Jimin always wanted a younger sister so when he learned Daeun was part of the final lineup for Bangtan, he was delighted to form a friendship with her. They had minimal interactions as trainees since Daeun was always practicing with the other female trainees, which made the start of their friendship all the more special.
The two of them were able to bond over the similar struggles they've faced over the years. Despite how much they've suffered because of their idol career, it brought them closer together because they understand what the other has gone through. Their friendship is special of the unspoken understanding they have for one another. Jimin is a very precious person to Daeun and she's been able to become a better person over the years because of his encouragement. She wouldn't have been able to be the person she is today if she didn't have his unwavering support by her side.
The two of them together brings a headache to the rest of the group; their combined teasing makes them insufferable so the other members avoid them when they're together at all costs. Nobody wants to be a victim of their relentless bullying. Even though they are an extremely annoying pair of people to be around, they are very loved within in the group and are perhaps the most loved members.
ミ ⁕ 🐬 𓈒 ⊹ . TAEHYUNG . ˓𓄹 ✶ ࣪˖
Daeun and Taehyung became close after Taehyung opened up to her about he felt being the only hidden member of the group. He couldn't understand why he was the only person who had to be hidden and felt lonely about not being able to show himself to the public before debuting. He wasn't close with Daeun until the first deep conversation they shared but felt safe enough with her to spill everything. Daeun provided him immense comfort during those days, reassuring him that he would make the final lineup and the group wasn't complete without him. Her kind and caring heart is what put his worries to ease.
Daeun is Taehyung's biggest cheerleader and is always encouraging him to pursue his interests. When he wanted to learn how to play the violin and trumpet, Daeun looked for the top instructors in the country who was willing to teach him. When he shared that he wasn't to explore jazz music while creating his solo album, she told him she would him produce whatever style of songs his art desired. No matter what Taehyung is interested in, she supports him wholeheartedly.
Definitely one of the most loved friendships among not only ARMYs but within the K-pop world as well. Pictures and videos of them are constantly circulating around the internet as proof that guys and girls can be friends without having romantic feelings for one another. Taehyung and Daeun for life!
☆﹒—﹒JUNGKOOK﹒⟢﹒💤
Since Jungkook is the only member who is younger than Daeun, he's become her baby since the day they met. The boba-eyed boy has always had a special place in her heart and receives special treatment from her. Daeun absolutely adores Jungkook and it's evident in the way that she treats him compared to the others. While she's constantly keeping the other members in place, Jungkook gets away with everything and anything once he flashes her his bunny-like grin. Call it unfair treatment but Daeun can't help dote on him extra.
From the start, Daeun has known that Jungkook had a bright future. With his beautiful vocals and amazing dancing skills, she knew he would easily make a name for himself. She's his biggest cheerleader and wholeheartedly supports all of his endeavors. Jungkook too knew that Daeun would make herself a household name and brags about her accomplishments to anybody who has ears. Is it endearing how much they support each other? Absolutely. Do their friends and family wish they would shut up about each other? 100%.
Daeun has the closest bond with Jungkook out of everybody in the group. They got along immediately upon meeting and after Daeun was the one of the only females trainee left BigHit, Jungkook took it upon himself to spend more time with her. Their families are close to one another because of their friendship which only strengthened their bond over the years.
Aera and Jung Kook of BTS surprise fans on Day 1 of the Arirang tour
ARMY was given a huge surprise on Day 1 of BTS Arirang Tour when Jung Kook and Aera performed an unreleased song. The two took the stage and belted out harmonious vocals to the new R&B masterpiece titled 'Still Beautiful' which was written and produced by both members with lyrics written by Aera.
Still Beautiful tells the story of two people who fell in love when they were kids but had to part due to certain circumstances. The melancholy expressed in the first half of the song is pulls at your heartstrings, but in the last half it changes from melancholic to upbeat with themes of reminiscing. You might start with tears but end in a smile.
We hope this song stays on the set list and ends up on Spotify soon!
━─── Damian Kang or Kang Si-Woo (Korean: 강시우; born July 7, 1997), better known professionally as Siwoo, is a South Korean-Japanese American singer, rapper and songwriter. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy band BTS in June 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. Characterized by his airy, cinematic falsetto, distinct dark-pop and alternative R&B production style, and multilingual lyricism, Siwoo transitioned into a highly successful solo career in 2023. His multi-language debut studio album, STARBOY, achieved massive critical acclaim and commercial success globally. Beyond his musical endeavors, he is recognized as a global fashion icon, championing a modern "Dark Hollywood" and neo-noir aesthetic.
In a historic and breathtaking moment for both fashion and K-pop, BTS’s Minji made global headlines as the first-ever K-pop idol to perform at the iconic Victoria’s Secret fashion show, held in New York City in 2023.
The sold-out runway event, which marked Victoria’s Secret’s long-anticipated return to live performances, featured stunning supermodels, extravagant lingerie designs, and a star-studded lineup of performers. But it was Minji, dressed in a custom Victoria’s Secret outfit layered with lace. Minji performed five tracks from her critically acclaimed debut solo album, Pretty Possessive, each accompanied by her own choreography for the respective song.
While BTS has performed on countless prestigious stages, this moment was uniquely Minji’s. Fans praised her for “breaking boundaries between music, fashion, and femininity.” Many Korean and international outlets called it a landmark moment in both K-pop and Western fashion history.
Netizens applauded her professionalism and artistry:
“Minji isn’t just representing K-pop, she’s redefining what it means to be a global artist.”
— Twitter/X user @/minjinator95
“The visuals, vocals, styling, the stage presence… this woman is unreal. A true icon.”
— Instagram fan comment
Top fashion outlets, including Vogue, ELLE, and WWD, have called her appearance “one of the best Victoria’s Secret performances of all time,” comparing it to past appearances by artists like Rihanna, Ariana Grande, and The Weeknd.
With Minji’s album already topping international charts and whispers of VMA buzz, her Victoria’s Secret performance only adds to the momentum of her solo era.
JAEJIN ───── “ trust me. i know this guy. now, open your mouth. ”
although he won’t admit it, jaekyung is a great admirer of his jin hyung. it’s common to see clips of jaekyung smiling fondly as jin goofs around or makes one of his dad jokes.
most of jin’s “hyung will do it” moments are reserved specifically for jaekyung because he knows the maknae tends to try and overcompensate for his imperfections. that’s how jin got jaekyung to open up to him.
there is an inside joke within the group about jaekyung’s name because jin once called him “jake” during an episode of bon voyage when someone was asking him if they were from bts.
they’re basically like two bickering siblings because jaekyung will always say no whenever jin asks him to agree with him on something. if jin were to ask him whether he thinks he looks handsome on a particular day, jaekyung will simply say no without any hesitation and then run away.
for some reason, jaekyung is one of the most popular guests on jin’s ‘eat jin’ lives even though they’re the most chaotic duo under this setting. jin will often ask jaekyung to feed him certain foods and jaekyung will shove big chunks of it into his mouth which has the older spitting the food out and lots of laughter taking place.
but jaekyung will still go out of his way to guide jin during dance practices due to the older’s insecurities around it. jaekyung will take time out of his day to help jin with additional practice during their breaks and always hypes him up during group sessions.
because he’s the tallest member in the group, jin tends to gravitate towards jaekyung whenever he feels tired and likes to rest his head on the maknae’s shoulder.
JAEGI ───── “ everyday, all he does is terrorise me. go play some games or something. ”
yoongi can be a terrible influence in front of the younger members sometimes, and an example of that is with jaekyung who loves to parrot and encourage yoongi like that one time when he was talking about how exams aren’t important and jaekyung cheered him on.
jaekyung loves showering yoongi with affection the most. he will randomly hug and snuggle into the older because he likes how yoongi complains about it but becomes clearly flustered and melts into the maknae’s touch at the same time.
jaekyung also likes to call yoongi bangtan’s designated ‘grandpa’ and disses him when he’s being lazy or difficult. it leaves the older with the most meme worthy reactions and gets the other members laughing especially since they all know yoongi can never be mad at jaekyung.
yoongi is like a true older brother to jaekyung. he is often seen fixing the younger’s appearance whenever something is out of place such as his hair, his collar or even tucking his shirt in for him because jaekyung has a habit of keeping it untucked.
jaekyung likes to help yoongi keep up with the younger generation by teaching him slang, although sometimes he’ll play pranks and teach him made up words or slang terms with incorrect meanings.
in all honesty though, jaekyung is very keen on wanting to impress yoongi. he looks to the older for guidance and wants yoongi to notice him and compliment him on his achievements. something about a “you did well, kid.” coming from yoongi’s mouth has the power to make his entire day.
yoongi never hesitates to take jaekyung’s side when he’s whining or complaining about something because it makes the younger feel better. he does it a lot with the members, telling them “you should know better, you’re older. don’t tease my maknae.”
JAEHOPE ───── “ i don’t know why i laugh when i look at him. i guess he just has a funny face. ”
when it comes to airport fashion, it’s as if they purposely coordinate their outfits so that hoseok is wearing colourful clothes standing next to jaekyung dressed from head to toe in all black. their airport pictures are a meme within the fandom.
in terms of work, they can either be the most perfect pairing or the most chaotic one because they have so many inside jokes that they can’t help but burst into laughter by simply making eye contact sometimes, but this also means that they understand each other really well without having to communicate verbally.
jaekyung is someone who doesn’t scare very easily so they tend to make an adorable pairing when it comes to scary run bts challenges. when hoseok is afraid of something, he’ll immediately go hide behind jaekyung for protection who is ready to defend him with his life.
during time off of work, jaekyung still tends to enjoy the outdoors more than staying at home so whenever he finds a really cool place like a club or a hiking spot, he’ll facetime hoseok either at that very moment or later at night and tell him all about it. they hang out a lot outside of work and hoseok calls him a lucky charm for finding all of these niche places to visit.
they’re also probably one of the biggest teasing duos in the group, what with them knowing how to match each other’s energy on stage during performances. it’s like watching a predator trying to lure in a difficult prey with a lot of push and pull going on that has army going wild. every time they seem as if they’re about to touch, one will pull away just seconds before and it drives everyone insane.
a lot of hoseok’s persistence to keep going and work hard came from jaekyung during their early days because the maknae was a huge fan of hoseok’s dancing upon first watching him perform. he would ask hoseok for advice, cheer for him and call him cool when nobody else would. jaekyung was always able to cheer hoseok up, telling him the world will soon see just what they’ve been missing all along.
according to fans, they can be a blinding force when they’re together in public. they exude a classy and suave aura that even have locals certain they’re very important people without knowing much else about them or being aware that they’re two members of the biggest boy group in the world.
