Mrs. Jeon lay beside her son, gently brushing her fingers through his hair. Tears welled up in her eyes, a constant reminder that her time with Jimin was running out. The thought of losing her seven-year-old son weighed heavily on her heart, and she couldn't bear the idea of him being taken away.

"Mom..." Jimin's voice was soft, barely above a whisper, as he slowly woke up.

"Hey, baby. You're awake," Mrs. Jeon said, quickly wiping away her tears and offering him two fever-reducing pills. She had been by his side ever since he fainted with a high fever, not willing to leave him alone for even a moment.

Jimin hesitated for a second, his eyes searching her face. "Mom, am I really your son?"

The question hit Mrs. Jeon like a punch to the gut. She gasped, and fresh tears began to fall, uncontrollable now. Without thinking, she pulled Jimin into a tight embrace, holding him as though the sheer force of her love could prevent the inevitable.

"Will she take me away from you?" Jimin's voice trembled, and his small body shook with fear.

Mrs. Jeon kissed his forehead over and over, her tears mingling with his. "Oh God... I'm so sorry, baby. Please, forgive me..." Her voice cracked, and she struggled to get the words out.

Jimin sobbed into her chest, his tiny hands clutching her shirt. He had seen enough to understand that the woman who had visited earlier was his biological mother, and that she might take him far away from the only family he had ever known.

"I don’t want to go," Jimin cried, his voice broken. "Please, make me stay. I don’t want to leave you, Mom."

Mrs. Jeon's heart shattered as she held him close, her own tears spilling freely. "I’m so sorry... I’m so, so sorry..."

The room was filled with the sound of Jimin's sobs as he clung to her, seeking comfort in the only place that had ever felt like home. For the Jeon family, Jimin had always been their son, ever since the day he arrived in their lives as a baby. They had never treated him any differently from Jungkook, and their love for him was as deep and genuine as if he were their biological child.

Jimin couldn’t sleep. His mind raced, and he tossed and turned, feeling lost and frightened. Finally, he slipped out of bed and padded down the hallway, his feet instinctively leading him to his brother’s room. The moment he opened the door and saw Jungkook asleep, he climbed into bed beside him, wrapping his arms around him.

"Mochi?" Jungkook’s sleepy voice broke the silence as he stirred.

"K-Kookie Hyung..." Jimin whimpered, his tears starting again. "She’s going to take me. She’s going to take me away from you."

Jungkook immediately hugged him tighter, his protective instinct kicking in. He had been restless ever since Jimin’s biological mother showed up, the thought of losing his little brother filling him with dread. But now, more than ever, he needed to stay strong—for Jimin.

"No one is going to take you away from me. I won’t let it happen," Jungkook whispered firmly, his arms wrapped securely around Jimin.

"But... she said she’s my real mom. She’ll take me away from here," Jimin sobbed, his face buried in Jungkook’s chest.

"No, Mochi. I promise you, that won’t happen," Jungkook reassured him, his voice filled with determination. "You’re my brother, and you belong here. With Mom, Dad, and me. This is your home, and no one can take that away from us. You’ll stay here, forever."

Jungkook held Jimin close, trying to comfort him as best as he could. He could feel his own heart aching, but he knew he had to stay strong. He couldn’t let Jimin see how scared he was too. After a while, he loosened his hold and reached into his drawer, pulling out a small box.

"Merry Christmas, Mochi," Jungkook said softly, handing the box to Jimin.

Jimin blinked away his tears and opened the box with trembling hands. Inside was a beautiful heart-shaped necklace, gleaming under the soft light. Jimin’s lips quivered as he held the necklace, his emotions overwhelming him.

"It’s beautiful..." Jimin whispered, his voice choked with emotion. He clenched the necklace in his fist, holding it tightly as if it were a lifeline. Tears streamed down his cheeks, but this time, they weren’t just from sadness. He felt the depth of his brother’s love, and in that moment, despite all the fear and uncertainty, he felt safe.

"Don't cry, you should be happy," Jungkook whispered softly, his voice thick with emotion as he took the delicate chain from Jimin's trembling hand. He carefully split the heart-shaped pendant into two and placed one half around Jimin's neck, the other around his own. The cool metal rested against their skin, a silent promise between brothers.

"One for you, and one for me," Jungkook said, managing a faint smile, though his heart was breaking.

Jimin’s eyes filled with tears, spilling down his flushed cheeks. "Is this a farewell gift?" he asked in a shaky voice, fear lacing his words.

Jungkook’s chest tightened. He quickly shook his head, pulling Jimin into a tighter embrace. "No, don’t say that," he replied, his voice firm despite the lump in his throat. "You’ll always be with me."

Jimin looked up, his tear-filled eyes searching Jungkook's face. "Promise?"

"Hyung promises," Jungkook said, his voice barely above a whisper. He kissed the top of Jimin’s head, pressing his lips to the soft hair, wishing with every ounce of his being that he could keep that promise forever. "Now, sleep. I’ll be with you all night."

Jimin nodded, finally allowing himself to relax in his brother’s arms. His body curled closer to Jungkook, seeking warmth and comfort. Within moments, his breathing slowed, and he drifted off, safe and secure in the arms of the person he trusted most in the world.

But Jungkook couldn’t sleep. As Jimin rested peacefully beside him, Jungkook stared up at the ceiling, his mind racing. The room was dark and quiet, except for the sound of Jimin's soft breaths. Jungkook's heart was heavy with the weight of uncertainty, fear gnawing at the edges of his mind. He couldn’t shake the thought that if he closed his eyes, Jimin might be taken away before he could stop it. The idea of waking up to an empty bed, to a life without his little brother, was unbearable.

He turned his head to watch Jimin sleep, his chest rising and falling with each breath, his innocent face still streaked with the remnants of tears. Jungkook’s heart ached as he gently brushed a stray lock of hair from Jimin’s forehead.

"Sleep, my baby Mochi," Jungkook whispered, his voice breaking under the weight of his emotions. He blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. "Hyung loves you. So, so much."

A single tear escaped, sliding down Jungkook’s cheek. He wiped it away quickly, but it was no use. More followed, until he was silently crying beside his sleeping brother, his body trembling with the force of holding it all in. He couldn’t let Jimin see him like this. He had to be strong. For Jimin. For the family.

But in that quiet moment, as Jimin slept peacefully against him, Jungkook felt utterly powerless. The fear of losing him was too much to bear, and no matter how tightly he held onto Jimin, the reality of the situation loomed over them like a dark cloud.

Jungkook closed his eyes, letting the tears fall freely now. He pressed his face into Jimin’s soft hair, inhaling the familiar scent, as if trying to memorize it, as if trying to hold onto this moment forever.

"I won’t let you go, Mochi," Jungkook whispered into the darkness, his voice thick with tears. "I’ll never let you go."