CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE, MENTIONS OF SEXUAL CONTENT, FLUFF, & ANGST
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Yoongi bounded down the steps, his phone held in the crook of his shoulder as he offered me a side glance. He chuckled at something Seokjin said through the call, mumbling a rushed, "Mhm, mhm," before shoving the phone against my chest. He dashed into the kitchen without another word, leaving me stupefied and alone in the living room as I peered down at the device. Placing it against my ear, I chirped a shy, "Hello?" as I listened past the distant muttering in the other room.
"Yumin?"
"Seokjin?"
"You've gotta stop calling me that. It's too formal."
I laughed, the first genuine laugh I'd voiced in what felt like forever. "It's your name. What else am I supposed to call you?"
"Just Jin is fine. I don't want people thinking I'm your father or something with you going around calling me Seokjin."
"Fine, Jin it is. Are you almost there?"
"My plane lands in 15 minutes. Have you guys left yet?"
Glancing into the kitchen, I watched Yoongi and Jimin dash across the tiled floor, gathering their coats and phones and asking one another if they'd forgotten anything, all while Taehyung and Jungkook lounged at the kitchen island, their eyes following their hyung's back and forth like a loose pin-ball.
"We're not even close to getting out the door yet."
"Aish. Tell Yoongi to stop fussing and get in the car. I don't want to have to wait around the airport all by myself waiting for you guys. I look terrible."
"I'm sure you look fine, Jin."
"You're sweet, but I look like I'm fresh out of a two-day camping trip from inside of a dumpster. Just get your asses down here so I can hug you and then come take a warm fucking shower."
I chuckled in response, feeling my heart flutter at the friendly sound of Jin's voice through the phone. We said our goodbyes before I hung up and darted into the kitchen, hollering for everyone's attention and ushering them out the door. Throwing my hoodie over my head to protect my ears from the harsh winds, I waved goodbye to Nari and Yeontan standing patiently in the center of the kitchen, waiting to join the others for a fun ride, before locking them inside. I made my way quickly down the steps towards our parked cars, glancing back and forth between all four members as they tried to divvy us up between two rides.
"Taehyung and Jungkook, take the Bentley," Jimin spoke hurriedly, tossing the keys to the maknae. Turning to Yoongi and me, he jabbed a finger at our chests before pulling us along with him to his truck. I hopped in the backseat, allowing the two older men the privilege of sitting in the front while they cursed anxiously under their breaths. Jimin jabbed his key into the truck, revving the engine before backing out of our driveway, hollering out of Yoongi's window at the others before speeding off.
"How much longer until he lands?" Jimin panted, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.
"About ten minutes," I murmured, eyes trained on the blonde. He looked so stressed as if arriving at the airport even a second late would result in another two years without his hyung's presence. Leaning forward, I drew a hand soothingly along his shoulder, hoping to calm him down. He loosened up beneath his touch, releasing an uneasy sigh and leaning back in his seat. "We'll make it on time, okay? Even if we're a little late, he'll still be waiting for us."
Jimin nodded, more to himself than to me, reaching up to lace our fingers together against his collar. I rested my head against the side of his seat, eyes flicking back and forth between both men as we sat in silence the whole ride over. When we arrived, Yoongi watched the Bentley behind us swerve in another direction in the parking lot, driving up a ramp to find a spot while Jimin circled the bottom level. Greedily, he jerked the truck into place beneath the back of the ramp, cutting the engine and quickly hopping out.
"Jungkook!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the parking levels.
"Coming!"
Jungkook and Taehyung's footsteps multiplied as they ran down the ramp to the lower parking level, sliding around the bend and staring across at us with an almost panicked gaze. "Let's go!" Taehyung shouted, grabbing Jungkook by the back of his denim jacket and hauling him out the exit. Yoongi, Jimin, and I all exchanged broad grins, bouncing on our heels as we sped after the other two at full speed, wanting to get to the airline gate as fast as possible.
No matter how much I wanted to mope around in self-pity, I couldn't help but grin wider as I pushed myself to full speed, sprinting past Jungkook and Taehyung with Jimin on my heels. The younger two called out in complaint, their footsteps mingling with ours as we raced in one large group through the airport traffic and into the main building.
