Namjoon arranged for the two day get-away for the three of them at a beachfront home in Kaneohe. He agreed to go along just to make sure things didn't get out of hand. The ride to the property was a very quiet one. When they arrived at the property, they each set themselves up in their own bedrooms. Namjoon then asked for all of them to meet in the living room.
"Okay, I think we're going to need some ground rules to get us through the next couple of days. Some of the same rules that Y/N set up still apply. No calling or texting her and whatever happens here stays private between the three of us. I'd like to add that either one of you can ask for a break if things become too much to handle. Are you both cool with that?"
Hoseok and Yoongi nodded in agreement.
"Okay, do you guys want to start talking now or do you need some time alone first?
"I'm good to start." replied Yoongi.
"Me, too," answered Hoseok.
"Alright. Who wants to go first?"
There was complete silence. Hoseok stared at the floor and wrung his hands while Yoongi sat there motionless with his hands crossed.
"Guys, someone has to start," pressed Namjoon.
Finally, Hoseok spoke. "Fine. I'll start." Still wringing his hands and looking at the floor. "Do you really intend to try and take her away from me?"
Pausing for a brief moment, Yoongi replied, "It might not make sense to you, but I don't see it as taking her away. More of seizing the opportunity to have a life with her that was unexpectedly taken away from us in our previous life."
"Well, that still involves you taking her from me. What if she doesn't want a second chance with you? Will you freely walk away?" Hoseok asked, looking directly at him.
"Only if I'm positive she no longer has feelings for me. If she still does, then I'm not going to give up on her. Based on how our weekend went, I'm not going anywhere."
Hoseok gave him a quick glare. He knew by the way Yoongi spoke that he was hinting that they had a wonderful time together.
"What about you, bro? Are you going to freely walk away if she chooses me?" Yoongi asked.
Thinking, he finally said "Yes, if I see that I'm causing her great heartache. As much as I love her, I don't want her to hurt."
Namjoon chimed in, "You both saw how she was last night. She's hit her breaking point. I don't think she's going to be able to choose between the two of you. It's hurting her too much. From what Malia has told me, she's in love with both of you."
"So, what are you suggesting Namjoon, that one of us walks away right now? What if that isn't what she wants?" Yoongi asked.
"Honestly, I don't know if that's the answer. This is a very strange situation. I just don't see any way to avoid someone not being hurt," he replied solemnly, while scratching his head.
"Yoongi, she's been in my life for several months now. We've been completely happy up until you arrived."
"I didn't plan this Hoseok. You have to know that."
"Did you ever wonder that maybe there's a reason I was the one that found her first? That WE are meant to be together?"
"Yes, I've thought about that, but did you ever think that you might be the vessel responsible for bringing her back to me?"
They both looked at each other silently.
"I can't walk away from her. I love her too much," said Hoseok, his eyes beginning to swell.
"Well, that's one thing we have in common. I can't walk away from her either. I'm in love with her, too." Yoongi could see the pain in Hoseok's face. "Hoseok, I'm not trying to intentionally hurt you. You're my brother and I love you. It's just, I lost out on having a life with her back then. I can't let that opportunity pass us by now. I really want to have the marriage and life we were unfortunately denied. The whole package of starting our own business, having kids, and growing old together. I desperately want the opportunity to have that with her now."
Now standing, Hoseok desperately replied, "You don't think I want all that, too? I knew from the beginning that she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Even before we started dating. I would see her around campus and was trying to find a way to meet her. Finally, we ended up in the same Psychology class. I traded numbers with another classmate just so that I could be put in the same project group. We've been together ever since. I can't imagine my life without her."
"You had a life with her back then. Decades in fact. We had barely been married a year when I was killed in the accident. Why can't I have a chance at a life with her now?" Yoongi pleaded.
"Because, I love her. I also want a second chance for us to have a family with kids. We couldn't have that back then."
Yoongi shot up with frustration. "It's not my fault that you guys didn't or couldn't have kids."
"Just like it's not my fault you died in that accident," rebutted Hoseok.
By now, both Yoongi and Hoseok were agitated and pacing the floor. Namjoon was keeping a close eye on both of them. He saw Hoseok starting to get more upset.
