An Analogous Universe

Chapter 41

[Jungkook]

Bright lights were what the 15 year old boy sensed through his closed eyelids. A vibrant spiral of various blinding colors attacked upon his closed left eye as he let out a snicker of annoyance. He tried to put a hand over his eyes as he tried his best to cover the scorching of the light, for both heat and brightness. But it was in vain, he could not cover his eyes.

"Is it done?" he asked through his whispers.

"Oh, yes. I'll put it aside."

The doctor, seemingly done with his work on the left eye, quickly struggled to put the machine aside which had done it's work. Jungkook peeked open one eye as he rubbed the eye in relief. He blinked a several times as to achieve a clearer vision. He grabbed his glasses from the nearby table. Putting it on, he glanced at the doctor as he shifted in his seat.

"Nothing has changed other than a little bit of difference between your right and left eye. You're right eye's power has increased by 0.25. It won't matter much, but if you seem to have problems, you can get another checkup."

Jungkook keenly listened. When the doctor told him to take leave, he slowly went out of the clinic. Walking on the road with his spectacled eyes, Jungkook adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder. Absentmindedly walking on the road while tripping on some small rocks, playing with them as his mind was apprised about going home soon. He smiled unknowingly, knowing that he would be greeted by his smiling parents and his brother after such a hard day of school. It made him forget the light bruises he'd gotten from the bullies.

Sometimes, he was made fun of by the older and tougher boys from his school. He could tell his parents about it but they'd worry. He actually felt pretty light after sharing everything with his brother, Jimin. Jimin wasn't blood related brother but he was more than he, himself could imagine. He was Jungkook's only friend and the reason why Jungkook was sane. The heavy insults and accusations were too much for Jungkook to control. Jimin went to the same school but he was two years older. Jungkook only met him during recess and after school. And his biggest fear was Gym. It was another time of hell for him. But after school Jimin would comfort him and rapidly apologize for not being there. So, recently, Jungkook had been seeing Jimin more around school than necessary. During recess, Jimin would be the first face he'd see, and he'd see Jimin walking around in the hallways after every class he had to switch. Jimin would bid a goodbye after walking Jungkook to his class. But today was different.

Jimin couldn't be there for Jungkook when he was being shoved against a wall. Some called him names while some enjoyed kicking him on the sides. But Jungkook didn't speak up to Jimin this time. Jimin being there was more than anything, he'd not need to strain himself to protect his little brother.

Jungkook knocked on the door of his apartment. After three knocks and three bells, no one opened the door. Jungkook thought that maybe they were busy or maybe his parents were sleeping. But Jimin was home. Maybe he went to bath.

As Jungkook leaned on the door in boredom, the door creaked to a side. Jungkook's eyes widened as he steadied himself from falling. The whole house was a mess. Papers and the decorations, vases, pictures were torn apart and littered upon the surface. Jungkook scrunched his eyebrows in worry, worried that something might've happened to his parents while he was gone.

He heard shuffling and gruntings from inside the house. Dropping his bag carelessly on the unarranged floor, he rushed to the hall room. Thoughts of his parents being harmed came to his mind and the assumptions of Jimin probably getting beaten occupied his thoughts. He already knew about the struggles royals had to suffer from. He'd overheard that barbaric soldiers of the even ruthless king had been imprisoning the siblings of his father. He'd once heard about his younger aunt being forced into foul interrogation and being sentenced to death. For what? For killing her own sister which he thought his parents didn't believe a bit. He was paranoid about the upcoming threats, but didn't know about the threats thrown into his family.