The line between reality and between fantasy was thin at this stage. Jungkook was finding himself in a whirlwind of ideas that related to Taehyung- his imagination was growing more dangerous by the second.
He had agreed to have lunch with Jisoo, nervous to see her, nervous that she'd want to talk about the wedding, about agreeing to marry Taehyung yet again. He worried that his Mother had told her what she saw and that she was coming to pour hot coffee on him, berate him in front of his employees, or worse, ask him about it in a completely innocent way. She knew he couldn't resist her puppy eyes.
All the worry explained why his stomach had been in knots all day, a pulsing in his chest that could only be cured by a Xanax prescription that he had given up once he landed on the West coast.
"Your sister is here Mr. Jeon!" His assistant piped up over the speaker.
"You can send her in!" Jungkook shut the folder of paperwork he had laid out. He had barely made any progress on a thing, hyper fixated on what was to come.
"Big brother!" Jisoo had her hands full upon entering, a brown bag filled with food and a cardboard box in the other.
"Are you moving in? My god!" Jungkook grabbed the box from her.
"That's Daddy!" She said it casually, causing Jungkook to pause.
"I'm sorry, what?"
She frowned, ripping boxes of food out of the paper bag and carelessly tossing them on the desk, "That's his ashes silly!"
He set it down gently, unnerved having his Father so close to him, "And why did you bring Dad?"
"You didn't read the e-mail I sent?" In all honesty, he had been avoiding her in all capacity.
"I'm busy Soo!"
She rolled her eyes, "He wanted to be placed somewhere in the office. Per his will this is where he wanted his final resting spot!"
Jungkook's eyes darted around his office. Was this some sick joke? What kind of pompous asshole wanted to be placed in his own office after death? Was it some sick way of watching over his son?
"What did you bring for lunch?" Jungkook set the box on the ground, nervous by it's prescience. He peeled open one of the containers and crinkled his nose in delight, "Steak?"
Jisoo grinned, "Jinnie wanted to prove to you that he could cook more than just vegan dishes! He made me the most delightful lamb chops the other night, and a roast chicken last Sunday."
"Jinnie?" Jungkook raised a brow, "Are you talking about shoulders?"
"Well that's quite the term of endearment..." She scooped up some of her food.
"I'm just surprised that you're seeing him so casually and so often- what about Taehyung?" It wasn't that he cared that she was with Jin, in fact, he was actually encouraging if it, but he did care about her level of involvement with Tae.
She hummed, seemingly pondering, "Didn't Mom tell you? We called off the engagement."
His Mother had not mentioned it. Besides an occasional text about the business and an inquiry about online banking he had barely heard from her, "I heard mumblings but you called it off for good? I was under the impression it was undecided?" He hoped he didn't sound as eager as he felt.
"Well Tae wouldn't take 'it's off for good' as an answer without us at least spending time apart and then trying to reconnect but I can already tell you Jungkook, without Daddy here, what's the point in forcing it?" Her eyes were absolutely radiant as she spoke about freedom and her future, "I can live my own life. No need to pop out kids and become a new age version of Mom! I can travel. See where Jin and I end up. If it doesn't work out I can try his brother! Equally as handsome and more money."
He was stunned that Tae had been the proponent of seeing if things could work. In a way, it was a slam to the relationship they had formed. It just left him feeling icky, a side fling, a simple hook up. Suddenly Jungkook felt seventeen, used and abused on the floor of his parents boat. He felt twenty-one when he thought he fell in love for the first time but it turned out it was just good head. He felt silly and sad, embarrassed and hurt. He felt like the little boy who had been yelled at for playing with a baby doll all because boys were supposed to playing with mini versions of expensive sports cars, or training to be the next best tennis player.
He tried to put a brave face on for his sister who was on a different planet with happiness. She seemed elated to be spending time with someone new, that she actually cared for. She seemed to be absolutely glowing at the idea that her life could be more. Who was he to deny her happiness by coating lunch with his own problems- ones he couldn't involve her in anyways.
"Tell him that I'd like to try the lamb chops next time! That sounds delicious."
Jisoo chuckles, "Why don't you come over Saturday night? He's cooking them and we're having a few friends over. It would be a good way for you to meet people around the city! Some new friends."
Jungkook didn't need new friends. He needed Tae to quit lying to him, to be honest about his feelings, to be a decent human being. He nodded along anyways, always so agreeable with his sister, "Sounds great. Thanks for the invite!"
She packed her food up, shoving everything back into the bag where it had come from, "Can I tell you a secret?"
He nodded, finishing up his own final bites.
"Jin is the best in bed of anyone I've ever been with!" She squealed in delight.
Jungkook frowned, "Oh my god! You slept with him already?"
She rolled her eyes, "Yes I did and maybe if you slept with someone once in awhile you'd be less rigid!" Her hands fell to her hips, popping out in a display of sass.
If only she knew.
"Make sure to find a good home for Dad!" Her eyes darted around the oversized space, "And maybe while you're at that you could redecorate in here- do you want my help?"
He felt wrong taking any help from Jisoo, "I'll call a decorator. You sound busy!"
"Don't hesitate to ask. I'll always make time for you!"
"Before you go- how exactly is Mom holding up?"
Jisoo frowned, "You should go visit her. I think she's lonely without the idea that Dad might yell at her for ironing his pants wrong at any given moment."
"Hmm... I'll do that!" Jungkook opened back up his folder of paperwork, eyes casually trailing the spot on the floor where he had set the ashes.
The man who had belittled him, brought down to the level of no more than a plain box on the floor. In a way he wanted to verify that ashes were in there, open it up and pull them out. Look for any sign that he was still judging from afar.
Jungkook couldn't pull himself too. Not now.
YOU ARE READING
A MYSTERY TO ME | TAEKOOK
Fanfiction- When Taehyung agreed to marry into the Jeon family, he had no idea that Jungkook was part of that. - It's been five years since Jungkook and his family severed ties, five years since he moved across the country, five years that he's spent forgett...
