Falling For The Park Brothers' Sister ⚊ Nishimura Riki EDITING

prologue ⚊ their childhood days

The Park household was a modest, cozy place, filled with the kind of noise and chaos only a house brimming with children could generate.

Park Jay and Sunghoon, eight-year-old twins, were the second youngest in the line-up of five siblings. Despite their mischievous nature, they were fiercely protective of their little sister, Jiyoo, the youngest and only girl in the family.

Their dad, Mr. Park, had always been a distant, brooding figure in their lives, a shadow that loomed over the household, especially since their mother had passed away.

Their older brothers, Park Jimin, who was thirteen, and Park Chanyeol, who was eighteen nearing nineteen then, tried their best to fill the void left by their mother's death, but they too felt the weight of their father's absence and coldness.

Yet, it was Jay and Sunghoon who were particularly attuned to Jiyoo's needs and emotions, their bond with her unbreakable.

Jiyoo had only ever known her father as a stern man who barely acknowledged her existence. At five years old, she was full of life and unending energy, always seeking affection and attention from her father, who rarely gave her a second glance.

Her brothers, however, adored her and did their best to fill the void their father's coldness left in her young heart.

One chilly evening, the twins were engaged in their usual antics, building a fort out of couch cushions in the living room while their older brothers slept in their bedrooms upstairs.

Jiyoo, with her bright eyes and hopeful smile, had been trying all day to get her father's attention. She ran into the room where he sat with a newspaper, his face obscured by the pages.

"Daddy, will you play with me?" she asked, her small voice tinged with the innocent hope that only a child possesses.

Mr. Park lowered the newspaper just enough to look at her, his eyes hard and unyielding. "Go away, Jiyoo. I'm busy," he replied, his tone dismissive.

"But, Daddy, please?" she persisted, taking a tentative step closer.

"Didn't you hear me? I said go away!" His voice rose, causing the twins to peek from behind their fort, their eyes widening with concern.

Jiyoo's face fell, but she took another step. "I just want a hug," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Mr. Park's face contorted with a sudden fury. He stood up abruptly, the newspaper falling to the floor.

"I told you to leave me alone!" he shouted, and before the twins could process what was happening, he struck Jiyoo across the head with the back of his hand.

The sound of the slap echoed through the room, and Jiyoo fell to the floor, clutching her head and sobbing. Jay and Sunghoon were frozen in shock for a moment before their protective instincts kicked in.

"Jiyoo!" they cried in unison, scrambling out from behind their fort and rushing to their sister's side.

Sunghoon knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms while Jay stood between them and their father, his small frame trembling with anger and fear.

"Why did you do that? She's just a little girl!" Jay yelled, tears streaming down his face.

Mr. Park's face was twisted with a mixture of anger and guilt, but he said nothing. He just stood there, staring at the scene he had caused.

Jiyoo's sobs grew louder as she buried her face in Sunghoon's chest. "Why doesn't Daddy love me?" she cried, her voice muffled. "What did I do wrong?"

Jay's heart broke at his sister's words. He turned to their father, his voice shaking with rage. "You can't treat her like this! It's not her fault Mom died!"