Chapter Text
Total amount of money in his bank account: $121.55.
Yoongi stared at it glumly. So this, at the ripe young age of 24, was what his life had amounted to. The money would cover groceries, but certainly not rent. Yoongi sighed and stepped out of the small booth that stocked three Oori Bank ATMs. A bitter wind ripped through his jacket and made him shiver. It was only the beginning of October, but winter seemed to be already on its way. He pulled up the lapels of his coat, snuggled deeper into the giant scarf wrapped three times around his neck, and hustled off to work.
If he did the calculations correctly, his next paycheck came in three days, and although the new money would help cover rent, food, utilities, and perhaps occasionally eating out, it would NOT cover his astronomical lawyer fees. Fuck.
Yoongi arrived at the Big Hit headquarters twenty minutes later, already in a gloomy mood for the work day ahead. The elevator was taking a long time to arrive on the main level, and Yoongi wanted to push away his negative thoughts, so he pulled out his phone and top-of-the-line headphones. An older song by the famous Kpop band Wizdom started blasting through his ears, whisking away all his worries within the first two measures of the song. It was from one of their older albums, “Heaven and Sky.” The music still had Wizdom’s original sound, with a heavy base and some synth, but this particular album also had elements of heavy metal and orchestra mixed into it. Soaring violins flew atop the strong beat, like angels flying over storm clouds.
Despite its pulsing beat and gritty guitar, the music actually soothed Yoongi, like the deep base and violent violins were burning away his pain while the sweet voices and strong lyrics cleansed his soul. Within three minutes and a short elevator ride, Yoongi felt rejuvenated. It was like the music was both consoling his broken soul and challenging him to lift his chin and face Evil head-on. He walked into work feeling empowered.
“Yoongi, you’re late,” his boss barked as soon as he entered. “We’ve been waiting for you! Get in the conference room asap!”
Yoongi bobbed his head, feeling thoroughly chastised, and quickly disposed of his coat and leather bag in the breakroom area. Hustling over to conference room, he sat at the back of the table, right next to his best friend, Hobi. The orange-haired wardrobe stylist patted Yoongi’s leg as a way of saying hello, but did not say anything since Hitman Bang, the CEO of the company, was already making announcements.
“Look, the boys are back from Japan! They returned without injury and the latest round of fan meetings was an overall huge success!”
A smattering of applause greeted this statement. Hitman Bang was talking about the music group Yoongi worked for, the hit Kpop band, Wizdom, whose music he had just been listening to in the elevator. Even now, the leader of the group - Namjoon - was sitting at the meeting and smiling shyly. The boys had been gone for the past month, and were now on “rest” - although this sometimes meant the busiest time of year for the boys and the staff.
“As you know,” Hitman Bang continued, “the boys are working on the second part of the trilogy, with a comeback set for November. We’re doing the photo shoot for concept pictures today, and filming the music video tomorrow.”
Namjoon spoke up then, addressing everyone. He was closely involved with every aspect of the overall product that Wizdom sold to the public. “Um, hi! Thank you for coming! It’s good to be back and the boys are looking forward to sleeping in our own beds for a few weeks at least.”
A smattering of laughter went up at that. The stylists, managers, and filming crew all knew how the boys loved to be on tour, but also loved to be home again.
Namjoon continued, both eloquent and adorable, “As you know, our overall concept for this trilogy is traveling around the world, being exposed to new cultures, and gaining a better perspective against others, so that prejudices melt away. Our next mini album focuses on Latin America, so please use inspiration from there. Just be careful not to do any cultural appropriation though! Thank you! I know you’ll work and we look forward to the results. We appreciate all your hard work!”
Many people nodded at the speech and soon the group was dispersing. Truthfully, Yoongi had heard this all before, and most of the styling was already completed. This talk was mostly a reminder.
Hobi and Yoongi left right away to head to the large dressing room. Already the other wardrobe and makeup stylists were there, consulting with one another about what products and accessories to use. Hoseok made a beeline for Sunmi so he could discourage her from using a shirt that was the most hideous shade of green. When she was not looking, Hobi made a small gagging face in Yoongi’s direction, making Yoongi smile.
