two boys you'll meet in heaven

[jxxnggxk]

two boys you'll meet in heaven
platonic!maknae line (bts) - ~3,500 words - warnings (spoilers? if you hover)
some might find it strange that a seven-year old boy’s best friends are two ghosts.
a/n: soooo i got inspired by 1cmplus's ghost boys au and decided to write a fic based off of it. hope you enjoyyyyy.


the first boy jeon jeongguk meets is park jimin.

“someone’s in my bed, umma,” the seven-year old insists, tugging the slumber out of his mother and pulling at her sleeve. the sight is clear as day. a ragged boy sits at the edge of jeongguk’s bed in a high school uniform, solemn with bruises covering every inch of skin. “see? he’s right there. i can’t sleep there, umma. he’s taking up all the space.”

“i don’t see anything, jeongguk-ah,” she says as calm as possible, trying to soothe her son back into the bed. “you’re just very tired like umma. go back to your bed.”

but jeongguk is horror-stricken, gleaming over to the strange boy who stares right back at him. imagine his surprise when he woke up to see a stranger looming over him - imagine his surprise now, knowing his mother can’t see it.

the door closes behind jeongguk as his mother betrays him, leaving him alone with someone he’s never seen - someone he only can see. he has always been told not to talk to strangers so he keeps his mouth shut, frozen against the door, holding onto his precious stuffed bunny for dear life.

the stranger leaps to his feet, slacken with relief. “you can see me?”

jeongguk’s grip on his bunny tightens. “y- yes,” he says, almost squeaks. “are you going to hurt me?” he hesitates before holding out his stuffed animal. “i’ll give you cookie as long as you don’t hurt me.”

the boy stares down at the peace offering given to him and lifts his hands up, signaling he means no harm. “i’m not here to hurt you! i don’t even know why i’m here…” he pauses before continuing, “i’m not even supposed to be alive.”

jeongguk hugs the rabbit back to his chest again, staring at the boy in confusion. death. life. he learnt the words back when his grandfather had supposedly died a year ago, and his parents had to sit him down to explain what had happened to him.

it was strange, because his grandfather had been barely a few feet away, watching his mother break down into tears with a sad look on his face - and all jeongguk could do was stare because he didn’t want to tell his mother and make her cry again.

“are you dead?” jeongguk asks.

“i am, right?” the boy takes a step closer to jeongguk, but the younger boy doesn’t budge. “am i still alive? is that what i get for being self-“ he jerks when jeongguk pulls a hand away from his bunny to take the boy’s hand, and he looks back at large innocent eyes.

“i’m jeongguk,” jeongguk starts, greeting the boy with a smile.

“... jimin.” the boy’s eyes soften. “i’m park jimin.”

“you’re my hyung, so that makes you jimjim hyung,” jeongguk states, nodding as if it would solidify his words.

“jimjim-” jimin’s briefly interrupted once jeongguk sets his rabbit down.

the boy takes hold of jimin’s hand with both his own now, his lips curling into a brighter grin. “you can stay here as long as you want! i can be your friend while you’re here! my real hyung is doing army stuff, so i’m all lonely here.”

jeongguk’s hands are warmer than jimin’s, the older boy's hands cold as death can be. jimin gives jeongguk a weary look, contemplating whether or not he should actually stay. something drew him here- that was for sure.

but with the kid smiling at him like that, he supposes it won’t hurt to remain where he is.

“i guess i have nowhere to go,” jimin whispers, his words almost quivering, but jeongguk’s face when he says it shows that it’s worth it.

the second boy jeon jeongguk meets is kim taehyung.

his lavender hair fascinates jeongguk, who’s only ever seen such a wild color on someone’s head on music shows. the lavender contrasts with the blue on his skin, and the boy is pacing, his breaths heavy like he’s trying to take it all in. jeongguk grips onto the straps on his backpack, his eyes flickering back and forth from jimin, whose fists are clenched and ready to make him leave, to the new visitor, whose expression shows that he doesn’t want to be here.

“getout,” jimin demands through gritted teeth. “jeonggukkie doesn’t need another dead person in his room.”

“jeongguk?” the purple-haired boy’s eyes widen. “is that whose room this is?”

jimin groans quietly and begins pushing the boy out the window. “taehyung, right- maybe you can find some other person who can see you. someone nice. a kid like jeongguk doesn’t need two dead people on his plate.”

