4

The sky was dark, heavy clouds covering the moon as cold wind rushed through the quiet streets. The air smelled of rain, though none had fallen yet.

Mr. Jeon was exhausted.

After working a double shift at the construction site, his entire body ached. His hands, rough from years of hard labor, gripped the handlebars of his old motorcycle tightly as he made his way home.

The road was nearly empty-just a few cars passing by in the distance. The dim glow of the streetlights flickered, casting long shadows on the pavement.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

Sighing, he pulled over near a side street and took it out, his tired eyes squinting at the screen. Jungguk.

With stiff fingers, he answered.

"Appa, where are you?" Jungguk's voice came through, slightly tense.

"On my way home. What happened?" Mr. Jeon asked, rubbing his temple.

"Boss called. He was looking for you earlier."

Mr. Jeon sighed, feeling the weight of stress press down on him again.

"I'll deal with it in the morning."

Just as he said that-bright headlights appeared in the side mirror.

Before he could react, the sound of a revving engine roared behind him.

BAM!

A black van rammed into his motorcycle from behind.

His body jerked forward violently, and the world spun as he was thrown off the bike.

The motorcycle skidded across the pavement, sparks flying, before it crashed into a street pole.

Mr. Jeon's body hit the ground with a sickening thud. The impact sent a sharp pain ripping through his chest, his breath knocked out of him.

His phone slipped from his grasp, the screen cracking as it hit the pavement.

The black van didn't stop. It sped off into the darkness, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

Mr. Jeon tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. A metallic taste filled his mouth-blood.

His vision blurred, the night growing darker.

The last thing he heard was the sound of his phone ringing...

And then-everything went black.

Appaaaaa" jungguk confused as call get cut without his father voice saying anything.

The old apartment was quiet, except for the occasional creaking of the walls.

Jungkook sat on the floor, sharpening a small pocket knife, his face emotionless.

Jungguk paced near the window, restless about phone call

Kook sat curled up on the couch, hugging his thin blanket and his plushie, his big eyes flickering between his hyungs.

Then-the phone rang.

Jungguk grabbed it immediately.

"Appa?" he asked quickly.

But it wasn't their father's voice.

"Is this Mr. Jeon's family?" a rough voice came from the other end.

Jungkook's hand froze mid-sharpening.

"Who is this?" Jungguk's voice turned cold.

"I'm a paramedic. There's been an accident. Your father-he's in critical condition."

Silence.

Jungkook and Jungguk stared at each other.

The knife in Jungkook's hand snapped in half.

Kook flinched at the sound, his heart pounding.

"Where is he?" Jungguk demanded.

"Seoul General Hospital. He was hit by a car-"

Jungkook was already grabbing his coat.

"Let's go."

Kook, realizing something was wrong, jumped up quickly.

"Hyungie-Kookie come too!" he said, his voice trembling.

Jungguk turned to him, his usual soft expression replaced with something unreadable.

"No, Kook. Stay here."

Kook's eyes widened. "B-But-"

Jungkook's gaze darkened.

"Stay. Now." His voice was sharp.

For the first time, Kook didn't argue.

He watched helplessly as his hyungs ran out the door.

His small hands clutched his plushie tightly, his breathing uneven.

"Appa..." he whispered.

His heart felt cold.

---

At the Hospital

The hospital smelled of disinfectant and rain. The hallways were too bright, the sound of nurses and doctors moving quickly filling the air.

Jungkook and Jungguk burst through the emergency doors.

"Jeon. Our father-where is he?" Jungguk asked a nurse at the front desk, his voice tight.

The nurse looked up, her face sympathetic.

"He's in surgery. The doctors are trying their best."

Jungkook's jaw tightened.

"What are his chances?"

The nurse hesitated.

"The damage was severe... He lost a lot of blood. We'll know more in the next few hours."

Jungguk staggered back slightly, gripping the desk. His hands felt numb.

Jungkook said nothing. He just turned around and punched the nearest wall.

The loud crack made a few people jump, but he didn't care.

Blood dripped from his knuckles, but he barely felt it.

Jungguk clenched his fists.

Whoever did this...

They wouldn't get away with it.

Jungkook and Jungguk sat in the cold hospital waiting room, their faces unreadable. The white fluorescent lights above them buzzed faintly, the smell of antiseptic filling the air.

Jungguk's leg bounced anxiously, while Jungkook sat completely still, his fists still bloodied from punching the wall earlier.

The clock ticked slowly.

Then-the door to the emergency ward opened.

A doctor in a white coat stepped out, holding a clipboard. He looked tired, uninterested.

