Much to Jungkook’s surprise, Jimin won. But Jimin didn’t seem to be happy about his win. Normally he’d be elated to win against Jungkook, but at the moment he didn’t care.

“Best two out of three?” Jungkook asked hopelessly and Jimin shook his head.

“No. I won fair and square. Now don’t push it.” Jimin said picking up the cards.

“...I’m sorry.” Jungkook apologized but Jimin wasn’t sure why.

“Why are you apologizing?” Jimin asked.

“Because I lost my temper earlier,” Jungkook answered, putting the cards back into a box.

“...It’s...ok...Jungkook?” Jimin called for his attention.

“Yea?” Jungkook answered not looking at him.

“...What...um...you mentioned our past...and how I was apparently stressed at the time...uh...what exactly happened?” Jimin finished curiously. What could ten year old him possibly be stressed about?

“You want me to tell you the whole story?” Jungkook asked finally looking at Jimin, and Jimin nodded.

“If...you don’t mind..that is,” Jimin replied.

“I don’t mind. But...I don’t like that part of our past.” Jungkook said.

“Why?” Jimin asked.

“Because we were both being stupid at the time,” Jungkook answered with a sigh.

“How so?” Jimin asked as he tilted his head to the side slightly, wondering what Jungkook meant.

“You were being stubborn and stupid, and so was I. Let me explain by just telling you the whole story. It was about a month after we met. We were already really close by then. I..well I was younger than you but I already knew that I adored you. You were my hyung but at the same time, I knew you were more than just that. Anyway, since we were so close and I’d already been staying over for a whole month, you randomly decided to show me the whole block one day. We’d never gone further than the grocery store before. So you and I were walking around when I saw the park near your school. I wanted to go there but you were reluctant to, but I still made you take me. When we were there you were nervous and stuff but I didn’t pay much attention to that fact at first. Then a bunch of older kids came and called you over to them. You told me to wait there while you talked to them and so I did. You all disappeared into the trees that surrounded the area and so I couldn’t see you but when you came back you looked scared. So I asked you what was wrong but you wouldn’t tell me. I suspected those older kids had done something to you and kept bugging you for answers or a confirmation. But you wouldn’t tell me, instead you snapped at me. It pissed me off and so I stopped talking to you for the rest of the day.” Jungkook paused when Jimin held up his hand.

“I’m gonna guess where this story is going. Those older kids were bullying me weren’t they?” Jimin asked for confirmation.

“Yea.. and you didn’t tell anyone because you were too stubborn to realize you should ask for help. As for me, I was stupid enough to think I could take on a bunch of big kids on my own. I made things worse for you by doing that but didn’t even know until you came home one day covered in bruises.” Jungkook said looking very sad.

“What? I think you need to explain that sentence a bit more.” Jimin said confused.

“Even though you didn’t tell me anything I knew those older kids weren’t good news. The next day we still weren’t talking to each other, and it was irritating me, so being the stupid kid I was, I snuck out and went to the park alone. I saw those bullies there and so I said a few choice words to them and told them to leave you alone and then ran away. I then apologized to you the next day and we were back on good terms. I never asked you to take me to the park after that and you never offered. But a few days later your mom sent you out on an errand like she usually did on a weekly, occasionally daily, basis. I didn’t feel like going with you, so you went on your own. When you came back you ignored me. And when I tried confronting you about it, you just told me to leave you alone. You said you were just stressed about something but didn’t want my help. So I left you be, but the next day you went out on another errand and when you came back you wouldn’t even look at me. I kept asking you what was wrong but you wouldn’t tell me, just snapped at me when you’d had enough of my pleading. A few days later your mom asked you to run another errand for her and I wanted to tag along, but you didn’t let me. When you came back that time, you rushed to your room and wouldn’t let me in. So being the sneaky kid I was, I just broke in. That’s when I saw you covered in bruises.” Jungkook stopped talking to let Jimin absorb the information.

“...Ok...so what happened next?” Jimin questioned.

“I asked you what happened, but you just wouldn’t tell me. I assumed it was those older kids from before who’d done that to you. And so I asked you about them, but you stayed silent. We were fighting about it, and then I told you I was going out to find them and beat them up for you. You