“No, wait, don't answer that. I don't want to know about all those sketchy black market kidney surgeries you've been doing.”

 

“You know people only have two kidneys, right?"

“I feel there is nothing truly more artistic than to love people”

- Vincent Van Gogh

It had been a couple weeks since Jungkook last saw Jimin, and he wouldn't be surprised if it would be another three weeks. Maybe even a couple months. This was how it has always been since the elder debuted. Before when he was still a trainee, Jungkook and Jimin could hang out, would hang out at least four days a week. Now though, they were lucky if they got to call and talk to each other once every two weeks, much less actually seeing each other.

Jungkook had learned to accept this over the years, had learned to live on his own. At first, his heart ached from the distance between the two boys, had cried and told him that he wouldn't be able to live without being within two feet of the older boy. He had never been alone before. Sure, he didn't have friends growing up until he met Jimin in fourth grade, but he always had his parents to fall back on. But then when his parents got divorced he felt like he'd lost them both, that he'd lost that rock he'd leaned on for so many years before, and that he was only left with Jimin.

But he'd grown accustomed to relying on his friend because his older brother was never there for him. His older brother was probably the reason for their parent's divorce if he was being honest. When Jungkook was only seven or so his brother went spiraling down out of control.

He had made some...Risky friends, friends that were the farthest thing from what the impressionable teenager needed at the time. Soon he was doing drugs, stealing, gratifying everything in his wake, and soon he was in gangs. He was a total to everyone, everyone except their mother. She was his one exception. Sure, he'd yell and cuss and shove their dad around, getting shoved in return, but he wouldn't so much as raise his voice at their mother.

He was softer on Jungkook too, but he'd still yell and threaten him if Jungkook ever tried to intervene in those fights with their dad, ever tried to follow him to parties to make sure he was okay. Looking back now he thinks his brother was just worried that he might get hurt, that he would end up like his big brother.

But back then, Jungkook felt like his brother hated him, always yelling at him to stay away, always breaking one of his toys or throwing away his art to prove a point.

Jungkook remembered that his parents had a particularly nasty fight that covered everything from his brother to money.

He felt alone when his parents started yelling in the late hours of that night, thinking he was asleep when it was the exact opposite. He heard his father blame his mother for most things, one time even blaming Jungkook for something, he can't remember what, but his mother had screamed at him for it.

He'll never forget that night:

Jungkook was silent when he slid out of his bed clutching his stuffed bunny to his chest; his padded softly down the hallway. His footie pajamas were feeling clammy with fear as he crept down the stairs, crouching down on one and hiding behind the railing. He peered into the living room and held his breath. He saw something that he was certain he should not have.

Jungkook's chubby cheeks were squished up on the cold wood of the railing as he tried to peek through the spaced in between the wooden pegs. He watched as his mother shoved her husband, screaming that Jungkook had nothing to do with this, that it was his fault just as much as it was hers. She yelled something about “Worthless ” and Jungkook didn't even have time to say that she said a bad word, that she wasn't supposed to say bad words when he caught sight of his father.

Jungkook had never been so afraid in his life, not even that one time he was in the supermarket and had lost his mommy, no, that might as well have been someone jumping out and saying “boo” as a joke. No, that fear of being alone in a sea of people paled in comparison to this new fear. Because when his big wide eyes caught sight of his fathers face, how it was red with rage, how the vein on the side of his neck was bulging and looked like it might pop any second. Saw how his eyes flashed dangerously, his fists clenching and unclenching as his lips twitched.

His mother hadn't seen it, had kept yelling about those and the way his father smelt like cheap perfume, how he wasted their money on hotel rooms. She hadn't seen his hand coming either, but Jungkook had.

Jungkook had seen it just before the sickeningly loud slap and the thump of his mother falling to the ground echoing throughout the house as well. All was silent, no one breathed as his mother stared back at her husband in shock. The static from the forgotten TV sounded as if it was roaring as she scrambled, crawling away from him, hand clutching her cheek.

His father had backhanded her so hard she was thrown to the ground, and the young boy was frozen in fear. He was suddenly glad that he had used the restroom before going to bed that night, for he was sure he would've peed himself by now if he had not.

