Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It's his birthday today.

Normally, this would mean a day off for Seokjin, a day for face masks, self-care, high calorie food, and dumb rom-coms. Unfortunately, this year that couldn't happen. His day had been filled with grading papers--the biggest mistake of his life had been the decision to become a TA--and hair-pulling (the less fun kind.)

A lot of people like to go out on their birthdays, and usually he would group himself in with those people, but not today. He had been up since six in the morning and only gotten a few hours of precious sleep. Feeling the vibration of his phone, he sighed. Of course, it was probably only a “Happy Birthday!” text from his mom--the text had been short, sweet, and simple, just like their relationship--but he was desperately wishing he could be at home in bed or on the couch stuffing his face with his latest obsession in foreign food.

It turns out it was a message that he was kind of surprised to see.

From: Kim Namjoon
Hyung, can we talk? It’s nothing bad, but
I felt it was important to tell you.

To: Kim Namjoon
yeah!! you want to meet up at the usual place?

From: Kim Namjoon
Sure

Jin idly wonders what is so important that Joon had to tell him in person while he gets ready to trek to the cafe. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious.

"I used to be in love with you, actually."

Jin nods his head along in agreement. Yes, of course Namjoon had been in love with him, and he definitely wasn’t only listening halfway. Then the words hit him. Did he hear that right? Kim Namjoon, the man he basically hand-raised, just confessed his love to him?

What the fuck is going on.

This so isn’t what Jin had in mind when he woke up this morning, what the hell.

“Haha, very funny, Joon-ah. Now tell hyung what you really wanted to talk about,” Jin hopes to god that this is some dumb prank. Oh, please tell him that those plants are hiding a camera in there. Where is Ashton Kutcher and why hasn’t he come out to tell him this is a prank yet?

“Hyung, I’m telling you exactly what I wanted to tell you. I used to be in love with you.” Yeah, Jin’s still not understanding.

“This has got to be some joke, Namjoon. Just for the record, I’m disappointed that you would even think to do this without at least calling up Ashton Kutcher. Last chance to tell me the truth,” Jin has pulled out the big guns: Namjoon’s fear of disappointing others, no matter how small. Bingo.

“I wouldn’t lie to you about this, hyung, I promise.” Trust Namjoon to be completely earnest and miss Seokjin’s subtle steering towards a lighter subject.

Jin can’t breathe. Is he breathing? Is that what people normally do? Do they normally breathe? Jin doesn’t think so because his lungs aren’t working. Oh god, he’s broken.

“Wow, I’d never have thought that Joon-ah could make you breathless, hyung.”

(Jin: 0 Universe: 2 - Jin swears he can hear the universe laughing at him...though maybe that’s just Jeongguk.)

Who the fuck-

Oh, this is just his luck. Min Yoongi of all people, here to save the day (a thinly-veiled attempt to collect dirt on Jin to blackmail him with later, more like).

Namjoon, forever defying expectations, decides that this would be an excellent time to whine at his hyung. “Yoongi-hyung,” the words are drawn out into a near perfect impression of a child who hasn’t gotten their way, “this was meant to be my turn!”

“Turn? Turn? I’m a person! You...you can’t take turns with someone without consent!” Who do they think they even are? Kim Seokjin is no one’s property and he doesn’t plan on letting that happen today.

“Don’t worry about it, hyung,” both Namjoon and Yoongi say in unison, suspiciously fast. They’re planning something.

“Right, that's legit.” Clearly, these boys have a death wish.

Yoongi looks down and raises his arm--his tiny, scrawny arm, Jin would like to add purely out of spite--so he can look at his watch, which... isn’t there. “Oh, would you look at that! It’s time for me to go!” A blatant lie that is an affront to everything Jin stands for.

“Have fun, traitor,” Jin says, eyes narrowing in on Yoongi’s fleeing figure.

Now that Yoongi has fled the scene, Jin points his glare at Namjoon. He can smell fear, he is immortal, and nothing will stop him from finding out what is going on. Seokjin almost feels pity for the mere mortals he has befriended as they have clearly sent out their weakest peon to do their dark and dastardly bidding for them, but alas, he has no capacity for emotion.

“Uh, hyung? Why are you looking at me like that?” Good. There is fear in his voice. Jin has won, at last. “Hyung, I’m scared. Are you...are you okay?” The concern lacing Joon’s voice breaks him out of his vivid fantasy.

(Jin: 1 Universe: 2 - Who let the universe get more than one point at a time?)

