• Children of Winter• || NamMin

12. The path of Nunpyobeom

"Oh, hi. I didn't think you'd want to come with me for dinner."

Jimin sits down in front of Jin. A servant serves him the food and instantly leaves. Jin looks at Jimin out of the corner of his eye, instantly suspicious that he has something to say, but hopes to have a proper time. It is quite late at night. Jin felt an urge to eat, to fill his stomach and distract his restless mind.

Jimin licks his lips, plays a little with his chopsticks and without looking up, asks:

"Has there ever been a time when you loved me as a brother?"

Jin swallows what was in his mouth and licks his lips. They have very similar gestures by accident and not by imitation of the younger one. They all attribute it to the fact that it is a gesture that the ancient empress possessed. A bodily inheritance.

"I have always loved you. I just don't know what to do with you." he admits bluntly and without better words. Jimin is not satisfied.

"What a strange way to put it." mutters Jimin. Jin exhales.

"When you were born, it was proven that mom didn't love dad; a thousand and one things were left out in the open by a mere pale, snow-cold baby with leopard ears and tail" Jin relates focusing on his food. "Suddenly, everything snapped; suddenly, we had to push mom aside for being unfaithful and take care of a child that was supposed to be the thing that would bring us the most joy."

Jimin lowers his ears, saddened. Jin puts down his chopsticks and hunched over, looks up at Jimin.

"Dad once tried to kill you" he muses with dull, faraway eyes. "He was drunk in broad daylight, he was insane; it was one of his first moments of losing lucidity" Jin relates and Jimin raises his face towards him. "He intended to let you die in the snow. That some animal would devour you... I wanted it to happen."

Jin can see the moment so clearly in his mind. Walking into the forest and coming to where Jimin was stirring, playing with the snow in his hands. Jin felt envious of his zero dislike of snow, while he could barely hold some with bare hands; the baby then fixed his eyes on him.

Bright, cold blue eyes capable of piercing his soul.

He put down the umbrella so the snow wouldn't fall on his face and walked away. Thinking that some animal would kill him. However, his conscience did not let him stay away for long. Returning soon after to sit on the side and look at him.

Jin wanted to convince himself that Jimin was a nuisance, that he might as well die like the worthless bastard he was. Still, he couldn't do it. He thought about how much he was looking forward to his mom giving birth. He was excited at the thought of having an Omega sibling. In the immediate family, there were none. Only Alphas like Taehyung and Hoseok; and the occasional Beta. He fantasized that he would take care of him and care him, take him everywhere, protect him from being tainted like other Omegas.

Then Beastman was born.

Then the fights started.

Then they had to keep him hidden and away from everything with the empress.

Now that he has him close, all he thinks about is how cute and cuddly he is. Wagging his tail, wagging his ears, laughing with his toothless gums and pink nose; Jin almost wishes he had whiskers, imagining him to be a little white ball of fur.

It gets dark and he keeps watching it. Throughout his life so far and continuing in it, he was told that beastmen are nothing but animals. Inhuman creatures that do not deserve respect or a place among humans; except for the position of servants.

However, Jin wondered how he would make such a beautiful and charming creature a servant? That was the first and only time Jin saw Kyeoul, who lifted Jimin from the snow to carry him for a while and then gave him to the prince.