We slowed to a fast walk, tugging our masks over our noses as we turned every which way in search of directions. Yoongi grabbed my shoulder, steering me down a corridor that numbered a list of different gates. Smiling beneath my mask, I laced our hands together, bouncing on my toes as we padded through the thinning line of deboarding passengers towards Seokjin's gate. Already, we could see a swarm of people trudging out with suitcases and duffle bags in hand, mothers with their toddler's hands clutched in their grasps, all wearing masks to protect themselves from the spreading virus.
"I don't see him," Yoongi fretted, standing on the tips of his toes to peer over the mass of fuzzy heads. I tugged him back down to his feet, nudging him out of the way of an agitated-looking businessman and continuing towards the very front of the gate. I could sense the others behind me, offering them a glance over my shoulder before we came to a halt. Yoongi practically jittered beside me with excitement, waiting for the moment he could wrap his arms around his hyung for the first time in years.
A tall, slender man rounded the bend from the gate's corridor, a tan hoodie pulled over his head and a black mask with a bear muzzle covering his face. His eyes darted about the almost empty hall, scanning over the line of dark blue chairs pushed in the corner and then towards us. His nervous, brown eyes immediately lit up, cheeks bunching beneath his mask in a smile as he dropped his duffle bag at his feet, opening his arms wide as a stray tear rolled down his cheek. Yoongi dropped my hand and rushed forward, burying his face in the brunet's chest and holding on to him tightly. The others pushed past me to do the same, the five of them nearly toppling over in an entanglement of limbs and breathless giggles as they welcomed Seokjin home.
I stood far off in the back, watching the others as they shut their eyes with joy, teeth flashing in joyous grins as they took turns hugging the oldest around his waist. Seokjin giggled beneath his mask, running his hands through their silky hair and down their backs as if he couldn't touch enough of them at once, wanting to feel every inch of their body under his bony hands.
Finally, the last of the four pulled away, leaving Seokjin to stare down at each of them as if he were overseeing his children. "You guys grew up without me," he chuckled, his tone airy and soft to the ear. I could hear his voice wavering but he held strong, eyes slit against his face in a grin that I knew was much wider than it seemed.
Turning to Jungkook, he slipped a finger beneath the youngest's chin, tilting his head up to gaze down into his eyes. "You're as tall as me now."
"Yeah, I am," the maknae grinned back, grasping his hyung's wrist affectionately. "Now you have to call me hyung now."
"Not a chance, baby."
The two stared at each other for a little longer before Seokjin turned towards me, cocking his head to the side as he blinked at me with the same curiosity of a toddler. "Yumin?" he murmured, forcing a shy smile onto my face. I nodded, watching as he slowly pushed his way towards me, stumbling against my chest with a soft chuckle. I squeaked in surprise, holding my arms stiffly at my sides until his touch made me feel warm and tingly all over, cautiously folding him in my embrace as I hid away in the crook of his neck.
"Nice to finally meet you, angel," he whispered, setting butterflies alight in my stomach. He was so friendly for a stranger, but it felt as if we'd been friends for years already. We pulled apart, smiling back at each other with flushed cheeks. I bounced on the balls of my feet, unable to contain my excitement upon meeting the brunet.
"Hi," I grinned.
"You seem happy to meet me. Did Yoongi put in that good of a word for me?" Seokjin looked over his shoulder, offering the younger boy a wink before turning back to me.
"That, and he hasn't stopped talking about you for two years now. How can I not be happy to finally meet you?"
"Well, I'm glad we're both equally happy then."
"Okay, c'mon," Taehyung complained playfully, walking up and patting Seokjin on the back. "Do you wanna go home or have your welcome home party here?"
Seokjin chuckled listlessly over the sound of thundering footsteps echoing down the corridor. I glanced over my shoulder, intrigued at the somewhat deafening sound, to find a girl with flowing, jet black hair cropped at her shoulders bounding down the long hallway, a small travel back clutched in her hand. She continued to run right past Taehyung, Seokjin, and me right up to Jungkook and into his arms. All of us turned in their direction, Yoongi darting in front of Jimin with his hand on his stomach, glaring needles into the girl as she nearly tackled Jungkook to the ground.
