I'm sending the car
Taehyung frowned down at his phone, reading the message from his sister.
That's not necessary
Show me where I asked
He closed his eyes.
Fine.
What were you going to do? Bus it?
Yes actually
Eye-
He rolled his eyes and went to check on Jeongguk who had been quietly panicking since mid morning.
"Bun?" He entered the bedroom, searching for the boy.
He found him fixing his hair in the bathroom. The suit now fit him perfectly, his black, stubby tail peeking out in the slit of his jacket. A rare sight for the boy. His eyes were anxious on the mirror.
"Hey." He said softly, coming up behind him to rest his chin on the hybrid's shoulder, almost copping an elbow in the face as Jeongguk reached up again.
"Relax." He planted a kiss above the collar of his dress shirt. "It's not that big a deal."
"You literally compared your mother to Genghis Khan." He pointed out and Taehyung wrapped his arms around the boy, squeezing lightly.
"She can be intimidating." He agreed. "But I'll be there every step of the way. And if things get overwhelming we'll leave."
"Promise?" Jeongguk's doe eyes met his in the mirror.
"Promise." He murmured. "You look amazing, by the way."
"Yeah?" Guk turned his arms, his expression brightening instantly.
"Oh yeah." Taehyung drawled seductively.
Jeongguk's eyes widened a little before he looked down self-consciously.
"Oh now you're shy?" Tae teased.
"Shut up." The hybrid hit his chest lightly, making him grin.
"My pretty, baby bun." He deliberately lowered his voice, murmuring directly into Jeongguk's sensitive ears. "I could eat you all up."
"Stop." The hybrid whined, but Taehyung noted the way his body swayed into his, pressing them together, the hand still resting on his chest drawing little patterns with his claw.
"Now why would I do that, when you blush so prettily?"
"Hyung!"
Taehyung silenced him with a kiss, sliding his lips over the boy's until they opened beneath him. He groaned softly, deepening the embrace as his hands wound their way into Jeongguk's silken hair.
The hybrid pulled back with another whine. "Hyung! You're mussing my hair!"
Taehyung rolled his eyes, but let the boy go back to preening in the mirror.
The dark, luxury sedan crunched on the loose gravel of the driveway, coming to a stop just outside the double doored entry way of his childhood home. He opened the door before the driver even had the chance to undo his seatbelt.
Once they were out, Taehyung gave a polite nod to the driver and turned to Jeongguk who was staring open-mouthed at the opulent home.
"You live here?" He squeaked and Taehyung shook his head.
"No, I live with you." He corrected.
"You know what I mean. You grew up here?"
Taehyung shrugged.
"How rich are you?" The hybrid asked in awe and Tae gave him a long look.
"I'm not rich. My family is." He clarified.
"I mean, I know you said you inherited a bit from your dad but this is like... Rich rich." He rambled, still gawping.
"I suppose." Taehyung sighed. "It is what it is." He said a little irritably. "I'm not part of this world anymore."
"Do you miss it?"
He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Sometimes I did, when things were really tight. But I never really fit in here. The perfect son and heir? It was a lot. Too much, most of the time."
He held out his hand to his companion, and mounted the few stairs to ring the bell. Almost instantly the door swung open and Taehyung was surprised to see his mother standing there, looking elegant and austere in a Chanel suit and low heels, her hair short and perfectly coifed, a strand of tasteful pearls at her throat.
"Taehyung." She greeted him neutrally and Tae froze for a moment, suddenly the same eighteen year old boy he'd been when she'd banished him from her home.
He felt Jeongguk squeeze his hand and squeezed back gratefully, gathering himself once again and smiling politely. "Eomma." He said, giving her a respectful bow. She inclined her head a little.
"Come in." She stood back to allow them entry.
"Eomma, this is Jeon Jeongguk." He introduced the hybrid at his side who bowed.
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs Kim." He said softly.
She nodded again. "Pleased to meet you." She echoed.
