#preformers

A thirteen year old Jungkook stands in a room that seems to swallow him whole. New faces peer down at him with kindness that did nothing to ease his anxiety. These nameless people, speaking with different accents and interacting with different personalities, were his family now. Shame bubbled up inside him. He should be grateful, but his shaking hands and pounding heart screamed differently. His family remained in Busan. These boys were strangers.

“Yah, you’re so young!”

“Don’t scare him, back up.”

“You’re a singer, right? Can we hear?”

No. He wanted to say, but the words caught in his throat, tangling with suppressed tears of homesickness and longing. He wanted this, but he also wanted his familiarity back.

Jungkook needed to do something, anything to prove he wasn’t the trembling, little boy screaming to go back hiding in the corners of his mind. Lips parted once, twice, but only a puff of shaky air escaped him.

One of the strangers laughed, flinging himself forward and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, “Don’t listen to him. You can show us all that talent bottled up inside when you’re ready. Until then, we’ll keep standing beside you.”

A nineteen year old Jungkook stands on stage, looking out into the crowd of shaking lights. The fan’s illuminated faces shining in anticipation. He’s alone on stage. The darkness creeps across his skin, wrapping tight fingers around his chest. This was the first time he would perform without them. He looks to the wings at the crowd of six, wishing desperately for them to be next to him. He longed for the familiarity, but their smiles are so bright. They throw various forms of silent encouragement, expressing their pride in how far he’s come.

The fingers loosen, and the darkness flees when the bright lights of the stage greet him. The deafening roar and thrill of the night greet him like an old friend.

Jungkook sends one last look in the direction of his family, his mind flashing back to their first encounter. A smile upturns his trembling lips.

“Until then, we’ll always keep standing beside you.”

They were with him. Through every struggle and forced smile, through every sleepless night, they were all together. Now it was time for Jungkook to repay what they gave him.

Decided to make an Irken and Vortian Version of Bonbon and Funtime Freddy. I’m not sure if I’ll keep their names the same or give them a bit more alien-esk names ^w^.