JOONJAE ───── “ hyung , aren’t you turning 30 next year ? it might be better to tone down the crazy. ”
in terms of keeping the peace within the group, namjoon is considered the best member to keep around jaekyung when he’s being bratty. jaekyung hates upsetting namjoon because he’s the leader of the group and the maknae looks up to him so if namjoon is around, jaekyung is immediately on his best behaviour.
namjoon loves to gloat about bangtan’s youngest. he thinks jaekyung has always been very talented for his age, having joined so young, and will bring this up in interviews all the time. he will make sure to compliment jaekyung so the male knows he’s valued but also because he finds it absolutely adorable when jaekyung tries to deny the compliments as his face turns an increasingly darker shade of red.
namjoon also loves jaekyung’s company. they often go on little outings together from picnics to hiking or visiting various museums and riding bicycles. they even go to the gym together ever since namjoon decided he wanted to start working out more. jaekyung spots for him and hypes his gains especially on social media.
jaekyung is the “god of destruction”’s saving grace. it’s a well known fact that namjoon tends to destroy almost everything he comes into contact with, but jaekyung is the one member who stays behind and fixes all of namjoon’s mishaps. if he breaks a toy, he’ll call for jaekyung sheepishly who will fix it for him with ease.
to jaekyung, namjoon is his ‘namie hyung’ which is a nickname he’s used since he first joined the company as a trainee. he uses it when he’s excited to show namjoon something and it endears the older a lot when he hears it. he knows exactly who’s calling for him when the name is used, but it’s also an indication of when jaekyung is upset with him or upset in general because then he will just call namjoon ‘hyung’.
jaekyung is known as the member most likely to crash another member’s live, specifically namjoon’s. and where others would find it a little irritating or annoying, namjoon adores the group’s maknae because he’s a curious soul who just wants to learn from their leader. he will sit with namjoon in his studio during lives and can listen to him talk for hours.
namjoon can never truly scold jaekyung unlike he does the other members. ever since he first joined the group as a kid, namjoon has always explained things to jaekyung in a gentle manner and he’s never really lost that habit to this day.
MINIKYUNI ───── “ jimin hyung ? ah , he’s the little guy i always have to bend down to speak to. ”
during jimin’s extreme diet days, jaekyung was the one to help him out of his unhealthy eating habits after jimin overheard the maknae cry about it to namjoon because he was so worried. he would share his own food with jimin in hopes that his hyung wouldn’t reject his cute manner of pleading. jimin developed a likeness to having meals with jaekyung ever since because he would never judge jimin for how much he ate.
jimin and jaekyung’s families are the closest with each other in terms of friendships because jimin and jaekyung talk about each other all the time to their parents/grandparents. they’ve had joint dinners together many times and also call each other’s parents “mom” and “dad”.
jimin tends to give jaekyung special treatment because he’s the youngest. he’ll spend the most time with jaekyung outside of practice and work, even going on many trips and vacations together and doting on him. jimin loves to spoil his maknae, finding it cute to tease him one second and fuss over the little things such as him not layering up enough when it’s cold.
they’re probably most known for their viral dance covers online. sometimes they’ll go live together in the practice room and take requests from fans, and other times they’ll have created their very own choreography to a song that is uploaded to their social media platforms with millions of views within minutes.
both of them have each other’s songs tattooed on their body, ones with lyrics that really spoke to them. jimin has a lonely tattoo on his thigh and jaekyung has a serendipity tattoo on his ankle.
jaekyung is very protective and possessive of jimin. you won’t ever not see him standing beside jimin during interviews or hovering behind him when a stranger approaches to talk to him during award shows. he pretends to be fiddling with jimin’s sleeve but is quick to pull him behind him if there is any hint of a threat.
jimin is the only member that can have jaekyung blushing and forgetting his words within seconds. he loves the effect he has on jaekyung and it’s obvious to everyone in the way jaekyung avoids eye contact when he’s usually so confident around others. jimin enjoys making the maknae a flustered mess and will purposely up the antics by acting more clingy and touchy as well.
JAEV ───── “ how can he see through those bangs ? he must think he’s so edgy , this hyung. ”
they’re the most chaotic when it comes to filming content because jaekyung can be very competitive during things like run bts challenges, whilst taehyung cares more about annoying him. they’ll get into childish little arguments and jaekyung will literally carry taehyung away from him so he doesn’t get distracted.
taehyung is extremely clingy with jaekyung so be prepared to see him in the maknae’s arms at least once throughout interviews, concerts, award shows or variety shows. he’ll be hugging jaekyung from behind and smushing his face into the younger’s back or even standing up on his tiptoes to chomp on his shoulder.
whereas jaekyung tends to invade the other members’ lives, it’s taehyung that invades his. it’s almost within seconds of him going live that there will be comments flooding in from taehyung, trying to steal all of his attention and asking him why he didn’t invite the older to join. then he will simply invade the live without a need for an invitation. it’s rare for jaekyung to have a solo live because of him.
even though they bicker like an old married couple often, they’re still super close. they used to band together to wreak havoc on the other members as young teens, playing silly pranks that would have them punished or in timeout. they will also take each other’s side with zero hesitation when encountering threats.
they pretend to dislike each other when they’re together but will throw out the most genuine compliments and praise when asked about each other in separate circumstances. there was a time where jaekyung saw a comment saying “isn’t taehyung so handsome?” during a live and he went on a cute little rant about how handsome he thinks taehyung is.
taehyung tends to worry the most whenever jaekyung gets hurt. he spends all of his free time by the maknae’s side if he’s injured and will spare no effort to make him smile on stage if he can’t perform properly. he will throw a fuss if jaekyung sustains any sort of injury and he isn’t informed immediately.
taehyung loves it when jaekyung does aegyo. he will use every possible opportunity to have jaekyung do aegyo for him such as when the maknae asks him to share his snacks or to pass a pillow when they’re sitting on the couch together. taehyung believes jaekyung is the king of aegyo.
JAEKOOK ───── “ jeonggukie hyung , i think we did well. let’s go to the very end together. ”
even though he’s only one year older than jaekyung, jeongguk loves to baby the group’s maknae and will do anything for him. if jaekyung gets an answer wrong in run bts, jeongguk will be the first to speak up and say he thinks jaekyung’s answer is better or that he’s got a very unique way of thinking and will praise him for trying.
there was once a time in the dorms when jaekyung had lost the plushie he would use to sleep with, and jeongguk knowing that jaekyung couldn’t fall asleep without cuddling something (and also sharing a room with him), decided to snuggle up next to him so that jaekyung could fall asleep peacefully.
sometimes it can be a little hectic during filming when a group of eight are discussing things, leading to certain people not getting a word in. jaekyung will get sulky if he’s ignored or if someone cuts him off when he’s speaking and jeongguk almost always notices this, saying things like “hyung is listening, kyung-ah” or “yah, don’t cut him off” to the other members.
jeongguk also seems to love to overhype jaekyung over the littlest things. he could say something as simple as “the sky is blue” and it will have jeongguk staring at him in awe and clapping, calling him a genius and telling him how talented and amazing he is.
when it comes to cooking, jaekyung likes it when jeongguk cooks for him but they have to make a compromise which is that jaekyung will need to buy the ingredients if jeongguk is the one cooking. whenever he goes grocery shopping for the ingredients, he’ll later ask jeongguk if he did well with buying the right stuff and ask for praise and head pats.
jaekyung always speaks in a more cute, childish manner which is something jeongguk picked up from him over the years. when they’re apart, jeongguk will sometimes slip into that same manner of speech, mimicking him before saying he misses jaekyung.
whenever he was upset over something, jaekyung found the most comfort in jeongguk, especially during hard times because the older was a big empath. if he saw jaekyung cry, jeongguk wouldn’t be able to help his own set of tears from falling and would cry with him because jaekyung’s pain is his own and vice versa. these two are each other’s biggest backbones.
***volcanic, still is a work of literary fiction dealing with the entertainment industry, specifically K-pop's, treatment of its artists. The characters and events are fictional. the conditions that make those events possible are not. it contains depictions of grooming, sexual abuse , institutional complicity, suicide, trauma and its aftermath, disordered eating, and alcohol use. these themes are handled with care but they are not handled lightly. please read accordingly.
this story was written, in part, to heal. if it finds you at a moment when you need the same thing, i hope it helps.
hyeki's story is not a comfortable one. it is not meant to be.
if you need to step away at any point, please do. ***
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
The water around Jeju is clearest before the fishermen go out. Before the haenyeo surface with their catch, before the tourist boats leave the harbor, before the island remembers it has obligations to the living. In that hour the ocean holds so still it looks like something is holding its breath.
Hyeki used to think it was waiting for her.
She knows now it was never waiting for anything.
It was just water.
It had no idea what was coming.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
I. The Color of Being Held
The bunny has one eye.
It has had one eye since Yuna was four years old and pulled the other one off during a fever, some delirious act of toddler surgery she doesn't remember performing, but that her mother had told the story so many times it had became it's own mythology. " You just pulled it right off", her mother had said. "Like it offended you."
The remaining eye is black and slightly loose, secured by a single thread that has been re-stitched so many times the fabric around it is puckered and soft. The bunny's fur is the color of something that was once white and has become, over fifteen years of being held, the color of being held. Flattened in some places. Matted in others. The left ear bent at an angle that no amount of straightening has ever corrected.
She has had it her entire life.
She used to hide it. At twelve, at thirteen, the embarrassment of a comfort object in a building full of girls trying to seem older than they were, trying to seem ready for things they were not ready for. She stopped hiding it when she turned fourteen and understood that there were worse things than being seen with a stuffed animal. That the things worth being ashamed of were not the things she had been taught to be ashamed of.
She picks it up from the bed. Holds it for a moment.
It smells like the dorm. Like the combination of seven girls in close quarters — competing perfumes and someone's shampoo and stale air that circulates through a building that does not open its windows enough. It smells like the last three years of her life. Like everything she came here wanting and everything she found instead and the specific education of understanding that those two things are not the same and may never have been.
