Chapter 25

Outside the room

Jin brought Tae to the living room. “Taehyung-ah, look at me,” Jin said softly. Tae looked at him, sobbing. Jin gently hugged him. “Tae, Kookie will be fine. Don’t worry, come on, don’t cry,” Jin said, consoling Tae softly.

Haein stood nearby, watching and listening to their conversation.

“A-Anni, Kookie is in pain. He is sick,” Tae said, sniffling…

“Yes, he is, but he’ll be fine, Tae. Don’t cry, please. We should be there for him, right?” Jin asked softly.

“N-Nae,” Tae replied, still sniffling.

“Then stop crying, please,” Jin said, breaking the hug. He gently wiped away Tae’s tears. Tae sniffled again.

“Here, drink some water,” Jin said, handing Tae a glass of water. Tae took it and drank slowly.

Jin side-hugged Tae, and Tae rested his head on Jin’s shoulder. “He will be fine, right?” Tae asked.

“Nae, he will be,” Jin replied softly, patting Tae’s head. He began saying soothing things, and without realizing it, Tae fell asleep in Jin’s embrace. Jin smiled gently and carefully laid Tae down on the couch.

He stood up and went to the nearby guest room but stopped when he saw Haein looking at him. He bowed slightly, and she also bowed back a little. Soon, Jin returned with a pillow and a duvet. He gently placed the pillow under Tae’s head and covered him with the duvet.

Once he was done, he approached Haein and bowed again. She bowed slightly in return.

“You are Park Haein, right? The CEO of Queens?” Jin asked curiously.

“Nae, I am,” Haein replied.

Jin nodded. “I am Kim Seokjin, CEO of Bangtan.”

“I know,” Haein said simply.

Jin nodded again, feeling a bit awkward. “Umm, w-why are you here?” Jin asked out of curiosity.

“I came with Uncle,” Haein said. Jin nodded once more.

“How old is he?” Haein asked, pointing at Tae.

“He is 23,” Jin said.

“Hmm, so you’re the elder brother of two?” Haein asked.

“N-Nae, I am,” Jin said hesitantly.

“Do you take good care of them?” Haein asked.

“N-Nae, I try my best to take care of them a lot,” Jin replied nervously.

“Hmmm,” Haein hummed.

Just then, they heard Hyunwoo’s voice saying, “Come in.” They both went inside.

They saw Jungkook sitting there with no expression.

“Kook, are you okay?” Jin asked, sitting beside him.

Jungkook didn’t respond.

“Sir,” the doctor called hesitantly.

“Huh?” Jin asked.

“Sir, I need to give him a shot and set up an IV. He is really weak. It seems like he isn’t eating properly. He’s very malnourished. He must eat on time, even if he doesn’t have an appetite. And about his headache—it’s due to stress, which is also worsening his fever. Please take good care of him. I also recommend a full check-up with his personal doctor,” the doctor said.

Jin was shocked. “K-Kookie, are you skipping meals?” Jin asked in disbelief.

Jungkook stayed silent. Jin understood and stood up, bowing to the doctor. “I’ll take care of him,” he said firmly.

The doctor nodded. “Sir, I need to inject him,” he said.

Hyunwoo looked at Jungkook. “Kook, can you remove your jacket?” he asked softly.

Jungkook glared at Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo sighed and looked at the doctor. “You can proceed,” Hyunwoo said.

The doctor began preparing the shots. Hyunwoo sat beside Jungkook, carefully covering him in case Jin or Haein noticed the bruises.

If they did, then both Hyunwoo and Kim would face their wrath.

Jungkook slid the jacket down. Fortunately, he was wearing a half-sleeve shirt. The doctor came closer and wiped the spot on his arm. The doctor noticed an ugly scar but didn’t comment and continued his work.

Jungkook looked away, avoiding everyone’s gaze. He saw Haein and Jin staring at him with worried, concerned eyes. Jungkook winced a little when the doctor injected the needle.

Jin was shocked at Jungkook’s minimal reaction. In past, Jungkook would throw tantrums and cry the whole day after getting a shot. But now, Jungkook barely reacted.

