Jungkook had a talent, one that he hadn’t known about himself until recently.

“Wow, Jungkook,” his art teacher praised when he walked past to check how all the students were getting along. “You’re quite amazing.”

The teen just shrugged, picking up a different colored pencil and adding in a bit more detail. The assignment had been to draw something from where they sat in the classroom. Many of the student had chosen to draw each other, giggling as they intentionally exaggerated features to create hidieos versions of their friends. Jungkook had chosen the view outside the window, seeing as he stared out it much of the time.

“Have you done a lot of drawing? At your last school, maybe?”

Did the facility count as my last school? Well, he certainly hadn’t done any drawing there. “When I was younger I did.” Now all the drawing he did was in this class and when he was bored in the other ones. “It’s fun.”

“You know, there’s an art contest coming up very soon. You should submit something, perhaps even this one. It’s a great way to get scholarships for college and you might even get it placed in one of the local galleries.”

Jungkook shrugged again, not really listening. It wasn’t like Jin would approve of him getting noticed that much, even if it was just a small, high school art contest. It wasn’t a good idea. “Maybe,” he said, figuring if he said that the teacher would leave him alone.

It worked, and Jungkook enjoyed the rest of class in peace, wholly focused on his art.

~

He had completely forgotten about the conversation a few days later when the art teacher requested that he stay back a few minutes after class. As the other students filed out, Jungkook nervously approached the teacher’s desk. He glanced at the clock, hoping that he would be able to go soon and meet up with Taehyung.

“Did you need something, sir?”

The teacher smiled and Jungkook didn’t like it. He knew that smile. It was the same one Jin had when he had done something to surprise the others and was pleased with himself. Did he somehow find out about them? Jungkook’s brain started to panic, even if outwardly he seemed utterly calm.

“Do you remember when I mentioned the art contest a couple days ago?”

Jungkook relaxed a bit, relieved that he wasn’t going to demand to know about Jungkook’s abilities. “Um, kinda?” He had a vague recollection of it, now that he thought about it. “I’m not really interested though…”

“Ah, well that might be a bit of a problem.” The teacher shuffled some papers on his desk. “You see, I actually entered one of you pieces in the contest. Of course, I filled out the form in your name.”

“What?” The ? Jungkook mentally added. Who does this?

The teacher smiled at him, thinking that Jungkook would probably be delighted with his news. “It was very well received, as I thought it would be. The judges loved it. You won first place!”

Jungkook stared at him. The teacher titled his head to the side, waiting for Jungkook to beam and celebrate, or maybe even shed a tear and thank his wonderful teacher profusely, claiming he had never had confidence in his art and would always remember this moment. At least, that’s what he had hoped would happen.

In reality, Jungkook turned around and walked out of the room without another word.

~

“You won an art contest you didn’t even enter?” Jin repeated, eyes almost comically wide. Jungkook nodded, looking down at his spoonful of pudding. “How? I don’t understand.”

“My art teacher thought something I had drawn for class was really good, so he entered it in a local art contest without telling me. And I won, I guess.” Jungkook ate the spoonful, knocking the metal hard against his teeth by accident. “It kinda pisses me off, to be honest. He looked like I should be happy about it.”

Jin nodded, hand rubbing at his chin. “Well, it is something you should be happy about. Since you won and all. But he didn’t even tell you. You’d think there would be some kind of rule against that.”

“Do you get anything for winning?” Taehyung asked. “Like money? Or… art supplies, I guess?”

Jungkook shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t even know when the competition was. I didn’t want to enter anyways.”

The oldest shook his head. “Well, it doesn’t really matter. We can’t do anything about it now, except maybe ignore it.” He looked at the teen eating away at the pudding cup. “Think you can get it back though? Your art?”

“Why?”

“I want to see it.” Jungkook made a weird face and Jin pouted. “Let me be a proud mom for once. You never show me anything you do anymore. I didn’t even know you liked art.”

“I did,” Namjoon spoke up. “He draws on like everything. He’s good.”

Yoongi laughed. “Hey, Jungkookie. You can be a street artist or something when you’re finished with school. Like one of those guys that sits in parks and does portraits for people.”

“Do you want him to get mugged?” Jin screeched.

Jungkook sighed tiredly and went to get another pudding cup.