Mine | Jikook

22

There it was again.

The loud banging, the heavy breathing, the small shrieks of pain.

Jeongguk tip-toed out of his room, careful not to make a sound. He softly padded his way down the hall. When he reached the top of the staircase that's when he saw it; his brother, pinned against the wall, his face covered in blood as a raw, red set of knuckles came smashing up into his stomach.

Coughing. So much coughing, followed by a splatter of red onto the wooden floor.

Jeongguk was frozen and stared wide-eyed at his helpless brother.

His brother's eyes made contact with his own, widening in panic, trying to tell him to run away. It was too late.

His father's head turned and his eyes stared bullet holes through him at the top of the stairs. As he began to stagger towards Jeongguk, a door opened behind him.

His mother pushed past him and stood in front of him protectively, shielding him from the man below.

His father grabbed her wrist, roughly pulling her down the stairs, Jeongguk ran down too, determined to protect his mother.

He stood in between his father's bloody fists and his mother. As his dad's arm was brought back and about to be thrown forward Jeongguk's mother pushed him behind her back and took the punch across the face.

Jeongguk screamed out, tears quickly filling his eyes.

His mother jumped in front of him again and was pushed into the side table, earning a cut across her face.

"STOP! MOM RUN AWAY! MOM!"

The world fades to black as the only thing heard is the constant beep of a flatlining machine.

•

"Jeongguk! Wake up, baby." Jimin wiped the tears off of Jeongguk's face.

Jeongguk was shaking uncontrollably and was covered in sweat and tears. Small whimpers left his mouth as he scanned the room for his father's darkened eyes and the bloody pools on the ground.

Jimin placed his hands on Jeongguk's cheeks, bringing his focus towards his face.

"Look at me. You're okay. Breathe." Jimin pushed his forehead onto Jeongguk's, looking into his eyes.

"He got her, Jimin. I couldn't protect her." Jimin shushed Jeongguk softly.

"You did your best."

"What if I can't protect you?" Jeongguk balled Jimin's shirt up in his fist, pulling him closer. "What if I can't stop him?"

"Then I will." Jimin kissed Jeongguk and held his shaky hands.

To further calm Jeongguk down, Jimin hummed a soft melody while running his hands through Jeongguk's thick brown hair.

Once Jimin had felt Jeongguk drift back off to sleep he held him close and let himself fade out too.

The two awoke to a loud banging at the door.

Jimin checked the clock placed on the side table which read 4:56 AM. He gripped Jeongguk's arm and shot him a nervous look. They both hopped out of the bed, fully alert.

In the hallway they bumped into Taehyung who shout-whispered, "What is going on?" The two shrug in response.

All three cautiously make their way to the door. Taehyung looks out of the peephole before quickly beginning to unlock the door. Jimin and Jeongguk shoot a confused look towards each other.

The door swings open and reveals-

Hoseok.

"Jeon Jeongguk! There you are!" Hoseok gives a quick kiss to Taehyung's cheek and then moves to check over Jeongguk, looking for any injuries. "I was so worried, you weren't answering your texts and then you weren't at home so I came here to talk to Taehyung because I was worried and there you are!"

Jeongguk scratches the back of his neck. "Sorry Hobi hyung, I'm trying to lay low for a little while."

"I understand that but you could have at least told me." Hoseok frowns. "I'm your best friend, tell me things!"

"It was sudden, I'm sorry." Jeongguk bows to Hoseok and gets brought into a hug.

"Just don't worry me like that. Anyways now that I'm here I might as well stay the night." Hoseok grabs Taehyung's hand and begins to walk back to the room.

"So you just wake the whole goddamn neighborhood up with your knocking and now you just want us to go back to sleep. You scared the shit out of me! I thought you might have been my-" Jeongguk is cut short by a firm knock at the door.

"Oh now who could it be!" Taehyung stalks back over to the door, unlocking it in annoyance and swinging it open.

Jeongguk's blood freezes in his veins when he sees who's standing on the doorstep of the apartment, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed.

"D-dad."

• • •