VHope Fluffshots

Brother

I can't remember who you are, but I wrote this twice because the first draft sucked. But this is for you. I'm sorry it took so long, babe!! 

From the moment we adopted him, I hated him. 

I was perfectly fine being the baby of my family; my sister was fourteen and I was eight. I was doted on - especially by my sister - and made my mother happy when I asked about dance lessons. I loved how my life was without a younger sibling. I just really didn't understand. 

I remember that day vividly; the day my parents came home with a six-year-old named Taehyung from the Daegu adoption agency, it was snowing. It was actually my eighth birthday. My parents left me in the care of Haewon, who had made me a really pretty cake and gave me my first pair of red Converse - my dancing shoes. I was having fun showing her some dance moves I had learned when my parents came home with two suitcases and a little boy toting a light-purple duffel bag. 

"Haewon, Hoseok, meet your new little brother, Taehyung," our mother said, causing Haewon to squeal and dash over to dote on the little boy. 

I stayed put as I stared at him. He had fluffy black hair, chubby cheeks, big eyes and pouty lips. He was a very cute little boy, I knew that for sure. 

I remember locking eyes with Taehyung that day, my heart turning to stone as he stared back at me with curiosity in his eyes. "I hate you," I mouthed to him. 

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For the next year, my stone heart started to crack. 

Taehyung was very smart and did well in school, unlike me, and was often praised for it. My father was disappointed in me and my inability to do well academically, so he stopped paying for my dance lessons. 

My mother was more concerned with my sister and Taehyung, who liked to help her cook. I was told to stay out of the way. 

I had to share my room with Taehyung, who was deathly afraid of the dark. Now, I couldn't sleep because of the night-light in our room. I hated it so much, but I knew I would only get scolded if I complained. It annoyed me to no end when he would sing himself to sleep or wake me up because of a nightmare he had. 

I especially despised Taehyung when he asked me to play with him. I locked him out of our room once so I could practice dancing, but he started to cry, and I was sent to bed without dinner. 

That night, I heard Taehyung shuffling around. I turned to see him standing by my bed, one of my favorite foods in his hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered, but I huffed and faced the wall, ignoring my growling stomach. 

Once, when my dad was driving me home from school, we had a long talk. 

"Hoseok, when you were four, you were very happy and lively. You were like that until we adopted Taehyung." There was a moment of silence, then he sighed. "Why? Why are you so angry?" 

Tears filled my eyes, but I refused to look at my father; I turned my head to gaze out of the window. "It was my birthday. You adopted him on my birthday. And you all started ignoring me and put all of your attention to him. Haewon is the only one who says 'I love you, Hoseokie, now." 

My dad pulled the car over and turned in his seat to face me. He was crying, and it made me cry harder. "We all still love you, Hoseok! Me and Mom still love you! You're our baby, how can we not!? And you're so mean to him, but Taehyung still says he loves you! Please stop this, baby. Please..." 

But I just couldn't. 

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One night, I heard shouting. 

It was about a month after my ninth birthday, about three after Taehyung's seventh birthday. Haewon was at her friend's house for the weekend. 

I had been asleep when the shouting woke me up; it was my parents. They were arguing over something I didn't understand until later, when they sat the three of us down and told us they were getting divorced. 

But that night was the first night Taehyung and I heard their arguments. 

I wanted my sister, but she wasn't there to hold me and protect me like she always did. Besides, someone needed me more than I needed her. 

I could tell Taehyung was awake by the way his body trembled under his covers, small whimpers emitting from his bed. I didn't like it when he cried - even though I was the reason he usually did so - and let out a big sigh. 

I slipped out of bed and quietly made my way over to Taehyung's, bunching up his light-blue comforter in my hand and sliding it off of him. 

My heart slowly let the stone flake off of it as I met those big, teary eyes hidden under messy bangs. Taehyung's bottom lip trembled uncontrollably as he lifted his small arms to me. "Hobi-hyung," he whimpered and I picked him up, letting him wrap himself around me like a koala as I moved him to my bed. 

We laid together under the blankets, Taehyung refusing to let me go. 

"Tae," I whispered, petting his hair down a little bit. "I'm sorry. I don't hate you. I'm so sorry." He held me tighter and shook his head. "I know. I never hated you, hyung." I smiled and started to slowly rub his back, hoping he would stop crying soon. His tears were seeping into my shirt, but I weathered it for him. 

"It's gonna be okay, TaeTae. I'll protect you, okay? Hyung will protect you." 

He was silent for a minute, then looked up at me with those big, teary eyes. "I love you, Hoseok-hyung. I love you," he said, smiling the best he could for me. I smiled back and continued to rub his back. "I love you too, Taehyung." 

I really did love him. 

From that point on, I loved him and recognized him as my brother.