Work Text:
Jimin was four years old, and he had a very big problem. Everyone in his daycare class had a baby brother or sister. Taetae always bragged about his baby brother drooling on toys. Jungkookie had a baby sister who cried a lot, but at least he got to pat her back. Even Seokjin hyung, the oldest in their group, got to wheel around a stroller like a superhero sidekick.
But Jimin? No baby. None. His parents said maybe “someday,” which in grownup language meant “never.”
So when Teacher Lee introduced a new student one bright Monday morning, Jimin decided to solve his problem himself.
“This is Min Yoongi,” Teacher Lee said, resting her hand on a boy’s tiny shoulder. “He just moved here.”
Yoongi had messy black hair that stuck up like he’d wrestled with his pillow to wake up. He wore a cat patterned T-shirt and clutched a toy car tightly in his fist. His cheeks were round, his eyes sleepy. He was the exact same height as Jimin.
To Jimin, that meant only one thing. Yoongi is baby material.
The second Teacher Lee sent Yoongi to sit at the play table, Jimin marched over, puffing out his chest like he’d seen superhero hyungs do on cartoons.
“Hi!” Jimin said. “I’m Jimin.”
Yoongi blinked slowly, then muttered, “Okay,” and turned back to his toy car.
Jimin leaned closer. “From today, you’re my baby.”
Yoongi’s head snapped up. “What?”
“My baby,” Jimin repeated with authority. “Everyone else has one, so I’m having you. I’m your hyung now.”
Yoongi frowned. “But I’m five. You look younger.”
Jimin crossed his arms. “Numbers don’t matter. I said it first.”
Yoongi opened his mouth, then shut it again. He seemed to think hard for a few seconds, finally shrugging. “Fine. But babies get snacks.”
“Hyung will give babies snacks,” Jimin corrected wisely. “You’ll see.”
Snack time arrived. Teacher Lee handed out apple slices and little cups of milk. Jimin immediately slid his apple plate in front of Yoongi.
“See? Hyung feeds baby Yoonie.”
Yoongi stared. “But you don’t have any now.”
“That’s okay. Hyungs don’t need snacks. Babies do.”
Yoongi considered this for a moment before pushing half the slices back. “Then we share. ’Cause… babies share.”
Jimin grinned, showing off the little gap where his tooth had fallen out. “Good baby Yoonie.”
Across the table, Taehyung squinted at them. “Why are you calling him baby? He’s older than you.”
“Shh,” Jimin hissed, putting a protective arm around Yoongi’s shoulders. “Don’t confuse him. Yoonie will get scared.”
Yoongi chewed his apple very slowly, like he was debating whether to protest. Instead he muttered, “I’m not scared. I just like apples.”
On the playground, Jimin insisted on holding Yoongi’s hand when they climbed the slide.
“Hyung goes first, then helps baby Yoonie down.”
Yoongi, who clearly had been sliding for years, sighed. “I know how to slide.”
“Not as good as hyung,” Jimin said, puffing out his chest again.
He scooted down the slide and turned to wait. Yoongi came barreling down at full speed and crashed right into him. They both tumbled into the sand in a heap of giggles.
“See?” Jimin laughed. “That’s why hyung needs to catch you!”
Yoongi, dusting sand off his shorts, mumbled, “You’re smaller than me. How are you gonna catch me?”
“Because I’m strong,” Jimin said confidently. Then, to prove it, he attempted to lift Yoongi in a dramatic fireman’s carry. He managed to raise one arm under Yoongi’s armpit before toppling over backward.
Yoongi burst into giggles, covering his mouth with both hands. “You’re silly.”
“Hyungs can be silly too,” Jimin said proudly, lying flat in the sand.
When nap time came, everyone laid down on little mats. Jimin dragged his blanket over to Yoongi’s mat and plopped down beside him.
“Hyung sleep next to Yoonie so you don’t get nightmares.”
Yoongi rolled his eyes, but he didn’t tell Jimin to move away. “I don’t get nightmares.”
