A/N Again, I didn't have time to spell check and edit. Will do later.
September 2031
The bell buzzed loudly.
"He's here!" Mina called.
Changbin happilly went to answer the door.
"Innie!" He cheered, crushing Jeongin as he hugged him.
Jeongin laughed. "Hi hyungie." He said, taking off his shoes and following Changbin inside.
"So you're not on house arrest anymore?" Changbin joked.
Jeongin huffed. "No!" He said defensively.
Changbin laughed. "Do you have to ask permission when you leave?"
Jeongin sighed and nodded with embarrassment.
Changbin giggled again.
"Hyung, he's SO strict." Jeongin pouted.
"I know." Changbin smiled. "He wants to protect you."
Jeongin never thought about it that way before. He sighed again. "Anyway, I don't hate it as much as I did before."
"Yeah? You getting along with Minho hyung now?"
"Of course. We're similar. And I like him as long as he isn't lecturing me." Jeongin said.
"Well, he can't really help it. He takes after eomma." Changbin laughed.
Jeongin was curious. He knew Minho's perspective of what their parents were like, but he never knew Changbin's.
"Hyung... You know, Minho hyung told me a lot about Eomma and Appa. But I never really asked you. What were they like? And why didn't hyung and appa get along?" Jeongin asked.
Changbin hummed. "They did get along. Until hyung hit puberty." Changbin chuckled.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think Minho hyung thought everything was Appa's fault. And one time, I saw appa cry. It was after eomma died. He was in the bedroom crying after he and Minho hyung argued. I went and asked him if he was okay. He said he was fine. But I think he was hurt. Looking back, I don't really think he knew what to do, because he suddenly was raising his first teenager, and he didn't think he'd be doing it alone. I wish they had more time." Changbin explained.
"More time for what?"
"Well, Appa told me: "in a couple years, things will be better again." He told me: "Minho is grieving right now too, so don't be mad about what he says. And he's also going through puberty, so he's even more sensitive. In a couple years, we'll be able to talk everything out, but for now, he just needs some time." And then, they never got that time." Changbin said.
"Well hyung! You should tell Minho hyung that." Jeongin said.
"Noooo way. Think about it. If I told him that, he would beat himself up for the rest of his life." Changbin said.
"I don't know. It might be good." Jeongin reasoned.
"Some things are better left unsaid." Changbin said sternly.
"Fine. Then what was life like for you?"
"Well, I.... I think I naturally became a sort of mediator. I wanted everyone to be happy, and so I just always tried not to cause any problems, and I tried to solve other people's problems." Changbin said.
"I could see that. You've stayed the same even now hyung." Jeongin said.
"Yeah. I guess I learned to be empathetic. Be the listener. I still try to do that." He chuckled.
YOU ARE READING
Our Family
General Fiction*Sequel* What would it be like to be the patriarch of a family of eight boys? Christopher knows all too well. His parents were out of the picture at a young age, and since then, he's been in charge of the family. He's raised his brothers as if they...
