“I can’t believe my ears. Tell me he is joking. I can’t believe that you would jeopardize us this way – our family’s reputation. Tell me this is a joke.”

“It’s the truth, Mom, Dad. I have decided.”

“It doesn’t matter a dime to us what YOU HAVE DECIDED. Namjoon, do you hear what your brother is saying?”

There was silence as everyone looked at Namjoon. He was looking up but his vision was focused on nothing in particular. He looked like a stone statue, he hadn’t moved for a long time.

“Namjoon! Say something! After all of this - …Everyone who is of any social significance in this city, everyone who knows us, knows about this marriage. And what are we supposed to tell them now? What your brother says? That his vulgar fancy has been caught by someone else now?” Namjoon’s father said. His face was red from fury.

“Did we listen to you and accept everything about him – because you said it was the right thing to do – did we bring him up in so much luxury and give him everything he wanted, everything you wanted us to give him, because of this day? We wanted to disown him but you clung onto him like a cherished toy.” Their mother said, close to tears. “Look at what we are facing today because of your blind affection for him. Affection that he never deserved!” She turned towards Jimin and spat out the last few words, looking at him like he was something unclean, before turning away.

“Are you people crazy?”

The two elders turned at this new voice that came from behind Jimin. They saw a young boy standing near the door, whom they did not recognize. He was standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest with his head tilted to a side and an expression of utter disbelief on his face. His narrowed eyes moved back and forth from Jimin’s mother to his father.

Jimin looked back, startled. He rushed to the boy, tugging at his arm violently. 

“This is our family matter. Please- leave.” Jimin said, his voice low but urgent. “Pleease!”

Mr and Mrs Park watched as the boy ignored Jimin and continued to gawk at them. Jimin’s attempt to move him from his place had no effect.

“Are you serious? This is your son you’re talking about.”  The boy pushed Jimin’s hand away and took a few steps to stand closer to Mr Park. “You people care more about your social status and fame than your son? Did you even try to ask him what’s wrong? Why he’s doing it?”

 “Who is this insolent boy?” Jimin’s father looked at Namjoon. “One of your brother’s friends? No wonder…birds of a feather. This kind of arrogance and complete lack of respect for elders. Of course he would be your brother’s friend.” Mr Park said.

“Jungkook, this does not concern you! Get out of here!” Jimin looked like he would cry.

Jungkook scoffed and shook his head, taking in a deep breath. “Yes I’m arrogant. And disrespectful. I don’t care what you think about me. But this is insane-…” He glanced at Jimin and his gaze lingered on his face.

Jimin’s face was red and he was looking down, avoiding everyone’s eyes. He looked like a person who had been cut by something very sharp but commanded not to make a sound.

“I told you not to do this.” He said, in a lower voice to Jimin, who winced weakly.

“Namjoon, what the hell is this? This is one of your guests? This ill-bred boy who’s misbehaving with us openly?” Mrs Park asked. 
Namjoon remained motionless like he had been since Jimin had told them of his decision.

“Like I said, what you think about me is irrelevant. But before hating on your son, at least try to know the reason why he’s doing what he is. And how can you talk about him this way?” Jungkook had lowered his voice this time. “Namjoon Hyung, I thought at least you would care to know the reason.”

“Namjoon tell your brother-…” Mr Park began.

“He is no brother of mine.” Namjoon said.

The room went quiet. Jungkook noticed Mr and Mrs Park did not seem disappointed. Mr Park breathed out, almost like a sigh of relief. Mrs Park turned her head away in the other direction, her expression conceited, but not unhappy. Jungkook felt like he had been punched in the face. He looked back at Jimin and saw that he was crying. The boy’s face was red and he was shaking. He seemed to be struggling to muster enough strength to keep standing upright, his legs were shaking and his shoulders were slumped like he found it too tough to hold them up. Jungkook stepped back and grabbed Jimin’s arm with one hand. 

 “Namjoon Hyung. How can you say that? Without knowing anything?”Jungkook said, his voice pleading. “It’s not Jimin’s fault. He’s doing it because-…”

“ENOUGH.” Namjoon looked at Jungkook and his eyes were cold as ice. “I-DO-NOT-WANT-ANOTHER-WORD-FROM-YOU.”

“Hyung please! Just listen!”

“I SAID ENOUGH!”

