(!) trigger warning (!)
mentions of death

phrase
*call it a day - end a period of activity, especially resting content that enough has been done

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With the news Hoseok had privately received from Seokjin, he stood in front of him, his eyes fixed on the older one. His heart palpitated irregularly. No tears, just a stunned silence. After sharing the news, Seokjin hung his head down, avoiding Hoseok's gaze.

He hated the fact that Amber went to the States without telling him the truth. He hated the news he had received. Furthermore, he hated the fact that Jiah's mother was involved in the accident and had also passed away.

He didn't know what to think of his sister anymore. How would he break the news to his parents, with whom he had no close relationship?

Eventually, Hoseok mustered the courage to inform his parents about the news that evening. His mother couldn't control her emotions and went hysterical upon hearing the news. He had to hold her from behind, preventing her from breaking things around her, attempting to calm her down.

His father was no different. Uncontrollably sobbing, Jiwoo's name escaped his mouth in misery and pain.

Hoseok's state of mind was already fragile. This situation had finally shattered him into pieces. Once they had calmed down, Hoseok hesitantly announced that he would go to the morgue the next day.

"Come with me if you'd like. Otherwise... get ready for the funeral."

**********

Hoseok's staff, friends from his alma mater, relatives, neighbors, and Jiwoo's friends came to the funeral hall. Among the guests, Yoongi looked the worst. His skin was pale, his lips chapped, his hair unkempt, stubbles lining his chin and philtrum.

Seeing that Yoongi had become overwhelmed by the news and everyone was in mourning, Hoseok announced in their group chat that the boutique would close for a week. He didn't care if In-Kang was going to send a warning letter. He had already planned to rebel.

Of course, no one from In-Kang was invited to the funeral. Not even Wendy or Maru.

Among Mr. Jung, Mrs. Jung, and Hoseok, Mrs. Jung was the most affected. When guests bowed to offer condolences, only Mr. Jung and Hoseok bowed back. Mrs. Jung remained seated, her droopy eyes swollen, nose still red, and her shoulders slumped.

When Amber walked in, he didn't dare ask about her lies. He also kept many things hidden from her. He didn't have the energy to know or share any more.

As he left the building to meet his relatives outside, he passed by another room filled with mourners. He caught a glimpse before continuing, but suddenly, he stopped. He turned back to see Jiah and her father bowing to a guest. He hadn't known that they would hold a funeral in the same hall.

The elderly man, presumably her grandfather, hugged the younger woman tightly, patting her back as she silently wept.

The Jiah he used to know was stronger than this. She had always worn her hair in a high bun. But that day, in an all-black hanbok, her hair was tied in a loose ponytail. Her face was bare of makeup, with bags under her eyes and red sclera. Her naturally pink lips curved downwards as she fought back a whimper.

As the elderly man moved on to her father for another bow, her droopy, swollen eyes caught his gaze. They locked eyes for a long moment. Her eyes seemed to draw him into the room. He stepped inside and found a frame with a middle-aged woman grinning, resembling Jiah a lot.

He halted a few meters away before the portrait, putting one hand on top of the other, slowly bowed, and knelt, his head to the ground, repeating this twice. He stayed in that position for a long second. Then, he rose, giving the photo a final look. He stood up, turned to face them, and bowed.

Looking at Jiah, he walked towards her, making her meet his gaze. They locked eyes again. Finally, Jiah burst into tears.

As if handling a delicate, expensive vase, he pulled her into his arms, both crying in silence.

**********

A week had passed, yet everyone was still in mourning. The boutique was eerily quiet, but most of them forced smiles for their customers.

Yoongi showed signs of trying to move on, except for his hair. He attempted to look presentable as always. His once-vulnerable posture had returned, now looking intimidating. A smile from his cupid's bow lips could soften that intimidating demeanor.

With Amber's return, the boutique operated more smoothly. Since Jimin was still suspended, Jiah temporarily took on his tasks as the cashier. Jisoo taught her how to use the machine, and she managed the rest of Jimin's responsibilities.

Despite being Hoseok's assistant, Jiah was now busier at the cash machine. In the past seven days, her name was rarely called, and she was hardly seen in the office. Alone with his sketches and paperwork, Hoseok's mind was consumed by blame.

One day, he could no longer hold back.

While Jiah was having tea with Wheein in the main area, he tossed a rectangular envelope onto the table with Jiah's full name on it. Jiah looked at him quizzically, only to be met with a glare before he retreated to his office.

As he sat in his office chair, Wheein's loud voice exclaimed from the main area, "what the hell?"

Walking through the corridor, Jiah strode. Thrusting the glass door, Jiah continued with big steps into his office without knocking, then stopped a few meters away from his table. Her finger pointed to the main area as she asked, "What does that supposed to mean, Jung Hoseok?" Her chest rose up and down.

Hoseok remained silent.

"You're firing me, aren't you?" Silence was his only response once again. Then, she shouted, "why?"

Hoseok kept his lips shut.

Tears welled up, her fist trembling in anger. She continued, "tell me, why?"

