Taehyung noticed Jimin’s slouched shoulders as he cleaned up the dishes that night, his own tears fell into his cup of coffee.

“Jimin, stop scrubbing.”

Jimin only cried harder as the sponge fell into the soapy water. “I try, so hard.”

“I know, he’s going through a phase. It’ll be over soon.”

Taehyung watched as Jimin wiped his hands dry and hurried out the door, speechless at how dysfunctional the three of them have become. He prepared a stir-fry with all the ingredients that weren't burnt and pushed the rice in his bowl around. The whole time Jungkook hadn’t said anything about Jimin.

“Jungkook,” The boy looked up from the tv and gave a questioning look. “you need to actually sit down and talk to Jimin hyung.”

“No.”

Taehyung put his chopsticks down and leaned back into his chair. He wasn’t letting Jungkook get off the hook again. “No you will. If you want to go over to your friends house this weekend.”

“Everything is fine the way it is, why don’t you just leave it alone?”

“Because.” His loud voice made the younger shrink back into his seat. “I only have you two left, I’m not losing the two of you.”

Jungkook took one more bite before pushing away to the bedroom, the loud slam of the door deflating Taehyung from all his anger. He wondered how Jimin dealt with it all.

Jimin was nonetheless surprised when he saw Jungkook in his school uniform sitting on the couch. Usually he would be out with his friends and not back until it was time to leave for work.

“Hyung?”

Jimin swore he was hearing things but he was surprised a second time when he saw Jungkook looking right at him from the couch. “You’re calling for me?”

“We need to talk, Taehyung hyung, he made me talk to you.”

It was discouraging, Jimin had hoped that Jungkook genuinely had a change of heart, but sat down next to him. “What did you want to talk about?” The silence told him to continue. “How did we become like this?”

"You never asked me what I wanted. You always assumed you knew best."

“I’d love to think that the only reason that we’re so oil and vinegary is because of my bossiness.”

“It’s not my fault.” The way Jungkook said it, Jimin was sure that he was implying more than what was on the surface.

“Mom and dad, are you still mad at me about it?”

Jungkook turned the tv off. “How can you talk about them so easily?”

“Because I’ve learned to accept what reality has brought me.”

“That may be your reality, but why did you have to turn it into mine as well?!” Jungkook made to stand when Jimin was rendered silent. “We talked, tell hyung that. I’m going out.”

Jimin’s hand reached for the younger’s arm, eyes trained on his reflection against the black television screen. ”What do you want?"

“Leave me alone. I don't want to see you in this house.”

For the next five months, Jimin works harder than he usually did. Most of his time was working and sleeping at the gas station and returning home at odd times to bring home groceries that Taehyung always seemed to forget.

It was three in the morning on a Thursday when Jimin opens the door and sees Taehyung sleeping at the kitchen counter. He places the bags on the ground before wrapping the sleeping figure with a blanket. He finished placing the cans in the cabinet when he heard a yawn escape behind him.

"Jungkook has been talking about going on a trip this winter break. All his friends are."

"That seems nice. We should let him go."

"Hyung, you can't avoid him forever."

"If that's what he wants. Then-"

Taehyung shakes Jimin. "He's in high school! He doesn't know what he wants."

"He won't listen to me Tae. Hasn't worked for a while now."

There was the slow ticking of the clock filled the silence. Jimin was about to walk out the door when Taehyung told him to stop. "His winter break. You know when it is, I told him I would only go if you were as well."

Jimin felt tears prickling. "You know, you trying to protect me only makes him hate me more."

Taehyung didn't bother to comment while pulling him into his arms. "I want you to plan it. The trip. So make sure you also take a week off at work."

"How will we have money to-"

"I'm sure all the extra shifts you've been working will be enough to get by.”

Winter break comes as fast as the snow touches the ground. Jimin had looked at brochures and magazines that were sold at the station and found a bundle package for a three day trip to Jeju Island. Taehyung packs for days and Jimin is ready to stuff his extra wool socks down his throat from the excited chatter that bounces off from him.