"Who is responsible for Jeon Taesung?" he asked, scanning the room.

Both boys stood up immediately.

"We are," Jungguk answered quickly.

The doctor frowned, glancing between them.

"Where are your parents?"

"He's our only parent," Jungkook said, his voice flat.

The doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Are you two even old enough to be here alone?" he asked, clearly unimpressed.

Jungguk gritted his teeth.

"What's wrong with our father?"

The doctor sighed, flipping through the papers.

"Your father suffered multiple fractures, internal bleeding, and a head injury. We were able to stabilize him for now, but he needs immediate surgery."

Jungkook's jaw tightened.

"Then do it."

The doctor glanced up, his expression indifferent.

"Before we proceed, you need to fill out the hospital forms and make the down payment. The surgery costs 15 million won (around 11,000 USD), but we require at least 5 million won upfront."

Silence.

Jungguk felt his stomach drop.

"Five... million?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook's expression didn't change.

"We don't have that kind of money right now," he said bluntly.

The doctor clicked his tongue in irritation.

"Then we can't proceed with the surgery."

Jungguk's eyes widened. "What?!"

The doctor remained calm, like he had said this a hundred times before.

"If you can't pay, we can only provide basic treatment. But without surgery, his condition will worsen."

Jungkook took a slow, deep breath, his hands curling into fists.

Jungguk shook his head rapidly.

"No-no, you don't understand. That's our father in there! You can't just let him-"

"I understand," the doctor interrupted coldly. "But this is a hospital, not a charity."

Jungguk staggered back slightly, as if he had been punched.

Jungkook finally stepped forward.

"Give us the forms."

The doctor handed over the clipboard. Jungguk grabbed it, his hands shaking as he skimmed through the endless paperwork.

But as soon as he reached the bottom, his breath hitched.

"Guardian/Parent's Signature"

"Guardian's Age: Must be 18+"

His vision blurred slightly.

They... couldn't sign this.

The realization hit hard.

The doctor noticed their hesitation and narrowed his eyes.

"How old are you two?"

Jungkook didn't answer.

Jungguk swallowed hard before finally whispering the truth.

"Fourteen."

The doctor's entire expression changed.

He pulled the clipboard away instantly.

"You're both minors?!"

Jungkook's hands clenched at his side.

"Does it matter?" his voice was eerily calm.

The doctor scoffed.

"Of course, it matters. You can't legally approve a surgery. Without a guardian, there's nothing we can do."

Jungguk felt his heart hammering in his chest.

"But we're the only ones he has!" he burst out. "There's no one else!"

The doctor sighed, clearly not interested in their struggles.

"That's not my problem. If you can't provide a legal guardian or the payment, your father will have to be transferred to general care."

Jungkook's face darkened completely.

"...And what happens if we can't pay at all?"

The doctor looked him straight in the eye.

"Then your father will be discharged... with no surgery."

A heavy silence followed.

Jungguk felt his entire world crumbling.

Jungkook, however, remained dead silent.

The doctor glanced at them one last time.

"Find a way to get the money."

And then-he walked away

Leaving he 14-year-old twins standing in the middle of the hospital, their father's life hanging by a price tag.

In house

The apartment was too quiet.

Kook sat curled up on the worn-out couch, hugging his thin blanket and his favorite bunny plushie. The dim light from the streetlamp outside flickered through the window, casting shadows on the cracked walls.

His hyungs were gone. His Appa was hurt. And he was alone.

The air felt cold. Even though he had wrapped himself in his blanket, he still shivered. But it wasn't from the cold-it was from fear.

His small hands gripped his plushie tightly, his big doe eyes staring at the door, hoping-praying-that his hyungs would walk in any second and tell him that everything was okay.

But they didn't.

The clock on the wall ticked, each second feeling longer and heavier.

Kook sniffled, his lips wobbling.

"Hyungie..." he whispered softly, his voice shaking.

But no one answered.

His chest felt tight, an aching pressure growing inside him.

Slowly, he curled into himself, burying his face into his plushie.

Tears slipped down his soft cheeks, dampening the fabric of the bunny's ears.

"Kookie scared..." he mumbled, hugging himself tighter.

He didn't like being alone. He never did.

Ever since their emoaa left, and now with Appa in the hospital-his only comfort was his hyungs.

And right now, they weren't here.

His mind filled with horrible thoughts.

What if Appa never came back?

What if his hyungs left him too?

What if he was all alone... forever?

A quiet sob escaped his lips.

He hated this feeling.

He hated the silence.

