ALWAYS

XLIX

He sat on an armchair by the end of their bed. Resting his face on his palm, he gazed on his sleeping wife with a clear pained expression on his face. He closed his eyes as he let out a sigh, he buried his face on his hands for a while before one of his hands came to run his fingers through his hair.

"How's everything?" Chanyeol asked in a gentle tone, speaking the way he had spoken to his younger brother before... yet instead of feeling warm and happy about it the way Jungkook had felt listening to it before, his stomach turned as if sickened by the sound of it.

Jungkook's brow arched up, his hands curled into a fist on his knees as he kept his gaze away from his brother.

"Everything was doing fine until you came back." He replied with a hard cold tone.

Chanyeol sighed and momentarily closed his eyes before he gazed on his younger brother. A grim blank line formed on his lips and his eyes fluttered in sadness upon seeing a stranger in his brother. Jungkook had grown distant, impassive and it was all because of him. His heart pricked in so much pain as he continuously looked at his younger brother, and with that, his gaze fell on the cemented ground.

"And here I thought leaving was the most stupid thing I've done to you..." Chanyeol mumbled sarcastically. He knew he shouldn't be acting like that, but he wanted to see some emotions from Jungkook... that it was better to receive a punch or a good beating from him than his excruciating silence.

Jungkook's head snapped towards him as his eyes held a stunned expression and gaze was piercing through him.

"Why did you come back?" Jungkook asked in a sharp tone.

Chanyeol's jaw clenched... creases slowly formed on his forehead as he watched how anger completely filled his brother... his loving, warm and dependent brother had gone completely cold. And never had he wanted to cry not until he saw Jungkook's state.

"I'm sorry..." Chanyeol whispered in a wounded tone.

Jungkook flinched from his brother's words... that even though he had expected those words from Chanyeol, he couldn't help but to feel the painful tug in his guts... scalding, tempting his self-control, and wanted to answer his brother's apology with a hard punch on his face. But he won't... he was not worth the effort.

Jungkook's lips curved out a bitter smile... mocking his brother's apology, showing Chanyeol as if his words were off a joke even though deep inside it was tearing him inside. His apology was so hurtful, as if it was more like a slap on his face rather than to soothe him. The words that were supposed to mend the broken ties between them were offending. It wasn't enough. Can't Chanyeol see that...? Not a simple apology could take away everything... could change everything that happened...

Yet...

Jungkook's eyes blinked as he watched the remorseful expression on his brother's face.

Where was all this hate coming from..? Jungkook couldn't help but be confused. Did he really want for everything not to go the way it went..? That included meeting Rosé... If his brother hadn't left... if Chanyeol stayed and complied with every responsibility his parents had wanted him to do...