Sibling Rivalry

It was nearing 11 in the morning, and the tension in the hospital room was palpable. The group of boys gathered anxiously, their eyes flickering between the clock on the wall and Jeonghan's unmoving form on the hospital bed. The soft beeping of the monitors was the only sound punctuating the room, its rhythm both comforting and nerve-wracking.

Joshua, Minghao, Mingyu, Woozi, Seungkwan, and Seokmin sat clustered together, each lost in their own thoughts, though their collective unease was clear. Dino had just arrived, his typically cheerful demeanor subdued, casting a heavier atmosphere over the group.

"Where are the others?" Woozi asked, his voice quiet but laced with worry.

Dino sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before responding in a low tone. "They're on their way back," he began, avoiding eye contact. His expression faltered, and he added hesitantly, "Viktor... has been laid to rest."

The words hung in the air like a weight, and the boys exchanged puzzled glances. Mingyu tilted his head, frowning. "Laid to rest? What does that mean?"

Seungkwan, sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaned forward. "Yeah, Dino, you're not making sense. Viktor was the enemy, right? Why does it sound like you're mourning him?"

Dino's gaze dropped to the floor, and he shifted uncomfortably before answering. "It's complicated," he admitted, his voice tinged with sadness. "Viktor... wasn't just some enemy to us. He was a respected senior in the mafia world. Even though he did terrible things, he had his own code. And he... he took care of me when I was younger, before Seungcheol-hyung came into my life."

His confession silenced the room. Dino's words carried a depth they hadn't expected, and the raw emotion in his voice made it clear that Viktor's death wasn't as simple as they had thought.

Seokmin shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't know that..." he muttered, his voice trailing off.

"None of us did," Minghao added quietly, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "It's not something Dino would've talked about."

The mood in the room grew heavier, the weight of Dino's revelation settling over them. They didn't know how to respond, so they remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Suddenly, Dino's eyes widened, catching a flicker of movement from the bed. His heart jumped, and without a second thought, he sprang to his feet. "Jeonghan!" he exclaimed, startling the others as he ran to the bedside.

"What is it?" Joshua asked, rushing after him with concern etched across his face.

"He moved!" Dino cried out, his voice a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "I swear, I just saw his fingers move!"

The others scrambled to their feet, crowding around the bed. Seungkwan clutched Woozi's arm tightly, his eyes wide with hope and fear. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"I'm sure! Look!" Dino pointed, his hand trembling slightly as he gestured at Jeonghan's hand.

All eyes locked on Jeonghan's form, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, they saw it-his fingers twitched faintly against the blanket. It was a small movement, but it was enough to send a surge of emotion through the room.

"He's waking up," Mingyu whispered, his voice thick with emotion as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Jeonghan..." Joshua murmured, leaning closer to him.

Jeonghan's eyelids fluttered, his brow furrowing as if the effort to open them was a monumental task. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, his eyes cracked open, and he winced slightly at the brightness of the room.

The room erupted in joy.

"He's awake!" Seungkwan cried, tears streaming down his face as he clung to Woozi, who was blinking back tears himself.

"Jeonghan!" Minghao's voice broke with relief as he turned and bolted for the door. "I'm getting the doctor!"

Jeonghan's gaze was unfocused as he blinked a few times, his lips parting slightly. He was clearly disoriented, but the faintest of smiles tugged at his lips as he looked at the faces surrounding him. His younger brothers were practically vibrating with excitement, their joy so palpable it felt like it filled the entire room.

Dino, still standing at the edge of the bed, clutched his phone tightly. "I need to tell Seungcheol-hyung!" he said breathlessly, already dialing as he rushed out of the room.

Joshua leaned closer, his hand gently resting on Jeonghan's arm. "Jeonghan," he said softly, his voice trembling with emotion. "How are you feeling? Can you hear me?"

Jeonghan's eyes flickered toward him, his gaze still hazy but growing more focused. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice raspy and weak from disuse. "Where..." he began, pausing to catch his breath. "Where is Seungcheol?"

The room fell silent, the question cutting through the chaos like a knife. The boys exchanged glances, their excitement momentarily dimmed by the emotion in Jeonghan's voice. His words were soft, almost fragile, but they carried a weight that made their hearts ache.

Joshua smiled gently, though his eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "He's coming," he reassured Jeonghan. "He'll be here soon."

Jeonghan nodded slightly, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment as if the effort of speaking had drained him. Still, the faint smile on his lips remained as he murmured, "Good..."

Seungkwan wiped his tears with the sleeve of his jacket, sniffling audibly. "Hyung, you scared us so much," he whispered, his voice breaking.

"Yeah," Woozi added, his tone softer than usual. "You've been out for so long. Don't do that to us again."

Jeonghan's lips twitched into a weak smile, and he whispered, "I'm sorry..."

As they huddled around him, their emotions spilling over, it was clear that the room, once filled with worry and dread, was now bursting with hope and love. Jeonghan's return to consciousness wasn't just a sign of his recovery-it was a reminder of their bond and the strength they drew from each other.

And as Dino stepped back into the room, his face alight with excitement as he announced that Seungcheol was on his way, they knew that their family was finally starting to piece itself back together again.

In a few minutes the room buzzed with excitement and relief after the doctor had given the green light. Jeonghan was fine. He was awake, leaning back against the headboard, his delicate features softer yet as radiant as ever. Dino, perched right beside him on the bed, had a wide, infectious grin plastered across his face as he animatedly talked to Jeonghan.

