In the dim light of the church, a man sat slumped in the pew, his face buried in his hands as his shoulders shook with the weight of his emotions. Min Yoongi, usually composed and with eyes that gave nothing away, found himself unable to stop the flood of tears that had broken through his defenses. He wasn’t the type to cry, let alone in a place of worship that he, an atheist, had never felt any connection to. But tonight, it was different.
He looked up at the altar, his voice trembling as he whispered, “I don’t know why I’m here… I don’t even believe in all this.” He swallowed hard, wiping his face. “But somehow, this place… it brings peace.”
For so long, Yoongi had held his pain close, never showing it to anyone, and in his silence, he had built walls no one could break. Yet, he now realized how much he feared losing the people he’d reconnected with — his closest friends, his chosen family. They were back in his life, filling a part of his heart he thought had gone numb.
“I promise…” he whispered, his voice thick with the weight of his vow. “I’ll protect them. I won’t let them go.”
Yoongi stood, gathering himself, his sharp eyes regaining their usual resolve. He walked out of the church as the rain poured down, the heavy drops mirroring the silent tears he had shed. Tonight, he felt as if the storm was washing away fragments of his past, and with that, he hoped for something new — for sunshine after the rain.
---
It was late, nearly 11 p.m., and Jimin was hunched over his desk in his office at the hospital, surrounded by stacks of research papers on cancer treatments. His eyes were bleary, his mind exhausted, yet he couldn’t stop working. There was a voice in his head, a voice that constantly reminded him he hadn’t done enough, that he wasn’t enough.
Just as he was about to push himself to continue, his phone buzzed with a call. He glanced down and saw Taehyung’s name, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
“Hey, Tae,” Jimin answered, his voice tired but warm.
“Jimin-ah! Is your work over yet?” Taehyung’s cheerful voice came through, instantly lightening Jimin’s mood.
Jimin chuckled. “Not quite. Still got a lot to do.”
“Have you eaten?” Taehyung’s voice turned slightly scolding. “Please tell me you at least had dinner.”
Jimin bit his lip, feeling guilty. “Not yet, Tae.”
Taehyung sighed, clearly annoyed. “Come on, Jimin! Jin hyung cooked tonight, and there’s plenty left. Just come home and eat.”
Jimin chuckled. “I’ll try, okay?”
“Try?” Taehyung muttered in frustration before abruptly ending the call with a pout. Jimin couldn’t help but laugh, feeling grateful for Taehyung’s concern.
But his moment of relief was short-lived when another call came in, this time from his father. Jimin took a deep breath before answering, already feeling the familiar weight of expectation.
“Hello, Father.”
“What are you doing right now?” his father’s voice was clipped, cold, and business-like.
“I’m preparing my research presentation,” Jimin replied, trying to keep his tone steady.
“Good. Focus on that. Don’t let us down again,” his father said, his voice a heavy reminder of all the expectations Jimin could never seem to meet. “You know how important this is for our family. Fame and reputation depend on your success.” And with that, he ended the call.
Jimin leaned back in his chair, feeling the sting of his father’s words echoing in his mind. To his family, he was nothing more than a means to an end, a tool for their status and pride. He closed his eyes, letting out a shuddering breath as tears silently slid down his cheeks.
A knock on the door broke the silence, and he quickly wiped his eyes, taking a deep breath to steady himself. “Come in, Yoongi hyung.”
Yoongi stepped inside, his expression unreadable but calm as he closed the door behind him. He took one look at Jimin and immediately knew he’d been crying, though he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he sat down on the couch across from Jimin, crossing his arms.
“I was about to grab dinner and thought I’d ask you to come along,” Yoongi said casually, though his gaze softened. “You’ve been here all night, haven’t you?”
Jimin smiled weakly, shaking his head. “I have too much to finish up, hyung. You go ahead.”
Yoongi frowned, noticing the bags under Jimin’s eyes and the exhaustion etched into his face. “You’re going to wear yourself out, Jimin. Don’t you ever give yourself a break?”
Jimin forced a small smile. “You know how it is… Sometimes, it feels like I’m not doing enough.”
Just then, the door swung open, and both Jimin and Yoongi looked up in surprise. Standing in the doorway, dripping rainwater from his coat and holding a large lunch bag, was Taehyung.
“Taehyung?” Jimin exclaimed, staring at his friend in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”
Taehyung grinned, brushing off some of the rain from his coat. “Jimin, did you really think I’d let you starve? And Yoongi hyung, you haven’t eaten either, have you?
Yoongi shook his head, still a bit taken aback by Taehyung’s unexpected appearance.
“Well, I brought enough food for both of you,” Taehyung said proudly, holding up the lunch bag. “Now, sit down. I’m serving dinner.”
Without waiting for an answer, Taehyung set out the food on Jimin’s desk, pulling out containers of rice, stew, and side dishes. The comforting smell of Jin’s cooking filled the room, making both Jimin and Yoongi realize just how hungry they actually were.
Yoongi couldn’t help but smile, feeling warmth spread through him at Taehyung’s thoughtfulness. As Taehyung handed him a bowl, Yoongi muttered, “You didn’t have to come all the way here, Tae.”
Taehyung shrugged, a soft smile on his face. “I wanted to. Besides, what are friends for?”
As they ate, Taehyung’s chatter filled the room, lightening the heavy atmosphere. Jimin’s earlier tension slowly melted away as he listened to Taehyung’s stories about his day, laughing when Taehyung described his mishaps at the grocery store with Jungkook.
Jimin looked at Taehyung, his heart swelling with gratitude. “Thank you, Tae. I really… needed this.”
Taehyung reached across the table, giving Jimin’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Always, Jimin-ah. You’re never alone.”
Yoongi watched the two of them, his own heart softening at the warmth in Taehyung’s eyes as he looked at Jimin. In moments like these, Yoongi felt as though he could finally let down his guard and allow himself to feel the comfort of being surrounded by friends who genuinely cared.
As they finished their meal, Taehyung packed up the empty containers and slipped on his raincoat again, preparing to head back out into the rain.
“Are you really going to walk back in this rain?” Yoongi asked, frowning.
Taehyung just shrugged, grinning. “It’s only a little rain, hyung. I’ll survive.”
Jimin smiled, standing up to give Taehyung a quick hug. “Thank you for everything, Tae. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Taehyung hugged him back tightly. “Take care of yourself, Jimin. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you’re not enough, okay?”
Jimin nodded, his heart full as he watched Taehyung leave. Yoongi remained seated, staring at the closed door for a moment before speaking up.
“You have good people around you, Jimin,” Yoongi said quietly, his voice carrying a rare softness. “Don’t let them go.”
Jimin looked at Yoongi, feeling the weight of his words. “I won’t, hyung. I really won’t.”
As Yoongi left, Jimin sat back down, staring at the empty containers and letting the warmth of his friends presence linger. In that quiet moment, he knew he wasn’t alone, and he knew he’d be okay.
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Echoes of Care
FanfictionSeven doctors with hidden scars heal others by day, masking their own pain behind friendly smiles. Bound by friendship and unspoken love, they find solace in each other, slowly mending the wounds within their own hearts. Ships in this FF Jungkook X...