"So who's your boyfriend among those two?" Goongmin asked his son as they ate their spaghetti, which Taehyung complained to be a little more salty than usual.
"Jungkook, the boy who looked like a rabbit." Taehyung explained noticing his father's confused face.
"Ohh.. and they fought because of you?"
"Yep." Taehyung sighed. "Jimin's my ex. We broke up a year ago because he cheated on me. But now he says it was a mistake and he still likes me."
"I see." Goongmin twirled the noodle around his fork. "Well, I'm glad your boyfriend punched him. He deserves it for cheating on my precious son."
"Yeah and jungkook got punched too." Taehyung chuckled.
They continued to eat their lunch in peaceful silence. Goongmin admiring his son and low-key feeling proud of his son's beauty. He got two boys fighting for him. That's the kind of excitement Goongmin never experienced in his life. Being the nerd who's always at the top due to his strict parents, goongmin's life was no less than a machine's. Instructive, disciplined and monitored.
"You've grown up so well Taehyungie." Goongmin smiled proudly. Taehyung blushed covering his face with the glass of water.
"I didn't want him to fight though." Taehyung said placing the glass down. "I didn't want to cause him trouble."
"He's your boyfriend Taehyung. If he likes you then he'll obviously fight for you. Especially when he's threatened by your ex."
Taehyung giggled at his father's comment. What his father said was true. Jungkook was always ready to fight for him. Always wanted to protect him. And that's what taehyung liked the most. He felt special every time jungkook gave him the attention that makes him feel as if the whole world is in the palm of his hand. Jungkook's treatment towards taehyung is so soft as if he were the most delicate person on this planet. Caring about him to no end. Taehyung likes it. He loves it.
"Also, there's one more thing." Taehyung said suddenly remembering a very fantastic detail.
"What's it?" Goongmin was done with his lunch, as was Taehyung, so he got up collecting both their plates and walking to the sink.
"Jaebum likes me too."
"Who's jeabum now?" Goongmin asked confused.
"Lim jaebum Papa." Taehyung said in a duh tone, rolling his eyes at his father for acting so clueless.
"Wait a second." Goongmin turned around with wide eyes. "My boss Lim Juhwan's son?"
Taehyung nodded.
"What?! How?!" Goongmin asked, shocked. "I didn't know you two were friends!?"
"We weren't. He saw me at kunpimonk's party years ago. The one you dragged me to because eunji refused to come and you didn't want to be alone with Mom."
"Oh. My God."
"I said the same when he told me the truth. I hadn't even seen him at the party! Gosh papa it was so difficult for me to reject him after he treated me so well! We didn't date, he was courting me but I still feel so bad!" Taehyung pouted.
"You rejected him? Why?"
"Because I had started liking jungkook way before jaebum. And um, jungkook did too but he was too dense to accept it. It was a pretty complicated situation, yeah."
"Wow taehyung! You're like the snack of the school. I might have to ask yeonjun to be your bodyguard to keep boys away from you."
"Don't be ridiculous papa!" Taehyung laughed. "Besides, jungkook's already my bodyguard in a way."
"You should invite him over for dinner when I return from the trip." Goongmin dried his hands with a hand towel once he was done washing the dishes.
"Sure." Taehyung smiled.
Goongmin walked over to his son ruffling his hair.
"You're okay with staying alone for a few days right? I can always reschedule if you want me to."
"I'll be fine Papa. But um, can I invite jungkook over?"
"While you're alone in the house? Absolutely no." Goongmin left the kitchen before his son could even start protesting.
"Why! Please! Please please please!" Taehyung whined following his father to his room. "We won't do anything adult! You know I'm still a virgin."
"Really?" Goongmin raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. That's kind of why Jimin and I broke up." Taehyung shrugged. "He slept with someone else because I wouldn't do it with him."
"Oh Lord that kid is getting on my nerves."
Taehyung's eyes widened at that.
"No no. He's not that bad. He was drunk and didn't mean it. He's actually very sweet and caring."
"That still doesn't leave a good impression of him on me and you're still not allowed to invite your boyfriend over."
"Papa..." Taehyung whined. Goongmin only gave him a smile before going back to packing his bag.
"Can I go to his house at least? His parents will be home anyway and he has a younger brother."
Taehyung saw his father contemplating and gave his best puppy eyes. At the end Goongmin could only sigh in defeat and nod. Shaking his head at his now brightly smiling son.
"That woman! Ugh! If only I could get my hands on her!" Jin screamed as he parked the car outside their house.
Jungkook and Soobin looked at each other before getting out of the car and following their fuming mother inside the house. Seokjin had picked Soobin up from school and jungkook had explained the situation to him on their way home. Though he hadn't told either of them the entire story seeing as Seokjin was out right planning Kim- oh sorry Kang Yumi's murder. Also because he was immensely worried about his boyfriend. His parents had not taken the new information in a good way and all he wanted to do was to run to Taehyung and hold him in his arms, protecting him from everything that he's facing now in his house.
