JUNGKOOK

"How— How'd you know I like this, Kook?"

I beam at him happily when he lifts up a the bag I'd brought him. It's full of the stuff Noona said he likes— bread, and I'd even bought flour by the bag.

"Wait."

Then his tone wavers a bit.

"Did you go out? Without me knowing?"

I smile. "Yeah! I went to that bakery at the corner. But they were all really nice, and I only had to cross two little roads. So all safe, hyung."

His eyes widen.

"Jungkook..."

My wide grin slowly turns into a pout when I see him worrying again. It's that expression, the worrying expression.

I'm not a baby.

"Jimin hyung, promise. I'm an adult, remember? I can keep myself safe— really, really safe."

But my pout just gets deeper when he slightly frowns. He grips my hand, and I start to feel more black. My mind always got darker when I was getting angry.

"Kookie, I know. But I don't want you to go out alone again, okay? And especially, especially if there's roads."

My hands start to shake.

And hyung's voice turns more pleading.

"Remember last time? Please. I just want you to be sa—"

"I don't want to be s-safe." I snap out, my words getting more tangled. "Not if it means I-I always get treated like a baby. I'm not a baby. I'm not."

"Of course you aren't."

He's answering too quickly.

When people answer too quick, then it's a lie. And he's not blinking, either.

I sniffle.

"I thought you'd be happy." I whimper, the tears coming now. "I brought you all the things that you l-like."

Jimin hyung looks more urgent now, scrambling up from the bed. His eyes are panicked, and I chew on my trembling lip.

"Jungkook, I do. I love what you did for me."

"N-No, no you don't."

I start to cry softly into my hands. "You're unhappy with me. And you were l-lying earlier. Lying is bad. You shouldn't be lying."

He looks stunned.

"Y-You think I'm still a baby."

_________________________

JIMIN

"Jungkook!"

But he doesn't listen to me. My head pounds harder when I hear the front door opening, and I rush to get out of the blankets.

"Jungkook!"

I call again, stumbling on my feet. Kicking my shoes on, I run out of the door after him.

Why did you say that?

You know he doesn't like to be treated like a child. You know. What the hell is wrong with you, Park Jimin.

Why can't you do anything right.

I curse when I see how far he already is. It doesn't help that I'm short and still sick, barely seeing the back of his figure between all the people.

"Sorry." I whisper as I push past people, my heart racing. "Sorry. Excuse me— sorry."

Then I slam into a vendor cart.

I crash straight into it, and a harsh gasp rips from my throat as I fall backwards. My waist hurts from hitting the metal hardest, and I groan when nausea rolls through my body.

"Hey!"

Someone jerks me up by the collar.

The sudden motion just makes everything worse, and I breathe shallowly as I stare into furious eyes.

I'm so distraught that I can't even say a proper sorry.

"Look at this!" The man yells into my face, and I scrabble for the ground. The cart had completely tipped over.

Fruit everywhere.

"I-I-I'm so sorry." I rasp, squeezing my eyes shut when he shakes me roughly. "I'll pay for— for..."

My face pales with dizziness.

I'm about to faint when the shaking suddenly stops. A broken sigh rushes out from my lips, and I just slack completely.

I'm so tired.

"Let go of my hyung."

And my eyes flash back open. I go mute from shock when I see Jungkook there, his brown eyes narrowed.

"Let go. He's sick. And you're making him feel even worse."

The man snorts. "And why should I care? Your hyung spilled my stuff everywhere, so—"

Jungkook hisses.

Hisses.

I've never heard him hiss in my life.

"He said he'll pay you." He crosses his arms, and the man looks back at me curiously. "Didn't you hear him? You must be deaf, mister."

"Really now?"

I nod weakly.

"I'll— pay for all the stuff I messed."

Jungkook catches my arm when I trip back with how fast he lets go of me. The seller laughs heartily, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Should've told me that earlier." He says, ignoring Jungkook glaring in his direction. "Your voice is too soft. You're lucky your older brother got you there."

I'm...older.

Hadn't he even heard him call me hyung?

But the moment Jungkook hears that, his glare turns to a proud beam.

"You think so?" He says, voice much lighter than the dark growl before. "Did you really think that? That I was the older one here?"

The man tilts his head from gathering up the ruined fruit.

"Well, aren't you?"

Jungkook grins widely.

I sigh into my hands.

_________________________

"I'm sorry."

"It's all okay." He smiles, and I laugh, knowing he was still happy about how he'd been mistaken as older. "I knew it. You're my younger brother now, hyung."

Jungkook bounces on his feet. I can't help but smile when he suddenly peers closer at my face.

"How are you feeling?"

I smack him lightly on the top of his head.

"Fine, Jungkook. You don't need to worry anymore, you know. My fever's broken already too."

He pouts.

"I want to worry, hyung-ah. You always worry about me, and Noona too. It should change now."

He shuffles with the plastic bag next to him, lining out all the things he'd bought on the wooden floor. And I push down my laughter as best as I can when I see the last thing.

He'd actually bought a bag of flour.

"Here we, here we have sausage bread, honey bread, milk bread..." Jungkook squints into the dim light.

"Cro—croquie?"

"Croquette, probably." I muse, and he flushes cutely, putting down the package and pulling out another.

His doe eyes squeeze in frustration.

"Aish. Why— why are all these bread have really difficult names? I can't pronounce them at all!"

"That's a choux pastry." I giggle, perching my chin on crossed hands as I start telling him all the right names. "Macaron, pan dulce, brioche. Brioche's the soft milk bread."

He follows my finger with so much intensity in his eyes it takes all of me not to laugh.

"And this one's called soboro. If you can memorize all of these, I'll let you work in my café."

His eyes widen.

_________________________

I wake up to the sound of Jungkook's quiet mumbling.

And my mouth drops open.

"Hyung said— what was this? What..." And then he claps his hands softly, putting it to the side. "He said brioche. Brioche's the soft white bread."

My eyes flash to the clock.

It'd been an hour already.

"Ah, I'm hungry." He murmurs to himself, and I find my lips curving into a smile when he plucks out one of the packages. Then he starts nibbling on the end, continuing with his memorizing.

"Cute circles is macaron. Puffy little balls are choux. Brown—"

Then his eyes meet mine, and I smile uncontrollably when he stumbles backwards into the wall.

"H-Hi, hyung."

He really was so adorable.

"Do you want to come to work with me tomorrow?"