As for his part, Yoongi headed straight for his makeup desk. He was in charge of both makeup and hair, mainly for two of the vocalists, Jin and Jungkook.
As Yoongi made his way to his makeup desk, he came across one of his wards. The youngest member of the group and lead vocalist, Jeon Jungkook.
The boy was sprawled across one of the couches. Yoongi came to a complete stop as he eyed the creature. Incredibly long legs took up most of the couch, and his torso was just as long and lean. Even without makeup, Jungkook looked like a divine creature from some fairytale or fantasy world. Almost alien-like, or otherworldly, his face had perfect symmetry that would make a sculptor weep with joy upon discovery. But, then again, all the boys in the group were extremely good-looking. Idols in Korea could hardly become popular on talent alone.
“You’re late,” Jungkook announced. His eyes were still closed and he had headphones over his ears, so Yoongi blinked with surprise. He did not know how the young vocalist had heard or sensed him. Jungkook cracked open an eye and gave Yoongi a cool look. “Why were you late this morning, Hyung?”
“Hello to you, too,” Yoongi replied gruffly. He purposefully bumped into Jungkook’s legs as he walked past, making them fall to the floor. Hopefully that would put an end to the kid’s napping session. If Yoongi couldn’t nap, then nobody could. “You look relaxed. Aren’t you nervous about the photoshoot?”
“No worries.” He shot Yoongi an easy smile. “I’ve been practicing various facial expressions in the mirror.”
“If you say so …” Yoongi let the expression hang in the air, as if neither agreeing or disagreeing. Jungkook just grinned in response. Yoongi waved a hand, motioning for Jungkook to get his lazy ass off the couch and scoot into the makeup chair. Jungkook stood at once, and suddenly he was too tall and too big, looming over the smaller makeup artist. Yoongi’s nose came just to the chin, as if perfect for licking that sharp jawline.
Yoongi took a step back and tried to find a way to cover up his surprise. “What, did you grow again?”
“If you say so …” Jungkook echoed Yoongi’s earlier sentence with an amused smile, even managing to mimic his voice perfectly. But then Jungkook fell into an easy and familiar grin, “Yeah! I think I grew again! I mean, it’s been about a month since we last saw each other, so no wonder you noticed!”
“Huh,” Yoongi replied. Had it really been a month since he’d last seen the boys? But yeah, they had had their Japan fanmeeting tour during the month of September, and the boys used a group of Japanese make-up artists whenever they went to Japan, so it made sense that it had been at least 30 days since the last time he’d seen Wizdom.
“What, did you miss me?” Jungkook asked, his arm brushing against Yoongi's.
“Have a seat,” was all Yoongi said. He pointed at the chair and started opening various bottles and tubes, not bothering to see if Jungkook had followed his order or not.
Jungkook plopped into the chair and held still as Yoongi got to work. Above the mirror, warm lights glowed brightly. It shed ethereal lighting across Jungkook’s face. The boy seemed entirely unconscious of the way his eyes sparkled or the way his skin glowed so warm and beautifully.
Yoongi stood behind Jungkook and studied him with a cool, critical eye. The boy would be turning 20 years old in a few months, when it became the new year and all Koreans aged up a year. And in Korea, when you turned 20, you were considered an adult. Yoongi, so help him, would be an old man of 25.
“Since you’re so incredibly tall now … are you looking forward to turning a year old and becoming an adult?” Yoongi asked Jungkook. He made eye contact with Jungkook in the mirror as he started adding product to his hair.
Yoongi eyed the black hair, newly dyed to hide the streaks of bright gold and fiery red that had been in the hair for the last comeback. He wondered who had cut and dyed Jungkook’s hair, because it certainly had not been him, even though that was the whole point of his job. Did he need to be worried about losing his job on top of all his other financial concerns?
A soft sound interrupted Yoongi’s train of thought. It almost sounded like a little moan. Yoongi froze, realizing he had been playing with Jungkook’s hair, and that the gentle touches must have felt good for the young man. Yoongi immediately dropped his hand like he had been scalded by fire.
“Of course, Hyung,” Jungkook spoke into the awkward silence. Yoongi looked at him blankly, wondering what he was talking about. Jungkook gave him an exasperated look and reminded him of his question.
