As the days stretched on, the mood in the B.A.P. household didn't lift, especially with Jongup's darkened aura. Youngmi felt as if she was swallowed by darkness and Jungmi couldn't stop the flow of depressing thoughts coming from Daehyun and Youngjae. Neither Yongguk nor Himchan could break the ice wall that had formed in between Jongup and the rest of the household. Daehyun and Youngjae moped around the home, looking for something to do, but never finding anything. And Zelo refused to speak until Jongup did.

Youngmi tried several times during the week to get Jongup down for breakfast or dinner, but her efforts were in vain. Only Zelo could be seen going in and out of the room. She was caught several times by the maknae standing outside Jongup's door, shuffling her feet and blowing air into her cheeks. Since the incident, Youngmi met Jongup only once in passing, while he was on his way to shower. He dashed inside the bathroom before she could even open to say his name.

On the second Tuesday of the New Year, a week after the start of Jongup's cold war, Jungmi woke up at 6:00 am sharp once again to prepare breakfast for the boys. Stretching her arms above her head, she yawned and rubbed away the sleep from her eyes. She rose up and with a metallic thwack, bumped her head against the bar supporting her sister's mattress above her.

"Aish..." Jungmi hissed, while holding her forehead gingerly. Wobbling, she stood up from her bed, wrapped a robe around herself, and made her way down to the kitchen.

"Jongup-ah..." A small voice whispered from the kitchen. Jungmi froze. Youngmi? What is she doing up so early in the morning?

Sounds of shuffling feet broke the silence, then the pounding of feet followed. "Jongup-ah--!"

Youngmi yelped, prompting Jungmi to hurry down the stairs. Jongup, you better not be--!

Jungmi stopped when Jongup and Youngmi came into view. Jongup stepped towards Youngmi until her back smacked audibly against the wall behind her. Using his arms to block all means of escape for her, he leaned his face closer, just inches, from hers.

"Stop calling my name," Jongup growled through gritted teeth. "I don't need you bugging me, Youngmi. I don't expect you to try understanding me. So, for your sake and mine, just leave me the hell alone!"

Jutting her chin out, Youngmi stammered, "N-No, J-Jongup! I just want to help you!"

Jongup slammed his palm against the wall, making Youngmi flinch, and exhaled as he took a step away, clenching his fists. "I don't want your help! Can't you see that I want to be left alone?"

"That's just the thing, Jongup! You're alone! All the time! You need someone to talk to!" Youngmi tried to place a hand on his tensed arm to calm him down, but he smacked her hand away.

"No, I don't! And if I did, that someone will NOT be you!"

Youngmi shrunk back, obviously hurt by his words. Jongup, who hadn't planned on that final outburst, spun around to find an enraged Jungmi. "Yah, Moon Jongup! Just what do you think you're doing?"

Feeling guilt creep up his cheeks, Jongup lowered his eyes. "Jungmi-noona..."

"Sagwahae. (*Apologize.)"

"Ye? (*What?)"

"Sagwahae. Jigeum! Neo... Nan jangnaniya neo saenggakhae? Sagwa! (*Apologize. Now! You... You think I'm kidding/joking around? Say sorry!)"

There was a pause as Jungmi struggled to breathe evenly. She had never felt so angry in her life. While they were alive, no one ever dared to touch Youngmi while Jungmi was around. Jungmi was known for her abilities in martial arts, therefore earning her the utmost respect from Youngmi's many suitors.

But, this was Jongup.

Youngmi's secret crush.

And he had just touched Youngmi in the wrong way.

"Shirheo... (*I don't want to...)" Jongup said, keeping his eyes downcast.

Struggling to control her overwhelming anger, Jungmi let out a shaky exhale. "I don't know what has been happening to you lately, Jongup, but this has to stop. Apologize."    

Before Jongup could respond, a deep voice rumbled, "Moon Jongup." Jungmi spun around as Yongguk descended the stairs and towards Jongup, who froze at his spot. Yongguk gave Jongup a smoldering glare, one that meant business. He made his way towards the front door. "Outside. Right now."

Jongup glared at a cowering Youngmi for a second, pressed his lips into a thin line, then followed after Yongguk, not bothering to say a word.

The door opened to a frosty blizzard, then slammed shut, sealing the house in an eerie silence.  

~:~:~:~:~

It was a biting -8 degrees that morning and the meek sunlight did very little to provide warmth for the two warring generals standing in the snow. Frigid winds whipped falling snowflakes to and fro, battering the two boys until they were pink in their cheeks. Exuding power, strength, and maturity, Yongguk stood exactly six feet away from Jongup with his arms crossed. Jongup, who still felt very hurt and vulnerable from the ordeal that had happened a week prior, stood awkwardly with his fists clenched tightly at his thighs.

