Neighbors

Baby Brother

Seokjin had just started the day at work, mixing ingredients and starting dishes that were a little behind, when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He winces, mumbling under his breath, "Stupid Braxton Hicks," he sighs. The temporary contractions were to the point now where he has to either have Namjoon rub his back to get rid of them, or he just has to brace himself against a wall and sway gently side to side to ease the discomfort.

Right now, since he was at work, he was going to have to do that.

"You okay Jinnie?" Seonghwa asks, setting the tray of dirty dishes at the dish station and turning to his brother. His own heavily pregnant belly on display and stretching his work shirt where Seokjin's afraid he's going to lose a button.

Seokjin nods, taking in a deep breath and continuing to sway, "I'm hurting, but I'm refusing to leave until I get this day done."

"Jinnie, if you're hurting you need to go home and rest. You're risking your baby's-"

"My baby is fine, and so am I," Seokjin snaps, "I've got another week until little man is due and I'm trying my very best to keep him in here but these contractions are starting to get more intense."

Seonghwa pouts, "If you think you need to go to the hospital, I'll drive you there. Hyung, I seriously think you need to go home-"

"Seonghwa! Food!" A chef calls, dinging the bell right after.

Seokjin nods, "I'm fine, go take care of your tables."

Seonghwa nods, rubbing his brother's back gently before walking to take the food to the appropriate table. Seokjin sighs, leaning back against the dish table and swaying side to side, feeling the discomfort slowly dissipate. He stalks around the kitchen, making sure dishes are done correctly and getting after a few workers, all while fighting Braxton Hicks. It wasn't until a server comes over to him in the middle of the night, smiling politely, "Excuse me, Seokjin-ssi-"

"Jennie, I told you that you can just call me Jin. Anyway, what's up?"

"My brother is coming home from the military next Saturday, and I was wondering if maybe I can have that day off? I know it's short notice but I wasn't aware I hadn't told you yet until here recently."

"Absolutely, let me go put it on the calendar right now. Is anyone switching with you?"

"Seonghwa said he would," She smiles, "Thank you Jin!"

Seokjin chuckles, waddling to his office in the back of the restaurant. As soon as he made it back there, he sits in his office chair right in front of his laptop and gets to work on switching the schedule. He had just typed in Seonghwa's name when he feels another sharp pain... along with water flooding in his chair and at his feet.

He gasps, looking down and seeing his black pants were wet. He groans, "I know for a fact that's not pee."

He stands, holding his belly as he carefully walks to the door that he shut, opening it and hiding behind. He peeks out, just in time to see one of his assistant managers walking by and he gets their attention, "JinJin!"

The 5'8", mouse/puppy looking man immediately stops and looks for the voice that calls him, seeing Jin and bowing, "Yes hyung?"

"I need you to go get Seonghwa, and possibly call in a waiter that's off today to work the remaining time of his shift... my water just broke."

"Oh shit! Absolutely, I'll be right back," JinJin nods, disappearing instantly while Seokjin grabs a random clean towel by his office and tries to mop up as much of the amniotic fluid as he can.

He finished mopping the floor around the time Seonghwa and JinJin come back, Seonghwa gasping, "I told you that you should go home!!"

"Yeah yeah, shut up!" Seokjin snaps, "Help me clean the rest of this up and take me to the hospital will ya? I don't want people to see me like this."