Jeongguk

It had been two weeks since Jeongguk had gotten released from the hospital. Taehyung, Yoongi, his mom and Jimin were taking shifts to assist him. It was a little weird, but everyone would break the ice their own way. 

Taehyung told him about work and different gossip. Apparently, manager-nim had a girlfriend, so he was happier. Hence his and Taehyung's raise in salary. 

Yoongi would talk to him about his music and experiences in clubs. He would also remind him how grateful he should be to not only Tae, but also to Jimin for lending them the car and stalling the other three, and to Yoongi himself. Basicallt he let him know again and again about how badass they were and how thanful he should be for their saving his . 

His mom would treat him like a baby/ I got taller, heavier and muscular, how am I still a baby to her?

Jimin... Well. Jimin didn't really say a lot. Jeongguk noticed the blond boy was quieter and less annoying than usual. When he talked he'd say things like 'do you want to eat anything?' and 'what do you want to do to pass your time?".

Amongst everyone, Jimin-nurse was his least favorite nurse. He wished Park Jimin acted normal and went back to how he was. Where's that jerk? 

As if Jimin had heard him, he said "You feel weird around me now?" Jeongguk frowned. He did not. Jimin was the one acting weird. 

"No." he replied monotonously. "Ah, that hurts!" he let otu and placed a hand above his ribs. 

It didn't actually hurt, since he'd made no move at alll, but he got what he wanted. And that was Jimin's attention. 

Jimin stood up from where he was working and went straight next to Jeongguk. "Where?! Is it this side?" he asked immediately. "Should I put some ice on it? Spray?" 

Jeongguk chuckled and Jimin's expression turned confused... "You worry a lot, hyung. It's okay, it doesn't hurt anymore." Jeongguk said with a smile. 

"Oh, okay." Jimin replied almost inaudibly. 

-

Jimin

"You worry a lot, hyung. It's okay it doesn't hurt anymore." 

Phew. Jimin was glad. 

But what was that? Jeongguk had called Jimin a 'hyung'. 

To be called a 'hyung' was not a simple thing. It meant something different for both of them. Not only did it mean that they had a deeper bond than before, but also that Jeongguk acknowledged Jimin as his brother, his family. (a/n: lmao familyzoned)

Jimin didn't even know why Jeongguk would call him that. They weren't that close. He had barely known him for the past few weeks. 

Maybe it slipped him. "Why would you call me that?" he asked nevertheless.

"What, 'hyung'? Just know that I mean it. It's nnot like we're strangers..." Jeongguk replies. "You took care of me for the past fourteen days."

Oh, was that it?

"Sure. Call me that if you want." he said and went back to what he was doing. 

"What is that? Reaper work?" Jeongguk said, standing up a little to take a peek. 

"Shhh!" Jimin shushed him. "First of all, lower your voice, would you? Secondly, that's not polite. I'm a collector." 

"Ah, I see." Jeongguk says sarcasticly. "A reaper, then." he smiles as Jimin rolls his eyes. "So what are you doing, hyung?" he spoke and put emphasis on the word 'hyung'.

Jimin gave in. He hadn't been called that in ages. Was Jeongguk doing that to make him have a harder crush on him? 

"There seems to be a lost soul." he said.

"What is that?" Jeongguk asked, getting out of bed. Jimin wanted to tell him to lie down again, but Jeongguk walked up to him with no problem. 

"I heal fast." Jeongguk explained, when he saw Jimin's puzzled expression. "So? Lost soul?" 

"Oh, yeah. Lost souls are peope who have passed, but no collector had helped them move on." Jimin explains, "They are left walking alone in our world and they grow very lonely if no collector takes them. They are your so-called 'ghosts'." Jimin finishes.

"So, there's a 'ghost' and you gotta catch it?" Jeongguk asks. "Ooh, ghostbusters!"

Jimin laughs at Jeongguk's stupid joke. "Well, not exactly. You see, sould are not a game. The longer they are left walking here, the more difficult it becomes for one to catch it. That's because they still have their memories, so they get even more attached here. They usuall follow a loved one and try to contact them. Hence falling items and ghost encounters. Which is why I have to do all this paperwork. I have to learn about the soul I am looking for and write a report after I find it." Jimin sighs. 

Jeongguk is left staring, his mouth open. "Jeongguk, you're drooling. What's up?" 

"Hyung. Are ypu that passionate about your job?" Jeongguk asks surprised by what he had heard. 

Jimin squints. "Passionate?" he breathes. "The last thing I am about my job is passionate. I carry the burden of watching people go, leave their loved one and make them close whether they want to move on remember their past. There's nothing to be passionate about. I didn't chose this job." 

"Oh." is all that Jeongguk can let escape his mouth. "Well, won't studying all that take time? Won't that make it more difficult for you to catch the ghost?" 

Jeongguk's right, but there's nothing Jimin can do about it. He has to get to know who he's looking for first. 

"How about I help you?" Jeongguk suggests. "I don't have anything to do, so let me read this, while you go looking for it. I can call you if I find something that may help. " 

Jimin thinks about it for a while. It doesn't sound bad... They could definitely do that and it would also make his job easier. 

He wouldn't get himself or Jeongguk in trouble for that, right? 

"Let's do this." Jimin winked. 

-

"Success!" Jimin said to Jeongguk over the phone. 

"Yes, Jimin! I knew you'd make it!" Jeongguk answers excitedly. "So, what now?" 

Now, Jimin knew was the hardest part. "I have to make her forget." he said. 

"'Make her forget'?" Jeongguk repeated. 

"I have to convince her. Or else I have no choice but to let her be. If she choosed to keep her memories she'll never have the chance to be reborn." Jimin sighs. "I have to go now." he sighs and hangs up. 

-

It's raining, Jimin observes. 

He likes the rain. He likes the smell, the sound, the romantic side of it. He wishes the girl next to him feels the same. 

"When I was young, my mom told me I'd die young. I didn't know why or how, but that's what my date said. But it doesn't seem like I want to leave her now." the girl admits and Jimin nods. 

"It's alright. You know you have to, though" he tried to persuade her. 

"I told her I'd watch over her. I can't abandon her. Not after I promised her." 

"You know you'll be alone?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I'll be with her one day..."

Protocol says, once a deceased has denied three times, the collector must let them go. And that's exactly what Jimin did. 

It was hard, each and every time, to watch a soul go like that. That soul will learn to continue existing in solitude. 

Loneliness drives people crazy and makes them dangerous. Imagine what it does to souls. Jimin thought it was absurd. Why would the protocol be like that? 

Well, he couldn't change it anyway. He just had to follow it.