Day 860

The night sky is a curse right about now. Jimin blows warm air on his freezing hands as he navigates the halls of the school. Namjoon left him be, and no one else is in his path now. It seems as though the only thing between Jimin and his visitor is the walk to the front gates. And that's both a terrifying and exciting thought.

Jimin would be lying if he said he isn't excited. The 'visitor' is very obviously Jihyun. Who else would it be? So there's Jimin's confirmation that Jihyun survived the attack, and the odds are a lot of the Ranglers did too. But that's also bad news if Jihyun decides not to give up on his foolish quest to conquest others. Jimin prays his little brother learned his lesson by now, but anything's possible.

He goes to the front and sees the grass. The gates are in sight, but Jihyun isn't there. Instead, he's already inside, sitting at one of the picnic tables and keeping his hands folded together on the wood. Jimin goes to his right, to the table Jihyun's sitting at, and sits across from him without a word. His eyes remain ahead of him, Jimin on the other hand keeping his gaze on Jihyun. No eye contact is made, and no one speaks for several moments. That is until Jihyun raises his voice.

"The flamethrowers worked. The Howlers were fast and took out a lot of my men, but the flames did work eventually. We've been studying Howler blood, and after we mixed it with your boy's blood, we got this." Jihyun reaches into his jacket's pocket, Jimin tensing on instinct. Jihyun frowns at the sight, then places a tiny glass jar on the table.

"And this is?"

"A prototype of a cure."

Right away, Jimin's skin goes a shade lighter than before, Jihyun sliding it over to Jimin's side. He picks it up, observing the golden liquid awaiting him. It looks like any other medicine he's seen before. Like those gross liquids his parents gave him when he was a kid. Although it makes him mentally grimace, physically, he sets it down and slides it back over to Jihyun's side. However, the man only pushes it right back.

"What are you doing?" Jimin asks, Jihyun tugging on the sleeves of his jacket before answering.

"It's yours. Have your scientist friend look at it, study it. See if it's right. It's not foolproof as far as I'm aware, it's still a prototype and not guaranteed to work, but it's close. Close enough that a new era of the apocalypse can happen. The era where we fight back and start human life again. The zombie pandemic can stop, and we can live again."

Jimin rubs his fingers together, then takes the glass and decides that keeping it is much smarter than deciding not to trust Jihyun. He has reason to lie, sure. He could be pissed about the whole siege, and he'd have every right to be. Only Jimin has a scientist, and none of them have to take the prototype if they don't want to. Jimin sees this as a token. A symbol. A symbol of peace.

"Do you... do you know how Ves is immune?" Jimin asks, Jihyun sighing.

"It's complicated. We have a theory. Being immune doesn't just happen. So he wasn't born with it. Our working theory is that he developed it over time. You know how we're all infected no matter what since the infection is airborne?" Jimin nods. "It's possible other people are immune, we just haven't seen it yet since we think it's a death sentence when we're bit. So we either chop it off or kill ourselves. But there's a chance our immune systems develop a means to fight it. Like Ves's body did."

"Wait, so other people can develop the immunity?"

"It's possible, yes. We believe him being young is a factor too. The apocalypse started over 2 years ago, so he was even younger then. We're taking our youth's blood and seeing if that has anything to do with it. You should have your scientist look into other young people too, if you have any."

"We do. We have another Ves's age. I'll have him look into it. Thank you for sharing, for whatever it's worth." Jimin pauses, hesitating to ask the next part. "You think it's possible other countries are okay?" Jimin asks, keeping his voice quiet. "It's not like we have the news anymore. It's been a long time, and no one's come for us, but maybe that's because they want to contain the virus. Do you think it's possible there's human life thriving somewhere? Somewhere the zombies don't exist?"

"Sounds like a fairytale," Jihyun replies, Jimin somberly nodding. After a beat, Jihyun leans forward and places his hand on top of Jimin's. "But that doesn't mean it can't be true."

Jimin meets his eyes, softly smiling and humming in agreement. The two are unsure what to say after that, Jimin flickering his eyes between the prototype cure and his little brother. It's funny, isn't it? He's holding possibly the future of humanity in his baby hand, yet all he can think of is how his brother is in front of him. The man who's been such a big influence on his life. Jihyun's so close yet so far away from him. It's as sad as it is joyous.

"I'm not here to ask you back. Or to take anyone. Or to make any threats."

"You're not here to give me this cure. You could've just slid it under our gate for us to notice. So why are you really here?" Jimin asks, leaning forward by almost an unnoticeable amount.

"I'm sorry," he says, and Jimin freezes up at the two words. Two words that have his heart in shambles, his mind torn in a terrible dilemma. "I know sorry doesn't make up for what I've done, but maybe it's a start."

"Jungkook's dead."

Jimin couldn't resist saying that, and Jihyun's face falls right away. "Oh... I'm so sorry. That's my fault, isn't it?"

