Picture Perfect [Jincentric]

Day 13

"Hyung! You're too slow!"

He manages an apology, panting, and he tries the move again for the 7th time that hour. 

He stumbles.

"Too fast!"

Again. 

"Oh my god, you don't go like that, you go like this!"

He tries to focus on Hoseok who wears an expression of clear annoyance as he demonstrates the move again. Oh lord, is he trying.

He goes again, and from the expression on the main dancer's face, he can tell he's messed up.

"For the last time-"

He apologises again. And he proceeds to practice, trying to correct whatever mistake, but Hoseok groans at his attempt to dance.

"No! Seriously, hyung, at least try-"

"Look, Hobi-hyung, Jin-hyung's tired. You're overworking him, you know? Maybe you should calm down a bit and let him rest?" Taehyung hesitantly places a hand on Hoseok's shoulder, earning him a glare. 

"Tired? Tae, I'm the one who's tired here." Hoseok spits. "Jin-hyung isn't even paying attention. The tempo is like this-" He claps to demonstrate. "But he, dances like this." Aggressive clapping.

At every flaw he points out, Jin can feel a part of him breaking apart. But he doesn't take it against him. An irritated Hoseok during dance practice isn't exactly new to any of them- He's strict and uptight. Their Hobi has always been cranky when it pertains to dance mistakes. Jin understands that. And Jin knows he's lacking. That's why he's been trying so damn hard, staying up at night and whatever. He's trying. They know that. 

But every insecurity is confirmed as he takes the sting of Hoseok's words like knives to his skin, digging up all the things he tries to hide before stabbing right through them in the open. 

Shame burns through him. But he endures.

"-He isn't even trying!"

At this, Jin's body stiffens. He will take every blame, harbour every flaw and listen to every critique- But he refuses to back down when he's accused of slacking, or anything that undermines his efforts. Anger and hurt courses through him, pulsing like lava through his veins. 
He discards every reserve he's known, and he doesn't- can't- stop the words that flow out of his mouth.

"Oh, 'isn't even trying'?" He starts.  "So, staying behind for 2 hours to practise after everyone's left every single day-" He takes a step forward.

"-Before going back to the studio at night to better the song that everyone's shitting on even though I spent so many damned hours on it-"

Another step.

"-And reaching home at 11.30, if I'm lucky, and going around the house cleaning up after you lot, before waking up at 5am to make you all breakfast because I want you all to at least eat something not store bought at least once a day-"

"Taking your every insult and your annoyance at something I'm trying to improve on because it isn't good enough for you like you're not disrespecting me as if I'm a damned rag doll-"

He stops infront of the younger male. 

The fact that I'm still here, living-

"-'Isn't even trying'?"

He registers a look of guilt from the male in front of him, but that changes and Hoseok scoffs. 

"Please, you talk as if you're so different from us. We, too, stay up and pull all-nighters. We practice for hours on end. We wake up early after sleeping that very morning.  We all do, hyung."