They board the big bus with their luggage safely tucked under their seats; they found a space in the back where the four seats faced each other. Taehyung forced Jungkook to sit next to Jimin by sitting in front of him.

“Haven’t done this in a while.”

Jungkook is fast asleep and Jimin gives Taehyung a nostalgic look. “Thank you for this. We-we needed this.”

“Despite what Jungkook and the others say, you know I love you right?”

Jimin threw his chips at him. “Love you too, you buttwipe.”

“My friend, Yoongi, he said that his apartment has a few rooms for sale. I was thinking we could move to a new place and you know, start fresh.”

“The cost though Tae.”

“His roommate also needs a helper at his restaurant. I told him you were interested.” Taehyung kicked Jimin. “Stop thinking about all of us and let me take care of you for a change.”

The trip to Jeju Island was filled with different activities. Orange picking, doll making, and eating all you can eat seafood. Jimin hadn’t seen Jungkook smile so brightly in years, making his own eyes disappear from smiling. The three days felt like three hours to all of them and next thing they know, they’re getting off the bus and waiting or the ferry to take them back to the city.

“Hyung, I forgot my ticket.” Taehyung’s eyes widen at Jungkook’s sudden realization. Another ticket cost twenty dollars and they shouldn’t be spending any more than they should. Jimin walks over and sees the panic in his brothers’ faces.

“Take mine, I’ll take the next ferry back.”

“Jimin.”

“It’s okay Tae, I’ll see you two tomorrow and maybe we can use the rest of the trip money to eat a big feast. Steak?”

Jungkook’s eyes widened and looked away. His gulp almost too obvious to Taehyung.

“If you’re sure then we’ll wait at the port-”

“No, it’s too cold out and we can’t have you two getting sick.” He puts his ticket into Jungkook’s cold hand. “I’ll meet you guys at home.”

Taehyung guides Jungkook to the line and gives Jimin a worried smile before turning around. The next ferry was in an hour, the sky would be dark by then.

Taehyung noticed how Jungkook’s breathing was becoming erratic. “Hey, what’s wrong? You feeling sick?”

“No.”

“Are you worried about Jimin.”

“Hell no.”

“You know, you’ve gotten worse at lying to me.”

Jungkook handed Taehyung the extra ticket that Jimin gave.

“You had your ticket all along?!” Everyone on the ferry glanced over and Taehyung sat back down. His voice a lower but still held the intensity. “Why the ing hell would you do this to us Jungkook? If you were still in grade three I would understand but you’re an adult now! Were you not having fun the whole time? Did you-”

“No! I thought we would just finish up the trip with the two of us, things were always better with the two of us. Mom and dad, we were all better. Jimin hyung ruined it for all of us.”

Taehyung only stared at Jungkook and shook his head. “I can’t believe you would say all of that.”

“I hate him! Hyung I hate him so much but I don’t know why my heart is hammering. It’s like my throat is blocking the air. Please, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Come here.” He pulled Jungkook in. “You know what he does it’s all for us right? Before you think about how messed up life’s been to you. Think about Jimin. How do you think he feels?”

Jungkook lets himself think about what Taehyung had told him and the more thinking, the more he realizes that it was guilt that was attacking him that night.

Taehyung decides not to tell Jimin about the ticket because ever since they came back from their trip, he’s never seen Jimin so happy with a bounce in his step. Seokjin get’s him a spot in his restaurant and their schedules match more now since he doesn't have to work at the station working night shifts. Jungkook hasn’t changed, much to Taehyung’s disappointment but they have more breathing space for money and Jimin hasn’t shut up about buying Jungkook the newest phone that was coming out in a month.

“It’ll be the perfect surprise don’t you think?”

Namjoon calls Taehyung in the middle of class, he ignores the first five calls before excusing himself to the washroom.

“This better be good hyung.”

