Chapter Text
It had been an unusually cold summer which meant that early August felt more like a day in mid-November.
The leaves of the barren trees had already started loosing their colours as they rustled against the frail window of the feeble house. A fridgid gust of wind made its way inside the rugged bedroom as Jimin walked up to the wooden chest of drawers in the corner of the small bedroom he shared with his younger brother. Much like the rest of the furniture in the house, it had seen its best days. He tugged on the first drawer a couple of times until it finally opened, and took out a light-grey woolen pullover which he placed on the bed behind him.
"Bo, come and get changed! We have to get going soon!” he yelled, hearing that familiar creaking sound as light footsteps rushed up the stairs. I should get those stairs fixed Jimin thought, adding it to his mental list of things in the house that needed an upgrade. The list had gotten quite long in the last couple of years, and seeing as his brother was small for his age, it concerned him how the stairs would yield even under the weight of his scrawny legs. He would need to move it up on his list of items to repair. It was becoming a safety hazard at this point.
Park Bojin ran through the room and plopped down on the bed, right on the clothes his big brother had laid down for him.
"Aish, you’ll get them all wrinkled up,” Jimin scolded the younger, lifting him up by his wrists from where the boy was laying like a limp fish.
"Minnie, do we really have to go? It’s so boring, all we do is stand in the cold and listen to a bunch of names being read out loud,” Bojin whined. Jimin can’t say that he disagreed with his brother - the Muster was never something he looked forward to, although his motives were quite different from those of the chocolate-eyed pup who was still unaware of the consequences of your name being called out at the draft.
"You know we have to go. Now get dressed, Halmoni wouldn’t want us to be late,” Jimin sighed, janking the pullover from under Bo and placing it in his lap.
The pup became silent, a finger plopped in his mouth. The omega had tried so hard to break his younger brother's habit of sucking on his fingers, and nowadays he mostly did it whenever he was anxious. Jimin could see Bo’s eyes were wary, although he tried his best to avert his big brother's gaze, staring down at the woolen garment laying in his lap. The air in the bedroom felt even colder than usual. Perhaps it was their brotherly bond or Jimin’s omega instincts, but he could tell something was off. Bo was… nervous? A feeling of uncertainty overpowered the room and Jimin felt himself becoming worried.
“What is it Bo?” he asked his brother carefully, stroking the soft walnut-brown hair that was hanging in front of the pup’s eyes and tucking it behind his ear. He’s due for a haircut Jimin thought in the back of his mind, another thing added to his list.
The pup's lower lip started wobbling and he sniffled quietly as he pulled the finger out of his mouth.
“Hey,” Jimin said softly, cupping his brother’s puffy cheeks, a single tear falling down his plump skin. “Why are you crying?”
Bo could barely get the words out before he was full on sobbing. “I-it’s just… the other k-kids said… They s-said that if they called your n-name at the m-m-uster, that you would l-leave me and I’d n-never see you ag-gain. J-just like Eo-mma and A-ppa,” Bo managed to get out between the sobs.
Jimin sat down on the bed next to his brother and pulled him in for a hug, kissing him on the top of his head while the younger brother continued crying. Maybe he knows more than I expected. He’s growing up too fast, he pondered while caressing his brother gently on the back.
“Bo, I’m an omega. It’s highly unlikely my name will get called at the Muster. Omegas aren’t really equipped for the sort of things they look for in Defence recruits. Omegas can help the Diligence in other ways, here in the provinces,” His brother looked up at Jimin, eyes still watery but the pup clearly more calmed.
Jimin wasn’t sure how much Bo knew about the rules of the Diligence. Maybe he had done him a disservice, trying to shield him from the reality of the world they lived in. But there was already so much hardship and pain in their day-to-day life. Jimin had tried giving his brother the best childhood he could, tried to keep him safe from the injustices and destitution his people faced. It was hard.
