn't understand why she needed to say that she can walk home alone because Jungkook wouldn't walk her home). So the boy nodded and said his farewell before he awkwardly opened the gate of his house and ran inside. Desperate to get as far as possible from her.

“I saw that.” A voice made the younger jump in surprise.

Jungkook turned his head to the source of the voice and saw his brother with a wide grin plastered on his annoying face.

“Saw what?”

“That girl. From two blocks away.”

“So?”

“That time when you asked me about, I quote, worms in your stomach, I asked who’s causing that and remember what I said—“

Jungkook frowned, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know her name.”

He raised his hands up to the air as an act of surrendering, “Alright. Cool.”

The young boy groaned and dropped his bag on the floor. He removed his socks before he entered his room, casually throwing it somewhere to his back.

“JUNGKOOK I’M NOT CLEANING THIS!” His brother yelled from outside his room.

“I will! Later!” He dragged his feet to his bed and buried his face on his pillow. He felt his phone in his pocket vibrate and was reminded that he hadn’t replied to his hyung yet.

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

JIN-HYUNG CALLED ME AND SCOLDED ME ABOUT MAKING FUN OF HIM! IM SQUINTING AT U RIGHT NOW FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW I KNOW U R HOME.

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

Also who was that girl, I thought u r loyal to jin-hyung I’m telling him lol :^))

From: Jungkook

To: best hyung taetae

What are you talking about

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

Jin-hyung is prettier don’t replace him k :((((

From: Jungkook

To: best hyung taetae

What are you talking about????

-x-

Jimin offered to walk Jungkook to his school the following day but the younger rejected.

“I can go alone, I’m old enough.”

He asked again the following day.

And the following.

And the following.

And the following.

Jungkook’s phone inbox is now full of Jimin’s messages asking him if he wanted to walk together, with Taehyung.

And the girl had been walking with him from school in the afternoon every day, it became a routine. There was one time they walked together in the morning too but Jungkook always woke up late in the morning and the girl (Eunseo, Jungkook remembered now) doesn’t want to be late and Jungkook won’t adjust his precious sleeping schedule.

It was Saturday afternoon when he received a message from Taehyung that is not an offer to walk him to school.

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

I literally live next to you but I haven’t seen you in a WEEK. Jimin is worried too. What’s up?

Jungkook stared at the message and for some reason the lack of emoticons, the use of proper punctuation and grammar, and the lack of text shortcuts bothered him.

From: Jungkook

To: best hyung taetae

I’m okay? I was just busy.

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

Busy with what?

From: Jungkook

To: best hyung taetae

I don’t know. School?

From: best hyung taetae

To: Jungkook

You don’t study. Who are you kidding here, lmao. If you’re too busy to meet up right now, I’ll give you a call in a second.

Jungkook’s phone rung before he could even process Taehyung’s message. He answered.

“Yeah?”

“If you’re still upset because we didn’t tell you anything about Jin-hyung leaving then get your head out of your because I’m not dealing with your bull.”

Jungkook was taken aback. He stared at his phone with a scandalized look and swallowed thickly before he brought it back to his ear, “What?”

He could hear shuffling noises from the other line and the sound of blankets getting thrown away. Maybe Taehyung is getting up from his bed? The younger opened his window and saw Taehyung’s shadow from the curtains in his room. He frowned.

“Jimin told me about what you told him before and damn it Jungkook you’re thirteen. You’re literally a kid so stop overthinking.”

Jungkook could feel his blood boil, “That’s the point! I’m a kid, I’m not important. Jin-hyung doesn’t even take me seriously!”

“So what?”

“What?”

“So what? Why are you so bothered by it?”

“I…”

“Yeah? You want Jin-hyung to take you seriously. Because what? He doesn’t take me seriously too and treats me like a kid because I’m his younger brother, but I don’t even care. He cooks meal for me, tucks me in the bed, and gives me extra money. It’s all good.”

 “You don’t understand.” His grip on his phone tightened. Are older brothers supposed to give extra money to their younger brothers? Because his older brother never did that and instead he took his money.

“Then tell me.”

“I can’t. I don’t understand myself too…”

A laugh, “See? Because you’re thirteen so stop overthinking. Save it for later when you’re older or something. Want to grab some ice cream? Jimin is here with me right now.”

“No. I’m not feeling good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jungkook flipped his phone close and lied on his back in the bed. He stared at the ceiling and hummed the song the Seokjin would always hum to him when he tried to make the younger take an afternoon nap.

He closed his eyes and tried to think of the things that doesn’t make any sense. Taehyung made a fair point. He wanted Seokjin to take him seriously because what? What does he want from the older male? Attention? He could always get it from the older. Then what?

He pushed his hand to his chest and gripped his shirt, causing it to wrinkle. He chest hurts like someone is squeezing his internal organs and his throat felt like it’s burning. What’s this?

He doesn’t understand. God, how badly he wanted to grow up now so he could understand.

“I should make paper cranes too.”

So he tried to recall what Jimin taught him. He cut papers that he saw in his desk drawer, leftovers from his art class. He turned them into squares, the size is enough to make medium sized paper cranes. He folded it the way he remembered it.

He ended up only making eight paper cranes in a span of two hours because the rest ended up looking like a disappointment.

“I’ll get better…” He frowned and folded more, forgetting the piled up homework that needed to be done.

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