“I’m sure this is more important than your degree Tae.”

Something clicks inside his mind. “What happened to Jimin?”

He hears a sigh. “What do you know about gasoline exposure?”

“Nothing, Namjoon hyung tell me what’s wrong.”

“Seokjin saw him coughing and he would’ve left it but there was red. Taehyung, he was coughing dry heaves of blood.”

For the second time in his life, Taehyung felt his world crumble to pieces. “Where is he now?”

“Yoongi took him home. Do you want me to bring Jungkook after school?”

“That’d be great, thanks hyung.”

Yoongi let’s Jimin lay his head on his lap. “How long have you known about this?”

“Give and take a year.”

“And you didn’t tell your brothers?”

Jimin kept silent.

“Taehyung’s coming now. You should tell him.”

When Jimin does tell him about the full diagnosis of lung cancer, Taehyung is a crying mess on top of him and it takes all the energy inside of him not to start bawling as well. “Well my lesson is learned, not to work at a gas station ever again. Don’t tell Jungkook.”

Taehyung gets angry and pushes him away. “Why the hell not Jimin? We’ve been babying him too much.”

“Because I want him to genuinely forgive me, not because he feels sorry for me!”

The weeks that follow, Taehyung convinces Jimin to quit his job and to stay home and rest. It takes a lot of convincing but in the end, Jimin just doesn’t have the energy to fight back anymore. His hearing is muffed, head is spinning, and its hard to breathe. So it makes perfect sense that he doesn’t hear Jungkook come home one day and doesn’t notice how he watches him heaving on the couch.

“Hyung?” He sees the red contrast against the white tissue and his resolve breaks. “Hyung?!”

Jimin pushes him away and coughs harder. “What are you doing home so early?”

“It’s raining out so I came home. Why are you like this?”

“It’s nothing. Sore throat thats all.”

Jimin pushed away from him and coughed his way to the bedroom, he could tell it was genuine concern but he couldn't keep his eyes open to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.

Jungkook was still sitting on the couch, dumbfounded, when Taehyung snapped his fingers in his face. “What’s wrong?”

“If it’s a prank then I get it, just stop.”

Confusion goes by first, then the slow realization that Jungkook has caught on. “It’s not a prank-”

“Than why is there blood?!”

“Did you think about what I told you a few weeks ago? Go apologize, it’ll make him feel better.”

Jungkook stared at him with hope that he would start laughing and tell him “I told you so” for denying his love for Jimin. But reality doesn’t go how you want it to is what Jungkook learned for the second time. He had to squint in the dark room to find Jimin’s curled up figure, he took off his jacket and gently laid beside him. Not knowing what to say, he played with the seams that were coming loose on their blanket.

“You know I’m sorry about mom and dad right? There’s not one day that I don’t think of them.”

Jungkook let go of the blanket and let his hands reach around Jimin’s waist.

“I’m also sorry about how I couldn’t give you the life your friends have.

He shook his head no against Jimin’s neck.

“So, they told me that therapy wouldn’t do much so I told them I’d be fine without it. Instead I thought I could do something with the money instead.” Jimin slipped off the bed and called Taehyung in the room as well. “Hoseok told me that the line went for hours but that didn’t stop me from blackmailing him into getting in line.”

He had his hands behind his back and looked at the two of them sitting on the bed impatiently. “Jajang!!!”

The two look at the phones in front of them before Taehyung tackles him on the ground and lets out the ugliest sob that Jimin’s ever seen. Jungkook comes over to push Taehyung off and digs his own head into Jimin’s neck. His voice a whisper so that only Jimin could hear. “I forgive you hyung.”

“I forgive you too.” And that’s all it took for Jungkook to cry even harder.

Jimin passes the shortly after they decide to move to a bigger apartment, after Taehyung decides to have a partnership and open up an office with Namjoon, after Jungkook is accepted into his dream university in the fall, and after he knows for sure that his brothers are all able to stand on their own without him.