Father - Namjoon

7. No way to get there on my own

Namjoon was unsure as he remained glued to his computer sitting at Yoongi's table, reciting everything he could find to him.

"...Part-time barista, night shift in Itaewon...experience not required...Hey, this doesn't sound bad!" He pulled his head out of the screen and saw his friend laughing with Bora as she served him a cup of invisible tea.

"Eh, I don't know, could you resist falling asleep?" Yoongi replied, smiling as he drank from his cup and adjusted the buns in his long hair. "You've never been able to stay awake for so long."

"Well, uh..." Namjoon bit his lip, while his daughter on the other side was talking something about strawberry cakes "...oh, listen! Office receptionist wanted... I can do that!"

"More please, Mrs. Kim..." Yoongi said to his niece, turning after to his friend, "don't people prefer women for those things?"

"That's very feminist Yoongi."

"I'm just saying that you lack a feminine side." Yoongi responded as he allowed himself to be maneuvered by Bora while she placed a necklace on him in the middle of a smile. Namjoon rolled his eyes.

"Then I don't know what else to do." He dropped into the chair.

Bora approached him with a plastic plate with some leaves on it, leaving it on the table next to her father.

"Don't be sad sir." She told him with an American TV tone. Namjoon smiled and took the plate, letting his daughter go back to Yoongi's side to 'cook' with some other sticks she had gotten earlier while walking Holly, Yoongi's poodle.

"Excuse me miss, I have to help a friend." Yoongi apologized, then got up from the floor and sat in a chair next to Namjoon. "Listen, you don't have to be desperate, you know I have no problem with you staying here."

"I know, but it's not right." He swept his gaze over to his friend, enjoying that look with collars, chains, flowers an dpretty bows. "Besides, this place is too small and Bora has you invaded."

"Nah, it's okay," Yoongi laughed, "the girls love it, you don't know how many come up when they see me with her on the street." Namjoon narrowed his eyes, annoyed.

"Yes...remind me not to let her go out with you anymore."

"Now, man! What are you worried about?" Yoongi patted her on the back as she responded, ignoring her comment, "Worry when Bora has to start primary school!"

"That's just what worries me, don't you understand? Without a good salary I won't be able to put her in a good school, and you know that's important." Namjoon dropped his head on the table. "At this rate we can't even pay for extra lessons."

Yoongi shook his head as he clicked his tongue.

"These modern parents and their slavery, really... it's amazing that you don't realize that your daughter is a fucking genius!"

Namjoon punched him in the arm. Both of the men turned to the kid, but she seemed to be too focused on her cooking to listen to their conversation.

"Fine! But she is!" Yoongi responded, rubbing his bruise. "Just like the damned father...you didn't have private things and you still entered Seoul, right? Why would she be any different?"

Namjoon sat straight and ruffled his hair.

"You just don't understand: a father always wants the best for his children, and I don't want to be a bad father to her. It was the agreement I reached with Hyejin."

Yoongi noticed the worry on his face, the need to prove something. He understood, but also felt like he needed some reasurement. 

"Namjoon-ah, I'll tell you what," Yoongi put a hand on his friend's shoulder and turned him so he could hear him clearly, "just a few days ago I found out that your wife wasn't your wife because of what I thought, and you also have to stay alone with Bora, and you know what? I was never so convinced that, among parents, you are the worst shit of all."

"Oh my, what a comfort!" Namjoon exaggerated, but Yoongi laughed.

"I'm serious, I mean, just with my father, the son of a bitch never calls to find out if I'm still alive, and while here you are, willing to work three jobs so that your three-year-old genius girl can go to college." Yoongi smiled. "I'm serious, you're a good father."

Namjoon smiled, shaking his head.

"Thank you, Hyung."

Both men smiled at each other.

"Uncle Yoongi!" Bora's voice interrupted them from the room.

"What's happening!" Yoongi yelled back.

"Holly took my doll!"

"Oh, boy, I better go see that." Yoongi said to his friend and stood up. "I'm coming!"

Namjoon watched him leave and continued searching the computer. Then, an ad opened in front of him, it was to be a cashier at a bookstore near Yoongi's house. The salary was not good, but not bad either, and Namjoon was excited; Maybe he could take Bora from time to time to read, and in passing tell his friend that all he knew was reciting the poem for Mother's Day that they had done in high school.

Immediately, he applied.

"Holly! Fucking dog! Leave the doll alone!"

The roar reached Bora's father, who after laughing a little at the desperate tone of his friend, got up to run to the room and save the poor doll from the dog joke that Yoongi worshiped like a religion.