"Oppa!" The boisterous greeting had a crease forming in his mother's brow. Jeongguk would have recognised it as the same one that adorned his own forehead whenever he grew impatient or disappointed.
Taehyung's expression brightened and he let go of Jeongguk's hand to catch Eonjin as she hurtled toward him for a hug, lifting her and spinning which had her giggling madly and slapping at her shoulder.
"Put me down, idiot." She laughed.
"Eonjin!" Their mother gasped, completely scandalised by her lack of poise.
Eonjin rolled her eyes and Taehyung admired her bravery. He'd never had the nerve. She directed her gaze over her shoulder and grinned, the twin of Taehyung's own boxy smile.
"You must be Jeongguk." She enthused, wrenching herself out of Taehyung's embrace and straightening her own stylish jacket.
Jeongguk eyes flitted to Taehyung, his ears twitching nervously.
"Jeongguk, this is my little sister, Eonjin." Taehyung introduced them.
"Pleased to meet you, Eonjin ssi." He mumbled, bowing again. The hybrid was so well mannered, Taehyung wasn't sure he'd brought the right boy. Jeongguk didn't have a quiet, well mannered twin, did he?
"You can call me nuna if you'd like." His sister invited which surprised Taehyung. She usually didn't invite such familiarity so quickly.
Jeongguk gave a short nod, his hand creeping back into Taehyung's. The action didn't go unnoticed by either of the women in the room, but their reactions were very different. While his mother's frown deepened, bordering on an outright scowl, Eonjin's gaze flitted speculatively between the two boy's before softening into a satisfied smile.
"Where's Jeonggyu?" Taehyung asked curiously, looking toward the stairs.
Eonjin and his mother both clucked their tongues, wearing mirroring looks of exasperation. "Upstairs, preening before a mirror, no doubt." Eonjin answered wryly. "Is there anything vainer than a teenage boy?"
"As I recall you were well acquainted with a mirror at that age." Taehyung defended his missing sibling, not failing to notice the way Jeongguk's tail flicked irritably. He dropped the hand he'd been holding to wrap it around the boy's waist, pulling him to his side protectively.
"Relax." He breathed to the boy. "She's just teasing."
Jeongguk gave another of those jerky nods, but Taehyung felt some of the tension leave his body.
"He'll be down soon enough. The only thing he likes more than his reflection is food." Eonjin stated derisively.
As predicted, Jeonggyu came pounding down the stairs, much to the visible chagrin of their mother, when their cook started filling the table with an assortment of mouth watering dishes.
"Guk, this is my baby brother, Jeonggyu. Gyu, this is Jeongguk." He introduced the boy, noticing sadly the way Jeonggyu stiffened although he wasn't sure if the reaction was to the old nickname, the nature of their relationship or both. Perhaps Eonjin had been a little generous when she'd said his brother missed him.
"Hey." His brother said casually, nodding in Jeongguk's direction.
"Hello." Guk dipped his head, somewhere between a bow and a nod.
The last to enter the dining room was his mother's sister. As the older sibling, she was perhaps even more severe looking than his mother. Although Taehyung knew that beneath that stern exterior lay a soft heart. It seemed resting bitch face ran on the maternal side of the family. She had been one of his favourite relatives growing up. Eonjin reminded him of her keenly.
"Tae!" She greeted warmly, ignoring his bow and enveloping him in her arms.
"Imo." He grinned as she squeezed him.
"What have they been feeding you?" She scolded as she let him go. "You're all skin and bone. Sit down and eat for goodness sakes."
"He's not a partridge, Seonmi." His mother snarked.
"Honorifics!" His aunt cried. "I'll be in my grave before you drop 'unnie' from my name, girl."
Taehyung bit his cheek to hide his smile, Jeonggyu mirrored the gesture, but Eonjin, irrepressible brat that she was, bubbled over with laughter.
