IT'S THE NIGHT OF JUNTAO'S ART SHOW

“So glad you guys came,” Juntao excitedly told Yoongi and Jimin. He pulled the couple into an uncomfortable 3-person hug, “Please let us go hyung,” Yoongi whined, his stupidly tall brother’s shoulder was crushing his poor Adam’s apple. “Sorry,” Juntao laughed out as he released them, “it’s just good to see some familiar faces. Especially when I’m so nervous.” 

“Oh you don’t know all these people Juntao-hyung?” Jimin asked nodding towards the showroom full of well-dressed and well-off people walking around casually sipping champagne while surveying the absolute best of Min Juntao’s impressive artwork. Juntao shrugged and snagged one of the hors d'oeuvres floating around on aluminum serving platters, “A sprinkle of acquaintances  here and there; but you guys are the only family to show up,” he replied. 

Jimin smiled at that, “You think of me as family?” he asked appreciatively. Juntao grinned and nodded, “Of course, you’re the reason Yoongi and I can be brothers again; and the reason my brother is doing what he wants with his life. You’ve been more family to him than our own parents, Yoongi’s family is my family,” he explained as he began to adjust his brother’s grey herringbone tie. “Well, don’t you look all charming and manly in your little suit Yoongi,” the eldest playfully teased. 

Yoongi rolled his eyes, grinned, and then smacked his brother’s hands away saying, “All the men are wearing suits today hyung, including: you, Jiminnie, and the serving staff.” It was true, Juntao’s art exhibit was a bonafide black tie event. What set all the male guests in attendance apart from the serving crew was that they wore red bowties.

Juntao laughed and pinched his brother’s cheeks lovingly, “I know, I’m just so happy you’re here,” he said forcefully moving his head from side-to-side. “Juntao-hyung, I’m a grown man now, please don’t turn me into your baby brother again,” Yoongi complained shaking his brother off, his cheeks burning in pain and embarrassment.

Jimin laughed at his boyfriend’s complaining, he’d never seen Yoongi being babied before and it was nice to see his reaction. The Min brothers seemed to pick up their big brother/little brother relationship pretty smoothly, despite 10 years of scarce communication. Juntao pouted, but released his brother, “Don’t say that Yoongi-ah, you’ll always be my baby brother,” he told him cutely. Jimin scrunched his face up, seeing a 30 year old do aegyo was slightly painful to watch. 

Yoongi rolled his eyes again, “Shouldn’t you be talking people into buying your work?” he inquired placing his hand on the nape of Jimin’s neck, “Or at least explaining what your blotches mean?” Juntao chose to ignore the ‘blotches’ part and answered his brother first question, “Yea, you’re right. You guys have fun and I’ll catch up with you later.”  Jimin smiled and waved to his boyfriend’s brother before grabbing Yoongi’s wrist and dragging him off in the opposite direction.

“So what do you think of this one hyung?” Jimin asked pointing to the array of blues, greens, and reds splashed intricately across the oil canvas. Yoongi gave an uninterested shrug, “The same thing I think about all of Juntao’s pieces: a mess of colorful blotches,” he truthfully answered. “Seriously?” Jimin asked incredulously, “You don’t feel a sense of calmness with a hint of anger? Like the calm before the storm?”  

A befuddled Yoongi stared at his boyfriend, “No, but you obviously do,” he said turning to look at the painting again, cocking his head to the side a bit. Jimin nodded as he too stared at the painting again, “I really do and if I had a thousand bucks lying around, I’d buy it,” he replied. This particular pricey painting was actually one of the cheaper and smaller ones, it seemed like people were planning to spend a pretty penny to own a Min Juntao original.

“Well lucky for you, we already have a free piece from the Juntao collection,” Yoongi interjected. He grabbed his boyfriend’s hand and led him to the next painting, “No, you have a piece from the Juntao collection,” the younger enviously mumbled as he followed his boyfriend.

“Isn’t it just so bold and exciting?” a woman wearing a slinky red dress asked in awe, she swirled the golden carbonated alcoholic beverage around in her glass as she gazed at the painting before them. “What is?” Yoongi asked her in confusion, he just didn’t get the hype.His brother's artwork just didn't evoke the same kinds of emotions in him that they did in other people.

