Work Text:
DING
The bell attached to the bakery's door rang as it opened and Seokjin plastered a fake welcoming smile on his face as he faced the customer over the counter. "How may I help you, Sir?"
It was two years after the crash and Seokjin worked part time at the local bakery and although it was the most boring, painstaking job ever it wasn't the worst and had a decent pay. So Seokjin took it in stride, forcing himself to be overly bubbly to random strangers for the majority of the day, using Hoseok as an example.
He had no idea how the dancer did it.
After dealing with the customer who had actually been a grumpy old man, Seokjin's phone went off. Normally, he would have his phone off when he was busy but his boss reassured him that since business was slow as long as no customers were around Seokjin didn't have to worry about that rule.
"Hello," he answered to an unknown number. Holding the phone between his ear and shoulder as he restocked some cupcakes.
"Good afternoon, is this Kim Seokjin?" A monotone lady asked.
"Yes, and this is?"
"This is from Kim Jungkook's school, we were checking to see if he was alright."
Straightening up Seokjin held the phone in his hand tightly, "what do you mean? What's wrong, he seemed fine this morning?"
"He has been absent for nine school days so far and we have not been informed beforehand."
"He...what?" But he saw Jungkook leave for school these past few days, Jimin and Taehyung would pass by their house and pick Jungkook up on the way to school so they could walk together. "I'm sure there has been a mistake."
"He has been registered as absent for the past nine school days. There is no mistake, sir. Please warn us next time your brother takes a leave, thank you."
"Yes, yes, thank you. Good bye." Seokjin hung up. Had Jungkook been ditching? He couldn't have been, Jungkook was a good kid. A bit cheeky and got in a little trouble from time to time but he had respect and would not ditch school just like that. Seokjin ran a hand through his messy hair as he felt a headache rising. He could always phone Jimin, that boy would tell Seokjin the truth no matter what.
No, that would be breaking Jungkook's trust. If he asked the child then not only would Jimin feel guilty for betraying his friend but Jungkook would be upset with the both of them. This had to come from Jungkook.
But what was wrong? Jungkook was a nice kid, there was no way he was...was doing something, well, not good. He definitely would never turn to drugs or join a gang. The boy was raised better than that. At least, Seokjin hoped so. Had it been something the elder did? Had Seokjin not been enough for the boy? Was this his way of rebellion and was he finally showing his anger towards Seokjin? Had he not been a good enough paternal figure for the younger? Had he let him down?
The door opened with a ding and another customer came in.
He'd just have to find out tonight.
Seokjin was expertly chopping vegetables for dinner when Jungkook came home. Curiously, Seokjin observed him. The boy looked like he usually did after returning from school, exhausted and dirty. Maybe the school had made a mistake?
"Hi Hyung, what're you doing?" He asked as he kicked his shoes off.
Seokjin turned his attention back to the task on hand, "just making dinner. How was school?"
"As usual, boring."
There had been no pause, no hesitation. It was normal small talk of course but was Jungkook straightforwardly lying to his hyung?
Deciding he had to face the matter directly Seokjin put the cutting knife to the side and washed his hands, asking Jungkook to meet him in the living room.
"What's wrong, Hyung?" Jungkook asked from the couch once the elder appeared.
Seokjin sat down opposite him on the two seater and looked at him in the eye. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Of course," he nodded with confusion all over his face. "Why, what's wrong?"
"Jungkook, I... The school got in contact with me..." Seokjin trailed off, taking note on his brother's nearly unnoticeable change in posture and paleness. "They told me you've been skipping."
"I... No I haven't."
This hurt Seokjin, his brother continued to lie to him, "Kookie, are you sure?"
"Yes," he nodded violently, "I don't know why they'd say that. They must have gotten the wrong person, ask Jiminie and Tae or check my note books, I've been at school."
Sighing, hating using this tactic, Seokjin looked deeply into the younger's eyes who looked incredibly uncomfortable and was struggling not to look away.
"Do you promise me you have been going to school?"
That was it, a promise, if Jungkook promised then Seokjin would believe him without a doubt. Not just a promise, promises were held by high standards in their household. Break a promise and you break a heart.
"Hyung, we don't promise on trivial things..." Jungkook hesitated.
"Just promise me, Jungkook." He insisted.
"I...I..." Jungkook's gaze flickered away. "I can't."
Shaking his head in disbelief, the oldest sighed. "You've been lying to me."
"Hyung-"
"Not just right now but for over a week. Nine days."
"Hyung, please-" his voice cracked, gaining Seokjin's attention. "Please don't say it like that."
"At least tell me why." Seokjin asked roughly, disappointed in his brother. "You skipped school and lied to me. Give me a good reason."
Chewing on his lip, Jungkook shook his head slowly. "I can't just..."
"Jungkook." He used his strict voice. "You are in so much trouble right now don't make it worse for yourself, tell me why." Maybe he should be more lenient on the child but he felt too hurt.
Jungkook swallowed a lump in his throat, his brother would hate him for this. Probably hate him more since he already seems to do so. "I heard you talking to Namjoon Hyung on the phone two weeks ago."
"What?" Seokjin definitely hadn't been expecting that answer, "when was this?"
"You were... You said to him we were running low on money and the bakery wasn't paying enough cause of less customers." Jungkook now spoke in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. "And I knew it must have been because of me."
