"Hello?" Namjoon answered the phone, browsing through a plant nursery, trying to find a nice winter plant.
"Where are you?" Jin asked, sounding out of breath.
"Nature Valley's Heart, a plant nursery." Namjoon sat down the plant he was holding, frowning. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Min. Her father, something happened, I don't know." Jin hurried down the stairs at HYBE, going as fast as he could. "I just got a panicked call from Jungkook and I couldn't tell if he was just having a nervous breakdown or if Min hurt herself or something." Jin spoke quickly, shaking his head, trying to catch his breath. "I don't know just get home quick, she listens to you."
"Okay." Namjoon hung up and quickly exited the building, nothing able to stop-
"Hey Mister! Would you like a bouquet of flowers?"
—
"It was really nice we were able to meet up with our parents today!" Taehyung smiled happily from the passenger's seat of the car, one his fourth cookie that Jimin's dad made them.
"It's always nice to see them," Jimin glanced over at his friend, eyes widening once he saw the quantity of cookies. "Taehyung-ah! Stop eating so many! Appa said we had to give at least one to everyone else!"
"But they're so good!" Taehyung whined while Jimin took the box from him, closing it and putting it in the backseat. "I'm hungry." Taehyung sighed, crossing his legs.
"Seriously? Six cookies weren't enough?" Jimin laughed, Taehyung's jaw dropping.
"I only had four!!" Taehyung declared, Jimin not believing him.
"Mhm, sure." Jimin looked over at the car screen, seeing he had an incoming call from Jin. Jimin answered the call, the call on speaker through the car. "Hey Hyung! We should be back in about 40 minutes!"
"Can you guys pick up food tonight?" Jin asked, sounding stressed. "And like, chocolate icecream or something."
"Yeah, sure." Jimin glanced over at Taehyung, Taehyung shrugging. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, just get home when you can." Jin said, defeat in his voice.
"Okay... We'll see you soon."
"Bye."
Jimin frowned and scrolled through his notifications on his phone, making sure he didn't miss anything. "That was weird."
"Yeah." Taehyung pulled out his phone and went through his notifications as well, clenching his jaw once he read a message.
min - my dad went crazy again. can you talk to me sometime tonight?
"Did you get a text about what's going on?" Jimin asked, noticing Taehyung lingered longer on his phone than he did.
"Nope, just my mom saying she misses me." Taehyung grinned, putting his phone away after typing a response. "You know how she gets."
"She's awesome." Jimin smiled, looking over at Taehyung. "I'm sorry your dad couldn't make it, by the way."
Taehyung shrugged, swallowing his sigh that he knew would guide Jimin into asking more questions and being concerned. "He gets busy. I understand."
"Yeah, but you haven't seen him in a while." Jimin said softly, knowing he personally would be upset if he couldn't see his father in so long.
"I can always call him." Taehyung forced a smile, turning up the volume of the aux, the songs he picked out playing louder.
Jimin took the hint and dropped the topic, knowing Taehyung had so much history he should talk about, but never did. He never could get him to open up about some things. Jimin turned down the volume a little. "Where should we get dinner from tonight?"
"Let's get Mexican." Taehyung immediately suggested, Jimin's face lighting up.
"Ooo, Min loves Mexican." Jimin smiled happily and agreeing. "Is she over?"
"I think so." Taehyung hummed, not knowing if he should tell Jimin or not. But then that would reveal that Minduelle texted him privately and no one else. And then that would open a whole can of worms. "But I don't know. She said she was hanging out with Yoongi and Jungkook, right? So she should be home."
"Sounds about right." Jimin gestured to his phone. "Ask everyone their orders."
"I will." Taehyung smiled, looking down at his phone again.
- bangdamn we're fine -
taehyung - send your mexican orders
- yoongi -
taehyung - what happened with min
yoongi - how'd you find out?
taehyung - just tell me
yoongi - her dad hurt her. i didn't get to see her well, but she was covered in what i'm assuming was alcohol and she was definitely bleeding from her face. she completely shut down and hasn't let anyone near her. i think jin is close to convincing her to let him help her with her cuts though
taehyung - make sure no one is making her feel guilty or pressuring her to do anything she doesn't want to do. at least not for a little while. has she passed out?
yoongi - i don't know. she refuses to let anyone in her room
taehyung - okay. just be nice to her
yoongi - we know
—
Minduelle looked down at her bruised wrist, taking a deep breath to keep her tears at bay. Unfortunately, she didn't have any bandages or tape in her bathroom, so all of her wounds were out in the open and burning. She was in more unnecessary pain and she hated it.
But she hated the boys seeing her like this.
Minduelle slowly stood up, her hair partially dried from her shower. She pulled her sleeve down, covering her wrist, and walked to the door. Slowly, and with her good arm, Minduelle moved the chair away and unlocked her door, opening it.
