Stand By Me! | Jinkook

10. New Neighbour

Seokjin's POV:

I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting there, knees drawn to my chest as memories from my past flooded through me, one after another. By the end, the tears had stopped, leaving a lingering ache and my face blotchy and red. My eyes stung, and I could feel the dried tear tracks cooling on my cheeks. I breathed deeply, grounding myself. I had to pull it together before anyone saw me like this.

A hot shower would help. The warmth would relax my muscles, calm my mind, and melt away the numbness clinging to me. I lingered under the spray until I felt somewhat more like myself, then changed into clean clothes, ready to face my family.

The house was quiet—too quiet. I hadn’t heard any voices since I’d come back. It was unusual, so I decided to check on Jungkook and the kids. I glanced into Jungkook’s home office, then peeked into Soobin’s and Jisoo’s bedrooms, but no one was there. Feeling a twinge of worry, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. I saw a message from Jungkook: "Took the kids to the park nearby. Be back soon. Love you!"

He must have sent it while I was out shopping with Taehyung, lost in my own thoughts. I replied, "Okay, love. See you soon!" and put my phone down, a small smile tugging at my lips. This quiet felt comforting now, like a gentle pause before the whirlwind that always accompanied their return. I headed to the kitchen, deciding to get a head start on dinner.

I was almost done with the preparations when I heard the front door open, followed by the patter of little feet rushing towards me. “Appa! Appa!” Soobin’s voice rang out as he sprinted into the kitchen. I quickly turned off the stove and crouched down, arms open wide, just in time to catch him. He ran straight into my embrace, holding onto me tightly.

I hugged him back, feeling the warmth of his little arms as he nestled against me. Soon, Jisoo joined us, wrapping her arms around my side silently. She wasn’t as vocal as Soobin, but her quiet presence always filled me with so much love.

After a minute, Soobin pulled back just enough to look up at me, pouting. “I missed you, Appa,” he said, his eyes big and earnest.

I kissed his cheek, then Jisoo’s. “I missed my bunny and my lovely girl even more,” I replied, smiling softly.

When I looked up, Jungkook was standing in the doorway, arms crossed and a playful smile on his face. I nodded to the kids. “Alright, you two, go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon.” They skipped off, their laughter trailing down the hall.

Once they were out of sight, Jungkook stepped forward, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into a warm embrace. He leaned in, his breath brushing my neck as he murmured, “I missed you, Yeobo.”

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. “I missed you too, my big bunny.”

We stayed like that for a moment, close and comfortable, until he pulled back slightly to look at me. “So, how was shopping?”

My stomach tightened, but I forced a casual smile. “Oh, you know. Tae being his usual spoiled self, as always.”

“Aww, my poor Yeobo, carrying all those bags,” he teased, brushing his thumb along my cheek. “I’ll give you a massage tonight, arms and legs. I’ll take care of you.”

I smirked, leaning closer. “Or maybe, you could give me a full-body massage…”

He raised an eyebrow, eyes twinkling. “Oh? Feeling a bit bold, are we?”

Humming, I kissed his earlobe, making him shiver. With a low groan, he moved forward, pressing me gently against the kitchen counter, his arms bracketing me in place as he kissed me deeply. I returned his kiss, feeling his hands slip under my shirt, his touch warm against my skin. A soft moan escaped me, but I caught myself, pulling back just enough to murmur, “Jungkook…we’re in the kitchen.”