“You asked if I was looking forward to being an adult? And I said, ‘duh, of course.’ There are so many things I want to try as an adult!”
“Mmm-hmm,” Yoongi murmured, once against distracted by Jungkook’s hair. He started playing with it again, moving it this way and that, thinking about what kind of style he should try next. “What kinds of things do you want to try? Like getting a driver’s license?”
“More … adult type of things,” Jungkook spoke in a conspiratory tone. Yoongi’s snapped upright and made sudden eye contact with Jungkook in the mirror. Yoongi gulped, thinking about the young boy in front of him finally experiencing sex. Yoongi glanced away and kept his eyes glued to the array of cosmetics lined up on the counter.
“What are you thinking, Hyung?” Jungkook gave a small laugh, watching Yoongi in the mirror with open curiosity. He broke out into a grin, “What? Are you … perhaps … thinking of something perverted?”
“Of course not!” Yoongi said a tad too quickly and too loud. He picked up a comb and started running it through Jungkook’s hair. He scoffed and ignored the boy. The little twerp! Thinking he could pull such a joke on him!
“I was just talking about getting an ID card and going out drinking,” Jungkook explained, giving a soft, amused laugh again. “Right now I still have to ask one of the hyungs to buy me alcohol.”
His warm brown eyes surveyed the room through the reflection in the mirror. The other four members of Wizdom were spread out across the room. Jin and Namjoon were still getting their makeup done, Tae was sleeping in a sitting position on the sofa with his mouth open, and Jimin was stretching and going through some dance moves with his earphones on.
Jungkook was the youngest of the five boys, and sometimes Yoongi had a difficult time remembering that Kookie was the maknae of the group. He was already so tall and muscular.
“You shouldn’t be drinking anyway,” Yoongi scolded Jungkook slightly, putting the finishing touches on his hair. Yoongi tried to ignore the nagging feeling in his heart, that he had just spent the previous evening drinking his time away, drowning his sorrows in a sea of wine. Like he was one to give advice on how to be an adult. He could barely afford rice.
Jungkook shrugged, but did not say anything more on the issue. A comfortable silence fell between them as Yoongi continued styling Jungkook’s hair.
After finishing the hair, Yoongi moved around the desk and chose out various foundations and concealers he would need. He studied Jungkook’s face critically. The boy was hitting the beginning stages of adulthood and the signs were starting to show. His jaw was growing longer and sharper, and his cheekbones were no longer hidden under baby fat. All in all, the boy sitting in front of Yoongi was starting to look more and more like a man.
He still had signs of being a teenager, though. Yoongi saw slight bags under his eyes that probably came from playing too many video games late at night. He also had a small pimple under his nose and a big one along the jawline. Yoongi got to work, covering everything as best as he could. Jungkook needed to look flawless. When the cameras zoomed in, the boy had to look like a god descended from the heavens, not a pimply teenager.
Jungkook held still as Yoongi applied the makeup. He had basically been raised in this industry and was now a pro at having makeup applied to his face. He knew when to close his eyes and when to open them again. Sometimes he would even fall asleep when Yoongi was working.
“Hyung,” Jungkook spoke in a soft voice. Yoongi startled. He had been so deeply immersed in doing the lips that he had forgotten he was working on an actual human being and not some statue. Yoongi froze and suddenly realized how he was standing. He was standing right between Jungkook’s legs, their thighs gently touching. Yoongi was leaning into him, bent forward so he could easily see his face and apply the makeup.
Yoongi inhaled sharply and stood upright. How long had he been standing like that? What did Jungkook think of it? Or anyone else who had noticed?
“Yes?” Yoongi said, finally making eye contact with Jungkook. “Something wrong?”
“Yes,” Jungkook answered. He leaned forward and put soft fingers on Yoongi’s cheek. It was such a gesture of extreme familiarity and gentleness that Yoongi immediately jerked away from the boy. A hurt expression bloomed over Jungkook’s face and Yoongi had to force himself to turn around and focus on the various makeup containers and brushes laid out on the desk. Jungkook’s voice still sounded in his ears, though. “I want to know why you have bags under your eyes, Hyung. It looks like you’re not getting any sleep.”