Seokjin blinked hopelessly. "What? Why would you assume... Why were you even listening?"
Ignoring his question Jungkook continued, stopping tears from escaping while doing so. "I thought you'd get tired of me eventually, so I decided that I'd earn my pay and help out with the money." Hurriedly, he reached into his schoolbag and pulled out some money notes, handing them over to a shocked Seokjin. "I earned fifty won today...I know it's not enough but it something, right? And I have another 400 won in my room, I earn fifty a day. I was gonna give the full total to you on your birthday next month."
Shakily, Seokjin reached for the money and set it down on the table. "Jungkook... Kookie, no you- you got it all wrong. You have no responsibility over money, you live under my roof and do not need to earn anything."
He shrugged, "but I cost a lot, yeah? Like the petrol and the food-"
"You do not have to pay for that." Seokjin forcefully stated. "That is for me to pay for. You do not need to earn anything, Kookie." He repeated. "You shouldn't have overheard that conversation, it was just me complaining. You know me, I complain over everything."
"But, I do cost a lot-"
"And you repay with your love. You're my kid brother, there is nothing you need to do to earn that position, you already have it. Sorry, kiddo, but you were born with it and now there ain't no turning back." He joked lightly.
Jungkook blinked back the tears from his eyes, "but I'm such a responsibility. At least let me work."
The older ruffled the child's hair, "Kookie, you're my responsibility and I couldn't be happier cause of that. I only want you to focus on your education and get a good future full of purpose while I help you along the way. I want to care for you."
Uneasily, Seokjin looked at the child who had his head bowed solemnly and worked up the courage to ask. "Jungkookie? Your thirteen, where on earth did you get a job?" Who would hire a child to work? Seokjin just prayed he hadn't gotten himself into trouble by accidentally working for the wrong crowd.
"Um... There's this house I go and clean, it belongs to a rich guy. Jiminie and Tae didn't like it when I said to keep it a secret and told me not to but I wanted to and convinced them to let me borrow their work each night so I can copy from their notes." Jungkook slyly attempted to divert the conversation somewhere else but Seokjin had lived with him for thirteen years and this attempted distraction worried him more.
"You clean a house?"
Jungkook nodded, biting at his lip. "Yeah, so?"
Why was Jungkook nervous? Seokjin ran through all the possible reasons, horrified by every single one of them and asked them all in a general question. "Did the owner mistreat you in any way?" He took a deep breath to prevent himself from getting worked up. Who let's a kid work?
"No! No, well not really. Kinda? I don't know. He's a nice guy, I think?" Jungkook was staring at the carpet in interest.
"Jungkook, please tell me what's wrong. Does he treat you right?" Seokjin asked softly but desperately.
Reluctantly, the youngest shrugged. "He... May have hit me once or twice? But it was my fault-"
"He hurt you?" Seokjin was seething, looking about ready to kill someone and grabbed onto Jungkook's shoulder protectively. This action actually ended up calming the youngest somewhat. From the strength and firmness the hand had, it felt as though Seokjin was someone he could easily lean on, the touch was reassuring and comforting. This feeling encouraged him to speak.
"I...may have dropped one of his plates on the floor when washing it. So he kinda hit me... But that was totally understandable cause it was an expensive plate-"
"That bastard."
Jungkook gasped, never having heard the oldest swear before. "Hyung?"
"He hit you...over a bloody plate. If...if I see him." Taking in a deep breath for the hundred time this day he demanded Jungkook to show him any bruises, to which Jungkook lifted his shirt up to reveal a fairly large, fading bruise and also shook off his school blazer and rolled up the sleeve of his school shirt so that the hand print marks where he was held and shaken were clearly visible.
The oldest only saw red and although he looked ready to flip a car he traced the bruised arm gently with fluttering fingertips. "Kookie..."
"It's not that bad, Hyung-"
"But what if it had been? These were only from dropping a plate, what if you had continued to work there without me knowing and had gotten hurt even worse? This man is abusive, Kookie," he was desperate for the boy to understand. "What if one day he got drunk or was just having a bad day and you ended up in the hospital?"
Although the oldest was filled with a mixture of fear for what could have happened, relief for what didn't happen and anger for what did happen; he also noted the younger one shaking as he took in what he was saying and stared up at Seokjin with his wide, doe-like eyes.
Seokjin scooted closer and pulled the boy into his lap, rocking him as his little brother finally started to sob. Hushing him softly and caressing his hair with one hand while the other one held Jungkook tightly with a firm, reassuring grip; he leaned down and kissed the crown of Kookie's head while the boy dug his face deeper into his shoulder. Relief washed over him, grateful to anyone watching over them that Jungkook was safe now. Grateful that he had found out what his younger brother was doing before it was too late.
Seokjin hummed a lovely melody, gripping on tighter to his thirteen year old baby brother who was slowly calming down from the crushing feelings he had suffered from for the past few days. He thought back to the intentions of Jungkook's actions, to how the boy was thoughtful and selfless enough to search for a job in order to help Seokjin. Thinking this, the older felt his heart swell and raked his fingers through Jungkook's soft hair.
"Eomma and Appa would have been so proud of who you've become, Kookie." Seokjin comments fondly.
The younger stiffens, "really?"
"Yeah, and so am I."