Their mother took a long moment to stare reprovingly at her offspring, reserving that crease of disappointment for her only daughter. It managed to cow the two boys, but Eonjin merely let out a amused 'ahh' as he laughter died away and seated herself on the other side of Jeongguk, the two siblings forming a defensive barrier between the hybrid and the less enchanting members of their family.
"Who's this then?" Seonmi asked bluntly.
"Jeon Jeongguk, ajumni." The hybrid answered politely, surprising Taehyung. He'd been painfully introverted all night.
"At least someone here knows how to mind their manners." His aunt said approvingly with a pointed look at his mother and sister. Taehyung snickered before that gaze swung to him and he instantly straightened, expression dropping to one of mild interest. "Well? What are we waiting for? Eat, boy, eat." She demanded.
"Jal meokgesseumnida." Was chorused around the table and then they all began reaching across the table to fill up their plates.
Taehyung took Jeongguk's plate, filling it with things he thought the boy might like and setting it before him. The hybrid gave him a small smile and he ran his hands fondly over the ear closest to him, rubbing it's length between his fingers absently before grabbing his own plate. He noticed the curious eyes of his sister and aunt but merely shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face and picked up his chopsticks.
They spent the meal talking about childhood memories. Taehyung was mercilessly embarrassed on more than one occasion by his ruthless siblings and aunt. His mother remained staunchly silent during most of the banter, but he noticed with a growing hope that her lips twitched with suppressed amusement on more than one occasion.
It was when Jeonggyu was in the middle of regaling the table with a mortifying story starring a young and clueless Taehyung and a disasterous lake trip that their mother interjected softly.
"No, it wasn't Cheohee. It was Jaehyun."
The laughter around the table died, all eyes shifting uncomfortably to Taehyung who cleared his throat awkwardly and nodded.
"Yeah. I remember." He whispered. "Good times."
"Hyung, I'm so sorry, I-" Jeonggyu apologised but Tae waved him away.
"It's fine. He was my best friend. There's a lot of stories like that." He said simply and Jeonggyu nodded. Jeongguk however looked completely clueless.
"Was? What happened? Did he die or something?" He asked hesitantly even as Jeonggyu shook his head violently in an effort to prevent the curious hybrid's questions.
"If only." Eonjin muttered, earning another sharp glance from her mother.
"He was the son of one my late husband's colleagues and a despicable liar who ruined my son's life." She spat vehemently, shocking everyone at the table.
"Eomma?" Taehyung said hesitantly.
She shook her head and wiped her mouth with a napkin, indicating the subject was closed. He knew better than to press her on the matter. His mother made oxen look like pushovers. So he pressed his lips together and nodded curtly. It wasn't acceptance, it wasn't forgiveness, but it was something. A start.
"So, Jeongguk, what do you do?" Jeonggyu asked simply to fill the silence. It was a polite question, meant to measure someone's worth in their insulated little world. And completely not applicable to the hybrid who couldn't gain wealth, power and status through his career even if he wanted to. Who couldn't even have a career. Eonjin sent her younger brother a sharp look and he had the good grace to look uncomfortable.
"Oh, um, I take classes in cooking, music and dance while Taehyung hyung is at uni. I like to game too, but I don't have a console at the moment." Jeongguk answered, completely misunderstanding the implication of the query.
"Oh yeah? What do you play?" Jeonggyu asked eagerly, obviously a gamer himself.
Jeongguk shrugged. "Online FPSes mostly. Sometimes MMOs."
"Fortnite?"
"Sure, sometimes." He answered between bites.
"Give me your user ID. We should totally play. Wait, what platform?"
"Oh, like I said, I don't have one at the moment. Used to be PS4 though."
"Don't worry, Tae will buy you another one, right hyung?" Jeonggyu assured him making Taehyung raise his brows to his hairline.
"I'm going to do the what now?"
"How do you not have any console at all? Like not even a Switch? Are you sure you're a millennial? Probably doesn't even have games on his phone." Jeonggyu muttered.
