Jungkook's mother was sitting at the kitchen table when Jungkook went downstairs, sipping her coffee and eating a piece of dry toast while looking over several papers. That had been Jeon Ae-ri's breakfast for as long as Jungkook could remember, which was one of many reasons why she still wore a size two dress.
She gave Jungkook a slight glance before returning her attention to the papers. "Jungkook, we have a very busy day ahead of us. Perhaps you could run upstairs and get ready?"
Jungkook, who'd been refilling his coffee cup, stopped mid-pour. "I am ready."
The bridge of his mother's nose wrinkled as she gave Jungkook a scrutinizing glance. "Really?"
He set the cup down on the counter. "What's wrong with how I look?"
His mother's eyebrows rose and she released an exasperated sigh. "We need to make a hair appointment for you at the salon. Honestly, I thought you would take care of it in Seoul before you came." She picked up her phone. "I only hope they can fit you in."
"I had a haircut three weeks ago."
His mother released an exasperated huff as she searched through her contacts without even looking up at Jungkook. "How about we start with the color? It lacks depth. We'll want highlights to show off some vibrancy when we slick it back for the wedding."
"I want to wear my hair down," Jungkook said. He wondered why he was wasting his time arguing the point when there wasn't going to be a wedding. Maybe he was just tired of letting his mother railroad everything.
His mother pursed her lips and tensed her shoulders in irritation. "Jungkook, we discussed this."
"No, mother. You discussed this, or to be more accurate, you dictated it to me and I just went along with it to keep the peace."
His mother gasped. "Jeon Jungkook, what on earth has gotten into you? Why can't you just be compliant?"
"Maybe I'm tired of being compliant and going along with every single one of your whims."
His mother waved a manicured hand covered in glittering rings. "Don't be silly. Now run upstairs, change your clothes and fix your makeup."
"My makeup is fine!"
"It's not good enough. Maybe they like the natural look in that mold-encrusted place you live in, but you're home now and you're getting married in three days. What will people think, Jungkook? Honestly. Now stop acting like a petulant child and do as I say. I'll have your amended itinerary ready for you when you get back downstairs. As it is, I'm reshuffling everything since your father dragged Taehyung off to his office."
"Yeah, I saw the itinerary. Don't you think it's a bit much?'
"You obviously need it. Now go. And check on your grandmother while you're up there. She's coming with us. Yesterday we were almost late picking you up from the train station because she refused to get dressed."
Jungkook didn't even try to hold back the laughter as he walked up the stairs.
"Gran, are you dressed?" he asked, knocking on his grandmother's door.
"Not because I want to be," the woman muttered as she opened the door. "I can't untie this knot with my arthritis." She motioned to Jungkook's robe.
Jungkook flashed an apologetic grin. "Sorry about that. You freaked Tae out. I had to make sure you wouldn't accidently flash him again."
"He's already seen it all."
"So he said."
"You need to loosen that boy up."
"So you said, but look at it this way, Gran—he's about to commit himself to me for the rest of his life, and you're showing him everything he's giving up." Jungkook gave a half-shrug. "It's a bitter reminder of the fact that he's stuck with me." The statement was for his grandmother's benefit, but he'd spent plenty of time brooding about whether Taehyung had rejected him for that very reason. This morning Tae had seemed reluctant to leave his side, which made Jungkook re-evaluate his reasoning. Had Kim Taehyung left him sexually frustrated because he was a gentleman? Jungkook'd been too embarrassed to even entertain the idea the previous night, but now it rang true.
The older woman patted Jungkook's cheek. "He's lucky to have you."
Jungkook smiled as he reached for the belt and began to work on the knot. "Mother says you have to get dressed so you can come with us."
"I'd rather have a colonoscopy."
"Do it for me, Gran. She's extended her claws today."
"When doesn't she have her claws extended?" But the older woman's frown softened as she studied Jungkook's face. "Fine, I'll go, but only for you. And it's my constitutional right to wear whatever I want."
"The key part of that is wear. You have to wear something."
Jungkook's grandmother looked up at him, her face beaming as if a particularly exciting idea had occurred to her. "Not to worry. I'll wear something."
