Winter In My Heart (Jikook/Kookmin)

34

"Kookie hyung, what are you doing here?"
Jimin’s soft voice broke the silence as he spotted his brother standing by the counter, an unexpected sight at the end of his shift. He was just about to finish for the day, but seeing Jungkook waiting for him made his heart skip a beat.

"I miss you."
Jungkook’s simple words sent a warmth spreading through Jimin, who smiled shyly in response. He fidgeted with his fingers, feeling a mix of happiness and embarrassment.

"Really? You’re missing me?"
Jimin’s tone was playful, but there was a hint of something else—like he was testing the waters, unsure if he should say the same out loud. Of course, he missed Jungkook too, but admitting it so directly always made him blush.

Jungkook grinned and leaned closer. "Is that even a question? Look at my face."
Jimin, unable to resist, moved a little closer to examine his brother’s face, squinting as if searching for something. But before he could react, Jungkook leaned in and placed a quick, affectionate kiss on Jimin's nose.

"Hyung..."
Jimin gasped, his hands instantly flying up to cover his nose. His face flushed pink, and even his ears betrayed him, turning bright red. He was completely flustered, and Jungkook’s playful smirk only made it worse.

"This is not the place for a romantic sibling reunion."
The teasing voice that interrupted them belonged to Mingyu, who had appeared beside the counter, his arms crossed with a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

"Mingyu hyung..." Jimin mumbled, his blush deepening as he noticed the way Mingyu was looking at them.

"If you can’t focus on your job, you can always hand in your resignation letter," Mingyu added, the casualness in his tone not quite hiding the underlying tension.

Jimin glanced at his brother, suddenly unsure of how to respond. Mingyu’s attitude had changed over the past few weeks. He wasn’t as friendly as he used to be, and Jimin couldn’t understand why. It seemed like the only thing they talked about lately was work. Nothing personal, nothing warm.

"He’s off shift, Mingyu. He’s not doing anything wrong," Jungkook interjected, his voice calm but firm, standing up for Jimin.

Mingyu raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Off shift or not, everything looks fine and perfect when you're in love, right?"

Jungkook’s expression hardened. "Mingyu, don’t." He knew why Mingyu was acting this way. It was no secret anymore. Mingyu was angry, hurt even, after everything that had happened with Yumi.

"This is a workplace, Jimin," Mingyu continued, ignoring Jungkook’s warning. "Act like it."

"I’m sorry, I won’t let it happen again." Jimin bowed his head slightly, apologetic, though he wasn’t sure what he had really done wrong.

Jungkook sighed and gently grabbed Jimin’s hand. "Let’s go, Mochi."

Without another word, Jimin followed his brother, leaving the hotel behind. But the weight of Mingyu’s words hung heavy in the air between them as they walked in silence.

---

Jimin stayed quiet as Jungkook led him to the Han River. The cool breeze played with their hair, but Jungkook never let go of Jimin’s hand, holding it tightly as if to reassure him. The quiet between them felt heavy, almost suffocating. Jimin wasn’t the type to stay silent for so long—Jungkook could feel the tension building with every step they took.

"Don’t overthink it," Jungkook finally broke the silence, his voice soft but firm. "I don’t like seeing you like this."

Jimin’s eyes flickered toward his brother, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Mingyu hyung... He hates me. I don’t know what I did wrong."

It pained Jungkook to hear the uncertainty in Jimin’s voice. He wished he could shield him from everything, from the judgment, from the confusion. But they couldn’t avoid this forever.

"He knows," Jungkook said after a long pause, his voice low.

Jimin blinked, confused. "Knows what?"

Jungkook sighed, turning to face him fully. "About us. Our relationship."

Jimin’s face paled, and his grip on Jungkook’s hand tightened. "He... He doesn’t like it?"

"I don’t care what he thinks," Jungkook replied, but Jimin could hear the tension in his voice. "What matters is us. Just us."

Jimin looked away, his eyes fixed on the ground. "What about mom and dad? What if they find out...?"

"Stop worrying about them. Right now, just think about us," Jungkook said, his voice firm but tender. "That’s all that matters."

Jimin’s lower lip trembled. "Hyung, are we really doing the right thing?"

Jungkook stepped closer, placing both hands on Jimin’s shoulders. "Why do you doubt it?" His voice was soft but insistent. "You’re not my blood sibling. We’ve only lived as brothers for six years. There’s nothing wrong with what we feel."

Tears welled up in Jimin’s eyes, threatening to spill over. Jungkook’s heart clenched at the sight of his vulnerable brother. He gently wiped away a tear that escaped, his thumb brushing against Jimin’s cheek.

"I know you’re scared," Jungkook whispered, pulling Jimin into a tight hug. "But we have to face this together. I can’t do this without you."

Jimin’s arms wrapped around Jungkook, clinging to him as if he were the only solid thing in his world. His tears flowed freely now, soaking into Jungkook’s shirt, but he didn’t care. He needed this—needed to feel safe in his brother’s embrace.

Jungkook’s words echoed in Jimin’s mind: If two people truly love each other, they’ll find a way to make it work. And deep down, Jimin knew Jungkook was right. They just had to be strong enough to face whatever came next—together.