She had told Hyeki once — the new girl, the youngest one, thirteen years old with eyes that took up half her face and hair that curled and an accent that mixed Jeju dialect with something American and warm — she had told her that she wanted to give the bunny to her daughter someday. They had been on the practice room floor, late, the way the real conversations always happened late on floors. Hyeki had looked at her with those eyes and said, "She'll love it". Not , that's sweet . Not you'll be a wonderful mother. Just the fact of it. Certain and specific and given without decoration.
Yuna had known then. Not consciously. But somewhere underneath the conscious, in the place where the real knowing lives.
She had known.
She crosses the room to Hyeki's bed.
She is so young.
This is the thought that arrives when Yuna looks at her sleeping. Not for the first time — she has had this thought before, has had it every time she watches this girl navigate something that would have flattened someone with twice her years and twice her armor. Thirteen years old and already she has learned to sleep facing the door. Already she has learned to read rooms before entering them, to calibrate what she shows against what she holds, to make herself useful so that no one looks too closely at what she costs.
Yuna had recognized instantly the unfortunate inevitability of a girl who has decided that being extraordinary is safer than being ordinary, that talent is armor, that if you are exceptional enough no one will notice what you are protecting underneath the exception.
She had recognized her because she had been her. Before she understood what the recognition was for. What it cost.
She tucks the bunny beside Hyeki's face. Carefully. The bent ear visible against the pillow, the single black eye catching the thin light from under the door. Close enough to find. Close enough that it will be the first thing she sees.
The note is folded small inside, tucked through the seam she opened along the back and re-stitched last night with the small sewing kit she's kept in her drawer since her mother pressed it into her hands the day she left home. "For buttons", her mother had said. Practical. Her mother is always practical. It is the thing Yuna loves most about her and the thing that has made certain conversations impossible. She could not have told her mother. This is not a criticism. It is just true.
She watches Hyeki breathe for a moment.
미안해, she thinks. I'm sorry.
Not for this. Never for this. For leaving her here. For the things she knows that Hyeki doesn't know yet, the architecture of what this place is and what it does and what it has already done. For the fact that she came into this building and found this girl and loved her immediately but was not able to love her into safety, which is not how love works but is what she wanted anyway.
She stands up straight.
The hallway is quiet.
She moves through it the way she has moved through it for three years, the geography memorized past the level of thought — the loose floorboard outside the bathroom, the light that flickers outside room four, the distance between doors measured in footsteps she no longer counts consciously. She knows this hallway in the dark. She has walked it at every hour.
Jiwon.
She stops outside her door.
Jiwon is not in there. Jiwon went out last night. Yuna knows this, had heard her leaving, had lain in bed and listened to the sound of her going and thought: good. Be somewhere else tonight. Be far from here wear something pretty and be 21 and not a robot. Because Jiwon, who came from a different company and carries the knowledge of a girl who has already been through the machinery once and survived it, watches over all the girls hoping to be wrong about what she sees. She does not want Jiwon to be in there tonight.
The door is silent. She puts her hand flat against it for a moment. The wood cool under her palm.
잘 있어, she thinks. Take care of yourself. And then, because Jiwon would say that was insufficient — take care of her too. You're already doing it. Keep doing it.
She takes her hand away.
Sooah's door. Miyeon's. Chaerin's. Each one she passes, each one she carries with her — each face she knows so completely she can hear it without it speaking. They came here wanting the same thing. They were told they were exceptional. They were told the exceptional were chosen. They are still here, still trying to understand what the choosing cost.
안녕. 안녕. 안녕.
She really hopes Hyeki finds the door. She doesn't know yet that she will, that she already has one foot outside it. She won't know a lot of things.
The kitchen is empty.
The danishes are on the counter under a cloth. She lifts it and the smell reaches her first — butter and cream cheese and the warmth of something made from scratch at midnight by a girl who learned cooking as love before she learned it as a skill. Yuna stands in the kitchen at 5:30 in the morning and lets the smell be what it is.
She takes one.
She eats it standing at the counter in the yellow honesty of the kitchen light and she lets herself be someone who is hungry, who wants something, who takes it. She lets herself have the full taste of it — the cream cheese filling exactly right, the pastry giving exactly as it should, the thing she asked for made exactly as she asked for it because that is how Hyeki says the things she doesn't say. That is how she loves, with her hands, with precision, with the care of someone who has learned that showing up is the vocabulary and everything else is just punctuation.
She thinks about her mother's kitchen. Morning light through the window above the sink. Her father's voice — low, unhurried, the warmth of a man who does not perform happiness but simply has it. She had called them last week. Not to say anything specific. Just to hear them. Her father had asked if she was eating enough, which is what he always asks, which is the answer she always says yes to. The fact that he asks.
That it is the first thing.
She sets down the last of the danish. Looks at her hands.
She thinks about him. The boy in the building next door, the one with the deep voice who moved through the world with his capacity for beauty fully intact — who looked at things and genuinely found them beautiful, not as performance but as response, who had looked at her the same way. She had not let herself have it fully. Had kept them at the distance of something she understood she could not afford in this building, under this management, inside this contract, in this life. She wishes she had let herself have it fully. She hopes he finds someone whose life is not this. Someone he can look at without the complications of what looking costs inside the machinery. He is someone happiness tends to find — the way water finds low ground, not because his life has been easy but because something in him insists on it. She believes this. She holds it like something warm.
She loved him. She can say that now, at 5:30 in the morning in an empty kitchen. She loved him. It was real. It was one of the real things.
She had tried to write him a note. Three times. Could not find the language that was true and also fair to what they were and weren't. In the end she decided he would understand without it. He is someone who understands things he hasn't been told. It is one of the things she loved about him.
Outside, Seoul is the specific grey of early morning. Not dark, not light. The color of a city that has not yet decided. One bird, doing the work of being the first.
She walks.
She is fifteen years old.
She has been fifteen for four months, and before that fourteen, and before that thirteen, and she has been in this building since she was twelve — which means she came here when she was a child and has been a child inside it the entire time, and nobody, not even herself until recently, has fully reckoned with that. The exceptional girl. The chosen one. She had arrived at twelve with a voice and a face and a willingness to work that the industry read as readiness.
She had not been ready. She pretended to know the world but her body was not ready. She does not think anyone told her she had the option.
The building is not far. Her feet know the route without her. She is thinking about the kitchen. About Hyeki's face the night before when she'd requested the danishes — that particular lighting of her, quiet and warm, the way she received being asked for something like it was a gift. She is thinking about the bunny beside her face. About the note — 사랑해, she'd written at the top, because she could not start it any other way.
About the boy with the deep voice, who will come home tonight and find the hallway wrong in a way he can't account for. Who will understand without being told, because that is how he is. Who will carry it the way he carries everything beautiful and difficult — fully, quietly, without putting it down.
I'm sorry, Yuna thinks — in English this time. The language of Hyeki's mother's side, the language that arrived secondhand through music and films and Hyeki's clumsy translations of her own feelings, making it the only language that felt wide enough for this.
I'm sorry.
Not to the daughter she imagined. Not to the boy.
To the girl with bare feet. The girl she told him to watch over, because she could see, even that early, the specific shape of what this building was building toward, and who it was building toward it with. The way Eunwoo said her name. The fact that Hyeki was thirteen and exceptional and newly arrived and already sleeping facing the door — she was going to need someone watching when Yuna could no longer watch.
She had given the bunny. She had written the note. She had told the boy.
It is not enough. She knows it is not enough. But it is what she has, and she has given all of it, and the rest she has to trust to the girl herself — to those eyes that see everything, to the stubbornness of someone who came from volcanic ground and has not yet fully understood what that means.
잘 살아. Live well.
The light is gathering. The city is deciding.
She feels her before she hears her. Before the footstep, before the breath, before the sound of bare feet on cold pavement.
Hyeki.
She was never supposed to be here.
Yuna turns.
And Hyeki is there — three paces from the egress door. Thirteen years old, bare feet on cold pavement, the oversized sweatshirt she sleeps in, her hair loose, those eyes wide and completely awake and already, even now, already seeing. Already knowing. The way she always knows before she has been told, the way the knowing lives in her body before it reaches her mind.
Her mouth is forming a word. A name. A sound that is trying to be language and hasn't made it yet.
Yuna looks at her.
This girl. This thirteen-year-old girl with bare feet on cold pavement who followed her out of a building in the dark because something in her sleep-body understood that something was wrong and got up anyway. Who made danishes at midnight and covered them carefully with a cloth. Who sleeps facing the door. Who will carry this — all of this, everything Yuna is about to leave her — and will be crushed by it and will not be crushed by it and will find, in some city years from now, some kitchen, some ordinary morning, and will understand what it means to be made from ground that survived its own fire.
She is going to be okay.
Not now. Not for a long time.
But eventually.
미안해, Yuna says. Out loud. Her voice steadier than she expected — the steadiness of something that has already been decided. I'm sorry.
Hyeki takes a step forward.
And Yuna, who is fifteen years old and has been in this machine since she was twelve and came here wanting something real and found it — found it in the kitchen and on the practice room floor and in the warmth of girls who chose each other before the industry could teach them to compete — Yuna looks at this girl one last time.
“they are my everything. the last ten years of my life have been filled solely with them and there is no one else I would’ve wanted to spend that time with.”
🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎
Careful! I'm currently changing some things here, because during my continues writing process, things have changed slightly. Don't worry, no big changes will be made.
#JOONJI – Gwan Eunji & Kim Namjoon
“Namjoon is the Tom to my Jerry. It is so much fun to tease him! I don’t understand why the Maknaes don’t do it more often. I am pretty sure he was close to kicking me out of the group a couple times already though. That might be the reason.”
contact name: Tom to my Jerry 🐈⬛
Namjoon and Eunji are the typical Tom and Jerry Duo. With Namjoon and Eunji being two of the OG Members that had stayed through the multiple line-up changes pre-debut, they had gotten used to one another even before debut. They had met in early 2010 after Namjoon got signed under BigHit Entertainment. Eunji was introduced to Namjoon as the first official trainee when he was just 16 years old, and she was still working as a producer for BigHit. She didn’t hesitate to spend time with him in her studio, producing and recording for fun. You could say, she kind of took him under her wing. He was the one that pushed her to agree to become a trainee and over the years, the two became almost inseparable. Their time together was always filled with playful banter and care. It took Namjoon a while to get used to Eunji. Her teasing and flirty yet responsible attitude confused the shit out of him. But when he did get used to her, he learned to be thankful for her presence. Eunji is somewhat a comedic relief to Namjoon. Whenever she teases him, he will act all annoyed and complain but secretly he enjoys it. It made the years that followed their debut less difficult. Her flirting helps his confidence and reassures him that he is worthy because in the end, it’s just compliments hidden in flirty pick-up lines.