For the past 11 years, it had been just the two of them and their grandma. Jimin’s mother had passed away while delivering Bo and their father had been taken away by the Diligence shortly after. Jimin had been just 8 years old, so his memories of that time were hazy. At times it felt like it was all just a deranged fever-dream, but even at night when he’d see his mother’s green eyes and sweet smile and hear his father’s assuring voice, he’d wake up and find he was still living the nightmare. He had had to grow up too quickly, and it was something he didn’t wish for his brother.
“S-so you won’t get recruited?” Bo asked cautiosly.
“If I got recruited, who’d stay here and look out for you, huh?” Jimin winked and poked his brother in his side, causing the boy to squeal.
“I don’t need anyone taking care of me!” he huffed, but giggled while Jimin continued tickling him. Alpha, just like his Appa Jimin thought, although it was of course several years until Bo would present.
“Come on, put on your clothes. Halmoni is probably already waiting for us,” Jimin left his brother to get dressed and went downstairs, careful not to put too much weight on the wobbly steps. It was only his second Muster after coming of age and being eligible for the draft, and although he wasn’t as nervous as the first time, he’d be lying if he had said he hadn’t thought about the possible outcomes of today.
In the society set up by the Diligence, everyone had a role to fulfill. The armed forces of the state, also called the Defence, held a Muster, a military draft each year, to recruit new members who would be trained in keeping the peace between the different provinces and shielding them from the Ferals. That’s what they called them; the wolves who had gone rogue, given in to the most animalistic parts of themselves. A feral wolf was not only dangerous, but also inhumane. They had abandoned reason and logic, that which made them a functioning part of society. Blinded by their instincts and emotions, fights bethween ferals had resulted in gruesome bloodbaths where families of wolves killed each other without any conscience, ultimately almost resulting in the species becoming extinct. The fear of wolves dying out led to a period where the surviving alphas, betas and omegas refused to turn as a precautionary measure, and over time the generations that followed lost the ability to do so all together. Although the physical act of shifting into your wolf-form had been forgotten, many of the psychological and physiological attributes of the different wolf-signs still remained. Wolves were still capable of switching off their human side, which is why there were strict orders to be followed in the Diligence, to ensure that order was kept.
No mating was allowed, as mated wolves often acted instinctively to protect their own, without any care of consequences. Most citizens were also made to use suppressants, with an exception of Defence soldiers and those in authority positions who relied on pheromones to control and inflict fear in those subordinate to them.
The Defence was the military organization in charge of overseeing that the rules and regulations were being obliged. Recruits were selected each year by the Diligence to go through military training. Recruit was perhaps the wrong word - once you were chosen to take part in the Defence, you had to say your goodbyes to your family, pack your bags and leave for the training camps the very same night. Because of their biological nature, mostly alphas and betas were recruited. Jimin had never witnessed an omega being drafted, although it didn’t mean Defence officers who patrolled the streets of the tiny village in Province I ever missed an opportunity to remind the common folk that no one was exempt from service, no matter what your wolf sign. Nonetheless, omegas were typically more suited for the labour in the provinces, in jobs like farming or working in the factories which provided the towns with all things needed to keep the wheels of their society turning. Another reason was the fact that omegas could birth pups. It didn't make much sense for the Diligence to send a bunch of fertile wolves off to training camps and even war, especially when they could serve the republic by giving birth to new potential members of their Defence.
Either way, omegas ranked low in the hierarchy of the Diligence - they were seen as weak and submissive, and being an infertile omega was even worse. Jimin had witnessed how infertile omegas in his village had been unable to find themselves a companion and would resort to working in the brothels that were commonly visited by higher-ups, officers and soldiers. Although mating was strictly prohibited, the Diligence did allow what was referred to as ”’companionship'', if there was significant proof that the pair would provide the state with new pups. It was a cruel tactic of manipulation - spending each day with your destined mate, even being attached through the ties of family but being unable to fully form the bond between the person you love and yourself.
