An Echo In The Forrest [3] || Vkook

1

Disaster.
There was no other word for it, really.
Taehyung was a mess.
Namjoon was a mess.
Jungkook, mess.
Mess here, mess there, everywhere a mess, mess.
OLD MACDONALD HAD A MESS, E-I-E-I-O.
All the thoughts in Taehyung's mind were shouting.
Screaming at him.
Hollering.
Not. Shutting. Up.
Driving him, bonkers.
And Jin?
Yeah.

'JUNGKOOK, HELP! I'M GOING INSANE!', that's how it sounded in Tae's head.
In reality it came out, "Hongo," as he collapsed on the floor, where they'd just picked up Namjoon after he fainted.
Actually fainted.
And broke his nose.
Faceplant.
Taehyung started laughing, hysterically.
"E-i-e-i-o." he whined, and burst into tears.
Jungkook was there, cradling him.
Wrapping him in his arms.
And legs.
Rocking them.
Crying with Taehyung.

Bonbon and Bikram cleared the room. Leaving only the tight knit group of friends in there.
Namjoon came back.
With his nose taped up.
Looking like shit.
And sat down on the floor, cradling both his crying kids.
Needing to be there for them.
Whipping his own fear and worry down into a bottomless hole at the core of his soul to be delt with later.
Hobi got down.
Opposite Namjoon and did the same.
Jiwoo, Yoongi and Minho all joined and they huddled together on the floor in a moment of total dispair.
Crying.
Being scared.
And grateful Jin was still alive.
But in a medically induced coma.
Having lost an eye from a well placed kick when the cowards were done with their gay bashing for the evening and about to flee the scene.
"Like our lives wasn't shitty enough as it was." Taehyung snorted, and everyone understood exactly what he ment.
Being outed, like they'd been, having people hate on them, demand they be deported, shooting at them, constant death threats and all things good and great that were their lives now, that was, well, more than enough to have to cope with.
"At least there's no press here." Yoongi muttered.
"That we know of." Hobi commented.
"Yet." Namjoon said at the same time.
Tae started giggling, rather hysterically, "The deprived gaylords engaged in an public orgie, read all about it!"
Everyone lost it.
Jungkook made a nose snortle, forgetting the previous crying, resulting in a snot shower for Tae.
Everyone lost it again.
Harder.
And Yoongi tipped on his back, laughing his silent guffaw, wiping his tears, "Aah, I love you guys!" he laughed, "But I'm beginning to think there's something seriously wrong with all of us!"
"You only figured that out now?" Hobi asked, with disbelief.
"We're all mad here." Namjoon nodded.
"We have to be," Taehyung agreed, "to remain sane."
They all sat like that, leaning their heads on eachother's backs, soaking up the love, for a couple of minutes, or more.
"What do we do now, Minho?" Taehyung asked, hoping he'd take the reign on this out of control horsie they were on, once more.
Giving them a script.
Steps to follow.
Thought out comments and communications and easy to handle roles.
Like he'd been doing for them since that cursed press conference where everything started.
Ages ago.
Couple of months ago.
Way back when.
They were still nobodies.
Well, maybe not nobodies but, not, public enemy number one out to corrupt the young of the nation.
Or what ever the hell the bigotted, moral-panicking, loudmouths where making them out to be.
"We follow the white rabbit." Minho said, and stood up, pulling Taehyung with him, "or, we drop out of the race, regroup, and come back another year."
"But without the free press and the annoying public interest?" Tae wanted confirmation, and Minho nodded.
"Jin being the white rabbit?" Yoongi asked, still on the floor.
Minho nodded again.
"Wait? What are we saying?" Namjoon wondered and stood up, "That we're spinning Jin being attacked?"
"In a way," Minho began, reluctantly, "here's what I've been thinking," he sat down on one of the chairs and waited as the others followed suit, "we scrap all the things we were gonna introduce at the press conference," he sighed a bit on the inside, thinking about how much work had gone into that and how much work they now had ahead of them, and continued, unpertubed, "execpt Jin's bit, helping gay kids in need, marriage equality and that, you know, gay rights. Focus on that, make that the reason we wanted to talk to the press to begin with."
"But," Namjoon started,
"Yeah, no." Minho shook his head, "We're not taking over for Jin, that's his thing, he should do it, when he's up for it, which he's gonna be, soon, but we use the army of supporters we have, with keyboards at the ready, and launch a low key promotional advance."
