Minchan: Fighting The Storms With You

47

Jungkook sat across from Han, Seungmin, and Chan, his expression a mix of frustration and protectiveness. It had taken him an hour to gather himself before coming down to face them, and now that he was here, he felt the weight of the conversation pressing down on him.

"Look, I don't know much about what happened before," Jungkook began, his voice tight. "I met him months after my grandfather brought him home. Back then, he didn't speak to anyone. He was just... a shell of a person. My grandfather asked me to befriend him, to help him come out of his shell. And I did. He was so beautiful, so lost, with no memories of who he was or where he came from. It took time—so much time—to help him become the person he is today."

Seungmin nodded slowly, his face showing a mixture of concern and curiosity. "How did your grandfather find him?"

Jungkook took a deep breath, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. "He must have run from that house you found burnt down. My grandfather's bungalow was close by. One night, Lino knocked on the door, desperate for help. By the time my grandfather reached him, he had already collapsed on the doorstep. He must have been terrified... and exhausted."

Jungkook's voice grew quieter, the memories clearly weighing heavily on him. "We don't talk about those days. They're too painful for him. He still has nightmares—horrible ones. He's terrified of being alone in the dark. Even in our room, if I'm not there, he keeps the lights on all night. He wakes up screaming sometimes, and he flinches when someone touches him unexpectedly. I've been with him for years, but it's only been a few months since he finally let me kiss him. That's how deep his scars run."

Jungkook looked up, his eyes pleading as he continued, "So please, don't bring this up with him. I don't want him to relive that pain. I can't risk losing him."

Chan stood up, his voice trembling with frustration. "What are you saying? You want us to just forget who he is? What he's been through?"

Jungkook's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and desperation. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. He doesn't need to remember what he went through. It's taken years to get him to a place where he can smile again, where he can dance and laugh. Why would you want to drag him back into that nightmare?"

Han, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke, his voice edged with disbelief. "But your grandfather... why didn't he do something? Why didn't he tell someone?"

Jungkook cut him off, his voice sharp. "He did what he could. He told me that the people responsible for his pain were his own family. How could he just hand him back to them? He was safe with us. And now, what do you even want from him?"

Jungkook ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "He's my Minho now. Where were you when he was going through hell?"

Chan's voice broke as he responded, "I was there... I was there, but I failed to save him."

Jungkook's expression softened slightly, but his voice remained firm. "Exactly. And now, you have no right to drag him back into that darkness. You can't bring up the past—it's not your place. He's finally healing. He's happy. Why would you want to ruin that if you really care about him?"

Seungmin spoke up, his voice soft but determined. "What about what he wants? Don't you think he has the right to know the truth?"

Jungkook's eyes blazed with intensity as he responded, "No. Not if it means tearing him apart again. Do you really want him to regain memories that his mind has buried to protect him?"

The room fell silent, the weight of Jungkook's words settling heavily on the three boys. They exchanged glances, each of them grappling with the reality of what Jungkook was saying.

Jungkook's voice softened, but his resolve remained unshaken. "He's getting better. He started dancing again last year. His asthma is improving. He's happier than he's been in years. Why would you want to risk taking that away from him? If you really care about him, you'll let him be happy. You'll let him have this new life."

He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing, "You can stay here. You can meet him, befriend him, start over. But he's my boyfriend now, Chan. He's mine, and he's happy with me. I don't want you or anyone else to jeopardize that."

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken emotions. Jungkook could see the conflict in their eyes, the struggle between wanting to reconnect with someone they had lost and the fear of causing more harm.

"I think you guys need some time to think about this," Jungkook said finally, his voice gentle but firm. "Please, think it through carefully—for Lino's sake."

With that, he stood up, giving them a final, meaningful look before leaving the room.