Don't Call Me Angel || VMIN

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Laying atop his duvet with his silky hair sprawled messily around his head, giving off the impression of an eerie halo, Jimin waited for the sound of the front door opening. His eyes were loosely shut which meant he was still able to make out the long shadows flickering across his ceiling from the balcony outside. A cat darted across the railing and a small frown tugged at his lower lip. If only he had that kind of freedom. The freedom to go wherever he pleased without restraints or fear of repercussions.

He sighed as he dragged a hand over his clothed chest, leaving it to rest just above his heart. There he could feel its frantic pummelling and he wondered, not for the first time, if it might actually break free from inside his ribcage and tear right through into the exposed air. He didn't know why it was beating so hurriedly, his feelings of panic had long passed since he arrived back at the house; he could never refer to this place as his home. So why wouldn't it calm down?

His sister was supposed to arrive shortly and then he would be able to forget about the affairs that were to unfold tomorrow afternoon, that is if his mind allowed him a moment of peace. He heard the click of a lock, that was unmistakably from the front door, and, soon enough, quiet footsteps could be made out making their way up the stairs.

Peeling his eyes open properly, a small smile made its home on his face when he caught sight of Jieun creeping through his doorway with a gift bag in hand. Once again, he marvelled over how that simple gesture had the ability to lite his entire mood. She placed the bag carefully on his drawers, all of which stood empty now for their former contents sat securely packed away in two giant suitcases. Then she settled herself next to her younger brother on the bed, tucking her toes under one of the blankets that hung over the end.

"How are you holding up?" her voice was barely above a whisper, but Jimin could hear it quite clearly in the otherwise silent space, "Actually, that's a silly question to ask," she drew a short breath and continued, "Mum's a complete and utter asshole and I will support you one hundred per cent if you feel the need to shove her off a tall building any time soon."

The low chuckle that formed in the ravenette's throat became caught when he felt Jieun thread a gentle hand through his hair and made its way to the surface as a choked sob. It threatened to spill out and reveal his true emotions so he forced himself to hold it back.

Moments like these reminded him of the feelings of loneliness that accompanied his lack of a proper parent, or, in his case, both. It had always been Jieun that cared for him for as long as he could remember, that helped him when he scraped his knee or knocked his head. She'd even been the one to teach him how to tie his shoes and dress properly.

"I know," he replied, forcing the painful memories aside and reaching his hand up to give her fingers a brief squeeze, "But she's a businesswoman and I keep fooling myself that there's a slim chance she might actually care about me."

"You know, being a businesswoman doesn't mean she's obliged to make money out of her own son, though."

"That's just how she's always been."

His voice faded and he scrunched his nose in confusion as to why he was defending someone so vile.

"Correction. That's how she's always been with you," the truth in this statement was evident and both of them knew it, "She never looked at me and went 'Wow! What a nice pair of kidneys you've got, I wonder how much I could sell those for!'"

Propping himself up on his elbow, he let out a cute laugh. That sound was rarely heard anymore. The unrestrained hearty giggle showed only pure contentment and reverberated around the room like the echo of a childish memory. It warmed the very air around them and Jieun didn't need to question its sincerity.