Camp Eden | JJK

27: NOW

TWENTY SEVEN
now

WHEN WE PULL up to my childhood home, Jungkook can't help but gawk at how big it is. He's staring out the front windshield, lips gaped and eyes big. It's not like it's some mansion, but Jungkook only knows living in apartments in big cities—not moderate suburban homes in small towns.

The moment I shut the car off and open the door, Jungkook's hand is on my wrist and his curious eyes have shifted into ones of panic. "Wait." He takes a breath, releases my wrist and rubs his hands together. It takes him five seconds to gather himself and then he says, "Okay. Let's go."

I guess he's a little nervous about all of this.

When we get to the front door, I stick my key in and open it without knocking. The smell of herbs hit us right away, like thyme and rosemary and butter on steak.

"Shoes off," I whisper to Jungkook, where he discards his shoes off at the front door.

"Skye? Is that you?" My mom appears from the threshold of the kitchen.

I give her a tiny smile. "Hi."

"Hey, sweetie!" Her eyes drift to Jungkook. "Hi, Jungkook. Come on in. We're just in the kitchen!"

When she disappears out of our sight, I grab Jungkook's hand, give him a reassuring smile, and lead him toward the hallway to the kitchen.

There, David is standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot. Both him and my mom are wearing aprons. She's rolling out a pile of dough on the marble counters.

"Hey, kiddo," David says when he sees me. He may never be my father, but he will always be here, and it's all I could ever ask for. "Who's your boyfriend?"

I flush. Toy with my fingers in front of me. "Nice to see you too, David," I mutter. "This is Jungkook. He's... Yeah."

David chuckles at me. If you put in the fact that I wasn't a very big talker, to having never introduced a guy to my mom or David ever, then you'd get why he was laughing at me.

He wipes his hands on his apron and extends a hand to Jungkook. "Nice to meet you."

Jungkook shakes his hand. "Likewise. I've heard a lot about you."

David's brows raise. "Oh yeah?" He returns to his simmering pot. "Me too."

At that, Jungkook kind of blushes as he lets out an awkward laugh. There's no telling what my mom or what I said to David about Jungkook. He's probably freaking out just being in the vicinity of them.

"Don't scare the kid," my mom scolds, nudging David in the arm. She looks over at Jungkook. "Do you drink? Want a beer?"

"Oh, uh. Sure." I didn't know if Jungkook drank alcohol, but I knew he wouldn't turn down my mom regardless.

She turns around and opens the fridge, digs through it a bit and then pulls out some bottles. "Skye? Want one?"

"I'm okay."

"It's coronaaa!" she sings, shutting the fridge with her hip and showcasing the bottles in my face.

I grimace. "Even worse."