Jungkook let out a gasp when his father yelled, had looked like he was going to hit her again. He'd ran down those stairs, nearly tripping over his feet as he did.

He'd ran right in front of his cowering mother, and had thrown his stuffed bunny right at his dad's face just before the hand could come flying down onto Jungkook. “NO!” He'd yelled as he felt his already stained cheeks get wet with his tears.

“J-Jungkook,” His mother had breathed, surprised to see her son awake and out of bed. It was like his father had been woken up from some sort of trance when the stuffed pink toy hit his face, the fog of angry disappearing and clearing his vision.

He looked at Jungkook, then his wife who was still laying on the floor clutching her cheek, and then down at his hand mere inches from his son's cheek. He looked shocked that he had hit his wife, had almost hit their son who had barely started school. That he had succumbed to that blind rage and had hurt his family.

“I-I” He stammered, stepping back from the two crying people, “I didn't... Love, you know I would never... I need to go,” He turned around and grabbed his jacket, keys, and wallet from the counter practically running out of the back door and into the cold night.

No one had tried to stop him. No one had tried to stop him from moving out two weeks later, a divorce already in the making, either.

Jungkook closed his eyes and forced the memory away, not wanting to relive the past. He stopped thinking about Jimin too, instead focusing on his phone.

He'd spent the majority of the week cycling through school, trying to find something for his projects, and trying to get money for said projects by watching Amber's neighbor's kids occasionally. (“No, no, no! Don't eat that!” Jungkook yelled, quickly picking the toddler he was babysitting up from the ground where it was trying to what looked like a moldy old hot dog ((“Oh my god, get down from there!” “No, stop don't eat that!” “Don't you dare!” “Be careful! No running in the house!” “Don't hit your brother!” “OhmygodI'msosorry please don't cry!”)).) He'd also gotten some cash from Hoseok for helping him teach a dance class on his free day, but that added with the babysitting checks didn't nearly add up to enough...

Now he was sitting on his bed, laptop by his feet, looking up how much a couple pints of blood sold for. He does not want to watch those kids again, no siree. Great kids, not so great amounts of stress because“Jisoo? Jisoo?! Jis- Oh my god there you are! Don't scare me like that again-” and “Please don't throw those blocks at the nice doggy. He's just trying to sleep and- Jungwo, you drop that block! You do not throw that you-no,no,no! Leave it!”

Hungry, Jungkook debates spending his emergency twenty dollars on takeout, too lazy to drive over to Hoseok's house and raid his fridge. He picks up his phone, tearing his eyes away from an article about a man that sold over five pints, passed out and was admitted to the hospital, but still survived. His screen was filled with notifications, and when he clicks on a message from Amber about their class, he sees there are a couple old texts from Jimin as well. Jimin and Jungkook texted once and while, but there were month-long periods where they didn't because the idol was too busy with promoting or getting ready to. Other times it was because Jungkook was too busy with school work, with trying to survive college life.

The text was two days after their lunch date, and Jungkook thought it was an attempt to encourage him, but he knew better.

Jiminie

[Jungkoooook~ Look who I just so happened to run into.

(You know that if you win that competition like you'd promised, this could be you.)]

Jungkook looked down at the picture that was attached, and he rolled his eyes. It was of Jimin and Taehyung holding up the award they'd recently gotten with their new single. Jungkook had replied back with a

[What? I could get a picture with an award? Oh wow, what a dream come true. ]

Jimin used to do this a lot back when he first learned of Jungkook's particular liking towards his partner.  He used to send selfies of the duo, and say things like “Just say the word, Kookie, and you can meet him!” and “Come on, just let me pick you up, bring you over for dinner and you can meet him!” or his latest trend, “You know they give us free tickets to our shows... Backstage passes and everything. I could give you one if you'd like.”

Jungkook always said no, and he's honestly a little surprised that Jimin has respected his wishes and hasn't sneakily set the two up. Say he'd have lunch with them both separately, and when he shows up and lies saying “oh! I must've forgotten that I had plans with you... Well, since we're all here why not all eat together?” only to ditch them and leave them alone or something.