"Jongup, we are staying out here until you make a choice. Either we make up and you remain with us in the house, or we don't make up and you leave."

Jongup shivered as he thought about Yongguk's proposal. Yes, he was still bitter about his parents and everything to do with them. And yes, he still wanted to be alone for a few more days. Or even a week. Or a month.

Regardless, he knew that he cared a lot about B.A.P. and parting from them would mean parting from the family that had supported him before and after his parents disappeared. Earlier that year, Yongguk had dropped out of college when Daehyun, the last to join B.A.P., announced that he was homeless. Yongguk wanted to fully support the boys, especially since he knew that most of them had no longer had real parents. With the small income from the night club, Yongguk managed to rent out a studio for six months until Jongup's parents disappeared. At that point, the boys moved in with Jongup, since Yongguk was named as Jongup's secondary guardian on the documents that Jongup's parents had left behind.

Suffice it to say, Jongup always appreciated B.A.P.'s support and never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he would be in a cold war with them. Let alone, over a minute issue of a couple of hanboks.

"Hyung, you know that..." Jongup's voice trailed away as he wrestled with finding the right words to say. He wanted to say that he should deal with everything on his own, that he didn't need the boys anymore, just so everyone would stop bugging him. That's a lie and you know it, Moon Jongup. Just apologize. Enough with this cold war.

"I know that what?"

The kind faces of Jongup's parents swam to the forefront of his thoughts and as he bit his bottom lip to keep it from trembling, Jongup muttered, "You know that I'm trying to forget my mom and dad..."

Yongguk softened visibly. Yes, he knew that Jongup wanted to forget his parents. "Yes, I know..."

"Hyung, I'm..." Jongup inhaled deeply as he gathered up courage. "Sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I didn't mean to blow up last week. I didn't mean to ruin New Year's Eve and Day. I didn't mean to start a cold war with you and the boys. I'm just angry. I'm so angry, I could cry..."

And that was exactly what he did. He cried. Seeing his usually cheerful dongsaeng in pain, Yongguk felt his heart constrict. Yongguk closed the distance between the two of them and pulled Jongup into a tight hug. Don't worry, Jongup, you'll be alright...  

~:~:~:~:~

"It's okay, Youngmi... You'll be alright..." mumbled Jungmi while her baby sister's long, wavy hair. Jungmi had to use every ounce of her patience and grace to forgive Jongup for his actions. She understood his circumstance, but for him to touch her sister that way...

That did it. She was angry again.

Calm down, Shim Jungmi! Nothing good will come out of being angry at Jongup.

A yawn cut short by a small, "Oh!" resounded from the top of the stairs. Jungmi rolled her eyes, for she knew who it was without having to turn around.

Himchan clamored noisily down the stairs and engulfed the sisters in a bear hug, startling the younger sister to the point where she bursted into tears. Witnessing this, Jungmi gave a sharp, "Aish!" and shrugged the Skinship Monster off of her shoulders, at which he crumpled to the floor, astonished by her aggressive reaction.

"Yah, Shim Jungmi--"

"Kim Himchan, if you don't want to see me explode, don't you DARE do that again!"

"Yah, what's wrong with all of you? It's, like, six in the morning," grumbled Youngjae as he swept past the trio. It was an odd sight to see the sisters in an embrace and Himchan sprawled on the floor. Youngmi gave a soft, gasping sob against her sister's chest and tightened her arms around her abdomen.

Himchan scrambled off the floor, brushed himself off, and cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed. "Nothing's wrong. They probably just woke up."

"Yeah, right. So, why were you on the floor, Hyung?" Youngjae yawned as he pulled open the refridgerator door to take out the milk carton.

"I was trying out a new dance move, why?" Himchan fibbed, jutting his chin out.

Youngjae spit-sprayed his drink as he bursted out in laughter. "What?"

"You have a problem with that?"

"Since when do you dance, Hyung?"

"Since before you were born, you little punk!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Your FACE is ridiculous!"

As the Hyung and Dongsaeng continued to bicker back and forth, Jungmi ushered her sister upstairs and into their bedroom. Just as they reached their door, Daehyun came out of his and Youngjae's room, adjusting his mask. He looked up and stopped short.

What's wrong? Why is Youngmi crying?

"Nothing's wrong, Daehyun. Just go downstairs, I will be down to cook breakfast soon." With that, Jungmi slammed the door.

Daehyun was still frozen on the spot. What just happened? I didn't even say a word to her and she knew what I was thinking...