“i don’t have enough space on my bed,” jeongguk says. “that’s the only problem.”

jimin and taehyung don’t hesitate to look his way, eyes widening in surprise. jeongguk just awkwardly stands there and scrapes something off of his pants, sniffing.

“jeonggukkie-” jimin begins, hesitation in his voice. “you can’t trust every dead person coming your way. who knows what this guy is planning to do?”

jeongguk just squints at taehyung and asks, “do you like lions?”

both spirits stare at the kid, incredulous. “what?” taehyung says.

the young boy just quietly motions over to the lion taking refuge in the large pile of stuffed animals at the edge of his bed. “lions are scary. lots of people think that. but they can be nice, as long as you’re nice to them. do you like lions?”

taehyung forms a frown and looks to jimin for guidance, only to receive a look of suspicion. “i- guess i do,” he replies.

“then you can stay!” jeongguk exclaims while jimin drops his jaw.

“jeongguk-” jimin starts again but the younger boy hushes him.

“we can all try to fit in my bed. it’ll be okay.”

taehyung’s eyes skirt around, nervous, unsure- but the bright-eyed expression coming across jeongguk’s features is enough to convince him to stay.

they were practically inseparable since then.

some might find it strange that a seven-year old boy’s best friends are two ghosts, but he doesn’t necessarily mind. it's inevitable that his classmates at the elementary school would mock someone who looks like he’s talking to himself. but they’re not given much opportunity to tease him for it - literally swept off their feet by a sudden strong force tripping them down, too distracted by their own faces stained with tears to deal with a boy with ‘imaginary friends’.

kids are so clumsy these days, his teacher would brush off, but the two dead boys’ smug smirks on their faces and subtle high-fives give enough evidence to jeongguk.

they’re his friends.

jimin takes the most weight in protecting jeongguk. there’s always a serious gleam in his eyes the younger boy is too unfamiliar with, usually met with uncertainty or even a glint of a smile whenever jeongguk lets both of them huddle close to him under the sheets.

taehyung is more playful, treating it more like a game than something to do in order to help jeongguk. but the genuinity is there - jeongguk can see it in his eyes. on some days, the two ghosts aren’t as quick, and jeongguk has to come home with scraped knees and watery eyes. but taehyung would make up for it after his mother is done bandaging him, possessing the stuffed lion that jeongguk has a habit of comparing taehyung to.

he’d cheer the young child up through corny jokes and silly dances until his father would come up and ask just what he was giggling about.

jeongguk couldn’t have asked for anything better. he didn’t even have to ask for these two to enter his life.

whenever both of the boys know jeongguk fell asleep, they fall into more meaningful discussions too dark for the younger boy to hear.

“sometimes i feel like i’m still drowning,” taehyung muses, his arm extending towards the ceiling littered with glow in the dark stars. it had been an abrupt decision to put stars up there- because jeongguk had overheard him saying that he’s always wanted to work in space. “and i immediately want to try reaching for land, you know?”

“you died drowning?” jimin whispers in disbelief, lifting his head to stare at his same-aged friend.

“yeah,” taehyung exhales. it’s the first time he’s ever told anyone what happened to him- mostly because he only has two people to tell. he drapes an arm over his eyes, sighing in frustration. “god, parents suck.”

“oh- yeah, i definitely feel you on that,” jimin admits, his eyes solemn. he remembers the times where he faced the door of his home, too afraid to face what was waiting for him, wondering whether they were going to grab for his hair first or lash out at him through words sharp as knives. and he wonders just when he got done with it all.

“they never thought i could work in space, said to try for something more practical like accounting. accounting, out of all things. what a joke, right?”

jimin hums, folding his arms against his chest and closing his eyes. “that would be boring to do for the rest of your life, i guess.”

“i’ve always thought i belonged more in the stars. i got into a fight with them- my parents- over my grades. i was only good with science classes, because i actually liked it,” taehyung rolls over, feeling jeongguk snuggle up against his chest and snore against the fabric. “so i ran off to take a dip in the lake. didn’t have anyone to help me when i cramped up.”

“that’s horrible,” the other squeaks out.

“they always told me i was dreaming too much. a hopeless case,” taehyung continues.

“well, that’s all you can do now,” jimin remarks back, and taehyung just frowns again.

“yeah.” taehyung lets his eyes fall closed again, trying to remind himself that he’s already wandering in eternal sleep. “it’s nice to dream.”

it takes barely a few months for taehyung to start fading.

he looks paler, more translucent than usual, and jeongguk isn’t sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing - especially when his hand passes right through him, a chill more intimidating traveling down his spine at how cold taehyung turns out to be.

