Chapter 15: The Ice Castle
(Also, for those of you who are only here for the smut, fluff and stuff, this may seem kinda boring but it was necessary for the plot so yeah u.u)
"This is a good idea, right?" Taehyung asks as he scans his reflection in the mirror. He is fixing his tie for the twelfth time in the last five minutes, but he can't quite help himself. He sees Jungkook send him a reassuring smile as he types something on his phone, his demeanor calm.
"He's not going to be there, he's out of town. Mom wouldn't lie about that. She leaves whenever he's in the house," he shrugs, putting his phone away and moving towards Tae to help him with the tie.
"Why not just move then?" he asks with a frown as his boyfriend's fingers move with ease on his collar. He can smell a new cologne in him and he loves it. It's different, a bit more aggressive but lighter at the same time, it's just as intoxicating as the one he would steal from him, though.
"One of the many unanswered questions of my family," he sighs as he finishes fixing Taehyung's tie. He doesn't move away though, and Taehyung is about to kiss him when he adds, "Oh, don't ask them."
He snorts.
"Wasn't planning to...at least Namjoon will be there, right?"
"Yeah, he will," he replies, looking down. "Mom doesn't treat him that well, though. That's why I told him not to go but he insisted. Said family should be together or some shit. My mom isn't a bad woman but well...she makes mistakes. Hating Namjoon because it reminds her of dad cheating on her is one of them," he finishes. Regardless of the words leaving his lips easily because he trusts Taehyung, he still has a hard time putting his thoughts out and exposing part of his privacy to anyone else. He's never done this, but he knows he wants to do everything with Taehyung, show him everything he has.
"Although very common."
"I guess."
"And yet Namjoon says she's family?" he questions with a slight frown of confusion. It doesn't seem fair to him to allow Jungkook's mother to treat him badly while he treats her like a mom or...well, at least part of the family.
Jungkook gives him a sad smile. "He's just doing it for me."
Taehyung's heart warms up. Despite Jungkook's awful parents he's lucky to have Namjoon there to protect and love him as he deserves. He's grateful he's there, grateful his friend Jin found him, too. And so he says, "He's a great brother."
"He is. I give him a hard time..." Jungkook replies, voice low though he's so close to him that he hears him clearly.
"Hey, don't say that." Taehyung holds his chin back up to meet his eyes. He sees guilt and pain in his boyfriend's gaze and it hurts him . Jungkook shakes his head, holding the hand that was touching his chin to intertwine their fingers and smile.
"It's true. But it's okay, I'll make up for it. I will," he nods, voice determined. Taehyung nods back at him. He's sure he will, even if he doesn't need to.
The older leans his forehead against his, not wishing to bring the subject up now that they're about to leave but unable to do anything but. The thoughts have been running through his mind for too long now. Jungkook is quiet as their hands hang between their bodies, and so Taehyung takes the chance to open his mouth. "Have you been thinking about what I told you? What we talked about?"
He hears Jungkook's intake of breath, sees him close his eyes or maybe they were already closed, he isn't sure. He sounds exhausted as he says, "Tae, you know I can't do that. I can't give everything up for a pipe dream."
Taehyung's eyes harden automatically. "It's not a pipe dream, Kooks," he almost growls. He's sick of hearing Jungkook bring himself and his work down. It's his passion, his will to live fully, his moon and stars and that thing he does because it helps him breathe better. He can't just give that up because he's scared of not being good enough. He won't let him.
"It is," he insists stubbornly. "I love that you like my poetry but---"
"It's not just that. This isn't me being biased by my boyfriend, I swear," he replies as he lets go of his hand, stepping away from him to look him in the eye. Jungkook still looks as if he didn't believe him. He stands there, stance tired, and all Taehyung wants to do is either kiss him or kick him. But then the younger's eyes soften as a thought crosses his mind and he reaches an almost shy hand up to caress his boyfriend's hair.
"They were for you, you know that, right?"
Taehyung's eyebrows furrow, but he still lets him pet his hair because it feels nice. "What do you mean?"
Jungkook looks nervous as he tangles his fingers in the other's hair and bites the inside of his cheek. A few centuries of silence go by, but Taehyung just watches them pass because even though he's slightly impatient, he knows Jungkook sometimes needs a bit of time to let some words out and he'd wait forever for him if he had to.
"The poems you found..." he begins eventually, "You thought they were for Yugyeom but--"
Taehyung shakes his head in disbelief, eyes wide. "You're kidding."
Jungkook chuckles and tugs at his hair, playful.
"Why would I kid about that?"
Taehyung groans, burying his face in his hands and practically screaming into them like a teenager. "You can't be any more perfect and sweet, stop."
