What is love? (Namkook)

6. "Can I have a box of banana milk?"

A Mercedes Benz E was parked in front of the 5 storey apartment building. The car door was opened and a woman in her early forties walked inside the building before pressing the bell for apartment number 3S.

A coughing old woman opened the door, but she couldn't recognise who the younger woman was.
"Hello Mrs. Jeon, can I speak to you?" The lady asked to which the older woman was puzzled as the lady seemed too well dressed for being in a locality where the building was situated.
"I'm sorry dear, but I cannot recognise you. Sorry if it came out rude, you can understand my memory is not quite strong with old age."

The woman smiled politely and nodded her head.
"I understand Mrs. Jeon, but I don't think you know me, my name is Kim Dong-eun. My son Seokjin is a friend of your grandson Jungkook."
Mrs. Jeon understood what it was all about. She moved aside to let Dong-eun enter into the living room.

"I don't know how to thank your son and his friend, they saved my child last night."
"It is very unfortunate that a good kid like Jungkook had to go through all that trauma."
"Please have a seat, Mrs. Kim."
"I am like your daughter, please call me Dong-eun."
"You are too kind, Dong-eun." Mrs. Jeon said with a small smile as the etiquettes of the rich woman was praiseworthy.

"I have spent a considerable part of my life in orphanage, I know how it feels to be in a vulnerable position. I don't want that for Jungkook."
"It's all my fault, I couldn't give him the life he should have. His mother, my daughter in law passed away when he was 2 and I lost my son when Jungkook was just 11."
"I am aware of it." Dong-eun looked down as she was not sure how to console a woman who lost both her son and daughter in law in such young ages.

"It's not the first time that such an incident happened with him, thankfully, he got away from those situations. I don't know what future holds for him." Mrs. Jeon's voice broke out at the last sentence.
"He will not go through that ever again. I promise you that." The old woman was surprised at the words.
"I'm sorry but I don't understand."
"I want to take responsibility of his academics."
"I cannot let you do that, Dong-eun."

"Please just hear me out, mam. He is just 16 now, working at the departmental store is like child labour."
"So you know about that already." Hye-sun felt ashamed as she let her grandson work in such tender age.
"I do! Last night only my son came to know."
"Whatever little savings my son made, I am saving it for Jungkook's college. I do a little stitching work which is barely enough to get by the month."

"You are doing the best you can, mam. But, the boy needs protection."
"I cannot accept your offer, Dong-eun."
"Jungkook is like a child to me, why can't I?"
"I don't want him to be indebted."
"This doesn't count as a debt, Mrs. Jeon."
"I cannot take it."

Dong-eun realised the high morales of Hye-sun, so she didn't persuade her further, but she came up instantly with a different plan.

"Okay, I respect your decision, but making Jungkook work is not a right thing either. So, what if I offer Jungkook a job?"
"You will offer him a job? But how can he work in an office?"
"It's not an office, he will work in my house, as my younger son, Namjoon's tutor. Jungkook is a topper in his class, I think he will be the perfect teacher for my son."

Hye-sun was surprised at the lady's wit. She was really something! She won't give up on helping Jungkook.

"As I said, you are too kind Dong-eun. If Jungkook is okay with this job, I don't have anything to object. I will talk to him once he gets back home from school."
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Jeon." Dong-eun bowed and exited the apartment.

The small trampoline that Sung-hoon purchased for a good sum of money from a foreign brand, was broken into four pieces. Seokjin concluded that it was non-repairable which caused Dong-eun to frown angrily at the little culprit who was just standing with head lowered at a level that his head will be buried in the ground with a little more inclination.

"Care to explain, mister?"
"I'm sorry eomma! I was just playing."
"And it got magically broken into four beautiful pieces."
Seokjin was holding his laughter, but at the same time feeling bad for his little brother being scolded.

"It's all fine, Dong. Just relax! He's a kid, he did a mistake." Sung-hoon came to his son's rescue.
"Don't take his side, Sungi. Breaking things is becoming a hobby for him. It's all because of your pampering." Now Sung-hoon was the victim in his angry wife's hand.
"Eomma, don't scold appa." Namjoon pleaded his mother in a soft tone that definitely melted Dong-eun's heart, but she didn't want to show it as the strict mother image was really necessary sometimes in a child's upbringing.

"So you admit you did this?"
"Yes eomma, I was jumping on it continuously and then it got broken."
"I'm glad you are being honest, but you have to be careful about handling things, Joonie. You should value everything you have." This time she lowered her voice which made Namjoon feel less tensed.
"I will eomma, I promise."

Things were settled, but the actual reason why the boy kept jumping was his immense happiness. His mother just told him last night that his Jungkook hyung will be his new home tutor.

"Hey brat! Jungkook is going to start tutoring you from next week. Do not irritate him. Obey to his words and do the homework he would give in time. He is a very sincere student, don't tip my prestige scale down in front of him." Seokjin warned his little brother as he really didn't want Jungkook to face any problem in their house.He has always liked Jungkook as a friend, but whatever happened with him in that unlucky night, it made Seokjin grow a soft corner for his topper friend. Being few months older, he felt a brotherly bond with Jungkook and wanted his job as Namjoon's tutor to be as chaos free as possible.

"No hyung, I will study well and do my homework in time."
"Good boy." Seokjin ruffled his brother's hair with a smile.
"Hyung, what does he like to eat?"
"I think banana milk. That's the only thing I have seen him with in the school canteen."
"Okay, thanks hyung."
Seokjin just chuckled and left for his room.

"Appa." The clever boy went to his father's study as he knew whom to convince.
"Hey! Joon, my boy!" Sung-hoon made him sit on one of the high back revolving office chairs.
"Appa, can I ask you for something?"
"Sure! What is it?"
"Can I have a box of banana milk?"
"I didn't know you liked banana milk, but sure. I will order a crate for you."
"Thanks appa!"

He jumped off the chair and ran towards his room as his mission here was accomplished.