Jungkook quickly stood up, sitting against the wall across from her door. Minduelle made eye contact with the youngest of BTS. Her youngest friend.
And he had to see her like this.
"Min," Jungkook whispered, slowly taking a step forward.
Minduelle's lip turned down and she lowered her head, ashamed. "I'm sorry." Her voice cracked, feeling so guilty. Guilty for the way she acted towards him and Yoongi and all of the boys who tried to talk to and help her.
She just... couldn't.
Jungkook took another step forward and gently pulled her in for a hug, holding her as securely as he could without accidentally hurting her. "This isn't your fault."
Minduelle started to cry more, the boys gathering around the two, anxiety and heart rates high, wanting to see her condition and wanting to help her.
"Minduelle." Jin touched her shoulder softly as Minduelle and Jungkook parted. He stared at the cuts and her swollen lip, smiling sadly, cupping her face. "Hey." Jin rubbed his thumb against her cheek. "How about I help you with your cuts and then we can get a nice, warm cup of tea, okay?"
Minduelle nodded, her lip quivering as she tried to keep it together, letting Jin take her hand-
"Ow!" She whimpered, pulling her hand back to her chest, Jin immediately retracting his hand as well.
"Can I see?" Jin asked, slowly holding his hand out for her injured one.
Minduelle looked over at Yoongi, knowing he was going to be pissed. She looked away once his eyes met her and rolled up her sleeve, Hoseok sucking in a loud breath of air.
"Okay," Jin nodded, remaining calm. "Jungkook, get me a bag of ice. Namjoon and Yoongi, go to the store and get a wrist brace. Just something generic to help. Unless," Jin looked up at her, making eye contact with her. "Do you want to go to the hospital?"
"No." Minduelle immediately denied. "I can't." She shook her head, Jin nodding in agreement, making sure she didn't freak out again.
"Okay, Hoseok, can you make her a cup of tea?" Jin asked him with a gentle smile, Hoseok nodding, his movements kicking everyone into gear. "Come with me Min." Jin wrapped his arm around her shoulder, leading her to his room.
Minduelle sat on Jin's bed, like he told her to do before he went to the bathroom, gathering some materials that he needed to help her. Minduelle criss-crossed her legs and carefully laid her hands in her lap, looking to her side once something caught her eye. She reached out and gently picked up the RJ plush and brought it to her lap, hugging it lightly just as Jin walked back into the room.
"He's a good friend." Jin smiled, talking about RJ as he sat some things down on his bed, sitting across from her. "Did you wash your face in the shower?" He asked her, keeping a casual tone to his voice.
"Just with water." Minduelle nodded, her voice quiet, like she was ashamed. And she was. She hated being in this position. She felt like she was five. Five years old and she scraped her knee from tripping over herself.
God she was so stupid.
"I-I can do it." Minduelle reached for the hydrogen peroxide. "I just needed, the stuff." Minduelle drifted off once she met Jin's eyes. "Don't look at me like that." She whispered, her heart twisting in her chest.
"Please let me take care of you, Min." Jin persuaded, his voice tender and soft, making Minduelle want to curl up in his arms and fall asleep to his sweet words. "It's the least I can do for you."
"I'm sorry." Minduelle didn't know how else to respond. She just felt so fucking pathetic. God she was such a pain in the ass. Jin shouldn't have to be doing this. She was 24 years old and she couldn't take care of herself. She couldn't finish high school, she couldn't save her mom, she couldn't be there for her grandfather, she couldn't be a good daughter. And now she can't even be a good friend.
"Minduelle." Jin's voice startled Minduelle, dragging her out of her burning and crashing train of thought. "I know that look. I know what you're thinking." Jin pushed the first aid supplies out of the way and hugged Minduelle tightly. "You are enough, Min-ah. None of this is your fault."
"It is my fault." Minduelle closed her eyes, imagining nothing bad ever happened. She imagined she was on her bed at home, crocheting her grandmother another shawl, making her family happy. She had finished the chores her father assigned. She had been a good daughter. "I shouldn't have drank last night. I'm so stupid. I should've gone home after the museum. I'm just as bad as my father."
"No." Jin hushed her immediately. "You are nothing like him. You are the goodness that was never in his heart. You are your mother's daughter, not your father's. You and I both know that." Jin pulled her closer, her practically in his lap now, only being held together by Jin's love and his arms. "You aren't like your father at all."
