It's You All Along | Jikook Short Story

Chapter 10

Jimin stared at the photos hanging on strings at the wall beside the door that leads to the balcony. Examining each detail in the photo. Most of the photos were of Jungkook and his family. But Jimin is looking for a complete family picture.

All he saw is Jungkook, his brother, and his mother. But he has never seen Jungkook's father. No. Not even in person.

Jimin thoughts were clouded with questions. What happened to his father?

And Jimin's heart aches at the thought that maybe Jungkook's father passed away.

Jimin thought again that this is not his place to know and was about to leave but something caught his attention. On the table in front of him, he saw a picture frame. But the picture is facing down, not letting the picture in it visible in Jimin's eyes. He flipped it over and saw an old picture in it. It was Jungkook's family. Complete family.

They were standing in front of their house. Jungkook looks like he was around 5 years old and his big brother looks like he's around 5th grade. Jungkook's father has his arms wrapped around his beautiful wife. And smiles were plastered on their faces.

They... Look so happy

Only then Jimin notices that the picture frame glass is cracked. He trailed his fingers along the crack and then stopping at Jungkook's face.

He smiled in adoration. He's so cute.

"Jimin?"

Jimin flinched and quickly put the picture frame back to its place. Unluckily, Jungkook was right next to him and saw what he was looking at.

"It's okay, you can look," Jungkook assures.

Jimin cautiously grabs the frame again, watching Jungkook's expression as he does so. Once he made sure that Jungkook isn't joking, he looked back at the picture frame.

"That was years ago. We just moved here to Busan and I turned six that time. " Jungkook said, staring at the broken picture frame too.

Jimin smiled. "You look so cute in this picture."

He giggled and looked at Jungkook. Only to see the younger rolling his eyes and said, "I get that a lot."

"Where..." Jimin gulped. "Where's your father?" Jimin cautiously asked. Not making any eye contact with Jungkook.

"He's gone. Thankfully." Jungkook said casually. Jimin looked at him with a questioning look.

"Not like dead gone. He just left us." Jungkook trailed off, staring at his father in the picture.

"I'm sorry." Jimin apologizes, putting back the picture frame on the table.

"Ah, no. He's better off gone, anyways." Jungkook said.

"How about you? How are your parents? I saw them in a convenience store a few days ago." Jungkook asked before the silence creeps in.

"They're..." Jimin spoke lowly. "They're not my real parents."

And Jungkook was confused until it hits him hard in the face.

Jungkook didn't know. How could he possibly expect Jimin— who is so perfect and has everything he needs— to have some personal problems in life as well. Jungkook had always seen Jimin with his family. Smiling. Or so he thought. And he did think that Jimin doesn't look like his so-called parents, but he didn't pay much attention to that cause it'll only give him headaches.

Guilt is already high up in his chest. The silence was unbearable that neither one of them tries to say anything. But they were frozen on their spot.