March 10, 2020
“Joeun Achimieyo, V-oppa! (Good morning, V!)” Bella greeted Taehyung as he came down the stairs in a white robe. Jake and Bella were at the dining table having breakfast.
It was 9AM and the older idol was thankfully able to get a few hours of sleep last night.
“Annyeong, puppy!”
“Jal Jasseo, V-hyung? (Did you sleep well, V?)” Jake asked him.
Taehyung looked around to see if anyone was in earshot. The coast was clear. “Ani. (No)” He shook his head.
Bella’s forehead wrinkled. “Wae, V-oppa? (Why, V?)
Taehyung cleared his throat. “Uh, you two were a little bit too loud last night.”
The two of them stared wide-eyed at him, speechless. Taehyung took out Bella’s phone from his robe pocket and set the volume to low. He went to stand between the two of them and pressed play.
Bella was a little shocked to hear what she heard. Was that really her? She looked at both Jake and Taehyung.
“Don’t worry, I don’t have any other recordings. Just this one so you two could hear yourselves.” Taehyung assured them. He deleted the recording after it ended. “Just thought you should know.”
Jake and Bella remained silent and continued eating their French toast.
Taehyung pointed to the food. “Is there any left?”
“No, but I can whip up some for you if you’d like, V-hyung.” Jake offered.
“Yes, please JK. Your toasts are the best.”
“They really are.” Bella agreed as Jake stood up to go to the kitchen.
Taehyung sat down in the chair Jake emptied.
“Uh, V-oppa. About last night. Mianhe (I’m Sorry).”
“Gwaenchana (It’s okay), puppy. You and Jake are both passionate people, I get it.” He tapped Bella’s back. “There’s really nothing to worry about. You’re lucky Yoongi-hyung is a heavy sleeper.”
Bella bit her lip and smiled shyly. “I’m still your baby sister, right?”
Taehyung got up and hugged her. “Always are and always will be. I’m here for you through whatever. I do have my own siblings but we’re not on speaking terms. I’m really glad to have you.”
“Awww! Kamsamnida, V-oppa. (Thank you, V!)” She hugged him back.
“V-hyung? Is two enough?” Jake called from the kitchen.
“Ne (Yes), Kookie. Lots of that scrambled egg and ketchup, juseyo (please)” Taehyung replied. To Bella, he said “I’m so glad that he can cook. Out of the seven of us, Namjoon-hyung and I are the only ones who can’t really fend for ourselves in the kitchen. I mean, I can make noodles and boil water but that’s pretty much it.”
Bella giggled. “Same here, Taehyung-oppa. I can maybe fry a few things and possibly bake but that’s about it. None of these fancy French Toasts and stuff. Glad to have Jake who can do it.”
Taehyung nodded. “He’s quite possibly the favorite of both the hyungs who can cook so it makes sense that they’d teach him. Plus, he just has that natural ability to pick things up and learn quickly.”
“I gather that you mean Jin-oppa and Yoongi-oppa?”
“Ne (Yes). Yoongi-hyung just doesn’t like to show his affectionate side but he’s never once scolded Jungkookie. And the brat knows it’s never going to happen.” Taehyung chuckled. “Whereas with me, Yoongi-hyung was unsure about me at the start. But I’m glad he warmed up. It was definitely a good thing that you got on his good side right away, puppy.”
“Ah, Jinjja (Really)? What would it have been like if things weren’t the way they are now with Suga-oppa?”
“Basically, he’d just ignore you. Which would be very interesting if we had gone on these trips and he wouldn’t say anything to you. Good thing none of that heavy atmosphere is anywhere near possible now.”
“What about with Jin-oppa? What’s Jake’s story with him?”
“Jungkookie felt especially lonely during our early training days. He missed his family a lot so Jin-hyung would take him to join their Kim family when Jin-hyung would go home. They bonded that way. It’s plain to see that there’s basically no age gap between the two of them. Jungkookie sometimes forgets that they are five years apart.” Taehyung chuckled.
“I have noticed their bond but…”
Taehyung understood. “Korean honorifics.”
“It’s confusing to me. Perhaps it is the same as ours in the Philippines where we really consider our elders as people to be respected. I myself make sure to use the salutations. But nowadays, the lines are kind of blurred. More liberal views are emerging and some of the elders are like Jin-oppa who don’t really push the established narrative.”
Taehyung snickered. “It would be interesting to see how your children adapt to both cultures.”
Bella rolled her eyes. “V-oppa, we are a long way from talking about children.”
“Not from what I heard last night.” He countered. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a little Kookie or Bella in there now.”