"He doesn't." Jeongguk agreed sadly, and both boys turned reproachful stares at the older boy.
"I- What?" His expression became martyred. "Why are we all ganging up on me all of a sudden?"
"Hey, you should come upstairs. I have entire room for gaming. Papa had it made special for my sixteenth birthday." Jeonggyu offered excitedly.
"Really?" Jeongguk's entire body shuddered and he rose from his chair a little, making Taehyung grin.
"Oh my god, did you just binky?" He asked incredulously.
"What? No!" The hybrid denied but his entire face turned crimson and he couldn't meet Tae's amused gaze. "Shut up!"
There were twin gasps from his aunt and mother but he waved their censuring glares away with an indulgent smile.
"Go, go." He nodded in the direction of the stairs. "Far be it from me to deprive you of the eighth wonder of the world that is Kim Jeonggyu's gaming room."
"Thanks, hyung." They chorused and Jeongguk surprised everyone by placing a kiss on Taehyung's curved lips before running excitedly after the youngest Kim.
"I like him." Seonmi said when the boys thudding footsteps faded.
"Already?" Tae asked with mild surprise. "You don't usually warm up so quick."
Eonjin hummed in agreement. "He makes you happy. Even before everything," She skirted the subject delicately. "You were melancholy."
"No, I wasn't." Taehyung argued.
"Yes, you were." His mother interjected firmly. "That boy was no good for you. Too often distracting you from your responsibilities. Isolating you. Not to mention what his affections did to your reputation. There were rumours even before his accusations. Finding you a potential wife was next to impossible while he was around."
"Eomma." Taehyung sighed. "What he did, it was, irreconcilable." He would have said unforgivable, but he'd always felt forgiveness was something you did for yourself just as much as the guilty party and he wouldn't punish himself forever for something Jaehyun had done. "But he used to be my best friend. The only real friend I had in that vipers nest of a school we went to. And the reason it was so hard to find me a wife is because I'm gay."
"That 'vipers nest' as you call it was the second best school in Seoul." His mother pointed out, ignoring the reminder of his sexuality like she always did.
"Yeah, they were rich, privileged, well educated snakes." Taehyung agreed.
"Eomma's right, oppa."
"Not you too, Jinnie. I know you didn't like him, but he was there for me when no one else was. Whatever else he was, he was a good friend."
"No. He was a stone around your neck." Eonjin refuted, meeting his eyes firmly. "You did everything for him. He took and took and took until there was nothing left."
"That's not true. I liked taking care of him. I liked how he needed me. If anything it's my fault for encouraging him. I need to feel needed. It's a big part of the reason I'm so happy with Jeongguk." He explained patiently. He wasn't sure why he was so defensive. Jaehyun didn't deserve it.
"No, it's different. We saw how in love with him you were, even Papa. We all hated it for our own reasons. For me it was that Jaehyun burdened you. He was a weight on your soul, crushing the life from you. But with Jeongguk it's just different. He makes you lighter somehow. Jaehyun wanted you to fix everything, Jeongguk just wants you to love him." She said with such staggering honesty that no one at the table to could speak for a moment.
Deciding that there wasn't really anything he could say to that, Taehyung simply nodded and turned his gaze to his mostly empty plate. Eonjin reached over and patted his shoulder. "Point is, I like him, oppa. Your Jeongguk. He's good for you."
"Here, here." His aunt agreed heartily, lifting her third glass of wine in salute.
A slow smile spread across Taehyung's face and he nodded again.
A/N I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Family dynamics are always so interesting.
I kinda love Eonjin. Sorry I didn't give you much Jeongyu.
Oh and for those not in the know, go look up rabbits binkying cos it is the cutest thing ever.
Well this fic is wrapping up, less than five chapters left, I reckon. However I do have a couple of scenarios I'd envisioned for the boys that didn't really fit in with the story. Was thinking of adding them when I'm done as bonus chapters?
Anyway, don't forget to vote.
I purple you.