"Hyung, you have no idea how much I missed you!" Dino exclaimed, clutching Jeonghan's hand like a lifeline. "I was so worried! But don't worry; I took care of everything, especially the flowers in the mansion garden. They bloomed so beautifully, hyung! You'll love them when you see them."

Jeonghan chuckled softly, his fingers absently smoothing Dino's hair. "You really are my little sunshine, aren't you? I'm sorry for making you worry so much," he said, pulling Dino into a side hug that made Dino beam with pride.

The adorable scene melted everyone's hearts-everyone except one.

Seungkwan's sharp eyes zeroed in on Dino. His competitive streak flared, the flames fanned by a single thought: How dare this brat act like he's Jeonghan hyung's favorite? Sure, Dino might be like Seungcheol's kid, and technically, Seungcheol might have a thing for Jeonghan (might, Seungkwan rolled his eyes at the thought). But that didn't mean Dino had any claim over his spot. Seungkwan was Jeonghan's real, original child in this group, thank you very much.

With a diva-like flourish, Seungkwan strutted over to the bed. Without a word, he unceremoniously grabbed Dino by the arm, hauled him out of the coveted spot, and plopped himself down next to Jeonghan. The entire room froze in shock.

"What on earth was that?" Dino squawked, his voice an octave higher than usual, staring at Seungkwan with wide eyes.

Jeonghan blinked in confusion, smiling awkwardly. "Seungkwan-ah, are you okay?" he asked, though his eyes darted to Dino, silently apologizing.

Seungkwan flipped his hair dramatically. "I'm fine, hyung. I just wanted to make sure you're fine," he said with a saccharine smile before turning to Dino with a side-eye. "I've let this child occupy my seat for long enough. So I took it back. You're welcome."

Dino's jaw dropped, his hands crossing over his chest. "Your seat?!" he shot back indignantly. "Hyung, this is a hospital bed! It belongs to the hospital, not you!"

"Oh, sweetie," Seungkwan said with a faux-pitying smirk, his tone dripping with sass. "You don't understand. My seat isn't the bed. It's beside my Jeonghan hyung. And I was kind enough to let you sit there for too long. You're lucky I'm generous."

Dino's lips twitched in frustration, and he pointed an accusatory finger at Seungkwan. "He's my hyung too, you know! And, for your information, he once said he'd love to adopt me!"

Seungkwan gasped dramatically, standing up and towering over Dino. "Adopt you?! Like a wise woman once said, 'Bitch, you better be joking.'" He jabbed his finger at Dino, who recoiled slightly but puffed his chest. "That's my hyung. My family, you little nugget."

Dino scoffed, stepping closer to Seungkwan and crossing his arms. "Oh, shut up. He's my family too! You don't have some monopoly on Jeonghan hyung. And just so you know, he treats me like his own child."

"Well, guess what?" Seungkwan said, his hands on his hips. "I'm older than you, you little freak! And second off, Jeonghan hyung adopted me ten years ago. TEN! YEARS! AGO! So if you want to join the family, you're gonna need my approval first."

Jeonghan tried to interject, raising his hands. "Guys-"

The two boys ignored him completely, the argument snowballing as the others watched in stunned silence.

Joshua sighed, rubbing his temples before sitting beside Jeonghan. "Well, this is... something," he muttered, glancing at Jeonghan. "Do you want me to step in?"

Jeonghan gave him a small smile. "Nah. I think it's kind of cute. Let them tire themselves out," he said softly, though his tone betrayed a slight exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Woozi leaned back lazily on the couch, completely unbothered. Mingyu, standing nearby, looked between the boys and Woozi. "Hyung, shouldn't we... I don't know, stop them?" Mingyu whispered.

Without looking up, Woozi waved a dismissive hand. "Nah. After all the emotional shit we've been through today, this is entertainment. Enjoy it while it lasts."

Minghao, who had just walked in, plopped down beside Woozi and crossed his legs elegantly. "Couldn't agree more. If you're getting up, though, Mingyu, grab some popcorn. I'll take a soda too."

Mingyu facepalmed while Seokmin laughed beside him. "We're terrible influences," Seokmin muttered, though he wasn't doing much to stop the argument either.

By now, Dino and Seungkwan were standing chest to chest.

"I'm Jeonghan hyung's favorite!" Dino shouted, stomping his foot like a child denied candy.

"No, I am!" Seungkwan shot back, flipping his hair again. "You're just a guest."

"I'm not a guest! I'm-"

"ENOUGH!" Jeonghan's voice finally cut through the chaos, soft but firm. Both Dino and Seungkwan turned to him, their eyes wide.

Jeonghan shook his head, giving them a tired but amused smile. "You're both my favorites. Now, sit down before I actually need another doctor to fix this headache you're giving me."

Both boys froze, then sheepishly shuffled back to their seats-Dino perching on the edge of the bed, Seungkwan crossing his arms as he sulked. The room fell into silence for a beat before Joshua broke it with a chuckle. "Well, at least it wasn't boring."

Woozi clapped lazily. "Bravo. Best performance I've seen all week."

Minghao nodded sagely. "Ten out of ten. Would watch again."

Seungkwan glared at them. "You're all awful." Then, under his breath, he added, "But at least I got my spot back."

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