Jungkook smiles, wrapping his hands around Taehyung's waist, bringing him closer to him and squeezing his sides. "I love you," he murmurs into his hair.
Taehyung feels something warm and beautiful fill him inside as he nuzzles Jungkook's neck and laughs. "I love you, too."
Jungkook's parents house is a mansion. The kind you only see in movies when they introduce the crazy rich, freaking posh family. Taehyung instantly feels uncomfortable in his white shirt and black pants. Maybe he pushed it with the make up. He hardly ever wears eyeliner and a soft shade of pink lipstick but he decided that if Jungkook's mom was against gay people, he would have a bit of fun torturing her. Well, Jungkook did say she didn't mind but you never know. Fuck it, he wanted to look nice.
Still, the moment his boyfriend parks his car and they get off, Taehyung's hands start shaking. The house is too much; the huge and beautiful garden, full of colorful flowers blossoming in the middle of Winter, like a magical paradise. Despite the cold, he wishes to stay there smelling their sweet essence instead of walking inside.
"Ready?" Jungkook asks him, hand stretched towards him.
Taehyung takes it and squeezes tenderly with a nod, though he doesn't feel ready at all.
The door is a dark brown and so bright that it gives the impression of having been varnished not too long ago. Jungkook rings the doorbell, a small black buzzer that Taehyung didn't even see at first glance. Is it even necessary when they already announced themselves in the entrance, for the security man to open the gate? Oh, of course they have guards and a gate, of course.
Taehyung half expects a maid to open the door but is surprised to find a beautiful lady in her forties smiling back at them with the most dazzling smile he's ever seen. She's gorgeous and Tae quickly realizes Jungkook is the spitting image of this woman; black velvety hair that stretches behind her back and caresses her slim waist, pale skin, red full lips, soft eyes, the longest eyelashes, expressive eyebrows. She looks like a queen in her long blue dress that shines whenever she moves.
"Oh, honey you look exquisite," she smiles at his boyfriend, her hand with perfectly painted pink nails reaches out to squeeze his arm and Taehyung sees Jungkook smile back at his mother and god, it's a beautiful sight. Then she turns towards him, her eyes intense as she says, "And you, you must be Kim Taehyung!"
"Yes, I am. It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Jeon," he replies before realizing his mistake. Fuck, he's just so nervous and Jungkook didn't mention her name but seriously, Mrs. Jeon? The lady widens her eyes slightly and he sees a bitter purse in her lips as she shakes her head, soft strands of dark hair falling on her face, the contrast with her skin is a beautiful mess.
"Please, call me Seohyun," she kindly says when Taehyung thought he was going to be sent off to hell. He sighs in relief, hears Jungkook's light chuckle and refrains from hitting him.
"Of course, I apologize," he answers with a quick bow of his head.
"Common mistake, no worries, love. Come in!" she steps away from the door then, allowing them to walk inside. The first thing Taehyung sees is the chimney. The second is the high ceilings, and then his eyes wander around the living room in awe. "Jungkook, may I have a quick word with you?" he hears Seohyun say from behind him and instantly worries as he pretends to be scanning the oil paintings of what seems to be Jeon's ancestors. The sofa looks plush and soft and it's the color of caramel, with pillows perfectly set on top of it in different pastel colors that match.
Taehyung turns slightly around then, eyes instantly going to Jungkook who is frowning at his mother. She has a hand on his arm again, comforting, but then she opens her mouth to say something else in a low voice and Jungkook shakes her hand off of him.
"You seriously expect me to allow---" he hears his boyfriend hiss, eyebrows raised so far up in his forehead that they disappear behind his fringe. Fuck, are they talking about him? Did he already ruin this? Does his mother hate him?
Taehyung hates seeing the angerness in Jungkook's eyes, the unconcealable irritation there. He hates when he gets like this, stressed and mad and... shit, this was supposed to only be stressing for him. He looks down at the floor, isn't surprised to find it's so shiny he can see his own reflection in the wooden tiles. He looks shaken up, great.
"I'll go check if dinner is ready, excuse me," Seohyun says then catching Taehyung's attention. He nods as she walks towards a double door at his left, her dress sparkling against the lights hanging from the ceiling.
"Everything alright?" he asks walking towards his boyfriend who is still frowning at the spot his mother was recently in. His eyes instantly soften when they fall on Taehyung, though.
"Not really...I'm sorry, this was supposed to be a good night."
"What do you mean? What happened?" he asks, instinctively reaching out to caress Jungkook's cheek with his thumb. He visibly relaxes under his touch, but he's still looking at him with undeniable anger.
"Dad is coming," he replies and well, yeah, that explains it.
"Oh..."
"Yeah, oh," he grunts.
