Chapter Text
Jungkook drifted awake, his body trying desperately to hold onto the sleep he so desperately needed. They had spent all night and early morning rehearsing for their new songs, trying to make the choreography stick. It wasn't until Hoseok had nearly sprained his ankle that they had stopped, sweat dripping off their bodies. But he knew he didn't have time to think. He had to get these few hours of sleep in, or his body was going to punish him later.
And this mattress was sooo comfortable. Firm, yet soft. The blanket was just heavy enough to be warm and comfy- it was definitely heaven. He hadn’t felt this comfortable in a long time.
Wait.
He hadn’t felt this comfy in a long time.
His bed wasn’t this comfy.
Frowning but unwilling to open his eyes, he pulled the blankets closer and snuggled deeper. He was disturbed to find the scent - although amazingly clean, citrusy and green - was not one he had smelt before. His eyes shot open to a mess of pale yellow.
To his horror, he realised that the yellow was someone’s blonde hair. Someone else was under the blankets as well, softly snoring away. He was in the bed with a blonde MAN from the looks of the things, who was radiating heat and still seemed to be in deep sleep. He didn’t know anyone blonde.
He scrambled to a sitting position, tugging the blankets around him before screaming.
“-Jungkook, what the fuck,” the body groaned as Jungkook cowered in the corner by the wall. He was shocked by the face squinting at him.
“Seokjin hyung?” he whispered. He looked so different yet the same. Not as tan, very blonde and tired. Who was this? Where was he? Why did Jin look like this? Why were they sharing a bed?
Then it was Jin’s turn to scream just as Jungkook started hyperventilating.
“Look at all this hair,” Hoseok marvelled, running his hands through Jungkook’s hair like he was fashioning a mohawk. “I can’t remember him looking like this. His hair is bigger than his face!”
Jungkook sniffled as he sat in Jin’s lap and his head on his shoulder, confused and scared. Jin’s scream had caused the rest of the members to pile into the room, all looking so different that it had caused Jungkook to burst into tears as they yelled and stared at him. Jin had been the safety, as only his hair was different. Jungkook had ended up clinging to Jin as they clamoured around him, asking him so many questions in different voices, although Yoongi hyung still sounded like a goat.
Now he was on Jin’s lap on the couch in an AMAZING living room. A luxury living room. Did they live in a mansion? Did he get transported into a luxury universe? From the polished light wooden floors, huge TV, large furniture and so much space - he had never been somewhere so fancy and expensive. He has been shellshocked when Jin had hefted him up securely and carried him into the living room and his .. “hyungs” rushed about panicking. Jin might not smell the same now, but he was still strong and solid. Those shoulders were definitely his, and a great rest for his cheek as a headache started to form.
“Fuck me,” Yoongi swore as he stared at Jungkook’s face when they had all gathered on the couch. “... what’s your name?”
“I’m Jungkook… where am I?” he cried, unable to see him clearly through his tears.
This guy looked exactly like his Yoongi hyung, except he had bleached light grey hair. His Yoongi had black, undyed hair. He couldn’t have done that overnight and wouldn’t have asked him that question.
Grey haired Yoongi held his hand as he used the other to scrub at his eyes.
“...Jungkook,” said the Namjoon where something was slightly off about his face, and had a normal hairstyle that was dyed an ash colour. And who wasn't as skinny. “You look like you’re 15.”
“I am 15!” he said, as Jin hugged him tightly. His Jin was quite affectionate too, and Blonde Jin seemed like he had no issues comforting him either. “What’s happening? Am I dreaming? You all look different!”
“What was the last thing you remember, Jungkook?” Namjoon asked.
“We were practising the choreo for N.O. and We are Bulletproof.. I’m in an idol group called BTS and we’ve just debuted. Who are you? Where am I?”
All the boys positively cooed at the 15 year old Jungkook who was blinking those huge doe eyes that they all knew so well, made bigger by his tiny face.
“Your Bambi eyes,” Namjoon crooned as Jungkook stared at him in confusion. Namjoon pinched his cheek. “So round.”
“We’re BTS!” said the guy who Jungkook assumed was Taehyung. “It’s 2018, you’re in our dorm and I think you’ve travelled ahead of your time. Or you’ve switched places with grown up Jungkook!”
Jungkook’s mouth dropped open. This Taehyung was so different. He was actually slightly scared of him. His Taehyung was around his height, skinny, tan and unassuming. This Taehyung was coldly handsome, tall, voice impossibly deep and filled out. All of these hyungs had amazing skin and looked more handsome, but Taehyung’s face had gone through the most maturing to a point where he looked unreal. He might’ve looked different but he still acted the same, unable to stop touching Jungkook's hair and arm like if he was making sure Jungkook was real.