"I've seen that look before—" Jungkook finished untying the belt and flashed the older woman a grin, "—and I approve."
"Ha! I'll meet you downstairs in about fifteen minutes."
Jungkook had no desire to wait downstairs with his mother, who would only continue to bully him about his outfit, so he went into his bedroom and grabbed the two itineraries on the dresser. He sat down on the freshly made bed and opened each cover, flipping to Thursday and then Friday. Taehyung had been right. Their schedule was booked. Ironically enough, Taehyeon would have appreciated how organized the itinerary was...not to mention the spa time the day before. Taehyung, on the other hand, was obviously as horrified as Jungkook was. Not that there was any point in comparing the two. Taehyeon was gone, and Taehyung was going to break up with him tonight. Jungkook would probably never see him again.
The thought was like a knife driving straight into his gut.
His cell phone rang and he jumped, digging it out of his pocket and then cursing under his breath. The power was at twenty-six percent. He'd forgotten to charge it. Then he saw who was calling and cursed again.
"Hello, Namjoon-hyung."
Namjoon was silent for a half-second. "I called to apologize. I came on too strong last night."
Jungkook couldn't stifle his gasp.
"Yeah, I know," Namjoon grumbled. "It's as rare as finding a leprechaun under a double rainbow."
"Actually, rarer."
"Nevertheless, I'm sorry. I just love you too much to see someone else hurt you. I feel partially responsible for not cold-cocking your ex when I visited you in Seoul last February."
Jungkook laughed. "I found out he wasn't actually in love with me after your visit. What grounds would you have had to justify that in February?"
"For breathing and taking oxygen away from worthier creatures. Like slugs. Or lice."
Jungkook's chest burned with gratitude and love. "Thanks, hyung. I love you too."
"And in that spirit, I need you to grab that imposter's wallet and make sure he was telling me the truth about his name. Get his driver's license and read off his address."
Jungkook knew he should get mad at Namjoon for continuing on in the same vein as last night, but his friend's declaration of love softened him. He rolled his eyes instead.
"Don't you roll your eyes at me, Jeon Jungkook. We may be on the phone, but I can still see it."
Jungkook laughed. "Do you want me to read off his height and weight while I'm at it?"
"Yeah, that will help me figure out if it's a fake ID."
"Hyung," Jungkook said cautiously, "You're not really going to check him out, are you?"
"You bet your ass I am. I thought I made that clear last night. I don't trust this guy."
"And what exactly do you think he's up to?"
"I intend to find out."
"Hyung, let it go." Jungkook's jaw ticked a little.
"No. Now start reading."
"I can't. He went to work with my father."
"He what?"
"Calm down. What harm could he possibly do there?"
"Is your dad working on anything big? Competing for any big jobs?"
"Oh, hyung. How should I know? I never talk to my father about business. Besides, it's an engineering firm. You and I spent plenty of time there when we worked for him the summer between our freshman and sophomore years of high school. You know how boring that place is. If anything, Tae deserves a medal for going to work with him." Then Jungkook considered it and glanced at Tae's Thursday schedule. "On second thought, he's smarter than I've given him credit for. He's gotten out of talking to the photographer and the orchestra director—wait. What? Orchestra?" Jungkook started flipping through the pages, trying to figure out just how large the orchestra actually was and when it would be playing. There was no way this wedding only cost twenty-five million won. Panic flared up from his gut.
"Oh, my God. You actually like this guy," Namjoon said. "I didn't want to believe it last night, but I can see right through you."
Jungkook sucked in his breath, then let it out slowly. "What? Of course I don't. We were putting on an act."
"That's a lie! You hesitated." Namjoon paused, then softened his tone. "Look, Kookie, no one helps a stranger with something this big for nothing. He's got an agenda. Maybe he wants to get into your pants. You haven't found out if he's circumcised yet, have you?"
