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~Two months before~
“Hyung! Guess what? We get to write our own solo songs for the wings album! Aren’t you excited?” Jimin came into the living room, skipping his way to flop on top of Jin who was currently on the couch, legs tucked under him.
Seokjin released an exasperated sigh at the younger’s antics and closed the book he was reading. He pushed his glasses up and ran a hand through his hair.
“Yah, jimin-ah! Get off me. Yes, yoongi told me” Jin slightly shoved the silver-haired boy.
“Whatcha gonna write about, hyung?” Jimin didn’t budge. He simple squirmed around into a more comfortable position. He laid his head on Jin’s lap and grabbed the older’s hand and swiftly flopped it on his head. Seokjin rolled his eyes and started carding his hand through the silver locks
“Hmm. Maybe I’ll write about how no one in this goddamn dorm remembers to take out the dishes from the dryer.”
“Aish, hyung!”
~~
“Yoongichi?” the mumbled voice came out from the dark room that Jin and yoongi shared as the latter quietly came in straight from the studio. It was 2am.
“Shh, hyung. Sorry to disturb you, I’ll just wash up and be with you in a moment”
Jin gave out a confirming grunt and snuggled further into his bed. It was known to the members, despite having two beds in the two eldest room, they rarely slept separately- with Jin known to get lonely and yoongi (reluctant to admit) known to love cuddles.
Yoongi swiftly changed into pajamas, brushed his teeth and washed his face. He gently slipped into Jin’s bed and was soon engulfed by the older’s warm embrace.
“Hyung?”
“In the morning, yoongichi. It’s sleepy time”
“It’ll be quick.”
Jin just hummed in acquiescence
“I love you, you know that right?” yoongi said softly. He scooted up a bit to kiss Seokjin’s chin and then proceeded to bury his face into Jin’s neck.
Jin just hummed again and yoongi soon let sleep take over him.
~~
“What is this?!?” Namjoon slammed a pile of paper on the coffee table in front of Hoseok and Yoongi. The rap line were currently in Namjoon’s studio. Namjoon started pacing in front of the other two who were currently seated on the couch.
“What’s wrong, joon-ah?” Yoongi said as Hoseok picked up the papers and skimmed through it, his eyes widened in realization. They were lyrics. They were Jin’s lyrics.
“What’s wrong? The hell, hyung! We should be asking Jin-hyung that!” the rapper yelled, pulling at his hair in frustration as he continued to pace about the room.
“Joon-ah, are you sure Jin wrote this? Maybe it was one of the pd-nims?” Hoseok voiced out shakily as yoongi snatched the lyrics from his hands.
“YES, I’m sure Jin-hyung wrote it. He handed them to me personally after dance practice before he left for the dorms”
“Surely, hyung doesn’t mean it right?” Hoseok offered
“Stop it, Hobi. Joon’s right. It’s Jin-hyung writing. Namjoon sit down, I can’t think with your pacing. We all need to think here. We need to make a plan for Jin-hyung” Yoongi said. Voice devoid of emotion. His eyes resolute as he stared down the younger two rappers.
“How do we go about this, yoongi-hyung? We can’t just go up to Jin-hyung and say ‘hey, hyung! Your song Awake was really depressing, is there something wrong?’ Like we all know him. He won’t tell us if something was bothering him” Hoseok said eyes darting between Namjoon and yoongi
“Maybe he was?” Namjoon’s was strangely quiet despite his usual baritone tone.
“What do you mean?” Yoongi narrowed his eyes at Namjoon.
“What if Jin-hyung was hinting at how he wasn’t okay? You know how anti-s get to him. I didn’t see it now, but haven’t you noticed hyung getting a little bit quieter? Maybe even smaller?” Namjoon said
“Don’t be stupid, Joon-ah, you kno-“
“No, Hobi. Joon’s right. Yeah, I’ve noticed it but shook it off as a slump. He’s gotten more passive. Yesterday, the maknae line were being their usual selves and started teasing Jin-hyung. Normally he would nag at them and join in the teasing but he simply smiled at them. I think the maknae line has noticed it too. They stopped once they’ve notice Jin-hyung’s lack of response.” Yoongi said. His hands slowly creeping up to cover his face. He was developing a headache.
“Okay. Going back. Now that we’ve established Jin-hyung’s problem, what’s our plan action?” Hobi said. Clasping his hands together and his face determined.
“We fucking love the shit out of Jin-hyung”
~~
For the succeeding weeks, Jin noticed the rest of Bangtan becoming clingier and nicer. They weren’t mean per se, but they started helping out more. They offered to also keep him company whenever they discovered he didn’t have a schedule event like any of the other members. He also started getting used to waking up with not just Yoongi cuddling him on the bed but also any additional member of the maknae line. Sometimes it wasn’t just one of them but all (how they all fit on the bed, he’ll never know).
One night, when him and Yoongi were already lying in bed in the dark.
“You guys ain’t slick, you know?” Jin said. His voice a bit muffled through yoongi’s hair as his hand started carding through black locks.
“What do you mean, hyung?” Yoongi feigned ignorance. Voice coming out a bit gravely with sleep.
“It was the lyrics, wasn’t it? You guys all think I’m depressed.” Jin said calmly. Hand still carding through yoongi’s hair.
