JUNGKOOK

"Go study." My mother says, crossing her arms with a disappointed look on her face. "I heard from your father about the test score. I have a book of problems on your desk."

"I expect you to complete it by tonight. I'll come check it in the morning, since tomorrow's Saturday."

My head snaps up in shock, my mouth full of protest. But my back stings, so I nod helplessly. My fists clench by my side, but thankfully she doesn't notice as she gives me a sweeping look and leaves.

A soft sigh runs through my lips, and I go to my room. My eyes sting when I see the width of the book on my desk, and I bite down on my tongue to try to keep from crying.

By tonight...

I sit down heavily in my chair, flipping to the first page. I work through the problems like a robot, my mind somewhere else.

A light blush heats my face when I remember what Min had called me.

Baby.

Did I really seem like that? Abandoning my pencil for a second, I walk to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror.

Wide doe eyes, soft red lips. My skin is pale as always, but it has never been this pale before against my dark hair. My cheeks are slightly plump, and I sigh as I go to sit back down.

I do look like one.

Focus, I tell myself. It was only nine o' clock, but it might easily take the entire night to finish all of this. I couldn't let myself be distracted.

And maybe— maybe, getting this all finished might make my parents happy.

________________________

I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.

I'd ended up finishing, having stayed up the entire night. My body struggles to keep itself upright as my mother flips through the pages, my father's eyes flickering from his newspaper.

"Jungkook."

My head snaps up, my eyes snapping open as well. I hadn't realized I'd fallen asleep, and I quickly push up my glasses with a nervous look on my face.

"Good."

And with that one word, my heart leaps. I clasp my hands together, the sleep gone from my features as I try not to smile. She keeps talking sharply, but I can't believe she's actually said that to me.

"You got everything correct, although some of the way you solved this could've been more eloquent. Now go get ready for your tutor— your hyung is coming home today."

"So he can help you with some of your work after."

Namjoon hyung.

I nod, breathing out softly as the rush of adrenaline falls away. My feet drag on the floor with sleep as I shuffle back to my room, grabbing a jacket.

When I walk out, Taehyung hyung is there, smiling at me with a breakfast sandwich in his hand.

"Hyung!"

"Good morning, Kook." He raises his brows at my noticeable dark circles, eyes flickering in concern as he hands me the sandwich. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"I— I had to stay up." I confess, shaking my head slightly. "To study."

His features scrunch, and a quiet sigh escapes his lips as he ruffles my hair. "I have to go help in the kitchen, okay? Make sure to sleep when you come back."

I nod, forcing a tired smile on my face.

"Thanks, hyung."

_________________________

By the time I'm back from tutoring academy, I'm really on edge and about to cry. I'd been forced out of class twice for falling in asleep, and had gotten yelled at because I'd fallen asleep in the hallway.

I'd be lucky if they didn't tell father and mother.

Fatigue pulls down heavily on my eyelids, and I nearly stumble inside the house after Mr. Lee drops me off. I'd completely knocked myself out cold in the car, and he'd had to shake me for five minutes before I'd even stirred.

"Jungkook! Your hyung's waiting for you in your room!"

My eyes widen a bit at the mention of Namjoon hyung. At the words that he was at my room, I break into a run and fling open the door.

He's right there, smiling up at me warmly as he shakes a bunch of snacks and candies in his hands.

"Hey, little broth—"

He stifles a laugh as I wrap my arms around him, but then tilts his head at my state. He puts down the snacks, pushing the papers to the side with a worried look on his face.

"You look tired."

"I—" I rub at my eyes furiously, but it doesn't help at all. It's stopped helping a lot of time, and I blink sleepily at him with a dazed smile.

"I just stayed up last night."

His eyes narrow, and he sighs sharply. "Is mother and father driving you too hard? Let me guess— you had to stay uo solving problems?"

When I nod, he presses his lips together before standing up.

He locks the door with a wink, waving at the bed that just looks so welcoming right now.

"Sleep, Kookie." He says, looking at the clock. "Mother said I had to help you for two hours, but just sleep. I'll take care of it."

"Hyung, thanks."

I don't have a single drop of strength to say anything else after that, so I just pass out gratefully on the bed. And then I sleep like a rock, completely knocked cold.

________________________

My eyes open dizzily when Namjoon hyung shakes me awake. It feels like I'd closed my eyes for just two seconds, but the promised two hours had passed by on the clock.

"I got to go." He says, turning his head worriedly towards the door. "I think Mother's coming. Quick."

Dragging my body off the bed, I seat myself down sleepily in front of the desk. He quickly shoves a a pencil into my loose hand, and I look down in surprise to see two hours of workload already completed in the book.

He'd copied my handwriting so perfectly, and my mouth drops open in shock as I flip through the perfect explanations and answers.

And he'd even made a few mistakes here and there— mistakes I would've made.

I look up, tears stinging my eyes with gratefulness.

"So she doesn't suspect." He winks an eye at me, ruffling my hair as he walks out the door. I hear a bit of talking, and mother soon walks in with an expression of approval.

She even shows a little smile when I pretend to look up from the book.

"Good work, Jungkook. Your brother tells me that you were very focused the entire time. Finish the work, and you can come out for dinner."

I nod, my eyes a bit more awake this time.

But the sleepiness. I'm sleepy during dinner, almost eating unconsciously without a word. I thankfully don't have to talk, because Namjoon hyung keeps our parents busy. After finishing, I drag myself to my room to crash into bed.

Then my mother calls at my back, reminding me about the homework for tomorrow's academy. I nod obediently, but then turn back to bury my face with my hands and sigh.

So tired.

I sit at my desk, and flick at the pages, completely blanked out for a while. I'm shocked when I finally focus up at the clock— I'd wasted three straight hours staring into space and dozing off.

Stupid!

Gripping my pencil tight in my hand, I force myself to focus on the first problem. Three hours— I could've been done by now, and gone to sleep.

But now it was midnight, and I'd just started on the first page.