CHAPTER 5: Thoughtful Ji-Min

JI-MIN POV.

I was so tired that immediately after Hyung left, I slouched down on the couch and vroom I drifted to sleep. When I woke it was almost mid-day so I hurriedly leaned down, and rushed to the bathroom to get myself ready. After I was done, I clad myself in my brown pants and grey hoodie before finding my way to the refrigerator.

I couldn't lay my hands on a single dish, so I decided to try bacon and ramyeon. Quickly, I opened the kitchen cabinets bringing out one pack of ramyeon, bacon from the freezer, and some stored vegetables, luckily there was Kimchi sent to us by Jin-Seok Hyung all the way from Korea.

I laughed as I thought about it, Jin-Seok Hyung never ceased to amaze me; his caring nature is compared to none, always thinking about his dongsengs every time. He always takes care of us, no wonder he sent homemade kimchi when his company private jet was visiting Canada.

The warning that followed when I received the parcel, reminded me not to skip my meals and always stay healthy. That Jin-Seok Hyung for you.

I kept pacing through the kitchen in my quest to get my meals ready, flipping, stirring up, and sauteing mushrooms, spinach, and sauerkraut didn't take much time before I get everything ready.

Sitting alone at the dining table gives me those awkward feelings since I'm used to eating with my brothers, sitting here makes me homesick. After debating and forcing myself, I managed to eat a little; took a mouthful of the bacon, and finally retired again on the couch.

Not gonna lie I was tired, have stayed up all night just to audit the new trainees. Laying down there in a few seconds of soul-searching, I remembered I needed to practice my dance moves for the next audition since I already sent out the decree of having all the trainees who made it to the first batch live at Hobified-Mind, where they would be put to test and probably be handpicked by Ho-seok Hyung.

It was almost 8 pm and I was still engrossed in trying out my dance moves when the door opened and HwangMin, and TaeRin, Ho-Seok's personal assistant came in. A beat passed, and Ho-seok Hyung came inside the house that was when I noticed his declining countenance

I quickly rushed to him, seeing how weary he was looking like he was beaten to a stupor, his eyes were almost red like he had been crying and the way he sluggishly dragged his feet, his clothes were ruefully buttoned and his hair which was looking so beautifully styled this morning was tousled and disheveled.

He wasn't happy and I can tell just by taking a glimpse of him.

This is not a state of being tired or worn out. Don't get me wrong, I have known Ho-seok Hyung all my life to not be able to tell when he is tired or worn out from fatigue.

Looking at him now reminds me of something, he was crying, no matter how he tried to hide it. I looked at HwangMin and TaeRin for any possible explanation but their facades expression was enough to tell me they did not know what happened.

I looked at the Grand Prestigious Award Ho-seok Hyung was holding, the deserving Grand Award he won, but what is the need to hold such a precious Award if the winner wasn't happy?

"I won, Jiminah." His voice swished gently through my eardrums as he handed me the PPA Grand Award before dragging himself limply to his room.

I held onto the Award and watched him drag himself upstairs like his body was chained to iron shackles, once he entered his room, I turned towards HwangMin and TaeRin for a better explanation.

"Was he jumped by some crazy fans??? The two shook their head.

I handed over the Award back to HwangMin whose bags were already full with some Awards. Judging from the bag he was holding, I clearly can see four different Awards inside plus the PPA making it five.

Thank goodness his worst nightmares as he always called that new Artist that always bagged the whole Awards didn't beat his ass this time.

A slight smile creeped out of my lips, seeing Ho-seok Hyung winning was the best thing but seeing him sad made me angry that I wanted to un·alive whatever or whoever made him this way.

I waved HwangMin and TaeRin off and hurriedly climbed the stairs just to make sure Ho-seok Hyung wouldn't do anything to hurt himself.

I quickly barged inside the room and heavy out a breath immediately I saw the latter soaked in the bathtub.

I approached him but he wasn't interested in engaging in any conversation. Instead of standing there and trying to force things, I quickly removed my upper clothes, and my pants; leaving only my inner pants, before sliding into the bathtub with him.

