Day 834
Jimin spins the empty chamber of his revolver. Jihyun doesn't trust him enough for a Glock. Or bullets, for that matter. So Jimin gets the appearance that he's trusted by holding a gun everywhere he goes, but not quite enough trust that he can have a loaded one. It stings as much as it relieves him that he isn't dead yet. The worst part is, Jimin isn't sure which he would rather at this point.
Jihyun walks into the small room that's now Jimin's home. It's four walls and a roof. Nothing special. Barren walls void of any life, no paintings or wallpaper, not even any carpets. There's a single bulb hanging from a string that acts as Jimin's light source. No windows. He isn't privileged enough for those yet. There's a wooden desk with no paper or pencils on it, only a broken, dark lamp. And to add insult to injury, his bed has dirt on it and barely fits his whole body. Jimin's small and the bed still barely fits him.
"I've been here a few days," Jimin says, spinning the chamber one last time before tucking the metal in the waistband of his pants. "Yet this is the first I've seen of you since it happened. All I see are doctors and a glimpse of the guards outside my door who slide food in. This your definition of hospitality?"
"No." Jihyun leans against the wall with his arms draping over one another, his eyes refusing to leave Jimin's. "I've been busy. Otherwise I would have come straight to you."
"Busy." Jimin doesn't mean for the word to sound so full of venom, but it does anyway. "Too busy for your dear older brother? Have I been reduced to a chore for you, is that it?"
"Jimin," Jihyun says, his tone softer than before. "I know this can't be easy on you, but I genuinely want you here. By my side. And when you're fully recovered, we can fight together. We were always meant to be together. I'm just trying to keep my people alive, and I'm sorry that comes at your expense, but you haven't had so many people relying on you and no other solutions. I have an entire camp larger than all your former groups combined waiting for my orders, and I only just became leader not long ago. At the very least, I hope you understand the needs of my people come first over my personal wishes."
Jimin doesn't agree or disagree. Probably because deep down, as much as he hates it, Jihyun has a point. Jimin isn't in his situation. All the groups he's been in don't compare to the Ranglers. They're massive. Larger than any group Jimin's seen, and to lead that must be the most stressful job in the world. However, that doesn't mean Jimin agrees with his methods. Stealing people from their homes isn't the right way. People will join them willingly. They have showers and a community, stable food supplies and weapons. That's all it takes in the apocalypse. The school just happens to have all that and more, so why would they want to leave?
"Is there a reason you're visiting now, or did you just miss your big bro?"
"There is a reason, but I did miss you. Really." Jihyun comes a bit closer, Jimin shifting while biting back a grimace. "I came to ask about the Howlers. It's been long enough; I want answers, now. How do we stop the Howlers?"
Jimin has no reason not to tell him. After all, now since he's a Rangler, it benefits him too. Besides, he doesn't want to watch his brother suffer. And if the Ranglers suffer, Jihyun does. Jimin can't bring himself to hate - or even dislike - Jihyun. Through it all, Jihyun is Jimin's blood. The only blood he has left. And God be damned if Jimin's going to lose the last relative he has left. He didn't even think he had one at all, and now that he knows the truth...
"Flames," Jimin says, Jihyun raising a brow. "I used a flamethrower and it killed several Howlers. If you can get flamethrowers, you can kill them. No wonder why they don't like the daytime. The Sun must harm them, or scare them at least."
"They do tend to stay away from fire," Jihyun mumbles, stroking his chin and humming softly for a moment. "Thank you for this information. I'll see what we have in our armory and make adjustments based on that. There's not much I can do for you right now even though I'm the leader. No one other than me trusts you considering you were here before and left with a man with a rocket launcher."
"I'm amazed you trust me at all."
"Honestly, I'm not sure if I do. You may be my brother, but I'm no fool. One look into your eyes and I can see the apocalypse has changed you."
Jimin stares for a few seconds too long, his eyebrows softening and loosening up higher on his head. He shakes his head, Jihyun puzzled at Jimin's movements. "You think I don't feel the same about you? I see those eyes and I don't see my little brother anymore. I see a man hardened by a war I didn't see. Someone who's angry. Spiteful, even. And I'd be lying if I said that didn't scare me."
"I like to think I kept my sense of humor."
"I wouldn't consider making poorly timed jokes humor," Jimin says, chuckling as he says it. They may have already spoken to each other before, but this feels like the first true interaction they've had in years. And Jimin's doing all he can to preserve it.
Jihyun chuckles too, Jimin keeping his fingers on the butt of the revolver, tracing over the metal. "Maybe. I got it from our father." Jimin smiles, and for a split second, he finds himself falling into the trap that is Park Jihyun. His little brother who he grew up with. More than just on a literal sense. Jimin developed his personality because of Jihyun being there with him. Jimin's protective nature comes from his little brother, and he can't bear the thought of losing him now. Not again. "Come on, I have something to show you."