But there is also the responsible and calming part of Eunji, that never fails to ground Namjoon. Even before debut, she managed to read him like an open book. She would know of his struggles, sometimes even before himself. Even more surprisingly, she knew how to help him when he had no clue. The responsibility of being the leader got too heavy? She takes on some of his duties. Managing the group part time. Assisting him in holding the weight. His thoughts spiral into overthinking everything he does? She sits him down with some tea and watches Friends with him. Teasing or reassuring him and making him laugh. He spends hours in the studio without breaks and works himself into the ground? She knocks and sits down next to him. She assists him with his work till she decides it’s enough, stopping him from overworking himself.
But don’t worry, he is just as important to her. His leadership has always been cherished deeply by Eunji. The way he knows what the group needs, sometimes without the group having to say anything, is fascinating to her. His communication skills never fail to impress her. Whether it is public speaking or managing conflict inside the group, he always knows what to say. “You’re like Captain America. You know? Because of the motivational speeches and stuff.”-Eunji 2019. On a more personal note, that also means he knows exactly what she needs. Positive Affirmation. His love language towards his members has always been Words of Affirmation and Eunji loves it. He compliments her looks before every public appearance. When monitoring a performance, he makes sure she knows how well she did. During music video shoots or photoshoots, he always watches her and lets her know that she is doing well.
They have known each other for 13 years now (2023). Eunji has said before that nothing has every really changed between them. She still teases him endlessly and loves flirting with him. And despite him gaining confidence and teasing back occasionally or even flirting with her too, he still gets annoyed or shy. This duo is often described as the old married couple of BTS. They are probably one of Eunji’s biggest ships and one of the most popular in the entire group. And after seeing their interactions it is easy to tell why.
special moment: (TW: small fire, small cut, spiraling thoughts)
Joonji is famous for a friendship full of duality. One second they’re bickering the next their flirting and then suddenly it’s time for a deep talk at 3 a.m. Therefore, they have very different moments and I assure you that Armys have done a fantastic job putting all of them into ship videos, but that is a different topic.
Kpop Interviews are crazy. Memes are born within seconds, grown up men and women play games that no one understands and exposing each other is on everyone’s To-Do-List. And right now, BTS is playing one of these ‘games that no one understands’. You have to spin in circles for 10 seconds and then you have to walk straight and do something. Eunji gets up and cracks her knuckles. “You will fail,” Namjoon throws in randomly and Eunji, who has gotten into position already, stands back up and glares at him in disbelief. “Honey, I thought at least you would have some hope in me,” she teases, and he rolls his eyes. She gets into position again, ready to spin. “If you pass out, I’m not going to catch you,” Namjoon mumbles once again, causing some of the boys to chuckle. Eunji scoffs. “Of course, you will,” she disagrees and begins to spin. It only takes the girl 6 seconds of spinning to fall sideways and as she had predicted Namjoon did catch her, groaning in the process. While the group is laughing hysterically she chuckles and pinches his cheek. “I don’t think I even have to say I told you so…but I told you so,” she teases and this time it is him who scoffs.
“I would call you an imbecile but that’d be cruel as you wouldn’t be able to spell it.” Namjoon sighs to himself, flipping the page of his book while sitting on the dorm couch. Eunji turns to him with a gasp and grabs her chest, right over her heart. “Oh god, you’ve insulted me! What ever shall I do? I’ll be scarred for the rest of my life!” She teases dramatically and pretends to faint against him. He groans at the sudden weight and grasps his book tighter. He rolls his eyes at her behavior. “You’ve had worse. You’ll live,” he mumbles under his breath, and she chuckles. Grabbing a pen, she scribbles something onto a paper and pushes it towards him. Upon seeing it he raises a brow and turns to her. “So, you DO know how to spell imbecile. I have to say, that amazes me. Good job,” he teases. She quickly slaps his arm and whispers in a hushed voice: “Don’t say that, people might think we are friends.” She looks around, pretending to be secret. I think you could tell already but Jimin and Jin were on the ground, dying from laughter the entire exchange.
The group is relaxing in the living room. Some are playing video games; others are reading and Eunji has just left to charge her phone. Suddenly, all lights go out and the TV goes black. “Huh?!” “What happened?” “Is this a power outage?” “NO! My score!” The boys erupt in yells. Seconds later Eunji bursts into the living room. “WE have a problem!” she announces. Namjoon sighs and sits up. “Let me guess, you caused it?” She huffs in response and then quickly collects herself. “Where is the fire extinguisher?” Now, that gets everyone’s attention. “WHAT?!” Turns out, Eunji’s charging cable was damaged and when she plugged it into the power outlet, it caused a short circuit which resulted in a power outage and a small fire. After successfully extinguishing the fire and getting the power working again, the boys help Eunji clean up the mess. Namjoon sighs. “You never cease to amaze me,” he mumbles and Eunji chuckles embarrassed from across the room.
The sound of something falling and a painful groan make Eunji look up from her painting. “What was that?” she screams into the dorm. “Nothing! Don’t worry about it!” Namjoon screams back. But before he even managed to finish his sentence, she is on her feet and rushing into the hallway. Upon reaching the hallway she stops at the sight in front of her. Namjoon had tried to put a painting of hers onto the wall but instead he had dropped it and was now clutching his hand. “If being clumsy was a currency, you’d be a bloody millionaire,” she complains and gently grips his hand. It seems like he had cut himself when the painting dropped. Pushing him down on couch, she searches for the first aid-kit she had bought for this purpose and this purpose only. While carefully bandaging his cut she chuckles. “You seriously need to be careful. As cute as it is, seeing you all lost and puppy eyed, I prefer you uninjured,” she mumbles with a teasing tone. He raises a brow. “You think I’m cute?” She scoffs. “Want me to whisper it into your ear? Dumbass.”
Namjoon’s head is resting on his hands, eyes focused on the computer screen that displays his newest song. His solo album is only going slowly so far, and his original enthusiasm has faded into frustration. Could he not even manage to produce something for himself? How could he make music for the group then? Pathetic. He feels useless. With an irritated huff he rips his headphones off and throws them onto his desk. Once again, his head falls into his hands. Fingers gripping his hair and pulling at it in a frustrated manner. Why can’t he do anything right? How did he even end up being a leader of a group? A group like BTS? Could he still lead the group? With his lack of management? A ridiculous thought. How can he manage others when he barely manages himself? Just in time, a soft knock rips him out of his spiraling thoughts. He quickly sits up and fixes his hair. “Come in!” he calls for the person knocking. When the door opens it reveals Eunji, a plastic bag in her hand and a gentle smile on her face. “Hey big guy. I thought I’d check how you were doing,” she greets him and closes the door quietly. Somehow, he feels relief wash over him. His Noona’s calmness immediately radiates onto him, and he can’t suppress the deep breath he releases when she sits down next to him. She calmly looks around, quietly taking note of the empty cups and scrabbled papers, before turning to him. “How are you getting along? Made some progress?” she asks and sets the bag onto the desk. He tenses and releases a shaky breath. Eunji notices. Of course, she does. When he doesn’t answer, she already knows he has been stuck. “Let’s eat. I brought your favorite.”
nicknames Army gave them: Parents, Old Married Couple, Tom & Jerry
love language: She is…
giving: quality time/acts of service
receiving: quality time/words of affirmation
joonji ‘thing’: museum visits & going on hikes
🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡
#JINJI – Gwan Eunji & Kim Seokjin
“Jin is my best friend. We clicked fast, despite our weird first encounter and opposite personalities. I can be myself around him and he never fails to make me laugh. A lot of my confidence comes from what he taught me, so props to him.”
contact name: Worldwide Nuisance 👑
Jin and Eunji seem like they have nothing in common. Jin being his loud self, screaming and laughing like his life depends on it, meanwhile Eunji is soft-spoken and prefers painting with lo-fi music over a game night any time. Yet you would be fooled, because these two fit each other like Ying and Yang. They first met back in July 2011 and, as cliché as it sounds, clicked immediately. But that doesn’t mean their first meeting wasn’t odd – oh no, no – it was a very weird experience. She had been peacefully playing the guitar in one of the practice rooms when Jin burst into the room. He had said nothing, simply staring at her before sitting down next to her and urging her to play more. At first she was hesitant and skeptical but eventually they began to sing together while she played the guitar. It was weird – yes – but it was also somehow precious. From that moment on, Jin always waited for her in front of the building to walk to the practice room with her. They began to text daily and go on friendship dates together. When Jin eventually moved into the dorm, they started doing things like cooking together, doing each other’s skincare or simply watching stupid movies together just to make fun of them.
She also became his professional support and vocal teacher. Eunji was and is incredibly skilled in the field of music, but she had also been gifted the skill of teaching. Before even training at BigHit, she had practiced and done her own research on producing, songwriting and vocal training. With this in mind, she was his number one place to go when he was insecure in his voice. She would listen, let him rant and give constructive feedback. They would do vocal exercises together and actually have fun doing them. More often than not they would end up sitting on the couch, Eunji playing the guitar and Jin singing to it. And although Jin barely says it out loud, he is grateful for her support.
As the oldest of BTS and, at least in the beginning, the most unexperienced in the group, he struggled a lot. Especially hard were the first few years after debut. BTS didn’t have the best time in the industry and throughout their years in the business had almost disbanded, twice. Every member had a struggle of their own. Eunji, being the second oldest, recognized this and she took special care of her boys. Especially Jin was someone who she always made sure was doing alright, because he was the oldest after all and he showed his frustration about improving his vocals many times. Being the same age, it had always been easier for the two to openly talk about their feelings with each other.