"Well, I doubt Jungkook would've taken Ves to your compound if you didn't come and snatch us from our home against our wills. So yeah, that is your fault. An innocent, good man died. A doctor. Irreplaceable. And not only that, but he was my best friend." Jimin breaks off, shaking his head. "He was my brother."

Jihyun nods and glances down, tapping his fingers on the wood and nibbling on his lips. Jimin keeps watching him, not speaking anymore. Jimin's not mad at Jihyun. He can't be. At the end of the day, there's a small part of him that's still filled with giddy from seeing his younger brother. He scolds himself for it, but he knows there's nothing he can do about it. Not now. So, he sucks in a breath, about to apologize for everything. But Jihyun beats him to it.

"I came to tell you we'll never see each other again."

The words aren't what Jimin expected, and he bobs his mouth open and closed for a few beats before finding the courage to reply. "Wha... What do you mean? You're my little brother, I just got you back. I may be pissed beyond belief at you, but you're still my blood. We're Park's, we're-"

"You're a Park. You are." At Jimin's defeated glance, Jihyun runs a hand through his hair, letting his hands fall back onto the table with a 'thunk' sound. "I'm not Park Jihyun. I don't know who I am, actually. That's what I'm figuring out now. Who I am, and who I can be. Your brother died the day he decided to leave you. Jimin, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You were my big bro, the one who looked out for me, and no matter what, you cared. You took care of me. But what do I do in return? I take you away from your home, your friends, your lover... even your son. What type of family does that? It feels almost like it's before the apocalypse, and I'm the toxic family member who scarred you for life. With all the problems we deal with now, causing you pain was a problem you didn't need. Not from your younger brother. So... I'm letting you go."

"But what if I don't want you to go?" Jimin asks before he can stop himself.

Jihyun reaches back into his jacket, then grabs a chain that jingles as he takes it out. He hands it to Jimin, and his eyes expand as he takes it back. The locket. Jimin's locket. He takes it and holds it in his small hands, glancing down at it while Jihyun chuckles. There's no humor in the soft sound, Jimin tearing up realizing what's about to happen.

"I don't know who I am. The apocalypse is a terrible, terrible thing. But that's no excuse for me to have lost my way this much. Enough for me to hurt you. Get your friend killed. Kidnap others. Lock you away and... I'm sorry. All I can say is that I'm sorry. You didn't deserve it, Jungkook didn't either. None of you did. I'm no longer Park Jihyun. I don't know what name I'll use, but it won't be that. Not until I earn the name Park."

Jimin puts the locket back on with shuddering hands, his eyes flicking up to Jihyun. The man who's now a stranger. Jihyun stands, stepping away from the table and straightening his jacket, tugging on the cuffs of it before shaking his head. "If anything happens," Jimin whispers, rubbing his thumb over the metal of his locket. "Don't be scared to come back. It's better than death. I'd rather you here than dead. Please tell me you'll remember that."

Jihyun pats the table with his hand, then walks away. Jimin watches the man go back to the front gates, opening them and slipping out without another word. Just like that, Jimin's brother is gone. He always was, according to Jihyun, but that doesn't mean Jimin will see it that way. So, he grips his locket. And without another thought, he goes back to his lover.

Once he's inside her room, he finds her sitting on the bed. Only this time, she's not staring at the ground blankly. She peeks up at him as soon as he walks inside, and he furrows his brows at the sight. In a flash, she's on her feet. And right when he closes the door behind him, she jumps into his arms, embracing him tighter than she has before. He stumbles from the force of it, then hugs back with the same need. His hand tangles itself in her hair, and his other grabs her back to keep her locked in place in his arms.

She tilts her head up, her eyes shut as her breath does a tap dance against his ear. "I love you," she whispers, and the crevasses of his skin form goosebumps, his eyes shutting with hers so he can feel the serenity of the moment. He lets out a short breath, and it feels as though the world just got a bit brighter despite the events they've had to endure. And then, he smiles.