Not all companionships were like that, of course. At times it was purely a breeding business arrangement, a loveless partnership, the sole purpose being reproduction. Honestly, Jimin didn’t know which alternative was worse, but so far he’d been relieved that he hadn’t ever come across anyone whom he had a strong desire to mate with, nor had anyone expressed interest in him as a companion. Even Hoseok, the only alpha in his life, was more like a family member to him, though they had joked one night when a little too drunk on some of the soju Hobi had been able to smuggle from the warehouse he worked at, that they’d form a companionship if, by the time they were in the right age to start conceiving, they were both still unclaimed.
Sometimes the people recruited at the Muster would come back to their village - after a year or two, they’d return and work at one of the higher, administrative positions in the provinces. They were always different - colder, more authoritarian, and they never spoke about their time with the Defence. The more skillful recruits became soldiers to the Defence and some, like Jimin’s father, would just disappear, never to be seen again. Nobody really questioned why, and although Jimin knew that working at the provinces was strenuous, he also knew that being drafted by the Defence was worse.
So when he had presented as an omega at the age of sixteen, he and his grandmother had been relieved, not only because it would mean that the chances of being drafted by the Defence were slimmer, but also because up until that point, it had been unclear what Jimin would present as. Some pups showed indications of their wolf sign early on, but Jimin had always been a question mark to his grandma. He was sweet and caring but also had a mean side and wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion. He was stubborn, a diligent worker with a fantastic fighting spirit. He was emphatic, but could also hurt you with his sharp tongue, especially when it came to the people he cared about.
Like Bo. His little brother was his world, and Jimin was Bo’s. Jimin had come to accept that his life as an omega would be simple and his existence was, except for the fact that he could bear children, insignificant to the forces of the Diligence. It didn’t bother him though, on the contrary. He was happy as long as he could stay in his village to take care of his brother and his aging grandmother. He had already lost his parents - he couldn’t lose the only family he had left.
✦
The market square was already packed with people from the town when Jimin and Bo arrived, just ten minutes before the Muster was about to start. Jimin spotted his grandmother's grey hair peeking out behind the muted yellow scarf she had wrapped around her hair. She was standing at the outer edge of the town square, selling some dried fruits and nuts to a family from her stand. Kim Haesook’s eyesight had gotten progressively worse in the past few months, but she’d recognize her grandson’s fluffy golden brown hair and toothy grin anywhere, and she gave him a sweet smile before averting her attention back to the family who was buying her products.
“Hobi!” Jimin heard Bo shriek and saw his little brother dart towards the ginger-headed Alpha. Hoseok greeted the young boy with a warm hug before they both turned around to face Jimin. Hoseok gave Jimin a hug as well, leading Bo to be squashed in between the two older boys.
“How are you feeling? Are you nervous?” Jimin asked his friend who was looking up at the podium where the Muster ceremony would soon take place.
“Nah, I did terrible in my last physical exam. I’m not cut out to be a recruit,” he said jokingly.
“You’re too happy Hobi. Soldiers aren’t supposed to be happy,” Bo said confidently, taking the man’s hand.
“You’re right, Bo. Soldiers usually aren’t happy and we all know that Hobi is a ray of sunshine,” Jimin agreed, ruffling his brother’s fluffy hair.
It was true - in the small village in Province I where smiles were scarce, Hoseok was an anomaly. He had radiated warmth and joy ever since he first introduced himself to Jimin at school years back. The omega had just migrated to the province with his grandmother and newborn baby brother - it was a time which was mostly filled with painful memories of losing both his parents, but in the midst of the darkness there had been bright flashes of light breaking through. It had been Hoseok who had saved Jimin from succumbing to his deepest, most troubling thoughts. He had a comforting aura around him which never failed to make the omega feel at ease and in many ways, the alpha had saved Jimin in his most dire time of need, when he was too young to understand how the loss of his parents really had affected him.
