Jimin

After stopping at a drive-thru for food, we pull up to the apartment complex. I put the car in park.

Me:

Take the food up and unlock the door while I wake them up.

He picks up our two drinks and the bag of food. He heads up to the apartment, and I walk to the back door and open it. I shake Namjoon awake and help him out of the car. Then I wake Yoongi up and help him out. He’s still too out of it to walk, so I pick him up and shut the door behind me. I make sure Namjoon walks ahead of me up the stairs, because I’m not positive he won’t fall down them.

When we make it inside, Namjoon stumbles to his bedroom, and I walk Yoongi into my room. I lay him on the bed and take off his shoes, then his clothes. I pull the covers over him, then head back into the dining room, where Jungkook has laid out our food. It’s almost midnight, and we haven’t eaten sinche lunch. I take a seat in front of him.

Me:

So now that you know one of my deep, dark secrets, I want to know one of yours.

We both have our phones out on the table while we eat. He smiles and text me back.

Jungkook:

You have more than one deep, dark secret?

Me:

We’re talking about you right now. If we’re going to be working together, I need to know what I’m getting myself into. Tell me about your family. Any raging alcoholics?

Jungkook:

No, just raging s. My father is a lawyer, and he hates that I’m not going to law school. My mother stays home. She’s never worked a day in her life. She’s a great mom, but she’s also one of those perfect moms, you know? Think ‘Leave it to Beaver meets Stepford Wives’.

Me:

Siblings?

Jungkook:

Nope. Only child.

Me:

I wouldn’t have pegged you as an only child. Nor would I have guessed you were a lawyer’s son.

Jungkook:

Why? Because I’m not pretentious and spoiled?

I smile at him and nod.

Jungkook:

Well, thanks. I try.

Me:

I don’t mean for this to come off as insensitive, but if you father is a lawyer and you still have a relationship with your parents, why did you not call them last week? When you had nowhere to go?

Jungkook:

The primary thing my mother instilled in me was the fact that she didn’t want me to be her. She had no education and has always been completely dependent on my father. She raised me to be very independent and financially responsible, so I’ve always taken pride in not asking for their help. It’s hard sometimes, especially when I really need their help, but I always get by. I also don’t ask for their help because my father would point out in a not-so-nice way that if I were in law school, he’d be paying for it.

Me:

Wait. You’re paying for school on your own? But if you changed your major to prelaw, your father would pay for it?

He nods.

Me:

That’s not really fair.

Jungkook:

Like I said, my father is an . But I don’t go around blaming my parents for everything. I have a lot to be thankful for. I’ve grown up in a relatively normal household, both of my parents are alive and well, and they support me to extent. They’re better than most, just worse than some. I hate it when people spend their entire lives blaming their parents for every bad thing that happens to them.

Me:

Yeah. I completely agree, which is why I was emancipated at sixteen. Decided to take my life into my own hands.

Jungkook:

Really? What about Jiyong?

Me:

I took him with me. The courts thought he stayed with my parents, but he moved in with me. Well, with Namjoon. We’ve been friends since we were fourteen. Both of his parents are deaf, which is how he knows ASL. Once I became emancipated, they allowed me and Jiyong to stay with them. My parents still had guardianship over Jiyong, but as far as they were concerned,