"No! You know I'm not like that." Although Jungkook would have found out if it had been up to him—something Namjoon didn't need to know. Jungkook flung himself backward onto the bed in frustration, reminding himself that his friend was trying to look out for him. Wouldn't he be cautious if the roles were reversed? "Look, I've been skeptical about his motives too...but there's just something about him, hyung. Besides, if he wanted to get in my pants, he's had a couple of opportunities. He slept in my bed with me last night and never once made a move."
"Maybe so, but I still don't trust him."
"Which you've made abundantly clear."
"I'm going to dig up everything I can, address or no address."
Jungkook's back stiffened. "Let it go, hyung. I'm warning you, if you present me with a report on him as a wedding gift, I'm never going to speak to you again."
"Wedding gift? I thought you were breaking up with him!"
"It was a joke. I forgot you lost your sense of humor when you became a divorce attorney." Jungkook took a second to regroup. "Look, we're breaking up at my mother's family dinner this evening." He rolled onto his side and pulled the itinerary out from under his back, then examined the schedule for Thursday night. "Although it looks like it's for my father's side of the family." Jungkook read the document again. "It so weird that she would plan a party for them. Knickers can't stand them."
"Who knows with her. And don't try to change the subject. Let me do this, Jungkook. This is what I do. I'm very good at it."
"Drop it. It won't matter tomorrow anyway. Very soon I'll be on a plane back to Seoul—disowned and disgraced. I'm sure it won't make the slightest difference to my mother who's at fault in the breakup."
"Then why go through this farce?"
"Just like hell has multiple levels, so does disgrace." Jungkook drawled caustically.
"Well, if Kim Taehyung is screwing you over, he's going to find himself on the lowest one."
Jungkook couldn't hold back a smile. "I love you too, hyung."
Namjoon's voice softened. "I'm just looking out for you, Kookie."
"And I love you for it. Now go use your animosity and derision against the lying, cheating bastards who are your bread and butter." Jungkook hung up, staring at the phone's blank screen for a moment. He missed the Namjoon he remembered from childhood. Namjoon was still the strongest, fiercest person Jungkook knew, but he'd acquired a hard edge that could wound even those closest to him.
Jungkook laid back down and held up his itinerary. Florist 9:00, Photographer 10:00, Orchestra director 11:00, Lunch at noon, Wedding and groomsmen's tuxedos at 13:30. He was already exhausted from just looking at the list. But the fact that his mother was dragging him along made it ten times worse. Did Hoseok, Yoongi and Namjoon know about the afternoon appointment? Hopefully they'd agree to come. Gran definitely wasn't enough moral support. Jungkook needed more people on his team.
He picked up his phone again and called Yoongi. "Hey, Yoongi-hyung. Did my mother tell you about picking up the tuxes today?"
"Um...yeah. She mentioned it last week."
"I don't suppose you planned on showing up?"
"Seeing how you weren't engaged when she called, no."
"Do you think you can..." If any of his friends could take off work, it was usually Yoongi. As a professional photographer, his schedule was usually more flexible.
Yoongi groaned. "Lucky for you, I don't have any appointments today. What time?"
"Thirteen-thirty. At Jae's Bridal."
"Yeah," he muttered grumpily. "I remember. I'll be there."
"You're the best!"
"I know," he laughed. "But you owe me."
Jungkook stared up at the ceiling. "How come you aren't asking me why I'm picking up my wedding tux when I'm not even getting married?"
"Maybe you should be asking yourself that question. See you later, Jungkook."
What was Yoongi suggesting? He'd only just met Taehyung; his friend couldn't think he'd actually marry Tae. The tux was paid for, wedding or not. Hopefully, Jungkook would get married for real someday and he could use it. He loved the design. Truth be told, wearing it was what he'd been looking forward to most about the wedding. The knowledge struck him again, sticking to his skin like crazy glue—the whole wedding was already bought and paid for...no take backs. His parents were out a ton of money. The guilt of lying hung over his head, sucking his energy away. Or was it the thought of spending the day with his mother?
As if on cue, his mother called up the stairs, "Jungkook!"
Jungkook rolled onto his stomach, releasing a long, low groan into his comforter. There was no way he could get through this day without strangling his mother.
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A/N: i actually feel bad for making kookie suffer