The ceremony was starting, but instead of listening to the Defence soldier go on about the traditions of the Diligence, reminding the villagers of the meaning behind the state’s motto Diligence Vanquishes Hard Luck and how every alpha, beta and omega had "a duty to fulfill”, Jimin's eyes wandered to look at the young boys and girls crowded around the podium. They were his age, but somehow they looked so young. In many ways, Jimin felt much older than his peers, perhaps because he had been the main breadwinner of his family ever since he presented three years ago.
The draft process was based on annual physical and psychological tests that all citizens between the ages of 16 and 35 had to take. Based on the results, the Defence picked out the strongest and brightest to become recruits, but other positions and jobs in the provinces were also delegated based on the test results, so doing poorly was just as bad as doing well. At 16, Jimin had been placed to work in the agricultural section of his town, helping out with farming and food distribution, which is where he had worked ever since. It was hard labour with long hours, but he got to put his hands to good use, which suited the omega who liked feeling productive. Going to work and helping out the wolves in his town gave him a purpose which was something that kept him going, even when times were hard and they had more expenses than income and Jimin had to skip meals to make sure his grandmother and brother had enough to stay full.
It also gave him less time to be burdened by the heavy baggage that always seemed to follow him, no matter how hard he tried not to let the memories of a time when he’d still had parents haunt him. During the day, he’d usually be fine, too busy with work or taking care of his family, but every night as he laid in bed the memories would always seep into his thoughts like poison.
Jimin often wondered whether it would get better eventually. Deep down he knew he’d never stop missing them.
The omega was so succumbed to his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed the draft had already begun. Suddenly, he felt someone shake his shoulder gently, awakening him from his reverie.
“Huh?” he hummed as he was met by both Hoseok and Bo, their eyes wide. There was worry written all over their faces. “What is it?” he asked again, gaze proning in on Hoseok who was visibly shaking. He could see the alpha was trying to find words, but all that came out of his mouth was a strangled sound. “What’s wrong Hobi?” Jimin continued, the waves of anxiety beginning to wash over him.
It was quiet - it seemed as if the whole town was watching them, holding their breaths, and just as Jimin was about to shake his friend to tell him what the hell was wrong, Hoseok finally collected himself enough to answer the omega’s question.
“They called your name Jimin,” he answered, sounding out of breath. What is he talking about? the omega thought, because none of what the alpha was saying made any sense to him.
“Who did?” he asked, still confused. Hoseok’s worried gaze turned to the podium and the Defence soldier who was staring intently at them, waiting for the called recruit to join him at the stage.
Oh. They called my name.
Jimin looked down at Bo standing between them, still holding Hobi’s hand. He stared at it for a while, frozen in place. He could feel more and more villagers turning around to look at him, their hushed whispers sounding like sharp white noise in his ears.
It can’t be.
Omega.
What do they want from him?
Poor boy.
Jimin’s own head was filled with similar thoughts.
No.
This isn’t suppose to happen.
I’m an omega.
I don’t understand.
Why would they call me?
I can’t leave.
I can’t leave Bo.
Jimin could feel his throat getting dry as he processed the words that had just come out of his best friend’s mouth. He locked eyes with his grandmother, who was staring at him with tears in her eyes, a hand clasping her mouth in shock. Jimin looked back between Bo and Haesook a couple of times. He was standing there, between the two people that meant everything to him. The woman who had practically raised him and the little boy who he was supposed to look out for, protect. How can I do that now? I can’t leave Bo.
Haesook seemed to understand the thoughts rushing into her eldest grandson’s head. Quickly, she removed her hand which was covering her startled expression, and nodded carefully, mouthing to him: “It will be okay.” Jimin felt a slight shiver of relief travel across his chest, desperate to find comfort in his grandmother's eyes. It was a fleeting feeling of ease, as he was reminded of the presence of his younger brother, who was tugging Jimin by his sleeve.
“B-but I thought you said-” Bo stuttered with a worried look, Jimin being quick to cut him off. He gently stroked his brother on the cheek and gave him a reassuring smile.