Once the doctor was done with the injection, he took the IV needle and carefully inserted it into Jungkook’s vein. Jungkook hissed a little in discomfort. The doctor then connected the IV tube to the needle. Jungkook hated the feeling, but he stayed silent.

As the doctor wrapped a bandage around his hand, Jungkook looked at Hyunwoo and mumbled weakly, “Not comfy…”

“It will feel like this for a moment, but then it’ll be fine,” the doctor said. Jungkook didn’t respond.

“He can eat after the first drip finishes. I’ll send a nurse to replace the drips. He should continue with the IV tomorrow as well. Make sure he takes his medicine after eating,” the doctor instructed. Jin and Hyunwoo thanked him, and he left.

Jin sighed and looked at Jungkook. “Kook, did you eat lunch today?” he asked.

Jungkook stayed silent.

“He’s asking you something, Jungkook,” Hyunwoo said a bit sternly.

Jungkook shook his head, indicating a no. Jin sighed in disbelief, frustration clear on his face.

He was about to speak when Haein interrupted, “Is this how you take care of your younger brother, Mr. Kim Seokjin?” she asked sarcastically.

Jin opened his mouth to respond, but Haein continued, “I don’t know how the hell you call yourself an elder brother when you can’t even make sure they eat on time! How irresponsible are you?” she asked angrily.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll take care of him properly,” Jin said, bowing apologetically.

“What’s the use of saying sorry? What if something serious happened to him while outside? Would you just say sorry then too? Don’t call yourself an elder brother if you can’t take proper care of your younger ones. If he isn’t eating, you should smack his head and force him to eat! It’s your responsibility to look after him!” Haein scolded Jin harshly.

Hyunwoo didn’t know how to intervene, but before Jin could respond, Jungkook interrupted.

“Can you stop? He has nothing to do with it. He always asks me to eat—I’m the one who lied. So there’s no fault of his,” Jungkook said weakly but firmly.

Haein glared at him.

“A-Ani, ani… I should have been more conscious of his health. It’s my fault. I’m sorry—I’ll take better care of him from now on,” Jin said and bowed again.

“I said there’s no fault in him!” Jungkook yelled, his voice trembling.

Before Jin could say anything, Haein turned to Jungkook. “Drop that attitude, mister. Why can’t you take care of yourself? Can’t you eat on time without someone forcing you? Should I appoint someone to look after you? Can’t you even be responsible for yourself? Does someone always have to nag you to take care of your health? What if something terrible happened to you outside, huh?” she scolded him, her voice laced with frustration and worry.

Jungkook felt so, so, so happy. He was missing it a lot. “I missed it,” Jungkook whispered, and no one heard him. Jungkook’s eyes became glossy.

God, how much he missed this. He missed his noona’s scoldings. He was so happy that his noona still cared about him.

“Yahh, can you stop scolding him? And who are you to scold my Kook, huh?” Jin asked. He was angry that Haein was scolding his Jungkook.

“Oh, who am I, right? Yes, yes, who am I to him? I am no one to him. I totally forgot that. I’m leaving,” Haein said in Italian and left from there, cursing Jin.

Jungkook looked at her with longing eyes. “How dare she scold my bun,” Jin muttered and looked at Jungkook, whose eyes were glossy.

“Kookie, stay here, hmm? I’ll bring the things,” Jin said. Jungkook slightly nodded. Jin smiled and went out.

Hyunwoo sat beside Jungkook and said, “Kook, are you—” He startled but was cut off when Jungkook spoke. “Why did she come here? Is it to make me more miserable?” he asked in a broken voice.

Hyunwoo shook his head. “No, Kook. She was with me, and when I called her, I only asked her to come. It’s not her fault,” Hyunwoo said. Jungkook just stayed silent.

“Why don’t you eat on time, Kook? Now see,” Hyunwoo said. Jungkook scoffed bitterly. “It’s my punishment. I should starve to death,” Jungkook said.

Hyunwoo sighed, frustrated. “Stop talking nonsense, Kook. You don’t deserve any punishment,” Hyunwoo said.

“No, I deserve a lot. As he said, I am a curse, an unlucky curse, born to kill everyone. I hate myself. I want to kill myself,” Jungkook said.