Despite pushing Jungkook to meet Taehyung, he's never forced him. He'd stopped asking why Jungkook would never meet him after a while, tired of hearing the same old “I just don't want any special treatment, Jiminie. You know that I'm perfectly fine with knowing one idol, cough you cough, I don't need to use my best friend to meet another.”

The truth is that while Jungkook didn't want to abuse his friend's status and relationship with his partner, he also didn't know what he'd do if he were to meet Taehyung.

He'd fallen practically in love with the boy when he'd heard his deep, rough voice and seen his dancing. And after he'd spent hours finding out more about Taehyung after he'd went to Jimin's first concert, had found he loved Taehyung's personality as well. The idol was like an alien to him, inexpiable, indescribable was the way he seemed to be serious and professional one moment, only to have a wide boxy grin filling his face and he'd do something weird and funny.

He'd devoted a deep chunk of his life going to their concerts when he really should've been working on his classes. He went to support Jimin obviously, but a part of him said that was his way of excusing his borderline obsession with Taehyung. The way he'd take maybe thirty photos of Jimin, and then thousands of Taehyung. The way he went to fan signs to take pictures of the duo in cute headbands from fans, but that he never went up to the table to get anything signed.

That he only waved to Jimin from the far back, never went up to see him. Jimin would always find him outside after, pouting and whining about how he was so cruel to show up and not see him for the duration of the six hours that the fan sign was. That he should grow a pair and just get his album signed by Taehyung and get over it.

Jungkook's phone buzzed again, and he was startled out of his thoughts as he tapped on the new message form Hoseok tearing his eyes away from the picture Jimin had sent him.

Hobi-Hyung:

[ I'm bored. Come to HOTS and dance for a while. ]

Kookie:

[ It's not my fault you're bored. Besides,

what would I gain from dancing with you? ]

Lonley Hobi:

[My gratitude?]

This kid:

[I'll pass.]

Whiny, lonely Horse:

[wow, what did I do in my past lives to deserve

such a loving, caring dongsaeng such as yourself? ]

He who has no empathy:

[ I'm not sure. I mean I really am

rather amazing, aren't I? Too bad

I'm feeling a little peckish otherwise I would

gladly come dance with you for a while. ]

Horseok aka bored MLP:

[ … I mean I suppose that you would not

only have my undying gratitude, but also

lamb skewers.. On me.]

Bratty Dongsaeng:

[ I'll be over in ten. ]

Depressed horse hyung now buying me food:

[ You're literally the worst person I've ever met. ]

Why do I put up with his kid:

[ Love you too ]

Jungkook smiled to himself the playful banter between him and Hoseok filling him with a familiar warmth as he changed into some sweats and a tee throwing his water bottle and a towel into his gym bag before heading towards the studio.

><><><><><><><><

Hoseok welcomes him into the studio with a grumble, acting like he's annoyed by him already, but Jungkook knows its all an act. Hoseok is actually very happy to see him if the shining smile that graces his features after a few minutes of stretching is anything to go by.

“So, how has school been going?” Hoseok asks sounding like a nosy mother. Jungkook rolls his eyes, but he's smiling as he pushes down on his friend's back to help stretch it. “What have you been doing to get the money for your projects? Oh, and for that contest thing?” Jungkook's about to speak when Hoseok in a breath, leaning down farther to test his limits in flexibility. “No, wait, don't answer that. I don't want to know about all those sketchy black market kidney surgeries you've been doing.”

“You know people only have two kidneys, right?” Jungkook asks as he taps on Hoseok's shoulder to let him know he was going to be the one stretching now. He gets into a typical butterfly stretch, only to spread his legs down and out as far as possible, then he lowers his chest down to the ground. Hoseok comes around and lays his own back to Jungkook's, the added weight helping him to stretch more. “And you only need one to survive. Don't lie to me and say you haven't deeply considered selling one just for that expensive camera you've been eyeing for months now.”

Jungkook says nothing, and if Hoseok didn't know any better, he'd imagine it would be because Jungkook couldn't talk with his face to the ground, muscles burning as he stretches them to their limits. But Hoseok does know better, and he knows it's because he's right and Jungkook's too prideful to admit that Hoseok's right, even over something as small as this.

