Third Person POV
2 weeks have passed since the incidents in the basement where Hobi was revealed as the real mafia leader and the one who staged his own kidnapping and coma.
The Brother's Cafe and their household was functioning as usual with their daily routines but without the original spark or happiness around them.
Jin would wake up early in the morning, prepare breakfast for his brothers, wake them up, head to the cafe, run their business, close the cafe, come back home, cook dinner, eat and sleep.
Jungkook would occasionally still go back to his art center and teach the children, but he has resorted to not take up as many sessions as he used to, just because he couldn't find his passion for arts anymore.
His passion yearns for nothing but a certain raven head who he last saw 2 weeks ago in the dirty basement, barring anger and disgust in his eyes.
Today was of no difference, the brothers fell back to their usual routine and as the day draws close to the end, they all made their way back home.
It's also been 2 weeks they tried to avoid any unnecessary comments or topics about the incidents that turned their lives upside down.
.
Now, they have all gathered back in their kitchen with Jin dishing the final plate on the dining table. Tonight, they are having some Japchaes and also Black Bean Noodles with Pork stew.
Jin deliberately prepared both his brothers' favorite dishes as he noticed they were not eating properly. Jimin's cheek has lost their chubbiness over the weeks and Jungkook's jawline was sharper than a blade.
Jin knew they were disturbed with whatever happened, but he couldn't allow things to go down the drain like this any further.
"Ehem." The older fake coughed.
No response.
He was paying attention to both Jimin and Jungkook, to only notice they were playing around with their forks on their plate, have not taken a single bite yet.
"Guys..."
Silence.
"SWEET GEZZ LORD! JUNGKOOK, JIMIN!"
"Huh?"
Jimin's head shot up from his pool of Japchae which he was messing with and stared at the older. While, Jungkook...well he was looking at Jin but his fork was still messing with his bowl of food.
"Guys, what's wrong."
"What do you mean what's wrong Hyung?" Jimin asked again.
"Why are we avoiding the obvious elephant in the room?"
"Huh? Elephant?" Jungkook scrunched his brow together.
"Jungkook, it means we are not talking about the obvious thing which we all are affected by." Jin sighed.
"Ow..."
"Seriously Kookie? Just an OW?"
"What else should I say Jin Hyung? I don't know..."
"Well maybe start from how did you end up with Taehyung?" The older dropped his utensils on the side of his plate, crossed his arms, demanding an explanation from the youngest.
Jungkook sighed but continued to fiddle on his own fingers and by all means still avoiding the eye contacts and daggers from his Hyungs.
"U-urm..."
"Kookie, just tell us the truth alright. I knew you had feelings for Taehyung but honestly, I thought it was only a crush." Jimin knew about the earlier incidents which he has confronted the younger, but he just didn't know it would be taken this far.
"WHAT??? CRUSH? WHAT AM I MISSING??"
Jin didn't like the sound of it at all. He couldn't believe his brothers kept something like this from him.
Jimin went ahead and did the explanation for the younger.
"And you thought it was a good idea to not let me know Jungkook? Am I not important to know this?"
Jin was upset, he thought he knew everything that happens in his brothers' lives. They have been together far too long to let something as important as liking someone to slip out of his information.
"Sorry..."
"Sigh, so mind to be honest with me now?"
"Jin Hyung, it's not that I was dishonest...I was...I was just figuring things out and it all happened in a flash."
"Of coz Jungkook, have you seen Taehyung? He is like a ticking bomb, always so mysterious and just odd. I always had a strange feeling around him, like he is hiding something."
Jungkook frowned at Jin's comment on Taehyung. The younger admit that Tae probably doesn't have the friendliest vibe but he can't bring himself to hear someone dissing him either.
"Don't give me that look Jungkook. I don't care if you like him, I don't."
Jin narrowed his eyes as he made his point across.
"Fine, I didn't ask you to like him either, besides, it was nothing...we are not in love or something."
Jungkook dropped his head as he knew he was blushing terribly with the thought about Tae and potentially being in a loving relationship with him. How he wishes.
"Jungkook, but how did you end up with him in the basement? I thought you were in your hideout for a break or something?"
Jimin asked as he knew the younger informed him and Jin that he wanted to take some time off after the Royal Palace event to relax.
The older brothers thought it made sense since Jungkook seemed to have worked hard for the event and naturally he needed a reliever. They didn't mind as long as Jungkook informed them this time and they knew where he will be.
"Yea..."
"Then how did you ended up with Taehyung? I feel like I am repeating myself over and over without an answer Jungkook."
Jungkook felt guilty. He looked up at Jin.
"He came to me."
Jimin was curious as he said it's impossible for Tae to know Jungkook's "hideout" as the younger never shared the location with anyone, not even with them.
"Well, I think we all know by now that Taehyung and his brothers are part of the underworld mafia here. It's not strange for him to be able to track me down I guess?"
Jungkook explained.
The younger saw Jin and Jimin both dropped into complete silence and their face turned dark at the mention of the brothers working as mafias.
"Hyung...I'm sorry...I know you and Joonie Hyung-..."
"Enough Jungkook. Don't speak about Namjoon. I am done with him. I no longer love him."
Lie.
"I also don't need him in my life anymore."
Another lie.
"I think it's better if we keep him out of this, I don't want to think about him."
Another lie.
Jungkook keeps marking whatever coming out of Jin's mouth about Namjoon as a complete lie. He knew for sure that Jin was still very much in love with Joon, he was only upset which is heavily clouding his feelings now.
