March 2032
Minho paced back and forth, waiting for Mirae to get home from work.
It was the day before the court hearing.
Jeongin was at work, so Minho had around an hour to confront Mirae with all the thoughts that had been stewing in his mind.
He heard the beeping of the passcode at the entrance, and he quickly went to meet her there.
He wasn't sure how to go about this, but he couldn't keep his thoughts to himself anymore, especially with the stressful day coming tomorrow.
Mirae walked in the door, totally unprepared for what would happen.
"Oppa." She smiled with relief. "How was your day?"
"We need to talk." He grunted, not even acknowledging her question.
She was completely caught off guard by his demeanor. "What's wrong?" She asked.
"Just come inside first." He said coldly.
She took off her shoes and followed him.
He stood in the kitchen, in front of the counter.
"Okay. What's going on? You're scaring me." She said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked suddenly.
He read her expression as her face dropped into a disappointed look.
"About which part? I did tell you about him." She asked.
"How about the "unimportant" detail you left out about the fact that he was looking for you?!" Minho spat. "How about the fact that you were in danger?! How about the part where he was threatening to kill you, and you ran away?!"
Mirae felt her eyes starting to burn. "I didn't want to worry you." She whispered.
Minho gritted his teeth. "That was stupid. Completely thoughtless!"
She felt like she suddenly couldn't breathe. Like her world was collapsing around her again.
"You put yourself in danger. If you had told me, I would've - " He started.
"Would've what?! Thought I was trash? Thought I was some slut, sleeping with some guy in exchange for a place to live? Or no, you would've thought I was weak and pathetic and in need of saving! You would have saved me.from an abusive guy? Is that it?" She cried back.
"NO! I'm saying that if you had told me, I would've at least known! We could've made a plan! We could've contacted the police sooner!" Minho yelled, becoming more upset.
"I couldn't call the police! He had connections!" She cried intensely.
Minho clenched his jaw. "You know what? I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but I'll just say it. What you did was selfish. Not only did YOU get hurt. My little brother is hurt." He blurted out.
The tears started pouring from her eyes. "I know." She whispered, looking at Minho with an intense stare.
He took a step back, unable to hide how he felt. He wanted to distance himself.
"I didn't want him to try to help me, I-" Mirae started.
"Well what did you think he would do? Just leave?!" Minho shouted.
She froze. "Well I guess that would've been better."
"You could've died!" Minho yelled.
"I KNOW!" She shrieked.
"You should've told me. You SHOULD HAVE!" Minho scolded, not even giving her time to speak. "You almost died. My brother got messed up. He could've gotten hurt. He could've gotten attacked. He could've died, and I'm supposed to protect him! I would do ANYTHING to make sure he didn't go through any emotional pain. ANYTHING.
And yet you let this happen.
All of this could've been avoided. ALL OF IT. If you had just told me!" Minho angrily said through clenched teeth. His eyes were burning and red from the emotion that he was desperately trying to suppress.
"Now he can't even sleep because of what happened, because of something that he never should've experienced, and a world of guilt he didn't deserve.
And now I can't sleep because I failed him. I wanted to do everything I could for him. I wanted to straighten his path, not mess him up further. Until now, he had no real trauma. He didn't even remember the bad things that happened when he was a baby. But now, he has blood on his hands. And how can I live with myself knowing that he might never be happy?
How can I live with myself when seeing the scar on your neck makes me feel so angry? I've loved you for so long, and yet I couldn't even protect you. A man who's hurt you countless times, came into MY house, and did this to you, and there was absolutely nothing I could do. I couldn't keep you safe, and I couldn't keep Jeongin safe." Minho ranted with a trembling voice.
-
Jeongin walked into the house. "Hyung, I'm home." He called in a sleepy voice.
"Mmm." Minho hummed in response.
Jeongin made his way in and found Minho sitting on the couch with red eyes and a depressed frown.
"Hyung, were you crying?" Jeongin asked, quickly going to sit beside Minho.
Minho just shrugged.
"Where's Mirae?" Jeongin asked.
"She left." Minho said coldly.
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...