“Shut up, Kook. You are not,” Hyunwoo said sternly, tears in his eyes. Jungkook looked into his eyes.

“Why did you save me that day? I should have died that day,” Jungkook said, and the next moment, Hyunwoo slapped him. “Shut up, jungkook. Don’t speak nonsense.”

“I’m not speaking nonsense. I’m telling the truth,” Jungkook yelled and pushed the things on the side table, making them break.

Just then, Jin entered the room in a panic. He saw Jungkook breathing heavily and Hyunwoo sitting there with teary eyes.

Jin immediately went and kept the tray aside. “Are you okay, Kook?” Jin asked.

Jungkook nodded, still breathing heavily. “Here, drink some water,” Jin said and held the glass near Jungkook’s mouth. Jungkook nodded and started drinking it.

He was also holding the glass, but Jin supported him.

Once Jungkook calmed down, Jin looked at Hyunwoo, who was looking at Jungkook with a frown. “Uncle, are you okay?” Jin asked.

“Nae, I’m fine. I accidentally broke it,” Hyunwoo said. “It’s okay, Uncle,” Jin said with a smile. “Okay, then I’ll leave. I have some work. Take care of him,” Hyunwoo said and left immediately, not waiting for a reply. Jin looked at him confusedly and sighed. “Kook, lay down,” Jin said. Jungkook nodded and laid down, and Jin helped him.

Once Jin made sure Jungkook was comfortable, he sighed and stepped out of the room.

Jungkook watched jin’s fading figure until he was out of sight. Once Jin was gone, Jungkook’s unshed tears finally fell, but he quickly wiped them away

. “A-ani, I won’t cry. W-why should I cry? S-she is no one to me,” Jungkook whispered to himself, trying to control his emotions.

He wiped away his tears again. “I-I am sorry,” he mumbled before closing his burning eyes. Soon, sleep overtook him—his body succumbing to the effects of the medication and his sheer exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Jin returned to the room with cleaning supplies to tidy up the mess. He noticed that Jungkook was already asleep. Jin smiled softly.

“Get well soon, Kook,” he whispered before carefully beginning to clean up the broken items, making sure not to make any noise. Once the area was spotless, Jin approached Jungkook and sat beside him.

He gazed at his younger brother lovingly. Jin placed his hand gently on Jungkook’s head and immediately felt the warmth of his fever.

He sighed worriedly and picked up the clean towel he had brought. Jin dampened it in water, wrung it out, and carefully pushed back Jungkook’s hair to place the cool towel on his forehead.

The cold sensation made Jungkook flinch, and his eyes fluttered open. Jin quickly reassured him, “Shh, sleep, sleep. It’s me, don’t worry,” he coaxed gently.

Jungkook, too tired to respond, slowly closed his eyes again.

Jin continued replacing the towel and refreshing it with water from time to time, his movements careful and silent. Jungkook, unaware of it all, remained in a deep, peaceful sleep.

Jin watched over his sleeping brother, his heart heavy with unspoken worries.

“What stressed you so much, Kook? To the point where you ended up with a headache, a nosebleed, and a fever? Are you guys hiding something from me? Did something happen to you?” Jin thought, his chest tightening.

“Are you really doing well? Even if you say you are, I-I can’t believe it. You don’t seem okay at all. You’re suffering from something. If you are, please tell me. I’m here for you. I-I know I left you alone with that monster, b-but I swear I tried my best to keep you with me.”

Jin’s thoughts raced as he gently tended to Jungkook.

“I trust Dad. I trust him when he says you’re his favorite son, and I know he would go to any lengths for you. But I still can’t trust that monster completely. I just hope you’re doing well… always be happy, Kook,” Jin silently prayed, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

But deep down, his heart clenched.

What would Jin do if he discovered what had truly happened to Jungkook? Would he be able to bear it? What if he found out that everything he’d been told was a lie?

Hey guys how was the chapter?

So i really want to ask something… Umm how you want the flashback. Detailed or just detailing the things that is important??

Please answer….

And and and… Thanks a lot for completing the target. I’ll try to upload soon. And yeah I am starting to write flashback so to write I need your thoughts. So please….

20+ comments for next chapter with double updates 😉