Father - Namjoon

10. New way out

Fireworks were still going off from outside while the family ate dinner. Namjoon was finishing serving his brother when the television announced another congratulation.

It was the new year, and the Kim family had decided to get together completely, since that year was the one in which Namjoon's father was retiring, and he wanted nothing more than to see his entire family together for the celebration.

Bora looked up from her plate to the baby who was fighting in the parrot; He was throwing a tantrum in front of his mother, a rather old woman about to have children, visibly tired. She noticed the way the baby threatened to cry and how her mother gave in and cleaned him up, giving him some tablet so he wouldn't make another fuss. It seemed ridiculous to Bora how that object could absorb all of her control, and she felt bad for her new aunt.

"Bora, look away." A whisper from her father made her return to her plate immediately. It was awkward enough being at her grandparents' house again with her uncle, his wife, and her cousin; But her father had also arrived not alone, but with no one else but Hyejung, his long-term-girldfriend from the city and the main reason why Bora hadn't visited him for a while.

Bora turned to look at her for a moment. She sat on the other side of her father with a fake smile, holding his hand under the table. She let out a snort, which was quickly disappeared when her father turned to look at her fiercely.

"I'm so sorry," her uncle's wife interrupted with a nervous laugh, "it seems like it's impossible for this baby to stay still." The only one who responded was Bora's grandmother, who laughed sweetly.

"There's no reason, Yoonah, it's the family gene," the old woman turned to her sons, "Minjong and Namjoon wouldn't leave me alone either."

"They must have been lovely babies." Yoonah responded sheepishly, causing a throat clearing from Mr. Kim.

"Sure, what else can you expect from two men?" The whole table laughed, but they didn't really find it funny, especially Bora, who was already tired.

"I just hope I'm at least half as good a father as you." Minjong said, receiving a dirty look from his younger brother.

"I'm sure you will be, you're just like him." Namjoon commented, tension gaining between the sauce and rice.

Grandma interrupted the moment. "We are very happy that everyone could come, especially that Hyejung can finally be with us." The aforementioned smiled. "It's always good to know that my son is rebuilding his life as it should be, with you."

Bora saw how her father smiled at his girlfriend. She put the chopsticks on the plate, looking away.

"It is an honor for me to be the woman in Namjoon's life." Hyejung looked at his boyfriend, tightening his grip on the hand holding him.

"We just wonder when they will decide to get married." The grandmother told him.

"It's true," Grandpa interrupted, drinking some more liquor, "they're not so young anymore, and if they want to give me a grandson, it's better to hurry."

Bora stood up abruptly from the table, silencing everyone. Namjoon turned to look at her, but she didn't say anything.

"Are you okay, Bora-ah?" Yoonah asked, her niece smiled at her.

"Yes, I just want to excuse myself, I have a headache." As she said that she left the table and took the plate from her.

"Do you want me to bring you something? Medicine perhaps?" Hyejung offered, but received nothing more than a harsh look and a shake of the head, before the thirteen-year-old girl walked up the stairs to her room.

When she arrived, Bora immediately closed the door and took a deep breath. She heard some laughter from downstairs and decided it was best to ignore it. Determined, she changed out of her silly New Year's dress and grabbed her headphones, playing the rhythm on the guitar she was trying to memorize as she lay on her bed.

She got bored after a while and decided to take the phone out of her. Inside it, she saw posts from her friends with their families on vacation, New Year's wishes with prosperity and love, and even the occasional message from distant friends who only appeared for the holiday. She unwatched some and ignored others, until she came across the chat that really interested her. Without thinking twice, she called.

"Well?" Her muffled voice amidst loud music made him smile.

"Uncle Yoongi."

"Ah, hello little one, how are you? Have you finished dinner yet?"

"Yes," Bora replied, "are you still with the others?"

"We rejects should be together, don't you think? We're all here, we actually finished playing."

"Oh... I see..." Bora played with her shirt "and... is everyone there? Hoseok and the others?"

"Yes, Hoseok and Beom and Zix and Jungkook..." upon hearing the last name Bora smiled widely.

"That's great! I hope you have a good new year!"

"Do you want to say hello, Purple light?" Yoongi asked; On the other side there was no longer music but street sounds. Bora blushed as if she were facing them.

"I..." She couldn't continue answering because Yoongi opened the phone and out of nowhere several voices greeted her happily between intelligible words. "Hello, everybody!"

"Boraaaa how's it going?" Bora heard Hoseok ask between laughter.

"It's going fine, Hoseok-ah."

"Is the witch giving trouble?" Zix was next, clearly drunk.

"As ever, but they're going back to the city tomorrow."

"You'll come with them, Light?" Yoongi asked, curiously and with sounds of struggle to carry probably one of them.

"Maybe...I don't want to stay here with my cousin." Bora waited after it for some other voice, but everything was suddenly silence. "Hello?"

"Hello, is Jungkook." Bora almost fainted. Her voice was caught up in her throat. "Hello?"

"Yes! Hello!"

"Sorry, Zix just vomited, and Yoongi Hyung is helping him...I think is better if I hung up to help them...it was nice to talk to you Bora, happy New Years!"

"Y-You too, Jungkook!"

"See you soon." After that, the call was ended.

Bora stayed sitting on her bed, in silence, completely alone again. Not long after, however, there was a knock at the door. Bora got off her bed and opened the door; Immediately, her smile faded.

"Do you feel better little one?" Namjoon smiled at her, but her daughter just leaned against the door frame and nodded. Her father didn't know what else to say for a moment, until something occurred to him. "Your uncle brought ice cream, he's the ugly one who knows almost nothing, but... don't you want some?"

"No, I... I'm fine like this, thank you." Bora crossed her arms.

"Okay," Namjoon smiled again, nervously, "we'll be downstairs playing something, if you want to come."

Bora wanted to tell her a thousand things, but she knew that her grandparents' house and the new year were neither the time nor the place to do it; so, in her place she just nodded and closed the door without anything else to say.

Namjoon stood in front of his daughter's door for a few minutes before Hyejung appeared.

"Is she upset?"

"You know what age is like." He approached her and gave her a short kiss. "Let's go down."

Hyejung nodded and they both accompanied each other to the stairs, but not before Namjoon turned to the closed door sadly.