"Yea, I think we better keep them out of our lives. You too Jungkookie. Don't get involved with Taehyung again."
Jimin supported whatever Jin said earlier by advising his little brother about Tae.
"But Jiminie Hyung, about Yoongi Hyung..." Jungkook knew Jimin was acting strange around Yoongi and the little one suspected they might be a thing too.
Jimin's eye widens at this but before he could speak..."Omg, is it another fallen brother we are talking about?" Jin gasped dramatically.
"A-ah...n-no...its n-nothing. I SWEAR." Jimin shakes his head vigorously at Jin.
Lie.
Jungkook knew it was another lie when he noticed Jimin was denying it while his face was a dead give away as it rose into a shade of pink, dusting his cheeks.
"Chill Jimin, I was just joking." Jin chuckled. He turned his attention to Jungkook.
"But...Jungkook, are you really ok though? I mean it seemed like you knew about them before us and I am terribly concerned about your own well being now."
"Mmm...I did. Seokie - I mean Mr. Park told me about who V really is. He took me to his home one day and told me about the whole story. He even asked for my help with V."
"Huh? He did? What could you do for mafia like him?" Jimin didn't know PHS approached Jungkook about this.
"Yea...he did ask for a favor. H-he asked me to kidnap V."
"KIDNAP? AS IN KIDNAP TAEHYUNG?? I MEAN V? I MEAN THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON!" Jin screamed again.
"Hyung hyung...chill. Don't scream for everything, its kind of scary." Jungkook tried to calm his brother down.
"YOU TELL ME JUNGKOOK. How am I supposed to react when I am only finding out now about all these? From your crush on Tae to you kidnapping him and knowing about their identity, spending time behind my back...Geez, what else am I gonna hear next? You sleep with him?"
Jin was so triggered. He was still worked up and he wants to ensure his brothers are completely honest with him. Although he realized he probably would have gone a little far with the "sleeping together" comment.
But, when the younger didn't deny anything apart from showing his guilty look, Jin knew his little brother have done it.
"You slept with him didn't you?"
"Hyung, don't ask him so directly, poor Jungkookie..-"
"Shut up Jimin, I am asking Jungkook."
Jimin wanted to say something further but he was shut by Jin and to be honest, he was offended.
"Hyung, don't get mad at me. I didn't do it on purpose."
"Urm, you wanna tell me you accidentally had sex with him? Like how accidental this can be Jungkook? Was it before or after you knew who V is? Where was it? In your hideout? In here? Where? And tell me, are you in love with him?"
"YES. I LIED OK. I KNEW I WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM. I DID IT EVEN AFTER I KNEW HE WAS V. I DID IT AFTER KIDNAPPING HIM AT THE EVENT. I ASKED HIM TO ROT IN HELL. I WAS MANIPULATED BY PHS, I DID IT IN MY HIDEOUT. AND....."
The younger catches his breathe, anger clearly taking over...
"I LOVE HIM. I LOVE V, I LOVE TAEHYUNG."
He banged his palms on the table and took his leave exiting the dining hall, grabbing his car keys, out of the door.
Jungkook didn't look back and he didn't want to. He knew where he was heading and it doesn't matter he is leaving his brothers behind.
.
Back in the house, Jin and Jimin sat in silence. After hearing Jungkook's car speeding off the road, Jimin dropped his shoulder which stayed tense in the air.
"Hmmm, Hyung...I know you are concerned about Jungkookie, and you are hurt about Joon Hyung, but you shouldn't have yelled and throw it on him like that."
Jin didn't utter a single word. He was still sitting arms crossed but no emotions evident on his face. He simply stared at the bowls of dishes and Jungkook's empty seat.
"I fcked up didn't I Jimin?"
Jimin's eyes turned soft as he looked at his Hyung. He knows Jin didn't do it on purpose and Jungkook wouldn't have wanted to get angry like this, but its the situation they are in that drives them all mad.
It's the people they have fall for and hidden from that caused the heartache.
Jimin took it as a cue and slowly made his way to Jin's side as the older was sitting across him on the table.
"Hyung..."
Jimin kneeled down beside Jin who was still seated on his chair.
"Hyung...."
He called again.
Jin didn't look at him, instead, he started sobbing uncontrollably letting all his sorrow out.
"I fcked up Jimin. I am such a bad brother. Why?? Why?? I am such a failure." Jin said as he covered his face in his palm letting himself drown with his own tears.
Jimin placed a hand at the older's thigh and another started stroking his back in order to soothe the shaking Jin.
"It's ok Hyung...let it out.."
Jimin knew all the two weeks' silence has lead to this. They needed to vent it out and Jimin was glad that Jin took the chance to accept the reality he has been avoiding from.
"I'm sorry Jimin...I don't deserve you or Jungkook."
"Shhh, don't say that Hyung. I love you both and I think you did an amazing job as our brother. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else."
Jimin stood up and hugged Jin as he placed the older's head against his stomach, stroking his hair gently.
"We will be ok Hyung...J-just let it out."
Jin took a while to quiet his cry as he held firmly on Jimin's arm. By the time he was a bit more stable, both himself and Jimin were soaked with their tears, snorts flowing, and face swollen.
"Jimin...I'm sorry."
Jin looked up at Jimin and gave him a weak smile.
"It's ok Hyung, I love you."
"T-thanks...I hope Jungkook feels the same."
Jin smiled and let out another wave of tears as he thought about their little brother.
"Give him some time Hyung, kookie will be fine. And...I know he loves you too."
.
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😭 SeokMin