When Jungkook emerged from the bathroom, he was taken by surprise to find Seokjin waiting in their room. He was glad that Jin had taken his suggestion and switched his shirt. Although he still wore the same shorts, he felt Jin's new outfit was an excellent upgrade over his previous one.
On the other hand, Jin was surprised when Jungkook appeared from the bathroom, fully dressed in a different suit. Jin had anticipated him to be wearing a towel or nothing at all, considering he had gone into the shower. This unexpected sight left Jin feeling disappointed.
"You are dressed." Jin's voice carried a clear sense of disappointment as he gazed at Jungkook.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Jungkook was perplexed by Jin's question, just as he found himself confused by other aspects of Jin's behavior. However, he consistently linked it to their difference in age, as he had noticed that this age gap influenced their different approaches to things. "Have your guests arrived?"
Jin said, "They are our guests," as his expression shifted from frown to pout. "Please don't make it seem like I'm the only one who would want them to be here when you greet them."
"It wouldn't be wrong if that were the case; you are the sole advocate for their presence. I didn't invite them, and they should be well aware that if it weren't for you, they wouldn't be inside my home, especially that individual my brother has devoted his life to."
Jin inhaled deeply, and a sigh slipped out of his mouth. "Please be kind to everyone tonight," he said as he drew near Jungkook, whom he embraced. "You being nice would mean a lot to me. Plus, I'm expecting a baby, and the last thing I want is to feel down because you choose to be mean to our friends—"
"They are not my friends. Yoongi is my brother, Jimin and Hoseok are my employees, and Taehyung holds no significance in my life." Jungkook was left perplexed by Seokjin's assumption of his relationship with the others. However, he felt the need to clarify their dynamics to avoid any lingering misunderstandings, as he valued clear communication.
Jin took a long breath and leaned his forehead against Jungkook's. "Alright, could you please refrain from saying anything hurtful?" he said. "Please don't talk badly to anyone or say you don't like them. That could be hurtful, and it's never good to make other people feel bad about themselves, particularly when they're not doing anything wrong."
"Should I remain in my room or head to my home office? I have a substantial amount of work that needs my attention, while you can handle entertaining those individuals and fulfilling the purpose for which you invited them here."
"No, I want you to be there. Tonight is for us and our friends...well, my friends and you to hang out as couples."
"Couples?" Jungkook asked curiously, "Is the purpose of this to resemble a date night?"
"Yes, sort of."
"Why was this information not communicated earlier?" Jungkook withdrew and proceeded to scan the room for his phone.
Jin was instantly confused, "what are you looking for?"
"I wasn't aware it was a date, and I apologize for leaving out a gift. I am sorry, Seokjin, but I am not adequately prepared. Why didn't you inform me that it was a date? You mentioned that you invited them here to-"
"Jungkook, it's not that kind of date, and just you are coming with me and helping me to keep our; I mean, my friends entertained will be enough of a gift for me."
"It falls short of my expectations. I can arrange for a delivery to be made. Seeing everyone else receiving gifts while you're left empty-handed isn't very pleasant. That's not acceptable to me-"
"Jungkook, neither I nor anybody else brought a gift for you or anyone else. It's not that type of date. Just come downstairs; that's all I need."
"Seokjin-"
"All right, order the gift for me and keep quiet."
*****
"This is nice. I don't know when it will be possible for me to afford something like this," Taehyung said as he and Jimin continued to wander around Jungkook's home.
Jimin squeezed Taehyung's hand, saying, "We don't need anything this huge. I'd prefer somewhere small and comfortable, comparable to where we live. Homes this size often make me worry that someone else is living with me, and I am unaware of it."
Hoseok laughed as he overheard Jimin and Taehyung. "It's funny, but I agree. You don't need a large house; instead, strive for something that gives comfort and makes you feel at home. Because of his upbringing, I had to preach it to my husband before he understood. Though I understand why Jungkook has this house and how it's built, it still seems very comfortable and personal. I've always wanted to know who the designer that he worked with was, but he refused to tell me."
"Hey guys!" Jin called out as he entered the room where everyone was, and Jungkook slowly followed. "I'm happy you guys came by on such short notice, but I thought it was a nice chance for us to get together and hang out. I also wanted to take the opportunity to meet Yoongi." Jin said, searching around until he found Yoongi. "Thank you for coming."
Yoongi grinned and said, "No worries. I've always wanted to meet you officially. Jungkook told me a lot about you."
"Has he?" Jin questioned with a grin, then turned to face Jungkook and stared at him. "What did you tell your brother about me?"
"If I deemed it necessary to share, I would have already informed you."
