The Kim Family Tetralogy

12

Jin and Taehyung were sitting on a  bench infront of their parents' memorial stone.
They'd changed the flowers in the vase that hung on the wall beside it and lighted candles and incense at the altar inside.
"They've been gone for half my life." Jin realised.
"More than half of mine." Tae said, and turned to him, "You've been my parent longer than they were, by now."
"Huh."
"And now you're becoming a dad, dad!" Tae laughed and bumped Jin's shoulder, "To a little girl!" he cooed, "That poor child!" he giggled.
"Yeah, well, it's gonna be a challenge." Jin nodded, "But I actually think it's long overdue we get some more women into our midst." he confessed.
"Yeah," Tae agreed, "It's kind of a sausage fest." he chuckled.
"Mm."
"Are you excited?" Tae wondered.
"About becoming a dad?"
"Mm."
"Crazy excited." Jin nodded, "I can't wait!"
"You're gonna be the best dad in the world!" Tae said and put his arm around Jin, "I should know!"
"Yeah, you were good training." Jin snickered, "Son." he grinned.
Tae squeezed him tighter and then rested his head on his shoulder, "Thank you." he said, sincerely, "For everything."
"Thank you." Jin turned his head so he could kiss Tae's forehead, "I may be your big brother,"
"My dad." Tae corrected him.
"Your father figure," Jin chuckled, "but you have taught me so much, Taehyung. About love and carrying on and being a good friend." he swayed them from side to side, "About not being afraid to show you're afraid. Owning your shortcomings, I could go on and on, Taehyung." he kissed the crown of Tae's head, "I am what I am because of who you are." he nodded, "And I love you, I don't think you understand how much, but I really hope you get to experience that for yourself some day. When you become a parent. And I am so happy for you, that you have a great love. A great love. And you're getting married tomorrow! No, the day after tomorrow, sorry." he sobbed a little, "Imma cry my eyes out." he confessed, chuckling through his tears that had already begun to fall.
"Chances are, I will too." Tae laughed through his own tears, "I'm so happy!" he cried.
"Me too!" Jin held him closer as they really cried.
For a bit.

"Mom, dad." Taehyung said, holding his hand to the stone, "You would've loved Jungkook. Namjoon too." he sighed, "I wish you could've been here with us, right now, but I'm happy and my brother is too. And I know that's what you wanted for us. Thank you for giving me the best brother in the world. I love you. I miss you. But I know you're here with us, in our hearts. And we take what we get." he leaned his head against the stone, breifly.
"I will always take care of him." Jin said, with his hand on the stone, "You know how much I love him." he patted the stone, "I've got this. Thank you."

