Joongi feels devastatingly forlorn as he stares into his refrigerator. There's literally half a carton of milk and an empty egg tray he doesn't know where from. With everything that happened, he's not finished setting up his house, hasn't stocked up on food nor worked at all. And he's got a pathetic cousin inside who hasn't gotten out of bed in two days.

If he sent Jiseok home, his grandfather would find out and then Joongi's father. If he’s here, they wouldn't suspect anything except assume Jiseok is following Joongi around like a puppy again.

Speaking of whom, Joongi hears slippers dragging on the floor. Just as he slams the refrigerator close, Jiseok appears from the hallway. "So you finally decided to leave the bed..." Joongi doesn't look at him, reaching for his phone to look for the nearest place he can find breakfast.

Jiseok, weak as he is from only having apple juice these past two days, barely manages to climb one of the two high stools by the island. By now Joongi got a text from Seungwon that he's on the way with groceries. So he gives up on looking for breakfast himself and places the carton of milk and a glass in front of Jiseok with a silent command to have it.

Jiseok's hands tremble violently as he tries to pour the milk into the glass. But Joongi is too preoccupied with his own thoughts to realise his cousin needs help. He had told Seungwon to dig deeper into Minho's affairs with some specifics and call him if he finds something. If Seungwon is coming over now it must be huge.

Joongi flinches at the doorbell's sound which felt deafening in the quiet home. "He's here already..." Joongi quickly pours the remainder of the milk in Jiseok's glass and briskly walks to the door. Just to make sure he checks the security camera. The face he finds in the small screen is not Seungwon but not unfamiliar either. In disbelief Joongi throws open the door to really find Jung Yunho standing there like a casual neighbour stopping by.

"What are you doing here?" Joongi might sound rude but he's been expecting Yunho to either avoid them or fight them. Instead Yunho holds up a metal casserole. "Eomma made a lot of pancakes and I'm alone at the house right now. So I thought I'd be friendly neighbour."

Without waiting for Joongi's permission Yunho walks inside the house. Joongi doesn't comment, not when he caught on to something specific Yunho said.

"Where's Jaejoong? Isn't she with you?"

"Jaejoong recovered quickly enough for her to be discharged early and sneak off to party with Minyoung and Heechul," Yunho places the casserole dish on the coffee table and takes out his phone from his pocket to show Joongi a picture. "Heechul sent it five minutes ago. Apparently, they finally went to sleep at 5." Joongi looks at the selfie Heechul took of the three of them sleeping on the floor. Behind Heechul, Jaejoong and Minyoung are entangled while cuddling each other in their sleep. "As you can see Jaejoong is fine. This one, apparently not so much." Yunho jerks his thumb in the direction of the kitchen where Jiseok is now standing and staring at them.

Jiseok's chapped lips, dark circles and pale skin look stark now more than few moments ago. Joongi hurriedly goes to Jiseok and coaxes him to go back to his room and not to come out till he calls him.

When Jiseok leaves faster than he had left his room, Joongi knows that he's feeling guilty about his behaviour and can't face Yunho.

"It's like his panic attacks are a package deal with Jaejoong's attacks..." Yunho mutters with slight disdain.

"Yunho please refrain from talking about Jaejoong's asthma. I don't want to trigger another panic attack for Jiseok."

"Hard to be kind to him when I've been in a similar situation with him."

Joongi knows Yunho has no reason to be forgiving of either of them but he can't help his protective instincts towards Jiseok. "Look, I know his behaviour the other day was selfish. But he didn't really have people to teach him how to control his emotions before lashing out at the wrong person."

"I don't really care. I figured what kind of person he is since he tried to auction off Jaejoong... I hope you have plates..." Yunho stalks to the kitchen looking for said plates. Obviously, he's telling Joongi they're past politeness. Since they're not holding back Joongi doesn't bother either.

"Why didn't you or Minyoung tell me or my father?" Yunho pauses checking in the cabinets and turns to face the man, arms crossed. "After knowing what she went through you're still asking why she's not broadcasting it?"

"I meant I could've helped her. Or at least not let Minho get away with it." As soon as Joongi says that, Yunho an eyebrow and Joongi regrets his words. "Well, you've known for two days now. What have you done?"

Joongi asks himself that too. What should he do? Lot of ideas fuelled by anger come to mind. But none are viable enough to cause Minyoung the least pain. Nor does he know how his father will take it and he's afraid Minyoung's career and life would be ruined if people found out. Especially now that she's sort of a tabloid regular.

"What? No ideas?" Yunho's condescension is the last thing he wants. With a sigh Joongi slumps on the stool.

"You know, Minho and I got the same upbringing. But he was left to his devices because no one considered him important enough. So he began seeing me more as a rival than brother. Abeoji was strict with me, but at least he gave me attention. No one told Minho what is wrong or right. I ignored him too. I was spending more time with Jiseok anyway." He cranes his neck to make sure Jiseok is nowhere within hearing distance. "When Jiseok's grandmother passed away, his father was hanging around some scary people and Jiseok began getting panic attacks. So Abeoji had Jiseok stay with us for a few months till I left for college. Abeoji was a completely different person with him. He was not a taskmaster and he was more fatherly to Jiseok who literally had no reference for a decent father. It kind of surprised me…but Minho just went over the edge." He glances at Yunho to find him listening intently. "He became weirdly competitive. Like not just beating me, he took pleasure in taking things for me. And I never really called him out for that. It n