Empty.

Jungkook stares at the floor, head empty. His whole being was empty...he was nothing but a shell of who he once was.

Every important part of him died in that arena.

A man walks into the room. Jungkook doesn't look up. From the corner of his eye, he sees pink hair.

"You look wonderful," The pink-haired man whispers, sitting down in the chair next to Jungkook's. "Like nothing ever happened to you."

Jungkook looks down at his left hand. If it hadn't been broadcast to the entire country, no one would have ever known that acid rain once seared into his flesh. The hand looked better than when he was reaped, even. It was free of fault, a perfect manicure on a soft, clean hand.

It was like The Hunger Games was completely scrubbed from his physical being.

Jungkook woke up yesterday in a stark white room with no windows, all alone. There was no furniture except for the equally white bed he rested on. Tubes came out of his left arm, administering different unknown liquids into his bloodstream. He was groggy, his limbs heavy, his heart heavier. He felt no physical pain, which freed much more space for the emotional turmoil that he now couldn't ignore.

He cried out, the noise guttural and dechirant. His chest rose and fell with effort, and he screamed once again. The movement made him aware of the restraints on his wrists, making him panic even more. He tried to fight against the restraints, but it was no use. The cuffs were metal, and tight around his wrists and ankles. They weren't coming off.

Where was Jimin?

Yoongi rushed into the room. "Hey! Hey, Jungkook. Look at me!"

Jungkook kept fighting, and yelling, fight or flight mode in full effect.

But then he felt a surge of substance into his bloodstream from one of the IVs. It made him woozy. He slumped down.

"They're watching you," Yoongi explained. "They're not trying to control you right now, just heal you. They want you to recover quickly. You know how they love a miraculous transformation."

"M-Mimmie..." Is all he could manage to whisper. "Where..?"

Yoongi sighed. "I think we should talk about that later. They're going to bring you food in about an hour, and they'll discharge you tomorrow morning as long as everything goes well. Let's talk then, okay?"

That was the morning Jungkook truly knew.

"Jimin is gone, Jungkook."

Jungkook fell to the floor at Yoongi's words. Sobs racked his body, shaking violently as he cried. He didn't want to believe it. The Capital had the medical technology to heal him, didn't they!? They had to of! Why didn't they save him!? The Games were over, Jungkook had won! Jimin didn't need to be dead anymore...

"That's not how The Games work, Jungkook," Yoongi took a deep breath, answering the questions Jungkook was murmuring to himself. "You know that. It's not about what they can do. To bring tributes back would take power away from them. Because if they brought back the tributes, what was the point of killing them in the first place?"

"There is no point!" He hit the ground. It wasn't like him to be violent in anger...but he wasn't himself right now.

Jungkook didn't know who he was anymore.

"And yet here you are, powerless under their control. Going into hysterics because they took away someone who you valued more than your own life," Yoongi said plainly. It was harsh, and it stabbed into Jungkook like needles, all over his body. But it was true...

It was all for control.

The victor's interview with Caesar was in twenty minutes. Jungkook had heard that Yoongi fought tooth and nail so that Jungkook did not have to sit up on stage while they reviewed the 100th Games. It was customary for most victors to watch a recap of everything that had happened. He would've had to watch every tribute die...including Jimin.

He would have had to watch Caspian trying to torture Jimin to death. And Taehyung and Namjoon dying because Jungkook could not protect them all. He would have had to watch himself kill people to save the man he loves. It was just too much.

And...Jungkook knew it wasn't on purpose, but he also overheard from the prep team in the next room over that there would be a special segment about Jimin and Jungkook, and their journey from the reaping to the end. They would show clips of their first confession of their love, and them fighting alongside one another. All their intimate moments would be on display...

Nothing they were able to experience romantically was private.

His heart felt like it was being wringed out like a dirty rag, constricting in pain every time he thought about his gone best friend.

Jungkook was already dressed for the interview. He wore a hanbok shirt—a modernized version of his ancestors' dress. It was navy blue, with black floral designs hand-embroidered into the fabric. His pants were simple black slacks, but they fit him perfectly. His hair was crimped slightly so it fell across his face in waves. The makeup put on him, though simple, made his face look brighter, more alive than he had looked in weeks.

From the outside, he looked fine.

If it weren't for the far-away, numb look in his eyes, he could've easily been a rich visitor from one of the more well-off districts. A young socialite—perhaps like Namjoon and Taehyung once were.