“Stay here with Hobi, okay? I need to go up front to the podium, but I’ll come back. You’ll see me later today, you understand Bo?” he asked the pup who nodded in return, grabbing tighter onto Hoseok. Jimin gave Hoseok a light pat on the shoulder and turned around to walk to the podium.
As he walked through the crowd, he was met by an ocean of stares. Some looked pleased, relieved it wasn’t them who was being called out. Others looked confused and even frightened. They were probably just as stunned as Jimin about an omega being recruited. It was almost unheard of, closer to a myth whispered around campfires or a cautionary tale told to pups to scare them when they were being disobedient.
Jimin took a couple of wobbly steps up to the podium where he was met by the Defence soldier holding out an ink pen. He seemed annoyed, probably at the fact that it had taken so long for the omega to come up after being called. When Jimin looked into his eyes he found not a single trace of sympathy.
“Sign here,” the soldier said in a stern voice.
The document was filled with text, the letters so small you'd have to squint your eyes to see any distictive words, but it was clear to Jimin that he wasn’t supposed to read any of it. There was no time for that. No need for it actually, because the omega knew he was signing his life away. But what other choice did he have? If he refused, he’d face punishment, maybe even death.
It had happened before - frantic betas and even alphas, refusing to go with the Defence forces, being dragged away by the soldiers of the Diligence. Sometimes they’d be sent off somewhere to serve out their sentence, but other times, the soldiers would just take them out back behind a corner and get the job done. They’d usually leave the corpses behind them when they left, a reminder of the power the Diligence had over its people. It was ruthless; a simple shot to the head to end a life. At least then the families could have proper burials.
With a shaky hand, Jimin signed and handed back the pen. He wanted to look up and find Bo and Hobi in the crowd, but before he got the chance, he was already escorted to one of the tents the Defence soldiers had set up next to the market square when they arrived early at dawn.
That was it. He had signed his name.
He was officially a recruit of the Defence. Jimin pushed back the tears that were starting to sting in his eyes.
You’ve been strong your whole life, Jimin.
You have to be strong now.
✦
The whole day went by in a haze.
Jimin hadn’t been able to focus on much and had missed most of the things the instructing soldiers of the Defence had told him. It had been hours of sitting next to the five other recruits, being told about what was expected of them and where they’d be taken. All he could do was stare and nod every now and then - in actuality, his mind was with his little brother and grandma, thinking of all the things he had to do during the hour he had at home to pack his things before they were set to leave with the other recruits. The omega had barely had any time to organize his thoughts or even make sense of the situation. So when he finally arrived at his family’s modest house after having been driven there by one of the Defence trucks with the promise of being back in an hour, he wasted no time and rushed inside.
He thought he'd be met by a crying Bo or a frantic grandmother, but instead, he bumped into Hoseok, whose faint scent of turmeric and honey peaked through his scent blockers. Jimin was desperate for any sort of comfort, so even the slightest whiff of the alpha’s fragrance felt like a warm and desperate hug, mixing with his own scent of lavender and dew.
“Jimin,” is all Hoseok could croak out, his eyes brimmed red.
“Where’s Bo? I need to talk to him. I need to see him, I promised him. I promised I’d see him and -“ Jimin’s words were becoming more distraught as his gaze wandered around the bleak living room, trying to locate the boy.
“It’s ok, he’s with your Halmoni. You’ll get to see him. But he can’t see you like this Jimin. It’ll break him,” Hoseok sighed, still holding onto the omega by his shoulders, keeping him locked in place.
Jimin took a few deep breaths. Hoseok was right. He needed to be strong for Bo. He couldn’t let his brother see how scared he was. He needed Bo to feel hopeful.
“I started packing some stuff for you, but it’s probably a good idea that you look through it as well, to see if there’s anything I’ve forgotten,” Hoseok said, leading Jimin by the wrist to the small moss-green sofa where he had placed a bag. Jimin just nodded and sat down while Hobi went through the contents of the bag piece by piece, lifting an item up every once in a while to ask whether it was something the omega thought he would need.