“That's what I thought,” Hoseok says as he leans back further, adding more of his weight on the younger, making Jungkook grunt in displeasure. They continue this for a few more moments until Hoseok decides the younger's stretched enough, and then he's hopping off the other's back and pulling him off the ground with a bright smile. “So, what do you wanna practice today?”

“Hmm... How about that new choreography you made for that new idol song?” Jungkook suggested, twisting his midsection left to right to try and loosen himself up even more. Hoseok smiled brightly and turned to start the music, leaving Jungkook to look at himself in the mirror.

His hair was messy, unkempt seeing as he hadn't brushed it in at least a couple days (He was too busy working on various things to do such a feeble, irrelevant thing such as brushing one's hair), there was a light stubble on his chin since his old razor had rusted and he couldn't afford a new one currently.

The white shirt he had on had a red ketchup stain from earlier when he'd stolen Amber's fries when they'd met up to discuss their projects. His sweatpants had been thrown on haphazardly, one leg was rolled up the other was down all the way. His tan timberland boots' shoelaces were undone and he hurriedly tied them before Hoseok could reprimand him.

Point is, he looked a mess, and if Taehyung were to see him right now as he were; barefaced, wearing dirty clothes and unshaven, he'd surely turn the other way and run for the hills, Jungkook thought lazily as the first notes of the song flowed from the speakers. He pushed all thoughts, of Taehyung or any other, out of his head and focused solely on the music, letting it overtake his body.

By the time they stopped dancing, nearly two hours had passed by and they were both exhausted. Jungkook was draped across the floor in a sweaty, panting puddle, and Hoseok was leaning up against the mirror, the heat from his back fogging the reflective material up slightly, fanning his face with his snapback. “So, when will we be eating those... Lamb... Lamb skewers?” Jungkook asks out of breath, reaching dramatically for the water bottle laying in his open gym bag, but he makes no real move to get it.

“It's all about the food for you, isn't it?” Hoseok teases as he swipes at his forehead with the towel around his neck to rid it of sweat. “I can't seem to remember why I keep you around,” Hoseok says closing his eyes with a smirk on his lips.

“Because I'm the one chance you've got finding true love.” Jungkook quips, rolling off his stomach and onto his back to look over at his friend. Jungkook still remembers the first time he'd met Hoseok, how the elder had nearly-okay literally- jumped on him and then proceeded to drop his pants like some ert.

“Welcome to Hope On The Street, also known as HOTS because the owner, aka me, is just so attractive.” The man behind the counter said with a wink, bright smile full of perfect, white teeth nearly blinding Jungkook. The artist bows his head slightly to a couple people as he makes his way over to the counter slowly, purple flier clutched tightly in his left hand.

He'd seen the paper tacked to a pole on his way home from the grocers, and he'd stopped to check it out. When he saw it was a dance studio offering classes of all levels, he was intrigued. He had been meaning to get back into dancing, and he did just get paid for those commissions he'd been working on the past couple months, so he thought why not. “Hope On The Street Dance Studio. We welcome people of all age and all levels of skill. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am – 8 pm. Locally owned, guaranteed satisfaction and fun! 123 NameOfARoad, xxxx, Seoul SK. 'I'm you're Hope, You're my Hope, This Is Hope On The Street!' Come on by and meet the proud owner, Jung Hoseok!” The flier had read.

“Uuh, right. I was hoping to sign up for the intermediate's class in Hip Hop?” Jungkook said as he opened up his wallet, grabbing his debit card that, for once, had more than twenty-five dollars on it.

“Great! Just so you know, you have to sign up for the class, it's a fee of thirty dollars for two weeks. Oh! But the first class is free for first-comers,” The man, Hoseok seeing as he said he owned the place, said cheerfully, typing away on his computer. “Can I have your date of birth, name, address, someone to call in case you're hurt, etc etc.” Hoseok smiled up at Jungkook, who nodded dumbly.

“9/1/1997, Jeon Jungkook, 9852 ApartmentBuildingNameBcI'mTooLazyToMakeUpOne, xxxx Seoul, SK, and someone to call in case I get hurt is...” Jungkook paused, thinking. Realistically he should put Jimin's number down, but he doesn't know this Hoseok guy and he doesn't know if that would get Jimin in trouble... Maybe he should put down Amber's number? His art teacher? Hmm... it, I'll just call Jimin Jimmy or something. “xxx-xxx-xxxx, and put their name down as Jimmy. He's my older brother.” Jungkook said, only half-lying. Jimmy was what he called Jimin to make him annoyed, and he was like a brother to Jungkook so...