Bella knocked on the wooden table. “Oh please no.”
Taehyung rested his chin on his balled up right hand. “Your reaction is quite interesting, puppy.”
“What do you mean, V-oppa?”
“Just that it’s interesting.”
“French toast ala Kookie for V-hyung.” Jake came back with a plate of his version of French toast. The sliced bread was placed over the scrambled egg while it was still cooking thus mixing the bread and the egg into one. There were cheese slices and ketchup in between the sliced bread. The combination of the cheese taste and the sweet ketchup taste gave the toast a different kick.
“Kamsamnida (Thank you), Kookie.” Taehyung thanked him as he started eating his breakfast using both hands.
“Byeol malsseom eolyo, (You’re welcome), V-hyung.” Jake pulled up a chair across Taehyung and Bella. “Eotteoke masbol su issni (How does it taste)?”
“Mas isseoyo (It’s delicious).” Taehyung replied, licking the ketchup off his hands.
“I was asking V-hyung how the toast tasted, baby.” Jake translated.
“Oh okay, baby.”
“And I replied that it was delicious.” Taehyung added.
Bella nodded. “What was your reply to Kamsamnida, baby? V-oppa taught me to say either cheunmaneyo if its formal or gwaenchana if its among just us.”
“You mean, ‘Byeol malsseom eolyo’? It means ‘you’re welcome’, baby. Using ‘gwaenchana’ is still correct but it literally means ‘it’s okay’ or it’s ‘alright.’ Byeol malsseom eolyo is more formal and means ‘you’re welcome or ‘don’t mention it.’ Jake explained.
“Oh, I see. ‘Byeol malsseom eolyo’” She repeated the phrase a few times, trying to get the hang of it.
“Did I walk into a Hangul-learning class?” Jimin asked, pulling up a chair beside Jake.
“Joeun Achimieyo, Jimin-oppa! (Good morning, Jimin)” Bella greeted him. “Jal Jasseo (Did you sleep well)?”
Jimin chuckled. “Sounds like I did walk into a Hangul-learning class. And I slept very well, Bella. Or as we like to say ‘Naneun jal jassda’.”
“Daebak (Awesome), Jimin-oppa. Glad to hear it.”
“Neo meogeun jeog issni (Have you eaten), Jimin-hyung?” Jake asked. “I just finished making French Toast for V-hyung. Would you like the same?”
Jimin rubbed his tummy. “Ne, juseyo JK! (Yes, please JK!)."
“Okay.” Jake stood up and went back to the kitchen.
“This is Korean culture at its finest, puppy.” Taehyung told her. “The youngest usually has to do the work.”
Bella giggled. “It’s not too far off from Filipino culture, V-oppa. We are the same way too.”
Taehyung took another bite of his French toast. “At least your kids won’t be confused about that part.”
Jimin straightened up in his seat. “Kids?”
“Future children.” Taehyung corrected himself.
“Ugh, not this conversation again. V-oppa, do you know what kind of scandal it would be if Jake actually fathered kids now? His alleged fans cut themselves when they thought he was dating. Unless we would have kids like Daehan, Minguk and Manse, who are cuteness overload by the way, it would be the biggest scandal of the century.”
“The Song triplets? You’re right, Bella. They’re absolutely the cutest.” Jimin agreed.
“Puppy, I said Future children. Future. Not now children.” Taehyung deadpanned.
“Oh.” Bella deflated. “You know what I mean, though.”
“Don’t mind him, Bella. He wants to have five children remember?” Jimin advised.
Bella chuckled. “I remember, Jimin-oppa.”
“I wouldn’t mind being uncle TaeTae.”
“In the future, V-oppa.” Bella winked at him.
“Let’s not get ourselves too excited about BTS babies. Unless you and Jake already want to have one?” Jimin clarified.
Bella knocked on the wooden table again. “I swear that this has got to be one of the weirdest breakfast conversations ever. Of all time, even.”
“Aren’t you curious about how Jungkookie would react to a little Jake or Bella, puppy?” Taehyung asked.
She shook her head. “I think he would think that it isn’t the right time yet. Your contracts are a few years from expiring. Plus, he and I have been together for less than a month. It is waaaaaay too early to be talking children.”
“But you both have to consider that it might happen especially if you’re active.” Jimin reminded her.
“Are you active, puppy?” Taehyung looked at her a little too dramatically.
She stood up. “Uh, let me go check on the others. I think they’re out by the pool.”
“Was it something we said, V?” Jimin looked at Taehyung.
The younger one just shrugged.