"This shouldn't even be up for discussion. I'M her boyfriend. Right now, in this life. I know for a fact that she loves me. She wouldn't be this emotionally conflicted if you weren't pursuing her. You need to let her go," Hoseok demanded loudly.
Yoongi shouted back, "Not happening! I know for a fact that she loves me too! I'm not giving up on her!"
Hoseok took a few steps toward Yoongi. "I'm serious bro. You NEED to step away from her."
"Sorry, I can't. She means too much to me," he replied, moving towards Hoseok.
Namjoon stood up ready to pull them apart if necessary.
Hoseok yelled while grabbing Yoongi's arm, "Dammit! She's my......." At that moment an electric bolt raced through both of them, knocking them to the floor and taking them back to the day of the accident.
"Hey Yoongi. Can you do me a big favor and cover for me for the afternoon delivery?" Hoseok asked with a pleading look on his face.
"Why? I already made plans to meet Y/N for an early dinner with some friends."
"A group of my friends are going down to the beach to have a barbeque and a certain girl is going to be there," he said, again with a grin.
Smiling at his brother's excitement, Yoongi asked "How many deliveries are expected?"
"Just one, but it will consist of several large crates. Please, I'll owe you big time," Hoseok pleaded.
"Fine, I'll call Y/N to push back our dinner. You owe me!"
"Thank you! You are the best brother ever!" He said, and gave him a big hug.
"Yeah, yeah. Remember that when I cash in on my favor."
At that moment, Namjoon separated them. He was concerned by them shaking and crying throughout the flashback.
Hoseok jumped up in a frantic state and started to shake. He looked at Yoongi. "Oh my God! It was my fault you died that day. If I didn't ask you to cover for me, you wouldn't have been there and have had the accident. You would have had your life with Y/N."
Yoongi was frozen kneeling on the floor still processing what he just saw. Namjoon was trying to calm Hoseok.
"Hoseok, it was an accident. You had no idea what would happen that day. It's not your fault," said Namjoon.
Hoseok didn't listen to him. "I need some time alone." He said and ran out of the house towards the beach.
Yoongi got up ready to follow him but Namjoon stopped him. "Let him go Yoongi. He needs time."
Once he reached the shore, Hoseok fell to his knees crying and clutching his chest. Knowing that he was the reason Yoongi was working at the warehouse that day tore his heart.
After an hour, Yoongi walked down to the beach and quietly sat next to Hoseok. They both stared at the ocean for a few minutes. Eventually, Yoongi spoke.
"Hoseok, it wasn't your fault. You had no idea that there would be an accident that day. It was just that, an accident," he said softly while placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. At that moment, they were transported back to Yoongi's hospital room.
Crying, Hoseok was holding Yoongi's hand. "Yoongi, I'm so sorry. I never should have asked you to cover for me today. It's my fault this happened."
"Stop. It's not your fault. You had no idea that the crates would fall on me. It was an accident. Please don't blame yourself," Yoongi said, trying to comfort him.
"But it is my fault. It's my fault that you're going to........." Hoseok couldn't finish his sentence.
"Please, I need you to be strong for our parents and for Y/N. They don't know the extent of my injuries yet."
"I'll try, but it's really hard. It should have been me there instead of you."
"No. Then, you would be the one lying in this bed and I wouldn't want that either."
Hoseok continues to cry.
"Remember what you promised me at the church, the day before my wedding? I asked you to make sure Y/N was taken care of if anything should happen to me. I need you to do that now. Can you do that for me?" he asked.
Nodding yes, he replied, "Yes, but you should be the one to take care of her. You need to fight and live. Please, I don't want to lose you. If there was any way in this world, I could make this all go away I would."
With his eyes full of tears, "Believe me, I don't want to go either, but there's nothing more the doctors can do for me. I'll feel better knowing that Y/N will be taken care of by you. Promise me."
"Okay, I promise. I will care for her for the rest of my life."
"Thank you. You know I love you, right?"
"Yes, love you, too."
They were now back to the present, still sitting on the beach with their cheeks wet from all the tears. Hoseok turned and embraced Yoongi in a tight brotherly hug.
"Yoongi, I kept my promise to you and made sure I took care of her. I didn't realize at the time it would result in me falling in love with her as well. I don't know what to do now with all that has just been revealed to us."
