HEARTLESS {VKook}

Part ✨ 35✨

It had been a week since the incident, a week filled with sleepless nights and restless days. Now, when Jimin's finally well enough to leave the hospital, it felt like the first ray of sunlight after a storm. Though the scars from his captivity still lingered both physically and emotionally, he was coming home.

With his brothers by his side, he was on the road to recovery, even if the journey ahead was long.

But there was one unspoken truth no one dared to address, Jimin and Jungkook's childhood bond. Not Taehyung, not Hoseok, not even Jungkook himself. The weight of it hung in the air like a ghost, waiting to be acknowledged, yet no one seemed ready to face it.

Jungkook avoided the topic entirely, while Taehyung, though hurt by being kept in the dark, chose to wait. He told himself it was for Jungkook's sake, but deep down, it was also for his own heart, which wasn't ready to unravel the tangled web of emotions.

The day Jimin opened his eyes in the hospital had been a turning point. Taehyung had been shattered to see his lovely hyung lying there, pale and fragile, hooked up to machines that seemed to mock the lively spirit Jimin had always been.

Hoseok, usually the pillar of strength, had broken down completely, and it was Yoongi who had held him together. Yoongi, who stayed awake every night to make sure Hoseok didn't drown in his grief, who whispered quiet reassurances that Jimin would wake up, who held Hoseok close when the weight of the world seemed too much to bear.

And then, Jimin did wake up. His first whispered "Hyung" had sent them all into tears. For that moment, they weren't the world's top business tycoons or the rulers of the underworld. They were just a family, holding on to the one thing that mattered most, each other.

Today, Jimin was finally being discharged. Jin and Namjoon had taken care of all the formalities, leaving the others to focus on welcoming him home. Outside the hospital room, Jungkook, Yoongi, and Hoseok waited anxiously.

"Where's Tae?" Hoseok asked, glancing around.

Yoongi sighed, his arms crossed. "Still sulking. Something about being mad at Jimin for not telling him something. You know how he is."

Hoseok rolled his eyes. "That brat. I'll talk with him later."

The door creaked open, and all conversation stopped. Jimin stepped out slowly, his movements careful but steady. His face lit up with a tired smile when he saw them.

"Seokie hyung," he whispered, his voice still hoarse but stronger than before. "I'm back."

Hoseok didn't waste a second. He closed the distance between them and wrapped Jimin in a tight hug, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You scared me, you idiot," he murmured, his voice breaking. "Don't you ever do that again."

Jimin chuckled softly, leaning into the embrace. "I missed you too, hyung."

Jungkook stood a few steps away, watching the scene with a mixture of relief and guilt. He had been so consumed by his own emotions that he hadn't even realized he was holding his breath until he saw Jimin's smile.

When Hoseok finally let go, Jungkook stepped forward, his expression softening in a way that was rare for the Mafia King. He pulled Jimin into an embrace, holding him tightly as if afraid he might disappear again.

"You're never going anywhere again," Jungkook murmured, his voice low but firm. "I don't care if you're a businessman, a CEO, or whatever. You're staying with us, Jiminie. Always."

Jimin laughed, the sound a little raspy but genuine. "Is this the same Jungkook who threatened to kill me if I touched his snacks when we were kids? You've grown soft, Kookie."