"Holy fuck, who're- Hyung!"
Yoongi grabbed at the girl's collar, yanking her off of the maknae and shoving her a foot or so away. He stepped between them, narrowing his eyes defensively before they widened with shock.
"What're you-"
"Well, that's not a very nice way to greet someone, Yoongi," she snapped, placing her hands on her slender hips.
I recognized her voice but Jungkook spoke before I could even think of her name.
"Rachel?"
She smirked beneath her mask, shaking her head in exasperation as she rolled her eyes. "Who else would it be, baby?"
We all stared, dumbfounded, at Rachel, the brunet turning on her heel to take in every single one of us. Seokjin stayed at my side, glancing back and forth between me and Rachel with confusion lining his flawless face. "Did you guys start dating two girls while I was gone?"
"No," Taehyung hissed, balling his hands at his sides.
Rachel snickered, eyeing Seokjin up and down before directing her gaze back at Jungkook. The maknae looked terrified, his face devoid of color, hands trembling as they fisted the sides of Yoongi's sweatshirt.
"Who said I was dating the rest of you?" Rachel pondered innocently, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. "Jungkook, didn't you tell them about us?"
"About what?" I growled, grinding my teeth together. I'd known about them for weeks, but hearing it in person hurt a whole lot more. It made my insides simmer, staring my old abuser dead in her lifeless eyes as she dropped her smile.
"You?" Rachel raised a brow, looking me up and down as if I were a filthy roach residing in the middle of the floor.
"You."
Jungkook exhaled shakily, pushing his way forward. "Yumin, I can explain-"
"Yes, he can," she cut in, pressing a hand against his stomach and making him flinch. "Explain to Yumin that you're mine. Right, baby? Did that night together a few weeks ago mean nothing? I mean you stayed out all night and worried your family half to death just for me." Rachel glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, smiling devilishly before turning back to Jungkook.
"No!" The brunet looked horrified. "That's not what- Yumin, hyung, that's not true! Please!?"
"You cheated?" mumbled Jimin, the blonde's eyes glossing over with tears. He stared Jungkook dead in the eye, unwilling to blink as the maknae trembled in the center of all of us.
I felt my heart stop beating in my chest, my body draining of all the cheer I'd held onto only moments before. My gaze never left Rachel, watching as she stood dangerously close at Jungkook's hip, appearing so innocent as if she hadn't done anything wrong.
"No, hyung, that's not- She's lying! I didn't-"
"Jungkook, stop lying!" I pleaded, everyone's gaze turning on me. "I saw Rachel's address in the Bentley. I saw the texts she sent you that night. I know about everything, Jungkook, just stop lying!"
"I'm not-" His voice diminished to nothing, tears gathering in his eyes as everyone went quiet.
Rachel scoffed under her breath, eyeing Jungkook for a moment longer before shaking her head. "Well, I guess that's my cue." She drew her acrylics down the brunet's clothed arm, sashaying away down the hall to her airline gate. Without a final glance, she rounded the corner, leaving the six of us alone in the hall with slack faces and tear-filled eyes.
Taehyung dug the keys to the Bentley out of his front pocket, tossing them on the ground at the youngest's feet as his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. "Drive yourself home," he muttered, turning on his heel and walking away. I followed after him without a second thought, shoving my hands into the front pockets of my sweatshirt as I blinked back waves of tears. If I cried now, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. Seokjin gave Jungkook one final, hurt-filled glance before grabbing his duffle bag from off the floor and padding after us, Jimin and Yoongi in slow tow at the back of the group as the maknae looked after us.
I shut my eyes tightly to stop my tears from gathering in their corners, fisting my hands angrily in my pockets. I'd known all along, and yet somehow I was even more hurt hearing everything fall from Rachel's lips. My abuser. My abuser admitting to the infidelity between her and my boyfriend. He's not my boyfriend anymore.
Yoongi stepped up to my side quietly, his arm slinking around my shoulders. His hand slipped up against the side of my face, pulling me closer and ducking my head from the scanning gazes of strangers rushing into the hallway in search of their gate. The brunet leaned close to my ear as he whispered, "Not yet."