“The colors, the spacing, the variation of sizes and consistencies,” she answered, her eyes never left the painting, “I would just love to get inside the artist’s mind to see what he was think as he painted this.” To Yoongi, she sounded like she was in love. “Not just his mind, I’m sure,” he mumbled suspiciously, it looked like the painting was the greatest aphrodisiac she’d ever seen. 

Jimin elbowed Yoongi to showcase his disapproval before he addressed the woman, “This guy here is actually Juntao’s brother,” he said patting his boyfriend’s shoulder. Her eyes lit up as she finally tore her eyes away from the painting, “Really?” she asked excitedly. Yoongi nodded, “Min Yoongi,” he introduced, “same surname…same parents.” 

“Daebak,” she squealed, “You must be super excited for him,” she said moving a little closer. “Of course I am,” he answered immediately. “Really?” Jimin chimed in, his tone dripping with skepticism. “Yea, why do you sound like you don’t believe me?” Yoongi asked his boyfriend, he was offended. Jimin shrugged, “I don’t know, maybe because you keep calling Juntao-hyung’s paintings blotches and because you seem completely uninterested,” he explained his reasoning.

It was Yoongi’s turn to shrug, “So?” he said shoving his hands into his pockets, “Just because I don’t understand his art doesn’t mean I can’t be proud of his passion and his success. You must have me confused with my parents.” Jimin’s mouth snapped shut at that, he was speechless and embarrassed. “You’re completely right hyung,” he said placing his hands on his boyfriend’s shoulders, “I am so sorry for doubting you.” 

Yoongi grinned at his boyfriend, “Kiss me and I’ll forgive you,” he requested. Jimin shook his head and blushed, “But we’re in public,” he weakly protested, moving in closer already. “You guys are weirdos,” the forgotten woman mumbled out before she expeditiously walked off. “Yah, you’re the one getting by paintings lady,” Yoongi called after her, his outburst earning a few stares. Jimin laughed and hugged his boyfriend, “I’ll kiss you just to shut you up,” he said puckering his lips. 

“Nah,” the elder said pulling himself free of the younger’s embrace, “the moment’s passed.” “Ah hyung, I hate when you do that,” Jimin whined following the elder to the glorious table of finger foods in the short distance.

Juntao was chatting with his brother while attempting to balance a plate of sushi in one hand and a plate of spring rolls in the other when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He whirled around to see the art buyer/host of his exhibit tonight. “Oh, Mr. Kan,” he said around the yellowtail in his mouth, “Hi.” Mr. Kan smiled at Juntao, “Just came to give you an update on how the exhibit’s going,” he told him as he handed him a napkin. 

“Oh before you do, I wanted you to meet my little brother Min Yoongi,” Juntao introduced. Yoongi respectfully bowed to the elder, “And his boyfriend, Park Jimin,” Juntao added placing a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Annyeong-haseyo,” Jimin greeted as he too bowed to Mr. Kan. “Ah, it’s nice to meet you both,” Mr. Kan replied before giving a short bow. “So, Mr. Kan, how’s the exhibit going?” Juntao asked, he was a little nervous…which was why he was eating so much. 

Mr. Kan made his way to the fruit tarts and responded, “Very great, actually, we’ve already sold most of your pieces.” Jimin clapped excitedly, “Wah, that’s amazing hyung,” he praised through an eye-smile. Mr. Kan nodded, “Yes, Juntao-ah, you’re quite popular. People are finding a piece of themselves in your abstract paintings. Your pieces all convey such a large myriad of emotions which means that they appeal to more people, that’s a very good thing,” he explained before popping a glazed blueberry into his mouth. 

Yoongi raised his brows in surprise, ‘Wow, daebak hyung,’ he thought proudly, choosing to keep quiet in case the art buyer had anything else to say.

“Oh and I haven’t even told you the best part,” Mr. Kan excitedly said wiping his hands on a napkin, “There is a charming couple planning to buy your biggest, most expensive piece.” “‘Ambiguity’?” Juntao asked with wide eyes. It was one of his first works, someone had given him a gigantic canvas as a present. The canvas was the size of a 60 inch television and he’d worked on that painting for 3 months, the longest he’d ever worked on any piece…which was why it was $5,200…that and because it was super huge too. 