Although concerned, Jimin comes over and follows his brother outside of his cage. The fresh air hitting his face is both a blessing and a curse, his nostrils flaring from the sudden impact of the breeze. It feels like it's been years since he last saw the sky. Thanks to his windowless room and the two seconds a day the guards open the door to slip him food, Jimin isn't in a good position to look up at the clouds in wonder. Look up and ponder what's beyond his eyesight. He used to do that as a boy. Sometimes he still does.
"What is it you have to show me?" Jimin asks, the guards wandering the outside of the complex doing small bows to their leader as they pass.
"I see patience runs in the family." Jihyun says it with an undertone of amusement in his voice, but Jimin can't shake the dread resting inside his core. "I'm taking you to our infirmary."
"But I'm already feeling a lot better." And it's the truth, too. Jimin's not limping as much anymore. His leg still sinks with every other step, but it used to be every step. That's either thanks to the heavy painkillers they have him on, or he genuinely is getting better. It's been almost a full month since his injury, so he should be at least able to walk on his own. Regardless, Jihyun's hands are by his side, and based on the way he keeps glancing at Jimin's hip, he's probably waiting to see if Jimin will wobble.
"Not for you."
Jimin doesn't question what his little brother means. Little brother. The very thought brings his body to chills, and he rubs his arms as a result. Jihyun being alive is still the most mind-boggling thing Jimin has had to go through in all 800+ days of the outbreak. And that's including him walking in the camp of a government that built itself in the midst of a zombie apocalypse.
The Rangler camp has its charms, Jimin will give it that. There's some campfires lit with people gathering around them, laughing and talking together with bright smiles on their faces. There's some card games playing, bowls of stew resting on the picnic tables laying around the vicinity. It reminds Jimin of home. His true home: the school. With his girlfriend and friends like Jungkook. And his son. Ves.
Part of him wonders if him and his girlfriend are still together. The odds are, they'll never see each other again. So can they even be considered lovers anymore? Or is his son, well, his son? Does parenthood go away? Will Ves find a new surrogate father and replace Jimin?
Jimin attempts to hold back tears. The idea of losing the two people he cherishes most has his eyes watering, his lips rubbing together. Jihyun notices the actions and tilts his head closer to Jimin's, his shoulder gently nudging his. "Something on your mind?" Jihyun asks, and Jimin sighs, debating if he should say the truth or not. On one hand, saying it may cause Jihyun to trust him even less. On the other, maybe it'll show Jimin's honesty and make Jihyun trust him more. It's a double-edged sword, and Jimin chooses to trust his brother. Or really, he's trusting the idea of his brother that he has in his head, not the reality of who Jihyun is now.
"I miss my girlfriend. My son. My friends. And I hope I'll meet new friends here, but fuck, I love her, Jihyun. I really do," Jimin says, his tone nearing a whisper.
"Do you want us to go back and get her?"
"No, the whole point of me giving myself up was so she could live in happiness." Jimin pauses, letting the next part of his words rest on the tip of his tongue. At Jihyun's questioning glance, Jimin gives in. "I wanted to have a child with her. I know, it's the apocalypse, but we were safe. We had walls. Security. Lots of food, and medicine too. I'm sure we could've soundproofed a room and had her give birth with Jungkook's help, and we could get formula and... raise a kid. Start life."
"Pregnancy in the apocalypse is a dumb idea."
"I know."
Jihyun smiles, giving Jimin's shoulder a squeeze as they stroll. "But if it makes you happy, and you take the proper precautions, then who am I to tell you what to do? Please make sure you do it safely, though."
Jimin wants to say that it'll never happen thanks to Jihyun kidnapping him, but he figures that's a bit too harsh, and he bites it back. Jihyun and him fall into a small silence as they approach the tent that acts as their infirmary. It's a large tent too, a pine shade with strings latched on hooks on all four sides of it. The opening slit has heavy traffic, civilians in lab coats scurrying in and out. They bow to Jihyun as him and Jimin approach, the leader returning it.
"Right in here. We're a little busy because of... well, you'll see," Jihyun says, Jimin raising a brow. Then, he enters the tent. And what awaits him are more doctors rushing around, beds with drawn curtains scattered around the interior. The beds have metal frames, and Jimin can see feet poking out of some of them. But most of the doctors are at one bed. One bed with the curtains pulled back, but despite that, Jimin still can't see who's there. He goes closer, Jihyun encouraging him to do so. "Let him see." At Jihyun's commanding tone, the doctors part from the bed. And who Jimin sees has his jaw dropping. Dirt and grime covers the boy's face, but it's still unmistakably the face of Jimin's son. He notices Jimin and hops off the bed, his grin filling Jimin's heart with a never-ending abyss of anxiety.
"Ves?"