I knew what he meant. Not in front of everyone. Don't make a scene. Don't draw a crowd. Wait until you were out of sight from prying eyes until you broke. I'd told him that rule years ago, again and again, as I lived by it throughout each day. I was used to it, but my heart was beginning to hurt so bad I thought it would burst.
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The Bentley was parked at an odd angle in the driveway when we pulled up, all five of us crammed into Jimin's truck. It looked as if Jungkook had sped home and fled inside the house, probably waiting for us to come inside so he could stutter out an excuse for what he did. Biting down on my bottom lip, I slipped out of the backseat behind Taehyung, Seokjin exiting the other side, Jimin and Yoongi upfront. All of us remained quiet, listening to our mingled footsteps as we marched up the stairs to the front door. Jimin forced the door open, his eyes heavy as tears dried around their corners.
As soon as the door opened, I could hear Jungkook's voice calling to his hyung, his footsteps slapping against the tiled floor as he ran to the door, pleading and sniffling as he tried to halt us in our place. Jimin pushed past him, trying to make his way into the living room with Seokjin and Taehyung behind him. I filed in behind the brunet, Yoongi walking in with his hand against the small of my back. As soon as I stepped into the house, tingles rushed up my spine, making my stomach twist and knot sickly until I was forced to fall in place at the back of the line. Jungkook watched us walk by with his mouth screwed shut in silent panic, his breathing audible as he panted, eyes running wild over our sullen forms as we made to ignore him completely. Before I could make it to the living room, he grabbed ahold of my wrist, pulling me back with a hurried plea for me to listen to him.
"Will you get off!?" I shouted, yanking my hand from his grasp. I'd had enough. "You need to shut the fuck up and stop fucking crying! What you did is unforgivable, Jungkook!" I heard the others pause just outside the kitchen entrance, looking back in as I finally snapped. "I matched the addresses, I saw the texts she sent, I know you were with her the night you didn't come home, and I know you two slept together! Why else would you be there all fucking night, huh!? Huh!? 'Oh, we had to do something for work. But Sejin sent me there, blah blah blah.' I don't care what fucking excuse you try and pull out of your ass to explain yourself, you can't make up for this!"
I took a quick breath and jabbed my finger back at the others, not allowing Jungkook the chance to speak over me. "Lucky us to find out the day your hyung comes home! What a nice thing to fucking come home to, huh!? Your boyfriend's a lying cheater that fucked some slut behind your back and tried to cover it up for weeks! You cheated on the only people that ever fucking cared about you and with my abuser no less! My abuser, Jungkook! Do you know how fucked up that is!?" I could feel my tears soaking through my mask, turning the lower portion of my face into a salty swamp. "I don't even care that you fucking hurt me, you hurt the people that cared about you most. They have done nothing - NOTHING - to deserve this and yet you didn't even consider that thought did you!? You were so wrapped up in yourself that you went and fucked some bitch without even considering what this would do to the people around you! How it would hurt Jimin, Yoongi, Taehyung, who stuck by your side and defended you since you came home every time I tried to call you out! You're sick, Jungkook. You're a lying, manipulative, cheating, bast-"
Jungkook reached out before I could finish my sentence, grabbing my neck to silence my fury. "Will you shut up!?" he screamed, his eyes wild and manic as they burned holes into my skin. A gasp forced its way from my throat, coming out in a whimper as I felt the breath get lodged in my throat. After a quick second, Jungkook realized what he'd done, dropping his hand and taking a few steps backward, hands held up at his chest in submission. "I- Yumin, I didn't mean-"
"I hate you." The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them. But, I meant it. Rubbing the spot around my throat where Jungkook's fingers had dug into my skin, I glared at him one final time before spinning on my heel and marching upstairs, shutting myself in my room and locking the door so that I didn't have to look at his face ever again.
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Oh my God, my mental health- 😎 I feel so good! Updating chapters in advance to the one's you receive has been a little slow lately with school and work, but I'm on it don't worry. :) You'll still get regular updates. I hope you like this chapter; I know it's a little angsty, but that's how things are in this book. Where would we be without a bunch of angst!? NOWHERE lmao.