Heartless

{36}

Runa was feeling particularly solemn this evening. It was probably a bad idea to drink whiskey after dinner, knowing it tended to make her reminisce. After finishing a debrief with Namjoon, the underboss bid her goodnight where she could be alone and dwell on her thoughts, staring at the ceiling mindlessly.

Her computer was still on and she was about to shut it down when she spotted the folder she never opened. It was labeled 'MY+KR' for Min Yoongi and Kang Runa. She should've picked the option to turn the system off but instead she moved the mouse over and double clicked on the past. About 500 photos appeared and she refilled her glass, clicking on the very first one and relaxing back in her chair because she knew she'd be here a while.

Yoongi only started to bleach his hair white when he was 16 so before then it was dark brown and cut the exact style she liked on him. Seeing his gummy smile after all these years made her hallucinate his laughter, an echo in her right ear. A ghost. Most of these were either taken by his father or Dong-Wook when he had time to spare for the kids.

A little boy and girl snuggled up on the couch passed out in matching pajamas, the two of them playing in the leaves and making piles to jump in, and a particularly funny one where she's pointing and teasing him and he's pouting angrily with his arms crossed. She can't even remember what she was saying to get that reaction since it was so long ago, but it had her smiling nonetheless.

Her heart squeezes when she sees a younger Dong-Wook holding her up in the air with a big smile on his face. The next one of him spoon-feeding her vanilla ice-cream while she plays with dolls. The camera quality gave it all a nostalgic vibe and got her in her feelings, wishing that she could've stayed a little girl forever to be with her father figure and best friend before things went bad.

She clicked on the one after and chuckled at what looked to be Dong-Wook scolding a toddler Yoongi in the background while she posed cutely for a picture, her hands under her chin and a big smile on her face. One after the other, her chest got heavier with each passing memory and she didn't realize how much she was drinking until Jimin popped out of thin air.

"Jesus Christ. Didn't you knock?" She gasped, clutching her racing heart from the jump scare.

"I did. About five times." He rebutted, wearing a concerned look on his face when he sees the glass of liquor in her hand and a glossiness in her eyes.

"Oh. Sorry. I was..."

Jimin doesn't seek an explanation. He knows exactly how it feels and he isn't one to judge considering most days he wants to drown himself in alcohol and sleep until the next day. The understanding nod he gives is a comfort before her eye catches something in his hand.

"What's that?" She closed the file in her computer, giving her brother her full attention and even tipsy she's sharp enough to catch onto the solemn expression that befalls him.

"I wasn't sure if there was a right time to give you this. I just couldn't stand seeing it in my desk any longer." He handed her the white envelope, her name written on the back in familiar handwriting that has her stomach coiling.

She stares back at the ink, tracing every curve of each letter like she's learning to write her name for the first time. Jimin takes a hint, turning to leave and grant her privacy when he's stopped, his hand clutching the doorknob.

"Thank you."

He looks over his shoulder, returning a solemn nod before opening and closing the door. The alcohol hit harder than she thought it would, and considering she was already affected she finished her glass and set it aside, deciding that enough was enough.