Jin felt a prickle of unease, a familiar warning. It wasn't unlike the instinct a parent develops for their child, but for Jin, it extended to each member of the band. He’d come to rely on it—a subtle shift in perception that signaled when one of them was struggling. He didn’t understand *how* he knew, whether it was a result of their close bond or something more inexplicable. He only knew it was there.
It was past one in the morning. Lying in his bed, Jin decided to investigate. Quietly, he left his room, determined to check on his *dongsaengs*. He began with the youngest, knowing they were often the most vulnerable.
He hadn’t gone far when a crash echoed from the bathroom, followed by a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Jin tutted, disapproving of such language within the dorm, and headed toward the sound.
The door was unlocked. He pushed it open gently to find Jungkook crouched amidst scattered medicines, trying to gather them from the floor. Jungkook froze, turning to Jin with a look of guilty surprise.
Jin took in the tension in Jungkook's face, a stark contrast to his usual carefree expression. His youngest member was clearly in pain. A wave of concern washed over him.
"Jungkook," he said, his tone stern. "What did I tell you this morning when you said you had a minor headache?"
"To take tablets, *hyung*," Jungkook replied, avoiding his gaze.
"And did you do what I asked?"
"...no, *hyung*."
"And now," Jin pressed, his voice level, "tell me: yes or no, do you have a full-blown migraine?"
Silence. Jin took it as confirmation.
"I'm sorry," Jungkook mumbled, "I didn't want to miss out on anything we were doing today..."
Jin softened. The youngest member looked genuinely miserable. He decided to let him off the hook, for now. He scanned the pile of medicines, searching for a specific brand—the one Yoongi favored when he burned the midnight oil, needing a quick cure for his headaches. He was sure the rapper wouldn’t mind sharing.
“Take one of these with water. If it doesn’t improve within the next half hour, tell me. I’ll see what else can be done.”
Jin smiled, turning to leave. He wished he could do more to ease his *dongsaeng’s* pain.
"Jin *hyung*…"
Jin turned back, seeing gratitude in Jungkook’s eyes.
“Thank you.”
Jin smiled warmly, ruffling Jungkook’s hair affectionately before returning to his room. He knew he’d be awake for another hour, at least, monitoring the situation.
He was grateful for his bandmates and their patience. He’d finished writing this at 1:30 am, and hadn’t had time to proofread thoroughly. He hoped it was clear enough for the moment. He wondered who should be the focus of the next chapter, and welcomed any honest feedback. Until then, he’d rest.