Hunger | A Jikook Hunger Games AU

̶̶̶̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ «̶ ̶̶̶ Chapter Twenty-Two ̶ ̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ »̶ ̶̶̶

The District 10 station comes into view. Jungkook just stares blankly out of the tinted windows. He never thought he'd see any of it again—the town he grew up in, the farmland surrounding it, everything he left behind on the day he was reaped.

The second he stepped out of this train, he would be free again—hypothetically. Free to do what he wished, go where he wished, without the confines of the Capital holding him back. But nothing would ever be alright again. The Capital took everything away from him.

He lost his brother half a decade ago, and the tragedy gave him Jimin, in a sense. But the Capital let him get close to Jimin, and he learned to love him, envisioned a life in which he got to grow old with him...and then they took Jimin away too. The brightest lights that had ever shined in Jungkook's life were both stolen away.

"They're going to be so happy to see you," Yoongi's voice startles Jungkook slightly. "Your family. I remember when my family saw me for the first time after all The Games. We're not a very touchy family, but when we saw one another, we just didn't let each other go. Your parents will be so happy you're home."

"They loved Jimin too," He whispers, his voice hoarse from being so unused.

"I'm sure. I know your families were close," Yoongi empathizes. "But their son is home. You don't have to grieve alone. They love you, they will grieve with you."

Jungkook simply doesn't know how to respond.

In minutes, the train stops. The station was filled with people—the mayor, and cameramen, and other staff...and his family. He sees his mother and father, and his whole being fills with complex emotion for the first time in days. His mind and body had been violently swinging between raging, terrorizing agony, shaking sobs wracking his whole being, and empty, exhausted numbness that shut out his senses completely.

...Seeing his parents made him almost feel human again.

Behind Jungkook's parents though, was Jimin's family.

The agony comes back.

Did they want to be there? Were they asked to be there? Were they...were they forced to be there? Jungkook was the reason their son was dead. Jungkook was the reason Jihyun would never get to see his brother again. He broke his promise to the younger boy...the promise his older brother would make it home.

Jungkook made it so Jihyun was just like him...forced to watch his older brother die in The Hunger Games.

His body fills with dread.

Yoongi leads him to the doors. Peacekeepers flank him on all sides—this time to protect him instead of contain him. The automatic doors are opened, and Jungkook squints his eyes as he's hit with bright sunlight and loud cheers. He's immediately wrapped up in his parents' embrace, unable to even properly step onto the station platform.

"Jungkookie," His mother's voice reaches his ears. He never thought he'd hear that voice again. "Oh Jungkookie, I'm so sorry."

"I missed you," Jungkook squeezes his eyes shut, holding his parents back tightly.

"We missed you too, so much," His father chimes in. "Our beautiful son."

Jungkook lets go of them, and his eyes meet Jihyun's. Jihyun immediately approaches him, and Jungkook walks past his parents to meet the younger boy.

"J-Jihyun..." He struggles to speak. "I-I am so sorry. I shouldn't have closed my eyes, I shouldn't have let him take the knife, I-I should have-"

"Jungkook," Jihyun stops him, shaking his head slowly, tears in his eyes. "He loved you so much. He is looking down at you right now so happy you're alive, that you're home."

He had already heard that so many times...but hearing it come from Jimin's own brother? The boy who so passionately pleaded for Jungkook to bring his sibling home? He pulls Jihyun in, sobbing into his shoulder. Jihyun breaks down with him, his loud cries filling his ears, as Jihyun's mouth rested so close to the side of his head.

Jungkook's parents come up from behind him, and Jimin's parents step forward as well, all wrapping into this massive group hug in the middle of the train station. Jungkook sobs the loudest, but the feelings come off in waves. He feels the love, and pain, and every single complex emotion coming from each of them.

The feelings are so overwhelming. Jungkook can feel his heart from his core to his throat, and it hurts. He inhales a sharp gasp as his body goes into shock.

Jungkook passes out between them all.