ᴀɴɢᴇʟ ☑

65. Familial bonds and Thanksgiving

Ten months later

Jungkook

Jimin's graduation was a month ago. He had left the manor ten months ago and I had helped him find an apartment near his university before we parted ways for good.

But...

It was next to fucking impossible to keep my distance from him. After barely a week since we started living separately, I caved. I found myself at his door, following him as he walked to his university with his green umbrella.

When Jimin disappeared inside the university, I looked at myself.

He wanted us to move on from our murky past, but there I was, retracing my old steps. I didn't want to hurt him again. No thanks to my reasoning which still made me believe that lying doesn't harm if nothing changes as a result of it, but I wanted to be better for Jimin, the version he wanted. Not that if I believed the pretense, I would become better, but I could make him happy.

I wanted to become someone he would stay in love with, so I left Maui and moved back to Charleston.

He was dejected by my decision at first. We talked over the phone, facetimed, but I didn't come to see Jimin physically because I knew that he was like a drug, one sniff and I'd retort to my old addiction.

The nine months from hell halted when he invited me to his graduation.

When I went there, I was amazed to find Shane present in the crowd. We only exchanged pleasantries. He looked happy and it made me feel something warm in my chest. I didn't want anything to do with him, but a month later, when Jimin is supposed to visit me, I found Shane on my doorstep again.

"Uncle, Aaron!" His six-year-old daughter was the one who broke the silence between us as I stood holding the door.

I lifted her in my arms, looking at the gap between her teeth. "My name is Jungkook," I told her. "I don't want you to call me Uncle Aaron."

I didn't per se hate the name my father gave me, but more than pissing my father by denying the one thing that still clung to my identity, I officially changed it through a notary for Jimin. It would be laughable to some, but the reason I did it was because Jimin was Korean and I thought if my name was more and more suited to Asian roots, he would be able to find a home in me.

"But why? Dad calls you Aaron?"

"Well, your dad is a pain in the ass."

"Jungkook!" Shane intoned in warning, swaying the tiny girl away from my direction. "Language!"

Lorelei giggled, her finger entering her nostril. Shane pulled her hand down and waltzed past me. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?" I followed him inside.

"Seriously, Jungkook... Language. My daughter doesn't need to learn expletives so early in her life." He put her on the couch and placed his bags on the floor.

I leaned against the wall. "I am not exactly babyproof. What do you expect from me?"

He walked over to the fridge. "Do you have any chocolate milk?"

"No."

He found the bottle and passed it to me. "Hold this."

I hoisted it on the dining table, Lorelei not in our earshot as it rolled down and fell on the floor. "Jimin is coming for Thanksgiving. You can't be here today. You can't be here at all. Take your girl and leave. Now."

"Is this a threat, Aaron?" He stifled his smile, now getting on my nerves as he skirted to drop to his haunches and get the bottle from under the table.