The Arrangement | Taejin ✔️

Forty

After pulling into his driveway, Jin switched off the vehicle's engine, took a few deep breaths while maintaining a firm grip on the steering wheel, and rested his forehead against it.

He had been trying to keep back tears, but now they were streaming down his cheeks as he sobbed with his lips firmly squeezed together, stifling the noises he made.

It took him some time to finally get out of the car. As soon as he got out, he dabbed his eyes with a tissue to remove any evidence of tears and then proceeded to stroll to the entrance of his house.

As he opened the door, Jimin and Jungkook were there to welcome him as soon as they saw him. When he stared down at them, a grin started to grow on his face.

"Appa, where did you go?" Jimin inquired as he clutched Jin's leg and peered up at him with a curious expression.

"Appa." Was all Jungkook could say as he struggled to remove Jin's shoelaces before Jin had a chance to step out of his shoes.

"Jungkook, please leave my shoes. Jimin, I went somewhere."

"Where?"

Jin sighed as he took off his shoes and told his eldest son, "I went to the mall."

"The mall?"

"Yes, Jimin, the mall."

"Oh," Jimin said.

After considering it, Jimin asked, "Which mall, Appa?"

"Jimin-"

"You are back. I was wondering where these two ran off to."

At no other time had Jin been more grateful for his mother's intervention. He flashed her a smile and then nodded, "Yes. How were they? Are the babies sleeping?"

"They were good. They didn't cause any trouble at all. Did you know Jimin likes his cookies with milk?"

"Cookies with milk for Jimin."

Jin closed his eyes but did not say a word.

"He is so adorable," Jung-Nan said. "One of the nannies took Jae-joon and Jae-suk for a walk in the backyard. Jaeho is asleep."

"Oh-"

"Appa, Jimin wants cookies with milk, please," Jimin asked politely as he interrupted Jin.

Jin stared down at him and finally agreed, saying, "Sure, Jimin."

Jimin exuded joy by bouncing up and down. "Kookie wants cookies, too."

"Your brother did not tell you that."

Jimin turned his head to look at Jungkook, who was working on undoing the shoelaces from Jin's shoes, and said, "Kookie, Appa has cookies for you too."

Jin let out a sigh, but he said nothing further. Before lifting Jungkook in his arms, he knelt and removed his shoes.

****

"When are you letting Taehyung move back in with you and the kids? It is quite unlikely that you believe you will be able to continue supporting yourself on your own. Particularly now, when you are just two months from your due date." Jung-nan asked her son while she watched him prepare the triplets' bottles before they woke up.

Jin stopped what he was doing and whispered, "he is not." He then went back to what he had been doing before.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

"Our divorce was finalized, mom. He is not moving back in. We have a plan on how we will take care of the kids-"

"What?! Seokjin, is that a joke?" Jung-nan's voice raised as she peered at her son with wide eyes. "What do you mean, you finalized your divorce?"