Hoseok maintained his silence, allowing her shouting to fill the space. Finally, he spoke up, "Do you think it's okay to work with a killer's daughter?" he questioned, his tone tinged with mockery.

Wincing, she muttered, "what?"

Hoseok put down his mechanical pencil. "Do you think it's okay to work with a killer's daughter?" he repeated with a formal tone. He confidently raised his head. "It's not," he stated.

"What?" Jiah muttered again. Her eyebrows furrowed, head shaking, she continued, "what are you talking about?"

"Your mother should have left without my sister and sought help," he stated.

Others gathered at the divider to witness the commotion.

Jiah's eyes reddened with tears as she stared at him in disbelief. Her chest rose and fell with stuttering breath as she uttered, "you're blaming my mom."

Unfazed and unhesitant, Hoseok said, "Isn't it obvious?"

"You're blaming my mom because she drove the car," Jiah said, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her fist trembled with anger as she asked, "how much do you know? Is this your conclusion?"

Hoseok remained silent.

"We don't know the full story. We're waiting for explanations and answers. Yet here you are, drawing conclusions without proof!" Jiah exclaimed. "Do you even know my mom?" she challenged.

Her breath quivered, her eyes glistening with tears on the edge. She blinked, letting the tears fall and soaking her face as she added, "I know nothing about your sister. But I can blame her the same way you've blamed my mom!"

Hoseok's gaze remained fixed on her, devoid of emotion and words.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hoseok noticed Seokjin running his hand through his hair before gripping the back of his head. Jisoo covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Jungkook stared, mouth agape. Amber turned away, a hand on her face.

On the other hand, Yoongi stood motionless. Wheein, who held Jiah's letter, creased her eyebrows. Namjoon and Taehyung shook their heads.

The silence between Jiah and Hoseok was nearly broken by the sound of a woman sobbing. She swallowed her sobs before they could fully escape. She then looked down at his table aimlessly and said, "fine, Jung Hoseok. Thank you."

Turning towards her table, she quickly gathered her belongings, shoving them into her small backpack, her hands still trembling. She said, "thank you for everything. I want my salary tomorrow. In cash."

With that, she turned towards the door, not bothering to give him a final bow. She walked through the corridor, passing her colleagues. Seokjin attempted to grip her wrist, but she pulled her hand away before he could. Despite Jisoo and Wheein's efforts to stop her, the loud bang of the door silenced them. It didn't stop Jisoo and Wheein from chasing after her.

"Unni!" Jisoo tearfully call out. A soft slam of the main area door followed.

Warmth spread through his body, his hand shaking as he attempted to resume his fashion sketch. Just as he was about to draw, a loud, wincing screech startled him. Seokjin had kicked the door open and strode towards his table. He pulled Hoseok up by the collar, leaving their face a few inches away, his teeth clenched as he asked, "Didn't I warn you about making her cry?"

Hoseok recalled the warning Seokjin had given him prior to In-Kang's public party. Despite his shaky hands, Hoseok managed a sinister smirk. Faking a pitiable expression, he asked, "What's wrong? Does your love for her tempt you to kill me?"

What happened next came like a cruel, silent set of quotation marks. Seokjin threw a punch. Hoseok fell as the wheeled office chair toppled over. Seokjin grabbed his collar, pummeling him relentlessly. Each blow landed with a bone-crushing force. The sound of fists against flesh echoed, painting Hoseok's face with dark spots until he tasted and smelled iron.

"Seokjin!" Amber yelled. Yoongi entered the office with her. "Seokjin, stop!" she cried out again. She tugged at Seokjin's collar and pushed his chest. Her voice grew louder, "Kim Seokjin, enough!"

Seokjin's breath was as loud as an angry bull as he turned away, punching the glass wall once, sending vibrations and a resonating spring-like sound throughout the room.

Weakened, Hoseok lay on the ground, his hand sprawled on the thick carpet. His vision was blurry, his surroundings spinning. His chest heaved as he tried to calm his racing heart. One of his eyes throbbed continuously with a bump and bruise. Still dazed, yet he managed to say, "You know what, hyung? Having her around is driving me insane."

Amber and Seokjin gazed at him.

"Fate connected us cruelly. Why can't I be you?" he asked, his teeth reddened with the traces of blood in his mouth. "Knowing your connection with her, seeing you around often remind me of her."

"What the f... What are you prattling about now?" Seokjin asked, his intonation holding back his anger.

"Your girlfriend," Hoseok said, a sad, brief chuckle erupted. He continued, "congratulations. Happy to know you've confessed."

"Excuse me?" Seokjin inquired, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You're fired too, Seokjin hyung," Hoseok said.

"Jung Hoseok, you can't fire anyone you want without my approval!" Amber scolded.

Hoseok let out a dark chuckle and replied, "So what, noona? You're not the boss."

Seokjin stared at him, frozen, his eyebrows furrowing deeper. He muttered, "I've been right all along. You like her too."