"I love you too."

~~~

Day 861

Jimin kicks the haystack, chuckling as he does so. The light pours in through the wooden pallets, Jimin laying down on the ground in the middle of the barn. Ves leans against the entrance, crossing his arms over his chest and observing the way Jimin makes an angel out of the hay around him.

"Why are we here?" Ves asks, glancing around the terrible state of the barn. "This place is a dump."

"This dump was my old home," Jimin replies, sitting up as Ves snorts. "You laugh, but it worked for me. This is where I lived before Y/n found me." Ves pushes off of the entrance and shuts the barn doors, coming over and sitting next to Jimin. "We're here because I want to be here. How does that sound?"

"We're supposed to be scavenging."

"And we are. Hay can be useful. We can feed horses."

"Tell that to the horses we don't have."

"Wiseass," Jimin mumbles, Ves nudging him. Jimin snickers and peeps around the barn that was once his home. It feels different now. Not in a good or bad way, it's just different. Being here with Ves makes him feel safe, almost.

Taking Ves out when he's the most valuable person to the apocalypse isn't a great idea. But Yoongi's been studying the prototype cure Jihyun gave Jimin yesterday, and so far, it looks pretty good. Yoongi thinks he can duplicate it if they were to get Howler corpses. That's why Jimin's out here, actually. Him and Ves are going back to the hospital to take a Howler corpse away. Since it's the morning, and the doors to the hospital should be busted open, there shouldn't be any Howlers around the lobby of the hospital anymore. And if they come near, the sunlight will deter them and they won't attack. Regardless, Jimin has a bottle of alcohol in his pocket, a cloth wrapped around it, and a lighter. Makeshift Molotov. And if it doesn't work, he still has the cloth and fire to scare the creatures away.

"You think mom will be okay?" Ves asks.

"Honestly, yeah. I do kid. I'm not just saying that to ease your worries, but I don't know... last night, she seemed different. Better."

"Did you guys make a kid?"

Although the words seem like something Jimin should be embarrassed by, Ves asked it in a serious manner. No jokes, no humor. Just genuinely asking. Jimin shakes him off. "No. She's better but... not there yet. Neither of us are in the mood to do anything like that anytime soon. Whether it be by making a kid or by doing the uh, the process without a kid-"

"You can say sex. It's okay, I'm not a kid anymore."

Jimin stares at Ves's side profile, admiring the way the light shines on his skin. It almost makes him look like an angel despite how he's sure as hell not. Quite the opposite, actually. But that's just another thing Jimin loves about his son. He wouldn't have it any other way.

"No," Jimin murmurs, averting his eyes to the front of the barn. "No, you're not."

Silence follows as the two ponder the future of their home. The future of their family. Hoseok got his graze taken care of, and it's almost completely healed. Jimin's gunshot feels really good, and he's training more every day to keep himself fit. Katherine is still somber, but she's eating again. Jimin caught Yoongi and Julia making out this morning. Taehyung and Jin are forming a budding friendship. Namjoon is still drinking himself into oblivion, but no one has a problem with that since there's no need for a leader right now. Everyone's doing their own thing and mourning Jungkook.

"We should probably get to the hospital." Ves has a point, but Jimin's enjoying the quiet of the barn. The memories it brings of a time before he was happy. It may seem strange that Jimin wants to look back on the bad times, but without the bad, how do you even know what the good times feel like? So, Jimin basks in it for a moment, smiling after. Ves returns the smile, Jimin wrapping his arm around him.

"You can get a headstart, kiddo. I'll be right behind you."

Ves agrees and gives Jimin a small squeeze before strolling away. When he's outside the barn, Jimin opens his locket and peeks inside, tracing his fingers over the pictures awaiting him. Jihyun won't attack again. His family is safe, and although his two brothers are gone, he has a chance at life again. His family is safe for the time being, and the odds are that time is a long time. They can live and love. Maybe, if this cure works, him and Y/n can start a real family. Repopulate the Earth and save it at the same time. Jimin chuckles at his thoughts, keeping his eyes on the pretty photos inside for perhaps a bit too long. Ves is waiting. The future is waiting. So, he acts.

Jimin shuts the locket, tucking it under his shirt and leaving the barn...

THE END

~~~

A/N: Wow. This story has been in my drafts since 2018. It's 4 years old... and now it's over.

Hope you like this ending. It's a mix of sad and happy. Jungkook is gone, and Y/n lost her hand, but there's a huge leap made for the cure and the school is safe. I'd say it's more happy than sad, but seriously RIP Jungkook.

I remember when I first outlined this story back in 2018, Jungkook's death was tough to write about. Actually writing the death scene was... whew. Very rough. It was different from any death scene I've written. The main characters just watched. They couldn't cry or scream otherwise they'd die, so all they could do was watch. Poor Jungkook.

If you're wondering why I killed off Jungkook, it's because it was the end of his arc. Doing the surgery on Jimin may have seemed like the end, but he still was unsure of himself even after he did the surgery. The only time he was for sure happy with himself was when he got Ves there safely. That sacrifice saved Namjoon and Jimin and possibly the entire world. The reason why I say the world is because the Ranglers found a cure, and they wouldn't have been able to do that without Ves. So yeah. Jungkook's sacrifice was sad but also important.

Anyway, I love talking about characters, so I should stop now. Thank you all for joining me on this wild, amazing ride. I'm almost at 5k followers on Quotev! Thank you guys for that, and for 100+ followers on Wattpad. Thank you to Wattpad and ao3 in particular for your support on the story. I got so many messages and comments and kudos from those two websites especially, and I really appreciate it. Thank you so so much. And my Quotev readers of course know I love them since Q is my main site. Thank you guys for supporting me as always!

I have more Jimin stories coming in the future, and I have fics for the other members coming soon too. I have a Yoongi fic I want to release soon, it's a soulmate au, and a Jin fic that I've been meaning to release but haven't had the time. Taehyung is going to get some much needed attention too ;)

Thank you all, and I'll see you in the next fic!

~ Raven / Jiminbiasnim