"hyung … are you okay?" jeongguk asks in the middle of practicing his korean, tentative.

taehyung looks his way with surprised eyes, tilting his head to show his confusion. jimin sits cross-legged besides jeongguk and suppresses his frown. “of course i’m okay. what makes you think i’m not?”

jeongguk sets his pencil down and tries to poke taehyung in the arm, meeting what he expected, touching nothing but cold air. “hyung … i can’t touch you.”

taehyung lets his brows furrow at the concerned looks on both jimin's and jeongguk's faces, puzzled by the whole situation until he looks down on himself. "... is this supposed to happen?"

the other boys shrug, their frowns tugged more downwards. “don’t go, hyung,” jeongguk says, his voice dwindling into a whisper, trying to grasp onto something that he can’t reach.

“i won’t go, jeonggukkie,” taehyung promises, but the looks on the others’ faces look doubtful.

the stars are the brightest when kim taehyung sees them.

he worries jimin and jeongguk a lot more frequently now, wandering from jeongguk’s bed and slipping from the sheets to look into the night sky. he has no purpose in being in jeongguk’s bed now, unable to stay unless he wants to phase right through the mattress - jimin’s still there. he can take care of jeongguk.

maybe things would have been better if his parents just listened. maybe if he just disappeared for good, the world would be better.

jimin’s and jeongguk’s faces flash back into his mind.

no.

he has to stay strong for them- he has to believe in the stars because jeongguk told him to- they believed in him- he has to stay-

“do you think i can be an astronaut, jeonggukkie?” taehyung asked all of a sudden, looking hopeful, an innocent smile donning his face upon glimpsing at the plastic stars being plastered all over the ceiling.

jeongguk reached up from where he is in jimin’s arms, and the older boy complied by floating up higher, letting him stick another comet near the idle ceiling fan. jeongguk looked over to taehyung, curious, and taehyung stared back, just as much.

“you don’t think you can’t, taetae hyung?” jeongguk asked, oblivious.

taehyung stared out the window. it’s still day out. “i just want to know if you think i can.” he and jimin exchanged weary glances.

jeongguk hummed in acknowledgement, making a frame with his fingers towards the ceiling, his tongue sticking out. “do you think you can, hyung?”

“i’m asking you, jeonggukkie-”

“well-” he’s still focused on where to put another moon - it’s very important to consider the right placement. “i’m asking back.”

“i …” taehyung dazed out for a moment. “i guess i think so.”

and jeongguk gave his toothiest grin. “then i don’t have to tell you.”

taehyung barely catches jimin’s concern and rush to grasp onto the other spirit, fading with a teary smile.

thank you for believing in me.

in this kind of occasion, jimin half-expects that jeongguk would cry once realizing that they’ve lost taehyung. the child’s dazed stupor out the window- out into the sun that taehyung has always despised seeing- causes jimin to float over to him, taking his hand into a gentle grip.

“jeonggukkie?” he asks tentatively. “are you okay?”

jeongguk finally turns to give jimin a glossy look, before his lips slowly spread into a bright smile, his front teeth peeking out from his upper lip.

“i hope he ended up on his favorite star, hyung.”

jeongguk’s parents take him out stargazing during summer break with a telescope tucked underneath the young boy’s arm, his hand enjoined with jimin’s as they point out certain constellations taehyung had favored.

jimin stays for a lot longer than jeongguk had expected.

he knows long enough that park jimin chooses not to talk much, expressing his opinions through expressions and actions rather than words. it’s disappointing, because he’s aware of how much jimin spoke to taehyung compared to when he speaks to the youngest of them all. it’s like jimin’s afraid of him- of what he might say.

“you can talk to me, hyung,” the child pipes up, scribbling all over the bunny he drew with a red crayon. a red rabbit would be so cool. jimin lifts his head, surprised by the statement. “are you scared i liked taetae hyung better?”

jeongguk looks up. jimin averts eye contact. a sigh. jeongguk stares for a few more seconds before going back to his masterpiece.

“... do you really like taehyung better?”

jeongguk straightens his back, his eyes bright back at jimin, who looks back at him nervously. he breaks out into a grin and slams his crayon on the table, leaning in towards jimin.

“taetae hyung doesn’t know but-” his face softens. “you’re the best, hyung.”

jeongguk didn’t know that ghosts can blush, but now he does.

a crash of glass reverberates around the room.

jeongguk stands wide-eyed before a shattered vase, broken petals and filthy water seeping through his toes, a consequence for playing tag with jimin in the living room.

jimin’s panicking around him - floating in circles with no certain direction to go. he braces himself for the onslaught about to come the moment jeongguk’s parents come into the scene, the backlash and punishment inevitable.

