Chapter 5: 2.3
"What-" Seokjin dropped his spoon when he heard a loud scream from the bedroom. He turned off the stove and sprinted to the boys' room in record time. He had woken up first and left the boys to sleep, he wasn't a morning person but he could wake up early if he wanted to.
He entered the room, still wrapped with his dark green apron, "What's wrong?!" he shouted, the view before him made his heart sank. He saw Jungkook hugging his bunny tightly; ears folded down and trembling while Taehyung clawed at his own face as tears streamed down his face.
"Taehyung," he called. The boy flinched, backing away from him until his small back hit the baby blue wall, "Hey, buddy, it's me," Seokjin whispered softly, the boy shook his head and whimpered.
" No , forgive me forgive me forgive me, " the scene before his eyes made Seokjin remember his childhood memories, the dark past he didn't want to recall at any cost.
He eyed Taehyung's bed. There was a wet spot, drenched with the boy's pee.
So that was why.
The young boy chanted the words again and again like a broken record, he didn't stop or even listen to the older man, his sharp eyes dulled with fear.
Seokjin walked towards him as slow as possible and he took the boy's hand gently. Taehyung thrashed around, scared of him; his claws hurt Seokjin but the man's hands were firm on the boy's wrist to prevent any damage to his face.
The tiger hybrid stopped when Seokjin hissed in pain, the blood trickling down his hand; it was warm when the red liquid dripped to Taehyung's bare thighs.
The boy's body was shaking side to side. Chewing his inner cheek, Seokjin searched his damp eyes. Taehyung's tail was tucked in between his trembling legs. He had just wet his bed nothing serious but the little boy looked so scared.
Taehyung didn't dare to meet his eyes, Seokjin knew his face was ugly with guilt and fear, "It's okay," Seokjin assured him, still holding the smaller boy's hands, "let's clean it together, okay?" the older man waited until Taehyung nodded.
Seokjin took out the first aid kit first before anything else. Jungkook stayed behind him, his small hands gripping his shirt, several times stealing glances at Taehyung, who kept his head bowed.
The older hybrid cleaned Taehyung's wounds one by one; they weren't as bad as he had thought, there were just two scratches on his left cheek and one long scratch on his right cheek; from under the boy's eyes to his chin.
The wounds on Seokjin's hands were worse because they were deeper than Taehyung's wounds.
The man didn't care about his bloody hands, the tiger boy was his priority; in fact, he was used to deep cut like this, so he had no worries.
Taehyung felt excruciating pain, he felt awful for hurting Seokjin like this. The older hybrid put cute bandages on him, hoping it would brighten up the young boy.
"I-I'm sorry," Taehyung's mouth was set in a hard line. He pressed his lips together, still expecting some beatings but what he got was a gentle caress on his cheeks. He raised his head slowly, still afraid but with Seokjin's gentle touch he met the black-haired man's doe eyes.
Seokjin faced him with a serious expression, " Never ," his jaw clenched but it didn't scare Taehyung away, "never hurt yourself like that again, understand? It's a small problem, we can clean it together. No need to punish yourself like this," he pleaded, his tone changing half-way through the sentence. Taehyung´s frightened face shifted to glassy, he whimpered and jumped into Seokjin's arms.
The older man kissed the top of his head, Taehyung's ears twitched in happiness and his tail wagged side to side.
Jungkook whined, his ears flattened on his head, the little bunny buried his face to Seokjin's nape. The little bunny felt useless because he couldn't do anything when his older brother snapped.
He didn't understand. All he knew was that Taehyung pushed him away and shouted words he had never heard before, so he sorted out his messy mind and with trembling hands, he opened the first aid kit again.
He inspected Seokjin's wound and with a swift move he stood between Taehyung and Seokjin. He grabbed Seokjin's hand, his small fingers tight on the older man's wrist.
Both Taehyung and Seokjin eyed him curiously as the youngest boy pulled rolled bandage; his doe-like eyes glistened but his face was firm, he wrapped the white cloth sloppily on Seokjin's dried wounds.
