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Every once in a while, Jungkook gets one of those days in which he can vividly imagine the boos and the empty stage.
Today was one of those days.
The crowd's cheers are loud, all chanting the same name over and over again, so he can only force himself to keep up his facade. If he breaks his cheerful, always joking, perfect stage mask, then what is everyone else going to think? It shouldn’t even be this way. This was what Jungkook was meant for. The stage was his home, his dream. Why should he ever be afraid of dreaming? Why was he still afraid after six years?
But today, each time he stepped down the stairs that lead to the tunnels underneath the stage, with the music still booming and the staff scrambling to keep things together, Jungkook breaks. All of the things that could have gone better, everything that shouldn’t have happened, it all weighed on his shoulders heavily. He buried his face in his hands.
“You’re allowed to be human, Jungkook.”
Jungkook didn’t need to look up to recognize the familiar voice.
“Yah, Jungkook-ah,” Jimin sat beside him, the bass still moving the floors they sat on, “You have my permission. I even started a petition called “let Jungkookie breathe”, everyone in the world signed it.”
It was small, but the smile was still there. Jimin mentally patted himself on the back.
“Kook, you know hyung had to hear so many people about how good you were tonight alone? How mature and cool you looked on stage?” Jimin exaggerated the distress in his voice. “Have they no mercy? Right in front of my salad?”
“Hyung.” Jungkook whined softly.
Jungkook lowered his head even more, but this time, to try to contain his laughter. He put a hand on the back of the younger’s neck.
“Okay, honestly, I don’t know how that meme works,” Jimin started grinning himself, “but that doesn’t mean you can laugh at your hyung.”
Jungkook couldn’t hold it anymore. “Hyung, please, can’t you just let me sulk in self-pity for once.”
Jimin laughed loudly. “I know I’m a hypocrite,” Jimin smiled softly, eyes only full of pride and warmth for the Jungkook, “but after every storm comes a rainbow.”
Jungkook chuckled softly. Two for two, Jimin thought.
“How cheesy, Jimin-ssi.” Jungkook looked up at him, scrunching his nose in false disgust. Jimin only smiled back. Suddenly, the younger stood up. “Ah, I think I need to mentally cleanse myself from that grease.”
As soon as Jungkook started rubbing the proclaimed grease off of his arms, Jimin threw his head back in laughter.
“Yah!” He managed to yell in between the laughing. “You’re lucky I’m up next.”
“I’m lucky I have such a good hyung who always takes care of me,” Jungkook said, with the same nose crunched as it was before.
"You read my mind."
During the ending ment, Jungkook not-so-subtly turned his way to Jimin and said, "Sometimes, we may feel like nothing is going our way, even though we know we always end up on this stage in front of all of you." Jungkook took a deep breath because he wasn't so great at expressing what he felt all the time and the thought of pouring his heart out could make him cry then and there. "But being able to share these moments with you, I think that even just the sight of you can always get the best out of us."
"Thank you!"
Nine times out of ten, Jungkook would be more thrilled to step on the stage and perform for the most supportive and dedicated people in the world. To show off his hard work and to prove his golden title to be true. But nine is not ten.
Thankfully, even after six years, Jimin is there each and every time.