He hated the cold emptiness in his chest.

Kook pulled his blanket over his head, as if hiding would make the loneliness go away.

His tiny hands gripped his plushie harder, holding onto it like it was the only thing keeping him from falling apart.

"Hyungie, come back..."

His voice was barely above a whisper, lost in the silence of the empty room.

And then-a loud thunder rumbled outside.

Kook flinched, his heart racing.

The storm was coming.

And he was still alone

He gripped his plushie tighter, his little fingers digging into the soft fabric.

Then came the second rumble-louder.

A bright flash of lightning lit up the room for a second before everything went dark again.

Kook's breathing hitched.

His small chest rose and fell unevenly, his heart pounding too fast.

The storm was getting worse.

He curled up on the couch, pressing his body against the armrest as if it could protect him.

But it didn't.

He was still alone.

The apartment suddenly felt too big, too empty, too silent.

"Hyung..." he whispered, but no one answered.

Another loud crash of thunder shook the windows.

Kook let out a shaky breath, his tiny body starting to tremble. His fingers clutched his shirt, right over his chest, as a painful tightness spread inside.

It was happening again.

His lungs felt heavy, like something was pressing down on them, squeezing all the air out.

His throat closed up.

He couldn't breathe.

"N-No... no, no, no..."

His hands shook violently as he reached out, trying to grab something-anything-to ground himself.

But there was nothing.

His vision blurred as tears welled up in his eyes.

The room spun.

The sound of the rain pounding against the windows mixed with his own choked sobs.

He was dizzy.

He was suffocating.

"H-Hyungie-!" he gasped, his voice breaking.

His small frame shook uncontrollably, his legs kicking slightly as if trying to run-but there was nowhere to go.

He needed them.

He needed his hyungs.

But they weren't here.

The air in his lungs kept disappearing. His tiny hands clutched his throat, his plushie slipping from his grip, forgotten on the floor.

His mind screamed at him to breathe.

But he couldn't.

Everything started fading to black.

---

The Door Bursts Open - Hyungs Return

Just as Kook's world started to collapse-

The apartment door burst open.

Jungkook and Jungguk rushed inside, their clothes soaked from the rain.

"Kook?!"

Jungguk's panicked voice echoed as he saw his baby brother on the couch-

Face pale.

Body shaking.

Eyes unfocused.

Kook was gasping, struggling, sobbing.

Jungkook's heart dropped.

"BUNNY!" Jungguk cried, running to the couch first. He grabbed Kook's trembling body, shaking his head in horror.

"Baby, baby-look at Hyung! You have to breathe!"

But Kook couldn't hear him.

His small hands clawed at his chest, his lips trembling, his body still shaking.

Jungkook pushed forward, his own chest tightening at the sight.

"Shit-he's having a panic attack," he muttered, quickly kneeling beside Kook.

He grabbed Kook's face gently, forcing the younger to look at him.

"Breathe, Patel. Look at me. Look in my eyes."

But Kook was too far gone.

Jungguk's own hands were shaking as he tried to rub Kook's back soothingly.

"Hyung is here, baby-Kookie, breathe with me, okay? In... and out..."

But Kook just whimpered helplessly, his body curling in tighter.

Jungkook couldn't take it anymore.

Without hesitation, he pulled Kook onto his lap, pressing the boy's tiny body against his chest.

"LISTEN TO ME, BUNNY."

His deep, commanding voice made Kook jolt slightly.

Jungkook pressed a hand over Kook's chest, right over his racing heart.

"Feel this? This is Hyung's heartbeat. Match it, baby.* Breathe like Hyung."**

He took a deep breath-

"In."

Then exhaled slowly.

"Out."

Jungguk quickly copied, taking deep breaths next to Kook, his forehead pressed to Kook's temple.

"Breathe with us, Bunny. Follow Hyungie, okay?"

Slowly... slowly...

Kook's body started to relax.

His tight chest loosened. His small hiccups became softer.

The fear in his eyes slowly faded as he focused on his hyungs-on their voices, on their warmth, on their breathing.

Jungkook kissed the top of Kook's head, his own heart still racing.

"That's it, Bun. Hyung's got you. You're safe."

Jungguk hugged him tightly, hiding his face in Kook's shoulder.

"Never do that again, baby... please..."

Kook sniffled softly, his arms weakly wrapping around his hyungs.

"K-Kookie... missed you... scared.

.alone.."

Jungkook and Jungguk held him even tighter.

"We're here, baby. We're never leaving you alone again."

And finally-after what felt like forever-

Kook felt safe again.

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