"Oppa" Aera mumbled, tugging on Jimin's shirt.
He wiped his tears and looked down at his sister who kept clinging to him not liking the stiff and gloomy environment. They were supposed to be preparing for her sixth birthday which was just three days away.
"Le's go home" she said pulling his hand.
"No princess, we have to wait for a bit." He said.
"No..." She whimpered hugging his thighs. Jimin glanced at the boys who watched the girl with sympathetic eyes. Jin took a deep breath and signalled Yoongi to take her from here. She probably wasn't enjoying the mourning and grieving of people and especially her brother's.
"Come Aera, we'll go out for a while okay?" Yoongi said, patting her head.
"I wanna go home!" she said stomping her feet as her eyes became teary. He nodded and carried her in his arms and rubbed her back.
"Yeah we'll go home, but we have to take Oppa too right? Or do you wanna leave him here?"
"No" Aera shook her head.
"So we have to come back in a while, and then everyone will go home together. Is that okay?" Yoongi asked, Aera nodded and placed her head on his shoulder. He glanced at Jimin and the others gesturing them that he'll be back with Aera soon.
"H-Hyung..." Jungkook called, "I'll go with Aera too" he said and left behind Yoongi instantly. Jimin stared at his back, disappointed but not really aware of what to say.
"Why is he..." Jimin cried choking on his tears, as he wanted to keep himself together.
"Shh Jimin, breath" Jin said rubbing the younger's back.
Jimin wiped his tears and blinked a few times breathing with his mouth open, "he... he said he's not sad over their death. Did he forget they were his parents too? He wasn't even ready to come here hyung, why is he doing all this?"
"Its not like that, Jimin-ah. Jungkook is sad, didn't you look at his face? He was just holding himself together for Aera." Jin said, "I know he's mad at them, but that doesn't mean he's not sad. Aera's very young to understand all this, but Jungkook does understand that your parents are not going to come back home now. And maybe that's the reason he didn't wanted to come here."
"Yes Jimin, hyung is right" Namjoon said, "And now that things are this way, you have to be their strength Jimin. You're the eldest and they look up to you. I understand you were the closest to your parents, but don't let yourself get weak because of the circumstances, you have to be strong for your siblings. They're too young to face anything alone, especially Aera."
Jimin looked at his hyungs and nodded understanding their words, "I'll take care of them with all my heart."
Jin smiled and patted his shoulder, "Your parents must be feeling really proud of you Jimin. They're blessed with a son a like you."
Jimin glanced at the casket of his parents and then at Jin, opening his mouth to say something but words didn't come out. With a faint crack in his voice he hugged the eldest letting his tears out again. Jin patted his back and blinked away his own tears as he glanced at Namjoon, Hoseok and Taehyung.
"Riri, look at this." Jungkook said, holding out a four leaved green clover. Aera smiled amusedly and took it from him.
"Its pretty" She said, "Oppa look"
"Yeah, its pretty." Yoongi nodded with a smile.
"But my Riri is prettier." Jungkook said and ruffled her hair, "We'll go and get some ice cream after this okay?"
"Really?" She asked smiling widely at the two.
"Sure, Aera's been a good girl today." Yoongi chuckled.
"I am a good girl" she grinned sheepishly, "Let's go from here."
"Let's call everybody first" Yoongi said and headed to the burial ground where the rest of them were now gathered. Aera wiggled in his arms signalling him to put her down now.
She ran towards Jimin and hugged him from the side giggling as she looked up at him. Her smile didn't last long though. A deep frown replaced it when she saw her eldest brother's teary eyes.
"Oppa... why're you crying?" She asked in a worried tone.
"No, I'm- I just got something in my eyes, that's all." He said and cleared his throat, "Where's Kookie?" He asked noticing the younger brother still wasn't here.
"He's waiting in the car, let's go." She said.
"Oh..." He whispered to himself, "Let's go home."
Aera held his hand and started walking towards the gate. The rest of the boys silently followed behind. The funeral of Mr and Mrs Jeon was done now. It was two days ago that Jimin got a call saying that there was a plane crash due to some defect in the engine. More than 100 of the 150 passengers died. The ones who survived were too serious to be alive and hoped they'd die instead of suffering so much pain in an ICU ward of a hospital.
It took him a few seconds to understand what had happened. And the first thing that crossed his mind on hearing the tragic news was, What about Aera? He told Jungkook, who didn't give much response, and then there was Aera, who wasn't even aware of the situation. So the very next call he made was to his hyungs. Crying on the phone, asking them to come as soon as possible.
"Aera" Jin called from the passenger seat.
"Hmm?" The little girl responded looking at him.
"Come here, we'll sit in the front." He said.
"No, I will sit with Oppa." She said and glanced at Jimin who gave a weak smile.