Jungkook flinched and drew in a sharp breath. All of this time, he had been unsettled by Namjoon’s gaze, but this time, the rage in them was utterly startling. Something in them made a chill run down his spine. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn’t. Namjoon’s tone had established very clearly that he would not entertain any of it.

“I’ve had enough.” Namjoon said, his voice loud and unsympathetic and Jungkook felt Jimin tremble beside him. 

“Hyung…” Jimin said in a small voice. Jungkook turned to look at Jimin. The boy’s face was so miserable, it made him want to scream out to the other three people in the room to hear him out so they wouldn’t make this mistake. He turned to Namjoon and saw that Namjoon had not removed his eyes from his face. He had not even looked at Jimin for once.
“I don’t care, Mom, Dad. You people can do what you like. As far as I’m concerned, I have no brother.” He said. 
Jimin’s shoulders caved in as he cried next to Jungkook, yet there was no sound from him.

“He never was. If only you had realized that before.” Mrs Park smiled bitterly at Namjoon and scoffed in Jimin’s direction. “We put up with everything he did because your half-brother is dearer to you than your own parents.” 

Jungkook’s mouth fell open. His hand came away from Jimins arm. 

His ears were buzzing with the force of the blood rushing loudly through his veins. He could not bear to look at Jimin. This explained everything. The insensitive behavior of Jimin’s parents towards him. Jungkook had been astonished earlier, as he was unable to think of a proper reason why they had not been able to accept Jimin when he had come out to them. His own parents did not know about his feelings for Taehyung, but they had made it seem like it was but natural, nothing out of the ordinary, when they had learnt about Taehyung at first. But now he understood, that that kind of thing would require the love of a parent towards a child. And these people, who were incapable of accepting a child into their life had obviously been incapable of accepting everything about him. It explained the situation to him very clearly and yet he felt a pang of guilt, realizing that he shouldn’t have heard this truth.

Jungkook gulped, looking down. Jimin was silent and motionless beside him.

“I don’t see why we should entertain such disdain at our house. I am not going to stand by and tolerate jeers from people from the streets while they continue to point their finger at us. I am not going to entertain this boy at my house any longer. It’s time to do what I wanted to do earlier and this time you are not going to stop me Namjoon.” Mr Park held his chin very high as he said this.

Jungkook’s heart skip a beat and his eyes went wide.

“What do you mean you are not going to-…” He said, his voice rising a few decibels as he said the last sentence. The others ignored him.

“I’m not going to stop you this time.” Namjoon said and turned. He walked briskly out of the room before anyone could say anything. 

Just before Namjoon left, when his parents had resumed talking about their intentions among themselves – Jungkook caught a brief movement on Namjoon’s hand up to his face. He had wiped a tear before leaving but he did not look back even once.

…………………………………..

“Yoongi hyung, what’s wrong with you?” Hoseok poked Yoongi’s arm a few times. 

“Huh?” Yoongi had been lost in thought till now. He turned his head to look at Hoseok and saw that he was almost done with packing. “Oh sorry.”

Yoongi got up and picked up his backpack, ping it. He started to pack his things into it.

Hoseok started sniggering next to him, making Yoongi look at him in surprise.

“What?!”

“Hyung, why are you packing my belongings into your bag?” Hoseok said between snorts.

“What?” Yoongi looked down at his hands and realized that he had indeed shoved two of Hoseok’s shirts into his bag and was about to put one pair of his shoes in as well. He tossed the shoes on to the floor, smirking to hide his embarrassment. Hobi started to laugh louder.

“Hyung, seriously! Are you okay?” He came to stand next to Yoongi, still laughing and slinging a hand over Yoongi’s shoulder. “What are you thinking about? You’ve been lost in your thoughts ever since you came in.”

“It’s nothing Hobi. Stop laughing.” Yoongi sat down on his bed and picked up his phone, unlocking it and pretending to be checking messages.

“Should I be worried or happy?” Hobi was trying hard to maintain a straight face. “That my hyung is finally lost in someone’s thoughts!”

“What?!” Yoongi couldn’t hide the shock from his voice. The phone slipped out of his hand into his lap and Hoseok sniggered again. “I’m n-not…wh-what the hell are you saying Hobi! You have such a one-track mind.” Yoongi picked his phone up again and looked at the screen, desperate to avoid Hoseok’s eyes.

“Reaaally? Then look me in the eyes and say it.”

