listen to the song in the media during this chapter!! it fits well with the chapter. it's 'sorry' by the rose (also stan the rose omg they're my lil babies💞✨)
ps this is the last chapter before the epilogue!
╔═══"chapter fifteen" ═╗
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╚═ "answers" ═══╝
"bye, hyung!" jeongguk waved as he walked down the path to the waiting taxi. "bye, dad!"
namjoon and mr. kim were standing on the porch, waving goodbye as jeongguk left to return to his other home–the home where his heart was. namjoon, of course, still didn't think it was good for his brother to stay in that empty apartment that served only as a reminder of what happened between the previously happy couple, but he couldn't control jeongguk anymore. he had to let him make his own decisions. he'd always be there to comfort him when things went wrong, but jeongguk had to find his own way.
the taxi ride was quiet and short, and when the car pulled up to the front of the apartment complex, jeongguk paid the driver quickly and got out, shouldering his bag as he started for the doors. he waved hello to the woman at the desk and pressed the button for the elevator, unable to ignore the small pit of anxiety growing in his stomach. before he could fully talk himself into just running back out, hailing another taxi and going back to the safe arms of his brother, the elevator doors opened. taking a shaky breath, he stepped inside.
a minute or so later, jeongguk stood in front of his apartment door, key in his hand, chewing on his lip as he debated again whether or not to chicken out. eventually, he ended up slotting the key into the door and unlocking it despite what he really wanted to do, and walked inside. immediately, he dropped his bag onto the ground and took a step back, a soft gasp leaving his lips when he saw what–or rather, who–was in the living room.
skin a sickly shade, lips cracked, hair dishevelled, undereyes heavy with dark bags, seokjin was passed out on the couch.
a pained cry left jeongguk's lips as he ran over to the sofa, falling to his knees at seokjin's feet. tears brimmed at his eyes at the horrible state of his beloved, and he clutched the older's hands.
"hyung..." he whispered even though he knew seokjin couldn't hear him, "what happened to you?"
but he blinked away his tears and stood, for he realized there would be a time for emotions later. right now he needed to take care of seokjin. first he dug a warm blanket from the cupboard and draped it over the elder's body, and then he moved to the kitchen to begin preparing soup. while he waited for the water to boil, jeongguk flitted around the apartment. he turned the taps on in the bathtub, waiting for the water to be warm enough before plugging the drain and filling the tub.
