Chapter Text
"Jimin, just stay there…" Yoongi said, rubbing his temples as he began picking up glass fragments off the floor. "… and don't cry for fuck's sake. It's okay. Just-just don't move."
Jimin bit his lower lip, trying to stop the sob threatening to escape from it. He just wanted to help by doing the dishes since Yoongi has been up all night working with his music. He wanted to at least repay Yoongi's kindness of letting him stay in his apartment after he ran away from his own but all he did is put more burden on his hyung.
His vision was blurry from tears and his lips trembled as he could not hold it back anymore. It started as small, quiet sons and the next second he was crying out loud he swore he would have wake up the neighbors even though the apartment itself was soundproof. He could not help it that he was a crybaby. It would be better if he just cries, tears and all but he literally cries like a baby with all the wailing sounds and he can't help it. He wanted to stop crying because Yoongi told him not to but he couldn't. The frustration of not being able to stop crying just made him cry even more.
"Stop." Yoongi ordered from afar and Jimin stopped like an off button was pressed on his side. He couldn't see Yoongi still, eyes still filled with tears, his whole body hiccuping from the crying.
Jimin could taste the saltiness on his own lips when he licked it. If it's snot or tears, it didn't matter to him as long as it's his own. He fumbled on the loose ends of his sweater, preparing for the scolding to come. He has been in his hyung's apartment for only three days but he already broke a few things (few meaning less than ten but greater than five).
"You need help, Minie."
Those words made Jimin froze. He has been trying hard to control his body, his self, not to let things go this far but his hyung was right. He really needs help but that does not mean Jimin wants it so he shook his head to argue.
"Minie…" Yoongi uttered softly, eyes filled with worry and tiredness and Jimin felt guilty.
"Yoongi hyung, I swear this will be the last time. I'll be more careful this time I promise. I'll just buy you a new tea set. I know that's your favorite. I'm sorry I won't—”
"Minie, this is not just about this broken tea set that I brought in America and cost like so much. This is not about this." Yoongi gestured at the broken pieces of the luxury tea cups that are now hauled together on a dust bin.
"It is. You love those."
Yoongi has an obsession with tea cups. He has a huge collection of it, displayed in the kitchen and some in the living room. He will literally walk through all of his guests to the display whenever they visit. He also has a separate room for it on their second floor where Jimin has never stepped into because Yoongi was too afraid he will knock everything with just a single touch. A warning sign hangs on the door saying "Jimin is not allowed in here". And as a good dongsaeng, despite of how much curiosity he has on what's inside that room (which is just most probably tea cups which Yoongi deemed as different from each other but for Jimin all looked just the same), Jimin never dared passing on that door.
Jimin knew Yoongi loved his tea cup collection that at the night he showed up crying in front of Yoongi's door asking his hyung to let him stay, Yoongi's first rule was not to touch his tea cups.
Yoongi's sigh echoed throughout the apartment as he walked towards Jimin. He carefully wiped the tears on Jimin's cheeks and made him blow his nose on his sweater.
"Yes. I love those tea cups. But you are my brother, Jimin. Of course, I love you more than those."
"Just more?" Jimin hiccuped.
Yoongi chuckled, his gums showing. "Hyung loves you the most of course."
"Then don't send me somewhere else." Jimin pleaded with his eyes that were beginning to water again.
Jimin has heard of this facilities where uncontrollable persons where sent to so they can learn how to behave. He has extraordinary strength but he's not uncontrollable. He's just clumsy. He does not belong there.
"Why would I send you somewhere else?" Yoongi asked, his cute brows furrowed in the middle.
"Aren't you going to send me to a facility where they do experiments on your body and extract your DNA so they can produce more mutants?"
Yoongi's small eyes widened at Jimin's question then tightens again in confusion. "Y-you think you're a mutant?"
Jimin nodded his head, eyes falling on the ground. He always think he's different. It was not a secret that he was stronger than everybody else. It's hard to keep it one, not when he was just too naive and clumsy, a not so good combination. His classmates from kindergarten up to middle school would always call him a mutant. At first, he thought it was a compliment. Being a mutant meant you can be a hero, right? But as time passed by, Jimin grew to know that he wasn't a hero and realized what the kids in his school meant when he called him a mutant. He's a weirdo.
