Taehyung was caught off guard by the sudden pounding of his heart. He blinked.
Then, he quickly pressed a hand against his forehead and lowered his head without saying a word. Using his chopsticks, he slowly picked up a piece of meat and started flipping it from one side to another like grilling a flatbread. He did not eat it.
Their eyes met for barely a second or two. Jungkook did not discover anything wrong and instead found Taehyung's sudden movements kind of strange. He asked, "What's wrong?"
"I suddenly remembered that I have something else on. I'll be leaving first." As Taehyung spoke, he put down his chopsticks, stood up, took his bag, and left. His steps were as swift as the wind.
"Hey." Jungkook watched his leaving figure and felt extremely puzzled.
Hearing his voice, Taehyung walked even faster.
It was only until he walked out of the restaurant and felt the light, cool wind outside brush against his forehead that he felt like he had escaped from some amorous web.
"No, no, no, this can't be real." Taehyung muttered to himself as he walked. "This must be an illusion! Even if I'm that thirsty, there's no way that I could have fallen for him?" As he said this, the earlier image of Jungkook surfaced in his mind, looking delectable...
Ahhhhh, no!!!
——
After Taehyung left, Jungkook lowered his head and stared at the grill in a daze. He was not certain if the other was angry.
Though he could not think of any reason that might have caused his anger.
Jungkook sent a text to his roommate Donghee. Donghee was someone with insights on relationships.
What do people usually get angry over?
Short, ugly, poor, brief, small, fast. Choose one yourself.
...
Jungkook took in a deep breath and resisted the impulse to block him
Then, Jungkook turned to Yoongi. Though Yoongi did not have much relationship experience, from Jungkook's day-to-day conversations with him, it felt like he still knew a thing or two.
What do people usually get angry over?
Eh, this would depend on the scenario. What did you say to the person?
Call him bro-in-law.
Don't show off your love to me over the New Year, thank you very much!
Jungkook briefly summarized what happened earlier. Yoongi immediately saw the crux of the matter.
Eh, bro! By endlessly putting meat on his plate, are you trying to hint to bro-in-law that he has a huge appetite? You should be thankful that he didn't beat you up!
That's... the case?
For sure!
Jungkook felt that Yoongi was too dogmatic due to his inexperience. Though other boys could mind the size of their appetites, Taehyung couldn't have this problem. Usually, he was fiercer than those bulky guys when fighting with him for food. Furthermore, he could gnaw on pig trotters in front of Jungkook with no pressure.
Therefore, Yoongi's advice could not be trusted as well.
Jungkook felt that he was approaching this matter wrongly.
Right now, the only person who could provide him with advice was his mother.
Jungkook did not want to seek advice from his mother. This was mainly because his mother had been displaying odd behavior lately. He could not specify the details but simply felt that his mother's every gaze was loaded with meaning. She would also frequently exchange glances with his father and whisper with him... It was all very puzzling behavior.
......
After dinner, Jungkook did not wander elsewhere and headed home straight. When he returned, his parents had already eaten. They were done with the food but not with the alcohol—his dad sat in front of the French window, nursing a glass of red wine and savoring it with small sips.
This was another recent development that Jungkook found puzzling. His father had been drinking excessively the past few days due to unknown reasons and his mother did not seem to care at all.
What had happened to this family for so many puzzling things to occur?
Mrs. Jeon was watching a movie titled 'Heart Stopper' (BL movie). Jungkook walked over to sit next to her and asked, "What's wrong with my dad?"
"Nothing, the two of us are doing very well."
"Drinking like this? Doing very well?"
"Oh, that's his final few indulgences."
Jungkook seemed to have understood after thinking about it for a while. "He's going to quit drinking?"
"Mm. After the New Year is over."
"That's good." Jungkook nodded. He approved his father's decision to quit drinking.
At this moment, Mr. Jeon walked over with the wine bottle in one hand and his wine glass in the other. He sat next to his wife and called out to his son, "Jungkook, do you want some? Let us two men drink together?"
