The evening settled quietly over the Kim family mansion. After their outing to the town, everyone had retreated to their rooms to unwind, the warmth of the day still lingering in their thoughts. The house, though vast, felt almost intimate, with muffled laughter occasionally drifting from one room to another.

Yoongi sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the vial of pills Hyungwoo had given him earlier. His fingers tightened around it as Hyungwoo’s words echoed in his mind.

“You’re the only one who can make it right.”

He clenched his jaw, shoving the vial into his nightstand drawer and slamming it shut. He didn’t want to think about Hoseok—not tonight, not ever. The past had a way of creeping in, but he was determined to keep it at bay for now.

A soft knock on his door startled him. “Come in,” he called out, masking the tension in his voice.

The door opened to reveal Taehyung, holding a tray with two steaming mugs.

“Hot chocolate,” Taehyung said cheerfully, stepping inside. “Thought you might want some.”

Yoongi raised an eyebrow. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch,” Taehyung replied, grinning as he set the tray on the small table by the window. “I just felt like hanging out with my favorite hyung.”

“Flattery doesn’t suit you,” Yoongi muttered, though his lips quirked into a faint smile as he joined Taehyung at the table.

Taehyung handed him a mug, his expression softening. “You seemed quiet today, even for you.”

“I’m always quiet,” Yoongi replied, taking a sip of the hot chocolate.

“Yeah, but…” Taehyung hesitated, searching for the right words. “I don’t know. It just felt different. Are you okay?”

Yoongi’s fingers tightened around the mug, but he forced himself to relax. “I’m fine, Tae. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Taehyung didn’t look convinced, but he let it go, leaning back in his chair. “You know, today reminded me of when we were kids. Running around the tailor’s shop, getting scolded for touching everything. It was fun.”

Yoongi nodded, his gaze distant. “Yeah, it was.”

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the warmth of their drinks and the quiet of the room wrapping around them like a blanket.

In the sitting room downstairs, Namjoon and Seokjin sat side by side on the couch, going over last-minute wedding plans. Papers were spread out on the coffee table, but neither of them seemed particularly focused.

“You know,” Namjoon said, leaning back and stretching, “you’re surprisingly calm for someone who’s about to get married.”

Seokjin smirked. “What can I say? I’m efficient.”

Namjoon chuckled, shaking his head. “Efficient doesn’t begin to cover it.”

Seokjin turned to look at him, his expression softening. “You’ve been handling this so well, Joon. I don’t think I’ve thanked you properly.”
Seokjin placed a light kiss on namjoon's lips.

Namjoon blinked in surprise. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m doing this because I want to.”

“I know,” Seokjin said, reaching out to take Namjoon’s hand. “But it means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me.”

Namjoon’s cheeks flushed, and he glanced away, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. “You’re really going to make me all emotional right now?”

“Is that a problem?” Seokjin teased, leaning closer.

Namjoon shook his head, his smile widening. “Not at all.”

The moment lingered, the warmth between them unspoken but deeply felt.

Meanwhile, Jimin sat on his bed, his sketchbook open on his lap. He had been trying to draw, but his mind kept drifting back to Yoongi. The way he had drifted off during their shopping trip, the distant look in his eyes—it all felt off.

With a sigh, Jimin set the sketchbook aside and grabbed his phone. He hesitated for a moment before texting Taehyung.

On text
Jimin: Is Yoongi-hyung okay? He seemed… off today.

Taehyung: He’s Yoongi. He’s always like that.

Jimin: I don’t think so. Something feels different.

Taehyung: I’m with him now. He says he’s fine. Don’t worry so much, Jiminie.

Jimin frowned, but he didn’t push further. Still, the feeling that something was wrong lingered, gnawing at the edges of his thoughts.

Later that night, Taehyung managed to drag Yoongi downstairs, claiming he needed help with “something important.” To Yoongi’s surprise, Seokjin was already in the living room, a bottle of wine and three glasses on the table.

“What’s this?” Yoongi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Just a little family bonding,” Seokjin replied, smiling. “It’s been too long since the three of us spent time together.”

Taehyung plopped down on the couch, patting the spot next to him. “Come on, hyung. Don’t ruin the vibe.”

Reluctantly, Yoongi joined them, and soon the room was filled with laughter as they reminisced about their childhood.

“Do you remember when Yoongi-hyung tried to teach me how to ride a bike?” Taehyung said, grinning.

“And you crashed into the mailbox?” Yoongi added, smirking.

“That wasn’t my fault!” Taehyung protested. “You were supposed to hold on to the bike!”

“I did—for about five seconds,” Yoongi said, earning a laugh from Seokjin.

“You’ve always been the responsible one, yoongi ” Seokjin said, his voice warm.

Yoongi rolled his eyes. “You mean boring.”

“No,” Seokjin said, his tone more serious now. “I mean dependable. You’ve always been the one I could count on.”

Yoongi looked away, his throat tightening. The weight of Seokjin’s words settled heavily on his shoulders, but he didn’t respond.

Instead, he let himself relax, the warmth of the wine and the comfort of his brothers’ presence easing the tension that had been building in his chest all day.

For a little while, at least, he could forget.

...........................................