It took Seokjin a few seconds to mask his surprised expression and step into the room. He held the door open for Namjoon, who thought he saw Seokjin's hand on the door handle shaking but the moment was too short for him to be sure. Seokjin walked towards the bed and busied himself with adjusting Taehyung's IV line. Only a medical professional would notice that he didn't actually change anything, even after fidgeting with it for about half a minute.

"So," Mr Kim's voice had a strange edge to it. "How is he?"

"Dad, I'm right here. You can ask from me. No need to snap at hyung." Taehyung replied with a slight frown.

"Well, he's a doctor too, isn't he?"

"He's an oncologist. He's not treating me."

"It's a simple enough question. Even he should be able to answer."

"Dad-"

"That's quite alright, Tae." Seokjin gently ruffled Taehyung's hair. "Of course I can tell."

Then he looked straight at his father. "Tae just had a surgery to treat his leg and we are starting physical therapy as soon as the other wounds heal sufficiently. His head scans were good, no signs of concussion or any other damage. His internal bleeding was the biggest concern for doctors so they are monitoring him closely for the next few days for that. But for now, it looks like it'll be okay."

"W-will you be here too?"

Seokjin turned to his mother at that question, and his professional mask slipped a bit at the glassy eyes looking back at him. "I'll come whenever I can. I can spend my day-offs here too."

"Don't bother." Mr Kim scoffed. "Family never mattered to you that much."

"It's nothing like that." Seokjin's voice grew heavy with emotions. "I can't just ignore my responsibilities. Some of my patients are literally at the gates of death."

"No need for excuses. I don't want you anywhere near Tae anyway." Mr Kim got up from the chair he was sitting in and looked around, before pointing at Namjoon. "You! Are you working here?"

"Uhhh…" Namjoon sneaked a glance at Seokjin before nodding his head. "Yes."

"Good. Whom should I talk to get this doctor out of my son's room?"

"Dad!" Taehyung was slightly yelling now, but Mr Kim didn't pay any attention to that.

"I want him banned from this room."

"Dad, you can't ban people from my hospital room!"

"You keep quiet, Tae. I'm your father."

"That doesn't give you the right-"

"Why-" Seokjin's voice was enough to stop whatever Tae was about to say. "Why do you want me away from my brother?"

"Because you're a fucking disgrace! A sick person. I don't want him associating with your kind and getting his head filled with weird ideas. I don't want you to contaminate him too!"

Seokjin gasped loudly and took a step back. He swayed a bit and Namjoon instinctively held his hand out. Seokjin grabbed it, not noticing how Namjoon's face pulled tight due to the slight tremble in Seokjin's hand.

Taehyung felt a wave of rage pass over his mind. He was grateful that Jungkook was not in the room right now. The idol politely left when Taehyung's parents came in, to give some privacy to the family. Taehyung didn't know where he went but anywhere was better than here.

Namjoon slowly pulled Seokjin's hand and stepped in front of him, partially covering the elder with his buff body. "You can't talk to him like that. He might not be your son's attending doctor, but he's still a doctor in this hospital."

"Excuse me?!"

"No, you're not excused."

"Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that?!"

"You will have to mind your language, Sir, or I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

"N-namjoon.."

Mr Kim, open-mouthed, stared at Namjoon for seconds before a mocking laugh escaped his mouth.

"Oh.. did he bewitch you too?" Mr Kim turned to look at Seokjin. "Guess you successfully ruined another man!."

"With all due respect, Mr Kim, shut your mouth!"

"How dare you tell me to shut up? This is a family matter. How I speak to him is none of your business!"

Namjoon doesn't really know what pushed him over the edge. Maybe it's the condescending manner the older man spoke. Or maybe it's the fearful and teary gaze Seokjin gave him. He absolutely hated both.

Namjoon pulled Seokjin to stand next to him. Then he put his arm around Seokjin's waist and pulled the elder against his body. Namjoon slightly turned Seokjin in his embrace, so that the latter had his face is somewhat hidden between Namjoon's shoulder and neck.

"That might be true. But how you speak to my boyfriend is certainly my business. I will not have let anyone belittle him like this; not even his own family."

Namjoon felt Seokjin take a sharp breath. The elder feebly tried to get out of the embrace but Namjoon tightened it even more in response. He will take whatever consequences of his actions later but right now, he just doesn't want Seokjin to see the disgusted look on his father's face.

"Oh my God!" Mr Kim exclaimed with a voice filled with anger. "This whole hospital is filled with abominations. I will get Tae transferred somewhere else. Immediately!"

That got Seokjin stumble out of Namjoon's protective shell. "Y-you can't. He's not stable enough to transfer right now."

"I don't care. I've listened to enough of your bullshit."

"Dad, please." Seokjin sounded close to tears

"Don't call me dad. I will have no faggot sons!"

"Well then I suppose you won't have sons at all!"

Taehyung's loud exclamation made everyone in the room look at him. Seokjin had tears in his eyes as he shook his head frantically. Mrs Kim had a hand covering her mouth, while her eyes were as wide as saucers.

Mr Kim… Well, Mr Kim looked as if all the blood got drained from his face. "W-what?"

"That's right." Taehyung laughed humorlessly. "If hyung is so despicable in your eyes, then I should be hundred times more so. He's at least trying to defy what his heart wants out of respect for you. And this family! Me? I've been in a relationship with a man for over 9 years now!!"

"Tae-"

"Let me speak, hyung." Taehyung swiftly stopped his brother's pleading voice. "I'm done listening to our father insult and shame our kind. What the hell is that even?! We are not some weird species. We are not sick and nor do we contaminate other people around us. We are just who we are. And if he can't accept that.. Well, too bad. I'm done hiding myself. It's disrespectful to me but more importantly, it's disrespectful to the man I love!"

The pin-drop silence in the room was broken only by the loud sobbing of Mrs Kim. Mr Kim stared at his youngest son for a long while, before shaking his head in disappointment and storming out of the room. After few seconds to looking between her two sons, Mrs Kim followed her husband too.

Seokjin felt the strength in his body draining rapidly as he fell to the floor. Namjoon was there to catch him and he gently lowered Seokjin to sit on the floor. "Dr Kim! Are you okay?"

Seokjin weakily pushed Namjoon's hands away from him. "Why did you say something like that?"

Namjoon looked ashamed as he lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Dr Kim. He was disrespecting you so badly. I had to do something!"

"So you thought you'd take advantage of the situation?"

"Dr Kim." Namjoon shook his head. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

Seokjin felt his eyes brim with tears, before they spill over to his cheeks. "You ruined everything."

"W-what?"

"I've spent all my life trying to get him to smile at me again. Pat my head, like he used to do when I was a child." Seokjin looked at Namjoon with eyes filled with utter despair. "I wanted my father to love me again. Why am I so unlovable?!"

"Oh hyung-" Taehyung spoke in a soft voice, making both Namjoon and Seokjin look at him. "You're so stupid. You're pining for the wrong love. The one who loves you is right here."