GOLDEN TALENT | VKOOK ✓

29 | WORTHY OR NOT?

Taehyung hasn't been on his phone ever since Jeongguk sent him off. 

Even after a thousand spams from Jimin's side in their new groupchat, and ten more from Jeongguk, Taehyung isn't on his phone. It was understandable; he either ruined or improved his vacation.

He was back in his Seocho-gu home. He was lying in bed, holding his phone. He sighed as he grew tired of scrolling and set his phone down on the bed. He thought he'd finally have time to waste, but even his phone was useless. He stood up and went to his window, where he gazed out at the Han River. 

He laughed as he noticed two runners slipping on the same frozen spot and colliding. He could see them both laughing from a distance. Suddenly, he chuckled and pressed his lips together in a thin line. They noticed them standing up and helping each other. The man reached for his phone and so on, the latter being far more obvious to him. They'd exchange numbers, go on a date, and he'd take her out for ramen, tteokboki, or pork belly, followed by a trip to the convenience store. The party would continue at his or her flat. He'd seen it, done it, and watched kdramas about it.

He sighed once more and sat in his chair, twirling in a circle.  He cursed himself as he considered what Taehyung could be up to.

''Ay.'' He heard a soft voice, then a knock and the door opened. ''Mom said we should prepare for visitors.'' It had to be his older sister. Jeon Sooah. Fortunately for him, she's returned from her International Relations internship in NYC for the holidays, giving him the opportunity to bond with his older sister before she leaves again.

''Ah, really?'' he said, stopping the chair and looking at her, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. ''Aunts, perhaps?'' He raised an eyebrow, and she shrugged and sat on his bed. 

''Ah, Jeongguk-ie, you've grown so much. You would have cursed my ass to leave or even enter your room.'' She cooed as she tucked her hair into a low ponytail, but she eventually gave up and let her hair down. Sooah crossed her legs and noticed her brother rolling his eyes back.

As the older sister, she took on the role of a nurturing guardian when their parents were away, overseeing Jeongguk's upbringing with love and diligence. After his singing and dancing practices as a young boy, Sooah would be there, waiting with a smile and an encouraging word. She would make sure he had a nutritious meal and a comforting environment to unwind in, despite the demands of her own studies. 

Sooah's dedication to her younger brother was a testament to her selflessness. She juggled her own aspirations with the responsibility of raising Jeongguk, proving herself to be a pillar of support in his life. Her presence was a calming force, a steady hand guiding him through the challenges of growing up.

But then, it was her turn to start college. And so, she moved to America. 

''Don't you have a septum piercing to conceal?'' Jeongguk grimaced and leaned back in his leather chair, watching as she hid her piercing with a grin, lifting it upward. ''Don't you have tattoos to cover?'' she inquired innocently, to which he simply rolled down his sleeve.

''Dad already beat me up for them, and it was only the first one he saw. So don't be concerned.'' However, he rolled down his sleeves and fiddled with the hoodie's strings. ''You're fine, it's on your back.'' He fired back, and she smiled almost proudly. ''With tattoos, I've thought you well.'' He rested his chin on her palm as she hummed. ''So?''

''So, what?'' He frowned as she leaned closer to the end of the bed where she was sitting. ''How's it going, life? You and I don't use our phones very often. So please keep me informed. The guests will not arrive for another hour anyways.''

Jeongguk thought as he nodded slowly with a small pout. ''So, Jimin is dating. Yeah,'' he said, nodding. ''That's all there is to it.''

''Awh, Jimin is dating again? With who?' Sooah inquired. She remembers almost everything that happened back then.