FACING THE SAME FACE | JINKOOK

CH7

JungKook adjusted his brother's glasses one last time before leaving the apartment. The mirror reflected a face he knew well, but which had now been transformed into a calculated version, meticulously created for a single mission. Every detail was in place: the long coat, the square-framed glasses his brother always wore when teaching or reading, even the slight mess in his hair, which he had tousled just enough to mimic JungHyun's style. He felt anger boiling in his chest, growing more and more intense. He hadn't come looking for answers or understanding. Today he was coming to collect a debt, one that Jin didn't even know he had incurred, but that JungKook was willing to make him pay with tears, with fear, and with the same loneliness that had led his brother to his death.

As he walked to the café, his mind wandered back to the past, to those memories of JungHyun mentioning Jin in their conversations, in their letters. "He's so cute, JungKook," his brother had once told him, with a soft laugh that still seemed to float in the air. "He has this way of talking, of seeing things... It's like the world is a little more beautiful with him." That was the description JungKook remembered, the image he had painted for him in words. And now, that same image was repulsing him. JungHyun had always had a gentle heart, and JungKook knew that it was precisely that heart that Jin tapped into until he broke it, to the point of leaving his brother empty and alone.

Arriving at the coffee shop, JungKook's eyes roamed the place, looking for Jin among the customers. In his mind, he went over every detail his brother had shared with him: "He has fair skin, like porcelain", "His eyes are big and always look curious, although sometimes they can look sad", "He is tall, but not too tall; almost my height". At first, it seemed impossible to find him among so many people, but then he saw him, sitting by the window. He seemed lost in thought, his head resting on his hand as he drummed the fingers of his other hand against a steaming cup. JungKook watched him silently from the doorway for a few moments, taking note of every detail. The man looked small, in simple, cheap clothes, and yes, there was something beautiful about his features. But what for JungHyun had been a source of joy, for JungKook was a cause for contempt.

That seemingly fragile man had been able to make his brother feel so broken and hopeless that he preferred to leave this world. JungKook's anger grew with every step he took towards Jin, with every painful memory that crossed his mind. He took a deep breath and approached, his face serene and his eyes fixed on him, as if his mere presence could disarm him.

"JungHyun!" exclaimed Jin at the sight of him, with a mixture of relief and surprise in his expression. The excitement on his face seemed so genuine, so overflowing, that for a moment, JungKook was surprised at how easily Jin could fake such innocence. However, he kept his composure, striving to mimic JungHyun's serene expression, even though inside everything in him was screaming for justice.

Jin jumped up, almost knocking over the chair in the process, and without thinking, rushed towards him, hugging him tightly. JungKook felt Jin's trembling body cling to him as if his life depended on that contact, and it was then that he understood the power Jin had had over his brother. That man emanated a disarming warmth and vulnerability that made you want to protect him, even in spite of everything. But that same feeling fueled JungKook's rage, because he knew that had been what drew JungHyun in, what dragged him down to his own destruction.

"Oh, God... I'm so relieved to see you, so happy!" sobbed Jin, and JungKook could feel the tears beginning to roll down his face. The devotion in his gaze made JungKook feel a mixture of contempt and pity, but he kept up his facade, pretending to be the man Jin still thought was alive. "I feel like it's been years, but you haven't changed a bit, JungHyun," Jin whispered, in a broken voice that almost sounded authentic.