We Are Brothers

Chapter 3

It's early summer and the bangtan house is bustling. Jin was making bus arrangements for their trip to California. Namjoon was beside him making sure their itinerary was tight with Yoongi lazily staring at documents on the table that were supposed to be their passports and plane tickets. The hyungs decided to take a mini vacation with Kai so they rented a private beach in California where they could enjoy the luxury of vacation away from crazed fans.

Jimin was lightly dozing off on the living room couch because he had been drained from helping Kai unpack and repack his bags. Beside him was Jungkook and Kai playing FIFA slightly too loud to Hoseok's liking.
"Jungkook, it's time to turn the game off, your hyungs are busy and it's late."

Jungkook contemplated, he wanted to keep playing but he also wanted to listen to his hyung, in the end he decided it would be best to turn the game off since Kai was near and he had already gotten a "warning" earlier for not being a good role model to Kai. With a repressed sigh Jungkook turned off his game console and grabbed the second controller from Kai with apologetic eyes. Kai didn't think much of it as he knew he had a computer in his room and he knew Luke would hop on if he asked him.

Like Jin read his mind, "No more games for the night Kai, we have an early morning tomorrow and we don't need a cranky Kai with a chaotic schedule."

"Hyung," Kai whined.

Jin didn't reply and just began to sort out the mess of papers on the table. Kai stared at him for a minute and Jin still did not budge. Kai rashly grabbed his phone from the coffee table and semi-stomped his way to his room. He didn't want to actually get in trouble for being disrespectful so he gave them a good whiff of it. When he made it to his room he threw himself on the bed and buried himself in the covers. He had already brushed his teeth and was in his favorite linen pajama set so all he had to do was slide under the covers and close his eyes. So that's what he did: he lied there staring at the ceiling for what seemed like forever until he heard footsteps.

He turned his body so that his back was facing the door and forced himself to even out his breathing. When Jin entered the room he was thankful that Kai had listened and went to bed, he stalked over to him quietly and lightly brushed his black hair back letting the strands fall loosely through his hands. He gave Kai a quick peck, with a soft good night and headed to his start his own slumber. After Kai heard the door shut he waited about a minute before turning over. His stomach felt so warm inside, he loved feeling loved. When his hyungs first debuted they struggled to support themselves so Kai was left with their parents. Kai always had to ask to eat, ask to sleep, ask to be taken to school his parents never innately cared for him always had to remind them, so in a way he was taking care of himself. That made him never experience proper nurturing love until his hyungs came back and cared for him.

As Kai was getting lost in his thoughts he heard his phone vibrating. He trudged over to his dresser and read the caller ID, it was Luke. He quickly picked up his phone and pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?" Kai whispered. "Hop on, let's play Apex," Luke replied. Kai rolled his eyes and alked over to his bed and grabbed his left airpod. "Can't even start with 'Hi'" Kai sighed. The line fell silent before Luke finally said "I didn't want to chat." Kai hummed and turned on his computer, Luke needed an escape right now and it was probably because his father came back from the Army. It's a long story but let's just say he and his mom are happier without him. "Apex?" Kai questioned. "Yes," there was a comfortable silence before Luke followed with a "Thank you." Kai chuckled, "I'm on."

4:00 AM that's the time Kai and Luke finished. Taehyung was shaking Kai harshly for the third time that morning. "We have to leave in 15 minutes, get up." Kai struggled out of the bed while Taehyung gave him a pointed look. Kai felt his stare but didn't look at him as he trudged to the bathroom. When Kai looked at the clock, he felt something in his heart sting, it's 5:45 AM. Kai quickly brushed his teeth, combed through his hair and swiftly made his way back to his room and got dressed.

When he got to the living room he was appalled at how the night before it was cluttered with suitcases and travel documents. Jimin shoved a container of fruit in his hand and ushered him out the door. The bus ride to the airport was tense, Kai hyungs were immensely annoyed with him. At the airport, Kai was left in the terminal until he felt a figure approach him, "Where's your phone?" Namjoon asked Kai. Anxious by his sudden voice as it was the first time he heard it all morning, Kai gestured to his back pocket. Namjoon swiftly turned him around and grabbed his phone. He looked through it until he hummed in satisfaction, without looking at Kai he went to go show his other hyungs.

Kai groaned, he's going to get it. How is he going to explain that Luke needed him and there was just no way he was going to hang up. Kai leaned back in his chair and stared off, he was in trouble and the vacation was just beginning.

"6 hours?" Hoseok said, staring at Kai's phone in disbelief.

"Maybe they fell asleep on the phone together," Jungkook said, shrugging. Jin just sighed sensing the oncoming disagreement, "let's focus on where we're going and when we get there, we can deal with all of this," Jin said tiredly. With the phone now in Hoseok's hand the members made their way over to Kai, each of them ignoring him except for Hoseok.

"I'm disappointed," Hoseok murmured, tossing Kai's phone in his lap. Kai's eyes and throat began to swell up, his ears started to burn and he felt dizzy. Being in the same room as his hyungs was obstructing his air and they were doing it on purpose, probably as a part of his punishment.

After several long hours of taking buses and catching flight the brothers finally made it to the Airbnb. In the living room they sat and discussed their rooming assignments and their itinerary tomorrow.

"I want to room with Jungkook," Kai whispered underneath all of the commotion. It was the first time he had spoken up to talk to them since earlier in the morning. Namjoon whipped his head, "you don't get to make any demands right now."

"I didn't do anything wrong." It was Jin's turn. He felt a surge of anger course through his body as he strode over to Kai placing his right hand on Kai's jaw and drawing his left one back. Kai shut his eyes and braced himself but it never came. Jin's hands were no longer hovering in the air but he was pissed off. "I don't know what has gotten into you lately but you do not get to do what you want and you do not get to disobey and disrespect us whenever you like. You owe us an overdue apology."

Kai fell silent. He thought what he did was right, Luke needed him and he was there and that's all that mattered. "I'm sorry I woke up late, but I didn't whine or make our trip any harder than it had to be."

"Kai, do you want a spanking on this beautiful trip we planned out for you?"

Kai's stomach tightened, "no." Jin crossed his arms and stared down at him, "well then, here's your second chance." Jungkook sighed frustrated at this extremely tense stare down between the oldest and the youngest, "Jesus, Kai, he spelled it for you."

"I'm sorry I disobeyed you hyung but Luke needed me because he stressed out about his dad being back home."

Namjoons shoulders loosened and before he could say anything Yoongi spoke up, "You didn't need to lose six hours of sleep because of it, a good night's rest is always an automatic stress reliever." "You would know," Jimin scoffed under his breath. All of the members let out scattered chuckles as Yoongi glared at him.

"We forgive you but you're not getting out of this unscathed, get your suitcase and go to the room at the end of the hall, bedtime is in 15 minutes." Jin said, sitting back down on the couch.

Kai looked at the clock and it was 7:15. He made no protest and made his way to his room, there was one King sized bed and a TV mounted in front.  Kai plopped on the bed and took in the scent of the fresh sheets. Kai didn't notice he fell asleep until he felt the bed dip, he knew who it was automatically as the familiar hand stroked his hair and lightly brushed his cheeks. It was Jin, it was always Jin. Kai repositioned himself so that his head was laying on Jin's chest. He let his hyungs heartbeat slowly soothe him to sleep.