Broken |Vminkook|

It had been a few days since Jungkook left. He was staying with his parents now, providing them the support and care they needed.

But back at home, nothing had changed between the brothers. The silence remained heavy. Taehyung still came home late every night, and Jimin continued to eat his meals alone in his room. They lived under the same roof, yet felt like complete strangers.

That afternoon, Jimin was walking home from school, clutching a notice in his hand. The school had announced that tomorrow was result day, and attendance of a guardian was mandatory. Any student who failed to bring one would be rusticated.

Jimin's heart sank. He had barely scraped by this term. What more could one expect from a boy whose mind was in constant turmoil? Concentration had become a distant dream.

But what worried him most was that Jungkook wasn't here. That meant... he had no choice but to ask Taehyung to come with him. And with marks like his, he knew Taehyung would be furious.

Jimin's POV

Why am I like this? What do I even do now? Hyung's going to be so disappointed in me... But I have to tell him. If he hears it from the school first, he'll be even angrier. Please let him be in a good mood today... Just this once. I'll ask him when he gets home.

[Time Skip]

It was already past 10 PM, and I was still sitting there, waiting for him to come home. My eyes flicked to the clock every few seconds.

Please... just agree. I know he'll be angry tomorrow when he sees my result, but at least if I get his signature today, the school won't kick me out.

The front door finally clicked open. Taehyung walked in, looking utterly drained.

Okay, Jimin. You can do this.

I gave him a moment to settle down on the sofa, then hurried to the kitchen to get him a glass of water.

Taehyung's POV

I was completely drained. It had been an exhausting day, but a rewarding one. I had finally cracked two major deals I'd been working on for weeks. Long hours, endless meetings, and sleepless nights had gone into it—and today, it had all paid off.

For the first time in days, I actually felt satisfied. There was a quiet sense of pride simmering in me.

I sank into the sofa and opened my office bag to pull out a file. Just wanted to go over it one last time before finally closing the chapter. Some minor corrections, a few notes—I just needed fifteen more minutes.

As I spread the papers out on the table, organizing them by sequence, I didn't notice the soft footsteps approaching. I didn't notice the glass of water either.

"H-Hyung..." came a small voice.

"Mhm," I replied absentmindedly, eyes glued to the pages. I didn't even glance up.

"I brought you water..."

"Keep it there," I muttered, still flipping through the document.

And then—chaak!

A sudden splash soaked the pages before me. My eyes widened in disbelief. The crisp documents were ruined, ink bleeding into paper.

I looked up sharply—only to see Jimin, frozen, the now-empty glass trembling in his hands.

"You—" My voice came out sharper than I intended, rage clouding my thoughts. "Are you serious, Jimin?!"

He flinched.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?! Do you even care?! These papers—Goddamn it! This was important work! Why do you always mess things up?!"

Jimin's lips trembled, his eyes glassy. He looked like he was trying to form words.

"You're just a stupid five-year-old kid who can't even do a single task properly!" I snapped, my tone venomous. "Always hovering, always messing things up."

"I-I'm sorry, hyung... I didn't mean to—" he began, voice barely above a whisper.

"Enough with your shit," I growled. "Get out of my sight before I hit you."

His expression crumbled. The apology died in his throat as he spun around and ran to his room, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

And just like that, the warmth I had felt from today's success vanished—replaced by a silence so heavy it settled like guilt in my chest.

Author's POV

The next day, the classroom buzzed with quiet chatter and the occasional stern voice of a parent. Students lined up with their guardians, some beaming with pride, others hanging their heads while their parents scolded them.

But in the corner of the room, one desk remained isolated.

Jimin sat there alone, his head bowed low, his hands nervously clutching the edge of the bench. He hadn't moved in the past half hour. His heart pounded in his chest, throat dry, and stomach twisting with anxiety.

Everyone else had someone—mothers, fathers, siblings. Even friends. Laughter and light scolding filled the room. There was warmth in those small exchanges, even in the disappointment.

Jimin had nothing but silence.

Time ticked by mercilessly. The scheduled slot for result collection was nearly over when Mr. Min Yoongi, their class teacher, finally walked over to the quiet corner.

He crouched beside Jimin and gently placed a hand on his back.

The touch made Jimin flinch slightly, and he quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

"I'm sorry," Jimin whispered hoarsely, voice barely holding together. "I... I messed up and now he won't come. You can take... whatever action you need to."

Yoongi's expression softened instantly. He sat beside Jimin and shook his head.

"It's okay, Jimin. No one is going to rusticate you. I promise."

"But... hyung," Jimin looked up with wide, teary eyes, "I-I failed to bring my guardian. The notice said if—"

"Shhh..." Yoongi hushed him gently. "Who said you only have him as your guardian?"

Jimin blinked, confused.

"I'll sign your report card this time," Yoongi said, his tone warm but firm. "No one has to know. You're not alone, alright?"

And for the first time in days, Jimin felt his heart ease—just a little.