"It's okay," Taehyung says because he doesn't know what else to say. And also, he hates seeing him like this so much...if only he could do something to erase the tension around his eyes and mouth.
"It's not. We should leave," Jungkook says and Taehyung's hand falls from the other's face, confused.
"What?"
"Come on, you already met him, you know how he is. I don't want him to hurt you," his boyfriend explains, but Taehyung is far from understanding.
"He won't hurt me," he almost huffs. Yes, his father may be creepy and rude but there's no way he can actually hurt him.
Jungkook regards him with a look that makes him feel small. He shakes his head, flicks his eyes over the older with almost bored eyes."He will, believe me. It's what he does."
"We can't just leave, your mother seems nice," he shrugs, suddenly feeling uncomfortable in the enormous cold house. The chimney may be lit but he's freezing and really, how does Seohyun handle it wearing just a dress?
"Yeah and she can be but...you don't get it," he sighs, running a hand through his hair. He looks nervous and that's the last thing Tae wanted, to upset him any further, to make him feel like he even has to explain his family to him. Jungkook obviously knows what he's talking about, they raised him for fuck's sakes. And so the older nods, grabbing his hand in an attempt to calm him down. It helps. Jungkook can always breathe a little better whenever he's touching Taehyung.
"Look, okay, we can leave if you want. It obviously upsets you and I don't want to---" he begins, hand squeezing his softly but it seems to be the wrong thing to say because Jungkook is quickly shaking his head again, eyes scarily wide.
"This has nothing to do with me. I can handle my dad," he replies but Taehyung is so far from buying those words. He sounds fake and even a bit scared and god, they shouldn't have come, why did he even think this would be a good idea? They've only been dating for a few weeks, most people don't meet their boyfriend's parents until they date for at least three months. But then again, have they really just been dating for a couple weeks? It feels like they've been together for way longer, and in a way, they have. The only thing that changed is that now he can call him his boyfriend and be clingy and sweet without hiding it. It'd only made sense to have this meeting and Jungkook's mom kept insisting on meeting him and well....
Still, bad idea. Bad, bad idea.
"Okay..." he says, unconvinced.
"I'm serious," he insists, noticing Taehyung's reluctance. "I'm used to it. Besides, Namjoon is coming so, you know what? Let's stay."
"Are you sure? We don't have to. Maybe your mother can---" he begins, thinking of anything to say to make Jungkook don't feel bad about leaving. He already screwed up by showing his disbelief at the idea of his boyfriend handling his own father; but how could that possibly be true when he almost had a breakdown when Tae met him in the first place, scared of what he could've possibly told him? And he stays in that company just for his father's sake, resigning to his dreams and---
"No, it's fine. If you're okay with it, so am I," Jungkook shrugs then, careless, as if they were discussing whether to get ice cream or not.
"You don't sound like you're okay with it, though," he tries once again, but Jungkook cuts him with a glare, taking his hand away from his. Taehyung can't hide the slight pang to his chest at the action.
"Well, I am."
He's acting like a petulant child but Taehyung sighs, letting him have his way and hoping for the night not to be as disastrous as it could be. He's about to say something else, crack a bad joke about the thick rug under their feet and how it reminds him of his grandma when she's trying to act posh, anything to make Jungkook at least smile because he hates how upset he looks, but then Seohyun is walking back inside the living room as if she'd been waiting for them to finish talking to return. Taehyung wonders if she heard their entire conversation and shudders.
"Dinner will be ready soon, shall we head to the dining room?" she suggests with an easy, almost comercial smile plastered on her face and Taehyung can do nothing but nod in agreement, sending Jungkook a tentative glance but receiving nothing in return.
It's going to be a long night.
The dining room is absurd. Well, actually, Taehyung comes to the deafening conclusion that everything about mansions is absurd; the enormity of things, the exuberance and pretentiousness clinging to every hallway and painting and clean surface. Only two people live in this house...well, that's a lie, actually two people plus the maids and cooks and gardeners so maybe it's as big as it should be. Maybe Taehyung is just bitter because his apartment currently holds four people and is the size of the Jeon's living room.
They're now sitting down on a rectangular table that reminds Taehyung of a Game of Thrones episode. There are too many dishes and glasses and forks and knives and chopsticks, even spoons. It makes him wonder if the Jeon's are hosting a party he didn't know about. Seohyun is sitting at the head of the table like a queen and she's staring at him with unreadable eyes. Jungkook is silent at his side, eyes lost in the empty plate in front of him.
"You really are gorgeous, Taehyung. Jungkook did always find pretty people to join him, though he's never brought anyone home before," she adds as an afterthought, though Taehyung doubts there's anything that comes out of her mouth that is unplanned. She doesn't seem to be the kind of person to talk without thinking first.
