jangmi (장미) ● taejoon

f i f t y n i n e .

  Jangmi was ecstatic when her new flip flops hit the beach sand, twirling in her new pastel pink swimsuit and hello kitty floaties. "Look at me, papa! Look at me!"

Taehyung took off his suit jacket and shoes, placing it in the trunk. He takes off his hefty rolex, tossing it onto the back carelessly as he rolled up his sleeves. "Mhm, you look very pretty, baby," he hums. "Don't go anywhere yet."

Namjoon held a bag of swimming trousers for the two of them, quietly standing beside Taehyung. His eyes still seemed to wander, but now observing the ocean waves soaking in the colors of the sunset.

Bennie was rather excited as well when Taehyung said he was allowed to join them, already placing a couple picnic blankets they bought at the store on the sand. He made sure to park somewhere distant from the crowd, and keep the picnic setup close by. They had a whole end of the beach to themselves.

"... Namjoon," Taehyung says, "Go change in the back, I won't be swimming. I need you to take off the suit, I'll be upset if those are damaged. That costed 10K."

Namjoon blinked back before nodding, "... Yeah, yeah. I will..."

Namjoon moved to open the car door, and hopping inside to change. Since the widows were already tinted, he didn't have to worry about covering them. He was hesitant, he's worried Jangmi might see his scars and get upset — so he got a long sleeve for swimming to hide his wounds, and swimming trousers a size up so they were long enough to hide his gun wound.

Dae never said he was allowed to go out yet, but he'll just make sure the water doesn't soak into his stitches.

"Jangmi!" Taehyung sighed loudly, "I said don't go anywhere. Not without Bennie, Namjoon, or I."

Jangmi held up a plastic pail. "Papa, I wanna collect sea shells! For show and tell!"

"Not without the adults!" Taehyung crossed his arms, "Wait till daddy is done changing, okay-"

"Collect sea shells with me, papa!" She says, swaying the pail in her hand. "Let's find some together! Can we put them in the living room?"

"... Me?" Taehyung looks over at Bennie whose occupied with making a small fire since the sunset is fading away, "Okay, okay... But only three, so find the nicest ones."

Taehyung rolled up his pants to his knees and went onto the beach sand, taking a deep breath to smell the fresh air and ocean waves before walking over to his daughter. "... You're really excited, aren't you?"

"... I've always wanted to go to the beach with mama," Jangmi murmurs, grabbing Taehyung's pointer finger and wrapping her smaller hand around it. She walks around the beach with him, her eyes darting to the sand. "... But now I get to go with daddy with papa! So I'm happy!"

"Yeah, I can tell," Taehyung says softly, "Oh, there's one right there."

"But it's broken!" Jangmi whined, crouching down. She still holds Taehyung's finger causing him to grunt and almost fall over because of her short height compared to his. "... I wanna bring home a big pretty one."

"The broken ones are as pretty as the big ones, Jangmi," Taehyung says, "... A little crack or missing pieces doesn't make them any less beautiful."

Jangmi looked at the sea shell before picking it up with a contemplating expression. "... Hm, okay," she says, "Pretty ones don't have to be perfect! I'll remember you said that, Papa."

She puts it in the pail, and gets up. "... Can we do this again one day?" She asks, looking at Taehyung. "... I like it when things are like this, I like it when you're nice!"

Taehyung watched the little girl's boxy smile appear for the first time, and it was for him - not for Namjoon, not for the staff, just for him. He placed a soft hand on her head and tucked her hair behind her ear, letting the familiar face shine under the sunset. He smiles back for what seems like the first time in ages,

"... I'll think about it."

[unedited]