Taehyung gasped when he realized what his little brother intended to do and helped him. It didn't cover all the wounds but Seokjin chose to leave it just the way it was (the blood had already stopped, it would heal itself).
He took both of the kids to the bathroom after they remove the bed sheet and dipped the mats in soapy water.
Pain shot through his open wounds because of the chemicals inside the soap but all he could think of was the fact that Taehyung 'expected' a beating from him after he wet his bed.
He left them when he was sure Taehyung could dry his and Jungkook's hair.
Maybe he needed to look at all the files about the kids' place before his grandfather took them. I'll do it later after I fix up some problems like my new jobs and the nursery school.
"Taetae! Kookie!" he called from the kitchen, "come here and eat your breakfast," he shouted.
Taehyung and Jungkook raced to the kitchen, climbing up to their seat and staring at the food like a beast.
Seokjin chuckled and poured milk for them; Jungkook eyed his coffee with puppy eyes but of course, Seokjin didn't give it to him.
After the breakfast they went to the train station, and they all waited for the train patiently.
"Listen," he adjusted Jungkook's pink hoodie, the boy didn't like it but Seokjin loved it, "the nursery school you're going to today is only temporary deal."
"Temporary?" Taehyung tilted his head, hands holding his own bag.
"Only until we find a place that lets both of you officially attend," Seokjin put Jungkook down.
Taehyung frown became deeper, "what's 'officially' ? Ngh---!" the boys shut their eyes when the train passed before them; their hair became messy.
Seokjin bent down to fix their hair, "it means like, ' for real '-" his face became a deep shade of red when Taehyung and Jungkook replied by fixing his own hair.
The train was full. Seokjin would have to make sure to use another mode of transportation or wake up earlier if they needed to use the train if he didn't want the boys to suffocate.
Seokjin ran to the daycare when he saw his watch, he will be late for his work. When he arrived at the daycare, he can feel the atmosphere bounced back when he stepped in. Totally different with his life, something he had never cared before; something the 'yesterday him' would never think to touch.
"Please take good care of them," he bowed to the teacher that eyed him like he was a full course meal. Jungkook and Taehyung clenched their fists, holding back, trying not to cry or tug at Seokjin's sleeves to stay.
"Of course, we will take good care of them," the teacher smiled brightly to him.
"Shit- I'm late-" Seokjin mumbled as he fixed his coat, giving a last glance to the kids. Taehyung and Jungkook eyed him with their teary eyes, he froze, "aw come on," he cooed, "don't look at me with those eyes…" you know I'm weak for that.
He ran to their side, "I won't be able to make it back while it's still light out," he ruffled Taehyung's brown hair and Jungkook's raven hair, "but I will come back to both of you as fast as I can."
Jungkook walked closer, "Promise? Promise you will be back to us?" Seokjin smiled at him, entwining their pinky fingers together; Taehyung also joined them.
Pinky swear if I lie; I swear to eat spicy food until my stomach gives up.
They giggled, after giving Seokjin one last hug they bid their goodbye, "well then, wait for me; Taehyung-ah, Jungkook-ah ."
The boys kept waving until Seokjin's broad shoulders disappeared from their sight.
Seokjin felt bad for those wonderful kids to get tangled in his family's sickening problems. They had nothing to do with the power of their family, about the leader position or the corrupted adults back then in the family gathering.
The black haired hybrid wanted to give them a safe sanctuary, he wanted them to have a happy and normal life outside the complicated business world. Where everything is innocent, without bloodshed or swearing.
He will try his best to make it come true, he will not let Taehyung and Jungkook be left behind in this lonely reality.
Did they think he will leave them behind?
They gazed at him as he was going to leave them behind in the daycare forever. He couldn't blame them because they just lost their only family, his grandpa.
'I'm sorry, I will never let that happen again, ' he will say to them later in the night.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone