Chapter Text
TW: Bullying.
~~~
Seokjin felt deep pity for the guy who was still crouched on the floor, his head supported on his knees. He loudly coughed to make the other aware about his presence, however the guy got startled so bad that it almost made Jin feel guilty about disturbing him. The poor guy stared at him with big wide eyes while his whole body became stiff and tense.
“Umm, hey can I-um- help you with that?”, Jin gestured at the cord tightly wrapped around both of his legs.
The guy looked down and nervously gulped.
Quietly he mumbled out, “N-no I am fine. I can do it myself.”
“I know you can do it yourself but it looks like it has been really tightly wrapped and you might find it difficult to untangle it”, Jin rubbed his neck in awkwardness.
When the other did not respond, Jin carefully insisted, “It won’t hurt to let someone help you.”
The guy or Jeon Jungkook as was his name, turned to directly look him in the eyes. Jin had almost flinched at the intense gaze in those dark eyes but managed to stop himself. This was the first time he had a good look at the other’s face. Jin had seen him on the campus frequently but usually the other was covered in oversized hoodies and a mask that almost covered all of his face. Sometimes, it was hard to even see his eyes.
Right now though Jin could easily look at him. The guy was handsome, that was quite apparent. However, those eyes were what had caught Jin’s attention the most. They were beautiful and really captivating. There was somehow a magnetic pull in them.
Jin tried to give a sincere smile to the other. Jungkook looked at him with a questioning gaze for few seconds after which he gave him a subtle nod.
Feeling a little happy after receiving permission from the guy, he quickly put his bag down and started pulling out a scissor. He doesn't even remember why he had put it in his bag.
“I guess I am lucky that I had my scissors today with me. This would easily cut this cord, right?”, he brightly said as he went near Jungkook and sat next to him.
Jin was not social at all and definitely not the first one to start conversation with people he didn't know. However, something about Jungkook had made Jin reach out to him. Maybe it was pity.
Jungkook did not utter a single word but continued to stare at him with an expressionless look on his face.
Jin hated awkward silences, therefore he tried to lighten the mood and nervously babbled on as he started working on cutting those cords.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I am Jin”, he said while pointing at himself.
“I know”, Jungkook murmured.
Jin was a little shocked, “You know me, how?”
The guy turned his face away and avoided meeting his eyes, “Uh, e-everyone knows you.”
Jin didn’t quite agree with him. He was not the one who loved attention anyways. His friend circle was small and he didn’t attend that many parties or other social events like other kids. So, he was sure that Jungkook was lying.
“I don’t think that’s true”, he slowly said.
“It is. You are really pretty, kind and smart, you know”, he said it so bluntly that it baffled Jin.
“Um-I am- um thank you but I still don’t think everyone knows me though”, he awkwardly chuckled.
Jungkook briefly looked at him with a deep gaze and quietly mumbled, “You don’t know then.”
Jin felt a flush spread on his neck. He wasn’t sure what to reply so he ended up not saying anything and just tried to focus on getting the job done.
For a moment there was a comfortable silence between them but then Jungkook faintly whispered, “Why are you helping me?”
“Why not?”, Jin stopped what he was doing and quizzically asked him.
“No one does”, he simply answered.
Before Jin could reply Jungkook continued, “No one has ever helped me but you did. And I also know that this is not your first time.”
True. It was actually Jin’s fourth time helping Jungkook. In his opinion, he had been subtle in helping him the past three times but that did not seem to be the case.
He just realized that Jungkook was way more observant than he gave him credit for.
Jeon Jungkook was one of those timid and unfortunate ones, who had been the victim of bullying at the hand of other vile kids since they were young. And for quite a long time, Jin was one of the spectators who only felt pity for him but didn’t meddle into his affairs.
From what he knew of that guy, he only could assume that Jungkook was really reserved, quiet and aloof. He would always be alone and was rarely seen in the campus in between the classes. As it was, the poor guy seemed to be the favorite victim of the group bullying him. Jin didn’t know much about him other than how some losers were giving him a hard time ever since the beginning.