"What do you mean?" Tae asked.
"I mean, street interviews, getting worried, normal, people to express concern and disgust over Jin's beating, voice how this can't be right, being assaulted just for existing, highlighting his exeptional bravery, being a doctor, doing his bloody military service as a flipping doctor for three, years, so he could take care of everything, instead of doing fourteen months before going to college. Like every other sane person would've. But he didn't want to do that, because,"
"Of me." Taehyung nodded, "Because of me. He wanted to take care of me."
"Yes." Minho sighed.
"So, Jin the hero?" Yoongi tried to summarise it.
"Yeah."
"Won't he hate us, though?" Jungkook wondered.
"Probably." Namjoon agreed, "But I think we should do it anyway. Tae?"
"This would put a lot of focus on you." Minho confessed, "You up for it?" he asked Taehyung.
"Will I have your support?" Tae asked Hobi and Jungkook, "Will you help me draw the fire? Spread it out?" he asked. They were the stars after all. Olympic gold medalists as they were.
Albeit, gay.
"Hell yeah!" Hobi said, putting his hand out in the middle of everyone.
"Of course." Jungkook said and put his on top of Hobi's.
Five more hands shot out, "Team Dick on three," Hobi said, "one, two,"
"TEAM DICK!"
"Now," Minho continued, "we're gonna be crazy busy these next couple of days, we need to re-do all the planning, everything, but that is not something we want people to know, be vague if you get questions about it. Say, 'I don't know what will happen now, all that's important is Jin's health and recovery', which isn't a lie, that really is what's important right now," he took a breath, "but you know what I mean. 'We want to be there for him when he wakes up.' That sort of thing. Focus on Jin." he got out his note pad and scribbled something on there before continuing, "I have a shitload of work to do tonight, and so do you," he looked at Yoongi who nodded,
"I wanna help," Jiwoo said, she was of no use here at the hospital but if she could help her brother and her favourite rascals some other way, she'd do it, "put me to work." she begged.
"Ok." Minho agreed, "But the rest of you should stay here and," he sighed, "let yourselves be schmoozed by the Ministry of Defence and the President's people, and," he sighed again, "'I don't know why he was alone at that bar tonight.'" he fed them their lines, "'He's just been having trouble lately, not being allowed to work and be a doctor and help people. I guess he just wanted a minute alone? Have a drink and, I don't know?'"
"Ok." Tae said, "No mention of arguments, break downs, being completely fucking stupid for going out alone. That's what you're saying?"
"Mm." Minho shrugged, apologetically.
"So, like, I'm all alone in the woods?" Jungkook suggested.
"Yeah." Minho smiled, again apologetically.
"You should go all doe." Taehyung ordered Jungkook.
"Christ." Namjoon snorted, "Look at us, being, all." he waved his hand about, not knowing what word to use.
"You could be, I mean, you could pull off being quietly furious," Minho told Namjoon, "as I know you are."
"Ok." Namjoon shook his head, in disbelief of what he was about to do.
"So," Taehyung looked around, "quietly furious," he pointed at Namjoon, "all alone in the woods," Jungkook, "frail, scared, and upset," he pointed to himself and turned to Hobi.
"Distraught and borderline hysterical." Hobi named himself.
"Dream team." Minho giggled and pulled Hobi in for a quick kiss, "I love you." he said and turned to Taehyung, "I care immensely for you, and you," he looked at Jungkook, "and you," Namjoon was last, "but I gotta go and I'm stealing Tits. I need her more than you do. You should have Mr Kim adress the press for you, if you need to. Him you can tell. Everyone else gets kept in the dark, ok?"
Everyone nodded.
He totally kissed Hobi before turning on his heal and leaving.
Yoongi and Jiwoo got up, completely caught off guard and followed him out.
"How am I...?" Hobi looked longingly after him, "Why is he so God damned HOT?" he stomped his foot and did a dog shake.
Taehyung and Jungkook were standing up in an private embrace, holding eachother's faces in their hands, giving eachother strength to get through tonight, communicating wordlessly.
Hobi put an arm around Namjoon and gave him a squeeze, "Onto the breach once more, dear friends, onto the breach," Hobi quoted, "Let's kick some fucking ass!"