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"You know what?" The room is full of complaints, all of them talking over each other. Hoseok gets up, the only one standing up in the meeting room. "I'm not doing it."
"Not doing what?" Their manager crosses his arms, raises his eyebrows to Hoseok.
"If this is who we are, who we're becoming, I'm not a part of this anymore" even though his voice sounds calm, the way he starts to collect his stuff and how hard he's gripping them makes it clear that Hoseok is nervous.
"What? Are you leaving or what?" The manager is as angry as all of them. It's been a hard conversation, everybody with a hot head.
"Leaving, right. I don't want to be part of this" Hoseok puts his stuff inside his bag. He isn't looking at anyone.
"Part of… Bangtan?" Jimin is the first to really understand what he means. The others look at Hoseok, surprised.
"I will not be a part of a group that associates with these people. That sells this stuff. I'm… it's not me, that's a limit to sell my soul."
"You're not serious" the manager says. "You can't leave."
"I can. I'll pay the assessments, I don't care. But if you think that my image will be associated to this, you're so fucking wrong."
"Hoseok" Seokjin warns because this is no way to talk to his elders. Hoseok knows that, but he's too angry now.
"If you leave now, Hoseok, never come back."
Hoseok hesitates. He looks at his group. Everyone is looking at him. The youngers are anxious, the olders are frowning. He swallows dry and holds tighter on his bag. He doesn't want to leave his group, but everybody has a limit, and Hoseok just reached his.
"Tell Sungdeuk-nim that he'll need to review the choreographies before the next comeback. You're six now."
•🐱•
Nobody expected that.
When Hoseok leaves, the entire room is completely silent, no one dares to say a single word. The manager is looking at the door, jaw dropped. Doesn't know what to say. Yoongi looks at Namjoon, but their leader is looking at the door.
Yoongi lowers his head.
He should've seen this coming. They've been talking about this for weeks, the entire group already said how much they all hate it, how much they feel disgusted by it. Nobody wants to do this, but they all feel like if they don't, BTS will not continue.
But now, what's the point in continuing? Why keep going when Hoseok is not part of it anymore?
They've been together for what feels so long now, even if it's not. Yoongi remembers when Hoseok came to their lives, how Hoseok was the person he and Namjoon needed so hard to function like the perfect unit they became. It was Hoseok making them talk, making them smile, making them keep going one more hour, just one. Keeping them on their toes, making everything perfect.
It was always Hoseok, and there was no BTS without him.
Yoongi doesn't want to be where Hoseok isn't.
•🐥•
"Hyung" Jimin hears Jungkook saying by his side, the maknae's voice echoing in the meeting room.
Funny thing is that whenever Jungkook calls hyung , they all look. It's funny, the only one who can get the attention of the six of them with just one word.
It's not the case right now.
When Jungkook calls hyung , nobody looks because they all know he's calling for Hoseok. Jimin closes his fists, lowers his head. He feels like crying right now. He can't believe he just saw Hoseok leaving them.
It's so hard to process that Hoseok is not a part of them anymore. It's hard to imagine it as reality. He and Hoseok have always been so close, sharing the same room even when they moved to a bigger house. Jimin chose to be Hoseok's roommate. Hoseok chose to be his.
They were together. The dancers. The ones who are always laughing together. Nobody laughed as hard at Jimin jokes as Hoseok did. When Jimin arrived in Seoul, Hoseok was the first person he met. Still one of the best. Their first contact was not natural, and neither were the days that followed. But eventually they become inseparable.
Because Jimin chose to become one of Hoseok's best friends, and Hoseok chose to become one of his.
It hurts like hell to watch Hoseok choose to leave him.
•🐰•
"Hyung" Jungkook says, and his voice is the only sound.
He looks at all his hyungs, but nobody looks at him. Nobody says anything, nobody moves. Jimin lowers his head and maybe he's crying. Yoongi is also with a lowered head. But still nobody moves, which is- which is wrong .
Their hope just left them and nobody is moving .
So Jungkook does.
He gets up and leaves the room, running through the corridors, ignoring everyone who tries to talk to him. Every new turn makes Jungkook's heart ache, the thought of Hoseok really leaving them crushing him.
When he enters the practice room, Hoseok is there grabbing his things, putting all he can inside his bag, getting ready to leave. And that can't happen.
"Hyung" Jungkook says and this time there's a response. This time someone looks at him. "Don't go."
"Jungkook-ah…" Hoseok sighs and he sounds sad. He's hurting as much as all of them.
"Please, hyung, you can't leave us" Jungkook's eyes burn and he runs to Hoseok, jumping on his arms.
Their bodies collide hard and they almost fall, but Hoseok manages to hold Jungkook and keep they both on their feet. Because that's what Hoseok has always done for him. He always holds Jungkook.
"I can't stay, Kookie, not like this."
"We can't be without you" taters start to stream down Jungkook's face, quickly staining Hoseok's shirt. "I can't do it without you, Hoseok-hyung, none of us can."
"I'm sorry" Jungkook can't see Hoseok's face because he's buried on his hyung's chest, but he knows Hoseok is also crying. "I don't want to hurt any of you, I'm so sorry."
"Don't leave us. Please. We need you, hyung" Jungkook holds Hoseok tight. His heart holds tighter.
•🐹•
Everything is a mess. Horrible. Makes Seokjin want to leave, too.
The only person who spoke was Jungkook, only one lonely word, before getting up and run. He probably went after Hoseok, that's what Seokjin hopes. Someone needs to bring him back.
