Jungkook says it to make him feel better, to be kind, to ease Hoseok's aching heart a little, but he's right when he says it's not the same. It's not that he's not glad that he still makes Yoongi happy, because that's all he wants, to make Yoongi's life – to make all his friends' lives – better. And he's not bitter about this, not full of regret or resentment toward anyone. If anything he's just jealous, of the fact that Jungkook and Yoongi love someone who loves them back.

And he appreciates Jungkook's hopes for him, even though he can't share them. He went a long time before he could even fathom letting himself have feelings like the ones he has for Yoongi, before he met anyone he could be close enough to, that he trusted enough. And that's probably a big part of it, the reason he likes Yoongi this way, likes Jin this way. He loves them, he can rely on them, they watch out for him. Maybe it's a low bar, but everything in Hoseok's life is set that way. Any amount of care is better than what he had before, any level of affection.

"I've heard that a few times," Hoseok says, his tone not unkind. "I hope you're right about it," he adds with another sad smile. "Seeing you and Yoongi-hyung, Namjoon and Jin-hyung, Jimin and Tae..." He shakes his head softly. "It just makes me want it more," he admits, laughing softly. "I want someone to love me like that. I really, really want it."