When Shadows Fall | BTS Kim Namjoon

Chapter 22: Pictures

I looked at Mr. Kim. He smiled and said, "Are you coming with us to the train station?"

"If there's room in the car, sir," I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully.

I shrugged a little. "It's better than staying here by myself, I think." Although, if I stayed, I could nap...

"All right, but I'll have no yelling or fighting between you and Namjoon." He wiggled his finger at me with a smile.

I laughed. "Oh no, we've gotten a lot better at hiding how much we hate each other now that we're older."

He laughed too. "That's good, because I don't want to have to spend my weekend watching fists fly."

"I promise there won't be any fighting," I grinned.

"Good, good."

As silence fell, I looked off into the dusk, smiling. This was what I'd missed – the ability to laugh and take some joy in life. This weekend was looking to be just what I'd needed.

Areum and her mother bustled out of the house. "Ready?"

We got in the car, and as soon as we began backing out of the driveway I felt my eyelids drifting closed. Drat this propensity for sleeping in the car, it just wouldn't go away.

*

Namjoon looked up as he heard his parents greet him. Shoving his phone into his pocket, he stood up and embraced them. As he spotted Areum, he pulled her in for a hug as well.

"How have you been?" he asked them.

"Good, really good," his mother said, her eyes drinking in the sight of him actually being with his family for a while. Namjoon smiled – he understood. He was doing the same thing, trying to absorb all the memories of his family for when he could no longer be with them.

"Here," his father said, picking up the black duffel bag.

"No, I have it," Namjoon said, reaching out.

His father grumped, "I'm not so old that I can't carry one bag."

"I never said you were," Namjoon was quick to say, seeing the smile behind his father's face as they walked to the car, talking about what had been happening in the months since they'd seen each other.

Namjoon opened one of the back doors, and saw Chunhwa dozing there, beginning to frown as her arm rest had disappeared. Quickly, before she was awake enough to be grumpy, he closed the door again and walked to the other side. Areum had already slid through to the middle seat, and patted the seat behind the driver. "Here you go, Namjoon!"

"Thank you, Areum."

As they began to drive and the conversation turned to plans for the day that Namjoon would be there, Chunhwa stirred. Namjoon looked over to see her blinking her eyes open, and smiled.

"Hello Chunhwa."

"Hi."

Namjoon chuckled at her grumpy tone. "Is my family so boring that you fell asleep?"

"Please, Namjoon, I promised your father there wouldn't be any fighting." She rubbed her eyes, and sighed.

"Okay. Anything new and exciting in your life?" Namjoon leaned forward so he could see better around Areum.