When Truth Hurts

Chapter -10

.

Hoseok woke up feeling thirsty. He stretched and slowly made his way to the kitchen, still sleepy, and grabbed a glass for water. As he turned on the tap, he heard a soft sound behind him. Surprised, he quickly turned around, almost dropping his glass.

Jungkook, in a tracksuit and sneakers, was filling up a water bottle near the kitchen counter.

"Jungkook? You scared me!" Hoseok whispered, clutching his chest dramatically.

Jungkook looked up, surprised  "Sorry, hyung. I didn't mean to."

Hoseok rubbed his eyes, squinting at Jungkook. "Wait... what are you doing up so early? When did you get home yesterday?" He looked toward the clock on the wall—it was only 4:30 a.m.

"I got home last night," Jungkook replied, tightening the cap on his water bottle.

Hoseok nodded slowly, still half-asleep. "Uh-huh... and what are you doing now? Why are you up so early?"

"I'm going jogging," Jungkook said adjusting his jacket.

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, fully awake now. "Jogging? Since when do you go jogging? You've never done that before. Why the sudden change?"

Jungkook shrugged, glancing at the door as if he was already preparing to leave. "I just felt like I needed some exercise. I've been sitting around too much lately, eating and playing video games. I figured it's time to do something about it."

Hoseok studied him for a moment, before saying. "Are you sure you're okay, Jungkook? This feels a bit... sudden."

Jungkook flashed him a quick smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm fine, hyung. Really. I'll be back before breakfast."

Hoseok opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could, Jungkook grabbed his water bottle and slipped out the door saying. "See you in a bit!" 

Hoseok stared at the door for a few moments. Something wasn't sitting right with him. The change in behavior of Jungkook, the early morning jogging, the forced smile—it didn't feel like the Jungkook he knew.

He let out a small sigh and placed his glass on the counter, whispering "What's going on with you, Jungkook? Jin hyung was right there is something that bothering him. "

I'll talk to the others, He thought, heading back to his room. 

On the other hand Jungkook arrived at the 24-hour convenience store and  stepped inside. He glanced around and saw a man standing behind the counter noticed him and walked over with a friendly, yet tired, smile. "You must be Jungkook," The man said.

Jungkook nodded, "Yes, that's me," He confirmed, running a hand through his hair.

The man gestured toward the back of the store where a small stack of uniforms rested on a shelf. "Alright, your shift will be from 5 AM to 7 AM every day. It's a short shift, but it's an important one since the morning crowd can be unpredictable." He explained. "Make sure to stock the shelves, help customers, and keep the place clean."

Jungkook listened carefully, nodding at the instructions. 

The man handed him a folded uniform, "Here's your uniform. You'll need to change in the staff room at the back. Once you're ready, come to the front, and I'll show you how to use the register."

"Okay, thank you, sir," Jungkook said politely, holding the uniform close to his chest.

As he walked toward the staff room, he could feel a small knot of nerves building in his stomach. This was the first step toward something new, So that he can pay back his hyungs  kindness for him