Sempiternal: • A.L.I.V.(d)E(ad)? • || BOOK 7#

19. Ground wire

"Do you like that place very much?"

He opens his eyes and finds Jimin's face in front of his. The opposite laughs, black hair hanging down. Jungkook smiles in return, reaching out to give his hair a tug. Jimin kicks him gently and straightens up. Arms behind his back and standing less than a meter away from the huge willow tree that generates his large shadow.

"I thought you were never going to wake up. You had me worried."

"Where are the others?"

"Waiting for you."

"Ummm..."

"You're a little cruel you know?" retorts Jimin and looks up. The willow tree full of chafed blossoms and resembling a cherry tree or maybe a cercis. "You expect everyone to take a lot of things for granted, you expect them to understand everything, but you don't say what you feel. Not in a normal way at least."

"What do you mean?" complains Jungkook sitting cross-legged. "Is it because I don't want to be treated like a child?"

"Ujum."

"They should understand."

"Maybe," he admits, "but just as they should understand you, you should understand them "he informs with a laugh. "If you want to be an adult, say so; you don't have to prove anything, you already are one; if they insist, push harder until they understand...you can't run away from this by lashing out, nor solve it with a tantrum."

"They won't listen to me."

"How hard have you tried?"

Jungkook presses his lips together and lowers his gaze, furrowing his brows. He's tried all the time, though of course, demonstrated in a slightly disgruntled and odd way. After all, despite detesting being considered a child, he has often allowed himself to be thought so. Especially when it benefits him the most. To get them to agree or support some motion.

The reality is that he is partly afraid to stop being spoiled by all of them.

That somehow, by demanding to be treated as an "adult", the relationship they have will change.

Jungkook is scared to death of change. After all, the sudden changes have been what has made his life such a mess. First with the infection, the infected devouring everyone in their path; changing to a lifestyle with no electricity, hardly any vehicles; needing his brute strength and tempered nerves to keep from dying; adjusting to the possibility of tragedy happening every time he sets foot outside; adapting to changes in his partners' personalities.

The only thing that has remained the same is to be treated as the youngest of the group. The one they must protect and guide without fail.

"Some things need to change" Jimin opines quietly and Jungkook rubs his face, anxious and tearful, "it's for the best" He smiles wide to himself and the breeze stirs the strong willow tree. Jungkook focuses on the hut not far away. Small, flattened and yellowishly lit. "Maybe after that... you'll feel better."

"How do you know?"

"I don't. I just guess."

Jimin hums, swaying in place. Jungkook notices that not far away, there are the others. Namjoon is the one who approaches the fastest, squatting down in front of him as soon as he has him close. Namjoon grabs his face and massages his cheeks.

Life was a willow and it bent right to your wind (oh)
Head on the pillow, I could feel you sneaking in
As if you were a mythical thing
Like you were a trophy or a champion ring

"Am I still going to be your baby?" asks Jungkook in a trembling voice.

Namjoon opens his eyes and then scrunches up his face, not holding back the laughter it brings out of him. Yoongi on Namjoon's back folds his arms, rolling his eyes with an amused curl of his lips, muttering a low "as if that could somehow change".