It was the time of their traniees days before they debuted.
Jungkook learned Jin in pieces little by little everyday.
Not all at once and not like the first day, when beauty had struck him dumb and he just asked him to marry but slowly he is learning, through small things that repeated themselves until they felt permanent.
Jin always arrived ten minutes early to practice. He used those minutes to stretch properly, to warm his voice gently, to make sure the younger trainees weren't doing something that would hurt them later he is just too kind for his own good. jin was one who didnt have natural talent instead he worked really hard for it and become the most important part of the company. he was flawless in dancing and his voice sounded like heaven. no one was like him. Jungkook noticed jins habits because he watched Jin the way some people watched sunsets, without blinking, afraid that he will miss something important.
"Your shoes are untied kid," Jin said in the morning, crouching without waiting for permission of jungkook.
Jungkook looked down, he was startled. "Oh."
Jin tied them quickly, neatly without a word but with a fond smile. His fingers moved with quiet confidence. When he stood, he met Jungkook's eyes and smiled. making jungkook see over the moon in his eyes.
"There. You'll trip less now dont be careless."
Jungkook nodded, chest warm he smiled. "Thank you, hyung."
Jin ruffled his hair once before walking away to practice.
Jungkook stood there for a long moment in his own dreamland, shoes forgotten, heart racing for no reason like he could explain. { hes downbad for his man i guess}
Jin remembered everything that has to do with the little kid.
He remembered which stretches Jungkook hated, which meals he avoided, which songs calmed him when practice ran late and voices grew tired. When Jungkook forgot his jacket on cold nights, Jin draped his own jacket over Jungkook's shoulders without comment. because he thought jungkook as a little kid he has to take care of.
"You'll get sick, idiot bunny" Jin said simply.
"What about you?" Jungkook asked.
"I'm older," Jin replied lightly. "I more sturdier."
Jungkook didn't believe him, but he let the jacket stay on him smelling jins scent, he enjoyed so much.
They shared snacks in corners of the building where cameras didn't reach yet. Convenience store rice balls. Warm bread eaten too quickly. jin paid for it because he is the son of ceo. Jin always bought and fed Jungkook without thinking with his allowance not just jungkook he also took care of others but not as much as he did for jungkook.
"You don't have to do it hyung," Jungkook said once.
"I know." Jin smiled. "but i want to."
Those words followed Jungkook through practice, through mirrors ,music and aching muscles.
Jungkook admired Jin quietly.
He admired the way Jin never raised his voice but was still listened to. The way he smiled even when he was tired. The way he laughed at his own jokes when no one else did. Jungkook memorized these things like lyrics, like steps, like something he would need later to jungkook he was everything and he promised himself that he will make him his and treat him like princess.
Sometimes Jin caught him staring and it amused him, that big doe eyes are staring at him so fondly, cute.
"Do I have something on my face?" Jin asked him boldly.
Jungkook shook his head too fast. "No. I just—"
"Just what?"
Jungkook hesitated, then shrugged. "Nothing."
Jin smiled like he understood anyway.
On late nights, when the dorm was quiet and exhaustion pressed heavy on everyone's bones, Jungkook sat on the floor beside Jin's bed while Jin read or scrolled through his phone.
"You should go to sleep now," Jin told him gently.
"In a minute."
Jin sighed but let him stay.
Sometimes Jungkook fell asleep right there, back against the bed, breathing slow and even. and sometime he slept with jin on his bed hugging him like a pillow he would always say 'can i sleep with you hyung' but nowdays he dont even ask and just get into jin bed. Jin always noticed. He always set his phone aside, carefully lifting Jungkook and laying him down properly, pulling a blanket over him.
He never woke him up.
He never stayed longer than necessary.
But sometimes he also craved to sleep with jungkook hugging him tight and cuddling him.
One afternoon, Jungkook hurt his ankle during practice.
He tried to hide it. as always he did.
Jin noticed immediately that something is wrong with the bunny.
"Sit," Jin said, firm but calm.
"I'm fine—"
"Sit."
Jungkook sat sliently.
Jin knelt, inspecting the swelling on his ankle, hands gentle. "You don't have to be strong all the time," he said softly.
Jungkook swallowed. "I don't want to fall behind i want to become best."
Jin looked up at him then, eyes steady. "You won't. I'm here with you always."
The words were simple. They stayed anyway. His heart beated crazy like usual.
At night, when Jungkook lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, he thought about Jin's voice, Jin's hands, Jin's warmth. He didn't think in terms of love not yet {because he doesnt really know what love is}.
He just knew that when Jin smiled at him, the world felt kinder.Beautiful.
That when Jin called his name, it sounded like safety a home.
Jin, for his part, told himself he was just doing what an eldest should do.
Taking care. Watching out. Being responsible. of a lost kid.
He did not yet ask himself why Jungkook's absence felt wrong, or why his laughter felt necessary, or why does he want to hug him to sleep, or why the dorm felt emptier when Jungkook fell asleep somewhere else.
Those questions could wait for later when they grow up.
For now, there were small things. Repeated.
And in those small things, something gentle and lasting quietly took root, unnoticed, unnamed, and growing. love.