After turning a blind eye towards the matter for quite a long time, Jin couldn’t bear it any longer. He felt guilty for not helping him. He had seen how helpless Jungkook looked in such situations and how his confidence had been shattered. For Jin, it felt like a cry for help and he decided that he will try to do something to prevent such situations from happening, if he could that is. A few times he had purposefully walked with his professors in their direction. While the other time when he had walked on the group bullying him, he had quietly left the scene and then ran towards their coach to inform him about the situation. This had landed the whole group into detention for one week.
However, instead of calming down, this group of bullies seemed to be even more adamant in making Jungkook’s life hell and sadly Jin was a little too late to stop it this time.
Jin didn’t know why he was helping Jungkook only now but he always shrugged it off. He only assumed that it was most likely because he felt inner satisfaction- like he had actually done something good for someone else.
Anyways, because of this whole ordeal, Jin had started paying even more attention to this person. Now he knew few things about him. He found out that Jungkook was more of an art prodigy. One time, Jin had accidently peeked at one of his paintings and his whole jaw literally fell to the floor because it was that perfect. Secondly, he had no friends at all. He was a loner through and through. He was also surprised to know that he was sharing two classes with him this semester. Lastly, despite being so amazing in arts, Jungkook had zero skills in communication because he gave shit class presentations.
Sometimes he wondered if he was giving Jungkook too much of his attention, even when the entire situation never concerned him.
“There is no other reason. I just wanted to help you because it looked like you needed my help”, Jin replied. It was true.
“But what will you get from helping me? As far as I know, you-you don’t even know me.”, Jungkook awkwardly muttered.
“Do I have to get something in return for helping someone? I don’t think so. I just feel good helping you. And for your information, I know you. We have the same two courses this sem, you know?”, Jin smiled a little as he replied.
They had cut the cords. Jin could see the bruises and cuts on the other’s body but didn’t say anything about it. He felt like he may be invading a personal boundary if he asked Jungkook to go to the infirmary with him to treat those wounds. Also, the guy may now actually feel uncomfortable with him.
They stood up and started lightly dusting their clothes.
“Can I ask you a question, Jungkook-ssi?”, Jin asked, a little hesitant.
The guy looked at him warily but then gave a little nod.
“Why don’t you file a proper complaint against these people to the admin or something?”
Jungkook fidgeted on the spot and avoided his gaze.
“I know it won’t work. These people will bother me even more if I say something.”
“They are bothering you even now. I will suggest you to actually take this matter up with the professors. They might help you more in this situation”, Jin seriously yet kindly suggested to him.
“I-I will see.”
“Okay. Umm I will go now, I have a class right now in 5 minutes. Uh bye?”, Jin awkwardly said as he couldn’t think of anything else at the moment. He gave a little wave with his hand and went to the door but looked back as he heard Jungkook talk.
“Thank you for helping me”, Jungkook gave him a faint smile.
“No worries”, Jin smiled brightly in return and left the room.
Heh-he is little bit cute.
.
.
That night, Seokjin kept on thinking about Jungkook. Something about that guy seemed so sad and forlorn that Jin couldn’t help but think of how hard it must have been for the other person to have endured bullying when they were just children and still do even in their college. But alas, what else he could do? He had helped him more than enough and yet his heart still felt restless. He didn’t know why.
As his mind drifted off to sleep, he kept thinking about the helpless and sad look on Jungkook’s face when he was getting beaten by those assholes.
I wish he could speak up to those losers and punch them in their faces. That was his last thought as he completely lost his consciousness to sleep.
.
.
It felt as if someone was shaking him hard on the shoulders.
“Hey young man, you can’t sleep on the school’s premises.”
Jin slowly opened his eyes. He was met with a school guard glaring at him.
Where was he? Umm, wasn’t he sleeping in his bed last night?
“Am I dreaming?”, Jin sleepily grumbled.
Why was this person glaring at him? What was his problem!
“Mister, are you getting up or should I report you to the authorities? You can’t sleep in these grounds. It’s for kids only.”
Umm, what?