“This is impossible,” lisped Jimin, who also looked so, so different. Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok and Seokjin looked mostly like themselves but more tired, more filled out with great hair, but Jimin… gone was the small and tan teenager with the round face and huge muscles. He was so thin and pale with light blonde hair. Even his teeth were different. Jungkook had nearly not recognised him when he had first burst into Jin’s room. Who was he?
Jungkook squirmed as multiple hands ran through his hair, stroked his cheek - was someone examining his foot? - as he hid into Jin’s expansive shoulder.
Jin looked up and exchanged glances with his members- they were all flabbergasted. A 15 year old Jungkook, small and soft was really here. They didn’t remember him being so small and young, as fresh teenagers themselves- but now with all of them in their mid to late twenties, Jungkook looked even younger.
He looked back down to the Jungkook who was yawning with eyelashes fluttering against his neck as they threatened to close.
“Are you tired, Jungkookie?” he asked softly.
“We finished at 3am hyung,” little Jungkook answered. “And then we have to get up at 7am... And shower…”
“Maybe if he sleeps he will turn back, or things will be right,” Jimin said, stroking the nape of Jungkook’s neck. “Let’s put him to bed and hope for the best.”
“Man, remember how tired we were back then,” Yoongi said, shaking his head. “I mean, we’re tired now but at least we’re not stressed about what the agency is forcing us to do and being dirt poor.”
“Can I carry him? Please?” begged Taehyung.
Jungkook moaned as he was shifted from the familiar warmth and body but unfamiliar scent to be cuddled up against an unfamiliar body but familiar scent. Hot Taehyung apparently still used Johnsons Body Lotion. He was surprised at how strong this Taehyung was, who lifted him up like a baby on his front with ease. He rubbed his nose against big Taehyung’s neck, soothed.
“He’s so light,” Taehyung marvelled.
Like a slow parade, they trailed Taehyung and Jungkook to a bedroom, Namjoon and Hoseok snapping photos and Jimin filming a dozing Jungkook nearly drooling on Taehyung’s shoulder.
Jungkook fluttered his eyes open as they entered a dark room. He turned his head and looked around, where racks of clothes, computers and music equipment winked back at him. Was this a closet? He was alarmed as Taehyung started lowering him down onto a small single mattress on the floor. On the floor? With no bedframe?
Jungkook panicked and started crying again while his hyungs looked on in confusion, refusing to leave Taehyung’s arms.
“Calm down Jungkookie, it’s okay,” Jin said, rubbing his back. “What’s wrong?”
“Are you leaving me in a closet?? On the floor?” he screeched. “Why are you putting me here?”
The members started laughing. Hoseok’s laugh echoed.
“Oh Jungkookie,” laughed Jimin. “Oh baby.”
Upset that the others were laughing at him, he hid his face. He could feel Taehyung giggling in a deep chuckles that his Taehyung didn’t do. He didn’t know these people and they were laughing at him.
“Stop laughing, you’re making him cry,” Yoongi said, lithe fingers brushing Jungkook’s fringe away from his face. “Jungkookie, we’re laughing because this is your room.”
“And you chose this. Kookie, we were literally arguing with your 21 year old you about how dumb it was to order such a small bed,” Jin said.
“And I told you filling it up with racks and gym gear was a bad idea!” said Namjoon. “But of course you wouldn’t listen.”
Jungkook hiccuped and Jimin squealed, bopping his nose to Jungkook's displeasure.
“Should we go back to the room we found him? Jin hyung’s room?” suggested Hoseok.
Taehyung tightened his grip on Jungkook as they agreed, little Jungkook looking wiped out again.
Jungkook was placed onto the soft bed that he had woken up in, hyungs cooing and trying to tuck him in at all angles. God, his real hyungs weren’t as overbearing, although he was getting used to these new ones extremely quickly. He felt like he knew them despite them being unfamiliar.
Jin stuffed a funny looking toy with him.
“Wha's dis?” he said groggily as Jin stroked his hair back repeatedly. They were all obsessed with his hair for some reason.
“This is RJ. He’s an alpaca.”
“Does this mean we do great? We live in such a nice house,” Jungkook said, his eyes closing. “Are we rich?”
He could hear them all squealing, someone pecked him on the forehead. He was pleased they found him cute.