“It’s all fine. Thank you,” Jimin finally said when they’d gotten through everything Hobi had packed for him.
“And how are you, Jimin?” Hoseok asked carefully, his face full of concern. Normally, Jimin would put on a brave face, but seeing as it was only the two of them and his grandma and brother were still upstairs, he knew he could be honest, needed to be if he was ever going to get through saying goodbye to his little brother without completely breaking down in front of him.
“I don’t know,” he answered truthfully, shaking his head. “I’m scared.”
“Yeah, so am I,” Hoseok said, kneeling in front of his friend who was sitting on the sofa, staring at his hands. “but, I’ll look after them. I promise. I don’t know what will happen but I promise I’ll be here for them. I know you’ll be sick with worry, but when you go and you get to the training center - you need to only worry about yourself. You need to do your best to stay safe and do what they say because if you don’t then- “ Hoseok was struggling to find the right words, but they both knew what he was trying to say. If I don’t I’ll be as good as dead and I’ll never see you again.
Jimin looked up and put his hands in Hoseok’s.
“I promise I’ll do my best,” he said, and Hoseok immediately broke down in Jimin’s arms.
“You’re the bravest person I know,” he managed to let out in between the sobs. They stayed like that for a while, until Hoseok had calmed down and they were interrupted by Jimin’s grandmother who quietly entered the room.
“Hoseok dear, would you go and watch over Bojin while I talk to my grandson?” Kim Haesook asked politely.
Hoseok patted Jimin on the back a couple of times, bowed to Kim Haesook and walked up the creaky stairs that lead to Bojin’s bedroom. Jimin scooted over on the small couch, making room for his grandmother. She sat down slowly, huffing a little bit because of her bad back and it just made Jimin feel a hundred times worse. His head hung low knowing he wouldn’t be around to help her anymore. As soon as Haesook was seated she immediately lifted Jimin’s face up by his chin, staring into his muddy-green eyes which looked so similar to those of her late daughter-in-law.
“When did you grow up to be such a fine young man?” she said sadly, yet smiling. “You remind me so much of your mother.”
It was something his grandmother would always say. There were many things Jimin couldn’t remember about his parents, so every now and then he'd ask his grandmother about what they were like. She’d answer most of his questions, but there were things he knew she kept hidden - whenever he came close to asking about any of those forbidden topics, she’d change the subject or find a more urgent matter to tend to. Jimin understood why, though; much like how he was with Bo, Jimin suspected his grandma did it to protect him.
Haesook kept petting her grandson’s hair, looking at his face as if she was trying to remember every last detail which made him who he was.
"Have I ever told you how your parents met?” she asked. It felt more like a rhetorical question, because they both knew it was one of those topics they didn’t touch on. Jimin shook his head, waiting for her to continue. Haesook hummed, taking both of her grandson’s hands in hers.
Since it had been one of the questions his grandmother had avoided, Jimin had guessed it wasn't your typical story of finding a suitable companion and starting a family. He was too young to know about reproduction and mating when he’d lost his parents, but he knew his parents had loved each other, that they'd chosen each other because there was geuine love between the two. Whenever he thought back to his childhood, despite not having much when it came to earthly possessions, his home had always been full of laughter and cuddles and stolen kisses he saw his parents share when they thought Jimin was asleep. But even he wasn’t prepared for what Haesook said next.
"Your mother and father met at a training camp for the Defence. Your mother was a recruit and your father was the sergeant in charge of training her team.”
Jimin felt his jaw drop, and he muttered a shocked what. Haesook continued, and it became clear to Jimin that she felt the need to tell the story now, before he was gone and it was too late. There was no time for processing the information, so Jimin too saved all the thoughts and questions he had and focused on listening to his grandmother's every word with caution.