"Thank you for keeping your promise. I don't know what to do with this information either. Let's go back to the house. Namjoon's waiting and he's worried about us."
When they got back, they told Namjoon about what they had just experienced. He sat there in awe processing the new information.
"We're all exhausted and emotionally drained. Let's take a break from talking about this and have dinner. While you guys were down at the beach, I went to pick up food," Namjoon suggested.
They all agreed and sat out on the porch to have dinner. Namjoon opened bottles of beer for all of them. He did his best to lighten the situation by talking about past adventures they had when they were kids. His efforts did produce a few small smiles and chuckles.
Once they were done with dinner, Yoongi asked, "If it's okay with you guys, I just want to take a shower and go to bed. I don't think I can talk any more right now."
Hoseok and Namjoon both agreed that they all should get some rest. After Hoseok and Yoongi retreated to their own rooms, Namjoon went outside to call Malia.
"Hey, are you free to talk?" He asked.
"Yes, Y/N is in the shower right now. How's it going?"
"Well, it's going alright. It got a little heated and they experienced a couple of flashbacks. They needed a break so they both went to bed early tonight. I'm not sure if they'll be able to come to an agreement or decision on this. They both really love her and each other. It's really heartbreaking to see them hurting so much. How's Y/N doing?"
"She's better. Not drinking any alcohol at least. She's still just as confused and unsure as before though."
"Well, just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't get on a plane."
"Of course. She already promised me that she wouldn't do that. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!"
The next morning Hoseok was the first to wake-up. He headed down to the beach early to watch the sunrise. He kept replaying the flashbacks that they experienced yesterday. The new revelations have slightly changed how he views the situation.
When he went back up to the house, he found Yoongi in the kitchen making breakfast.
"Hey", greeted Yoongi.
"Morning," replied Hoseok.
"Are you okay?" Yoongi asked.
"Yes, calmer than yesterday. Last night I had some time to think. Especially after the flashbacks that we had. I think we need to share that information with Y/N. She needs to know what happened the day of the accident," suggested Hoseok.
"I've been thinking the same thing too. I don't know how or if it will change anything, but she does deserve to know."
Namjoon entered the living room. "Good morning. You guys, okay?"
"Yeah, we're okay. Breakfast is almost ready," replied Yoongi.
Hoseok went to sit at the dining table. "We're talking about how we should share with Y/N the flashbacks that we had yesterday."
Namjoon thought for a moment. "Should you share that information with her? There is the rule that everything that happens here stays private between the three of us. What would be the benefit of her knowing about the day of the accident?"
Both Yoongi and Hoseok thought about that for a minute.
Namjoon continued. "Will it help her to make a decision? It's not going to change what happened in the past. You still died from the accident and you took care of her for the rest of her life. What matters now is the present and the future."
"Well, it looks like we're going to have to think about this a little more. For now, let's eat before breakfast gets cold," Yoongi suggested.
After breakfast, Namjoon informed them that he chartered a boat for them to go fishing. He wanted something for them to do that would hopefully be fun and get their minds off the situation for at least a few hours. Both Hoseok and Yoongi were a bit hesitant, but agreed to go. To be safe, they all took some anti-nausea medication.
The boat Namjoon chartered was in Haleiwa and it was called "Da Big One". They were the only ones fishing on the boat today. The captain explained where they were going and the type of fish they hoped to catch. When they all got to the fishing spot, they baited their poles and casted their lines. Now all they could do was wait.
"While we wait, let's make a friendly challenge. The last one to catch a fish buys lunch and drinks, " suggested Namjoon.
"You're one," replied Hoseok.
"Be ready to lose Namjoon," teased Yoongi.
They sat there quietly until one of the lines started to jerk. It was Hoseok's line.
"Hoseok, your line is moving!" said Yoongi excitedly.
The captain instructed Hoseok to sit in the chair and how to gradually reel in the line.
"Relax, you got this," encouraged Namjoon.
Slowly the line began to pull harder. Hoseok was trying to follow the captain's instructions to reel the fish in. It was getting harder to control the fishing pole. Yoongi came to assist Hoseok and held the pole so he could do the reel.
"Don't give up Hoseok. We got this," cried Yoongi.
