It's not always like that || Treasure Fanfiction

Chapter 5: Silence and Distance

The hours slip by, and with every passing minute, Junkyu's worry deepens. Glancing out the window at the dimming sky, he murmurs, "I don't understand why she isn't home yet. The sun's about to set, anything could happen to her."

Jihoon, sitting beside him, tries to keep him calm. "Maybe she's fine. She always goes to the park when she's upset... maybe she's just taking her time cooling down."

Before Junkyu can respond, the front door creaks open. Somin steps inside, her face hidden under her hoodie, shoulders slumped in defeat. Junkyu's worry instantly shifts to frustration.

"What the hell were you doing out there?" he demands, a mixture of relief and anger in his voice. "Don't you know how dangerous it is at night, especially for a girl?"

Somin mumbles, almost inaudible, "Now you care...?"

Junkyu sighs, running a hand through his hair as his irritation bubbles over. "Go to your room, and don't come out. I don't want to see you tonight. You're seriously pissing me off."

Somin's voice trembles, breaking as tears fill her eyes. "Why? Why do you hate me this much? Did you enjoy the fact that our bond as siblings is falling apart? I tried to do everything to fix it. I know I went too far with the attitude sometimes, but... I only wanted your attention. I only wanted our bond back."

Junkyu presses his hand to his face, suppressing his own frustration. "Go to your damn room. You're making my blood boil." He points down the hall. "Just... GO."

Somin looks into his eyes, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I'm sorry..." Her voice catches, and with a heartbroken sob, she runs down the hallway to her room, her cries echoing faintly as the door shuts behind her.

The silence that follows is suffocating. Jihoon turns to Junkyu, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "You're such a heartless jerk! She just wanted your attention. Why didn't you listen to her? You guys could've talked things out, but you pushed her away. She's just a kid!"

Hyunsuk nods in agreement, his face filled with disappointment. "I agree. You shouldn't have pushed her away like that, Junkyu. She's your baby sister, she looks up to you. She was only trying to reach out. It's your job as her older brother to look after her, not to just shut her out."

Junkyu glares at them, defensive. "You think you have the right to lecture me? That brat's always the same! She never stops. Every time I'm about to calm down, she's right there, pushing every single one of my buttons. So what if we're family? I barely get along with my parents, and I definitely don't get along with her."

Jihoon and Hyunsuk exchange a look, exhaustion and disappointment etched on their faces. They know they can't get through to him tonight. With a resigned sigh, they leave, heading back to their own homes as the tension in the air finally dissipates.

Once alone, Junkyu heads to his room, closing the door behind him with a heavy sigh. But even as he lies down, he can't shake the image of Somin's tear-filled eyes, her quiet "I'm sorry" echoing painfully in his mind.

Days turn into weeks, and the silence between Junkyu and Somin grows thicker, like an invisible wall neither seems willing to break down. Junkyu's days become increasingly consumed by training. Every hour at the studio demands his full attention, leaving him too exhausted to think of anything else. Yet, even in his busyness, a nagging guilt creeps into his thoughts, surfacing when he least expects it, reminding him of the hurt he'd seen in his sister's eyes.

Meanwhile, Somin drifts through her own days in a fog. School, once a place she could find comfort and routine, now feels like a constant struggle. Her grades slip, each one falling as if it were a reflection of her fractured relationship with Junkyu. She finds herself staring blankly at her textbooks, her mind unable to focus, the words blurring on the page. It feels as though her life has been turned upside down, leaving her uncertain and unsteady.