But instead, he was just a pretty shell. Something for the Capitalites to gawk at for a few moments in time, before another child takes his place a year from now, beaten and battered and stripped of all joy in life, just like he was. There was nothing left in him.

"You know..." The pink-haired man starts again. "I bet Jimin is watching you right now. In fact, I know he is."

Jungkook stares at him softly. "...He loved you." His voice was hardly even a whisper, rather breath that he had to force out of his mouth.

"I know, Baby," Seokjin grabs one of the victor's hands. "I love him too."

Jungkook nods slowly, tears welling in his eyes. The way he was speaking would probably be exasperating to most—so hard to understand—but Jin listens. Jungkook begins to understand what Jimin loved so much about him. "There will never be a time when I loved him...It'll never be past tense. I love him so much..."

Tears threaten to spill but Jin quickly dabs them away so his makeup isn't ruined. "I know," He repeats. "And I don't think you will ever understand the extent he loved you. I'm confident it was beyond anything you could fathom. You were his whole world."

Jungkook's voice cracks. "And he was mine."

"I know," He keeps dabbing. "I'm here for you, okay? I promised Jimin I'd take care of you. I promised Jimin I would make sure you knew just how much he loved you."

Jungkook doesn't respond. He can't physically do it.

Yoongi and Hoseok enter the room. "It's time move backstage," His mentor instructs softly.

"You look absolutely fantastic," Hoseok tries to encourage quietly, walking up to him. Jungkook didn't realize he was capable of anything except his usual hyper demeanor. "You're making him very proud I'll bet."

Jungkook looks down.

"Let's go," Yoongi was so much gentler than he once was. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the tribute...for some reason, that made everything feel worse.

Jungkook stands up, not making eye contact with anyone. He trudges along, in between Yoongi and Hoseok, Seokjin taking up the rear. His own stylist stays back, rounding up the prep team instead of walking down with Jungkook. It wasn't like she was much support anyways.

"Now," Yoongi coaches. "Just...don't make any enemies. That's my only advice. Don't become angry on stage—that's not the place to do so."

"You'll be phenomenal," Hoseok adds hopefully. "They don't expect as much from the winners—unless they're from District 1 or 2, perhaps. Victors tend to not be too chatty. And they must understand with you, because well..."

"I'd like to hope they would, but expect the worst just in case," Yoongi counters. "Remember though, you don't owe them anything. Nothing at all."

Jungkook stops as they reach backstage. Staff members help hook up a mic to his clothing. It was nearly invisible.

"You've got this, Jungkook," Yoongi stares him down, patting his arm. "It'll be over soon."

It should already be over...he should not be here.

It was customary for the team of the victors to be applauded before the victor themself gets interviewed. The stylist and prep team goes first—they had arrived by the time the set went live—then Hoseok. The empathetic demeanor he just had on had vanished—the Capitalite knew how to put on a good show. Yoongi was next, and while he was much more reserved, he still got loud cheers from the crowd.

Then the staff direct him on stage. Jungkook vaguely hears, "District 10's own, the victor of the 100th Hunger Games, Jungkook Jeon!"

His feet are lead...it was like he was existing in a vacuum. He couldn't hear...not really. Sounds were entering his ears, but his brain couldn't comprehend or understand them. The lights, and cheers, and colors were all so overstimulating. His brain was shutting down.

"Ah, there he is!" Caesar beams. Does he not know Jungkook's favorite person in the world just died in front of him? Did he not watch The Games? "The man of the hour! The man who conquered an arena of seventy-two!"

Jungkook doesn't speak. He doesn't even look at Caesar.

"Please, sit," Jungkook actually does do as told here. His legs were shaking...sitting would be easier. "Now, Jungkook, you're looking stunning just two days out of the arena! You definitely polish up well!"

Silence. What did Caesar even say? He shakes. His mind was filled with Jimin...only two days ago, Jimin was alive.

"...Not much of a talker today, hm?" Caesar tries to joke. The crowd laughs uncomfortably.

Another bit of awkward silence follows.

"Why don't you share how you're feeling?" Caesar prompts. "Just as a little warm up?"

Slowly, very slowly, Jungkook looks up at the interview host. They make eye contact for just a few moments, before Jungkook finally speaks. "...Why am I alive?"

Caesar was obviously taken aback. "O-oh. Well," He immediately regains his composure. "Because you won The Hunger Games, of course!"

"I should be dead..." He breathes. "I wish I was dead..."

For once, the charismatic Caesar didn't know how to respond.

Jungkook doesn't speak again the rest of the night.