CHARADES (Namjin.)

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

Jungkook.

The drive home is unusually quiet, the roaring engine, and the sound of wheels on the path, the only thing residing in the silent space. We rarely ride in the same car because of our different schedules, but whenever the opportunity presents itself we are always bubbly, talking about our day, sharing work ideas, making out...

We are too calm tonight, Seokjin's eyes focused on the world outside, while I stay on my phone. I would like to think I am clueless as to what this silence is about, I would love to be foreign to the tension that somehow lingers in the air, but I am not, I know what has led to this, what brought us to this place.

I was surprised to see Kim Namjoon earlier too, a little angry that I wasn't let in on the information that he was a part of BigHit. If I knew, there would definitely be a difference, a huge one per say. For starters this project wouldn't have been a thing, and he wouldn't have gotten to see Seokjin, or eye him longingly like he did earlier. It isn't particularly jealousy, more of worry of what this would do to Jin, to us. Jin is kind of fragile still, he has only put himself together recently, and this abruptness in reunion might mess him up. I hate Namjoon for that, I hate him for showing up, for being around now, and for being able to draw emotions, even in the slightest, from my fiance.

"You alright?" I ask, bringing him out of his thoughts. Oddly, I wonder what exactly he is thinking about, who, perhaps. He smiles at me, moving closer, and snuggling by my side, his head on my shoulder. "Yeah, just tired." He whispers, to which I hum, kissing his head.

"Did you know Namjoon was on the project?" I ask, narrowing my eyes when I feel him tense by my side.

We haven't talked much since the events earlier in the day. We haven't talked at all about Namjoon regarding the same. I wish we didn't have to, I wish he was just another casual ex of his, some guy he barely remembered, but he is visibly more than that. The guy has a print on our lives, and his presence must be accompanied by change despite what we want. I don't know if Jin was aware of Namjoon's relation with BigHit, but if he did, I would have liked it if he informed me of it, I would have wanted to know if he was around.

Thinking of it now, I should have just kept tabs on the man like I did years ago. Once we moved to the states I threw everything out, I let the story with Kim Namjoon be because we were halfway around the world, and he would have never been able to reach us. Seokjin and I had started a new life and there was no cause of worry of Namjoon ever popping back into our lives, this significantly may I add. I should have found out his where bouts as soon as we landed back in Korea. A little obsession maybe, but this is Namjoon we are talking about, and this is my fiance, one I can tell Namjoon has eyes on.

"I didn't know. Not until he walked through those doors today." He murmurs, sighing after. I feel a tad bit relieved with that answer, at least he he didn't know, and wasn't keeping it from me like I thought initially, he doesn't lie, never does, and I appreciate that, especially now.

We spend the next minutes of the drive back in silence, lost in different, yet somehow similar thoughts. We are exhausted when we get home, the fatigue from the day's work starting to settle as we enter the familiar place.

"Appa! Daddy!" A weak, frail voice sounds just as we make our way to the living room, Jeonghan sleepily  stumbling down the stairs, almost tripping on his feet. The worried nanny behind him gasps, looking even more terrified when she spots me and Seokjin at the bottom of the stairs, the latter's face morphed into confusion. It's well an hour past Jeonghan's bed time, and I get why she would be worried of us scolding her for not putting the little one to bed on time.

Seokjin kneels down at the end of the stairs, bringing the six year old to his arms once he is close. "Sweety, why are you not in bed yet?" He asks worriedly, placing the back of his hand on the kids forehead, vaguely checking his temperature. Jeonghan is a good kid, always obedient, but he gives the help, and his nanny a hard time when it's time for bed. He would do anything, except for going to sleep without me or his Appa. Generally, we both try to be home, at least one of us if things are tight, but at times we both have hectic schedules, and Seokjin and I have talked to him about just letting nanny Ching put him to bed.