“Yeah, Joon-ah. I’m fine. Now, are you going to tell me about this elaborate plan or not?”

“E-elaborate plan? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“You’re lying.” His eyes are narrowed again.

“How do you know? I could be the best liar in the world and you’d never know!”

“I highly doubt you’re the best liar in the world, Joon-ah.”

“You can’t know that for sure, hyung.”

“Yes, I can.”

“How?”

“I am the world’s best liar.” At this, Namjoon quickly shifts from flustered to red-in-the-face, and doubled over, laughing.

(Jin: 1 Universe: 7 - He is not improving.)

“Why are you laughing? That wasn’t a joke!” It probably, most likely, and almost definitely was.

“Hyung, one time when you tried to lie to me, you told me that you were drunk, while sober. If that’s not a bad liar, then I really don’t know what is,” Namjoon says, still catching his breath from all of the laughing.

(Jin: 1 Universe: 8 Namjoon, a Surprise Contender: 3)

“I have a concussion!” Jin suddenly blurts out like it will save him from the embarrassment of reliving his most shameful moment in recent memory (hint: it won’t.)

“You can’t just say that and think I’ll believe you, not after the last time.” There is obvious disbelief written on Namjoon’s face at Jin’s antics. Is this really the same person who helped him out of his last break up?

Suddenly, they are surrounded by silence. Jin starts fidgeting and moves his hands to sit in his lap. Before he can think about it, his mouth is open and spilling the few words he didn’t want to speak.

“Did you mean it?” His voice is barely even a whisper, quiet enough that Namjoon hardly hears it. Jin interlocks his fingers for comfort. At least someone is holding his hand, right?

“Did I mean what?”

“Did you mean it when you said that you used to be in love with me?” Jin asked, looking at his clasped hands.

”Hyung, I already told you: I wouldn’t lie to you about this,” Namjoon’s expression has fallen to match the mood.

”Are you sure about that?”

Namjoon sucks in a sharp inhale. “I… hyung, do you really think that you are that incapable of being loved?”

”I don’t know...maybe?” Jin says, “Maybe there’s a reason why none of my relationships never work out, or end up toxic. There’s only one common denominator to them and that’s me. You connect the dots, Joon-ah. Isn’t that a logical conclusion to make?”

This is an alarming turn in the conversation for Namjoon. He is not Equipped for such strong emotions from anyone, not even himself. God, maybe he should just call Hoseok and let him know that it might be a Code Blue in the house tonight. But then again, this is his time with Seokjin, and today is all about making Jin feel loved. His hyung deserves it.

It’s only silent for a few seconds more while Namjoon formulates his response. “Hyung, don’t you remember your last relationship? And how he cheated on you?” He keeps on talking even when he sees Jin open his mouth to interject. “It wasn’t anything to do with you. It was all because he was a scumbag, clearly. He had been cheating before you, and he cheated after you. That had nothing to do with you, and you know it. Deep down, you know that.”

”He only cheated because we got into a fight, Joon.”

”Okay, and what does that have to do with it being your fault?” Namjoon is puzzled.

”It’s the whole reason for the cheating! It has everything to do with it being my fault!” Jin’s explosion honestly shocks Namjoon. He never knew that his hyung held so many bottled-up feelings about himself.

”Do you remember what you told me when I broke up with Hyebin last year and what you said to me?” Jin shakes his head. “You said ‘Listen, Joonie. She clearly wasn’t a good person if she would decide to neglect the one good thing in her life. You did nothing wrong and what she did says nothing about you.’ Maybe you should listen to your own advice for once, hyung. I think your life would be better off for it.” With this, Namjoon stands up to leave. “Hyung, my time with you is up. You’re Yoongi’s next.”

”You’re just going to leave me here? While I’m crying? I raised you better than this, Joonie,” Jin say with a small grin. He’s teasing, that’s good. It means he’s back on his way to Normal Jin 3.0.

Namjoon does one last sweeping glance over his hyung and deems him safe enough to leave on his own for a few minutes. “Relax. Yoongi-hyung will be here any moment now. You won’t be alone for long.”

As Joon leaves the cafe and walks out into the city street, he gets a text from Yoongi.

From: Min Yoongi
you ugly fucker you made him cry

Namjoon snorts. That’s Yoongi’s problem now.

Chapter Text

”Oh, so he just leaves me alone with you? How am I ever meant to recover if I’m left with you?” Jin is Not Amused.