He shrugged his shoulders, tightened the mask around the lower half of his face, and descended down the stairs.

"Oh, yeah? Just because you're good at singing, you think that you can disrespect your hyung, now? You must think I'm a fool or something!"

"What? I didn't even say such a thing!"

"Oh, but you were thinking it!"

"Hyung, you're just jealous that I always win open mic contests at the night club, aren't you?"

"Pft. As if!"

Daehyun rolled his eyes as he stepped in between Youngjae and Himchan. They both cried, "Hey!" when he nudged them apart. Paying no mind to their childish banter, Daehyun brought out pots and pans to cook breakfast while thinking about Jungmi. Is it me or does Jungmi seem a bit sad? Or angry even?

Absentmindedly, Daehyun took out six eggs and mixed them into pancake batter with a wooden spoon. Actually, the entire house has been this way, ever since Jongup decided to turn his back on us.

Tightening his grip on the spoon, Daehyun churned his left arm counterclockwise, unaware that he was actually making a mess on his shirt. Why is he being such a jerk? Why can't he understand that we are here for him, no matter what? How dare he treat us, his family, this way? And all this nonsense is over two stupid hanboks!

With a giant snap, the wooden spoon split vertically in half and grazed the palm of Daehyun's left hand, leaving a deep, painful gash there. He inhaled sharply to keep from screaming in agony. Ouch! Damn it! Daehyun, you are such an idiot! Why weren't you paying attention?

"Daehyun! Are you alright?"

"Daehyunnie!"

"Omigoodness! Jung Daehyun!"

Three voices rang out at the same time, but Daehyun had a hard time focusing on a single one. He hated seeing blood. Man, did he hate seeing blood. Especially his own.

He wanted so badly to scream, but to do so would break the vow.

The vow he had tried to keep for ten years.

~:~:~:~:~

"Omigoodness! Jung Daehyun!"

Those were the first words that Yongguk heard as he and Jongup finally entered the house after standing in the snow for half an hour. No words could describe how his heart dropped to hear Jungmi utter his dongsaeng's name with such panic and fear.

Footsteps carried everyone to the kitchen, including sleepy Zelo. Jungmi held Daehyun gingerly in her lap, wiping up the blood gushing out of his palm. Yongguk's stomach lurched uneasily.

"Someone, please call the ambulance! Now!" Jungmi growled, as she wrapped Daehyun's hands tightly with gauze.

"No! Don't call the ambulance, call Noona, right now!" Yongguk barked, finally finding his voice.

"But, Yongguk-ssi--"

"Don't question me, Jungmi. Everything will be explained later."

Immediately, everyone sprung into action. Zelo went to call the "Noona". Youngjae and Himchan rushed to Daehyun's side to bring him to the couch. Yongguk went upstairs to grab a blanket for him and Jongup searched for a bottle of painkillers. Jungmi mopped Daehyun's blood from the floor, threw away his pancake batter, washed her hands multiple times, and prepared food for everyone, all the while checking up on Daehyun at every five-minute interval. While everyone else was having a gloomy breakfast at the table, Jungmi carried a tray of food and a new roll of gauze to Daehyun at the couch.

"Jungmi, I'm really okay..." Daehyun muttered, barely audible under the clattering of silverware and hushed whispers of everyone at the table.  

With wet cheeks, Jungmi unraveled Daehyun's crimson-stained gauze and replaced it with a new one. "No, you aren't. Do you see this cloth? It is drenched with your blood."

I'm fine, though... Let's just wait for Noona to come...

"If you were fine, would you be pale like this? And this 'Noona' hasn't arrived yet we called her an hour ago!"

Daehyun blinked up at Jungmi. He knew that he hadn't spoken those words to her. With a quivering eyebrow, Daehyun thought, Noona is very good with things like this. She knows how to clean and wrap up a cut.

"That doesn't matter, Daehyun. The point is that she hasn't arrived. If she cared one bit about you and the boys, she would have been here an hour ago!"

While she tightened the knot on his gauze, Daehyun raised up his hand to place it over her jittery fingers. "Jungmi."

"Wh-What?"

"You... Can you hear my thoughts?"

*****Hey, all! Yes, I am finally back from a long hiatus. I'm sorry. I know, I'm a bad author, but I've come to the realization that there are more important things than my stories right now... So, periodically, I will be coming back to update, but please take note that I won't be able to update on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis (though I will try). I hope that all of you are well and I wish you all a Warm and Happy Valentine's Day! ^^ As always, please comment and subscribe! Constructive Criticism is always welcome. I truly appreciate it! :) 2.14.14****