Everybody else looks defeated. Seokjin does too. All this time it's been the seven of them, together against all the shit people threw on their faces. Even between fights, the most silly ones, they've been together. One holding each other's hand.
Hoseok held them better.
Seokjin feels like shit because he should've been better. He's the oldest in the group, he should be taking care of his dongsaengs. Jimin is crying and Seokjin doesn't know what to do. Hoseok left, taking all the hope with him.
Maybe if he saw how this matter was bothering Hoseok, how much he was being affected, maybe this one meeting, that was supposed to be the last one, had gone differently. If Seokjin had been properly paying attention to his dongsaengs, seeing how much this was hurting Hoseok, they would still be together. Maybe Hoseok would still be sitting with them.
But Seokjin wasn't a good enough hyung, and now Hoseok is gone.
He looks at Namjoon, young leader, who never looked so lost in his entire life. Seokjin's heart shrinks and he holds Namjoon's hand. Seokjin hopes that, at least for the others, he can still be a better hyung.
•🐯•
What Taehyung doesn't understand is why they're still here. Makes no sense. If Hoseok has left the group, that's what they all should be doing. No argue.
Jungkook did the right thing, Taehyung thinks. He went after Hoseok, as they all should. Because, if Hoseok said he rather leave, being gone is better than doing what the company wants, then Taehyung believes him, with his entire heart.
They all should. Get up and leave.
There's no point in pretending they could keep going without Hoseok. Nobody wants to do it, Taehyung is sure. They've been together for long enough to know that they can't be separated.
So why is nobody moving? Isn't it obvious for everyone else?
They need to go, they have so much to do. They need to leave the house they live in, the one the company pays. Could they all find a new agency? Would they want a group already formed?
BTS is becoming big. Maybe people will sign them. They have Namjoon, agencies will actually fight for them. Everything will be alright, and the most important part, they will be together.
But first they need to move.
"What are we waiting for?" Everyone looks at him, Jimin and Yoongi finally raising their heads. "Jungkook has already reached Hoseok by now. We need to go."
"What do you mean, Tae?" Seokjin frowns, confused.
"Are you leaving too, Taehyung?" The manager says in a cold, heartless tone.
"We all are" Taehyung shrugs and answers. "Hoseok left, so we will too. BTS is seven or nothing."
•🐨•
Seeing Hoseok leaving the room shatters Namjoon's heart in so many pieces he thinks he won't be able to fix it.
He never really wanted to be part of an idol group, not at the beginning. He was a rapper, not a beautiful face with killer dancer moves and an angelic voice. He was not an idol, so why should he become one?
But then there was Hoseok, who was by his side all the time, helping him become a better version of himself. Hoseok helped Namjoon with dancing, the hardest part for him. He made Namjoon smile and stand by his side whenever Namjoon needed.
As if being a big friend wasn't enough, when BTS debuted Hoseok became his right hand.
Being the leader is still the hardest part of his job. Namjoon had to become a full adult too soon, too responsible, his schedule the craziest ever. His entire group always helped him, but if it wasn't for Hoseok taking part of the burden, Namjoon thinks he might not have been able to bear it.
So seeing Hoseok leaving hurts like hell. Jungkook runs after him, and Namjoon wants to do the same, but he is too afraid. He's afraid he can't be without Hoseok. Afraid of what BTS and Namjoon himself will become without their hope.
If Namjoon is the person who carries BTS, Jung Hoseok is the person who carries Namjoon.
He feels Seokjin touching his hand, being there for him. Seokjin is always there. They all are. Namjoon knows whatever happens now, he won't be alone. While Taehyung talks, Namjoon knows his group will always be there for each other. But he also knows they won't last without Hoseok.
"BTS is seven or nothing" is what Taehyung ends up saying.
"What do you mean?" Their manager narrows his eyes.
"Exactly what he said" when Namjoon says, everybody looks at him, hopeful. "If we don't have Hoseok, there is no BTS. We can't do it without him, and we don't want to."
"Leaving the group was Hoseok's choice."
"And not continuing without him is ours" a small smile opens on Seokjin and Taehyung's face when Namjoon says this. "So even you rethink this and bring Hoseok back, or we can start signing the end of all seven contracts."
The manager keeps quiet, just looking at Namjoon. They need BTS more than BTS needs them. Yoongi gets up and starts to gather his stuff.
"I'll meet Hoseok so we can go home together and start packing our stuff" he says in a monotonous tone.
"I'll go with you" Taehyung jumps from his chair, full smile on his face.
"Wait" the manager says when Yoongi starts to talk to the door. "Call him back. Let's talk this through."
Taehyung tries to go, but Yoongi holds him. He looks at Namjoon, expecting. Namjoon shakes his head and smiles before leaving to get the seventh part of their lives back.
•🐿️•
The moment Hoseok is inside the meeting room again, he's met with a Jimin jumping on his arms, so hard they almost fall, being supported by Namjoon and Jungkook.
"Woah there" Hoseok laughs, hugging Jimin.
" Woah there my ass" when Jimin looks at Hoseok, his eyes are shining bright. He's not crying, but it looks like he's about to. "Don't you ever dare to leave me again, Hoseok! Never, do you hear me!?"
"I'm sorry, Jimin-ah."
"You better be" Jimin says before laying his head against Hoseok's shoulder, making it feel like home.
"I'm sorry, everyone" Hoseok says, hoping their teammates can forgive him, ready to explain his reasons, but he can't.
Soon, he's being crushed by six other bodies, holding him so tight he can barely breathe.
"We forgive you, Hob-ah" Namjoon says. "We could never do it without you. Without any of us."
"Like Taehyung smartly said, BTS is seven or nothing."