“What? Uhh, I am sorry but where am I?”, Jin looked around and indeed, he was in some school ground. His back had been pressed against the tree. He could see the little kids moving about in the ground.
Wait, is this for real? How did he end up in a school ground?
The guard let out a frustrated sigh and folded his arms on his chest.
“Did you loose your brain while sleeping? You are in Busan Elementary School mister. Now get up and leave the school premises before I report you.”
Suddenly someone called out to the guard, who looked into the said direction. He again let out a tired sigh and then glared warningly at Jin.
“Your ass better not be here when I come back to check, understand?”
Jin gulped and nodded.
“Yes, yes I am leaving.”
Geez.
The guard ran away to some unknown direction and Jin warily stood up as he looked around. He was perplexed as to how he had ended up sleeping in some unknown place and that too in a school ground. He had no memory of coming here.
Last night-last night, I came from my university. Was I drunk? No. I just remember sleeping and nothing else. This is so weird. But first, I should leave this place before that guard actually reports me.
With that thought, Jin started moving and looking for the exit gate.
Hmm, this seems a bit familiar. Why does the building look the same as when we were young? Weird.
As he was just roaming about, he faintly heard a child cry somewhere. As he followed in the direction of the voice, the cries got a bit louder. Jin began to get a little worried and scanned around for some teacher or kid supervisor available but there was none.
When he came near, he could see few kids crowding a little kid and laughing. Somehow this situation seemed oddly familiar too.
He frowned when he realized that the kids were bullying the scrawny kid in the middle.
“What’s happening here?”, he loudly said with a serious voice.
The kids stopped laughing, worryingly looked at him and then among themselves.
“Who hit this kid?”, Jin said authoritatively. He went and kneeled near the scrawny kid who was crying while keeping his head down.
“Hey hey. Shush. It’s alright. What happened? Did they hit you? Which one of them did it?”, he softly said while patting the boy’s back gently. The boy looked up and stared at him with his big teary eyes.
Wait those eyes… Why do I feel like I have seen them somewhere?
The kid’s cries subsided into sobs and without saying anything, he pointed at the kid standing next to them.
Then with a raspy small voice, he mumbled and sobbed at the same time, “E-ethan h-hit me. A-and t-they started m-making fun of my t-teeth, n-nose and f-face.”
Jin’s face hardened. He hated bullies, no matter their age. He seriously looked at that Ethan kid and gave him as well as the other kids an earful about bullying.
“Now, apologize to him or I will call your parents and tell your teachers about this, alright? Okay chop-chop”.
The kids looked at him in fear and quietly mumbled, “We are sorry Jungkook”
Jungkook?...
OH WAIT?!
“You won’t ever bully him or any other kid again, understood?”
“Yes Sir!", they shouted in unison.
“Okay good. Now hop along and enjoy your break before it ends.”
After the kids had scurried away, he again looked at the kid who had stopped crying and took a good look at him.
The kid had messy unkempt hair, eyes too big, a chubby face and a scrawny body.
No way, is he the same Jungkook? Hah-they do look similar but it’s impossible that it’s him. Maybe it’s his brother or just someone resembling him… maybe-
At the moment, the kid or Jungkook was looking at him with such bright eyes and an admiring look on his face. He flinched when Jin looked at him but smiled timidly.
“T-thank you m-mister for helping me.”
“No problem kiddo. Just remember, next time if someone ever calls you names or makes fun of you or hits you, you have to stay strong and get back at them, okay? And never ever back down to anyone. Tell your parents or teachers and if that doesn’t work out for you, punch them in the face. Alright?”
The little kid’s eyes became wider and his mouth slackened a little as he listened attentively to Jin.
Little Jungkook pouted sadly as he kept fiddling with his hands, “B-but I am n-not strong like you.”
“Hey buddy, being strong means you have to be brave from the inside. Your heart needs to be strong okay? And once you grow up, your body will become big too. If you eat properly that is- and work out a lot too.”
"What is a work out, mister?"
However, Jin ignored him and stared at the kid for a moment. Hesitantly he asked him, “Your name is Jungkook, right?”