Jin glared at him and said, "You're being rude."
"I'm sorry, Seokjin, but I'm unsure of any other suitable response to that."
"Forget it."
"I made cookies, your favorite," Jin said as he turned to face Taehyung and Jimin.
"You did?" Taehyung was ecstatic to hear Jin had cooked cookies. "Where are they?"
"In the kitchen, but they're for later. Jungkook had food prepared, and I would prefer we eat it first."
"Can I just have one of the cookies, please?" Taehyung asked, turning to face Jimin. "You have to try them. Jinnie makes the best cookies."
"Only one because I don't want dinner to go to waste," Jin said, waving to Hoseok and Yoongi. "Do you want to join us in the kitchen to try some cookies I made?"
Jin smiled as everyone went to the kitchen without saying anything more.
Seeing everyone sample his cookies and praising him for their excellence made him happier. It was incredibly satisfying to discover that his baking efforts had not gone unappreciated.
Jungkook lingered near the kitchen entrance, grateful that Jin's hard work had paid off. He was uncertain whether the cookies would be consumed, but observing how everyone kept returning for more brought him satisfaction, knowing he wouldn't have to consume all the cookies alone.
At that moment, he realized that despite his initial reluctance to have anyone besides Jin and Bam in his home, he felt grateful that they had come to help devour the cookies Jin had baked. He could also observe the joy it brought Jin, which held a lot of meaning for him.
Upon witnessing Jimin's request for a container to take some cookies home, he observed a rare instance of his assistant displaying initiative and taking the appropriate action without being demanded.
"Do you want one?"
Jungkook's train of thought was interrupted when Jin offered him a cookie.
Despite having already indulged in numerous cookies earlier, he couldn't resist accepting another one when it was offered. "Yes, please," he said, taking it into his hand. Then, he took a bite while he witnessed Jin's smile.
******
"I am so stuffed," Jimin said while sitting on the couch after dinner.
"Me too; that was some good food," Taehyung commented as he sat beside Jimin.
Jin entered the living room and immediately made his way towards Jungkook. Without hesitation, he pushed his arms apart and settled himself on Jungkook's lap, sensing the tension in Jungkook's body as he did so.
"Thanks for inviting us over. Dinner was delicious, and those cookies are to die for."
Jin smiled, thanking Yoongi for his nice comments. "I'm happy everyone enjoyed it. It's been a long time since I've done anything like this. Taehyung and I always invited people to our previous apartment for game nights."
"Everyone who showed up usually only came by for anything Jin baked," Taehyung says with a chuckle. " No one really cared about anything else as long as Jin was baking."
"I'd do the same. Please let me know the next time you bake. I'll drive here." Hoseok said without guilt that he had liked every single one of the cookies he had sampled. "Yoongi knows I have a sweet taste, and throughout my pregnancy, he was always on the lookout for anything to aid with my sweet cravings, which had suddenly escalated. I wish I had known you could bake this good. I would have asked you to bake me something."
"Aww, I-"
"Seokjin's expertise lies outside the realm of baking. He graciously baked cookies tonight, but I want to clarify some things so it's understood. He didn't pursue formal education in culinary arts, so it's important not to have any expectations of him becoming a professional chef or baker for you to use. If you are fond of sweets, please seek out a bakery instead of coming to our home."
Hoseok rolled his eyes, "you noticed how good the conversation was going before you decided to open your mouth?"
"I-"
"He does not mean it in an insulting way. He knows I'm pregnant and does not want me to overwork myself. However, I will not overwork myself and would be willing to share whatever I make." Jin replied, leaning back into Jungkook's chest. He then raised his hand to cup Jungkook's face, saying, "Right, baby?" He questioned, tilting his head to gaze at Jungkook.
Jungkook cleared his throat as he glanced at Jin, stunned by his tone; he could only say, "Right."
Jin grinned and glanced at Hoseok, "See, he's not saying anything bad. I understand his tone might sometimes be harsh, but his intentions aren't all that horrible."
"I have tried explaining this to Hoseok before, but I am glad you have understood that as well, Seokjin," Yoongi said as he appreciated the sight between his brother and Jin.
Hoseok rolled his eyes, "That man has never said anything nice to me, and Yoongi is aware of this."
"That's because I rarely have anything positive to say to you."
"Jungkook!" Jin turned to face Jungkook, straddling his lap, and said, "Be nice. Please." He said softly before leaning in and kissing Jungkook.
Jungkook quickly withdrew, looking at Jin with a concerned gaze.
"I now see why you are pregnant," Taehyung commented.