"Your grandfather came from a long line of alphas, well respected in Province B.”
Province B? Jimin had moved between provinces when he was younger; he spent his formative years in Province D, and he had always assumed all of his relatives grew up in that province as well, as there had never been any mention of anything else. Then again, he hadn’t ever met any other relatives - for as long as he remembered, it had just been him, his parents and his grandmother. Then, right after the birth of his brother and the passing of his mother, his grandmother had taken them to Province I, where they had stayed ever since.
But Province B had never been mentioned before - and neither had Jimin’s grandfather.
"When we had Hajun and he presented as an alpha, it was clear that he should continue the family tradition of joining the Defence, there was no question about it. He did well for himself as a recruit and moved his way up in the ranks. The contacts he had helped him of course, but your father was also a great leader - trustworthy, hard-working. Like you,” she said, caressing Jimin’s cheek. "Then he met Jiwoo.”
Jimin saw his mother’s face in front of him, trying to picture her as a recruit of the Defence. It was an image so different from the one he remembered of her - his mother who spoke to him in hushed whispers and lulled him to sleep with her sweet song.
"She was the only omega in the first ever recruit team he was given to train and she drove him absolutely crazy,” Haesook chuckled. "I remember he came home for a visit one day a couple of months into the training camp and all he did was talk about her. How stubborn she was, how she wouldn’t stop questioning the people above her rank, how she kept defending even the weakest recruits which ultimately led to herself getting in trouble. Reminds me of another stubborn omega I know.” Haesook said, smirking. Jimin felt his chest getting tense and his grip on his grandmother’s hand tightened.
"I knew he was smitten right away. A couple of months later, he tells us Jiwoo is pregnant. Hajun was immediately making plans to get them out of the training camp. Had it not been for your grandfather’s high status as a ranking officer, it would have been a big scandal. I don’t even want to think of what would've happened to them. Your grandfather was furious of course, but he promised to help them get out if they agreed to never contact him again. He was ready to cut off ties with his only son and his grandson to save his reputation and I… I couldn’t do it.” Haesook’s face dropped, the memory clearly painful. "So I went with them to Province D. We had nothing when we came there, but when you were born… I knew I had made the right decision.”
Jimin was speechless. All his life he had wondered about the history of his family, not knowing it had been so complicated. It was a lot to process, yet he felt like there had to be a specific reason why his grandmother had decided to reveal this information now. Almost like she could sense what he was thinking, Haesook let go of one of her hands and cupped Jimin’s face with it.
"Listen to me carefully Jimin. You’ve always had a talent of finding good people. Continue finding them and keep them close. That’s how your parents made it out of there - they found each other and they held on tightly," Haesook’s words were frantic and there was a desperation to them, like they needed to be said before it was too late. "You’re a manifestation of all of their good attributes. And you’re much stronger than you think. I know it’s hard to believe when all you hear is how your wolf sign makes you weak, subordinate. Less than. But you have to know it’s not true. It’s been my biggest worry ever since you presented as an omega - that you’d believe it. But you’ve shown me time and time again that you’re much more than just a representation of who people assume you are.” By now, Haesook was staring intensely into Jimin’s eyes, her own wild. "Never let them make you believe anything less, Jimin. Don’t forget who you are.”
Jimin gulped. His hands had gone numb by now from the tight grip he’d had on his grandmother. He let out a shaky breath.
”I won’t.”
Haesook’s expression softened, and she let out a relieved sigh.
"My good boy. Now you should go to Bo before they come and get you. He’ll miss you but he will be fine. He’s strong - just like his brother.”
Haesook was right. Jimin had lost track of the time. If he had to guess, he'd say he had less than 15 minutes left until his hour was up. There was a lot to process in what his grandmother had just revealed, but there wasn’t any time for that now. The omega hugged his grandmother before following Hoseok’s tracks up the creaky steps to the room he shared with his brother. He knocked on the door, and as if Bojin could sense his presence, the pup fluttered his sleepy eyes open. It made Jimin coo.
