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One day, Jay had the worst pain he'd ever felt. It was sharp and relentless, but instead of telling anyone, especially Kai, he stayed quiet. He felt a mixture of embarrassment and fear-he didn't have Kai's confidence, and he didn't want to look weak. So, he curled up in the corner of his room, wrapping his arms around himself as if that could make the pain go away.
He stayed like that for what felt like hours, biting his lip to keep from crying out. His body trembled from the strain of holding everything in. The last thing he wanted was for someone to walk in and see him like this.
Unfortunately-or perhaps fortunately-Kai did walk in. As soon as Kai entered the room, his gaze fell on Jay. At first, he didn't say anything. His heart dropped at the sight of his little brother curled up on the floor, clearly in distress.
"Oh, buddy..." Kai whispered, his voice filled with concern as he quickly moved to Jay's side. He knelt down next to him and gently placed a hand on his back. "Jay?"
Jay didn't respond at first. He kept his face buried in his arms, trying to hide the tears that were already slipping out. His body stiffened when Kai touched him, but when he felt the warmth of his brother's hand, he couldn't hold back anymore. He let out a shaky breath, and before he knew it, the tears came flooding out.
Kai's face softened. He moved closer and wrapped his arms around Jay in a protective hug. Jay hesitated for a moment but then hugged back, gripping Kai tightly. However, the pain flared up as he shifted, and he winced hard, letting out a small, pained sound.
Kai noticed right away. "Hey, hey, easy," Kai murmured soothingly, rubbing Jay's back. "What's wrong, buddy? Why didn't you tell me?"
Jay didn't answer right away, still crying quietly into Kai's shoulder. Finally, he choked out, "I didn't want to... bother you. I... I'm not like you, Kai. I don't have that confidence."
Kai frowned, hugging Jay a little tighter. "Jay, listen to me," he said firmly but gently. "Your confidence doesn't need to be like mine. But you need to speak up when something's wrong. You don't have to handle everything on your own, alright?"
Jay sniffled and wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "I... I just didn't want to look weak."
Kai sighed softly and placed a hand under Jay's chin, lifting his face so their eyes met. "Buddy, you're never weak for asking for help. If anything, it shows strength. Look at you-you're still pushing through, even though you're in pain." He brushed away a tear from Jay's cheek. "But your confidence level? That's something we can work on together."
Jay managed a small, watery smile, but another wave of pain hit, and he winced again, his body trembling in Kai's arms.
Kai stood up and helped Jay sit on the bed. "First things first, though. We need to get you feeling better." He sat next to him, still holding onto his shoulder gently. "You don't have to go through this alone, alright?"