"Thank you," he says with a slight blush covering his cheeks. Seohyun smiles and opens her mouth to say something else when a maid wearing a black uniform with a white apron on top appears on the hallway.
"Mr. Kim has arrived, ma'am," she announces with a slight bow and Jungkook's mother nods in reply, her smile dissolving into a tight purse of her lips.
Mr. Kim. Taehyung grins when he sees Namjoon and Seokjin walk inside the dining room. He can't say he's anything but proud of his friend who looks absolutely flawless wearing a cashmere shirt and grey pants. His hair is styled nicely too, bright and soft looking. He sees Seohyun stare at him in awe. The Jin effect.
"Good evening, everyone," Namjoon says with a polite smile, bowing. He then turns towards his stepmother, his smile unwavering as he continues, "Seohyun, may I introduce you to my boyfriend, Kim Seokjin," he holds him by the arm and Taehyung can see the slight nervous twitch in his friend's eyes as he bows as well. "Jin, this is my stepmother, Choi Seohyun."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Seokjin half smiles, all kind eyes and good manners. Seohyun seems impressed as she nods in return and tells them to please sit down.
Jin sits next to Taehyung and smiles at him as he murmurs, "What a house, huh?"
"Don't even mention it," whispers Taehyung back.
It's not even five minutes later that the maid returns to announce the arrival of Mr. Jeon. Taehyung sees Jungkook bite on his lip and sighs, reaching out to his right to hold his hand in his, and despite how annoyed he may be with him right now, Jungkook intertwines their fingers and sends him a grateful smile.
Mr. Jeon looks just the way he did when Taehyung first met him as he walks inside the room, demanding attention. His eyes hold the same blind vanity as he calmly saunters over the table. His lips seem to twitch into that awful smirk of his when they fall on Taehyung. He looks right back at him, shoulders tense, stare unwavering.
But it's not Mr. Jeon who takes his breath away, is the two people that walk right behind him.
"Mom? Dad?" he asks raising from his seat, confusion laced deep into his voice. He can hear Jungkook sighing at his side. He doesn't seem that surprised by the turn of events, but almost resigned.
"Honey, hey!" his mother smiles at him as she rushes to his side, hugging him tightly to her chest. He hasn't seen her in at least two months...and now she's here? With Mr. Jeon? In his boyfriend's house? What the fuck?
"What---what are you two doing here?" he questions as his mom finally breaks the hug. He can see Jungkook's mother staring at them in bafflement, probably thinking his parents are as bad mannered as they come considering they didn't bow to her. And the clothes they're wearing are nothing compared to Mr. Jeon's immaculate suit and Mrs. Jeon dreamlike dress. They're foreigners here.
"Mr. Jeon invited us over. I thought you knew?" his father says, eyebrows raised in slight wonder. He hasn't seen his father in even longer, probably five months by now. He's always busy working on cases on his small firm and it's entirely strange that he is here, that he'd ever be here at all. He thought he wouldn't see them until Christmas came around.
"But...how did you even get here?" he asks in a lower tone, hoping the others can't hear as Namjoon thankfully says something to Mr. Jeon, probably introducing the wonderful Seokjin to him, too.
His parents live far from here, in the outskirts of the city. His father doesn't even own a car, neither of them know how to drive and hate public transport, hence the uncanniness of them being here now, in the flesh.
"Mr. Jeon was so kind he fetched us a nice car!" his father says with a proud grin, probably having felt better with himself being hauled out of his house and into a limousine of some sort, to visit this monster of a mansion and being served the best dinner he'll ever have.
"We didn't even know you had a boyfriend, silly," his mother adds, punching him teasingly in the shoulder. It hurts. His mom has always been too strong for her petite frame and she has the bothersome tendency of hitting both he and his father in a 'joking' manner. "And that he was your boss's son at that!" she adds, eyes wide behind her glasses, though there's no judgement in them.
"You didn't tell them?" he hears Jungkook ask and fuck, he'd forgotten he was sitting right there and probably listening to everything they said.
"I was just---" he begins but Seohyun saves his ass and says then,
"Please, do sit down. Dinner will be served any minute now."
And because is Seohyun who says it, they all follow her orders and Taehyung's parents forget everything about introductions. He sighs as he sits back down.
Jungkook doesn't hold his hand when he reaches out this time.
Seriously, fuck.
It's when they take the first bite of unmarinated hanwoo short ribs that Mr. Jeon opens his mouth and says, "Taehyung," all eyes go instantly to him. He feels as if he were choking even though the man hasn't said anything yet. "I've been perusing your resume these past few days and I was aghast to find no letter recommendations that could potentially explain your acceptance in the company."