“Wait, who’s gonna buy a 5,000 dollar canvas filled with blotches?” Yoongi snorted out incredulously. Juntao glared and pinched his brother’s arm, “Shut up,” he said before turning to Mr. Kan, “Who are they?” “Oh a rich power couple,” Mr. Kan said before pointing behind them, “Actually that’s them over there.” Three sets of eyes widened as the Min brothers’ parents approached them. 

“Hell has frozen over,” Yoongi mumbled to his boyfriend. Jimin jabbed his boyfriend in the gut with his elbow, “Maybe they’re finally coming around,” he defended. “Or maybe they had lobotomies,” Yoongi said crossing his arms. “Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Min I was just telling Juntao about your interest in ‘Ambiguity’” Mr. Kan told the siblings’ parents, “I’d introduce you but, from the looks of it, it seems like you already know each other."

“Hanjoon, Juntao is our eldest son,” Mrs. Min told him. “Oh, that explains the same name,” Mr. Kan said, clearly he was having a blonde moment, “Well it’s nice to see more of Juntao’s family coming to support him. I’ll leave you guys alone to talk, excuse me.” Juntao watched Mr. Kan head towards a group of potential buyers. 

“What are you two doing here?” he asked finally acknowledging his parents. “Can’t parents come to support their son on his big day?” his dad asked, his tone condescending. “Yea, if they were good parents,” Yoongi snapped back, “So why are you two here?” His parents seemed to be a little hurt by their son’s comment, but shook it off. “Such a rude son,” his mother said before she answered their question, “We came here to meet with some potential investors, they seem to be in this whole ridiculous art scene.”

“So you’re just buying my painting to further benefit your business?” Juntao asked in disbelief. Mr. Min shrugged, “When in Rome…” he said nonchalantly. Jimin shook his head in disappointment, he was slowly losing all hope for the Min family to someday become whole again. His boyfriend’s parents were impossible. “Well we’ve got to go,” Mr. Min said grabbing his wife’s hand, he reached over and patted his son’s shoulder and said a quick, “We’re so proud of you,” before walking off. 

“OK, your parents have reached a whole new level of awful,” Jimin pointed out in disgust. Juntao shook his head, “I feel sick,” he said before walking off. “Juntao wait,” Yoongi called out chasing after his brother. Jimin shook his head again, “So messed up,” he muttered to himself as he reached for a glass of champagne. 

Yoongi followed his brother into the back alley outside. “Yoongi, what did we do to deserve parents like that?” Juntao yelled out angrily. “Hyung, please calm down,” Yoongi said leaning against the wall. 

Juntao began to pace, “No I can’t. What kind of cold-hearted people would do such a thing?” he asked planting his hands on his hips, “You think they said, ‘Hey let’s make our son think we’re going to begin supporting his art thing. It’ll be hilarious to see his eyes light up and then we can tell him we’re only pretending to support him to make more money for ourselves.’ ?” 

Yoongi chuckled and shook his head, not because it was funny, but because it was sad and he actually believed that’s how their conversation went.

“Right about now I wish I had never quit smoking,” Juntao said joked. “Look hyung, I understand you’re pissed off, but I’m going to tell you something I’ve been saying for a few months now,” Yoongi said to his brother with a cheeky grin, “I promise it will put everything right back into perspective for you.” Juntao eyed his brother suspiciously, but nodded anyway, “Continue.” 

“ them,” Yoongi simply said. 

“What?” Juntao laughed out as he leaned against the wall beside his brother. Yoongi nodded his confirmation. “That’s it?” the elder asked incredulously. Yoongi nodded again, “And the good thing is that, that doesn’t just apply to eomma and appa,” he said and the provided a few examples, “Someone doesn’t like your style of painting? them. Someone doesn’t approve of your hairstyle? them. Someone thinks your job isn’t a real job? them.” 

“Someone doesn’t approve of your boyfriend? them,” Juntao added elbowing his brother’s arm. The brothers shared a long healthy laugh, “We should quit our jobs and become motivational speakers,” Yoongi impishly suggested. Juntao nodded his agreement, “Yea, we’d travel the country and call it the ‘ It’ seminar,” he added through a grin. “And Jiminnie can serve cookies and finger sandwiches,” Yoongi joked. The siblings laughed again, the air between them crisp and light. 

“ them,” Juntao said once more, he decided that he would adopt his brother’s motto as well.