"Look here, Jimin. You should stop reading so much comic books and all. You aren't a fucking mutant. You're my cute and lovely dongsaeng and I will never send you to a place where they would extract your organs just like you imagine. Okay?"
Jimin preened at being called cute and lovely. He always wanted to hear praises, he thrives on them. And at the same time, he felt relieved that Yoongi was not sending him away.
"Then what do you mean I need help, hyung?"
"You know Namjoon, right?" Jimin's eyes brighten up in an instant at the mention of the name.
"Yes! Yes! Joonie hyungie! He's a mutant like me."
"Again, you're not a mutant. You're just stronger than everybody else." Yoongi corrected him with a flick on his forehead.
"Right. Right. What about him?"
"You know how he was really strong like you too and keep breaking things, right? Seokjin hyung, his boyfriend, grew tired of it and sent him to a trainer and now Namjoon is doing better at least. The trainer did a good job in helping him. I'd like you to try it, too."
Jimin was a bit hesitant. His mind knows that it is a good idea but it also kept on flying over random things. What if it involves violence? What if the trainer was not kind? What if he's homophobic? What if he hates crybabies?
Yoongi seemed to notice Jimin's unease at his suggestion so he grabbed him into a hug. "You can think about it, Minie. I'm not forcing you. We will not go if you don't want to but I hope you consider it. It's for the best."
---
The punching bag swayed at the punches together with droplets of sweat. The sound of leather gloves hitting the bag resonated the empty gym in a stable rhythm accompanied by heavy pants and grunts.
The gym smelled like mixed sweat and leather, a scent Jungkook has grown accustomed to. He is sensitive when it comes to scents. He hates filthy, messy and stinky. But the gym is an exception. The smell that permeates inside the gym is how it is supposed to be. It just proves that the place was being used for its purpose well.
Jungkook slumped on the ground after landing his last punch, sending the bag swinging wild in the air. He felt the cold of the floor seeped through his damped cloth, mindful of how much dirt there is and how many soles have walked on the ground he was lying. The gym felt emptier without the sound of the punches, only the noise of his breath and the piercing shrill of rusty metal chains that supports the punching bag.
"Woah. Didn't expect you to be here," a sarcastic voice sounded from the entrance of the gym. Jungkook didn't have to look to know who it was.
"The gym is closed today. Get out, Kim Taehyung." Jungkook snapped, loosening the strap and taking off the gloves. He massaged his knuckles that have been enclosed in the leather for two hours long. The skin felt rough, bruises littering his fingers. He untangles the bandages next, freeing the blood that got stuck on the end of his fingers with how tight he wrapped his hands.
"So rude with your best friend. I brought someone with me, you know. Why would you embarrass me like that?"
Jungkook finally turned his head on the side at the mention of the company. He found a sturdy man standing beside Taehyung, hair brushed up neatly and dimples adorning his manly face.
"Namjoon." Jungkook acknowledged the man. "What's up?"
"Just paying the greatest trainer a visit," Namjoon replied, leaning towards the boxing ring with both of his arms, using the ropes to support himself. Jungkook eyed the arms of Namjoon, cautious. The first time they met Namjoon pulled the ropes down and ruined it.
Namjoon seemed to notice it so he said, "You trained me well. Don't worry. Wanna grab a coffee?"
The three went to a coffee shop just a few blocks away from the secluded gym. Namjoon and Jungkook savoured the bitterness of their americano while Taehyung played with his hot chocolate, careful not to mess with the heart-shaped foam on top of it.
"So…" Namjoon started. "How's the gym going?"
"Bad." Jungkook answered, quick and honest.
The gym was not profiting much these days. The last string of his loyal customers transferred to a newly established workout center near the area. The new one has complete and high-end facilities, equipped with air condition, a huge and luxurious shower and locker rooms and a bar that served healthy things for customers but Jungkook was not impressed. His gym was an exact opposite of it. His gym was not equipped with an air conditioning system, only a heater that was used during winter. The only things that he have is the boxing ring, the line of punching bags, overused gloves, a jump rope, an old but sturdy pull up bar, a water dispenser and him. The locker room in his gym is connected to an open shower area, one for men and another for women. Jungkook always believed that his gym is perfect despite all of it. Gyms or workout centers, whatever they call it, are not supposed to pamper customers but to train them. For him, in order to train and be better, you need nothing more than your body. His training style would rarely include the use of gym equipments but focused more on using the body itself as a workout tool. But his customers seemed not to be having the same principles, leaving him in a snap after the new gym opened.