Taehyung swallows despite the knot in his throat. The man is staring at him, expectantly. He's sitting right in front of him, too. No escape. Everyone's eyes are still on his and he's surprised his parents aren't rushing to his aid (his dad with a dumb joke perhaps, his mother with a comment about the high quality of the food) but quietly watching instead. Not that he'd want them to, considering the circumstances. They're probably too intimidated to talk. The Mr. Jeon effect.
"With all due respect, sir, I was accepted because of my skills and capacity. I've been working in Bangtan for over two years, I don't know what could bring you to question my position now," he replies and he's quite content with his own answer if he's being honest. He hopes Jungkook thinks that, too, but he can't risk a glance at him now, not when Mr. Jeon is still looking at him.
"Well, you are my son's...boyfriend, aren't you?" he says the word as if it burns his mouth and it probably does.Taehyung hopes it does, he hopes the word burns a hole into his brain and prevents him from sleeping at night. Hopes it aches against his tongue, a constant reminder of what he thinks is the result of a mistake of his own when it's actually, just life.
"I am," he can't hide the pride in his voice (nor he tries).
"If anything you must be smart enough to know why I'd be concerned over whether you are good enough for him or not," he continues before placing a huge piece of meat on his mouth, chewing almost obnoxiously and yet, with grace. Taehyung can't possibly think of eating now, not when his stomach is in a painful twist.
He does risk a glance at Jungkook then, sees him staring at his father with hard eyes, an expression akin to a glare. He sees him open his mouth to say something, his pretty pink lips parting to probably say something he'll regret. He wants Jungkook to handle his father, he wants him to send him to hell and beyond but not like this, not to defend Taehyung when he can defend himself. And so he beats him to it.
"I am good enough for him. I understand the concern but is his decision to---"
"This meat is delicious," Namjoon pipes in then, taking the role Taehyung's mother would normally take. Murmurs of agreement are heard through the table. The tension is thick, the air awkward.
Jungkook sends him a glance that could only translate into a silent apology. His eyes are so sad that Taehyung wishes he could sit on his lap and kiss his lips, whisper an 'it's okay' against his mouth because if someone has to apologize for anything, is him.
Seohyun smiles and the gesture catches Taehyung's eye. Despite not having talked yet, he sees his parents look at her, too. Her smile is open and inviting as she spreads her arms over the sides of the table and says, "Can we please not discuss business in the table? I'm excited to learn more about you,Taehyung. Jungkook seems absolutely infatuated with you."
"I'm not infa---" Jungkook begins, tone slightly defensive as he blushes like a child, but Taehyung's mother interrupts him.
"Oh I want to know more about you, too, Jungkook! I wish we'd known earlier that Taetae here had a boyfriend," she exclaims with sad eyes. Guilt eats away at Taehyung's heart but he ignores it. He barely sees his parents as it is, they live far and their phone calls are rare and really, he didn't think it was that necessary for them to find out considering they haven't even been dating for that long and he isn't close to his parents and---okay, maybe he should've told them. He is formally meeting Jungkook's parents after all.
"I'm sure he just forgot to mention it, his head lives in the clouds," Jin comments coming at his rescue with a chuckle after taking a sip of his wine.
"In the clouds?" Mr. Jeon asks, stern expression as he stares at Taehyung. He bites at his meat in silence, unsure of what he could say to that.
"It means he has imagination and things to think about, you know? Creative minds are the best kind, Taehyung," Seohyun replies to her ex-husband with bitter eyes that soften when she looks at the younger.
Why is she so kind to him?
"There are much more important matters than those such as imagination, " the man replies, spitting the word as if it were poison in his mouth, "Creativity is a word created by hippies who do nothing but lay in the grass and smoke weed, thinking up ideas of revolution and delusions of freedom which they have no idea of---"
"Imagination is a virtue," Taehyung cuts him off and considering the looks he gets from everyone around him except for his friend and his parents, he thinks that interrupting people seems to be a very ugly thing to do here. But he couldn't possibly allow that man to keep spitting bullshit in the table. And for the looks of it, no one will open their mouth except from him. Jungkook isn't even looking their way.
"A virtue? Is that the things poor people teach their sons nowadays?" he asks sending a questioning glance towards Taehyung's parents who seem to be shocked into silence. Not that they were talking that much before, anyway.
Taehyung tastes bile."We are not poor and even if we were that doesn't mean anything about---"
"Wook, seriously. This is no way to treat our guests," Jungkook's mother says, turning towards the younger with something akin to embarrassment dancing in her eyes. Taehyung notices she hasn't even tried her food yet. "I apologize in his behalf."