Yoongi paused, wondering how he could explain. In many ways, Jungkook looked like a man and spoke like a man, but when it came down to it, he was just a naive, little boy. He was a sheltered Kpop idol who had probably never had a romantic relationship. He knew nothing of love or heartache, even though his soothing voice sometimes sang about such things. How could Yoongi explain to this child that he drank himself into oblivion every single night just to fall asleep, all because of a relationship gone wrong?
So Yoongi lied. He turned around and gave Jungkook a wry smile. “It’s nothing. I mean, I was up late last night, but it was nothing serious.”
“Tell me what’s bothering you,” Jungkook persisted. Yoongi licked his lips and glanced around the room to see if anyone was listening. On the other side of the room, Jimin was already folded in half as he touched his toes and did more stretching. Near him, Taehyung had woken up and was running through some vocal exercises, adding another layer of sound to the already noisy room.
Yoongi nodded in their direction. “You’re all finished up, Kookie. You should hurry up and join them.”
A stubborn glint entered Jungkook’s eyes. He crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. “I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s bothering you. Even if everyone gets mad at me, I’m gonna stay glued to this chair and I’ll just sit here, staring at you. FOREVER.”
Yoongi shot him a warning look, and although he could be savage when necessary, he could sense how
serious and stubborn Jungkook was being right now. Yoongi had already been late to work that morning, and the last thing he needed was the boss yelling at him for taking too long on Jungkook and delaying the photoshoot, too. He did not want to be fired on top of everything else. So Yoongi caved. “Fine, I’ll tell you. It’s not a big deal. I’m just low on money these days. I’m worried about how I can earn more.”
“Why! That’s no problem!” Jungkook brightened up immediately. He stood up and stretched his muscular arms over his head, making the biceps bulge. Yoongi had to wrench his eyes away from the sight, so he wasn’t staring. Jungkook continued talking, not noticing Yoongi’s slight moment of distraction. “I have just the solution, Hyung! You need money and I need a tutor!”
“A tutor in what?” Yoongi asked, perplexed. The boys had been working on songs in other languages, but Yoongi only knew Korean. And Jungkook was done with high school, so why would he need a tutor in something?
Jungkook peered down at him, giving him a mischievous look. The kid had definitely grown taller than Yoongi. Why, he felt positively small next to him! Jungkook practically towered over Yoongi, who felt slightly overwhelmed by Jungkook’s enthusiasm. He leaned backward, bracing himself on the makeup desk. The boy was excited and he leaned into Yoongi, hands on either side of him, cornering him. “Say you’ll say yes, Hyung! I can pay you and everything!”
“B-but what will I be tutoring you?” Yoongi asked, still confused. It did not help that Jungkook’s face was so close to his and their noses were practically touching. Below, Jungkook’s arms were on either side of him, and Yoongi could swear he could feel the heat radiating off the boy.
“I need you to teach me how to be sexy!”
Yoongi’s mouth fell open in shock. “W-what?”
Jungkook leaned back, sitting down in the chair again. He looked up at Yoongi’s shocked face with amusement. “Yeah! Didn’t you know? Our next comeback is going to be more sexy than anything we’ve done before. They’re asking me to make more suggestive facial expressions and stuff. I don’t really know much about that kind of thing-”
Yoongi snorted; Jungkook was one of the biggest flirts on stage. He had seen plenty of girls and boys freak out over how much Jeon Jungkook had killed them.
“-and I figured you would be the perfect person to teach me!”
“M-me?” Yoongi could still not get over what he was hearing. “B-but why me?”
He gestured to himself. He was a drab, mousy-looking guy who had no sex appeal whatsoever. Why on earth did Korean’s hottest idol think Yoongi would be able to give him tips on how to be sexy!?
“Because you’re smoking hot and super sexy, Hyung!” Jungkook announced with a grin. “I know you can teach me things! Oh, look, it’s time to go! Let’s talk about it more when I get back!”
Jungkook took off at a run. Yoongi just sat there, leaning against the desktop, shocked at this turn of events. Then, as Jungkook’s words registered in his mind, he did not even have to look in the mirror behind him to know he was flushing bright red. Jungkook, a sex god walking among mere mortals, thought he, Min Yoongi, was SEXY!?!?
Ahhhhhhh!!!