Winter In My Heart (Jikook/Kookmin)

31

Jimin woke up slowly, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. His eyes squeezed shut as he let out a small squeal, trying to block out the brightness coming from the window. When he finally stirred, he instinctively reached out for the familiar presence next to him.

"Kookie hyung...?" Jimin mumbled, still groggy. But the bed was empty. Jungkook wasn’t there.

Sitting up, Jimin looked around the room. There was no sign of Jungkook. Confused, he quickly got out of bed and headed downstairs. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door of the Jeon mansion opened, and in walked Mingyu.

"Mingyu hyung, where are you going so early in the morning?" Jimin asked, yawning and covering his mouth.

"Oh, I just dropped Jungkook off at the airport," Mingyu replied casually, brushing some dust off his jacket.

"W-what?" Jimin’s eyes shot wide open, the grogginess from earlier gone in an instant. "Where is Kookie hyung going?"

"Back to the US," Mingyu said, his tone still calm.

Jimin gasped, his heart sinking. Jungkook hadn’t told him he was leaving. There had been no mention of a trip, no goodbye, no explanation. Why hadn’t he said anything?

"But... why? Why would he leave without telling me?" Jimin's voice trembled, a mix of confusion and hurt washing over him.

"I don’t know," Mingyu shrugged. "He seemed in a rush this morning."

"Mom!" Jimin called out frantically as he saw Mrs. Jeon coming down the hallway. His voice cracked as he fought to hold back the tears already welling in his eyes.

"Mochi, why are you crying?" Mrs. Jeon rushed to her son’s side, her motherly instincts kicking in immediately. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Her voice was filled with concern, her eyes scanning Jimin’s face for signs of distress.

Jimin shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. "Kookie hyung... he left me again."

Mrs. Jeon softened as she pulled Jimin into her arms. "Oh, Mochi... he hasn’t left you. He just had to take care of something. He told me he’ll be back tomorrow."

Jimin pulled back slightly, his teary eyes searching his mother’s face for any sign of deceit. "You’re not lying to me?"

Mrs. Jeon smiled, gently brushing his hair back. "No, sweetheart. I wouldn’t lie to you. He’s coming back. You’ll see."

"Aish, cutie," Mingyu chimed in, ruffling Jimin's hair affectionately. "Your brother isn’t going to leave you. He loves you too much."

Jimin sniffled, still feeling a bit uneasy, but Mingyu’s words brought some comfort. Mingyu had always known how much Jungkook cared for his brother. He had heard countless stories about Jimin from Jungkook over the years.

"My brother is the cutest," Jungkook would say. "He’s always sulking, but in the sweetest way. He cries easily, but it’s because he feels things so deeply. He loves drawing, and most of all... he loves me."

Too many times had Jungkook gushed about his little brother, and Mingyu knew that Jungkook would never willingly hurt Jimin. But Jimin couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling in his chest. Why hadn’t Jungkook told him he was leaving? Why did it feel like he was slipping away all over again?