"You can sit with him later princess, sit with Jinie for now. Its a better view outside from here." Jin said and opened his arms gesturing her to come in the front. Hoseok nodded and patted her back. Aera thought for a moment and decided to sit with the eldest, it was indeed a better view from there.
Jimin glanced at him about to tell that its okay and he's fine. But Jin gave an assuring nod and made Aera sit on his lap as he pointed at various things on the way to keep the kid engaged.
"Oppa?" She said, "Ice cream?"
"Ice cream?" Jin frowned, "You want ice cream now?"
Aera nodded and looked at Yoongi who sad said they'd get her ice cream for being a good girl. He nodded and pulled the car in front of medium sized ice cream shop. Yoongi took out a few dollar bills giving them Jungkook as he told the latter to take Aera and get what she wanted and take something for himself as he must've been hungry after a long day. Jungkook smiled and held his sister's hand walking inside the shop.
Jimin sighed to himself and took a sip of water. He sat himself comfortably and stared out of the window watching Jungkook and Aera giggling as they made their way back to the car. Yes he was close to his parents, but he loves his siblings a lot more than that. A small smile appeared on his lips hearing the happy laughs from his younger brother and sister.
He opened the door and motioned his hand for Aera to come. She handed him the ice cream cone and climbed in the car sitting on his lap. Jungkook sat at the back with Taehyung and Namjoon.
"Oppa, its raining." Aera exclaimed touching the window glass which had water drops running down from the outer surface.
"Yeah, you know Aera, the plants really like it when it rains." Namjoon said, "The tiny flowers and big trees bloom more nicely after rain."
"Flowers like rain?" She asked amusedly.
"Yes," Hoseok added, "They like rain because it gives them cool water after a hot summer season. They feel thirsty standing under the sun for so long."
"Rain is good." Aera said.
"Of course, its like a relief after a hard time." Jimin said.
"What is hard time?" The girl asked with a confused frown on her face.
"Oh uh you'll know that once you grow up a bit more." He said with a soft smile "Focus on eating your ice cream right now."
Aera nodded and continued licking the chocolate flavour on her cone. She was enjoying watching the rain outside and eating her ice cream which she was occasionally trying to feed Jimin although he refused every time.
They arrived home. Jimin sighed glancing the six year old asleep in his arms. Her ice cream had melted and was now all over her dress and a little bit on Jimin's shirt as well. He took her upstairs and sat on the bed.
"Aera get up, change your clothes first." He said, "You don't wanna feel icky do you?"
The girl didn't even move. Jimin sighed and shook her, "Get up baby, you can sleep after getting changed."
"Alright" he sighed and walked to the closet, coming back with a new shirt for her. Jimin sat down and undressed her leaving her only in her underwear, he made her wear the new button down shirt which had yellow marshmallows printed on it, and covered her with a blanket.
After getting changed himself he laid on the bed next to Aera hoping for a nap. He closed his eyes but his mind kept thinking about various things that might change now. He sat up and decided to check up on Jungkook first.
"Kook" he knocked on the door and opened it, "What are you doing?"
"Uh just cleaning up a bit" The younger boy said, keeping the pictures away quickly as his hyung came.
Jimin stared at him with confused eyes, "You know you can talk to me if you want..."
"No hyung, I'm fine. Where is Aera?" Jungkook asked.
"She's sleeping" Jimin said and stood near him which is when he realized Jungkook was actually putting away photo albums and frames which had their parents.
"Putting away pictures doesn't make you forget the memories Jungkook."
"But it does help in not remembering them too often."
Jimin sighed and left the room without saying anything else. He was running out of ways in which he could get Jungkook to talk to him. The boy hadn't shed a single tear till now, but that didn't mean he wasn't sad. Jimin knew he was just acting tough in front of his hyungs and especially his sister, Aera. Jin was right.
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Hey everyone, are you doing good?
I was confused with two chapters, as in which one to publish first. Then I just played rock paper scissors with my sister, I won so I published this chapter 🙂 (😂)
Yk whaattt! 🤩
I'm good playing BINGO, and I love playing it with my sister because she loses everytime and then keeps sulking about it. She says I'm cheating but I don't cheat. Like tell me how can anyone cheat in BINGO while they sit at opposite corners of the room?😂 Its always so fun to beat her in the game and watch her muttering hundreds of things under her breath.
She loses in almost every game she plays with me 😂 then my mom is like, 'just let her win, she's nearly crying' 😂😂😂
But I'm a good good elder sister (insert Jungkook's voice 😌) so I let her win sometimes ✨
[Idk why I was sharing this with you guys, but maybe it makes you smile? If it does, drop a '❤️' or a similar story with your sibling in the comments in front of this 😉]
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Word count : 1.9K