Despite or maybe because of their deep bond, these two never fail to make each other and the group laugh. In front of the camera, Jinji are mostly in happy moods when together. They are cracking jokes, mostly Jin actually but hush, and laughing freely together. Jin can never hide his happiness when he makes Eunji laugh, and he will rub it under everyone’s noses that he did that. Yeah, he is proud of it, alright. Because in the end of the day, she helps him more than he could ever thank her for. Making her laugh is his repayment on most days. Or going on stupid wholesome friendship dates together. Going to different restaurants and posting about it on social media with goofy selcas. Doing a Vlog in which they go shopping and make a silly fashion show out of it. Spending late nights in Eunji’s room, gossiping about people they don’t like and the newest tea. Visiting clubs together, only to go live after and have a bit of a tipsy livestream. ‘Jinji being drunk on livestream’ videos incoming.
In summary, Jin and Eunji are the definition of best friends.
special moment: (TW: mentions of alcohol & drinking)
Jin and Eunji are icons when they are separated but once you put them together they reach a new type of iconic. They never cared for the company rules, at least not when they thought they were stupid.
One night they went partying. Eunji and Jin go out together a lot to dance and drink a bit. So, that is what they did. That day Jin had asked Eunji to come with him and she did. After coming home, slightly tipsy, they had the glorious idea to start a livestream. And this livestream would go down in history.
“Heyy Army! How are you?” Eunji greets and giggles right after. They begin to talk and chat. Mostly Eunji and Jin having highly interesting conversations in a tipsy manner. Eventually they start to drink wine as well. “Guys, this – this isn’t wine. It’s grape juice,” Jin tries to convince but fails. Eunji laughs out. “Oh no, this is definitely wine.”
“Why did you drink?” Eunji reads out a comment while Jin is rummaging through some bags. “Oh, we just felt like it. Jin had asked me to come and so I did.” She turns towards Jin with a annoyed sigh at the rustling. “What are you doing?” It stays quiet for a while before Jin answers: “We have a problem.”
Eunji heaves a deep sigh. “Gimme a sec, I am not drunk enough to listen to this yet,” she mumbles, grabs the open wine bottle, and chucks a few big gulps. Turning back towards Jin she nods. “Okay, what’s the problem?” He looks at her and then at the camera. “We have another bottle of wine.” She chuckles. “You call it a problem. I call it a solution!”
“Are you fully drunk?” Jin reads out a comment and giggles. “I might’ve had a few shots,” he states and giggles even more. Meanwhile Eunji turns away from him and rummages through a paper bag. “I think I need food.”
As time passes and the second bottle of wine empties, they get a bit more incoherent. Jin drops his head on Eunji’s shoulder and mumbles something. Eunji, half-closed eyes from tiredness, looks down to him. “You are drunk,” she states the obvious. Jin looks up at her and tilts his head. “Yer beautiful.” This makes Eunji burst into a laugh. “Damn, you’re really drunk.”
“Why did you convince me to go there? The music was horrible!” Eunji talks about the party from earlier. Jin mumbles something before it goes silent. After a longer pause Jin whines and turns to her. “Oh, come on. I couldn’t go there alone!” he states in a whiny voice and Eunji giggles. “You’re right! Always need your big strong sister around!” she jokes and flexes arms. Jin slaps her arm and giggles. “Of course!”
Eventually the mood quiets down and the two end up laying on the bed. Jin is curled up against Eunji and the phone has been set up on the bed. “Sing me a song, please?” Jin asks. Eunji stays quiet for a while before humming to Spring Day. She whisper-sings the lyrics and eventually Jin falls asleep. “Okay Army, I’ll turn this off now. Thanks for watching!” she says her goodbye and turns the livestream off. But this livestream will remain in history. Jinji drunk on Vlive. A wild ride for sure.
nicknames Army gave them: Besties, Parents
love language: She is…
giving: acts of service/words of affirmation
receiving: acts of service/quality time
jinji ‘thing’: taking goofy selcas & friendship dates
🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎
#YOOJI – Gwan Eunji & Min Yoongi
“Yoongi. Ah, yeah, my grumpy cat. Yoongi holds a special place in my heart. It took a while for us to get close, but I loved the process of learning about the mysterious producer everyone was talking about.” “Ah, shut up.” “Okay, okay. But for real, I’m sure I will never stop learning new things about Yoongi and I hope we will never lose each other.”
contact name: Grumpy Kitten 🐈⬛
Yoongi and Eunji – oh dear. Where do I begin? When Yoongi and Eunji first met, they didn’t really get along. It wasn’t like they disliked each other, they just seemed to have a difficult time interacting. To their defense, it was 2010 and they were barely 18 and 17 years old. Their confusing lack of interactions was later, in 2023, explained in one of Suga’s Suchwita Episodes. Yoongi admits he felt intimidated by the reputation that surrounded Eunji. She felt like this myth, unreachable and unapproachable. Funny enough, Eunji said she always wanted to talk to him, but he seemed shy and uncomfortable around her, so she stopped. Yooji’s pre-debut history is long and, in some ways, romantic. You could say it’s almost a love trope.
For example, he called her after his accident. She was the first person to know about his accident and for the longest time she also was the only one. That was odd for two reasons: 1) Yoongi and Eunji barely knew each other back then and 2) she was convinced he hated her. In the same Suchwita episode, Yoongi had tried to explain his decision back then. ‘It just felt right. Maybe because I saw you be so caring towards the others.’-Yoongi 2023. After Bangtan shifted from a hip-hop rap group to an idol group, things changed unexpectedly for both of them. Neither of them had intended to become idols and they weren’t prepared for it either. With no experiences in dance, they were quite literally lost. And, believe it or not, they started to bond over this fact. Often, they stayed behind to fix up mistakes they had made in choreos or just practiced their dancing.
Only after debut did they actually start to grow closer. In the beginning that solely came from the fact that Eunji took care of his shoulder pain by softly massaging ointment on it or helping him carry things. She did it subtly, not wanting to attract the boys’ attention until Yoongi wanted to tell them. Through his injury they began to talk, mostly to break the awkward silence that filled the room whenever Eunji would take care of his shoulder. They discovered their shared interest in composing music and spending time in the studio. And so, they began spending this time together. Producing and writing song after song.
Yooji is, in many ways, special. They have more in common than most people believed upon seeing them for the first time. They both have a resting bitch face, which makes them look intimidating or unapproachable. They both have some sad if not tragic history. They share hobbies such as producing and song writing. And so much more. Getting to know each other over the years they grew closer, both metaphorically and literally. Whether it is holding hands, hair ruffles or even cheek kisses, Yooji has it all. Although Eunji initiates most of the physical touch, Yoongi accepts it. Eunji is sure he secretly enjoys it too. This could literally be a Sunshine x Grumpy story.
But besides that, these two have a wholesome friendship. Spending so much time in the studio together they learned a lot of things from each other regarding their music and personal life. They began to rely on one another. So much so, that they actively miss the other when they can’t be around. You could almost say they are each other’s therapist or comfort zone. They can sit next to each other, working on music and saying nothing for hours without it being uncomfortable. Together, they even have a regular livestream that they do often, working on music and chatting with fans. Yooji appreciate each other greatly and, although it isn’t always obvious, care for one another deeply.
special moment:
Yooji is one of Eunji’s biggest ships for a reason. These two are incredibly close and it is noticeable in most on and off screen situations. There is especially one livestream that got stuck in Armys’ mind.
Every once in a while Yoongi and Eunji do livestreams together, where they would produce and write new songs. They’d wear headphones to not spoil much or anything at all. Usually, these livestreams were more on the quiet and relaxing, almost ASMR, side of Vlives. The two would work together quietly and occasionally have a convo about changing things or producing choices.
This livestream was going just like that. Yoongi was wearing headphones, trying to write the missing lines to his beat. Eunji was working on the computer, working on an old beat that she was now planning to use. She occasionally glanced at the chat. “For what will these songs be?” She reads out a comment and shrugs. She grins at the camera and looks back at her computer screen. “I don’t know. Maybe for the next comeback or a solo project or a different artist. We’ll see,” she responds and types something on the computer.
Suddenly Yoongi sighs deeply, sliding off his headphones. Eunji looks at him, brows furrowed. “What’s wrong?” she asks and gently turns towards him. He groans and pushes his sheet over to her. “I don’t know how to continue,” he admits and takes off his headphones to offer them to her. She takes them while reading over his writing. While she begins to listen and write some things down, he turns to read comments.
“How often do you do this?” he reads a comment. He combs his hand through his hair as he looks into the camera. “Almost every day. The livestreams are weekly, mosty,” he answers with a sheepish shrug at the end.
“Aren’t you the genius? If you don’t know, then she could never,” he reads out and a deep frown settles onto his face. For a moment he stays quiet, staring into the camera. There is a clear frustration displayed on his face, but he seems to be looking for the right words.
Eventually he asks: “You actually believe that?” It stays quiet once again, but his eyes stay on the camera. It is like he is directly looking at the commenter or at least he is trying to. Eunji suddenly murmurs something and scribbles onto the paper. This catches Yoongi’s attention, and he tears his eyes away from the camera to look at her. His face relaxes quickly as he watches her write things down and move her head to his beat.
A smile creeps onto his face. After she mumbles something else he turns back to the camera, eyes growing sharper once again. “She has the words that I don’t. She is the real genius in this room,” he continues his answers.
Apparently somebody comments something else about this that enrages him. “Oh, come on! Shut –“ he catches himself and glances at Eunji. His eyes stare back at the camera with new determination. “Shut it. Keep those stupid thoughts to yourself.”
“I think I got it!” she suddenly calls out and slides the headphones off. She pushes his sheet to him and taps the table in the right rhythm. She looks at him and smiles. “Does that fit?” she asks his opinion. He smiles and nods. While glaring at the camera he answers: “It’s perfect, Ji.”
This livestream is found in every Yooji Ship video, and no one can deny how wholesome his response to the inappropriate comments was. It does show Yooji’s relationship in a new light, that is rarely seen by fans.
nicknames Army gave them: Soulmates, Comfort Zone, Therapists, Orange Cat x Black Cat
love language: She is…
giving: quality time/physical touch
receiving: quality time/acts of service
yooji ‘thing’: spending time in the studio & nonverbal communication
🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡
#HOJI – Gwan Eunji & Jung Hoseok
“Hobi is an angel. He never fails to cheer me up and I am grateful for his presence. He helps me relax whenever we’re together.”
contact name: Sunshine 🌻🌞
Hoseok and Eunji are opposite twins. They met when Hoseok joined in December 2010, but they didn’t become friends right away. They got along just fine but they didn’t start to become friends until the end of 2011. Their pre-debut history isn’t as complicated or interesting as Joonji’s or Yooji’s. They just started hanging out because the group was being formed and they had to spend a lot of time with each other. They are described as opposite twins, because although they are alike, they also are opposites. With Hobi being – well Hobi – and Eunji being more centered and coolheaded, they have been described as the sun and the moon. Eunji’s personal favorite nickname is ‘Sunshine & Moonlight Twins’. It fits them and sounds beautiful in her opinion.