*******

HO-SEOK POV.

As I walked through the door of my room, I felt like I could barely keep it together. My emotions were raw, jagged, and overwhelming. I felt the familiar sting of tears pricking my eyes, but I fought them back. I didn't want to cry, not over her. I walked into my bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, my body wracked with tremors of suppressed emotion. I rolled over onto my side, curling into a ball.

I can't be wasting my time like this. With great effort, I forced myself to stand up. Every movement was like a physical struggle, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain. Slowly, I made my way to the bathroom, my legs shaking with each step. When I reached the bathtub, I reached out and turned the faucet on, cranking the handle as far as it would go. The water began to pour out, steaming hot. I stepped into the tub, the heat almost burning my skin. But I knew it was what I needed right now.

The water cascaded down over me, but it felt like it wasn't enough to wash away the pain. I could feel my heart pounding, my breath coming in gasps. I closed my eyes, feeling the hot water against my skin. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't block out the images in my mind: her smiles, her touch, her betrayal. I reached out and turned the faucet all the way, cranking the temperature to the highest setting. The water was almost scalding, but I could still feel the coldness in my heart.

I was still in the shower, the water running over me, the steam filling the room. But I could no longer feel its warmth. I was frozen, my mind consumed by the memories of the past, the pain of betrayal still fresh. I could feel myself spiraling down, my thoughts becoming darker and more desperate. I had to find a way to stop the cycle, to break free from the memories that were holding me hostage. But how? How could I ever escape the prison of my mind?

"I wish I had never met you," I spat out, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. "You've ruined my life, and I'll never be able to forgive you. You're a selfish, heartless, manipulative person, and I hate you for what you've done to me."

The words tumbled out, faster and faster, each one slicing through me like a knife. I could feel the pain and anger radiating off of me, but I couldn't stop myself. It was like a dam had burst, and all the hurt I had been holding back was flooding out.

As I stood there, letting the water run over me, I was unaware of Jimin entering the room. I was too caught up in my thoughts, too lost in my world. I didn't hear the sound of the door opening, or the soft footsteps approaching.

It wasn't until I felt a hand on my shoulder that I realized someone was there. I turned, and there he was, my brother and best friend, looking at me with concern and compassion. He didn't say a word, he just slid into the bathtub next to me, a silent gesture of comfort.

I felt myself begin to relax, the tension slowly seeping out of my body. Jimin presence was soothing, and I knew I could let myself fall apart in front of him. He would be there to pick up the pieces, to help me put myself back together again. We sat there in silence, the only sound the rushing of the water. After a few minutes, I spoke, my voice quiet and shaky. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drag you into this." Jimin simply smiled, taking my hand in his.

"You didn't drag me into anything."

"You're my family," he said, his eyes meeting mine.

"And it's my job to be there for you, no matter what. You can't scare me away, no matter how hard you try." I felt a small smile tugging at my lips, and I squeezed his hand. "Thank you," I said, and he simply nodded, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Now, let's get you out of here and into some dry clothes," he said, standing up and offering me a hand. I took it, and he helped me out of the bathtub, wrapping a towel around my shoulders.

We went into my bedroom, and Jimin rummaged through my closet, pulling out a pair of soft sweatpants and a cozy hoodie. He handed them to me, then turned his back so I could change.

As I put on the clothes, I felt like a weight was lifting from my shoulders. I took a deep breath, then walked over to the bed and sat down. My friend sat next to me, a look of concern still on his face. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, his voice gentle and understanding. I hesitated, then shook my head.

Jimin led me to the bed, pulling back the covers and gently guiding me to lie down. He tucked the blankets around me, then sat on the edge of the bed. "Now, close your eyes and try to relax," he said, his voice soft and soothing. I did as he said, letting my body sink into the mattress.

I could feel my muscles relaxing, my breath slowing. Jimin spoke again, his voice like a gentle whisper. "Imagine you're floating on a cloud, drifting through the sky.

Jimin presence did the magic on my system as I sank into a deep and peaceful sleep, the heaviness of my body giving way to a feeling of weightlessness.