Warning: Deals with a minor character's death. 

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October 20th 2014

“Have fun Jin!” The group at the airport chorused, Myung leaning over to ruffle the smaller boy’s hair as he placed down his bags.

“Getting old now, hyung, not long until your birthday!” Myung laughed, shoving Jin slightly as the older boy pouted. “Oh come on now, don’t be like that. You’re abandoning us for China after all! I’m allowed to tease you a little!”

“Okay, okay Myung.” Jin smiled a little, nodding over to where Namjoon stood holding a suitcase for the birthday boy. “Thank you for this, Manager-hyung.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jin. It’s nearly your birthday, you deserve to spend it with your family. Give your grandfather our love and we’ll see you in a week, okay?” Namjoon replied, handing the boy the carry-on suitcase. “When you get back, we’ll continue working on Antidote’s debut album, but until then, think of yourself and not your work. Stay safe, Jin.”

Jin grinned, nodding as he took the suitcase from the older and turning as his flight was announced over the speaker. “That’s me now, I’ll see you guys soon, okay? Don’t work too hard without me, I won’t be gone too long.”

“Good luck, Jin! Stay safe!” Cho called, waving with a smile as the others began to join in with saying goodbye while Jin walked away.

It wasn’t a long span of time at all before Jin was climbing off the plane at Beijing airport, hurrying through the crowds with his face hidden below the rim of a cap and sunglasses. His recently dyed brown hair also helped him escape being noticed since the teaser photos for the sub-units had not yet been released, and wouldn’t for at least another month. Having the shoot done early meant it was out of the way, but it also meant that hardly any of them, especially the ones with major changes to their hair colour, could really leave the dorm.

“Jin!” He heard a familiar, high pitched voice call. He quickly looked up, eyes wide behind the tinted glass, focusing his gaze on a small girl with black hair, bouncing giddily on the spot. She couldn’t have been taller than 5 foot, her eyes brown and wide with anticipation.

“Mei,” He sighed once he reached her side, allowing her to grip hold of his hand. “Lower your voice,  I don’t want to get recognised…”

“Why not, little brother? Isn’t that a good part of being famous?” She taunted, pulling him over to the conveyer belt to collect his luggage.

“Hell no, have you heard about sasaeng fans? We haven’t had to deal with any yet and I don’t want to either…”

“Such a baby, aren’t you, little brother?”

“Mei, stop calling me that. I’m taller than you. Besides, I turn 22 soon, I’m not exactly little.”

“Still younger than me.” She sang in response. Jin just sighed at his older sister’s antics, grabbing a suitcase with his free hand then trying to pull his other away from Mei.

“Nah ah, not happening. I haven’t seen you in over a year, you’re not getting your hand free for at least 6 hours.”

“Are you kidding me? Mei, I have to actually carry my luggage you know.”

She just grinned at him before grabbing his final case, pulling it behind her. “Come on you big baby, Grandpa can’t wait to see you.”

“Grandpa?” Jin asked, stunned. “How’s he doing?”

Mei’s smile faded a fraction, her gaze directing from him to the crowds ahead of them as they made their way out of the airport. “He’s not doing the best, Jinny. The doctor said that he’s alright health wise, he’s just…sad. He and Grandma were so in love and with her gone now…”

“Ah, I get it…” Jin trailed off, watching his feet as he walked. He could trust Mei to prevent him walking in to people. “Do they think he’ll be okay?”

“He’ll be much happier when he sees his grandson again.” Mei turned to smile at him. “We’ve all missed you, Jin. You should have seen Grandma’s face when she saw you on the debut stage back in May. She almost cried with pride. She was so proud of what you’ve achieved. Grandpa will love to hear about it all, I’m sure!”

He allowed himself a small smile. “If you’re sure.”

“I’m positive. Come on, let’s hurry back, Mom’s making Mapo tofu!”

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Half an hour later, Mei let Jin into the small apartment his family shared, shouting out into the crowded space.