”What the hell did I even do to you? I was only in here for like, what, three minutes before I left and that was only twenty minutes ago!” Yoongi keeps talking, though it's more like yelling, getting progressively louder until Jin interrupts him.

“Hyung.”

Yoongi stops his ranting, confusion painting his face. “What?”

“It's hyung to you.”

“I...I know that?” Yoongi Does Know That, but he has Forgotten. Jin will have to teach him a lesson, it seems.

“Yah, Min Yoongi! How many times have I caught you not using the proper language when talking to me!” No one crosses Kim Seokjin like this and gets away with it.

“I… Too many times, hyung.” Yoongi has not gotten away with it and hangs his head in shame.

Making a non-committal noise, Jin says, “apologize to me,” and adopts the aloof attitude of a monarch demanding praise. He holds his hand out like a queen waiting for her hand to be kissed.

“Don't be gross, hyung. I'm not kissing your hand; I don't know where it's been!”

“Oh, please! It's been above the table the whole time.” Jin is disappointed yet again by his dongsaengs. How dare they keep insulting him like this? He is Kim Seokjin, leader of the free world and he won't be taken advantage of like this!

“Hyung, if anyone is the leader of the free world, it's Namjoon. And no one is taking advantage of you, stop talking,” Yoongi says. This is the Worst Moment of his Life. Why is his hyung literally the dumbest person he’s ever met?

”What have I told you about insulting me outloud?”

”I could say the same thing to you, hyung!” It is clear things are going to get ugly if they don’t control themselves very soon.

Jin sniffles and suddenly Yoongi is taken back to the time they met. ”It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you cry, hyung. I actually wouldn’t be shocked if you had blocked the memory from your mind. Do you remember the last time?”

”Don’t remind me, Yoongi-yah. It’s the most embarrassing moment of my life, I never want to relive it.” Jin puts his head in hands. Life is over for him.

When Yoongi and Jin had first met, it had been a wild occurrence in every direction. There had been blood, tears (and yes, there had been sweat.)

Yoongi had been in a rush home from his morning classes when suddenly he had tripped over a howling animal, no, wait, that’s a human.

The person looks up. Oh god, how is thisthingstill alive? He looks gaunt and pale, with eyes and lips swollen from tears and gross, oily, unwashed hair. He looks like what a kid imagines a demon to appear as. (Oh, how Yoongi regrets how true this description was. His hyung is a demon in more than just the figurative way.)

”Hey! Watch where you’re going! I’m trying to cry here!” And… there goes any hope for Yoongi to understand what’s going on. “Leave me alone to wail in peace.” The man resumes wailing over a piece of paper?

Yoongi snorts. “You know that you didn’t have to take ‘take a picture, it’ll last longer’ so literally, right?”

The man gasps in obvious annoyance. “Yes, I know that! I said leave me alone to wail in peace, what do you not understand about that?” He sucks up all the snot that made its way down his face while he was “crying” earlier. “And… and! This is my ex, that’s why I’m crying, not some dumb stalker thing like you clearly think I’m capable of. Have you seen this face?”He makes a general sweeping gesture around his face. Yoongi has: it’s not pretty at the moment. He nods in agreement, fearing this mentally unstable creature sat in front of him. ”Exactly! Do I look like I’d be a stalker?” Yoongi gives the man a look. Is he joking right now?

”Ignoring the snot,” Yoongi says, also deciding to ignore the outrage that starts to paint the man’s face. “You look pretty good, for someone who is known around campus for messy break-ups and even messier relationships.”

”People think that about me? Who is it? Who’s been spreading rumors about me?” He is now frantic for information. As if to prove how much he wants this information, he starts clutching at Yoongi’s legs. “My name is Jin, by the way.”

So, okay, maybe this isn’t the weirdest moment he and Jin have been through together, but as first meetings go, it’s probably the weirdest one in all of the greater Seoul area.

Yoongi is broken out of his reverie when Jin stands up and yells: “Guess who just won a free iPhone X!”

”Oh my god, hyung, no!” Yoongi dives over the table like he’s in an action movie. This is his mission and he will save his hyung from what is most certainly imminent death, a ticking time bomb.

Several things happen at once: Yoongi knocks over the table, along with two coffee cups--one Namjoon’s and the other Jin’s--and the beautiful vase filled with flowers that were on the table, Jin hits “Complete” on the website form that will sign his identity away to the random hackers who infiltrated his phone, and Yoongi’s phone lights up with a text from Hoseok.