“You might,” Jimin whispered seriously. “What if a dragon comes?”
Yoongi stared at the ceiling. “…Then I’ll fight it.”
“With what?”
“My car.” Yoongi held up the toy car he’d kept clutched in his fist since morning.
Jimin giggled so loudly Teacher Lee had to shush them. “Okay, baby Yoonie. If the dragon comes, I’ll cheer for you.”
The next day, Jimin decided hyungs needed to teach babies everything.
At the art table, he pushed the crayons toward Yoongi. “Hyung will show Yoonie how to draw.”
Yoongi scowled. “I know how to draw.”
“Show me,” Jimin challenged.
Yoongi carefully drew a lopsided cat.
“Wow!” Jimin gasped. “Best baby cat ever.”
Yoongi’s cheeks pinked. “It’s not baby cat. It’s just cat.”
“Nope,” Jimin said firmly. “If my baby drew it, it’s baby cat.”
Later, when Teacher Lee held up Yoongi’s picture for the class, Yoongi leaned over and whispered, “Hyung, look, everyone likes baby cat.”
Jimin beamed, almost exploding with pride.
Things didn’t always go smoothly. One afternoon, Taehyung tried to sit beside Yoongi during block play.
“Wanna build a tower with me?” Taehyung asked.
“No,” Jimin said, dragging Yoongi to his side. “He’s my baby. We’re building together.”
“But Yoongi can play with everyone,” Taehyung argued.
“No! Babies need one hyung only.”
Yoongi fiddled with a red block, glancing between them nervously. “Maybe… we can all play?”
Jimin crossed his arms. “Hyungs protect babies. If you want to play, you need to ask me first.”
Taehyung groaned. “You’re not his real hyung!”
“Yes, I am!” Jimin shouted.
Teacher Lee had to step in before the block tower turned into a block battle. Yoongi sighed and put one block on each boy’s tower to keep the peace. “See? Sharing.”
One rainy morning, Jimin came in sniffling with a stuffy nose. He tried to hand Yoongi his snack plate like usual, but Yoongi pushed it back.
“No. Hyung need snacks too, especially when you're sick.”
“But”
“No buts. Babies take care of hyungs sometimes,” Yoongi said sternly.
Jimin blinked at him, then giggled through his sniffles. “You’re a bossy baby.”
“I’m not baby today,” Yoongi declared. “Today I’m hyung.”
Jimin leaned against him, resting his warm cheek on Yoongi’s shoulder. “Okay. Just for today.”
Yoongi carefully peeled Jimin’s orange slices and put them in his hand. “Eat. Hyung need to listen to baby sometimes.”
By the end of the week, Jimin was so proud of his baby that he decided the whole class needed to know.
He climbed onto the tiny chair during free play and announced at the top of his lungs:
“Everyone! Yoonie is my baby! I’m his hyung forever!”
The room went quiet for a moment. Then Jungkook piped up, “But he’s older.”
“Doesn’t matter!” Jimin said. “He’s mine.”
Yoongi covered his face with both hands, cheeks turning pink. “Minnie!”
But Jimin hopped down and hugged him tight around the waist. “Babies need hugs.”
Yoongi huffed, but his arms slowly wrapped around Jimin too. “Fine. But hyungs need hugs too.”
Teacher Lee chuckled softly from across the room. “What a pair.”
From that day on, Jimin introduced Yoongi to everyone he met. At the sandbox, at the park, even at the grocery store if their moms bumped into each other.
“This is my baby,” Jimin would say proudly, tugging Yoongi’s sleeve.
Yoongi always muttered, “I’m not a baby,” but he never let go of Jimin’s hand.
And if anyone laughed, Jimin stuck his tongue out and shouted, “Hyungs protect babies, so you better be nice!”
Yoongi would roll his eyes, but later when it was just the two of them he’d whisper, “Thanks, hyungie.”
And Jimin, grinning ear to ear, would whisper back, “Anytime, my baby Yoonie.”