"No need, Seohyun," Mr. Jeon replies sending her a glance that conveys as much hatred as possible (Taehyung wonders how someone can hate another person after having had a child together, after falling in love and getting married and whispering promises in front of their loved ones. He wants to know how things got so wrong with them and not make the same mistakes with Jungkook. He never wants to look at him like that, ever .) before turning back towards Taehyung's parents,"I didn't mean any harm by my words, Mr. and Mrs. Kim. I was simply stating the truth."
Taehyung is holding the porcelain chopsticks so tightly in his hands that he thinks they may snap any second now. He steals a glance towards his boyfriend who is currently whispering something back at his mother, though it sounds more like a hiss than anything else. He sees Seohyun sigh before she raises her glass to her pink lips, shaking her head at her son. He would ask Jungkook what that was all about if he weren't trying to conceal his anger and not yell at his boyfriend's dad and also, kinda, his boss.
Jungkook was right after all. They should've left.
There's a sinking silence in the room and Taehyung looks at his parents, at how wrong they look in the Jeon's dining room; he looks at his mom's confused lips as they twitch downwards into what people would call a pout, her eyes as they stare past the expensive cutlery and find his own. She sends him a look that says 'who are this people? Why didn't you tell us? What is going on? Why isn't your boyfriend doing anything to stop this?'. Or maybe she's just worried about him not having tasted his rice yet, who knows really.
He then turns his attention to his dad. He was never a fighter, actually he's quite the opposite of Mr. Jeon but maybe that's a good thing. Yes, that may mean he's a coward that can't defend himself but at least he isn't ruthless for no reason at all except for torturing the people around him. Taehyung's heart aches at the idea of a young Jungkook having to suffer with his father's harsh words and cold stares. His mother may look like a saint at his side but she hurt Jungkook, too. That much he knows.
Namjoon is the one who opens his kind mouth next, sacrificing himself and breaking the awkward silence with a, "Father, I forgot to mention Jin here has traveled to Japan several times and thinks---"
"Can't he talk for himself?" Seohyun asks, eyebrow raised challengingly towards Namjoon. And there it is, the sweet mask of honey-dripping voice and kind gestures slipping off her face and revealing a woman just as ruthless as her husband.
My mom isn't a bad woman but well...she makes mistakes. Hating Namjoon because it reminds her of dad cheating on her is one of them.
"I can," Jin states after wiping his mouth off with a napkin. His eyes are calm and honest despite the tension in the room. "I think what Joonie was going to say was that---"
"Joonie? How sweet, isn't that how your mother used to call you, Namjoon?" Seohyun asks then, and with the smile that breaks through her face anyone would think she was just complimenting Jin's outfit.
Namjoon's mom, the woman his father cheated Seohyun with. The woman who died years ago and broke her son's poor heart.
Awkward silence strikes again, but this time is heavy with sadness. Taehyung's parents look at each other in confusion.
"Oh, Seohyun is that way to treat your guests?" Mr. Jeon grins wickedly towards her and Taehyung is surprised because he hadn't seen that expression on his face yet and it's both creepy and fascinating at the same time, the way his face transforms into different expressions varying on his mood or rather, the reaction he chooses to display because everything is deliberate, nothing is random with him.
"I was simply asking a question," Seohyun shrugs, and the common, almost ordinary gesture turns graceful in her body.
"Yes, my mother used to call me Joonie. I still love the nickname so I like it when Jin calls me that," Namjoon replies, voice passive. Seohyun raises an eyebrow in return but says nothing else. Taehyung inwardly sighs as they all resume their eating.
But of course, the calm doesn't last long in this table.
"Um so, Jungkook, your father told me you work in his company? Are you going to be taking charge soon?" Taehyung's father asks and even though his intentions are good, he has the urge to shake his head at him, tell him to please shut up and finish his meal. Eat your expensive lettuce, look at mom, whisper amongst each other, do not talk out loud.
But it isn't Jungkook who replies. It's his father.
"Oh no, that would be my son Namjoon. Our dear Jungkook doesn't have much of an interest for Bangtan, you see," he explains and normally it would seem like a caring dad explaining to their son's father-in-law how the young man doesn't want to follow his steps but it's okay because he has a choice and that's wonderful. But with Mr. Jeon, even those words sound different coming through his mouth. It's in the way he says it, so entirely condescending that it makes Taehyung's blood boil. As if Jungkook was dumb for not wanting to take over the company. As if having free will was a mistake. As if, as if, as if.
Taehyung remembers thinking for a moment that Mr. Jeon would shoot him back when they were in his pompous office. Back then he hadn't understood why that idea had even crossed his mind...now he thinks he does. You don't need to be a murderer to kill dreams, and yet, what are you if not that?
And so taking a deep breath, he turns towards the only person he can think of in that table and blurts out, "Jungkook writes, mom."
His mother seems thoroughly confused to be talked to. She startles, almost dropping her chopsticks to the floor. "What?"
