They continued to walk, deciding to find a bench to sit so they could eat, or the nearest area where they can spread out their blanket. Taehyung though, thought that the second idea was better. He turned his head to the side to see his brother too busy looking at his shoes, but as he felt Taehyung look at him, he couldn’t just avoid it so he looked at Taehyung, too, now finding himself searching Taehyung’s eyes. His eyes were dark brown and they had something in them that Jin couldn’t explain; whether it was his innocence or not, he knew somewhere in there, it contained pain, screaming even louder than the guilt that was trailing behind those dark orbs. Jin noticed that everytime he would look at Taehyung, those eyes showed the same exact emotions and he seriously didn’t know why his brother always looked hurt, like he was a kicked puppy and Jin couldn’t help but think that maybe he was one of the reasons why Taehyung looked like that: weak, helpless and blameworthy. By some means, Jin blamed himself.

Taehyung, are you blaming yourself for something you didn’t do?

Jin thought to himself as those words repeated themselves again and again like a broken record in his mind and they didn’t seem to go anytime soon.

Are you blaming yourself, Taehyung?
 

For what seemed like forever, his brother was still looking at him, no smile seen, no words gracing his lips, but only his eyes speaking like he wanted to be heard without a single utterance. Taehyung was desperately screaming inside – he was breaking. Falling.

I’m falling.

Not a second later, Taehyung was seen smiling at his brother and Jin knew Taehyung had to force himself to smile in front of him. Pain was still evident in Taehyung’s eyes and it was giving out a loud, piercing cry like how Taehyung was inside. Even his beautiful smile couldn’t hide it this time. Guilt stuck to Taehyung like a painful memory that he couldn’t forget and it followed him around like a shadow, always there, behind him and in his eyes. The only time guilt couldn’t be seen was when Taehyung was hiding in the dark because that’s the only time that his shadows weren’t following him. His guilt was one of his many shadows and it ached inside. His shadows were following him everywhere and they wouldn’t stop until Taehyung would let go of everything.

“Is there something wrong, Taehyung?” Jin asked, breaking the silence. A deep, low laugh could be heard as it escaped from Taehyung’s lips and he faced Jin who didn’t even know what he was feeling inside, what war he was having inside, and it continued even until now because Taehyung was constantly having a battle with himself. Whenever he would look at Jin, it reminded him of his loved ones. His family. And he could just imagine how heartbreaking it would be if he lost Jin as well. Like how he lost his parents.

He couldn’t stand losing Jin as well.

“It’s nothing…” Taehyung spoke up, trying his best to give a bright smile, but he knew he failed to do so because Jin spoke up, not taking what Taehyung was saying because he knew very well that Taehyung was lying.

“It’s not nothing when I see tears falling from your eyes.”

And there, Jin wrapped an arm around his brother, around his waist, and the other hand wiping the tears Taehyung didn’t even know had escaped from his eyes. Jin’s thumb was gracing Taehyung’s face and he couldn’t stand seeing Taehyung like that. Taehyung, stop crying.

Before he would really break, Taehyung immediately gave his brother a tight hug, burying his face in the expanse of Jin’s chest, feeling his comfort and warmth, feeling Jin’s heartbeat. Jin was caught off guard, but Taehyung didn’t look up, not wanting Jin to see him break down just like that. Knowing this, Jin, slowly, brought both of his arms to fully embrace Taehyung this time. Taehyung didn’t have to speak if he didn’t want to, and Jin didn’t want to force him to explain why he was here, in front of him, sobbing and breaking. But Taehyung’s voice woke Jin up to face reality once again, and his arms around his younger brother hit him hard because Jin knew it now – he knew the reason why he wrapped his arms around Taehyung without flinching, without thinking twice. He didn’t even need to learn how to embrace Taehyung – it just happened without him thinking about it, like he had a natural tendency to act in that particular way. Saying he didn’t want to ease Taehyung from his worries would be Jin lying to himself; he really wanted to bring Taehyung close this time. Feeling his younger brother’s warmth, he let Taehyung’s words sink in.

“I just miss my parents, that’s all,” Taehyung wiped his tears away, now looking up at Jin who loosened his embrace around Taehyung’s waist. The moment he loosened his hold, the feeling of emptiness drowned Taehyung once again, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach, and before he knew it, he held Jin’s hands and placed them around his waist once more. He would’ve thought it was selfish of him to do so, but the reaction he got from Jin told him otherwise because now, Jin was wrapping his arms around him tighter, enveloping Taehyung in his embrace, not letting go because he wanted to let Taehyung feel like he wasn’t alone, and that he was safe. If embracing him like this would make Taehyung feel better then Jin thought that he would do this all the time if this was what Taehyung wanted.

Taehyung stepped closer and that only made Jin tighten his hold around him, bringing their bodies closer than ever. The warmth, the arms around his waist, Jin’s breathing that reached his face and his neck…everything that was happening right now was too much for Taehyung.

“I miss my mom…my dad…” Taehyung continued, and Jin nodded, thinking that it must be hard for Taehyung to live with new people, starting a new life without his loved ones, adjusting to everything as if nothing happened, laughing and smiling like he hadn’t just been taken away from the people he cherished in his heart – Jin understood, but he didn’t speak up since he wanted to listen to Taehyung’s explanation. “It’s been a while since I’ve last seen them…”

“Where are your parents…if I may ask?” Jin questioned him, his eyes full of worry, but hearing himself ask that dumb question made him want to take it back. He shouldn’t have asked Taehyung that question, and that’s when he stopped, saying, “I…I- I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

“-They’re somewhere safe, but now they’re happy…” Taehyung cut him off, and Jin was confused at first, but he just nodded slowly, thinking that they were somewhere, still alive and well, but what he didn’t know was that they left this Earth not too long ago, leaving Taehyung scarred and hurt, letting him feel all that guilt, pain and fear all alone.

“You don’t have to explain further if you don’t want,” Jin told him, giving Taehyung a sad smile, and he, too mirrored Jin’s expression. Just when Taehyung thought that their bodies wouldn’t get any closer, he felt Jin’s breath tingling his neck as he whispered in his ears. “But now you’re here…with me, so don’t worry,” Jin assured him, his hands travelling down till they reached Taehyung’s hips. That was all it took before Taehyung brought his hands around Jin’s waist, this time, letting Jin feel what he, himself, had felt not too long ago, with his arms circling his waist as well.

They continued to walk when Taehyung calmed down, a small smile now seen on his face. Somehow, along the way, as Jin placed his hands in his pockets, Taehyung brought a hand to hold onto Jin’s left arm as they walked. Of course Jin was surprised, but he let it go this time, not minding if Taehyung would cling onto him for today because he pitied Taehyung as the scene of Taehyung crying in front of him clouded his mind, repeating again and again. People passed by, but no one looked at them with judging looks. Some couldn’t even help but smile because the view of them walking together was too beautiful to not be minded. The sight was harmless – it just showed two brothers comfortable in each other’s silence.

When Taehyung spotted a few children, he let go of Jin’s arm just to run his way to the children, putting the picnic basket aside. A huge grin was seen on Taehyung’s face as he waved at the children, kneeling to bend down to one little girl’s height. The child giggled cutely as Taehyung chuckled, ruffling her hair.

“Hey, cutie, what’s your name?” Taehyung asked