"And you're eating regularly?"
"Mhm."
"I haven't thrown up in a while, that's good."
"I can see when you're lying to me."
Jimin sighed.
"I don't know how to change it", he shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm thinking about a way to help you."
"Do I even want to know?"
"Yes definitely. You've been going through this for so long now and you've been all alone on the way."
"What are you saying?", Jimin asked carefully.
"I'm saying that you're my friend and if that's what it takes for you to understand what you're doing to yourself.. I'm willing to do it with you."
"What? I don't want that."
"Well lucky for you, it's not your decision to make."
Jungkook wanted to eat the same way Jimin did. Jimin thought he was crazy. Why would Jungkook do this?
"Okay fine. At breakfast I-"
"Hyung, I don't want you to tell me. I will watch you precisely and eat just exactly what you eat."
"You can't do that."
"I can and I will."
"I hate you."
"I know."
Jimin wouldn't say that he didn't appreciate what Jungkook was planning to do. But he was trusfrated. He couldn't even think of eating without feeling dizzy and nauseous.
And he hated himself for that.
"Okay."
The next following days went as bad as Jungkook expected. He wanted to help Jimin, of course he did, but this was hard. His stomach was growling every twenty seconds but Jimin just wouldn't eat.
And now, they were working really long hours too. The music video shoot was almost finished and Jungkook was so exhausted. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so tired.
And his rips started defining themselves. Which worried him even more.
No, he didn't worry about himself.
"Jungkook? Can we talk?", Jimin asked.
They walked a few meters away from the others.
"What's going on?", Jungkook asked as innocent and powerful as he could.
"Please don't do this. I hate to see you go through this."
"I hate to see you go through this too", Jungkook countered.
"Come on. Just eat something. I can hear your stomach growling from 500 meters away."
"I am not going to eat something if you're not eating something."
Jimin walked over and grabbed a box with steam coming from it. Jungkook watched him mixing through the noodles with the chopsticks before he took a giant bite.
"There I ate. Are you happy now?", he said with a full mouth.
Jungkook didn't wait another second as he took the box directly from Jimin's hands and took a bite as generous as his hyung did.
He sighed out of relief. "Ohh food, finally!"
Jimin smiled while chewing. He forgot the urge to not eat for this split second. It made his heart feel so loved that Jungkook stood by his side and did this with him. Maybe he would be alright.
He knew that Jungkook loved food probably more than anything in his life. And the fact that he gave that up...
He wanted him to be okay too.
So he took five more bites and found Jungkook following his move.
The warm food sliding down his throat to his stomach, it felt so good. Maybe he could be alright after all.
Maybe it was gonna be okay.
But then he started feeling nauseous again. The need to throw up got more intense by every second that went by.
"Heyy what are you guys up to?", Taehyung asked as he walked over to them.
"Wow, Jungkook, you look tired. Did you sleep okay?"
Taehyung stroked Jungkook's arm.
Jungkook just nodded.
"You seem exhausted. I've been wondering what was going on between you too. And why you've been so tense all the time", Taehyung said.
"I was tense?", Jungkook asked and looked up.
"Well, yes. And you have dark circles under your eyes. What happened? Is there anything I can do?"
"No, I'm just-", he stopped and looked at Jimin.
"I'm helping a friend", Jungkook said.
Jimin smiled.
Taehyung massaged his temples.
"I'm confused."
"I am still struggling with my eating disorder. It's not as bad as it was but it's still there. And Jungkook is going through that with me. So I don't have to be alone. And also that it makes me stop when I see how bad he's doing", Jimin explained.
Taehyung nodded.
"You still don't eat?"
"No, I eat. Just only when I have to."
Tae nodded again.
Then he went over to Jimin and hugged him tightly.
"Tae, I'm fine."
"I know. Just know that you can always ask."
"I know, thank you."
Back in the hotel room, Taehyung went after Jungkook. "Wait!"
Jungkook, shirtless, because he was about to shower, stuck his head out of the door frame.
Taehyung followed him into the bathroom and closed the door.