Jin repositioned himself on Jungkook's lap, settling with his back against Jungkook's chest. With an intense stare, he addressed his best friend, "Shut up! You knocked Jimin up within five minutes of being alone with him. Jungkook and I took the time to truly understand each other before taking our relationship to a more intimate level."
Jungkook found himself stumped by Jin's words as his recollection of events differed. However, he deemed it inappropriate to voice his disagreement in front of the others.
"At least I always knew I wanted to be with Jimin."
"Okay, and? Jungkook knew he wanted to be with me from the beginning."
"What about you-"
"So, Jin and Jungkook, have you discovered the baby's gender yet?" Yoongi interjected as he looked at Jin and his brother.
"Not yet. We are going to find that out soon."
"That'll be exciting." Hoseok and I were pretty happy the day we found out. I never imagined seeing the day when Jungkook becomes a parent, but it makes me happy. I know he will be a great parent. Growing up, I was always jealous of his concentration on everything. He hardly spoke, yet he saw and absorbed everything."
"He is very attentive and never misses anything." Jimin groaned, "He notices everything."
Hoseok laughed, "That's right. Having him as a boss is sometimes challenging, but I've learned a lot from him."
Jin grinned, "I'm glad to hear that. I suppose I was a little slow in seeing how attentive he is and can be, particularly to my-"
"Jin, not to interrupt you, but earlier, I thought you said you had something to tell everyone while we were here."
Jin frowned at Taehyung, who had interrupted him. "When did you and I have that conversation?"
"Maybe I was mistaken. I thought you said you and Jungkook were discussing getting married, but I might have been hearing things." Taehyung replied with a smile.
Jin's eyes widened, "you-"
"I don't think you are mistaken, Taehyung. Seokjin and I have been engaging in thoughtful conversations about the future of our relationship and our desire to deepen our commitment to each other. However, although I am intrigued by the idea of progressing to the next stage, Seokjin has expressed a desire to proceed more leisurely, which is what we are currently doing. Perhaps that is what he intended to announce to everyone tonight, as we have officially committed to being a couple."
"Thank you, Jungkook." Jin smirked before glaring at Taehyung, "That's exactly it!"
Taehyung laughed out loud, resulting in a smack from Jimin. "Ouch, what did you do that for?"
"A relationship characterized by physical violence is not supportive to developing a healthy partnership-"
"Baby, they're playing. Jimin did not hit Taehyung to harm him."
Jungkook pressed his face against Jin's neck, "Seokjin, I kindly request that you refrain from using such terms to refer to me in front of others."
"Why?" Jin cocked his head back, waiting for Jungkook's reaction.
"I would prefer you to do that in a more private setting."
Jin smiled, "you are-"
"Y'all do realize that we are right here?"
"Taehyung, fuck off and disappear!"
"Seokjin, those words are not suitable for you to use when conversing with your friend." Jungkook's words echoed through the room, eliciting laughter from everyone. However, the unexpected reaction left him perplexed.
*****
After checking on Bam, Jin returned to see that Jungkook had cleaned up the kitchen after their guests had gone home.
"You didn't have to clean up; I was going to do it."
Jungkook, as he carefully folded a dishcloth, glanced at Jin and said, "You've done so much today, and this is the least I can contribute."
"Thank you," Jin replied as he approached Jungkook. "Thank you for allowing me to invite everyone over. It was a fun night."
"You don't need to express thanks, as this is equally your home. I apologize if my previous actions caused you any difficulties. I also noticed that you were laughing a lot, and everyone appeared to have a great time here, so I'm pleased that things turned out the way you wanted. Also, I am not left with many cookies to indulge in alone."
Jin chuckled, "What about you? Did you have a good time?"
Jungkook pondered for a moment before confirming, "I think I did. This is a completely new and unusual experience for me. It had a unique level of quality. My brother also appeared at ease, which isn't always the norm for him, given his spouse."
"Jungkook! Why are you so mean toward Hoseok?"
"I am not mean towards him. I only speak the truth."
Jin sighed and grabbed Jungkook's hand, "If you say so. Anyway, let's go to bed; you have work tomorrow, and I'm sure you're exhausted."
As he pulled Jungkook along, Jungkook interrupted him, "I'm not tired."
"No? But you mentioned earlier that you wanted them to go so you could go to bed."
"I did, and I feel the need to go to bed. However, my purpose for retiring to bed isn't for sleep. I was contemplating the possibility of revisiting our previous activities before everyone arrived earlier. That is only if you are not exhausted. I understand that today was quite overwhelming for you, and I don't want to be inconsiderate towards-"
Jungkook's voice was hushed as Jin embraced him, showering him with an affectionate kiss.