"He writes. And it's beautiful. And I--I think it's way better than taking over the company. No offense, Namjoon," he adds though he can see him smiling at his words.
"None taken," he replies with a shrug. Jin smiles at him, too, almost encouraging.
"That's great, Jungkook! What do you write a---" his mother begins asking, seemingly excited to talk to his son's boyfriend directly for a change. Even Taehyung's dad seems interested enough, and he was never a fan of literature. Though, of course, Mr. Jeon interrupts her because he may not appreciate people interrupting him but god knows he can do whatever he wants. Or so he thinks. So he's lived thinking because no one ever told him otherwise, too scared, too intimidated, too weak. Maybe that's why they got divorced, Taehyung thinks. Maybe it wasn't just the cheating, after all she did it, too and divorces are frown upon between people who belong into a higher social class. Maybe Seohyun told him otherwise once. Maybe Mr. Jeon didn't like it.
And yet, they still live together. Isn't that frown upon, too? Or is money and wealth worth the sacrifice?
"He writes?" the man repeats his own words, eyes wide in disbelief and loathing. His shirt wrinkles when he leans over the table, his greyish hair shining under the yellowish lights as he asks, "You think he can make a living out of that?"
Taehyung looks at him; he really looks at him and wonders how can he feel intimidated by someone so void of compassion. He doesn't even deserve his respect.
He huffs. "He can try."
A fat vein throbs in Mr. Jeon's neck. Taehyung doesn't hide the slight pride that clings to his lips at the idea of getting under his skin, of pushing him to the limit, of seeing him see red and get mad, of breaking his fake calmness. How does it feel?, he wants to ask. How does it feel to be told something you don't want to hear? To know your son loves me and fucks me and hates your company?
The man shakes his head, letting out a breathy chuckle that is probably meant to make him look at ease with the situation, but Taehyung sees right through it. He feels the fuel inside him burn brighter, fill his stomach, its way to his heart and up his throat. The words blister when they touch the tip of his tongue.
"That's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard," Jungkook's father says then. Taehyung sees Seohyun say something to his mother out of the corner of his eye.
"More than doing something he hates for the rest of his life?" he asks challengingly, eyebrows raising on his forehead in defiance. Mr. Jeon stares back at him with narrowed eyes, probably planning ways to kill him or at the very least make him disappear from his life.
"Taehyung, don't. Just---it's fine," Jungkook says then, breaking the staring contest between the other two as Taehyung turns to see him shaking his head at him, dark urgent eyes saying 'thank you, I love you, but just don't.' Taehyung looks back at him with a warm gaze that replies 'I love you, too. I have to.'
"It's not fine," he continues once his eyes travel back to the man sitting in front of him. Their food is now long forgotten, probably cold in their expensive plates. "He loves writing and he does it with passion and god, isn't that the most important thing?"
Mr. Jeon sends him another look of disgust from over the rim of his glass. He seems to compose himself then, lips curling into a knowing smirk. He sets his glass back down and Seohyun uses the silence to open her mouth but she's cut off by her ex-husband. "You naive kids think about these ideas of 'passion' and 'happiness' as if they were unconceivable values," a pause, a click of his tongue. Taehyung sees Namjoon texting hurriedly and wonders if he's texting his brother. "You can't live your life basing your decisions on your insouciant spirit. You need to grow up."
Taehyung almost spits in his face at that. The words touch a nerve, or maybe he's just had enough. "I need to grow up ?!"
"Taehyung, dear, please," his mother says, eyes widening in alarm as she looks between them. His father gulps, whispering something in her ear, probably telling her to not get in between them, probably acting like the coward he is and always been. His mother sighs with a small nod, eyes lowering to her lap. They shouldn't have come.
Taehyung continues talking though, unfazed. He can't stop now that he has Mr. Jeon's vein throbbing again. "And even if he doesn't succeed, does that mean he has to resign himself to doing something he hates for the rest of his life?" he asks, the question half rhetorical half not. The answer is obvious enough for him but probably not for his father-in-law.
"Taehyung, stop ," Jungkook is the one who talks then, word murmured through gritted teeth in what could only be taken as barely concealed anger but the way his hand squeezes his arm comfortingly screams tenderness and love. He wishes he could listen to him but then again he wishes he couldn't, too. He doesn't look back at him, full knowing it could make the words melt like lava inside his mouth. He's always been weak for his pleading eyes, after all.
No one else interrupts anymore, all eyes on the two of them.
"I think everyone is entitled to do whatever they want if it makes them happy and doesn't harm anyone," Taehyung says and feels like a dumb child with hopeful dreams, a child with pink lentils which only allow him to see roses falling from the ceilings and blooming out of his fingertips but he knows he's right, knows Jungkook needs to hear this, knows everyone needs to hear this. Mr. Jeon, too, because he may laugh in his face but maybe no one ever told him this, maybe no one even tried, or maybe his own father was a Mr. Jeon as well; a dream killer.