Jungkook shook his head. He felt that something was wrong. His father was usually fine and did not drink excessively. Why would he want to quit drinking out of the blue?
"Dad, is there something wrong with your health?"
Mrs. Jeon waved her hand and said, "If something is wrong, he won't even have the chance to touch the wine glass, don't worry."
"Then..." Why did he suddenly want to quit drinking?
Mrs. Jeon said very seriously, "Jungkook, let me ask you a question. You have to answer me honestly."
"Okay."
"If, I'm saying if... if your father and I want to have a second child, would you mind?"
Jungkook was startled. He had no idea that this was what his parents were thinking about. He shook his head and said, "This is between the two of you. I won't mind."
"Jungkook, you're such an understanding child. Your father and I have not made any concrete decisions on whether to have a second child. But don't you worry, dad and mom would always respect and support you no matter what."
There it came again, that indescribably odd feeling. Jungkook felt that there was something wrong with the logic behind his mother's words. Was there a necessary connection between the decision to have a second child and the choice to support and respect him?
He pinched his forehead and suddenly thought of something. He then said, "Dad, mom, I need you to help me with something."
"Oh? What?"
"I'll like to find out more about a person, such as information on his family or his societal connections. The more details you can find, the better it is."
The person that Jungkook was talking about was Jaehyun. He briefly shared what he already knew. When Mr. and Mrs. Jeon heard that it was a guy around his age, they exchanged glances, their hearts completely unperturbed at this point.
——
Taehyung strolled through the streets aimlessly. After he had cooled down for some time, he finally headed to his grandparents' house.
From a young, he was his grandparents' heart and soul. At his grandparents' place, he was never scolded and always enjoyed treatment befitting an emperor. On this, his father had criticized that grandparents were the biggest obstacle to a wholesome upbringing for a child.
It was said that all fathers in the world agree with this statement, at least until they become grandparents.
Taehyung's sudden arrival delighted his grandparents. His grandmother asked him, "Taehyung, why are you here? Did you argue with your father?"
"No way, can't I simply have missed you?"
"Fine, fine, fine, let granny cook glutinous rice balls for you. What flavors do you want?"
"Mm... a mixture of red bean and sesame. Don't forget to add salt."
His grandmother went to cook the glutinous rice balls while his grandfather dragged him over to show off his new Purple Clay teapot. After the glutinous rice balls were ready, his grandmother prepared a few other dishes for him. Taehyung snapped a photo of the food and took two selfies with his grandparents before posting it on his Moments.
Caption: People who love me best in the entire world!
Seeing his post, Principal Kim fumed until his nose was almost crooked. He pointed at his phone and ranted to Mrs. Kim, "He's showing off his might! He thinks that he's invincible behind the protection of the four heavenly guardians!"
The four heavenly guardians naturally referred to all four of Taehyung's grandparents.
"He should consider," Principal Kim said, "Who would still be willing to protect him if I show these photos to them!"
Mrs. Kim was watching a melodrama. Hearing his words, she retorted, "Forget it. You might very well give the elders a heart attack. I feel that though we have to educate him well on this issue, your approach is wrong. Aren't you familiar with that waspish temper of his? He bows to gentle persuasion and not intimidation. The more you reprimand him, the more it'll backfire."
Principal Kim replied to her with a "humph". After a moment, he said to his wife, "Help me ask him very seriously who loves him most in the entire world."
Mrs. Kim picked up her phone and commented on Taehyung's Moments post as instructed by her husband.
In the end, Taehyung replied, "My two grandpas and grandmas and also a mom."
All right, his father was kicked to the curb just like this.
Mrs. Kim did not have the heart to show this reply to her husband. She put down her phone and picked up the photos on the coffee table again. She looked through them one by one and asked Principal Kim, "Say, do you think we might have accused him mistakenly?"
"Words are but wind, but seeing is believing. With the truth in front of us, how could we have accused him mistakenly?"
"What if, this is only the partial truth?"