“Guess who’s back!”

“Jin!” The idol heard his mother exclaim. He was barely able to react before he was enveloped in a large hug, soft hands rubbing up and down his back and then over his face, tracing his features. “Oh my, you’ve lost weight! That won’t do, you were already such a skinny boy. You look even paler than you did previously too! Have you been getting enough sleep? Have you been eating enough? Is your leader treating you well? What about your manager?”

“Mom, mom calm down, let the kid breathe.” Mei laughed while gently pulling their mother away from Jin.

“Oh, of course, sorry Jin,” She smiled, resting her hands on either of his cheeks. He was the tallest member of their family, hitting around 6 foot 1 whereas his mother was a tiny 5 foot 2 lady who appeared to have shrank more every time Jin saw her. Mei herself wasn’t much taller than their mother. It had appeared that he had got most of his estranged father’s genes. “You look great, darling. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, I made your favourite! How about you go and talk to your grandfather while Mei and I go finish making it, okay? I’m sure he’d be glad to see his favourite grandson.”

“Mom, I’m his only grandson.”

“Details details.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Go now!” His mother forcefully turned him by his shoulders, shoving him gently to the end of the hall. “You know which room is his!”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going.” He smiled slightly, trying to hide how elated he was to be back home with his family. He knew it wouldn’t last and that he would be back in Korea in just a few days, and he loved his job…but nothing was like being with your family for your birthday.

He walked over to his grandfather’s closed door, gently rapping on the wood. “Grandfather?” He called, keeping his voice gentle. He didn’t want to wake his recently widowed grandfather if he was sleeping.

“Enter.” The rasping reply came.

Taking a deep breath, Jin pushed the door open, slowly walking into the room and bowing respectfully.

“Jin, my, you look so different.” His grandfather told him, sitting up slightly in his bed and putting his arms out. “Stop with that respectful nonsense, come give me a hug. It feels like decades since I saw your face.”

Straightening out, Jin walked over to his grandfather, sniffing back the tears as the once strong arms pulled him into a frail hug. His skin felt like thin paper against Jin’s own, his arms shaking with the effort of holding on to his grandson. Jin buried his face into his grandfather’s collarbone, savouring the powdery, slightly musky scent.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been here, Grandpa.” He whispered, tightening his hold a fraction at the small hiccup in his grandfather’s throat.

“It’s okay, Jin, I’m so proud of you. Your Grandma was proud of you too. She cried tears of joy at your debut stage. She was so happy that you made it.” He let go, moving slightly to pat the area of bed beside them. Jin sat carefully, being careful not the knock the frail man beside him.

“Either way, I should have been here. I didn’t even get to say goodbye…”

“You didn’t need to. She knew you loved her.” His grandfather let out a pained sigh, lifting a shaking hand to wipe at his weeping eyes. “She was happy when she went, your mother made sure of that. She’s happy where she is now. I know she is…”

Jin gave his grandfather a small smile through the tears that were just beginning to leak. “Are you alright?”

“I’ll survive. I miss her so much, but I know we’ll be together again soon enough.”

“Grandpa, please don’t talk like that. Please…”

“Jin, I’m an old man… I won’t be here forever.”

“Just…please, Grandfather, please don’t make it sound like a goodbye. I’ll be back to visit again before you go, I promise. I don’t want you to go yet.”

His grandfather smiled, giving Jin a dry kiss on the forehead while pushing his brown bangs back. “I know sweetheart, I know. Enough about the sad stuff though, tell me about your group. Is your leader alright now? The shooting was frightening to hear about. We weren’t told who it was who had been shot to begin with, we were worried.”

“I’m fine, Grandpa. Myung is doing well now, he’s still weak at times, but he’s recovering. No-one else was hurt…Speaking of the group though, we’re getting ready for a sub-unit debut to happen soon. I’m in the Chinese sub-unit, so I’ll be in the country a lot more when we debut… we’re called Antidote Teochii, that’s why my hair has changed…” He smiled slightly at the look of delight on his grandfather’s face.

