𝒟𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒯𝑜 𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈

18:: Real Talk

"Discipline is doing what needs to be done, even if you don't want to do it."
-Unknown
~
Jungkook woke up in the visitor bed in his cousin's room to someone aggressively  tapping his shoulder.

"Jungkook! Wake your lazy ass up!" Kai yelled in his ear.

"I'm up!" jungkook huffed, sitting up and wiping his eyes.

"Well, it didn't look like it 3 seconds ago, fool.'' Kai declared, walking away.

"Bitch," Jungkook mumbled, then clearing his throat to say something else. "Pack what you have here, we're going home today. And just a warning, eomma is staying for two weeks."

"Ugh!" Kai said, dragging out the 'U'.

"Don't complain. It'll only be two weeks." Jungkook mumbled, Kai still hearing his cousin and whipping his head in his direction.

"I will complain because I'll be stuck with her more than you! You're always out and about for your fancy little job while I'm left home alone!" Kai spat, stomping over to his stuff and angrily stuffing it into his bag.

"Kai-" Jungkook started, only for Kai to cut him off with a menacing glare. If looks could kill, Jungkook would've been slaughtered by Kai in that moment.

"I don't want to hear it." Kai muttered, trying to walk past Jungkook to leave the room only for Jungkook to roughly grab his arm.

"You know why I'm never home, Kai!? Because, I'm out working my ass off so I can make enough money to support both of us and try to get you healthy! For God's sake, can't I get a break, Kai!? I do everything I can for you and you only notice if you can see it with your own two eyes! Do you know how much I actually do for you!?" Jungkook busted out, trying not to yell at the boy in a hospital but finding it very hard to control his emotions.

"Kook, I-" Kai started, only for Jungkook to cut him off.

"Shut up and listen to me for once! Kai Kamal Huening, I love you more than anything else in this mother fucking galaxy. I know I'm never home, but it's because I'm desperately trying to do everything I can for you. I want you to be healthy again and I want us to be able to live a normal life. So please try to understand why I do the things I do, because no matter how heartless and annoying as they may seem, I'm doing it for you." Jungkook finished, feeling his eyes burning with tears but refusing to let any of them fall.

"I'm sorry." Kai whispered weakly, his lips quivering as he looked at the floor. Jungkook pulled his cousin into a hug and Kai finally broke down. "I know you do so much for me but sometimes I just want to spend time with you. And then I remember that I can't because you're out trying to do things that will help me and I feel bad. You shouldn't have to do this much for me. And then I worry that if you're always so busy doing stuff for me..." Kai's voice cracked as he thought about what he was about to say, Jungkook tightening his hold on the boy. "I worry that something bad will happen to me and we wouldn't have spent a lot of time together."

Jungkook processed what he just heard and he finally felt tears slide down his face. Kai now stood sobbing in Jungkook's arms, Jungkook trying his best to console the boy.

"I don't know what to say." the older finally whispered. "I..."

As Jungkook wracked his brain, trying to find anything to say back, Kai pulled out of his embrace, wiping the tears off of his face with the back of his hand, and stared at the floor.
"I will not let that happen. I don't care if I have to work three jobs and I go hungry, I will never let anything bad happen to you." Jungkook finally said, wiping his own tears off of his face as he looked at Kai, who had finally lifted his head, meeting Jungkook's gaze.

"Don't go hungry for me." Kai replied weakly.

"I will if I have to." the elder said firmly, Kai just shook his head in response, knowing better than to argue with Jungkook about it.

The two stood silently for a few moments, just staring at each other, not knowing what to say or do to break the oddly serious mood.

"Go make sure you put everything in your bag. You probably missed something in your rush." Jungkook demanded, the ghost of a smile visible on his face as he spoke.

Kai playfully rolled his eyes but obliged, walking back over to his bed with his bag and looking around the area, trying to find anything he missed while Jungkook finished packing up his own belongings. Surely enough, Kai found his extra earbuds on the floor next to his bed.

After they made sure they had all of their belongings in their bags, they went to the front desk to make sure Kai had officially been discharged.

"Hey Kai! Are you feeling better?" The lady at the front desk asked, though neither of them could remember her name.

"Yes much better, thank you for asking." Kai said tiredly.

"That's good." she said, reading something on her computer screen. "You guys are free to go."

"Thank you! Have a nice day." Kai smiled, walking away from the desk with Jungkook following right behind him.

They walked to the curb and Jungkook called an Uber. The boys, both being impatient, quickly decided to play Fortnite while they were waiting. Barely ten minutes later, a car pulled up in front of them.

"Are you our Uber?" Jungkook asked.

"Yes, sir." The man in the car replied.

"And who may I ask are you here to pick up?" Jungkook wanted to know again.

"It says here I need Jeon Jungkook." The man said, looking at his phone and then back up at Jungkook and Kai.

The cousins got into the car and gave the man their address. They quietly sat in the back of the car, Kai finishing his game, while the man drove to their apartment building. Once they arrived, Jungkook paid the man and ushered Kai out of the car and into the building.

They took the elevator to their floor and walked down the hallway to the door of their apartment. Jungkook unlocked the door, immediately surrounded by the aroma of strawberry tea and vanilla cake. He turned to Kai, the younger male rather confused at the nerves clear on Jungkook's face.

"She's already here." Jungkook muttered.

"Boys shut the door, you're letting the cool air out." Mrs. Jeon warned from her spot on the couch.

"Yes, Eomma." Jungkook said, shutting the door.

"There is cake in the kitchen for you boys once you've cleaned up and put your things away." Mrs. Jeon offered sweetly.

"I wonder why she's in a good mood." Kai whispered in Jungkook's ear while they walked through the dining room to the hallway.

"The house smells nice and it's clean, so I assume it's because everything is how she likes it." Jungkook said warily.

They both walked back and hopped in their personal showers to clean the smell of the hospital off of themselves. After showering and putting all their dirty clothes into the washer, Jungkook started the machine because the one time Kai did it he managed to break it. Walking back out to the dining room they were met with a smiling Mrs. Jeon who was already cutting out three pieces of cake for all of them.


—

Jungkook: I'll be back in the studio tomorrow.

Taehyung: oh thank god!Jungkook: huh?
Taehyung: nothing gn

»»——⍟——««
Mmm- I think Tae is happy Jungkook is coming back to work... I wonder why... >:D

And Kai and Jungkook had another heart-to-heart conversation. They seem to have a lot of those...

Aaaaaanywaaaaaaays~

Stay safe, stay healthy, and until next time our Baby Crackheads <3

{1289 words without endnote}

{Edited 6-9-2020}