Hoseok for Eunji is like a light in the darkness. Sounds cheesy, I know, but he embodies that freshness and rescue for her. Eunji often gets in her head and when her thoughts spiral there is no stopping it. Hobi knows this. He can almost read her mind when it happens and although he can’t stop the spiral either, he is able to distract her from it. He is incredibly good at reassuring her and taking her mind off of things. Eunji is fascinated every time because he always seems to know exactly what to say. He can calm her nerves with his mere existence and his words never fail to settle her doubts. He is her light at the end of the tunnel.
Hoseok knows how important he is to Eunji. Of course, he does. To him, Eunji is the responsible older sister, that puts others above herself. He always wants to give her love and care, making sure she is alright and healthy. She is the group’s therapist in many ways, and she is also his. Being seen as the ‘sunshine of the group’ is never an easy thing. Hobi felt like he had to smile no matter how he felt and that he always had to look happy. Eunji, being the mother-natured person she is, always led him drop the mask and feel his emotions without covering them. Therefore, it came naturally to him that he would be there for her too. Although their friendship is mainly laughter and happiness, they can talk about their feelings freely and show them to each other as well. Which is probably the reason they function so well.
special moment: (TW: Sickness, Symptoms of a Cold, mentions of weight)
Hoji are a wholesome duo. They are often funny and bright, especially when together and in front of the camera. But they are also incredibly perceptive.
Hobi was having a horrible day. He hadn’t slept well and had woken up with a headache. He had practiced dancing the night before and it had left him with a load of insecurities. He felt as though he was to uncoordinated, his dancing felt sluggish, and he worried he was losing his charm. But he also worried about his weight gain over the last month and had grown increasingly anxious about losing weight. So, his last day ended badly, and his new day began worse. Unfortunately, it was this exact day, that would be filmed almost entirely.
The day seemed to never pass by. Even the morning stretched endlessly in Hobi’s mind. As he sits down at the kitchen table, he has no appetite and feels quite drowsy. The group around him is too loud for his liking, despite him usually enjoying a cheerful atmosphere. Hobi hadn’t even noticed the camera man but when he did he desperately tried to fake a smile.
Suddenly there is a steaming cup of tea in front of him and a hand on his back. As he looks up he meets eyes with Eunji. “Hey, I made this for you. Have a sip, it should already be cool enough,” she encourages him. Hesitantly he takes a sip and lets the warm liquid soothe his sore throat. Goosebumps form on his skin and he sighs deeply. “I think you should wear something thicker, like a hoodie. You seem cold and the weather isn’t nice,” she explains. He nods, not fully registering what she is saying.
After the long morning the group makes their way to the company building. As he leaves the van to enter the company he shivers. Only then does he realize he must’ve forgotten to change into a hoodie before leaving. He almost bumps into the camera as he steps out of the vehicle.
The group is at the company for some recordings, to which the cameraman is supposed to follow them. Hobi is dreading it. He can barely talk without a rasp how is he supposed to rap clearly? As the group reaches the studio he sits down on the couch and sighs deeply. His head is still pounding and his body aches from the hard practice the day before.
As the time passes Hobi is more and more dizzy. He zones out a lot and he seems close to passing out. He shivers as well, a tell-tale sign that he is cold on the leather couch. There are mumbles surrounding him, but he doesn’t have the energy to lift his head.
Suddenly there is a hand on his knee. “Hobi? Hey, let me help you put this on,” Eunji’s voice echoes through his head and he manages to sit up right. The older girl smiles at him and helps him slide on a hoodie. “Jimin and I will take you home, alright?” she adds, and he frowns. “But the recording and the filming,” he rasps, surprised at his own voice. Eunji winces. “Yeah no, that isn’t happening today. Not for you anyways,” she answers.
As the two guide Hobi back to the dorm, without the camera, he grows increasingly less conscious. When he is finally in his bed Eunji begins to prepare a pot of tea alongside some other things like blankets, thick clothes, and calming music. She had decided to take Jimin home with her as well, because the younger seemed a little sick himself. So, she puts him in the other bed since he and Hobi share a room anyways.
Jimin is the first to fall asleep after Eunji helped both of them get settled in warm clothes and a fluffy blanket. She helps J-Hope drink some tea and sighs. “So, do you want to tell me why you practiced till three in the morning last night?” she asks and softly combs a hand through his hair. His surprise is expected by Eunji, she knew that he thought he was discreet. “How do you” – he interrupts himself and sighs – “I didn’t get the results I had wanted.” After his confession he takes another sip of tea. Eunji stays quiet for a moment, taking in his words and trying to make sense of them.
“This isn’t just about our new choreo, is it?” she asks and shifts closer to him. He hesitates. Unsure of what to say next or if he should say anything in the first place. Eunji doesn’t press, she simply continues to comb his hair. It takes minutes until Hobi answers. “It’s about my dancing. Or my body. Maybe it is both! Or simply none. I just think I’m losing the charm in my dancing and that would be horrible because it could ruin the groups image! I have gained so much weight recently and it all just burdens you and the guys and-”
This time Eunji interrupts him with a soft ‘Hey’. His rambling dies down and he locks eyes with her. She offers a reassuring smile. “Move over a little,” she asks him, and he complies. She shifts into the bed with him, letting him cuddle against her side and holding him. It stays quiet a little while Eunji searches for the right words. “It’s okay to be frustrated. You remember when I started my dance training, right?” she asks, and he can’t suppress the giggle that escapes him. Taking this as enough of an answer she chuckles and continues: “We all get frustrated with our work and our bodies somedays. But I assure you Hobi, your charm has not left you and your body looks as good as ever.”
Hobi stays quiet, cuddling into Eunji’s side. Eunji speaks up again, not quite sure her words have reached him yet. “I mean it Hobi. You are so talented, and I love watching you dance! There has never been any dancer like you in the industry and there will never be another!” She praises and he giggles but she squeezes him a bit. She is serious. “And you are so, so, so good looking! The fans keep on swooning over you and so do I! I constantly have to fight for my position as your number one fan! Just because you are so ridiculously talented and handsome!” she whines at the end. He slaps her arm and pouts. “Stop it! You’re making me blush!” he complains but laughs right after. “That means it’s working.” “Thank you.”
It grows quiet again. This time it is calmer. Hobi seems more relaxed in her arms, and she sighs. “Can you sing for me?” he suddenly asks. And who is Eunji to deny him this?
nicknames Army gave them: Sun & Moon, Sunshine & Moonlight Twins, Opposite Twins
love language: She is…
giving: words of affirmation/quality time
receiving: physical touch/acts of service
hoji ‘thing’: piggyback rides & calling each other in livestreams
🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎
#EUNMIN – Gwan Eunji & Park Jimin
“Ah, Jiminie. He is a very supportive person, but he is also overly hard on himself. I wish he could see himself through my eyes once in a while. He is exactly how I imagined a younger brother would be. He is so cute. But he is possessive, I got to say.”
contact name: Jiminie 🐣
Jimin and Eunji have the typical sibling dynamic. Eunji is the big sister to the Maknae Line and therefore also to Jimin. Pre-debut, they had some trouble getting used to each other. Jimin was incredibly shy and hesitant around her. The fact that Yoongi and Eunji seemed to have a difficult relationship also made Jimin more uncertain. Eunji was honestly confused at first, thinking he doesn’t like her. But she figured out quite quickly that he was just so shy and unsure how to talk to her. She tried to make it easier for him by starting conversation first and trying her best to seem more approachable. It helped a litter and the two at least talked about work.
After debut the two began to get close. Jimin felt in awe about his Noona. She had so much patience with him and the other two Maknaes. She never pushed them to interact with her and he began to feel more comfortable around her. Eventually Jimin grew quite protective of Eunji and even got a little possessive over her. She thinks it’s adorable, really. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be taken seriously. He is, in fact, very serious when it comes to protecting his Noona. He always makes sure to be around her in public spaces, keeping his arm around her waist and staring anyone down who even dares come close. The group has made fun of his possessiveness many times and he always laughs but it doesn’t seem like he will stop any time soon. For him, Eunji is this caring older sister that he needs to keep safe. He wouldn’t want anything ever happening to her and he makes sure to let anyone know. It is his way of showing love towards her, because he and the Maknae-Line tease and prank her a lot.
Eunji loves Jimin. She genuinely thinks he is such a precious soul, and she wants to keep him in her pocket. While he functions as her bodyguard she is his therapist. She makes sure his soul and body are well taken care of. Reminding him to eat, forcing him to take breaks and reassuring him verbally. That’s her job. She is the mom of the group, and she lives up to that name. She is just as protective of him as he is of her, just in different ways. She isn’t the offence kind of fighter; she is more like the passive kind of healer. She protects him from himself. His thoughts and doubts, that spiral into physical exhaustion and personal torture. She knows because she has been there. And that is why this duo is so unique and popular. Mostly because you have protective Jiminie, but also because you have mother Eunji.
special moment: (TW: wrist injury, shooting, gunshots, gunshot wound)
Eunmin are popular for a couple of reasons. One is, as mentioned, the protectiveness (sometimes even possessiveness) from Jimin towards his Noona. Another one is the motherly care that Eunji displays towards Jimin (and the other two Maknaes).
These are noticeable in small things. Some moments are tiny, others are so big they even make it into headlines of news articles.
