Snap | j.jk + p.jm

Magician

"What are you?"

Jungkook asks as Jimin hands him a new carton. They're standing behind his van, at their usual curb. Jimin's eyebrows furrow in confusion at the question. He turns to face him and crouches down so they're the same height. Jungkook stares into his chocolate-brown eyes as the wind blows his red hair around.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what's your job? Like, what do you go by?"

Jimin scratches his chin.

"Well, I'm not sure, really. What am I to you?"

Jungkook thinks for a second, caught off guard by the question.

"Uh... I don't know."

"Well, what have I done? What do you see me as?"

This time, Jungkook thinks long and hard.

"I mean, you're kind of like... Magic. It sounds stupid, but it's true. You made me smile. Like... Wow. You've made me happy. You've made things appear that've made me forget. It's kind of like a magic trick."

"Then I guess I'm a magician," Jimin says with an eye-smile. Jungkook smiles back.

"Before I go, do you have anything else to give me?" Jungkook asks, hoping the answer will be yes.

"Hmm, I don't think so. I'm sure I can bring you something new soon, though. But anyway, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, I guess. Life's been worse," Jungkook shrugs.

"Well, that's good I guess. See ya later," Jimin waves and hops into his van, driving away.

Jungkook stares down at the fresh carton in his hand. He brings out his lighter and begins to smoke as he walks home. The air around him becomes polluted, but he doesn't mind. A woman passing by covers her mouth with her shirt, trying to avoid the smoke. Though, she doesn't say anything. Apparently, seeing a six year old smoking a cigarette is normal. Either that, or people really just don't care.

-

Right when he opens the door, his head gets slammed onto the floor as shouting fills his ears. He begins coughing and choking, the cigarette that was once between his teeth now lodged in his throat. But his mother doesn't seem to notice that he's struggling, considering that she continues to hit him.

"Jeon Jungkook! I got a phone call from your principle today! What the hell were you thinking?!" She yells at him as he continues to cough.

He stands up and faces her as she shakes him by his shoulders.

"You were outside, which you're not supposed to do, and you were smoking?!" She shouts. Jungkook finally manages to cough up the cigarette, which his mother almost faints at when she sees it.

"Yeah, sorry-"

"Sorry? You're sorry? You'll have to be more than sorry for me to forgive you," she screeches.

"Hey, what's so bad about it?! You do it all the time!" He retorts. And in return, he receives a punch in the eye.

"Don't talk about that! You're not supposed to know. Now, clean yourself up and hide that bruise. Your grandmother is coming over soon for dinner. Everything needs to be okay. Got it?!" She hisses. Jungkook nods his head and dashes up the stairs to the bathroom, where he begins to cry. He cries for so long, that he forgets the clean himself up.

The sound of the doorbell echoes throughout the house.