Jungkook and Yoongi

Part 1

Jungkook wasn’t the kind to get into deep thoughts, but during his sleepless nights, he had figured out that everything in life happens for a reason. Maybe the reason why his parents had left him in an orphanage when he was only a few days born, was that he had to meet Yoongi.

He was hopeful at first. He tried to get along with the rest of the kids, he tried to be sweet to Ms. Han, and he told the Ahjummas who cooked that their food was tasty even if it was a lie. But he grew tired of it. He wasn’t adopted as a baby because he cried a lot, or that’s what Ms. Han had said. As time passed by, he became the oldest kid in the orphanage. And he had learned that nobody wants to adopt the oldest kid there. So he grew fond of waiting. He didn’t have a reason to act like a nice person, or to smile a lot, or to try to make friends. So, he focused a lot on doing his homework and on trying to pursue Ms. Han to buy him a Rubik cube. He read about them in his math book. He got one, but that was it. So he learned to solve it on his own, always doing it faster and easier. The other kids looked at him like he was a freak, but he didn’t care. He’d get out of there when the time came, and that was enough of a comfort.

When couples were around, looking for kids, they didn’t usually even give him a glance. But when they did, he’d do rude faces. He’d turn around and he’d act like he didn’t care. Most of the time he did care.

But one day, a new kid came. He was older than Jungkook, and his name was Yoongi. After he met him, he never, not even once, regretted not having his parents around. It’s not like he loved the idea, but he stopped thinking that he was miserable because of that. And he felt at peace that way.

He felt sad though, because Yoongi actually knew what a mom and a dad were like. Unlike him. So he probably had something to miss, even if he didn’t mention it often. He came from a wealthy family. He had been to New York, and he had been to Paris too. He didn’t have pictures, but when Jungkook asked, Yoongi told him how New York is actually very crowded and scary, and how the Eiffel Tower is really tiring to climb.

Yoongi cried a lot during his first days in the orphanage. But eventually, he approached Jungkook, and they became close. They had a lot in common, anyway. He told him about how his parents had died in a car accident. And how, after attending their funeral and having a lot of people telling him that he’d be just fine, everyone left, and nobody paid attention to him. He was too young and too naive back then. And his aunt left him there. It’d be a lie to say that he was a happy kid. He was cold, but Jungkook could tell that he was also caring. And he was nice. In fact, he was one of the nicest kids in the orphanage. He was only twelve, while Jungkook was 8. He was well-dressed. He had manners. He was quiet. Jungkook wasn’t any of that.

Jungkook had lived in the orphanage his entire life. He was just left there without a name or anything. His personality was too much for everyone there. Jungkook was smart. Jungkook was quiet. Jungkook didn’t have fun like the other kids did. He liked solving Rubik cubes, and he liked solving math problems. And Jungkook didn’t know how to deal with his emotions.

Yoongi was the first person to ever talk to him, aside of Ms. Han and the Ahjummas who cooked there. He met him, and Yoongi just helped him. He taught him how to show that he was happy and how to show that he was sad. He taught him manners, and he gave him some confidence as well. He did his best to help him with his homework, but he just wasn’t good with that. Anyway, Jungkook loved Yoongi because he had also taught him what family means. It means listening, it means caring, it means feeling comfortable around someone, and it means finding someone warm. That’s what Yoongi was to him.

When Yoongi was 15, someone tried to adopt Jungkook.

For the first time in years, someone wanted to take him home. And they did. He didn’t want to, but Yoongi insisted that he should try. Even if Yoongi had a good personality, nobody wanted to take home a 15 year old. But an adorable eleven year old with manners and a huge goofy smile… that didn’t seem like a bad idea.

It only took a few hours for Jungkook to realize that he missed Yoongi. He had said that it was fine, and asked him not to worry. But Jungkook couldn’t leave him behind like that. Yoongi was his family and he wanted to go back. So he did all sort of things. He ate with his mouth wide open. He acted carelessly like he had done before he met Yoongi. He fought at school even if he didn’t like hitting other kids. And he yelled at his parents.

He felt bad, because they seemed excited. But still, he missed hyung. He was the only family he ever knew and he was the only family that he needed.

When Yoongi turned 16, he had to leave the orphanage. He was given the chance to stay until he managed to find a place to live, but that didn’t take long. He promised Jungkook that he’d come back every weekend. And at any free time that he had. He only broke that promise once.  

Leaving wasn’t easy for Yoongi. He had been there for only four years, which is nothing compared to Jungkook or anyone else, but he got used to it and he had found a comfort zone. Going back to the real world was like getting hit with a tractor. Continuously. As soon as he put a step out of Jungkook’s sight, he began crying like a baby. He had to get a job, he had to find a place to stay and he had to talk to new people. He had to go to school outside the orphanage, he had to take the bus, he had to cook, and he wouldn’t have Jungkook by his side all the time.

It took him three months to save enough money to get a place to stay. It was nothing big, it was just four walls, a small bathroom and a bed. He was having only one bowl of ramen a day, because he had to go to school, he had to buy clothes, he had to go to work, and he was trying to save money too. Not only he was lacking money, but he was also lacking time. School was from 8 am to 2 pm. He had work from 3:00 pm to 10 pm. Then, he made sure he visited Jungkook. He knew he probably felt lonely without him, so it was the least he could do. He was usually home by 11:00 pm, he did his homework and then he showered before going to sleep at 1 am. And then he was waking up at 6 every single day. It was hard. He even thought about trying to find his family, but he was scared of being rejected once again.

He wanted to know where his parents’ graves were, but he thought he could figure that out on his own later.

He’d bring Jungkook food from the convenience store every day. It seems like nothing, but to Jungkook, that was like heaven, and Yoongi could tell easily. He could finally eat all sorts of ramen bowls, pizza, coca-cola, fried food, and chocolate cookies. The orphanage couldn’t afford that often, so it made Jungkook happy when Yoongi brought those things. It meant that Yoongi was doing well.

He’d talk to Jungkook about everything he did. He told him he was eating and sleeping well. Even if it was a lie. Even if he didn’t have anything to eat, or even if he hadn’t slept in days because paying rent and food and school expenses at the same time when you’re only 16 is too much, even then, he’d get money to buy him something small and he’d make time to visit.  

Yoongi knew Jungkook was having a hard time, but he knew he wasn’t as weak as he was before. He hoped he’d be just fine until the time when they could be together again.