BTS: I Need Your Blood, Sweat, Tears

8

    It was nice and bright in the room Jungkook woke up in. Everything was colourful and beautiful. He hadn't quite remembered how he ever got there, but that didn't matter. He felt something, something other than whatever he had been feeling before.

"Jungkook!" a voice called out to him. He looked up, looking for the voice. Finding no owner, he tried to follow where it came from. A faint tune, in the form of a whistle, came through. "Jungkook, come on! You're going to miss it!" He wanted to answer back, but he wasn't sure what to say. What should he say to this stranger?

"Jungkook," another voice said softly. He stirred in the spot he lay in.

"No," he mumbled. "Five minutes, please, I'm tired..." Whoever had been talking to him stopped for a moment. He heard mumbling.

"Oh, my God," someone said. "He talks!"

"Ah, of course he talks!" another responded. "Why wouldn't he? You just scared him is all." Finally, Jungkook opened his eyes.

Oh.

Back here again.

"Yah, Jungkook, you're awake!" someone told him. He sat up and went to rub his eyes, but winced when his arm betrayed the action. He couldn't remember much of what that feeling was.

"Suga, let him breathe," a familiar voice told him before someone invaded his vision. "Hi, I'm Jin. Namjoon saved you some sushi from last night."

Last night?

Oh. He was late for work again.

Jungkook shook his head. Nothing had changed.

"Wait, wait, wait," Jin said, holding Jungkook from standing. "It's okay. Since Hoseok doesn't work right now, we sent him to go offer to do your job. Just for today." Jin revealed what he had been holding behind his back. "Oh, and surprise! Some sushi." Jungkook looked down at it. He wasn't really very hungry, so he shook his head and pushed it away.

He wasn't used to sleeping in a room with a bunch of other people, let alone being around them in general. Only Jin and and Yoongi were at the house. Hoseok was doing his job for him. Namjoon and Jimin were probably working.

"You're not hungry?" Jin asked, and lay a hand against Jungkook's forehead. "Mm, maybe you need some medicine, actually. Just eat one piece and I'll get you some cold medicine." He put the sushi box on Jungkook's lap before heading away to find medicine in Jimin's supply.

"Jin is good at taking care of people," Yoongi told Jungkook. "He took care of everyone when they were here, with RapMon's help, of course. J-Hope the most, I think." Always back to Hoseok. If nearly all of them agreed about Hoseok, then everything must've been true. "It's weird, him not being here. I can't ever imagine him being a cashier."

"Found it," Jin announced as he returned, but his face fell when he saw the sushi untouched. Jungkook stared at the food. He still wasn't hungry. He hadn't eaten much. His weight had probably dropped another pound again. "Here," Jin said, putting a small cup of liquid on the table. "Eat and take the medicine when you can." He crooked his finger at Yoongi. "Suga, I need your help with something." Yoongi rolled his eyes, but followed the older one off towards the garage.

It didn't matter to Jungkook where they went. He was leaving to go to work.

He set the sushi on the table and stood up. His leg felt better, but his body was still working against him. He took one step and immediately wanted to collapse.

If he was getting anywhere, he had to eat.

Carefully, Jungkook shoved the sushi in his mouth and swallowed it, no matter how much he didn't want to. As the food hit his stomach, he felt able to walk again, at least enough to leave the house. He didn't want to stay here. Not with these people.

He opened the front door and walked outside. He wasn't barefooted, but he still looked as if he had just woken up. Didn't matter. Had to make it home.

He hobbled along, getting a feel for the best way to walk away from all of the people. He made it around the corner and into the crowd before the other two could even catch up to him.

Back home. Collapse. Too much energy spent. Had to go to work. Could he move again?

He carefully dragged himself to his kitchen. He had to eat more. He would feel terrible. It was as if he was cheating.

He ate what was in reach and grabbable, didn't need cooking. Dry ramen, a soda in the back of his fridge, any type of chips that were laying in the cabinets.

He was full. He hated it. He was full, but it didn't match that his insides were still empty. If he was empty, his stomach had to be, too. But he couldn't survive like that.

His leg seemed to start healing. That must've been the feat he'd overcome, limping along the streets with a gash in his calf, no one caring. He didn't care.

What if he just didn't leave the house anymore? Would those people come looking for him? Would anyone?

He doubted they would. He wouldn't.

Lost cause.

Bathroom mirror. Ugly. Pale. Tired. Depressed. Disheveled. Malnourished. And now, worthless. Not worth anyone's time.

He changed his clothes. Hat, deodorant, shoes, jacket. Stolen bike. Off to work.

Cars. Not worth it. Not his bike. No note.

"Jungkook...," Hoseok said when Jungkook stepped into the store. "But I thought..." Jungkook shook his head and his boss appeared. Yelling, how dare he make someone do his job for him, extra work tonight, close up, worthless trash. Hoseok was kicked out of the store and Jungkook took his place behind the register.

"Hello," a woman greeted. "Great day today." Jungkook didn't even bother to force a smile, just a nod.