It is a Run BTS episode. The group was loudly discussing the results of a game and who had actually won now. Eunji wasn’t taking part in this discussion, preferring to sit silently and watch the drama. The loud screaming was bothering her, but she wouldn’t mention it. It was not a pressing issue to her. She leans forwards to grab her water bottle only to find it empty. She sighs. There are new bottles a few meters away, but she is practically caged in her seat due to the studio set up. “Can you give me the water?” she asks into the room, but the arguing drowns it out. She tries to reach and grab the new bottles, unsuccessfully. “Hey, can one of you give me a water bottle?” she asks again. No response, again. But then she meets eyes with Jimin. “Hey, quiet!” he suddenly raises his voice slightly and the group grow quiet. He looks at her, waiting for her to say what she tried to say. Eunji smiles and points to the water bottles. “Can you give me a bottle?” Jungkook, who stands closest to them, immediately offers it to her. She thanks him with a smile before turning to Jimin. He seemed satisfied and she throws him a quick grateful smile.
Jimin is known for having a interesting relationship with chairs and the ground. Whether it is falling from chairs, randomly laying on the ground, or even kicking himself off of chairs. He also has a strong tendency to slip on stage and he does so quite regularly. So, once again, while on stage it began to rain. “Oh, come on. We haven’t even finished the sound check yet,” Hobi whines and is joined by a grumpy Yoongi. “Can we sit down backstage and just do the sound check there?” But he is denied. Meanwhile, the Maknae-Line is clearly enjoying the new weather. They are moonwalking and dancing to songs that are related to rain while singing them. And Jimin decides to slide along the stage. Bad idea. The stage is so slippery that he loses his balance, crashes into Namjoon, and falls to the ground. Eunji, within a split second, is next to him. “Are you okay?” she asks, already pressing down on his ankles and legs to find injuries. “Yeah,” Jimin answers but doesn’t attempt to get up. Eunji frowns and takes his hands in hers, feeling his wrists. He flinches as she presses onto his left wrist. Her face softens. “You’re hurt. Come on, lets get you an ice pack,” she suggests and ushers him backstage.
After the group had come back from dance practice, Eunji had started a livestream in her room. She had decided to start a new painting and was doing this live. While having lo-fi music playing in the back she was humming and painting peacefully. After a while Jimin had joined her, quietly beginning to read comments. “He worked really hard in practice today, Army,” Eunji praises Jimin causing him to smirk and blush. “Have you eaten yet?” she asks him, eyes focusing on him now. He turns to her and nods. “Yeah. I just did, actually,” he answers truthfully. She nods, satisfied with that answer. It had been at least two hours since dance practice. “Good. You need the energy, especially after such tough practice,” she continues. Jimin stays quiet before turning to her once again. “Did you eat already?” he asks. Eunji pauses. “Ah, not yet,” she admits and turns to Jimin, who looks at her with a raised brow. “I am planning to after the livestream!” she defends herself and turns back to the canvas. Jimin turns to the phone, smiles, and waves. “See you soon Army. I will have to feed Noona!” “Ay!” With that the livestream was ended and Eunji posted later on: ‘Have been fed and well taken care off. Don’t worry Army <3’
Throughout 2016 it had gotten clear that Eunji was facing a lot more hate than the company could handle at the time. People were sued due to spreading false rumors or sending hateful messages and harassing Eunji. But even that didn’t stop them. Death threats weren’t noticed or dismissed because the company was overwhelmed with all the hate. By early 2017 it had gotten out of control. The group had just arrived back in Seoul, making their way through the relatively crowded airport. Jimin has his arm wrapped around her waist, as always, and talking with her about the upcoming days. “I really want to get a spa treatment, would you come with me?” he asks. The next six days would be free, and the group had individual plans for them. Eunji gasps. “Sure! I could need some good messages and facial treatments!” she agrees with a bright smile.
Suddenly a loud shot rings out, quickly followed by panicked screams. Before Jimin can even fully register what is happening he feels Eunji collapse against him. He panics, quickly rushing towards nearest wall for cover. He leans against it, watching as all of the people including his members, duck for cover. Then his eyes go to Eunji. “O-oh god! Oh no, no, no, no!” he whispers as he finds her with a bleeding wound on her shoulder. He quickly slides her down the wall and grabs her face. “Noona?!” he asks, panic evident in his shaking voice. To his utmost relief she opens her eyes and nods. “It’s alright. I’ll be alright,” she reassures, although the pain drives tears in her eyes. “Y-yeah you will be! Of course, you will be!” There are sirens in the back and Jimin fears the attacker might still be around. He turns to look at his members, Namjoon is the first who catches his eyes. “She has been shot!” Jimin whisper-yells. The following shock that etches onto his members faces must be reflecting his own. “I’m okay!” Eunji tries to reassure but it sounds weak. Jimin immediately turns his attention back to her.
“This will hurt. I’m sorry,” he apologizes before pressing down against the wound. A scream erupts from Eunji’s lips but then she tries to even her breaths. Jimin feels guilty and almost pulls back but she shakes her head at him. “It’s okay. You’re doing good,” she reassures him and smiles. The ten minutes it takes the ambulance to arrive at the longest ten minutes of Jimin’s life. Only once the doctor told him that she would be okay, did he take a breath of relief.
nicknames Army gave them: Eunji’s bodyguard, Child #1
love language: She is…
giving: Words of Affirmation/Acts of Service
receiving: Physical Touch/Acts of Service
eunmin ‘thing’: arm around waist & cheek kisses/squishes
🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡
#TAEUN – Gwan Eunji & Kim Taehyung
“Tae is a lot like me. I see a lot from me in Tae. Maybe that is why we get along? It worries me sometimes. I hope he doesn’t forget about himself and that he can do with his life what he wants to. Because I forgot that at one point.”
contact name: Taedy Bear 🐻
Taehyung and Eunji have a sibling like relationship. The Maknae-Line x Eunji all give Sibling vibes but something about Taeun is interesting to see. Like Eunji said herself, they are very alike. They might not be twins but they do have personalities that could be siblings. As mentioned, the Maknae-Line was hesitant to approach Eunji pre-debut. Tae was 17 years old and this cheerful and smiley kid, but he was too shy to talk to girls or women. He reminds Eunji a lot of herself. And again, these two took a long time to get close and when they finally did, it was post-debut. They eventually began to talk more because Taehyung had found Eunji painting in the living room and got curious. He had sat next to her, surprising her and himself, and asked what she was doing. The two then sat there for a couple of hours, Eunji explaining and teaching Taehyung how to paint.
Taeun’s dynamic is a bit difficult to explain. They are the only duo in the group that actually could be siblings. They don’t just look alike but they also act similar. For every holiday she went with Tae to his family and his parents love Eunji like their own child. They also both went through experiences in their idol career that changed them drastically. For Eunji, it was her dating scandal and the tragedy that followed. For Tae, there might’ve not been a specific situation but the hate and pressure that he received over years. Two happy kids turning into broken adults. Tae reminds Eunji of herself because of this reason exactly. They went from smiley and happy to more reserved and calculated. And all Eunji wants is for Tae to be happy and healthy. Which she has stated often and clearly for everyone to understand.
Taeun’s dynamic is a bit difficult to explain. They are the only duo in the group that actually could be siblings. They don’t just look alike but they also act similar. For every holiday she went with Tae to his family and his parents love Eunji like their own child. They also both went through heavy emotional changes in those years. Two happy kids turning into broken adults. Tae reminds Eunji of herself because of this reason exactly. And all Eunji wants is for Tae to be happy and healthy. Which she has stated often and clearly for everyone to understand.
He is also the perfect example of her ‘I don’t like skinship, but you are an exception’ mindset. She will let him seek physical touch from her. Whether it’s hugs, holding hands, kisses or cuddling. She will let him do it. She lets him hug her for sleep as well, which prompted him to come over to her bed a lot once he found out. He is also one of the first people she told about her parents and what happened. It was also Tae that went to visit her orphanage with her, when she went to donate the next Christmas. He is like her emotional support teddy (teady) bear.
special moment:
Taeun have many moments on camera that show the positive development of their friendship. Especially during long time shows like Run BTS. Most Armys have been introduced to shows like ‘In the Soop’ or ‘Bon Voyage’.
During Bon Voyage there is a situation, where Namjoon and Taehyung have to share a bed. Due to Taehyung’s subconscious affection while sleeping he hugs Namjoon. But the older doesn’t appreciate it and tells this to Taehyung the next morning.
Eunji, who heard the commotion, offers a solution. “I can switch with you, Namjoon,” she suggests as she enters the room. Her room is close by and has a single bed. Namjoon turns to her, face scrunched into a frown. “Are you sure? I thought you don’t like hugs,” he claims and glances at Taehyung. Eunji doesn’t hesitate and give him a determined nod. “I’m sure.”
After both Namjoon and Eunji have packed their bags and switched the rooms, Eunji sits down on the edge of the bed. She looks at Taehyung, whose face shows confusion and worry. “Don’t take his words personally. He finds physical intimacy too personal for friendships, we have to accept that,” she explains and quietly begins to unpack.
“You don’t have to sacrifice your privacy for me. I can take your room or the couch or something,” he tries to suggest and gets up from the bed. Eunji pauses her unpacking and turns to him again. “Ah come on, Tae,” she breathes out and for a moment the two just look at each other. Then she grins at him and adds: “Don’t be ridiculous. You just want the single bed, hm? Yeah, you thought.” This draws a surprised chuckle out of Taehyung, and he shakes his head amused.
In the evening, after successfully unpacking and spending the day together as group, Eunji is getting ready for bed. When she enters the bedroom she finds Tae, already in bed, laying as far on the edge as possible. She frowns, climbing into the bed and cuddling into the soft covers. “You don’t need to keep five feet away. I have nothing contagious,” she jokes, and he turns his head towards her. She smiles and waves him closer. Hesitantly he shifts more onto the bed.
She feels that he is still tense, even after she turns out the light and settles for sleep. His shoulder are tense, his breathing dangerously quiet and his back turned towards her. Cautiously she shifts closer. “Would you like me to hold you?” she asks in a whisper. His head snaps to her, eyes wide and full of shock. “W-what?! I-you don’t need to!” He answers quickly but Eunji tilts her head. “You didn’t answer my question,” she states calmly and smiles. He stays quiet, seemingly thinking about it. Until his hesitant eyes meet her determined ones. “Would you?” he whispers, barely audible. She chuckles. “Of course, dumbass. Why would I ask otherwise?” she responds and shifts even closer. “Can I?” she asks, and he nods way too quickly, which she finds adorable. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, and he shuffles to get comfortable. They end up with his arms wrapped around her waist, his head on her chest and her arms around his shoulders. She softly plays with his hair and hums a few melodies. It doesn’t take long until he is sound a sleep and she follows soon after.
