Till death do us part [ j.jk × p.jm ]

chapter 29

Taehyung carefully placed a steaming bowl of spicy soup in front of Namjoon. The rich, fiery aroma wafted up, and panic flickered across Namjoon's mind. He was allergic to spicy foods. "Maeun-tang?"

"Yes. It's our favorite spicy soup. Dad loves it, right?" Taehyung replied with a warm smile, setting another bowl in front of his father.

"Absolutely!" laughed Mr. Kim heartily. "At first, it feels like it’s burning your mouth off, but then it gets good. Though when you go to the bathroom, it feels like your whole anus end is on fire! But you get used to it. Or rather, your anus end gets used to it-"

"Dad..." Taehyung interrupted, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"So what?" Mr. Kim asked, feigning innocence.

"So, the soup is probably very spicy, huh?" Namjoon asked, chuckling nervously as he stared at the fiery red broth.

Mr. Kim raised an amused eyebrow. "Namjoon, surely you're not afraid of a little spice."

"No, no," Namjoon replied quickly, forcing a laugh and trying to appear calm. "Actually, I'm a master at handling spicy food." He lied, hoping his fear wasn't obvious.

Mr. Kim grinned knowingly. "I thought so. You seem the type."

"Dad..." Taehyung said again, his tone more admonishing.

"Yes, son?" Mr. Kim's amusement was evident.

"I can't believe you're tipsy after just one glass of wine." Taehyung shook his head, picking up his cutlery with a sigh.

"You think I'm drunk?" Mr. Kim frowned, a playful glint in his eye.

Taehyung tried to remain composed despite his frustration. "I don't think so, but you do start joking a lot more when you’ve had a drink. It's easy to tell."

"Let him be, Taehyung," Namjoon interjected gently. "It’s good that your father is enjoying himself. There’s no harm in that."

"Yeah, let me enjoy myself!" Mr. Kim echoed cheerfully.

"Okay, but eat that soup now, don't get cold." Taehyung sighed, looking at his slightly inebriated father with a mix of exasperation and fondness. He gestured towards Namjoon's bowl. "And you too, Namjoon."

"Yeah, yeah," Namjoon said, picking up his spoon and chopsticks. His eyes hovered over the intimidatingly spicy soup, and hesitation gripped him. He had to eat it, if only to avoid disappointing Taehyung, the man he admired.

Taking a deep breath, Namjoon dipped his spoon into the soup, feeling the heat radiate even before it reached his lips. As he took the first tentative sip, his taste buds were assaulted by a fiery blaze. He fought to keep his composure, suppressing the urge to cough.

"How is it?" Taehyung asked, watching him intently.

"It’s... really good," Namjoon managed, his eyes watering slightly. He forced a smile, hoping his struggle wasn't too obvious.

"See, I knew you could handle it," Mr. Kim said with a wink.

Namjoon nodded, steeling himself for the next bite. He wouldn’t let a bowl of soup get the better of him, not in front of Taehyung. As the meal progressed, he found himself acclimating to the intense heat, focusing instead on the warmth of the company and the budding connection he hoped to strengthen.

As the spicy soup settled in Namjoon's stomach, his uneasiness became increasingly evident. He coughed a few times, trying to mask his discomfort, but the effort was futile. He hated that Taehyung had to see him like this, struggling.