“Can I tell you a secret Kookie,” Jin said, voice close to his ear. “We’re going to do amazing.”
“Keep up the good work Jungkookie,” Yoongi’s voice said. “You’re a good boy.”
“The cutest boy,” Namjoon added.
“Smart boy,” Hoseok commented.
“I miss him like this,” Taehyung said. “And I’m going to miss him again. Sweet dreams. We love you.”
Alarmed, he tried to open his eyes, holding onto Jimin’s hand. “Wait, I want to spend more time here with you guys.”
He was startled when Jimin curled up around him. Jimin was so thin and delicate now. “We’re always with you. Don’t worry,” his soft voice matching him.
He should be grossed out with the little kisses these new hyungs were leaving on his face.
“Look how small his nose used to be,” someone giggled as he fell asleep.
Well, Jungkook had apparently slept for 6 hours because it was 2pm and guess what?
He was now sitting on the kitchen island with his perplexed and worried hyungs while eating some tasty American cereal.
And given that his old dorm didn’t have enough room for a small table let alone a kitchen island and the only thing they could afford was porridge, nothing had changed. He was still 15 years old, freshly debuted Jungkook somehow in a universe where his hyungs were millionaires and his 21 year old self slept on the floor.
He felt better from his nap though. His hyungs evidently did not.
“This cereal is delicious,” he said with his mouth full.
“It’s your favourite,” Jin said absentmindedly. “Oh Kookie, what are we going to do with you?”
“I like it here,” Jungkook said as he got off the stool to explore the kitchen.
“What are we going to tell the managers?” Namjoon said.
“What’s this?” Jungkook said as he fished out snacks from the cabinet with foreign writing. “Can I have some?”
“Yes. Those were from Malta,” said Hoseok.
“What’s Malta?”
“I forgot how hyper you were,” Jimin said. “Hyungs, we should tell the managers. They would help us hide him and help.”
“Not Manager Hyukjae! He won’t help,” Jungkook said bitterly, playing with a magnet on the double door fridge. This fridge even had an icemaker! Jungkook was now slightly confused on how they could afford this apartment.
Suddenly his new hyungs looked sad.
“How can we send him back to go through that again?” said Yoongi angrily.
“Like we can even send him back if we wanted,” said Namjoon.
“What? Go through what?” Jungkook said, alarmed.
Shooting them all glares, Jin stepped up to Jungkook. “Honey, Manager Hyukjae wasn’t very nice to us back then, was he? He doesn’t work for us anymore.”
“Really? I thought he was never going to leave! That’s great news! How come?” Jungkook said excitedly as Jin started fussing over his shirt that he had borrowed from his older self.
All the members remembered when they received the notifications on their phones. Back then they were obsessed with news of themselves, trawling through forums and setting alerts for their names if they popped up in Naver articles.
They remembered how their hearts had fallen to their stomachs with the headline “Manager caught hitting BTS maknae Jungkook” - but more importantly how Jungkook had shrunk into himself, refusing to come out of the bathroom as their phones went out of control, posts with clips of Jungkook flinching on repeat, ARMYs going crazy flooding their twitter and fancafe, BigHit PR and management furiously texting them to remain in the dorm and not say anything to anyone.
Jungkook throwing his phone and smashing it when his parents and brother started calling him within the hour of the first article turning into hundreds.
This little Jungkook had no idea the level of hurt, shame and hardship he had to face in a few more months. Had no idea that behind closed doors his hyungs were going to see him shatter, mortified at the public knowing, talking about him and pretending he was fine to his bosses and staff as they too talked about him and judged. How this incident would scar Jungkook and teach him lessons about the media, about weakness, about his agency. How his hyungs would spent hours trying to show him they would protect him from now on.
Jimin tried not to cry as the Jungkook in front of them smiled at them with curious eyes, putting his arm around his shoulders.
“Hey, want to meet the 8th member of BTS?” Taehyung said brightly, abruptly changing the subject.
“What?” yelled Jungkook, completely shocked.
He could’ve never had predicted this. His heart starting pounding. He thought he was going to faint.
This was not happening.
“He doesn’t live in the dorms with us but his name is Yeontan. He's visiting today,” Taehyung continued, grabbing his hand to lead him away. The hyungs sent him grateful glances.
“Yeontan? Is that his stage name?” They heard Jungkook ask as Taehyung led him into the corridor.
“I think we should call Sejin hyung,” Namjoon said slowly. “Maybe little Jungkook showed up here for a reason.”