“It wasn’t just the lyrics, hyung, but it was also a giveaway. All of us have noticed. You’ve been distant lately.”
“Have I?”
“Yes.”
Jin hummed and nothing else was said that night.
~~
It wasn’t working. Seokjin was slowly deteriorating in front of their eyes and they didn’t know what to do.
Taehyung was slightly getting more wary about his bear hugs because of how thin Jin was getting. Jimin no longer went on his extreme diets just so he can coerce Jin into filming more EatJins just so he can see the older eat something. He almost threw a plate when Jin actually agreed to film one and just ended up drinking water. Jungkook became more explosive. He was getting moody because he hated how Jin was fading slowly but surely. Jin was like the older brother he never knew he needed. Everyone knew only Jin could comfort the maknae but when Jin became less “Jin”- the maknae was lost.
The managers started pulling aside any of the members besides Jin to ask if the eldest member was okay. However, to Bangtan’s (excluding Jin) and the managers’ dismay- the fans, the choreographers, and even Bang-pd-nims were commenting on how Jin was improving. How he was becoming more handsome and more focused. The choreographers praised how Jin was no longer awkward (they didn’t know it was because Jin stayed later in the dance studio to practice alone until one of the other members drag him back home). The fans were impressed by how Jin was no longer joking around, often being the perfect visual who was serious and charming (Jimin would later cry out to rap line how he missed the dad jokes).
Namjoon was ready to pull his hair out, Yoongi wanted to chew out anyone who were happy with the “New” Jin, Hobi was stress cleaning, Jimin was always on the verge of tears, Taehyung was stoic, and Jungkook was mad all the time.
~~
One night, Jin and yoongi were cuddled up on the roof of their dorm. They laid down on blankets and were star gazing.
“Are you afraid?”
Yoongi lifted his head from seokjin’s shoulder to get a good look at his hyung. His eyebrows scrunched together and he frowned. Seokjin was staring out into the night.
“Afraid of what, hyung?” he asked warily. Seokjin however didn’t reply nor even looked at Yoongi. He simply let out a sigh and continued to stare into the distance.
Yoongi should have known that was a major red flag.
~~
The next day when he woke up on his bed, he felt something off. He suddenly sat up and felt around the bed for Jin and his hands landed on empty cold sheets. Jin must have left hours before. He quickly got off the bed and ran to the kitchen. It was empty.
A sinking feeling was settling in his gut and he was getting more frantic each minute that passed where he couldn’t find Jin.
He started barging through each of the other members’ rooms. Calling out for Jin. He ran back to the living room and paced about.
“Yoongi-hyung, what’s wrong?” Jimin’s groggy voice called out as the rest of Bangtan minus Jin came filing into to the living room. All of them were in various levels of disheveled.
“I can’t find, Jin-hyung!” All of them paled.
“The roof!” Jungkook yelled out in realization and the rest of Bangtan ran up to the roof deck.
The sight that greeted them was an unwelcomed one.
In front of them, Jin was standing on the edge of the building. He was staring up at the morning sky that was still dark.
“Jin-hyung! What are you doing?” Yoongi softly called out. Afraid to accidentally surprise the older who had a habit of jumping out of fright.
“Admiring the view, yoongichi. It’s nice up here.”
“Hyung, I need you to come down. It’s dangerous” Yoongi slowly inched toward to older member. Signaling the rest of Bangtan to do the same but discreetly.
Jin turned around to face all of them. The members stilled.
“Hey guys, I’m sorry for being such a bad hyung. I just don’t want to hold you guys back anymore. I know I’m such a bad dancer and I’m not that good of a singer. Heck, I’m not even the best visual. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be with you guys. Maybe I can never fly like you guys.”
“Hyung, no! You’re the best hyung! We all need you! Please, hyung come down!” Jungkook started to cry out. Jimin couldn’t hold back his tears and started sobbing loudly too.
“I-I can’t burden you guys anymore. So, I’m finally taking responsibility. I’m gonna leave”
Jin took a step back and off the edge, closing his eyes in the process. Everyone was shocked, but Hoseok’s scream quickly shook yoongi out of his shock and he dashed for Jin.
Yoongi was able to snatch the back of Jin’s shirt.
“HYUNG PLEASE!!” He cried out, his body was aching as his torso was being pressed down onto the ledge of the roof. Jin must have passed out as he wasn’t responding.
“Fuck!” He grunted out as he tried to pull up Jin. Soon he felt the other members start to pull him back along with the eldest. All of them tumbled as they finally got Jin back onto the roof who was still passed out.
“Joon, call the ambulance.” Yoongi ordered. Namjoon quickly fled towards the dorm to get his phone while the maknae line all cradled the eldest member. Yoongi was holding the unconscious Jin close. Swiping Jin’s hair out of his and whispering words of comfort. Hobi was silently crying behind them all. Pale as a sheet of paper.
“It’s gonna be okay, hyung. We’re gonna make sure of it. We’ll help you.” Jimin said as he grabbed onto Jin’s cold hands. Taehyung nodded and grabbed Jin’s other hand.
The sun was starting to rise and Bangtan wasn’t the same. But like the sun, as it sets- it will always rise and rise again.