"I want to paint you."
"아니." She protested immediately, focusing on the meal in front of her and using her hands to eat the food of her native land.
"왜?" He dragged out, causing her to side eye him.
"I'm not comfortable with it."
Jimin pursed his lips and slouched in his chair, facing Taeyeon as they sat in the cafeteria for once. "Come on, Yani. It's not like you're not pretty."
"See?" Jimin agreed with Taeyeon.
Yani put down her steamed bread and licked her fingers. "It's not that. I don't think I'd want you looking at me for that long."
The corner of his mouth turned up at that. After so many months together, she was still flustered by one look from Jimin. Some hours of his eyes solely on her didn't sit well with her-- they were too intense. "That's disappointing."
"Yeah, I disappoint a lot of people."
For some reason, Jimin felt that the statement held more meaning than she let on. This was why he locked the car door when they arrived at her house. "What's wrong, doll?"
She crossed her arms and looked out the window. He lightly turned her head to face him.
"Hey, what happened?"
"My mom. She said I've been spending too much time with you. I forgot about my brother's something. I don't care."
Jimin grimaced, "Well, it's your brother."
"He doesn't deserve my time."
"Hey, come on--"
"Don't touch me."
The car fell silent when she snapped. Yani couldn't describe the feeling she had in that moment. It was a deep and burning dislike for Mzuphike. He was not her brother; instead, they shared the same parents. She let out a breath and got out of the car angrily, thinking of facing him again.
As soon as she entered the door, she went straight to her room, surprised by Mzuphike snooping in her drawer. "Uwenzani?" (What are you doing?)
He pulled out one of her harnesses and looked at it in disgust. "Yini lento?" (What's this?)
"Awungeni lapho. Phuma." (None of your business. Get out.)
"Hayi. Chaza, yini lento?" (No. Explain, what is this?) He stressed every syllable in defiance.
"Give it." She reached for it, jumping higher everytime he held it further from her. Finally, she grasped it, holding it tight against her chest and glaring at him. "Out."
"What are you? Someone's slave? I never took you for a disgusting whore."
A sharp pain pierced her heart. Hearing her brother say those words, for some reason, cut deeper than expected. Shock was evident in her face. She hastily pushed him away when he tried to comfort her. "I'll leave now."
She stormed out and ran out to Jimin's car, which was conveniently still there.
"Drive."
"Are you okay?"
"Just drive." Her voice was filled with pain, evident in the thick tone. Tears ran down her face as she revelled at how her own brother called her a whore.
They rode in silence, Jimin too cautious to ask her the problem. "My house?"
She nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat. All that ran through her mind was the look on her brother's face-- it was as if she was an animal. She sniffled and hugged herself, staring at the gathering dark clouds that signalled it was going to rain.
"We're here."
Jimin let her get out first, watching as she weakly pushed his house's doors open. With a sigh, he revved up the engine again and sped off into the highway, leaving Yani alone (save for the housekeepers and butler).
On his mind, was the nitpicking thought of what he would do to the douche called Yani's brother. "Mzuphike이 바보 (Mzuphike is an idiot)." He muttered softly, knuckles turning white against the steering wheel.
It took half the time it usually did to get to Yani's house due to his abnormal speed, but he was in the building in no time.
"Mzuphike!" He called from the bottom of the staircase.
Yani's brother stepped out with the very same harness that brought his mind to shock. He looked at Jimin with hate in his eyes and threw the leather and chains at him. "You're responsible?"
Jimin caught it easily, tilting his head and smirking at his arrogance. "Not for her crying."
"Who exactly are you?" He walked down to come face to face with him.
"Your sister's boyfriend."
"She's never mentioned you."
"Yes, she has. You don't listen. You also neglect her, emotionally abuse her and continue to put her last on your priorities."
"Like you know anything about my relationship with my sister." He scoffed, stepping back when Jimin came forward.
The latter tsked and put his arms behind his back. "Oh, but I do. Yani has told me everything about the way you treat her." Jimin then invited himself to move to the lounge and situate himself on the couch. "It's disgusting, really; how you continue to ignore your own blood and play this game of acting as an aggressor and then victimizing yourself. But that's not what I'm here for..."
He got up again and started circling Mzuphike, then, in a low voice, asked:
"What did you say to her?"
"What are you doing to her?"
"I'm doing what you never do: loving her."
The brother let out a boastful laugh, "Oh, please. How long have you known her?"
"Long enough to know that with a mother who she hardly ever sees, Yani has found a place where she's wanted with me, unlike you. What is your deal with her, really?"
"Get out."
"No. I came here for answers. What did you say to her?"
Their faces were inches apart, the tension thick in the air and the clinking of the metal of Yani's harness only making matters worse. Finally, Mzuphike opened his mouth and spit out words that would unleash a side to Jimin no one wanted to see.