"I didn't say this earlier because Jimin was there but... I wanted to thank you."
"You're too sweet-"
"But I also wanted to talk to you about it."
"Okay?"
Taehyung inhaled deeply before he started talking. "I don't like you doing this. He has a sickness, a disease. That's why he can't eat. You instead can. So please stop skipping meals like him."
"I know what I'm doing, you don't have to lecture me."
"Yes I do! Because you simply don't seem to care enough about yourself!"
"I'm okay! Really."
"Look how thin you got", Taehyung said and trailed his fingers over Jungkook's side.
"I can literally count your ribs!"
"I'm okay", Jungkook said again.
"Look at yourself! Look at your face!", Taehyung said and pulled Jungkook in front of a mirror, so he could see himself.
"You have dark circles under your eyes, your skin is pale and you're so exhausted, all the time!"
He turned him around.
"This isn't healthy."
Jungkook lowered his head but Taehyung laid his hands on Jungkook's face to pull it up again. He looked him in the eyes.
"Please stop, Jungkook."
"I can't", the maknae whispered.
"Not before Jimin doesn't stop."
———
Next day
It was the last day of the shoot and they had to stay the night again.
The boys changed their outfits once more and formatted for the coming scene.
Jungkook looked shyly over to Taehyung who was talking to Jimin.
He felt a sharp pain in his chest and hunger in his stomach.
After Tae and Jimin joined the formation, they danced the first part of the chorus again until the directors were happy.
"Oh, will you excuse us for a minute guys, the camera isn't working. Please stay in your positions, it'll only be a few minutes."
The members nodded.
That was just great. The camera broke exactly when Jungkook had intervened his fingers with his other two members right in the middle of the chorus. Also, he could feel Taehyung's breath in his nape, since he was directly behind him. And now they should stay like this. For a few minutes. Perfect timing.
When Tae inhaled, Jungkook felt the air on his nape being taken away and when he exhaled, Jungkook felt a warm breeze flowing against it.
It made him nervous but on the other hand, it calmed him down a bit.
Then he felt a hand snake around his waist to his tummy. And another hand on the other side. Jungkook looked down.
It were Tae's hands.
They pulled Jungkook closer, so close that the youngest could feel Taehyung's heartbeat on his back.
"Thank you", the older whispered into his ear and laid his head on Jungkook's shoulder.
"For what?"
"He ate. Today. Just now. And he didn't skip the other meals and he didn't throw up. He said how he felt so supported that you were by his side."
Jungkook sighed out of relief.
"No need to thank me", he replied.
Taehyung kissed Jungkook's cheek and then laid his head back on his shoulder.
That action send shivers down the maknae's spine.
He turned his head to look at the older.
Their eyes locked and Jungkook caught a little smile on Taehyung's lips.
Just as his face started to heat up and gain color, the director called out to them, to separate them because they had to finish the scene.
"Half hour break for everyone. You guys did great, I would advise you to use your time to sleep a little. I want you back here in thirty to shoot the last few scenes, then you can go home."
The boys bowed and headed to a corner where the mattresses were.
Namjoon stayed to prepare for the next scenes and Yoongi handed coffee to everyone who asked. They had to appreciate all the staff-workers as well, he thought.
It was 4 am.
There were no stars in the sky.
The members seemed to be sleeping.
But not Taehyung.
He was too busy wondering if he was allowed to cuddle with Jungkook once again.
All he could see from Jungkook was his back and he could smell his hair by how close they laid. His hand traveled over Jungkooks shoulder and then to his tummy.
Tae was sure, Jungkook was sleeping so he wasn't that nervous.
After a few minutes of Taehyung and Jungkook spooning, the older felt a movement.
Quietly and incredibly careful, Jungkooks hand slid over Tae's arm. Then, step by step, his hand went closer to Taehyung's.
Jungkooks hand laid on top of Taehyung's hand. At first.
To find out if Jungkook was actually sleeping, and if he would do something, Tae spread his fingers.
Jungkook intervened them.