Hoseok hummed in response, lips in a pout as he recited the information to himself as he typed it down, “September 1, 1997, Jeon Jungkook, 9852-” Hoseok gasped loudly, eyes wide as saucers as he looked up at the younger male in shock. “Did you say Jeon Jungkook? As in Jeon Jungkook?”

Jungkook furrowed his brows, that didn't even make sense! But he still nodded. “Yep, Jeon Jungkook. That's me.” Hoseok let out a little squeal before literally throwing himself over the counter at the man, knocking them to the ground.

Jungkook let out a groan, his back flaring up in pain, as he squeezed his eyes shut. “What the ...?”

“Oh my god, I'm so glad I finally got to meet you!” Hoseok practically yelled in Jungkook's ear, tightening his hold on the man. “Ohmygod we're going to be best friends, I men we have to be, and I'll give you all the dance classes you want for free and we can watch movies together and go on road trips and um, we can do other fun things. Like boardwalks! No roller coasters, though, I hate those, but we can still go to the amusement park! And-”

“I'm sorry, I don't quite understand what's going on,” Jungkook wheezed out from under the man, blinking rapidly to focus his eyes. “Oh, I'm sorry! You probably wouldn't understand, would you? Here, I'll help you up and explain,” Hoseok pulled off the man who was flattened on the ground, sticking his hand up to help pull the other right after. “Okay, so I've got this bound to my soulmate, you know? Well of course you do, who doesn't? Anyway, mine mentions a Jeon Jungkook and well... here, look.” Hoseok places his hands on his hips, hesitating only momentarily to say hurriedly “Please don't yell or arrest me,” Then he pulled his pants, boxers and all, down to his ankles and turned around to show Jungkook his .

The younger immediately covered up his eyes, mortified. “What the , man! I don't wanna see your !”

“No, look! I swear it'll all make sense!” Hoseok pleaded and he sounded desperate enough to make the other male to lower his hands and peek at the man. There, on his right cheek in pretty, swirling letters was 'I'm looking for a Jeon-ing-Jungkook... He in here?' Jungkook gasped, eyes widening and he instinctively walked closer, looking at the black letters in awe.

“See? You somehow help me meet my soulmate!” Hoseok said as he peered over his shoulder at the younger with a bright smile. “I can't wait for our friendship to blossom, Jungkook-ah!”

“... Hoseok,”

“Yes?” The older replied cheerfully, eyes wide and questioning.

“Can you put your pants back on now?”

“Oh! Right...”

“Ah, that's right. Such a tiring, expensive, annoying price to pay for love you are, Kook-ah.” Hoseok groans getting up and making his way over to the younger. When he puts his hand out for Jungkook to grab he adds, “Come on, you can shower at my place upstairs and then we can go get dinner. If you're not too annoying, I'll even let you watch Iron Man 3 again.” Jungkook grips Hoseok's hand tightly, exhaustion seemingly gone at the idea of Lamb Skewers and Tony Stark.

Hoseok throws his arms over Jungkook's shoulder as they walk out of the dance studio, lights shut off and doors locked, and turn up into the stairs that lead up to Hoseok's flat above it. “I like to think that even if you don't somehow help me find love, that we'd still be friends.” The elder says as the walk up the steps side by side. “I'm sure we would, Hyung,” Jungkook says quietly as he watches the other unlock his door, the two of them shuffling inside and toeing off their shoes.

“After all, how could you ever not want to be my friend? I'm ing amazing,” He adds after a second, teasing, and Hoseok hits his shoulder with a “Yah! Language, Kook! You're still a baby!”

“We meet when I was eighteen!” Jungkook protested only to be shut up by Hoseok's finger, “Shhh, it's okay Kook-ah.”

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A/N: Hey! I'm v sorry, this is sooo short, but when I first wrote this specific chapter, I had been gone for like five months and I felt bad so I hurried and wrote this, etc. 

....

the end lmao