"How dare she talk to a child like that?! Her own kid?! Let Namjoon come home, I'm going to file a case against that good for nothing bitch!" Seokjin filled a glass with cold water.
"Calm down eomma." Soobin said. "Hyung got detention. Isn't that something you should be actually mad about?"
Soobin received a glare from jungkook for saying this.
"About that." Jin said. "Why did you fight that boy? And when were you going tell us you have a boyfriend?"
Soobin was baffled. He turned towards his hyung with eyes bulging out of their sockets. Jungkook almost believed that his own brother was disgusted with his sexuality but then their parents were both men, so why would he even judge?
"I was going to tell you guys..." Jungkook scratched his neck. "You guys don't mind right?"
"You can't be that stupid jungkook." Jin rolled his eyes. "Of course we don't mind you being gay. What we do mind is you fighting in school."
"It was jimin's fault!" Jungkook exclaimed. "He's causing a lot of trouble for Taehyung lately and I absolutely hate him."
"You should've told your teacher if he's causing that much trouble." Jin's eyes softened then. "But knowing you, I can tell that you wouldn't have slept properly until you punched that boy. Especially when he's troubling someone you're dating."
Jungkook huffed, pouting angrily. Jin came closer and inspected his bruised cheek, chuckling at his bunny baby.
"He got a good punch on you though." Jin teased.
"You should see his face. I'm sure he must be crying in his mom's lap right now."
Jin laughed, taking out a packet of frozen peas from the refrigerator. He went over to his elder son and placed the packet on his cheekbone watching him wince lightly. Jungkook's expression then changed from angry to worried. His thoughts clouded by the name of Taehyung and all the 'what if's he must be going through right now.
"I know you're worried about him." Jin said. "But don't be. I strongly believe that his father is not like his mother."
"He tried so hard to stop me." Jungkook sighed. "I did exactly what he didn't want me to. It's all my fault he's in this situation."
"That's not true." Seokjin frowned. "He knows you fought with that other boy because you like him a lot. Why would he blame you for standing up for him hmm?"
"But what if-"
"No. No irrational thoughts jungkook." Jin looked at his son sternly.
Jungkook nodded looking down at his hands. His right knuckles were red from punching Jimin. Thoughts of how things could have been different if he hadn't attacked Jimin on impulse flooded his mind but he stopped them immediately. He cannot go back in time and change things even if he wanted to so there's no point thinking about it. For now he needs to be ready; ready for a phone call or a text from a devasted Taehyung. He needs to be ready to collect the broken pieces of his boyfriend and put them back in place, assure him that he's alright and that he loves him no matter what.
Love.
Do I love Taehyung?
Aren't we too young to fall in love?
"Snap out of it." Jin's voice broke him out of his trance. "Go wash up now. I'll bring your lunch to your room."
"Thanks eomma." He smiled.
"Oh don't thank me. You're going to have your lunch and dinner in your room anyway." Jin gave a taunting smile. "You're grounded for a week. And I'm confiscating your phone and laptop."
"What! No! Eomma! That's not fair!"
Jin ignored his son's cries as he continued with his cooking.
"What if I need my laptop for a project? And how am I supposed to contact you and Dad when I'm in need?"
"For the project, if you get any, use Soobin's laptop. And for contacting us.. jungkook when was the last time you messaged your parents?" Jin raised an eyebrow. "Because I certainly didn't receive any random 'i love you's from you ever since you got your phone."
"You're being very impractical!"
"Soobin-ah come down for lunch!" Jin called his younger bunny ignoring the older one who's whining behind him.
Somewhere in their conversation, Soobin had slipped out of the kitchen to his own den where he was consumed with his intoxicating thoughts yet again. The realisation that his hyung is homosexual too scared the crap out him. What should he do now? How will he protect his hyung when he cannot protect himself? But then again, his hyung wasn't out to the school so it's still good right? He's safe. Nobody knows about him. Yes, he's safe.
Soobin anxiously chewed on his nails, without realising he was biting on the skin too. His fingers were trembling as he tried to type a proper message. But he gave up when all he could do was create typos instead of relevant sentences. So, instead of sending a message he clicked the call icon and placed the phone to his ear.
"Pick up pick up pick up..please pick up.." chanted Soobin, swinging back and forth with anxiety as he sat on the edge of his bed. He cursed under his breath when he was directed to voice mail, calling the person yet again.
Soobin flinched when he heard Seokjin calling him downstairs for lunch, then gasped when the ringing stopped followed by the voice he was desperate to hear.
Soobin exhaled shakily.
"Y-yeonjun hyung..."
Hope you liked it! 💜💜