The Unders (BTS fanfic)

Chapter 10: Jungkook

"So the nine times tables are super simple, look! If you put down your pinky finger, for five times nine, there are four fingers left on that hand, and five left on your other. And that's forty-five! Get it?" I asked Heesung, who gave me a slightly blank look. I wondered if this is what I used to look like in maths class.

"Yeah, but what about the thumbs?" He sighed, counting his fingers.

I sighed as well before answering, "There's no difference between your fingers and thumbs,"

He gave me a shocked look, and folded his thumbs into his palms in panic. Even the two lovebirds, Jimin and Yejin giggled at our maths lesson of the day.

"Can I ask you something hyung?" Heesung frowned.

"Sure,"

"Did eomma give me to you because you're my appa?" Heesung looked up at me wide-eyed. Jimin and Yejin stopped chatting and glanced over to see how I would respond.

"No, Heesung, I'm just your eomma's friend," I told him honestly. I wasn't going to lie to Heera's son.

"Then who is my appa? Do you know?" He stared at the ground.

I decided to try and explain it to him. "Do you know the system of our society? Like Broken, Under, and Higher?"

"Yes! Hoseok hyung talks about it all the time! I'm an Under," He grinned.

"Yeah, exactly, and do you know who the leader of Higher is?" I continued.

"A very bad man who took Hoseok hyung's and Chaeyoung noona's parents. Eomma didn't tell me his name, but Chaeyoung noona did accidentally once - Jacheol," He said grumpily.

"That's right, but do you remember Jimin told us the other day that Jacheol's son has taken over?" I asked, and he nodded eagerly. "Well, your appa is Jacheol's son, the new leader of Higher. His name is Namjoon," I explained. I noticed Jimin shaking his head at me halfway through as a warning, but I couldn't just stop. Guilt came over me as I realised that Heera should have been the one to tell him, and was probably waiting for the right time.

Heesung kept his gaze on the floor for a few more seconds, and then looked up at me. "I wish you were my appa,"

"Hey, come on Heesung! You've never even met him yet," I sighed.

"How did you meet my eomma then, hyung?"

I chuckled and smiled at him.

"Believe it or not, I was good friends with your mother at school. When I first started school, I was one of the richer Unders, one of those who were teased for looking and acting like a Higher. And Heera wasn't one of the rich ones. I was assigned the seat next to her in class, and we became friends. Except, not many others liked us ignoring the social ladder. So she decided to move to a different class, and we agreed to stop being friends,"

"That's way too sad hyung," Heesung sighed melodramatically.

"I haven't finished yet! The thing your eomma doesn't know, is that I was still trying to be friends with her. I would go round to her little house and chat with her parents, I never hesitated to lend them money, and whenever I saw her looking just that tiny bit skinnier, I would drop a basket full of food by her doorstep, with a note saying, from your secret admirer," I trailed off, putting a smile back on my face when I noticed Heesung again.

"So you did love her then," Heesung said.

"No. I just did that so she wouldn't know it was me," I stated, while Heesung just laughed at me. "Yah! You should just study the times tables some more!" I threatened, and he became quiet rather quickly.

I caught both Jimin and Yejin watching me sympathetically, and I gave them a 'what?!' look. Jimin walked over and beckoned me to the bars to talk. I waddled towards him and stood up to his level, turning my head to the side.

"I don't think you should've told him that, about Namjoon I mean," He whispered.

I glanced over my shoulder at Heesung, who was doodling on the back brick wall with a bit of spare chalk. "Well what should I have said?"

"You shouldn't have said anything! I'm telling you that you shouldn't get too attached to the kid. He's not gonna stay here forever,"

"Then when's he gonna leave? Cause it doesn't seem like it's gonna be anytime soon. For all we know Heera's dead, and Unders'll have no clue where Heesung is, because the only Under who knows where he is, is you, and you're stuck here by law," I said, frustrated.

"Jungkook, don't say that sort of stuff," Jimin sighed.

I could feel tears in my eyes and my face contorting into sadness. I took a step back and a deep breath. "But Jimin, what if she really is dead?" I breathed out almost soundless, yet Jimin still heard.

"Youjust have to trust that she isn't,"