Low Stress: Puppy-Love (Jikook)

Chapter Seventeen: Fri(end)s

* for my non-US readers or anyone less familiar with gender non-confirming pronouns, the character Ajax uses they/them pronouns in this chapter! They/them can be used to refer to a gender non-conforming individual, and so in this case will be referring to the one person and not a group in the scene.

Jeon Jungkook feels insane. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover the emotion digging nails into his lungs as he stands in front of Rise's doors in the morning light. Itaewon always looked like a movie set to him during the day; the lights somehow drowned out the night time mystique, the sun draining the life out of the usual color splattered doors and alcohol filled streets. With no music, no stumbling people, no laughing friends, or bouncers advertising their clubs, the clubbing district sat frozen. The promise of a lively world gripped the empty street, but without the moon to act as a director, Jungkook felt nothing but a light stir of anxiety in his chest.

He rubbed his forearm, the nail of his thumb slightly digging into the tattoos that sprawled under the base of his black t-shirt sleeve. He had a general pair of black jeans on that tucked into heavy boots, ones he often stumbled in due to their size but felt more and more confident wearing out. With a last tug of his lip ring, Jungkook pulled out his phone and called Ajax - the Rise DJ who had most taken him under their wing.

"Hey superstar." The DJ said after a jangle of keys sounded from the other side of the door. Their face a quiet painting of piercings and smeared eyeliner, hair cut ragged but fashionable, and their clothes a mix of dark and bright colors that clashed against their pale skin. "Never thought I'd hear your voice featured on one of my remixes. The club can't get enough of your song."

Jungkook blushed, scratching the back of his neck. He's committed to giving music a chance after working on Standing Next To You, the song Yoongi gifted him six months ago. It took them three months to perfect it, mostly because Jungkook kept getting distracted with new ideas or trying different takes for the song's direction or possible backtracks, and only recently released it. He felt like a puppy inside Yoongi's studio, living in the booth most days as they worked on a debut album.

His favorite days were those where he coaxed Jimin to come with him and supply some of his vocals as an overlay. It was worth begging Jimin to come to the studio every now and then to watch him blush from Jungkook's praises. Jimin would grow shy, something he rarely expressed now that he was climbing the opera house ranks. But something about the way he would flush listening to his ethereal voice play back, pushing on Jungkook's chest, looking anywhere but at him after gifting his talent, only for Jungkook to turn his chin and kiss him, made Jungkook feel indescribable.

Jimin was a dancer at his core, something his adorable boyfriend would remind him each time he caught the wide eyed look in Jungkook's eyes whenever he emerged out of the recording booth. Maybe it was a kinder thing to the art world that Jimin hadn't pursued music as well - he would dominate the charts otherwise. Jungkook wished he could see it, the industry on its knees for Jimin's unique vocal tone, but having him play around in the studio for Jungkook's music was enough. A private gift of Jimin's talent from his boyfriend to Jungkook.

It meant something that they shared such passion for music. Jimin through danced; Jungkook now through singing.

Standing Next To You had come out about three weeks ago, the song released as a single to test public perception to Jungkook's debut. Apparently, South Korea was craving a new pop soloist, because the song blew up beyond anything Jungkook could have imagined. Yoongi though expressed no such surprise. He bought Jungkook a beer after the song managed a billboard debut, squeezing his shoulder as if to say this is just the start, Jungkook. Get used to it.

Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe the public interest was a fluke and his fifteen minutes would be up before he knew it, but Jungkook was surprised to find he didn't exactly care. He felt fulfilled behind that booth, living inside the scores of music and interpreting lyrics and collaborating with his friends. Months had passed since he'd officially quit Rise, but Ajax had texted that they were adding a his song to their mix and wanted him to sign something the club could hang for when he "blew up."