"I didn't do anything to him." Minduelle cried, finally getting everything out of her mind. "All I did was walk into my room! He just snapped when he saw me! I was going to do everything he told me to do, I just wanted to drop my bag off and go back to Yoongi. We were supposed to have a really good day. We were going to go yarn shopping so I can start making Jimin the hat that he wanted and I needed pink yarn for a flower pillow for one of my students and it was all supposed to be good! And now I think my wrist is sprained and I'm supposed to have a performance tomorrow and I look like I just got out of a fight for my life and people are going to ask questions and people are going to try and investigate and it's all going to be so horrible! Everything is so horrible."
"I hear you." Jin rubbed her back, wishing he could take all of her worries and pain and throw it out the window. He wanted to save her so badly. "I don't know why your father is like this."
"I know tomorrow is going to be perfect, Min." Hoseok sat beside them, holding a steaming mug. "I'm really looking forward to hearing you."
Minduelle turned her head so she could face him. She stared at him with clear defeat and pain in her eyes, tears staining her face. "I don't even know if I can play piano."
"You know," Hoseok held out the mug for her. "You have a very good friend who loves to play piano with you while you sing and I'm sure he wouldn't hesitate to play with you." Hoseok gave her a reassuring smile that made Minduelle want to cry because of how sweet he was. "He always says you're his favorite singer."
"I think he's mad at me." Minduelle reached for the mug, retracting her hand from the hot mug. Jin took it instead, letting Minduelle out of his arms. He pulled his sleeves up and held the burning mug, cooling it down so she could hold it.
"Yoongi?" Hoseok made sure he and Minduelle were on the same page, widening his eyes once Minduelle nodded. "Why?"
"I shouted at him, after I ran from my dad." Minduelle sounded so guilty and so hateful, towards herself. "I told him not to touch me." Minduelle shook her head. "I got mad at him."
"Hey, hey, it's not your fault." Hoseok immediately shut down her criticizing thoughts of guilt and regret. "I can promise you Yoongi isn't mad at you. It's impossible for you to make him mad. He absolutely adores you."
"But I was so mean." Minduelle looked over at her mug of tea, wanting to pour it over herself, wanting to punish herself for being such a bitch. Such a horrible person.
Her father was always right.
"S-Sorry I took so long." Jungkook walked into the room, holding a bag of ice, eyes red from... crying. Jungkook put a smile on his face and walked over to Minduelle, handing her the bag of ice and a towel so it wasn't ice on skin. Jungkook gave her a small nod, Minduelle just staring at him. "I'll give you some space-"
"Jungkook," Minduelle stopped him, Jungkook quickly turning back to her, wanting to hear what she had to say.
Everyone waited, but nothing came. Hoseok reached out and rubbed Jungkook's arm reassuringly, giving the maknae a gentle smile. Everyone knew Jungkook was extremely sensitive to events like this. The mere thought of her father hurting her brought tears to Jungkook's eyes. It was frustration and pain. He wanted to do something to help her, to stop this all from happening, but he Minduelle would never let him. He knew he couldn't help.
Seeing the woman he looked up to in so much pain, so defeated, it hurt him deeply.
"You can stay, if you want." Minduelle finally found the words, Jungkook practically diving onto the bed beside her, sitting as closely as he could.
And something switched inside of Minduelle.
Jungkook was everything to her. He was the reason she kept pushing herself in her arts. He motivated her to be as perfect as was. To be flawless as she played piano. To be flawless as she sang. He motivated her to be a better person as he spoke to little animals he would find on their walks. He reminded her of the innocence she had lost with her mother. He reminded her that someone needed her.
"Jungkookie." Minduelle said gently, pulling him into a hug. "It's okay."
"Noona," was all he could muster, holding her tight. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be sorry." Her voice was calm, soothing, everything the youngest needed right now. Jin recognized this immediately and hated that she was doing it.
She was pushing her emotions away to comfort someone else. Comforting others gave her an escape. And Jin desperately wanted her to work her way through her own emotions and confusions.
"Please stay with us, Noona. Please, you need to stay safe." Jungkook pulled away from the hug, resting his hands on her shoulders, Minduelle tensing at the pressure from her father's marks. "At least for tonight."
"Okay." Minduelle didn't fight it. She had already texted her grandmother. She needed to stay away from the monster that is her father. "I will." She cupped Jungkook's face, smiling sadly at him. "Jungkook, don't cry because of me. I'm okay."
Jungkook gently guided her hand down from his face and placed the ice pack on it, Minduelle not realizing she used her injured hand to comfort him. "You're okay now." Jungkook looked over at Jin, noticing the things he held. "Let's let Jin help you, okay?"
Minduelle turned back to Jin slowly, keeping her eyes on the boy that worried her, finally letting Jin help her. Minduelle closed her eyes and held Jungkook's hand tight, squeezing it once the cleaning process stung and the bandages felt uncomfortable.
She didn't feel like herself.