"Wanna get an icecream?" Jin asked in the car when the solemn mood from earlier didn't seem to dissipate.
"Yeah." Tae sighed, "Bonbon?"
"Sure thing, lads." Bonbon smiled and made a turn.
"You've changed bodyguards again." Jin realised, "I forgot to ask the last time but why did you?"
"Well, Bonbon over here," Tae reached forward, "has a daughter in Palm Springs, and Bikram hates the States and likes to ski..."
"And now Minho and Hobi don't really need a full time bodyguard, anymore." Bonbon filled in, "When they're in the States, anyway." he shrugged, "So that's good for Bikram now that he has a lady friend he wants to woo over there." he snickered.
"He does?!" Jin swallowed some air and started coughing.
"Yeah, and get this," Tae laughed, "we know her!"
"We do?!" Jin gaped at him.
"Uhum." Tae nodded.
"Who?"
"Non other than Lee Mina." Bonbon laughed.
"Get the fuck out!" Jin gaped at Bonbon this time.
"Can't. I'm driving." Bonbon laughed.
"But, but?" Jin stammered.
"Yeah." Taehyung agreed, nodding.
"But he's gotta be, I don't know? At least fifteen years older than her, and?"
"A bodyguard?" Bonbon laughed.
"Well, yeah." Jin slumped in his seat.
"Seems to be a bit of a theme in the Jung/Lee families." Bonbon chuckled, "Age-gaps and such."
"My word!" Jin was shook, "And Jimin's a dad." he shook his head.
"I know!" Tae laughed, "Everything's weird!"
"So weird." Jin nodded, "And you're ok with coming back home?" he asked Bonbon.
"Oh, yeah." Bonbon nodded vigorously, "You become strange over there. Driving ten feet to go get matches or something." he shivered, "Brr."
"And your daughter?"
"Is a grown woman and I think a bit weary of me coming around all the time!" Bonbon laughed.
"I'm sure that's not true!" Jin protested.
"It's been great to spend time with her again, but," Bonbon sighed, "it creates a bit of a weird dynamic, sometimes. The parent-child thing. When they're all grown up."
"Huh." Jin grew thoughtful and turned to Tae,
"Don't worry, dad." Tae laughed, "You just keep doing your thing, and I'll keep doing mine." he nodded, "Pretending not to hear you." he giggled.
"Aish!" Jin moped.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about, Jin." Bonbon laughed, "You've been much more present in Tae's life than I ever was when she was growing up. And he tells you things! By his own accord!" he mused.
"And I'm a snugglebug!" Tae laughed and cuddled into Jin.
"Yes." Jin agreed, "You always were." he smiled and hugged him close.
"You know," Taehyung was thinking back to his childhood, "I don't really remember cuddling with mom and dad? It's always just you I remember?"
"You cuddled with them too." Jin assured him, "When they were home. But they worked a lot and you kinda slept in my bed for the most part." he smiled, "My little koala." he kissed Tae on the nose, "You didn't like sleeping alone, and I didn't mind." he remembered, "I liked cuddling with you!" he nodded, "Now that I think about it, I think it made me sleep better." Jin laughed, "Maybe that's why you did it?" it suddenly dawned on him.

Taehyung had always been very apt on picking up on Jin's moods and feelings and, now, as an adult, Jin could clearly see how he made it look as if it was Tae himself that wanted something so someone else didn't have to voice their sometimes embarrassing requests.
'Cause everyone let Tae do pretty much what he wanted and found him charming. So he used that, to someone elses benefit.
Occasionally.
"I love you so much, Squirt!" Jin squeezed him tight.
"I love you most, Earnie." Taehyung said and leaned his head on Jin's shoulder again.

"How's the hangover?" Jin giggled.
"Still brutal." Taehyung confessed, "But I'm glad we did this." he sighed, "It felt important to tell them."
"Mm," Jin agreed, "their baby's turning thirty and getting married! I'm having trouble believing it!" he chuckled, but then turned serious, "You know, you and Jungkook is such a fixpoint in my life, you're just there. The two of you. It's easy to take it for granted." he nodded, "The kids, running around, sexing all the time." he gave Tae's shoulders a series of rather violent hugs, making Tae a little bit nauseous, "Like you're never done playing around." Jin continued, "But you're not playing. You're dead serious about eachother, and you've always been, I think?" he looked at Tae who nodded, looking up at him, "I hope you will forgive me for not being able to view you as adults sometimes? I mean, I know you are! Responsible people and I trust you with my life! But you know what I mean?"
Tae nodded, "You're my dad. Our dad. It's only natural. Annoying! But, natural." he sat up straight, "You are my dad, Jin, that's never gonna change, and I love that we're close, I want to always be close with you. But I think, I hope, it will be a little bit different when your daughter is born. I honestly can't wait either!" he smiled, "And I view her as my sister already." he nodded, "I know it's weird and strange but that's how I feel about it. That I'm having a sister."
"She's gonna have the best big brother." Jin said, moved, "You're gonna spoil her rotten, aren't you?" he laughed through his tears.
"Mhm." Tae nodded, "And Jungkook's gonna make her think she's the princess of the earth!"
"Oh, God!" Jin laughed.
"And Namjoon's not gonna be able to refuse her anything!" Taehyung kept going.
"Don't you think he's gonna be rather strict?" Jin wondered.
"Uh-uhm." Tae shook his head, "If she'd been a boy, yes. But, putty in her hands." he warned.
"Yeah, you're probably right!" Jin laughed.
"Oh, I know I'm right!" Tae sputtered, laughing, "Now come on, let's get some icecream!" he scooted out of his seat, eager to cure his aching head and get this day over with.
So he could get married some time!