Jungkook aggressively nodded his head.
“Um- what is your full name?”
“Jeon Jungkook. What is your name mister?”
Wait-wait. This is getting… weird. There’s no way… Certainly it’s not possible… No..
“Umm Jungkook, could you please tell me today’s date?”, he again asked with an awkward smile.
“Yes. It’s 7th today”, Jungkook quickly replied.
“Oh okay okay. Um could you tell me the complete date though?”
“It’s 7th February, 1998. It’s Tuesday today.”, the kid replied, clearly confused.
“1998?!”
“Y-yes?”, Jungkook looked at him weirdly. “Is there anything wrong mister?”
Jin was about to faint. How come he was back in time and that too with the kid version of Jungkook.
This must be some weird surreal dream he was having.
He tried to awkwardly laugh it off in front of the kid.
“Ha ha. Umm no, it’s-it’s fine. I was just confirming you know?”, he said while rubbing his neck awkwardly.
“Uh, I will leave you to enjoy your break kiddo, alright?”
Jin had to leave this place. If this was a dream then he needed to wake up now because this was actually creeping him out now.
Jungkook pouted and sadly nodded.
Jin waved smilingly and started to turn around when suddenly he stopped.
“Hey Jungkook, next time those little monsters bully you, fight them back alright? Don’t listen to them. You have to become strong. Promise me?”
Jungkook fully smiled, making his nose scrunch adorably and nodded.
“I promise mister. Will you come again?”
"I-I will try. Okay bye."
After that, Jin left the kid in his search for the exit gate. However, a thought came into his mind.
So in this dream, I have traveled back in 1998. How odd. If Jungkook is a kid here, then that means I must be a kid too. What if I go and watch my younger self. It would be so much fun. Let’s go.
Just as he made up his mind, Jin felt pain shooting up in his head. With a yelp, he held his head in his hands as the pain was becoming unbearable. He wanted to call out for help but he couldn’t. Soon everything went black as he lost all consciousness.
.
.
.
Jin woke up to the alarm ringing on his phone. He drowsily sat up and turned it off. Stretching his hands in the air, he yawned.
Wow, what a weird dream.
He never imagined that he would be seeing young Jungkook in his dreams out of all people.
Anyways, he got ready for the day. While having breakfast he checked the date on his phone just to be sure.
Then he also texted Yoongi, who quickly replied back.
Yoongichi: Why are you asking about the date when you can check it yourself?
Yoongichi: It’s 9th March.
Yoongichi: Weirdo.
Jin ignored him after that.
Time passed slowly between Jin’s classes. After leaving his communication class, Jin was again feeling drowsy. He was taking this course alone without his friends and was bored the hell out of it.
He yawned again and rubbed his eyes as he trudged along the corridor.
However, suddenly he bumped into someone really hard, making him stumble a bit and lose his notes.
He immediately sat down to pick them up and the apology came out automatically from his mouth.
“I am really sorry-“
“I am sorry. It's my fault not yours.”, a deep familiar voice quickly said.
The guy had also sat down with him to help him.
Jin glanced at him apologetically, when he froze.
Those eyes?
The guy in front of him had curly and messy hair. Button nose. Sharp jawline. Buff and were those tattoos?
But what made Jin stop were those eyes.
Again?
They looked oddly familiar…
Was that-
No, it can’t be.
It can’t be Jungkook.
He-he just saw that scrawny guy yesterday.
There was no way he could completely transform in one day.
This must be someone else he hadn’t seen on the campus.
He couldn’t be-
“Jungkook. Man let’s go. The class is starting. Stop flirting with him”, someone said behind them.
But Jin’s brain was fried. Totally. His jaw slack.
The said man- Jungkook- frowned at someone behind him but quickly returned his worried gaze to Jin, who was still in shock.
“Umm hey. Did I hurt you really bad?”
When Jin didn’t reply, he again softly asked him, “Are you okay?”
Jin just kept on blinking and tried to say something. In the end, he just nodded his head.
“Jungkook bro, come on. We are going to be late.”