No matter how many times she sat on Jin's bed and let him patch her up. No matter how many times she laid on his bed, icing the part of her body her father had hurt her, she didn't feel like it was normal.
And it never should be.
'You okay?' Hoseok mouthed to Jungkook, Jungkook nodding, offering a weak smile. Hoseok watched as Jungkook laid his head on Minduelle's shoulder, hugging her arm to himself, as close as he possibly could be to her. Hoseok knew he found comfort in her, but this just proved he would be glued to her if he had the opportunity to.
Jungkook loved her so much.
There was a knock at the door as Jin put the first aid supplies away. Minduelle was finally getting to drink her tea, Jungkook still connected to her, and Hoseok telling Minduelle a fun work story.
Minduelle slowly lowered the mug from her lips, her breath lost after she saw Yoongi. He didn't look mad. No, he was clutching an arm brace with two hands, Namjoon standing beside him with a bouquet of flowers.
Yoongi walked towards, handing the brace to Hoseok before pulling Minduelle into a hug, inhaling the scent of her, reminding himself she was still here despite everything that had happened. "I was so worried about you." He whispered into her ear, still holding onto her tightly.
"I'm so sorry." Minduelle whispered back, getting pulled into everything that was Min Yoongi.
He kissed her cheek bone, right beside her ear, and pulled back, smiling softly at her, tracing one of the bandages on her face. "You look a lot better, Minduelle." Yoongi locked eyes with her, Minduelle nodding, staring up at him.
"Here, Min." Namjoon handed her the flowers, breaking Minduelle's eye contact with Yoongi. "I know how much you love flowers."
"Thank you, Joonie." Minduelle held out her arms for him, Namjoon bending down so they could hug. She held him tightly, giving her big teddy bear a hug only Minduelle knew he needed. She smiled up at him once he stood up again, looking down at the flowers. "Thank you all, so much." Minduelle looked around at them, nothing but kindness and love looking back at her. "I really appreciate everything you do for me."
'I'd do anything for you.' Jungkook thought to himself, giving Minduelle a short rub on her back.
"And we appreciate everything you do for us." Jin stood beside Namjoon, the two supporting each other, not physically, but just by being beside one another. They knew each other had to be extremely strong when they didn't want to.
Minduelle slowly stood up, taking Yoongi's offered hand. "I'm going to call my grandmother, alright? I'll meet you all in the family room?"
"Do you want me to accompany you?" Namjoon asked, not really wanting Minduelle to be alone right now. Yes, she seemed to be doing mentally and physically, but you never really knew with her. He didn't want to be sloppy and let her get more hurt.
"It's just my grandmother." Minduelle gave him a smile and walked out of the room, leaving the flowers and her half-drank mug of tea.
"You okay?" Jin gave Namjoon's shoulder a squeeze the moment Minduelle left the room. "I'm so sorry for the frantic call, I was freaking out."
"Yeah," Namjoon placed his hand on Jin's hand. "I'm okay. You?"
"Yeah." Jin patted Namjoon's hand and turned towards Jungkook. "Kook? How are you doing now?"
Jungkook opened his mouth to answer, but jumped once the front door swung open.
"DINNERS HERE!"
Jin and Yoongi locked eyes. "We didn't tell Jimin."
Jin ran out of the room, just in time to witness Jimin putting the bags of food on the table, clapping his hands together.
"Hey! I heard Min is here!" Jimin started to make his way to the hallway. "Where is she-"
"Jimin." Jin cut him off, motioning for him to come closer. "Come here. I need to tell you something."
Jimin shrugged, keeping a smile on his face, going to his hyung. Taehyung pressed his lips together and sighed softly, starting to get all the food out of the bags, trying to ignore what was happening just a few feet away from him. He knew Jimin would be upset with him...
He just didn't want to be the one to ruin his good mood.
"Hey," Jungkook placed his hand on Taehyung's back, Taehyung startled that he didn't notice the presence of the maknae. "You okay? Do you know?"
"Yeah." Was all Taehyung said.
"W-What?"
Taehyung's heart broke, hearing Jimin's voice now, clearly upset and confused. He never took this news well. Taehyung let go of the napkins he was pulling out of the bag and turned sharply towards the door, grabbing his coat.
"Where are you going??" Jungkook called after him, taking a few steps towards him.
"A drive." Taehyung shut the door behind him, hurrying to his car, locking the doors immediately, getting out of the garage just as fast. His phone automatically connected to the bluetooth and he turned up the volume as loud as he could, gripping the steering wheel tightly. He found the highways and the faster back roads, pushing his luck with the speed limit, not caring if he would have consequences.
He needed something to distract his mind.
i PROMISE the whole fic isn't angsty. i just got set up some expectations yk?
things will get better!
i think... i don't really have a plot in mind for this fic lol
i'll figure it out!