They are kicked out of the cafe without much of a fanfare.

”I can’t believe that you got us kicked out of the cafe, hyung.” Yoongi is now the one who is Not Amused.

”Me? I wasn’t the one who just jumped over the fucking table like fucking Jason Bourne!” Yoongi will have to agree that Jin has a point there. He’ll never admit it.

”At least I wasn’t the one who got his identity stolen by a fucking internet scam that only idiots fall for!” Yoongi is out for blood, it seems.

A familiar voice cuts in. “Ladies, ladies, you’re both beautiful. Now, I believe it’s time for you to leave, huh, Yoongi?” It’s Hoseok, because of course it is.

”Wait a minute, what is this? Do you think I’ve forgotten about this whole ‘taking turns’ thing you all are on today? I haven’t! I’m not going anywhere else until you tell me,” Jin says, always the metaphorical dog digging its heels in against the leash.

”That’s where you’re wrong, hyung,” Hoseok speaks up. It’s his job to get his hyung where he needs to go next. His fighting is all accounted for in the plan.

Jin’s eyes squint and he steps forward into Hoseok’s space. “What plan.” This is no question, it is a command and Hoseok may not live past this interrogation. He can see it now: the police will be questioning bystanders on how the Great Jung Hoseok died and all they will be able to say is that his angry hyung just stabbed him right there in broad daylight in the middle of a street. What a sad way to go out.

Both Yoongi and Hoseok make eye contact around Jin’s head. This is not going to plan. Taehyung and Jimin will not be happy if Jin finds out their plan before the time comes. “There is no plan, hyung. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” There, Hoseok has saved the day. He lets out a sigh of relief.

”That’s funny. I could have sworn that I heard you say that this was ‘all a part of the plan’. Do you not remember saying that? Yoongi, do you remember him saying that?” Jin doesn’t look away from his intense staring match (if you can call a one-sided staring match a staring match) when addressing Yoongi. Hoseok can hear Yoongi gulp. He shakes his head minutely, hoping Yoongi will catch on to his meaning.

”I wasn’t...uh, listening to him, hyung?” Yoongi might have just fucked this up.

Jin hums. This just won’t do. Just as he starts figuring out how to get away with his dongsaengs murders, his phone starts vibrating in his pocket.

He answers it without looking at the Caller ID (big mistake). “Hello?”

”Kim Seokjin, would you care to tell me why you put in my credit card information on a shady website that steals people’s identities?”

Oh fuck, it’s his mom.

Chapter Text

Well, Jin may have fucked up a little. A lot? He doesn't know, but he sure knows that his mom isn't happy with him.

After he answered his mom’s call, he'd had to sit down for a good few minutes just so his hearing in his right ear could recover. With the lungs on that woman, he's shocked he didn't go deaf as a kid.

TL;DR: Jin fucked up.

(Jin: 3 Universe: 13 Jin’s Mom: 47 - Jin is pretty sure this system is rigged.)

Hoseok can't stop laughing. He's pretty sure that this is the funniest thing he's seen all year. They always say that the universe works in mysterious ways and he can't help but agree. Somehow, the stars aligned so that Jin could stop his attack on his dongsaengs. Hoseok sure doesn't envy Jin at the moment.

“Hyung, what’d she say?” Yoongi breaks the silence.

“I don't want to talk about it,” Jin says sternly. “It wasn't anything important, anyways. I think she forgot my birthday is today, though, so that's a plus.”

A plus? Hoseok is confused. “In what way is that a plus?” Hoseok says, clearly unknowing of how much of an off-limits topic Jin’s mom was.

Jin groans and throws his head back in frustration. He might’ve made a mistake when he decided to let Hoseok be his friend. Trust him to miss the pointed tone he had spoken with.

“You actual idiot, Hoseok.” Yoongi seems to be on Jin’s side for once, but Jin knows his Betrayal will most definitely occur again.

“What? I was just wondering what’s up with him…” Great, Yoongi has ruined Hoseok’s mood and ultimately that means everyone else’s moods along with his.

“Look, it’s whatever. I just want to forget that she ever called me in the first place, okay? She’s literally the one person who I’d rather not interact with.”

The mood has gone sour, and so has Jin’s expression.

Yoongi has a feeling it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.

Chapter Text

Hi, everyone. It's been like six (actually it has been SEVEN?) years but I am still alive.

I rewrote this whole fic and posted it here: https://ao3-rd-18.onrender.com/works/73107416

Let me know if you like it. It's complete and posted!