Jungkook looked a bit guiltily at him, “I am sorry about my friends. Do you um- want me to help you carry those to your next class?”
Jin gulped and forced himself to say something. Anything.
“U-uh. No I-I am fine. You go ahead.”
Why does it feel like Jungkook was slightly disappointed somehow?
They both got up awkwardly and Jungkook slightly smiled at him.
“Um- bye Seokjin”.
“Uh yeah bye”, Jin still couldn’t believe it.
Am I still dreaming?
Jungkook just went ahead after glancing back at him. And Jin still dazedly stared at him as he went out.
The Jungkook I know was a loner. He can’t be the same. I just saw him yesterday getting BULLIED.
He was so confused and lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even see Yoongi coming behind him.
His friend smacked his head hard.
“Ouch! What the-? Yoongi! What was that for, you bastard-“, Jin yelled while rubbing the painful spot on his head.
“You looked like you were in another dimension so I had to bring you back to Earth”, Yoongi just shrugged, unbothered by Jin’s death glare.
“You asshole, you could have just said something instead of breaking my skull open.”
“Well, if you could survive bumping into that solid muscle wall of Jungkook, you could definitely survive my attacks. Come on loser, we are already getting late. Joon has saved our seats.”
They started walking in the direction of their next class.
Jin glanced at Yoongi, wondering if he should ask what was going in his head or whether it would look completely weird on his part.
He could only restrain himself till their class ended. Unable to control himself any further, he lightly asked both of his friends.
“Yah- Jeon Jungkook has changed so much, right? I mean I couldn’t even recognize him earlier in the corridor”, Jin nervously laughed.
Yoongi and Namjoon both looked at him as if he had grown two horns on his head.
“I think Jungkook bumped his head and not his shoulder”, Yoongi said seriously.
Namjoon as always was confused, “What? He bumped into Jungkook?”
Yoongi smirked, “Yes. Full movie style. He even helped our Jinnie gather his notes too.”
“Woah. You are so lucky Jin.”
Jin frowned, “What am I supposed to feel lucky about? Are you even sure that guy was Jeon Jungkook? Last time I remember he was a lanky kid getting bullied.”
Yoongi and Namjoon glanced at each other in disbelief.
Yoongi shook his head chuckling, “I think he still can’t believe it. Jinnie, I know you just had some sort of physical contact with Jeon but I never knew it would affect you that deeply. You are even creating delusional scenarios now. Don't tell me you have a crush on him?”
“What the hell are you talking about? I don’t have any crush on him. I don’t even like him. I just-“, he stopped himself in between. He would look like a lunatic if he told them the truth.
Something had happened. Something weird.
It’s like he was living in another reality. One in which Jungkook was the total opposite in terms of look and apparently in terms of his social circle too.
He didn’t know how to make Yoongi and Joon believe him.
Namjoon slowly said, “Bro Jungkook has never been scrawny or bullied. Have you even seen those muscles? I think you may have been confusing him with someone else.”
Yoongi scoffed, “There’s only one Jeon Jungkook in our campus. The heart throb of our university and high school. I think Jin is just realizing his feelings after being hit by him.”
Jin punched his shoulder hard, making other yell.
“I. Don’t. Have. Any. Crush. On. That. Guy. How did you even come up with that conclusion from what I have said till now?”
Yoongi and Namjoon just laughed.
“You are such a dork, Jinnie”, Joon fondly said, making Jin even more frustrated with them.
He had to take the matters in his own hands.
He needed to find out what had happened.
Therefore, he started observing Jungkook whenever he saw him. He was surprised to know that he still had the same electives with him.
This Jungkook had an entirely new personality. Jin was mind boggled to know that he was on their basketball team and he was famous.
Like really really popular.
Yoongi’s heart throb comment was an understatement.
Jungkook was a social person too, though Jin had mostly seen him with three other students.
He got to know that they were Taehyung, Jimin and Hoseok.
Jin knew them before too but didn’t care enough to be interested in them.
Jungkook was also buff and muscular. With tattoos.
