the day after his apology, everything seems to be running fairly smoothly. jungkook's brothers still treat him with a certain chilliness and suspicion that only serves to deepen his guilt, and aimee, although she's warmer to him than everyone else, has the same hint of doubt in her eyes.

at eight o'clock that night, jungkook is doing his best to ignore his phone. the screen lights up every ten seconds with texts from his friends -- who he's starting to realize aren't very good friends at all, and with calls from girls he'd been flirting with. as hot as most of them are, jungkook figures that the further away from that lifestyle he is, the better. for both his siblings and himself.

"so, jungkook," yoongi says that night at the dinner table. "got any plans tonight?" out of everyone, he seems to be the least willing to take jungkook's word for it.

"hm?" even though he feels anger and resentment boiling up, he plays innocent. "not tonight."

"be quiet, yoongi," aimee speaks up. "it's not good to automatically trust him again, but it's also not good to do the opposite."

"sorry," he grumbles, picking at his plate.

the entire day has been fairly silent and awkward, now that jungkook isn't out somewhere. he feels the hostility radiating off of his siblings, and he himself feels like he's walking on eggshells now. any word he say might set them off. it would almost be better to be out partying than to have to sit in the middle of this.

after dinner, jungkook takes a detour in the hallway and heads to the one person he knows he can actually talk to: his sister.

"aimee?" he knocks on her door.

"come in," she calls, and nervously, he opens the door a crack.

"can i talk to you, noona?" he pokes his head through the opening. aimee shuts off the tv and smiles up at him.

"any time, kookie."

feeling grateful (and for the first time in a long while, loved) jungkook enters, being careful to shut the door quietly behind him.

"what do you wanna talk about?" she questions, motioning for him to sit on the bed.

"do you think they'll ever accept me?" a well of emotion opens up in jungkook: sadness, guilt, resentment. "you heard what yoongi said at dinner. and all day, and what namjoon said, too. 'you better not sneak out tonight.' noona, they'll never forgive me."

"it's been barely a day," aimee reminds him gently. "you need to gain their -- our -- trust back, and that takes time. i know that yoongi and namjoon weren't exactly being nice when they said those, and i'll make sure to remind them. but an apology is just words, and you have lied to us before. you need to show us that we can trust you again."

"i don't know..." jungkook wants to cry out of frustration. he notices how aimee includes herself in the long list of people who don't trust him, and it hurts. it's him against them, one against seven. "maybe i should just go.." he rises up off the bed.

"hey, jungkook, i'm sorry," aimee gets up, too. "i don't mean that i don't trust you. of course i do! i just want you to validate that, okay?" 

he's barely noticed the tears running down his cheeks, and tries to wipe them away.

"jungkookie..." she reaches up to hug him, and he clutches her back. even though he's much taller than her, he leans down and sobs into her shoulder like a small child.

"it just....it feels like it's all of you against me, and i feel so alone," he hiccups.

"it's not, it's not," aimee comforts him, patting his back. "it takes time, okay? be patient. i know it seems that way, but they'll learn. and i trust you, kookie. never feel like you can't talk to me, okay?"

jungkook nods. "i wish they wouldn't be so mean, though."

"i know," she replies. "and i'll talk to t