I Lied | BTS

11

As the days passed, Kagdae observed a little more and tried to make sense of his surroundings and with that came questions and queries as to why such things were happening like when Jungkook would stare at him with narrowed eyes during dinner or how Taehyung had taken to glaring at Jimin when he and Kangdae were seen together around the dorm or especially when Namjoon would stutter over his words and grow red in the face out of embarrassment or perhaps something else. Kangdae thought it was all odd but perfectly explainable in one way or another. Jungkoko could possibly be trying to determine if he was really a threat or not and maybe Taehyung was worried about Kangdae taking his friend away from him and how he thought it was actually true, Namjoon, however, was a difficult one to decipher. 

It had grown rather sudden, Namjoon shuffling into the room to tell him dinner was ready while he fiddled with the end of his sleeve and took long pauses in between his sentences and sometimes even words. Kangdae tried to pay it no mind, maybe Namjoon was feeling the added stress of the upcoming debut date for the new member of their group and maybe he was realising having Kangdae there wasn't such a good idea after, Kangdae wouldn't blame him.

But, like almost every late afternoon, Namjoon came to get him for dinner after everyone else had already sat around the table waiting to eat and Kangdae took his place silently. 

Kangdae noticed since that encounter with their first dinner together and Kangdae said he didn't like garlic, his plate hadn't an ounce of it in his food. It had to obviously be cooked completely separately and yet be the same recipe, was it Jin's doing?

"So... Dae-Hyung, you have kids?" Jungkook broke the silence and caused quite a few members to choke on their food, with some even having the reaction of pure shock at the question that had come out of nowhere.

Kangdae frowned as he eyed Hoseok banging on his chest to dislodge his food and Jin actually staring at him with wide eyes and mouth agape. Kangdae was beyond confused, "I'm sorry?" He gazed at a narrow-eyed Jungkook.

"Jimin said something about you having kids and you're always talking about raising them. I was just curious."

"I... do," Kangdae spoke slowly and it only caused more shock from the others, some spitting out their drinks rather comically, "but it's not in the way you may be thinking."

"What other way is there?" Yoongi questioned with a scoff.

Jimin turned to him, "Adoption? Foster children? Pets?"

Kangdae couldn't help but chuckle, that being the only sound from the quiet table as they awaited his answer, "No. No, they are my brother and sister. I take care of them." Out of the corner, Kangdae clearly saw Jin's rigid posture physically deflate.

Namjoon hummed, "What about your parents?"

"They were there but they had to work a lot due to our struggle for money so I looked after the children while they were at their jobs." Kangdae didn't look up to see their reactions.

"That must have been difficult." Hoseok sympathised but Kangdae only shrugged.

"I was used to it. I named them both and took my baby brother to my classes under the rumour of me being a parent which was stupid because I was ten and he was four but whatever. I brought them to my work where my boss was kind enough to let them stay, I cooked every meal and attended every one of their school events. I was used to it." 

Having heard it all before and seemingly fed up, Jin glared, "Where are they now? Do your parents even know what you did? Do they even know you're here with me?" He sneered which looked odd on his pretty face but it was justified and Kangdae wouldn't expect anything less.

Kangdae cleared his throat, "They're dead so... no, they don't know."

"When?" Jin whispered, his fight long gone.

"About a month after you left." Kangdae dragged his utensil through his food, suddenly not very hungry anymore.

"How?"

"Car accident."

"I-"

Kangdae sighed and finally gazed upon the man he once loved in his life with sincerity, "You don't have to say anything, Jin, it wasn't your fault and you don't need to be sorry. It's in the past."

"What about Areum and Minjun?"

"What about them?"

"Are they alright?"

"They're fine. Minjun doesn't like me much but Areum is still her sweet self." Kangdae gave a short chuckle.

"Can I- can I see them?"

"You sure you want to?"

"Of course. They were like my own siblings. I want to see them again." Jin spoke like it wasn't Kangdae he was talking to or, perhaps, like he chose to forget about what happened just for that moment.

"Alright, I'll set something up. I'm sure Areum would love to meet everyone." He peered around the table quickly, not taking in any of their faces, before he got up from his chair and placed his plate on the bench. It was all so overwhelming and it was as if they had forgotten everyone else was there watching them because that was true for Kangdae, he only saw Jin and he was beautiful even when he was angry at him.