A Blast From The Past (Jungkook FF 21+)

chapter 16

JK pov

After dropping Y/n and Jung Hee at her father's, I was headed to that hellhouse for dinner with the in-laws. I wouldn't have realized we had already arrived if my driver hadn't called me.
"Uhm... Sir, we're already here." He snapped me out of my thoughts.
I released him from his duties and went inside.
"Good evening, Sir." The maid greeted me. I just nodded and handled her my briefcase.
"The host is finally here." Se Ra was already at the door, running towards me, as soon as she heard my voice.
"More like the hostage, if you ask me." She eyed me with a wry look on her face.
"Can't you pretend, just for tonight?!" She asked, only for me to huff at her.
"Sorry, but this is the only face I have. You have to make due." I didn't have the will to continue with the conversation, so I headed towards the dining room, where voices were being heard. I opened the door, only for me to be the one to get surprised.
"Yoongi?!" I really didn't expect to see my brother-in-law. He smiled wickedly at me. Before I could speak, Se Ra, who was right behind me, jumped into the conversation.
"That's why dad wanted a get-together with all the family. Yoongi is finally back in town." She exclaimed happily.
"Nice to see you again, brother-in-law. Welcome back... I guess." I restrained myself from commenting further.
"JayKay, you finally made it." This looked like it was going to be a very long evening.
"Oh, good evening, Jungkook." My father-in-law was seated at the head of the table, like he owned the whole damn world.
"Good evening, Sir. Ma'am." I just said plainly, bowing to them. More out of a social convention rather than respect. Out of nowhere, I also heard my mother's voice coming from the door. Jeez, now the ninth circle of hell was finally complete.
"Evening, Kookie. You look so dashing tonight." She said, with her usual fake smile whenever there were people around, watching.
"Like a pig for slaughter." I snapped at her.
"Now it's not the time for your sarcastic comments, dear." She patted my cheek, playfully. I knew that, if she could, she would have slapped me right there. A voice in front of me put things into perspective. We took our places at the dinner table. After an akward silence, I heard Yoongi address me.
"So, JayKay, what's new with you?" Yoongi asked, giving me his cat-like smile, the one I've always found hard to decifer.
"Same old, same old. A load of work, but I ain't complaining." I took my glass of wine and sipped a bit from it, declaring alcohol my best friend for the rest of the evening.
"Ehmmm... about complaining. My sister was telling me earlier that she isn't very happy with you, always working." He raised an eyebrow at me challengingly.
"Well, Yoongi. If I weren't at work, we would be at each other's throats." I was staring at my in-laws from my peripherical vision, and by the look of it, they weren't very amused. My own mother, on the other side of the table, had a criminal look on her face. Se Ra, for once, wasn't speaking. I guess, due to the fact that Yoongi was deputising in her stead.
"Oh, come on, things can't be that bad." He was trying to get me to snap, probably.
"Things have never been good, Yoongi. I thought it was common knowledge." I sent a rather terse response to him. He didn't drop the smug expression he had on his face. Before Yoongi could comment further, Se Ra snapped at the conversation.
"We don't even sleep together in the same room. Sometimes, he doesn't even come home." Well, let hell break havoc, I guess.
My mother's face was red with anger, and so were my in-laws.
"Yet, I thought we were finally getting good news about having a grandchild." My mother-in-law commented through the same fake smile of her daughter's.
On the other hand, Se Ra had put on her pitiful mask for the guests to see, trying to make me the bad guy.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no intention of having children. My job is already challenging as it is." I was sipping my second glass of wine when I heard my father-in-law address me with an arrogant tone.
"Don't you think it's a bit selfish of you, Jungkook. Keeping Se Ra from being a mother. You know how much she desires it." It was more of an order rather than a request.
"Sir, with all due respect, I'm not keeping her from being a mother. If she wants, she's free to do so. I'm not the only man in town." I finally snapped.
"Jungkook, don't you dare disrespect my daughter. Or, I swear..."
I knew I took it too far, but if they thought this evening would convince me to do anything to further their cause, they were being delirious. The only one who was still keeping his apparent cool was Yoongi. I knew it was hard to make him snap. He usually preferred to run his mind rather than his mouth, and I didn't like it.
"I bet you're all set in that department, aren't you, JayKay?!" I had to admit, his statement shook me, I didn't expect it at all. I wondered if he had been following me cause his reference was a little bit too specific.
"What is that supposed to mean, Yoongi?" I was trying to figure out what he was referring to.
"Oh, nothing." He waved his hand, brushing it of as nonsense.
"Just saying that you've been so busy lately, you haven't had the time to think about it. I believe a walk in the park does wonders to sort out your priorities." He didn't drop his stare on me and took his glass to sip from it. If I had to be totally honest, I was really shaken but the continuous references, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction and let him know he had hit a nerve.
"Indeed. A breath of fresh air is always a good idea to put things into perspective. It makes you think and realize what really matters in life." I scrutinized his expression as I answered to his allegations.
"Easier said than done, if you ask me." Now, I really wondered if he had seen the three of us at the park this afternoon because this whole conversation didn't really make sense to me. Yoongi was sticking his nose in my personal life again, after so long. I needed to talk to Tae and Namjoon and tell them he was back in town for whatever reason. While I was trying to figure out Yoongi's deal, my father-in-law caughed out loud in order to get our attention.
"As you both may know, I need to send someone at our overseas company in NY. I need someone very competent since this is a huge deal. I don't want any mistakes." I heard Yoongi huff at what his father mentioned.
"Sir, I would like to propose myself for the position." Yoongi tilted his head and started eyeing me with a curious expression.
"Well, I have thought of that, of course. I think a change of air will do you both very well." I saw Se Ra smile from ear to ear, almost jumping for joy in her seat.
"Uhmmm... Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but I would like to go alone." After hearing my statement, Se Ra got up from her chair and ran out of the dining room, with tears in her eyes. My father-in-law's mask finally dropped.
"I'm not giving you a choice. It's either that or you stay put. Yoongi can take your place since he's been handling all of the international business so far." I took a look at Yoongi's, and he had a smug expression on his face.
"It's either I go alone or I file for divorce. Which, of course, I will, eventually." I dared to threaten my in-laws.
"You're in no position to blackmail me, Jungkook. Remember why you are where you are. It's all thanks to my generosity." He said with an irritating and posh tone of voice, which I came to hate even more over the years. Same one as his daughter's.
"I beg to differ, Sir." I couldn't take anymore shit from them.
"I am where I am because of my own competence. At the time, you needed me as much as my parents needed you. You left my father with no choice, though. It was either I accepted or he was ruined. I'm glad he died before he could witness my miserable life." My mother was shocked from my words, but she was as much of a complice as the Mins were. All cards on table, I thought.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some other work left to finish, back at the office. I hope you will take my proposal into consideration, Sir." It was more of an ultimatum, from my part, rather than a request. I bowed to everyone, and without giving them time to talk back, I basically ran out of that nauseating place. On my way to the car, I texted Y/n.
"Love, I really need to see you tonight. Be there in half an hour. I'll be waiting outside of your place. JK"