Namjoon is 18 and Jungkook is 15 when he sees Namjoon for the first time.
The elder is rapping in the studio, a steady beat of a song Jungkook doesn’t recognize playing in the background. There’s fire and electricity on the tip of Namjoon’s tongue and Jungkook has to admit this isn’t the first time he’s been completely taken in by Namjoon’s ability to radiate passion so effortlessly.
Namjoon is the reason Jungkook agreed to this whole band thing at all.
Jungkook shuffles into the studio room quietly, propping the headphones against one of his ears so he can hear Namjoon better on the other side of the glass wall of the studio.
“Hey,” Namjoon calls out once the beat fizzles out and Jungkook hadn’t planned on staying this long. His cheeks are flaming red and he stands up in a haphazard attempt to look less guilty.
“Sorry,” Jungkook stutters, almost tripping over himself to back out of the studio as fast as he can.
“Wait,” Namjoon says and the tone of his voice isn’t a question so Jungkook does, sheepishly turning around so that they’re face to face. Namjoon is taller than him by a good half head, and for a split second, Jungkook thinks how pretty Namjoon’s eyes are before snapping back into focus.
“You’re the new kid, huh? Donghyuk and Yoongi hyung told me you’d be coming in today,” Namjoon says. His eyes burn into Jungkook and Jungkook shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. He nods at the floor before hurrying out.
Jungkook sees Namjoon again a few hours later.
Jungkook is lying on the dance practice room in a pool of sweat and frustration, music still blaring from the speakers behind him. It’s only hitting him now how far away from home and everything he’s ever known he really is and there’s a crushing feeling in his chest that reminds him he’s really all alone with no one to turn to. It’s only when the music cuts off suddenly that Jungkook realizes he’s got company.
“Oh,” Jungkook exclaims, breath catching as he starts to scramble to his feet and it feels a little too much like deja vu except Namjoon sits cross legged on the floor next to him this time.
“You look like a kid,” Namjoon comments casually, edges of his lips tugging into the smallest of smiles.
“I’m fifteen,” Jungkook flinches. He was here because he literally idolized the man in front of him and it was sort of hard to not have his ego sting a little at that question.
“Cute,” Namjoon laughs and Jungkook feels his heart jump a little. Namjoon has a nice laugh. It’s a little husky and it’s not fake.
There’s nothing fake about Kim Namjoon.
“You’re pretty good at this,” Namjoon gestures vaguely with his fingers and Jungkook cocks an eyebrow.
“Dance,” Namjoon clarifies, sitting back and propping himself on his hands. “Is that what they scouted you for?”
“Singing,” Jungkook corrects and Namjoon’s eyes widen.
“You must have been pretty damn good if they chose you for that despite your dancing,” Namjoon says, letting out a low whistle and Jungkook is blushing again, but this time with pride.
“Thanks, hyung,” he says, looking to the floor before mumbling out, “you really inspire me.”
There’s a short silence and if Jungkook thinks he was blushing before it’s nothing compared to what he’s doing now, his face so red it reaches his ears and down his neck.
Namjoon reaches out to Jungkook and ruffles his hair and something about it calms Jungkook down almost immediately.
“Sorry I scared you off before. I’ve just lost so many friends who used to be members and I just tend to be harsh around the new kids because I don’t wanna soften up to them just to lose them later, you know?” Namjoon says. Namjoon feels so comfortable, like someone Jungkook can lean on, even though he barely knows him. Namjoon is one of those people that draws people to them, the kind of person everyone just trusts instinctively and something about that makes Jungkook feel safer than he’s felt ever since he left the shores of Busan for his big city dreams.
Jungkook wants to reassure the elder that no, he has every right to be harsh and god, Jungkook has so much to learn from him.
Jungkook’s always been the quiet type though so that’s not exactly what he ends up saying.
“Please don’t leave me,” Jungkook says in a small voice. He can’t bring himself to look Namjoon in the eye.
“I don’t want to go,” comes the gentle reply and Jungkook feels a knot untie in his stomach as he looks up at Namjoon who is smiling fondly down at Jungkook and there is a gentle squeeze of Jungkook’s hand and yeah, Jungkook is glad he picked here after all, glad he picked Namjoon.
Namjoon is 22 and Jungkook is 19 when Jungkook is front of a crowd of thousands of people screaming his name, all their names, an ocean of glitter and lightsticks.
This time, there’s no Dunghyuk hyung or stuffy practice rooms involved.
They’re screaming his name and there’s a rush of adrenaline that sting Jungkook’s eyes with tears and physically brings him to his knees.
There’s a gentle hand on Jungkook’s shoulder and Jungkook can tell immediately that it’s Namjoon.
“Hyung,” Jungkook splutters out and he’s so overwhelmed. Namjoon crouches down and gently wipes the tears from Jungkook’s cheeks with his thumb before tugging him up and grabbing his hand.
Th other members line up as they bow to a crowd that screams even louder, deafeningly so and Jungkook thinks he might pass out from how this makes him feel.
He almost misses the gentle squeeze of Namjoon’s hand that reminds him that he’s always by Jungkook’s side.
