One more order please! (Namkook)

Chapter 19: Eclairs

2016

A long queue was formed in front of the bakery shop at the highly praised eclair that's on the new menu. It was getting out of control to manage the unforeseen crowd now. All credit is owned by the now 18 years old amateur pastry chef for his extraordinary skills in baking.

Usually, Jungkook stays behind and avoids meeting customers due to fear of being spotted by someone familiar but today he had to step out to split some managerial work with the colleagues. Face mask and loose t-shirt and baggy pants were his signature outfit now. This wouldn't gain much attention from people as well as hide his growing belly. It's almost the end of his second trimester.

As the crowd was getting thinner, he observed a familiar face standing at a corner with a bag. He got nervous but cannot run away from everyone. Finishing off his work, he stepped out of the shop where the excited acquaintance cane running towards him. The bag was offered to him.

"Mom made kimbap and meat stew. It's delicious. I baked some brownies last night, got some of those for you. And, there's some winter clothes and T-shirts for you. Those are my brother's."

Jungkook's hands twitched but his abnormally increasing appetite didn't let the moment of hesitation continue much longer. He took the bag displaying a face filled with guilt.

"Thank you." The soft helpless voice melted the heart of his former rival who stepped closer to gently hug him. "I'm sorry for being so mean to you before, Jungkook." The boy smiled as the other backed away. He ensured to let the bitterness between them die down forever by saying, "Still, you are the only one to be by my side."

"I don't know about your brother and best friends but I'm sure they are missing you a lot. They would have been here too if I tell them about-"

"No! Please don't tell them anything, Hae-rin. I cannot face Jimin and Taehyung. For Eun-woo, I don't want him to give against our parents to do something for me. I love all of them and miss them too but it's better this way."

Hae-rin nodded understandably. She took out an envelope from the pocket of her jeans before requesting, "Please don't say no to this. This is for him." She placed her palm over Jungkook's belly caressing it with adoration.

The boy shook his head rejecting the content of the envelope stating, "I cannot take money from you. I can never say no to eomoni's cooking but the money will be unacceptable." Hae-rin broke out in tears causing Jungkook to get worried.

"I am going to be a terrible aunt, aren't I?"

All the worries got replaced by a gleeful chuckle of the boy who assured her the opposite, "You will be the best aunt but I cannot tell the baby that, Hae-rin." The gloominess accompanied thereafter but the girl swallowed her tears to cheer up the boy.

"It's okay, Kookie. I will still be his aunt, visiting him as your friend." She ruffled his hairs smiling.
"Him? How do you know it's him?" He asked shockingly to which the aunt-to-be responded, "I just feel so. I really wish I could tell my brother about all these." Jungkook immediately felt himself at edge.

"Please don't! I don't want to be a burden on him." The statement brought back Hae-rin's tears. She wasn't able to correlate herself with her old rival self who never for once wanted anything good for the poor boy. She has always suspected him of breaking her brother's heart but here she was! Tending to him who has been silently bearing all sufferings just to let Namjoon have his aspirations fulfilled.

"I wish someday he gets to know the truth, Jungkook. It would be late but still."

There was no word uttered from the listener's end as the undying urge to be reunited with his ex-boyfriend kept showing him reason to live on and take care of the proof of their pure love.