The Last Boy Scout

4

"Oh, it's you."

Was he talking to me? I look around. Everyone's eyes are now glued on me and Mingyu.

"Mingyu hyung, where were you?" Dino asked.

"Remember Jungkook from ISAAC?" Mingyu began. "Here he is."

I took off my cap and my mask. I smiled and waved.

"Another one..." I heard Wonwoo mutter under his breath.

The other members all looked happy to see me. They all said hello but went back to their phones.

Mingyu looked at me, then at his members. "I'll... be right back."

In the hallway, he's stopped, and mouthed "come here."

I went into the hall and closed the door behind me. "What is it?"

Mingyu looked pale. The melanin in his face seemed to have flushed out of his system.

"I-I'm..." he looked down at his black shoes. "I dated Wonwoo."

I was shook again. "Y-you...what?"

"Yeah," Mingyu said. "It was only for a few months...and after I started dating Li Han Byul...Wonwoo has become jealous these days."

I nod. I knew he was jealous. Did that make him...gay? And did that make Mingyu...bi?

"Have you tried...talking about it?" I suggested.

"I-I...I don't know, Jungkook. You have to help me."

"No worries," I pat Mingyu in the back. "I'll see what I can do."

We enter the practice room again. Wonwoo gave Mingyu a death glare as he passed by.

I decided to cheer up his aura. Wonwoo was a mysterious guy. I sat down two seats beside him.

"So..." I begin. "What book are you reading?"

"Me Before You," he replied. "I read it before, but it's a good book so I'm rereading it."

I nod. I wasn't good at these things. I wish Namjoon hyung was here. He's read a lot of books.

Thinking of Namjoon hyung made me sad. I didn't want to be sad, I wanted to feel something else. I began to stare at the ground.

"You alright?" Wonwoo tucked a bookmark into the pages of his book. He looked down at me and a sympathetic expression crossed his face.

"I-I'm...hungry," I reply, sniffing in a tear. I shake it off and get up. "Who wants meat?"

Everyone looks up at me with wide eyes. Everyone except DK.

"Thanks, but...meat makes my teeth dirty." He declined politely.

I didn't care. I just didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted to sleep.

"Ok," I said, pulling out my phone. "I'll get some meat."

"If you want, I'll go with you. Vernon stood up.

"Sure."

---

After we bought the meat, we walked to the Pledis car.

"Hey," I said, handing him my bag of Korean meat. "Give this to everyone. My treat."

"Where are you going?" Vernon took the bag from me.

"I'm so tired, I need to go home and rest."

Vernon nods, and heads back to the car.

I check my phone as I walk in the other direction to get an Uber.

Jiminnie has texted me a lot, and I felt bad for not answering him back.

Jungkook, are you there?

I need to talk to you...

Please, it's important.

There are also missed call notifications. I didn't know Jimin called because my ringer was off.

I called him back. He picked up on the first ring.

"Kookie, are you ok? Where are you?" He sounded worried.

"I'm fine, I'm waiting for my Uber. Don't worry about me, hyung."

I haven't called Jimin 'hyung' before. Only once during an interview. He went silent.

"I-I...well, get home safely. I'll talk to you later." He spoke quietly.

"Ok..."

We hung up. I pulled my mask closer to my face. I felt like I was missing someone.

I usually had a bodyguard with me or a BigHit manager, but since I was going home I didn't need anyone with me.

I felt alone. Jin hyung, Yoongi, Hoseok, even Namjoon hyung. It seemed they were trying to escape from me. V-ssi hasn't kept in touch with me these days.

It seemed as though everyone was slowly getting further from me.

Everyone except Jimin.