Phase #04

Jungkook's mother was suffering. The poison in her veins was destroying her step by step. The small amount she was able to handle all this years, the venom she used to bear with, was finally reacting. Her face had become paler and thinner. She wasn't able to walk for long periods or even stand on her own. Her hands had turned cold and bony. Her voice turned weaker and her eyes blinked slower.

We suggested her moving to a place closer to us. Away from people and tranquil for her. She agreed. Her new one floor house was next to the forest. Where she could hear the nature. According to Jin and V, it would help her be more stable. Nature could hear what medicine couldn’t. We even had set tramps for wild animals or even Chimeras, but, in South, it was almost impossible they came out of their comfort zone.

Seeing Jeon Jungkook to her side the whole time was painful. He was taking care of her weak and dying mother with a crestfallen face. He knew it. And he couldn’t do anything about it. All of us knew someday she'll die due to the development of the Kangren virus. She didn’t born with it. She wasn't like us. We couldn't stop her body reacting to the poison or decreasing her infection. She knew it all along, but never said a word. She didn’t want to bother anyone with her infection. And even if she would have told us from the begging, it would have been an arduous and painful process. She would have need multiple blood tests and trials to see how her body react, and to find the perfect cure for her wasn’t easy. And, at the moment, there wasn’t time to do that. The virus had developed too much for us to control it.

Ever since he joined us, Jeon Jungkook went back home every single day after training to check on her, and I followed him everywhere whether he liked it or not. Though I knew, even if he grew to trust me a little bit more, he didn't want me to see his weak side. But he was just a kid. He couldn't take all the pain to himself. He needed someone he could rely on. And he was stupid enough to not realize it, but he was a good person. He was attentive and kind. Besides, he was just in the process of growing.

I helped maintain his house clean as he prepared the meals. Every single time it was the same routine.

One day, he was assigned a mission with V, Shin and Namjoon. I wasn't allow to go even if I was his tutor. Later I realized he was the one who asked for me to not go, because he needed someone to take care of his mother. And I understood his reason. I didn't complain. Instead, I asked Namjoon to take care of him.

I visited his mother from early morning and stay late at night. I prepared the food, cleaned her house and gave her the medicine Sooyeon told me to. The pills she took helped her body to not react negatively to the poison, to not destroy her organs and bleed internally. The medicine was supposed to decrease the pain and keep her calm. To not transform her into a monster.

I was sitting next to her bed as she slept peacefully. And I heard her call my name.

"My son really likes you," she said softly. "Take good care of him when I'm gone."

I smiled fondly at her words. "I will. Don't worry. I'll always protect him no matter what."

At that time, I didn't know what those words truly meant. Mine and hers. I thought of protecting someone of my kind. And I thought his mother referred the word like as friendship. But, at that moment, I just portrayed what I wanted to see.

I didn't know she was strong enough to share a conversation with me. Even when I told her to rest, she refused with a weak smile. She wanted someone who she could talk to. She wanted someone to share her stories to. Someone who can know what happened to his family and why they were so broken. And I was that person.

I got to know part of the story Jungkook won’t ever tell me, even if I threaten him.

Their father left them the moment he knew Jungkook was cursed. They had a boy previously, but he was healthy. His father ran away with all the money leaving the family in despair. Though even all misfortune they found shelter in the South suburbs. And it was difficult to have everything and then, to lose it all.

As Jungkook grew, he became aware of who he was, but hid it as his mother told him to. Even to his four year older brother, who when asking about his father, her mother just lied to them saying he passed away. It was already too much for her to handle. Jungkook, in order to help his family survive, did all the hard work. His older brother was more like the rebellious type of boy since little. And little Jungkook just watched his mother and his brother fought constantly. He couldn't take sides because he loved both, so the only solution was to him to take the role of the family's man. Funny thing was when he asked his brother for a favor, the older did so without complaining. It must be because Jungkook rarely asked for things. The latter only listened and do what assigned.

As the boys grew up, the older brother barely came home. And Jungkook's mother and he barely noticed his absence. Both kids were supposed to attend school, but only the youngest did so. Every time they reached the main door the older ordered the younger to not tell their mother and disappeared just like that. Jungkook never said a word about it, and when people asked him about his whereabouts, he just said part of the truth. He didn't know. He never asked or complained.

But one day, he decided to follow him around. And the eleven year old discovered the most twisted thing he could imagine. His older brother, as well as some of the friends he was hanging with, skip school to do drugs. But not only do them, but also sold them. Unfortunately, Jungkook wasn't cautious enough and stumbled when running back. He was discovered by the group, but he didn't show any kind of fear to them, because even when one of the boys started screaming and treating him, his older brother stood up to protect him. Jungkook, once again, promised him to not say a word.

Though it only lasted for a few days, their mother discovered some of the drug hidden in the older's clothes. After the strong words thrown at each other, he ran away and never came back.

At that moment, the only question forming on my mind was filled with curiosity. "Did you ever told him Jungkook was a Hybrid?"

His mother shook her head. "Junghyun discovered it from himself."

“How?”

"When Jungkook was at school, Junghyun came back and reprimand me for hiding it," she sighed. "His eyes were tired reddish from the drugs and his clothes tattered. I was so broken to see him in such a state and wonder what happened to my son… But I couldn't come with a straight answer. Afterwards, he ran away again," her voice stopped for a moment before continuing. "Jungkook was late that day. I thought something happened to him, maybe his brother did something to him, but the moment he came from the door he was safe and sound." She couldn't help, but sob at her memories. "Jungkook told me he stayed to finish his homework and then went play with his friends, but I sensed it was a lie. I didn't have the guts to ask him what truly happened."

But I did. I couldn't tell her what happened because he made me promise I won't. This part of the story I did get to know.

His brother waited for him after school. Jungkook was so glad to see him again, but he knew the older won't be staying long. Junghyun searched him for answers. He confronted the youngest and cleaned his suspicions. Jungkook didn't deny he was a Hybrid and told the older their mother told the younger to hide it because it was the best for them. Even if both knew how dangerous it was to hide one of their kind, but the world they live in didn't really care about their existence.

But the real reason to search the little one was because his brother had sad news. The moment the little boy heard the words infection from the older, he lost it. He couldn't come with a response. The way his brother contract the virus was due to drugs. Drugs that wasn't legal and manipulated by human being. Drugs prohibited their circulation and made out the same chemicals that created Kangren. Not only his brother was infected, but some of his friends were too.

Both knew it was dangerous to stay close to each other. The side effects of corrosion will show at any time. But Jungkook's brother made the younger promised to protect their mother and, specially, himself.

"At least, Jungkook came back home," I said.

She looked at my eyes and smiled. "He told you the truth, didn't he?"

I blinked and was speechless. I couldn't formulate a positive or negative answer.

"I won't ask for you to tell me. I can already see how much he's trusting you. Though sometimes I think it's troublesome. That boy still treasures the memories of his brother."

"I know," I answered as my fits became tighter in my lap.

I came back next day and the day after. I narrated her how well his son was doing out there from what I could recall in supervision room. I watched over them even if it wasn't my task, I just wanted to reassure his mother and myself, he was doing ok. But, until notified, we couldn't contact each other. They still had to find a safe place to do so. And every time I described his whereabouts, her smile couldn't be wider and her eyes reflection pure proud.

After waiting so long in the supervi