Despite his condition, Hoseok shouted, "Yes, I like her! I've fallen in love with her! I've realized I can't live without her! Every day I want to dote her with love, but I can't, because I know she's yours now!"

Hoseok's shout reverberated through the office. A sob followed by a sniffle. He wiped the tears and blood with the back of his face, his face contorting as another sob left his mouth. He continued, "It's difficult. It's difficult to hold back. Removing her with my power is all I can do."

Hoseok's sobs lingered in the air before Yoongi's calm voice cut through, "Jiah was right."

Everyone in the room turned to look at him, Hoseok peering through the space under the table.

"You're a coward," Yoongi stated plainly. "I thought you'd change with her around. But your cowardice is more addictive than it seems. You using your sister and her mother in your excuses. It's annoying."

The room seemed to hold its breath, tension thickening in the air. As words of emotion struggled to break the tension, Seokjin calmly walked out of the area and said, "I want my salary by the end of this week."

The young staff outside merely watched him leave. The soft slam of the door indicated his departure.

Distressed, Amber inhaled deeply, her hand rubbing her forehead and running through her short hair. She exhaled slowly when she saw Yoongi turning to leave. "Don't tell me you're quitting!"

Expressionless, Yoongi glanced at the man on the ground before returning his gaze to her. He responded, "I'm not that silly." Then, he walked out of the room.

**********

As the store called it a day*, Hoseok was left alone in his office. He turned on his phone's front camera, surveying the bruises and cuts inflicted by Seokjin. He grimaced and groaned at the sight.

His facial features resembled a canvas of agony, displaying the consequences of Seokjin's anger. Bruises and marks marred the corners of his lips and eyes. A cut marred his nosebridge, and his eye was swollen. One eye was compressed with a small bag of ice, throbbing relentlessly. A scratch graced his cheekbone; he had no clue how he got it. He sighed and set his phone aside.

Just as he was about to lean back in his chair, Wheein marched in, her thick black punk boots pounding against the floor. She entered without knocking, placing a medium-sized white plastic box on his table with a thump. Without a word, she dragged a chair from Jiah's desk and positioned it in front of Hoseok before sitting down.

Opening the box, it revealed various items - black Kuromi-patterned adhesive plasters, sterile gauze pads, adhesive tapes, antiseptic wipes and cream, alcohol pads, tweezers, cotton balls, ointment, Q-tips, and pain killers.

Wheein grabbed the adhesive tape, antiseptic cream, and plasters. She caught Hoseok's puzzled gaze, and with an annoyed glare and raised eyebrows, she demanded, "What?"

"I thought... you went home," Hoseok mumbled.

"I came back because I feel bad!" Wheein exclaimed. "Don't think you have my respect just because you're older."

Hoseok watched her taking out a pair of rubber disposable gloves from her black, short jeans pocket. "I don't deserve anyone's respect," he muttered and Wheein heard him.

Wheein glared at him and said, squinting her eyes, "it must've been a huge honor to get these bruises from a man with huge temper. How does it feel?" Both of her eyebrows lifted as she added, "pretty?"

Hoseok glared at her in return. Then, he said, "you should've gone home if you come here just to be scornful."

Wheein clicked her tongue. She said, "you good at talking back now, huh?" Without a word, she pulled Hoseok's face by his chin. Hoseok shot daggers at her again. Wheein then added, "I don't want to waste my time with you."

"Go home, then," Hoseok emphasized.

But Wheein ignored him andsaid, "I have something to tell you."

Hoseok watched her begin to clean his injuries, wincing as the antiseptic cream made contact. "Ow... Do it gently," he said. Wheein shot him an irritated glance and muttered a curse before continuing her task. He asked, "What is it?"

Wheein let his question hang in the air for a moment, focusing on the cut. Placing the Q-tip on the lid of the first-aid kit, she stared at him for a moment before speaking, "Jiah rejected Seokjin."

Hoseok's eyes widened in shock. "I'm sorry, what?"

With a groan and furrowing eyebrows, Wheein repeated, "Jiah rejected Seokjin. Don't ask how I found out. You know I get information from my girlfriend."

Hoseok's gaze wandered aimlessly for a moment before returning to Wheein. He said, "But... why?"

Wheein sighed, "I don't have an answer to that. Jisoo doesn't either." After a pause, she added, "You've hurt Jiah deeply. What are you going to do about it?"

"I-"

"Most of us were afraid to approach you because of your past behavior. But Jiah... Jiah is the icon of selflessness when it comes to you. Jiah was the one who helped you break out of your shell. It still amazes me that she was the one to bring about that change. She deserves a Guinness Record, you agree?" Wheein sarcastically remarked, her dark eyes penetrating his soul. She continued, "You took her for granted."

Hoseok swallowed hard, struggling to find words.

Pushing the chair back with a screech from the wheels, Wheein stood up and walked towards the door. Her boots echoed against the thick carpet as she commented, "Goodbye, boss."

"Hey, you haven't finished patching me up!" Hoseok called out.

"DIY," Wheein replied with a drawl, wiggling her fingers in a farewell gesture.