He really had the perfect hot personality with the hot body.
How could a person change so much in just one day? Jin couldn’t believe it.
Still in denial, he even went around their campus in search of that scrawny guy but he couldn’t find him.
Truth be told, Jin lowkey missed that shy boy.
Although if the new Jeon Jungkook and that bullied one were the same, then maybe it was good for him.
In hopes of finding anything, Jin started observing him more.
The only thing he found similar for both of the Jungkooks was that they both were still arts major and that Jungkook still gave shit presentations despite being clearly more confident than before.
“Stop staring at him so much. Your crush is showing. Even to him”, Yoongi said vaguely.
Jin choked on the burger he was eating while silently watching Jungkook from their corner.
When he was able to talk back, he scowled at Yoongi and said, “I am not staring. Look this is going to sound strange and a little bit weird-“
“-Ahan?”
“-Shut up. I need to tell you something but you cannot judge me before listening to me completely.”
“Okay….”, Yoongi smirked, earning a slap on his arm from Jin.
Namjoon became interested in their conversation too. He had been engrossed in reading an article from his phone.
“What are you both talking about?”, he said, again confused.
“Jin is going to confess about his feelings and then act oblivious”, Yoongi said with a devilish grin.
“NO I AM NOT. STOP MAKING IT ABOUT MY FEELINGS.”
Some of the people sitting near them looked at him after his outburst and Jin felt embarrassed.
He awkwardly smiled at others and then furiously whispered to his friends, “You know what? I am not going to tell you both.”
“Okay okay I am sorry. I won’t say anything now. Tell me”, Yoongi said sincerely.
So Jin told them. Each and everything.
Yoongi and Namjoon were looking at him in amazement.
“That really sounds like a movie plot”, Namjoon said after a prolonged silence.
“Wow Jin, your creativity knows no limits dude.”, Yoongi whistled.
Jin looked like he was about to cry.
“I am telling you the truth. I promise. I was never interested in him. Why would I have feelings for him out of nowhere? I don’t care if he’s some popular dude in the campus who everyone is dying to date or if he’s hot or if he has tattoos. Yoongi, you do know that’s not my type.”
“But that IS your type”, Yoongi said frowning.
“Okay I accept. He is my type but that doesn’t mean I am only making this up just because I have feelings for him. You both would already know if I had any sort of crush on someone.”
Yoongi rubbed his chin in deep contemplation mode.
“Hmm, that is true though. I would have noted it instantly.”
Jin nodded his head vigorously, “Yes that’s what I am saying. I am not lying-“
However, he was interrupted with a cough. The three of them looked behing.
It was Jungkook, smiling bashfully at Jin.
He lightly waved at him.
“Um hey.”
Jin was confused as to why the other was showing up before him, “Uh hi?”
“Seokjin, I just wanted to ask if you are okay. I was in a hurry before so I couldn’t be really sure if I hadn’t hurt you really bad.”
“Huh? Um it’s fine. You don’t need to sweat- I meant you don’t need to be worried about it.”
Jungkook looked as if he wanted to say something, “You must be having lunch with your friends. I am sorry to have interrupted you all.”
“No, you weren’t interrupting”, Yoongi shouted behind Jin.
Jin badly wanted to smack his head again.
He awkwardly laughed, “Yeah he’s right. You don’t have to apologize. Is that all?”
“Uh what? Oh yeah. See you later.. Seokjin.”
With a short wave, he backed away, running his hand through his hair as he went.
“What’s the matter with him?”, Jin mumbled to himself and then turned to the others, “Anyways. As I was saying- What?”
Yoongi and Namjoon were grinning ear to ear.
“Nothing, just the fact that Jungkook knows your name-your government name. He called your name precisely two times. Came back to check on you even though he didn’t have to. Was clearly making an effort to talk to your oblivious ass. ”, Yoongi smugly said while counting the things on his fingers. "In short, Jungkook has a crush on you too. Congratulations on bagging the interest of the most popular guy and hottest piece of ass on the campus".
“Wait, What?”, Jin could only yell incredulously.