Knock knock, Baby! || JJK

-36-

I step into the mall, my shoes clicking softly against the polished tiles, the noise of the bustling crowd filling the space around me. My heart thuds in my chest, a strange mix of excitement and anxiety twisting in my stomach. It has been too long since I'd seen Jin. Even now, with him living in Seoul just like me, it felt like we were in different worlds.
But today, I couldn't avoid him anymore.

I spot him instantly, sitting in the corner of a cozy café, nursing a cup of coffee. His broad frame is hard to miss, shoulders are relaxed but his expression is still sharp and alert as he scans the crowd. That's Jin—always watching, always protective, never really letting his guard down.

As soon as his eyes land on me, his face lights up, and he stands, waving me over. I can already feel the familiar warmth of his presence, but it's kinda tainted with the weight of the secrets I carry now.

"Yn!" Jin's deep voice booms as I reach the table. He pulls me into a hug, his embrace tight and comforting, like it always had been. "You've gotten prettier. How is that even possible?"

I chuck, swatting his arm playfully as I sit down. "You're exaggerating."

"I'm serious," he smiles, leaning back into his chair. His smile is welcoming but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I've missed you, you know? It's been too long. Why didn't you come see me sooner? I mean, we're in the same city now." Jin's tone is teasing, but there is a hint of concern behind his eyes. As always, but I didn't expect much different from my lovely but protective brother.

"I know," I nod, guilt tugging at me. It isn't like I don't want to see him—it is just complicated. "I've missed you too." I laugh awkwardly, picking up the menu in front of me as if the choices of overpriced lattes were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"How's college?" Jin asks, his tone casual, though I can see the careful way he's watching me.

"Busy," I reply with a half-smile. "You know how it is. Classes, assignments, trying to balance everything, avoid failing."

Jin raises an eyebrow. "And what about your housemate? Still helping you out, I hope? What's her name again... Minji?"

I stiffen slightly, the warmth of the café suddenly feeling suffocating. Minji, Mina, whatever name I had thrown out before. He still thought I was living with a girl, but in truth, Jungkook is the one sharing the apartment with me, my housemate. And not just that—he and I are currently raising a baby together, baby Munheee at that, a tiny little bundle we had found abandoned on our doorstep one cold evening. But Jin can't know. Not yet. He will lose his mind. It wouldn't break him...but he would break me.

"Yeah, we get along fine. She's...She's great."

The waiter comes by, and I quickly order a latte, trying to fill the silence with something, anything, other than what's really on my mind. Jin has always been overprotective, and the last thing I want is for him to find out the truth about my life now. About Jungkook. About Munnie.

As the waiter leaves to take our orders to the kitchen, Jin leans forward slightly, narrowing his eyes at me. "You never bring her up in conversations, though. It's weird. I thought you two would be closer by now, considering you've been living together."

"We're close," I lie smoothly, offering another smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes. It isn't completely a lie, though. Jungkook and I are close, but I don't know any Minji roommate to be close with...but still it's only half a lie. So it's not as bad...right? "It's just... we have different schedules, so we don't spend a lot of time together."

"Huh." Jin studies me, clearly unconvinced but letting it go for now. Thank god! I take a sip of my latte as the waiter delivers our orders, "Well, as long as you're safe. I'd hate for you to be living with someone you can't trust."