But the vein throbs darker, pulses against the skin of his neck. Taehyung sees his parents swallow, slight panic in his eyes. Seohyun looks calm despite the discussion going on in the table, her eyes are almost bored as she crosses her arms over her chest. Jungkook stares at Taehyung; he sees a man defending him, and he loves him, he does, and he wants to scream and yell and kick, maybe throw a tantrum or two because this wasn't supposed to happen and he knows how to handle his father he swears he does but what can he do, what can he say? It's pointless. He's been here before, so many times he can hardly remember the amount. Years of being a teenager and trying to rebel against his parents and failing, always failing miserably. Years of his mother scrubbing the words he scribbled down his arms with soap. Years of his father throwing his journals to the trash because they distracted him from school (they didn't, they made it bearable).
But Taehyung hasn't been there, ever. He's been raised by accepting parents that may live far but support him. And it only makes sense he's doing this for him.
"It harms the company. I won't allow a person with such bizarre ideals to remain in my company for any longer!" Mr. Jeon yells, raising from the table, hands balled into fists against the tablecloth. Namjoon raises too, shaking his head and frowning. Taehyung sees Seokjin's eyes staring at his boyfriend with worry, hands slightly shaking in his lap.
"Father, you can't decide that," he says, but it only works to make the older man turn towards him, his breathing agitated as his chest rises and falls rapidly.
"Like hell---" he begins, but Namjoon seems to have had enough as well. His eyes scream determination. He looks like the boss, the leader he is when he opens his mouth and stands his ground.
"I make those decisions now and Taehyung hasn't done anything to make me fire him."
"It's still my company. I will fire him if I want to," he replies, squinting at him and throwing daggers, threats and insults his way with just one stare.
"No one is firing anyone, Wook," Seohyun says then, still sitting down, back relaxed against her chair. She turns towards the younger then,"Taehyung, honey, your words are nice but with Jungkook's potential he can't just quit and follow this crazy---"
And that seems to cut it.
"For fuck's sakes, I can talk for myself! I won't follow a pipe dream so don't worry, mother, " he says the word with venom, and it makes Taehyung wonder what the woman must've told him in hushed whispers through the dinner to make him stare at her like that, considering he was nice enough when they first walked into the house. "No need to be aggravated by this."
She shakes her head, reaching out to him with a pale hand that Jungkook rejects. "Sweetheart---"
His eyes find Mr. Jeon's and there are so many words in them that Taehyung can't help to be proud. This seems to have been the push he needed. Yes, he wants to say, tell him, tell him all you've been dying to. Send him to hell and beyond, love.
But instead of insulting him, he clears his throat and speaks, "And dad, I don't do anything for the company. If you should fire anyone, is me."
Mr. Jeon huffs. "I won't fire my own son."
"Because then the name would be ruined, huh?" Jungkook asks, eyes dark and knowing. He looks older, mature as he finally confronts his dad, puts him on his goddamn place. "Say you fired me due to whatever reason you want. It's fine. Ruin my name if you have to. God knows I don't care."
"Jungkook---" Seohyun tries again, voice breaking at the end. Taehyung looks at her to find her eyes shining. Do this people really care that much about their reputation? Is this what all of this is about? He feels sad for them all.
"I think we should go now," Jungkook says, ignoring his mother's eyes and his father's words; he's still talking nonsense, spitting insults all around like a madman. Breaking point.
He hates being told otherwise and now he's dearest son has done the job. Taehyung wants to clap but doesn't think it'd do any good.
"Us, too," Namjoon adds, taking his boyfriend's hand. Seokjin looks relieved as he stands up.
"Um, same," Taehyung's mother says, already at the threshold with his father.
"This won't end like this, Jungkook. You're insane if you think I'll let my son quit to follow some dumb boyfriend of his who is just a---" Mr. Jeon continues, eyes crazy, lips wet with spit.
"I'm gonna do whatever the fuck I want," Jungkook answers, turning around from the hallway they were going through to look at him. Taehyung stares at his profile and thinks he's saying all of this out of the rage of the moment; it'll pass, he'll probably regret it but it'll be fine. He'll be there for him and this will be done, for once and for all. Even if Jungkook really doesn't follow his dreams, he can't remain in that toxic place that only worked to pollute him. "Like I should've done years ago," he adds. "Don't ever talk to Taehyung like that again or you'll never hear of me," is the last he says as they exit the house.
"What a family..." he hears his own dad say under his breath as the maid gets the door for them.
Taehyung has never agreed more.