“Hobi we’re not kids. Cut the crap.”

Hoseok grabbed the phone out of Yoongi’s hand in one swift motion and jumped a few feet away from Yoongi, hiding the phone behind his back. Yoongi jumped up and looked at Hobi with a murderous look. 
“HOBI.”
“Hyung…who were you thinking about? I deserve to be the first one to know.” Hoseok grinned from ear to ear.
Yoongi closed his eyes, his face fixed in a grimace. “I wasn’t – Hobi, are you crazy, this is me! I don’t believe in this crap, you know that well.” 

“But whyyyy noooot? It’s the best thing in the world-…” Hobi bopped up and down on his heels.

“Yeah?...and then it ends like this. Like Taehyung and Jimin.” Yoongi opened his eyes, raising one eyebrow at Hobi with a shrewd face.

Hobi’s face fell. He sighed and shook his head, bringing the phone out in front of him. Yoongi didn’t miss the opportunity and lunged, snatching it out of Hobi’s hands.

“Yeah, really.” Hobi came and sat down on his bed, as Yoongi turned around and resumed packing his clothes which he had bundled up and brought over from Namjoon’s room to Hobi’s, desperate not to be in Namjoon’s company any longer. 

“Yoongi Hyung, what really happened there? With Taehyung and Jimin, I mean. Why are they not getting married? Why – why did Jimin have to go and break up the marriage suddenly?” Hoseok scrunched up his face and looked at Yoongi. Yoongi continued to his work silently.

“I wonder-…” Hoseok continued. “Is he crazy? Or is he simply - …Hyung, do you think he cheated on Taehyung?”

Yoongi stopped mid-way, while shoving a pair of jeans into his bag. Hoseok saw his jaw go tight and he took in a deep breath, waiting a few seconds before resuming his work. 

“What? Hyung, don’t you think that’s the only explanation? After all, why come so far and then go back upon your promise?...Maybe he has some guilt, coz he knows he’s not faithful. These rich boys are usually the kind to do something like that. You can never trust them.” Hoseok said, looking down. Yoongi threw the jeans he had been folding up, onto the bed and turned to him. Hoseok looked up at him and did a double take, seeing his face.

“H-hyung…what – did I say something wrong? Why do you look so mad?” Hoseok said, bending backwards in caution. 
Yoongi’s face was red and he looked like he wanted to say something which he was stopping himself from saying. He let out a sigh and turned away, picking up the pair of jeans from the bed and shoving it into his bag.

Hoseok’s mouth fell open as he stared at Yoongi. Yoongi did not look back at him.

“Hoseok -…When you know absolutely nothing at all about someone – don’t just say whatever you want.” Yoongi said, his voice low and measured but the indignation in it was unmistakable.

Hoseok blinked a few times, his mouth still open. He couldn’t remember the last time his friends had called him “Hoseok” instead of “Hobi.” 

“Just because Taehyung is your friend, don’t just assume he’s at the receiving end of injustice. When you know only half of the truth, just don’t comment.” Yoongi pushed his last piece of clothing into his back with an angry . He zipped up the bag with a similar annoyed motion and picked it up, proceeding to sling it on his shoulders. He was about to turn and walk to the door when Hoseok caught hold of his hand. Yoongi looked away from him, his breathing heavy.

“Hey, Hyung…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” Hoseok said in a cautious voice.

Yoongi sighed, still not meeting Hoseok’s eyes. He hung his head and said, “Yeah…it’s – it’s okay. I’m sorry for over-reacting.” He placed a hand on Hobi’s shoulder, squeezing it. “Come with me. We need to leave. Take your bag.”

“Okay…”  Hoeok stood up and took his bag, but he did not turn. He had gone very still, with his back to Yoongi. After a few seconds, he turned around very slowly. His eyes and mouth were as wide as they could open.  He slowly raised a finger and pointed it at Yoongi, starting to nod his head with the same exaggerated slow speed, as if to imply that he’d understood something.

Yoongi made an irritated face at him. “What?! What now?!”
“You…Oh…my…God.” Hosoek gulped. “You…back then…the person you were thinking about…Jimin…” Hoseok inhaled sharply. “Oh my God Hyung!”

Yoongi jumped to him, clasping a hand around his mouth. “SHUT UP! Hobi shut up!”

Hobi shook his head, his eyes still wide. Silently, he pointed a finger again at Yoongi and the