“You’ll be here more often?” He asked, a smile slowly forming.

Jin nodded. “I will, Antidote will be promoting in China… I may even bring some of my band mates to visit if you wished? I’m sure they’d love to meet you.”

His grandfather just continued to smile, his eyes beginning to droop. “I’d love that, Jin.”

“Are you tired, Grandpa? Shall I leave you to nap?”

He gave a tired nod while sliding down further into his pillows, smiling weakly up to his only grandson. “Yes, please do, Jin. I love you, thank you for keeping me company.”

“Any time, Grandpa.”

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3 days later, Jin sat on a cold wooden bench in the park, his hands trembling wildly as he tried to type with blurred eyes, sobs hiccupping in his chest. It was late, nearly 3am where he was in China, and goose-bumps coated his skin.

Finally getting to the right contact on his phone, he rang the number, holding the phone up to his ear. The phone seemed to ring for hours before a tired voice answered him.

“Jin-hyung?” He heard Myung yawn as he tried to focus himself. “Dude, it’s nearly 2am here. What’re you doing calling?” There were a few moments of silence before Myung spoke again. “Aren’t you ahead of us there? Isn’t it like 3am?”

“Myung-ssi,” Jin hiccupped into the receiver, struggling to catch his breath through the sobs. He heard Myung sit up in his bed, heard the frantic scrabble as Myung most probably grabbed his glasses and his lamp. Jin choked slightly on a laugh as he heard Yuuki groan out in discomfort at the light hitting his eyes and Myung’s curse at him to ‘Shut the hell up’.

“Hyung, are you alright? What’s happened?”

“Myung-ssi…I’m at the hospital,” He hiccupped. “Well, technically I’m outside it in the park..I..I can’t be in there with them right now.”

“Jin, you need to tell me what’s happening.” Jin could practically hear the switch from normal Myung to leader mode.

“It’s Grandpa, he died.”

Jin’s announcement was met with almost a full minute of pure silence, before Myung finally replied. “Jin, I’m so sorry. I’ll call Namjoon, take as long as you need. Stay with your family. We’ll sort it, don’t worry. You need to be there for your mother and sister. Don’t worry, Manager-hyung will understand. He will. We’ll sort this out. Oh gosh, please don’t cry, I don’t know what to do…”

“No, Myung, I want to come home… I want to go back to Korea, the house… I can’t, they’re both gone now and... Mom and Mei will understand, please, I want to come home…”

“Hyung, you are home, you need to be with your family right now. Trust me, you’ll regret coming back so soon… calm down then go in and see them. They’ll be there for you, you’ll be there for them… call me whenever you want, whenever you need to talk. I’ll be here for you. Not as a leader, but as a friend. Promise me you’ll call?”

“I promise, Myung-ssi.”

“Hey, I’ve told you, drop the ssi.” He teased lightly through the phone. “I have to go and make some calls to arrange to get you some more time off, don’t worry about it though. I’ll sort it out, don’t worry about a thing. Just…feel better soon, Jin. All of us back here in Korea are here if you need to talk. We’re all here for you.”

“We’re a family, right?” Jin whispered after Myung stayed silent for a few moments. Jin’s tears seemed to have frozen onto his cheeks, his chest felt slightly hollow, but he was glad the heaving sobs had calmed at his best friend’s voice.

“Yeah, Jin-hyung, we’re a family. A dysfunctional one, but a family none the less…”

“Thank you.”

“Any time, Jin.”

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I'M SO SORRY JIN. I love you Jinny. I'm sorry. )':
Blame Shynamite for this, I didn't know what to do with this prompt, and she told me it could relate back to Jin losing his Grandmother...so...this happened.

I'm afraid the next few chapters don't get much happier either.

The next one is a major plot point though, so look out for it!

EDIT: I got the date for this chapter wrong so a few little wording edits have been done, its actually the next chapter that is Jin's birthday!