and they were seven⁷ | bts ff

part 1: jungkook

Everyone slowly started to gather in the dining room, each with their own little tasks and chores. Jin was just finishing up dinner, Tae was working on putting the dirty dishes away. Hoseok cleared the table from their stuff that's been left there throughout the day, like headphones and books, so that Namjoon could set the table. Jungkook was already seated, having already finished his task of calling everyone to eat, and he seemed to be spaced out.

As Namjoon sat down across from him, he cut his train of thoughts with a question:
"Is Yoongi coming?"
Jungkook's eyes shot up to the leader's.
"He said he needs to finish some stuff on his laptop.."
Namjoon nodded, then continued:
"And where's Jimin?"
"Well, I called him, but-"
"Jungkook, Jimin has to be at the table with everyone else, that's the rules.
"But-"
"There's no 'but's when it comes to Jimin."
For a moment, Jungkook seemed eager to continue, perhaps finish the argument he didn't get to voice. But Namjoon's gaze was strict and uncompromising, so Jungkook got up from the table with a small sigh and made his way through the dorm to Jimin's room once again, knocking lightly on the door.

"Hyung, you need to come to dinner. Namjoon worries." he spoke softly from the door after being allowed inside.
"I said I was coming just a bit later." Jimin pouted. Jungkook shrugged, feeling helpless and caught in the middle once again.
"He says it's the rules. Come on now, Jin cooked, it smells really nice." he gave what he hoped was an encouraging smile. Jimin softened, smiled back lightly and accompanied Jungkook back to the table. Everyone there was seated already, except for Jin, who was just serving the last plate, belonging to Jimin. The eldest smiled at Jimin with sincerity and love, patting his shoulder as he laid his plate in front of him. Jimin thanked him and picked up his chopsticks, ready to dive in following the others, but Namjoon suddenly stood up, following Jin to the kitchen counter in the open space shared with the dining room, where Jin was just putting away the dishes from which he was serving.
"Hyung, did you measure Jimin's portion?" though Namjoon spoke in a quiet voice, it was very easy to overhear, especially for the one pair of ears which was hyperaware of everything going around at meal times. Jungkook's head turned their way, too, seeming shocked.
Seokjin gave Namjoon a stark look.
"See, I know what you're trying to do for Jimin, but I don't think having every gram of his food measured and supervised is doing him any good. He needs to relax about eating, not just turn the obsession into something else." he spoke calmly, quieter yet than Namjoon, harder to pick up on.
"Well I don't want him to stress about it, that's why I asked you to measure his portions. Am I the only one here taking this seriously?!" as per usual, it was the leader who was getting the most heated about the topic. Seokjin sighed, but grabbed Namjoon's shoulder in a brotherly manner to turn him further away from the rest of them.
"We're all taking Jimin's struggle very seriously, Namjoon. Including himself, I think. But that doesn't mean we need to obsess over it to this extent, I think he needs to learn to be much more natural around food rather than this."
Namjoon was about to respond, when Jimin's head finally shot up from his own plate, where his chopsticks lay unused.
"Hyung." the plead, coming out more desperate than he intended, had both Namjoon and Seokjin turn his way.
Jimin smiled, though sadly.
"It's okay, I got it. I promise I'll eat well this time, okay?"
Namjoon hesitated for a bit before finally resigning.
"Okay Jiminie, but remember, you need to eat at least half of the carbs on your plate and the entire protein and-"
Seokjin smacked his butt playfully on his way back to the table.
"Yah, let the guy live. He knows what he needs to do, right?" Seokjin winked at Jimin, who smiled way more sincerely now.
"Yes, of course. Besides, I don't think I can resist a homecooked meal from Jin-hyung anyways..." if the others didn't know any better, they'd think Jimin is attempting to flirt with him. Seokjin just laughed and sat down next to Jimin, hugging his shoulders shortly before diving in to his portion. Jimin finally picked his chopsticks back up and started eating. Namjoon returned to the table at last, worried still, but put more at ease by the playful mood Jimin seemed to be in. Hoseok was staring at his own plate the entire time, visibly uncomfortable, but when everyone was seated, he started to eat as well. Taehyung was chewing on meat throughout the entire exchange, but paid attention to everything that was said. Now he just praised Jin's cooking and continued as if nothing happened.