The Light of Dead Stars | KSJ

58

You go around a few blocks from your hotel and grab some coffee and pastries from a strip of cafes you pass by. You get back to your suite to find Yoongi already in the living room, working on some documents while Jin prepares his presentation. You stay in your room and work in peace, until you hear familiar voices some time in the late afternoon.

Taehyung and the two senior directors arrive straight from the airport. You all go to the hotel restaurant for dinner and then head back to your suite where they start with their discussions for the Board meeting in 2 days. You join in for a while, and it's during a quick break when you're preparing some iced drinks in the kitchen that you get to catch up with Taehyung.

"How were your parents after the Fellowship Dinner," you ask, as you glance at your husband sharing his presentation with Director Oh. "I doubt they expected us to be there."

"Yeah. Sejeong and I think that Father planned it," he sighs. "But our parents haven't mentioned hyung, nor any of your trips. We always bring you both up and Mother at least asks when you two are returning, but our old man doesn't. He's just so stubborn."

"I know it's a silly question but... why are they still so angry? It's as if Jin had done a crime or caused the company to go bankrupt."

Taehyung looks at his older brother fondly, as if recalling their years of growing up together.

"My parents never had a problem with him," Taehyung shares. "All 3 of us are pretty intelligent but I wanted to become an actor and Sejeong wanted to become a lawyer. Hyung was the one who followed everything they wanted without complaints, and he really enjoyed it, you know? Like, you could tell he likes it. He genuinely loves food. He likes leading, managing people; challenges excite him and he always gets through them. That's how my parents are. And that's how they raised him. He took after them, basically. And so that's why I think they're as affected as they are - it hit them at their core, like they failed as parents because they realized their perfect child isn't actually so perfect."

"But that's not fair to Jin. I mean, in the grander scheme of things, it's not that bad, and Sejeong's strategies worked. It's hurting him so much that they don't seem to care about him."

"They do. They're just having a hard time accepting that their son is human," Taehyung offers. "After his ex left, he got back on his feet quickly and they thought that was him being him, you know? Sadness for a while, dust it off, then get back on his feet. But he was just detaching himself from his emotions all that time and then Seri happened. And they just can't accept that he needed that - that care, that warm body, that relief from his responsibilities. Add the fake romance and deceit on top of that - which I admitted was my idea - and they're just hurt and angry and being stubborn. They're having a hard time processing."

"Yeah, but he needs them. For all the times that Jin was the perfect son, this is the time when they need to be his parents," you huff, feeling the anger build up again, one that you try hard to keep at bay. "He's... he's trying his best, and I just feel like all his work won't matter much unless they forgive him."

"They will, eventually," Taehyung comforts. "When, I'm not sure. So, uh, can you keep holding the fort until then? I don't want this to be the thing that completely breaks him."

You nod, thinking that's at least something you can do.

Some time later, you're finally in bed with Jin. He turns to you and asks, "were you talking with my brother about my parents?"

There's softness in his voice, almost like fear, and this breaks your heart, too.

"I was, and it's still the same. He says that he still believes that they'll eventually speak with you. You're still their son, Jin. They won't be able to resist you," you say.

"Isn't it that it hurts the most when the pain comes from the person you least expect? That you trust would never let you down?" He responds. He knows you know. "I got my second chance with you, ___. Maybe I'm not that lucky."

"It wasn't because of luck, Jin. It was because of trust. And despite everything, I know your parents still trust you. Thinking otherwise is just you giving up that things will be okay again. You have to believe that they will," you urge him.

"Maybe, but it's also taking away from who I am. I've been working hard for their forgiveness, for their acceptance, not anymore because I like what I'm doing," he sighs, the reality hitting him this morning after you left the suite. "Maybe I just have to accept that things won't be the same again. They haven't disowned me so that's good. But I can't expect the same respect as before. I can't expect the same love."

You want nothing more than to take his pain away, to feel it yourself so he won't have to. Or even just to take a bit of it so he doesn't feel too burdened by everything. You hug him tightly to let him know all that you feel, and he sighs in your hold, as if telling you that for tonight, this is all he needs.

"Then let me love you until it's enough," you tell him. "Let me love you until it's all that you need."

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