After about 20 more minutes of battling the fish, they finally were successful in reeling in a 50 lb. yellowfin tuna. All three of them started cheering and high-fiving each other.
"Wow, that was hard work! My hands are sore!" exclaimed Hoseok.
"That was awesome!" cheered Namjoon.
"That was really cool!" said Yoongi.
Putting his hand on Yoongi's shoulder, Hoseok said "Thanks for your help bro. I couldn't have done it without you."
"Sure, no problem. It was fun."
In the hour they l had left, they spent it laughing and encouraging each other to catch a fish. Yoongi was next, catching a 22 lb. marlin and last was Namjoon, catching a 20 lb. mahi mahi. The captain was kind enough to clean and prep the fish for them. As a thank you, they gave him the marlin. Namjoon was happy that he could help give them at least a few hours to escape the confusion and chaos of their personal lives.
On the way back to the beach house, they stopped to pick up lunch. Namjoon's treat since he lost the challenge. Although they would have preferred to eat in the restaurant, they all smelled strongly of fish. After a hot shower and lunch, Namjoon suggested that they take a couple hours alone and then they'll meet back in the living room.
Yoongi went to his room and laid down on the bed. He picked up his phone and scrolled through photos of his weekend with Y/N. He quietly chuckled at the painting they did together with the cat faces. He scrolled through more photos and stopped at the one he secretly took of Y/N standing on the porch looking out at the ocean. He held the phone to his heart and said, "I am you and you are me." He knew that there was no way he could let her go.
Hoseok decided to take a walk along the beach. He reflected on his walk on the beach with Y/N on Maul and watching the sunset. He thought about the horseback ride and laughed at the horse spitting on his face. She looked so happy riding on the horse. Lastly, he remembered the flashback to his proposal during the sunrise at Haleakala. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. He fell in love with her back then and has fallen in love with her again in this life. That has to mean something. He couldn't see his life without her in it. When he got back to the house, Namjoon and Yoongi were already sitting in the living room.
Looking up, Namjoon greeted Hoseok. "Hey, did you have a good walk?"
"Yes, the ocean was very calming."
"You ready to resume talking"
"Sure. But before we start, I'd like to thank you for putting this time together and for mediating. Your love and support mean a lot."
Yoongi added, "Yes, having you here is a big help. Thank you!"
"You're welcome. I love both of you like brothers. I hate seeing you hurt. I'll do whatever I can to help you both get through this."
"Yoongi, I don't think either one of us have changed our minds. We both want a life with Y/N. I think it's going to have to come down to her decision," revealed Hoseok.
"I know. I was thinking the same thing. Problem is, I don't know if she'll be able to make a decision. We saw how much it has affected her knowing that we're both hurting," said Yoongi with great concern.
"Be honest. If she were to outright choose me, will you be able to step away without any issues?" Hoseok asked Yoongi.
"If she was to choose you, I would step away and support her decision. What about you?" he answered.
Hoseok immediately replied, "Same. If she was to choose you, I would step away as well. It would hurt greatly, but I would step away and respect her decision."
"I think this is something Y/N needs to hear from the both of you. She needs to know that you both are going to be okay as brothers," suggested Namjoon.
They both agreed and discussed how they should talk to Y/N about this.
"I have a suggestion. What if I call Malia and ask her to bring Y/N here tonight? It's a private and safe place for all of you to have a discussion," suggested Namjoon.
When he got the okay from both Hoseok and Yoongi, he called Malia.
"Hey, Malia. Do you think you could bring Y/N here to the beach house tonight? Both of them would like to talk to her together."
"Sure, what time do you want us there?"
"Please be here by 6:00pm for dinner."
"Okay, see you then."
Once they heard the girls were coming, both Hoseok and Yoongi got a little nervous. To occupy their minds, they all started cooking the fish they had caught for dinner. Without any words being said, Namjoon knew they were both excited to see her and yet also worried about what the future held for all three of them.
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A/N - The bond between brothers, whether by blood or not, can be extremely strong. What do you do when you're stuck between a rock and hard place and can't find a way not to hurt each other or yourself? Who do you think is going to give up their love and happiness so that the other can have a life with Y/N? Please remember to vote at the bottom if you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks so much for reading!