"I have an offer for you." Jungkook looked up at that, cocking an eyebrow at the man in front of him. Namjoon is a known producer in the music industry so if he is offering something, it is meant to be good and influential at best.
"Spill."
Namjoon reached out for his phone and fumbled on it before pushing it forward towards Jungkook. Jungkook accepted it and blinked once and twice as he stared at a man with a beautiful face on the screen sporting a blonde hair.
"Want me to kill him? I'm not an assassin, Namjoon." Jungkook pushed the phone back at Namjoon.
"You're not?" Taehyung asked, wide-eyed. Jungkook ignored him.
It was not the first time Jungkook was offered this kind of job. Just because he was a walking buff with tattoos, piercing and a man bun, sporting an all black outfit, people kept on thinking he was some sort of a criminal. Police has come to his gym a few times with investigation permits to search the area after receiving anonymous reports that Jungkook was running a drug den and some sort of illegal boxing in his gum but they always fail because the gym was just literally a gym.
Namjoon laughed out loud, breaking Jungkook from his trance. He picked his phone up and put it back inside his pocket.
"I'm not asking you to kill him. God. Suga would kill me first for sure."
"Suga? The famous rapper? The one who appeared and made me come untouched for nights in a row in my sleep?"
Jungkook ran a hand on his hair at Taehyung's outburst. He hates attention and now they're getting it because of his horny best friend beside him.
"Shut your mouth or I'll kill you." Jungkook spat out to shut Taehyung up.
"You said you're not an assassin." Taehyung said out loud. And if the people in this area does not suspect him as a murderer, for sure they are now.
"Just tell me what's the offer Namjoon before someone calls the cops on me."
"Suga is a rapper, yes. The famous rapper that maybe Taehyung was also talking too. I'm his producer. He can help you in advertising the gym and enticing more customers to go. He has done so much advertising and all of it is a bomb. Even those companies who were failing survived because of Suga's influence. I'm sure he will help you. Aside from that, he will pay you. Just name your price."
Jungkook has heard of Suga so many times. He is an ambassador of the few favorite brands he support. He also listens to some of his music. All in all, Jungkook likes the artist. But on why he would want Jungkook's help is a huge question. The artist could surely afford professional trainers even abroad, so why him?
"What's the catch?"
"Nothing big really but it might be difficult for you. The man I showed you in the picture is his younger brother. He want you to train him."
"No." Jungkook immediately refused.
Just by seeing the picture, he could immediately see that the man was soft as fuck. If they wanted him to train him to be a fucking buff, that would be impossible. Just looking at the man, he can already imagine how bratty and whiny the guy is. And Jungkook was not having any of it. He doesn't want to deal with those kinds of customers.
"Why?" Taehyung barked in. "Are you really making me miss the opportunity of meeting my favorite rapper and the man of my dreams?"
Taehyung has both of his hands on the shirt underneath Jungkook's leather jacket, crumpling the fabric. Jungkook glared at him and Taehyung was quick to smoothen the shirt.
"He's not doing it. He already said it. Why are you pushing him to do it?" Taehyung shouted, fake fury now directed at Namjoon.
Namjoon just smiled and directed his gaze at Jungkook. "Just consider it, Jungkook. Suga is willing to pay you $5,000 just at the first session. You can talk about the monthly salary after. Just try it."
Jungkook gulped at the amount offered, jaw clenching. Just doing the first session would already help a lot in paying almost half of his debts. What the fuck would be wrong with the blonde guy that Suga was willing to offer so much money for it?
Namjoon slips a card on the table and pushes it in front of Jungkook. He took a last sip on his coffee and went out of the shop.
"Who fucking pays $5,000 in one session? I'm gonna fucking unfriend you Jeon Jungkook if you missed out on this." Taehyung stormed out of the coffee shop right after, leaving Jungkook on the table with two empty cups, his own cold coffee and Namjoon's calling card.