Probably one of their biggest ship moments, not gonna lie.
nicknames Army gave them: Siblings, Mamma Bear & Baby Bear
love language: She is…
giving: physical touch/quality time
receiving: physical touch/acts of service
taeun ‘thing’: skincare routine together & hugs (while sleeping)
🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎
#EUNKOOK – Gwan Eunji & Jeon Jungkook
“Jungkook is my baby. Big baby I should say. My boy has grown into a handsome man, has he not? With the tattoos and piercings, the long hair, and muscles. It’s hard to accept that he is an adult, but he is so mature, right? We should recognize him for it.”
contact name: Big Baby Bunny 💪🐇
Jungkook and Eunji pretty much have a mother and son relationship. Since Jungkook was so young when he debuted, Eunji wanted to make sure he was going to be okay. With that goal in mind, she and Jungkook went to his hometown where Eunji formally introduced herself to his family. She wanted to meet them in person, exchange phone numbers and maybe learn a bit about Jungkook to help him in the future. His parents loved her, obviously. They immediately felt at ease, knowing she will be looking over their boy. His mother cooked with Eunji and even gave her some family recipes. That pretty much shows how devoted Eunji is to make Jungkook feel comfortable. Especially because the Maknae-Line was keeping their distance pre-debut. What can I say, these two got close fast.
In the beginning she really babied him a lot. I mean, he was a baby. But to be fair, she actually became more of a mom. She taught him to do his own laundry, make doctor’s appointments, cook, and even drive. She also helped him study and do his homework. She did have to scold him sometimes, but she was always gentle and loving. And funnily enough, the fans have noticed. There are things that Jungkook does, that the fans realized comes from Eunji. Certain habits, manners, or sentences. He actively quotes her sometimes. Jungkook back than was sometimes annoyed by her, which she accepted and backed off. To which he would realize that she was a big help and come to ask for her again. She never took it personally. Due to her experiences with the orphanage children, she understood. She knew how to handle kids well and Jungkook was her kid now.
The older Jungkook got, the more independent did he become. At first it was hard for Eunji to grasp but she quickly adapted to him maturing. She probably is his biggest supporter and never wanted him to feel suffocated or too babied. So, when he eventually turned an adult and matured a lot, she let him and watched proudly. She can never help the proud smile when he accomplishes something or just whenever she sees him honestly. She brags about him a lot. ‘He grew up so well, didn’t he? Ah, such a gentleman.’ She loves Jungkook and knowing that he is an adult now, doesn’t change that. But she never takes credit for raising him. She is convinced he did most of it by himself.
For Jungkook Eunji has always been the big sister that took on his mother’s role when he left. He appreciates her a lot. More than he could ever say. Don’t get him wrong, the boys did an amazing job raising him. It was just different with Eunji. She just knew what to do in every situation. He got mad at her for caring ‘too much’? She stepped back and gave him space to think. Then he thought about it and realized she was a big help. So, in a way, she humbled him in the humblest way possible. By listening to what he said, even when it was obviously stupid. Despite being grown up now and being a big boy, he still seeks her comfort. He likes being babied once in a while, especially by her. Eunji complies, of course. Jungkook always gives huge credit to Eunji for the person he is today.
Without her, it would’ve been difficult sometimes. There were topics that he was embarrassed about and that he didn’t want to tell his Hyungs. And to whom would a teenager usually go? Right, their mother. For him, it was Eunji first until he got a chance to call his mom. And she did a good job. Eunji never judged him for ‘embarrassing things’ or ‘stupid questions’. Which is why they are so close, even to this day.
special moment:
Eunji pretty much raised Jungkook and over the years they spend together they have grown incredibly close. Especially through the teenage years. The struggles of growing up in the entertainment industry were heavy on Jungkook but Eunji made sure to take care of him.
Eunji is sitting in the living room of the dorm. She is freely chatting with Jin and joking around. Jimin and Tae are also there but focused on their game. Yoongi is at the studio and Namjoo and Jhope are going to get food and Yoongi to go back to the dorm. Suddenly there is a timid tap on her shoulder. When she looks up she finds Jungkook. His head is low, eyes only hesitantly looking at her, and his hands are fidgeting. Eunji frowns, worry building up at the image. “Hey, are you okay?” she asks and turns her body towards him. He nods quickly. “Yes! C-can I ask you something?” he asks, stuttering a little. Eunji, still concerned, gets up and nods. “Sure!” she answers. But he hesitates once again. “Privately?” he whispers.
Eunji is surprised but leads him into the shared bedroom of the group. They sit down on the lower bunk bed and Eunji turns to him. He scratches his neck and shifts. Eunji can tell he is nervous. “You can ask me anything, Kookie. I promise I won’t make fun of you, and I won’t tell anyone,” she reassures and softly nudges his shoulder. He takes a deep breath and turns his eyes back to her. “Okay. Ehm, how do I make – how can I ask this?” He asks himself and frowns. Eunji gives him a minute to think. “How do I shave the best way?” he asks, cringing right after. But Eunji immediately understands the issue. “Okay, that alright. Don’t worry, it is totally normal to not know these things,” she reassures. He seems relieved and breathes out deeply.
She gets up and grabs a small bag before returning to him. She opens the bag and pulls out her razor and waxing strips. When she looks at the Maknae he seems intrigued. “I’m sure you know that you could shave with a razor,” she states, and he nods. “I personally prefer waxing, since it helps avoid certain problems with shaving and it is a bit more effective in removing hair for a long time,” she explains, and he listens carefully. “Does waxing hurt?” he asks. Eunji coos at his expression, pinching his cheek a little. “It does a little, not gonna lie. But if you want we can try a small part on the leg first?” she suggests. Eagerly Jungkook agrees. Eunji smiles. “Don’t ever feel embarrassed for asking this stuff, yeah? I’ll try my best to answer them.”
The stadium is empty. The only people there are staff and BTS. Speaking of, Jungkook is currently getting ready to practice the Euphoria Performance where he flies over the stadium. Eunji is standing in front of the stage, her arms folded on stage as she leans on it. There is a cameraman next to her, making sure to record everything while another camera was busy filming Jungkook. “You look so professional,” Eunji compliments after Jungkook just finished talking to staff and tying himself to the pole. His head turns to her, eyes big and shining. “You think?” he asks, excitement shining through. Eunji laughs. “Of course!” As he is lifted into the air he squeals with excitement. Eunji chuckles nervously. “Hold onto that tightly, yeah?” she almost pleads with him. He looks down at shows her a thumbs up. Namjoon steps next to Eunji, both watching their Maknae flying through the air and singing his song. “He grew up so fast,” Eunji mumbles. “Yeah he did,” he agrees. In that moment, Jungkook waves excitedly at the two. Eunji breaks into a big smile and waves back. “You look amazing, Kookie!” she yells up to him and his smile grows even bigger.
In a livestream, Eunji is chatting with fans and reading comments. “Where is Jungkook?” she reads out a comment. A smile forms on her face. “He called me earlier, asking if I was still doing a livestream today. I said yes and he wanted to come. But he is still working out right now,” she explains. She focuses back on the comments as praises and cute comments about Jungkook and Eunkook come in. “Jungkook still baby,” she reads out. A chuckle leaves her. “He is a very soft person. But,” – she interrupts her sentence to take a sip of her drink and then look at the camera more seriously – “he is a handsome and grown up man now. He still has parts of the kid from 10 years ago in him, but he has grown so much. We, you too Army, should acknowledge that, right?” she asks but it is more a rhetorical question. As she reads more comments she laughs out. “How does it feel to have raised the most amazing man on the planet?” she reads out and flashes a big smile at the camera. “Good question. I feel very proud, but he has always been an amazing person. He grew up so well and I will never stop being proud of him.”
It's Festa 2022 and the group is sitting around a table with drinks and food. The conversations have been mixed with funny and relaxed topics but also emotional and personal themes. Right now, the boys are arguing who raised Jungkook the best. “Obviously it’s me! I paid for all his food!” Jin argues and gestures at Yoongi. The younger side eyes his friend and states: “But I have raised him more. We spend so much time together.” “I am sure I raised him the best,” Hobi intervenes and sips his drink. “I mean I spend all my time with him,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Eunji is leaning back in her chair and watching with amusement. For her, this discussion is pointless, but she enjoys the entertainment from it anyways. Suddenly Jimin intervenes: “I believe Eunji Noona raised Jungkook the most.” The group goes quiet. Taehyung agrees with nodding and eats a piece of pork. Eunji chuckles. “I am not a part in this discussion,” she says. The boys begin to ponder on if Eunji should now voice her opinion or not, which makes Eunji giggle more. This is amusing to her. But then something makes them all shut up. “I also think Eunji Noona raised me the best,” Jungkook says. Everyone goes silent. You could hear a pin drop. Eunji laughs at the others’ faces. “Look what you did, Kookie,” she accuses the younger, who just shrugs.
“I actually am really grateful for Noona. I wasn’t easy as a kid and she always knew what to say or do. I feel that Noona was made to be a mother,” – Eunji chuckles at that and Jungkook smiles – “because she raised me as a mother, and, even when I don’t always show it, I couldn’t be more thankful,” he explains. Eunji listens, eyes tearing up and she softly caresses his cheek with the back of her hand. “Why so emotional today, Jk?” Jimin teases but even that doesn’t stop Jungkook from making sure that everyone knows he is serious. “Because I barely say it. I think I should say it more often. I am grateful for all of you raising me and you had a great impact on me,” he continues. Eunji wipes the stray tears of her cheeks and cradles the back of his head. “Oh, and my mom is also very happy about you raising me,” he adds, looking at Eunji. The group erupts in laughs and chuckles. Eunji smiles and softly scratches his head.
nicknames Army gave them: Mother-son, Eunji’s big baby/boy
love language: She is…
giving: acts of service/words of affirmation
receiving: physical touch/quality time
eunkook ‘thing’: sitting in each other’s lap & caretaking (washing hair, cooking dinner, removing makeup, etc.)
🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡🤎🧡
This layout isn’t mine; I have ‘stolen’ it from @txt-yaomi! Don’t worry, I got permission to use it. I recommend going to her acc as well, she has a great TXT Addition story! Thank you for letting me use this 🧡
Disclaimer: All the pictures are from Pinterest and are not mine. Credit to the owners.