His eyes opened as he was sleeping on the couch. His vision laid upon Haru who was on the bed in front of him, his lips bore the semblance of a smile.
He could feel the warmth that woke up his soul. Like he was hanging on the threads of positivity. He quickly got up to get himself ready for the day, thinking that it would be the best day he would ever have.
He decided to use the bathroom first so that it would be available for her later when she wakes up. She woke up, her lips mumbling something. As her eyes settled on the unfamiliar room, she wanted to see Jungkook. No reason, she just wanted to.
As she looked around and couldn't find him, she could hear the long dragging beats of her heart. A faint note of hysteria overpowered her eyes.
She sat up, searching for her frantically. The bathroom door opened revealing him, his dampened locks slightly drenching his grey shirt and a towel around his neck which he was using to dry his hair.
A wave of pacification rode over her as if she found everything she had been looking for. As if she was watching the moon that was hidden by the clouds. She got up in a hurry and instantly hugged him, she didn't know what was happening to her, what was making her so clingy to him but she just wanted him by her side.
He, on the other hand, couldn't be happier. A fine morning initiating with his wife's beautiful face and then getting a hug as soon as he freshens up himself, her ambrosial scent clearing his senses. How very euphoric.
This time he had no doubts about hugging her back, "Goodmorning," he greeted.
"Goodmorning," she responded parting from the hug. He smiled, he felt like a song, all the emotions that he meant to write, all the lyrics he had been trying to find. It was all in her and he could see it.
•••
They sat at the dining table, eating their breakfast. Jungkook was all set to leave after that and it was bothering her.
"Jungkook," she mumbled.
"Hm?" He looked up from the plate to meet her eyes, but hers were down, her face contorting a ruminative gaze.
"Are you going?" She asked.
"Where? I am here. We don't have tours-"
"Are you leaving for work?" She interrupted and that confounded him a bit. He nodded.
She pouted, playing with the food with the spoon.
"Any problem? You wanted anything?"
She wanted it. She wanted his presence, but she couldn't verbalise it. Jungkook was confused but understood that something was off.
"Do you wanna accompany me? Everyone would be happy seeing you," he offered and he could watch how her face sparkled like fairy dust as she nodded jubilantly. He couldn't hold back his smile, not that he ever wanted to stop it.
•••
"Oh, Haru?" Suga noticed as a first when she entered the studio behind Jungkook. She smiled at him.
"Dude, I missed you, and the baby," Taehyung chimed, instantly getting on his knees to reach the level of her baby bump. He placed an ear on her tummy wishing to hear from the baby.
"How're you doing?" Jin asked and she smiled and nodded simply. Her aura felt different, different to what she had been for the past few months.
"I just asked who is the best uncle and it just said TaeTae," Taehyung responded with wide eyes.
"Really Hyung?" Jungkook shook his head with an amused smile.
"You don't believe it? See," he turned back to her bump, "Tae Tae is the best uncle for jungkookie's baby, right?"
"Ahh, it just kicked!" Haru gave widened eyes to Taehyung to which he was so genuinely surprised.
"It did? Oh god, it did?" He asked, almost jumping in joy.
Hoseok neared Haru's ear, whispering, "Did it really?"
She shook her head in denial but a proud smile on her face watching Taehyung literally hop around the studio.
"Oh? Fatty?" Jimin came from behind.
"Oh look, child, your Jimin uncle thinks, your presence makes me fat," she said, looking down.
"Oh no no!" He instantly dropped his gym bag and kneeled to the baby, cajoling it as if it could respond.
"Haru? You here? Everything fine?" Namjoon entered and her smile faltered a bit.
"Yeah, everything is fine. I just wanted to meet you guys."
"You did the absolute best," Suga gave her a thumbs up while a gummy smile as Taehyung was jumping around him.
"Yeah, we will be playing music a bit low to not disturb the baby," Hoseok added.
•••
As they were practising in front of her, she was quite taken aback by the acerbity between Namjoon and Jungkook. The senior refrained to have any eye contact with the Maknae. Also during the choreography when they happened to be close to each other, the awkwardness was perceivable.
She felt hurt watching Jungkook's defeated eyes when he had any contact with his leader. The fact that it has been the same for the past eight months made her even more aggrieved.
"Break guys," Hoseok announced causing all of them to disperse.
She saw Jungkook approaching her.
"Jungkook, can you get me something to eat. I am feeling hungry," she said, knowing that he must be tired but she wanted to talk to Namjoon without his presence.
He nodded, always ready for his wife, "what do you wanna eat?"
"Anything," she replied and he acquiesced.
"Wait, I'll come with you cause I am the best uncle," Taehyung passed.
"Who said? I am the best uncle," Jimin challenged, both of them duelling against each other and that made everyone laugh. In the end, the Maknae line decided to go altogether.
"Namjoon Oppa," she muttered quietly wishing no one heard her.
"Huh? Any issues?"
"I wanted to talk to you regarding something if you don't mind..."
His expressions turned stiff, "Did Jungkook do something-"
"No. Can we just talk somewhere isolated?"
"Sure, let's go to my cabin," he answered and she nodded. She had no idea what she would be saying to end or even assuage this hostility but she had to try. That's what her conscience demanded.
Once they reached the cabin, she inhaled deeply.
"You can tell it to me. I know I am not that close but I'll try to help as much as I can," he assured, keeping his tone as calm as possible.
"Oppa, I wanted to talk about that incident," she muttered lowly.
"Sure, first sit down. It's not recommended to stand for long during the eighth month."
She nodded, sitting on the chair while he leaned to the wall, willing to hear her out.
She gulped, it was indeed uncomfortable, "He did under the influence of aphrodisiacs," she said in a breath.
"What?"
"Someone tricked him into taking the drug that made him so monstrous. Also, he was drunk, he didn't know what he was taking. And it was done by someone he trusted a lot, so, it was nearly impossible to assum-"
"Does it matter Haru?" He interrupted her, looking everywhere but her, his hands folded on his chest.
"How does it not?"
"Can that pacify your pain? Your agony? Does it make you normal? No matter whether he had the mens rea or not. He already destroyed your life and his dignity in my eyes. Does it make your pain any less?"
"Yes," she adduced, her eyes glistening, the tears reflecting the light.
"It does lessen my pain. Because my only grief wasn't that I was rap- that I went through it. It was also about him being the accused. Now that I know he didn't do it intentionally, it does trim out my pain. I am trying to get back on life, and he has suffered enough."
She looked at her hands that rested on her belly, "There is no explanation for what I am going through but my pain is so overt, that everyone can watch it, and sympathize with it. But what about him? Everyone accused him, but no one saw how much he accused himself."
She sniffled, "Even I couldn't see it. Me, who loved him. I couldn't see the pain in his eyes until recently when I heard him singing lullabies to help me fight my nightmares. Until I saw him going out of his way, pushing himself to an extent that he became a limp to make me comfortable.
You know it Oppa, he is not a criminal. He is a very benign person. We never analysed the impact of our hostility towards him, it bereaved him. Because he never said anything, just took it with a sad smile, his tears seemed worthless. His smile became a rarity."
"You're absolving him?" He asked, taken aback by her expressions.
"I have already acquitted him. I am afoot to forget it, as much as I could. I request you Oppa, please try to forgive him. He was not at fault. The circumstances became this way."
He looked away, constantly fisting and opening his hand to ponder over it.
"If you can, I will try," he responded actuating her smile.
•••