"My baby Bo,” he said while walking towards the bed and climbing in under the covers. Hoseok, who had been sitting in the chair in the back corner of the room, quietly stood up and walked out of the room, giving the brothers some privacy.
"You’re back,” Bo said in a small voice, gripping Jimin's shirt.
"I told you I would be, didn’t I?” Jimin answered softly, booping his brother's tiny nose.
I wish we had more time.
"But I have to go again, soon. And I won’t be back for a while.”
If ever.
"For how long Minnie?” Bo asked curiously. This was the hard part - answering those questions Jimin had avoided for so long in an attempt to shield his brother from the unforgiving truth.
"I don’t know. But I’ll try my best to do everything in my power to come back to you.”
That’s not a lie, at least. I’ll do anything I can. I have to do everything I can.
Bo just nodded in response. Jimin could see Hoseok peeking out of the doorway, and he knew his time was almost up. He needed to say goodbye. He could feel the lump in his throat grow larger.
"I know I’m asking too much of you, but you need to keep your head high. I can’t promise you that it will always be easy, but you have Halmoni and Hobi. And you have me. I may not be here with you but know I’m always thinking of you.”
Jimin was trying his hardest not to break down then and there - it wasn’t the last thing he wanted his brother to remember from him, so instead, he put on the most brilliant smile he could muster. It seemed to work, because for just a second, he could swear that he saw the corners of Bo’s mouth turn up. He didn’t have time to check to make sure because Bo was already in his arms, hugging him tightly.
When did he get so strong? Jimin thought while holding the pup and whispering quiet I love you ’s in his ear.
"I love you too, Jimin. Please come back soon,” Bo said, his voice muffled by the Jimins shirt, the pup hugging his older brother as if his life depended on it.
"I’ll try. Now you should sleep - it’s already past your bedtime. You know you can’t be a big and strong wolf if you don’t sleep,” Bo must’ve been tired because as if on command, he let out a deep yawn and burrowed deeper into the pillow, already making Jimin’s heart ache with longing.
"Hobi-hyung will stay with you,” was the last thing he said before kissing the top of his brother's chestnut brown hair and letting Hoseok take his place in the bed.
"Take good care of him,” he turned to say to Hobi, placing his hand on the alpha’s shoulder.
"I’ll care for him as if he was my own brother, you know that,” Hoseok simply replied.
There was no need for any other words. Both Hoseok and Jimin knew this might be the final time they saw each other, and anything they may have wanted to say to each other they already knew to be true in their hearts. So Jimin turned around and left his younger brother in the care of the family he had chosen for himself.
When he got downstairs, his grandmother was standing by his packed bag, holding his coat. He walked up to her and let her slip it on him. She patted down the coat aggressively, making sure there were no wrinkles or creases on it. When he turned around, his grandmother took his face in her hands and kissed him on the cheek. For the first time he could see her eyes glossy, clearly holding back tears.
"Good luck Jimin. Remember what I told you.” Her lips were twitching but Haesook was strong, never breaking her reassuring smile.
Just a little while longer. Just be strong a little while longer.
"I love you.”
With those words, Jimin saw the lights of the pick-up truck reflect through the window.
“Love you too,” the omega replied with a shaky voice as he picked up his bag, turned around and walked out the door, his grandmother watching him intently as he made his way to the truck which was waiting for him, headlights illuminating nothing but the gravel road which ran by their house.
He decided on not looking back - he didn’t want his strong exterior crumbling down now, not while his grandmother could still see him. He jumped up on the cargo bed where the other four recruits were already sitting, nervously shifting and shivering due to the cold breeze. Jimin closed his eyes as the truck started moving. It was dead quiet, nothing but the sound of the harsch wind blowing in the trees, their branches hitting the windows of the houses they passed as they made their way out of the village.
Jimin felt his cheeks get wet from the stream of tears running down his face, soaking him to the bone.