“i did it,” are the first words that slip through the kid’s lips once his mother looks over to him in disappointment, his father standing beside her with furrowed brows.

“jeonggukkie,” jimin harshly whispers, taking ahold of his arm. “i did it. i tipped it over. it’s not your fault.” but he knows his efforts are useless - jeongguk’s parents can’t see him, after all.

his parents leer over the mess before taking another glance at jeongguk, his mother letting her expression soften.

“oh, jeongguk-ah,” she begins in a quiet voice, reaching over to take jeongguk’s hand. “step over the glass now. i don’t want you to get hurt.” she holds him in a gentle grip, leading him out and away from the glass.

“but i did something bad,” jeongguk says.

“your father can just clean it up. it was just an accident,” his mother replies, smiling at him. “you can go outside and play, okay? just don’t do it again.”

“i’ve never seen that,” jimin remarks, floating from a short distance while jeongguk draws on the main pavement with colored chalk.

“see what?” jeongguk asks, looking up.

“your parents are nice.”

jeongguk’s eyes flicker toward at the house’s door, then looks back at jimin. of course his parents are nice. aren’t everyone’s? “sometimes they’re not nice,” he pipes up, drawing a dog under some stars. “they don’t let me eat ice cream before i finish my rice. that’s not nice.”

“i wish i had parents like yours,” jimin sighs out, his eyes directed towards the sky.

jeongguk stops talking, and focuses solely on drawing.

jimin isn’t okay.

he’s more frantic at night - falling into more panic attacks than a ghost should. jeongguk lifts his head from the pillow out of concern, eyes widening at jimin practically trembling before him. “jimjim hyung?” he extends a hand towards him.

“don’t touch me-” jimin’s words quiver past his lips, and he shields his own face with his arms.

“it’s me, hyung. i’m jeongguk,” jeongguk reassures him, biting down on his lip. “i’m here to help you- like i did for taetae hyung-”

“no!” jeongguk flinches at the harsh distortion in jimin’s voice - unforgiving and lacking in trust. “... i-i’m sorry- don’t hurt me, appa- please-”

and jeongguk finally puts the pieces together.

he came face to face one time with a classmate who came to school with a swollen cheek, her face dejected, and he had rushed to the teacher about it out of consideration. the classmate stared at him like he had two heads, and five minutes later, she was wailing at the teacher not to call her parents.

the next day, she didn’t show up to school.

the day after, she came - donning a surgical mask claiming she’s sick and never looking at jeongguk in the eye.

“hyung …” the honorific slips past jeongguk and tries to curl around jimin as a source of warmth.

“no-”

“jimin hyung-” the nickname is dropped, and jeongguk sits up straighter this time.

“no-”

jeongguk takes a hold of both of jimin’s hands, the contrast between their body temperatures enough to send shivers down the child’s spine - but not enough to drive him away. they sit like that for a while, while the younger boy scrambles to find the right words to say.

“it’s okay, hyung,” jeongguk croaks out, and he hopes jimin can’t feel the tremor against his knuckles. “it’s okay …”

silence. “i did it to get away from them …”

“it’s okay, hyung …”

“at home- at school-” jimin clenches his eyes shut. “i couldn’t be anywhere-”

“it’s okay.” jeongguk pauses before, “you have me.”

jimin’s eyes soften. he moves his hands so that they’re squeezing jeongguk’s tight - desparate for some support that the younger is able to provide. “y- yeah- i have you … jeonggukkie.” he leans against him, and they settle back into bed.

“i’ll always be with you, hyung,” jeongguk promises with a smile. “always until you go.”

“are you kidding me?” jimin exclaims.

jeongguk stares in surprise at a man in ragged clothes - like the ones he had seen at the thrift store his mother took him to once. the man looks past red locks, bruised all over his face and every bit of skin that peeks past his sweater and ripped jeans, and he scowls at the kid, folding his arms against his chest.

“why the hell am i here?” the man spat out.

jimin just splays his fingers across his face, groaning and murmuring inaudibly against his palm.

jeongguk looks at jimin then at the man. “what’s your name?”

the stranger stares at him, conflicted on whether he should tell a little kid his own name or run. “... min yoongi.”

jeongguk forms a smile. “well- there’s plenty of room in my bed.”