The Rejects [YoonMin][NamJin]

Chapter Eleven

Nobody said a word for the longest time after Yoongi's crying fit.

Mrs Kim held his hand again, inspecting the injury and reapplying the ice pack as he composed himself.

He gasped and heaved for air for what felt like a lifetime afterwards, barely able to push those emotions back.

What the fuck was that?

When was the last time he cried about anything?

Probably, in the hospital after waking from surgery to realise there was a vast Jimin-sized hole in his heart that he would never be able to fill again. Other than a brief moment when he was alone in the private room, Yoongi never cried.

If anyone saw him crying, he was considered weak, and they tried to take advantage. Steal his things and hurt him.

"I-I'm sorry," The blonde mumbled through hyperventilation.

Fighting got him kicked out of several homes. Most of the stories Mrs Park heard from the adults were a complete fabrication, but that didn't matter.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just tell us what happened so we can help."

Yoongi had always been the strong and silent type, self-reliant and protective of himself and others. But the pull of the Kim's caring nature wouldn't allow that to be anymore.

He found himself itching to say something more often than ever every time they interacted.

Sometimes a question was thrown out, and he had an immediate answer but sat quietly anyway, only responding when directly called upon. He didn't want to speak up unless asked to, in case he said something stupid or offensive.

This family didn't think he was stupid, though. They wanted him to speak freely, encouraged his participation in conversations and asked for his opinion.

Like he was valued.

Explaining how Hobi and Yoongi discovered Jungkook in the corridor in the middle of a freak-out was easy. The Kims knew the youngest of the group was easily distressed by an overload to his senses, so they didn't question it.

Telling the Kims how Jimin stood between him and the three boys like an unmovable rock was a little more complicated.

The pink-haired boy was never that fearless when he and Yoongi lived together. He was always shy, tearful and frightened, rightfully so.

He couldn't stand up for himself against the Chois. So it was a pleasant surprise to see him arguing back with the boys who tormented his friend, using his body as a protective barrier.

But then came that moment when the thirteen-year-old came back through.

It wasn't the blow to the face that startled the younger boy, although it had been a shock. The restrictive hand clamping around his wrist pushed him into terror.

That single action brought back a mountain of unwanted memories, breaking the petite boy's barrier and revealing who he once was.

The hardest was explaining how Yoongi knew Jimin couldn't stand being held down or restrained, much like Jin.

Mr Kim was the first to understand why the blonde compared both boys and let out his surprise.

They knew Jimin was adopted, and his previous foster home had been challenging, but they had no idea how bad it had been. The pink-haired boy was secretive and didn't discuss his history with anyone but his parents. His friends had no idea that his foster carer was a predator who constantly tried to prey on the innocent younger.

After that, neither adult pressed for more information. They understood Yoongi's need to protect the younger boy, and even though lashing out wasn't the way to deal with it, they also understood why he reacted that way.