make way // jjk

9

The first school week back was a success. At least, as much of a success as going to school could be. Now, next up would be the first weekend to be spent with the Kims after the first week back.

For Saturdays, Taehyung and Minah both had a pile of music lessons to go through, so you decided to spend it at home (it was nice to be able to call a place home, and you reckoned that it was only natural after two months now), getting a start on the homework that was already starting to accumulate.

You knew you were in your last two years of school, but isn't homework on the first week back, like, illegal? Going too far? This was injustice! But at least Taehyung had promised you that on Sunday there would be a reprieve - Namjoon and Jin were bringing the three of you and Jungkook to the beach.

---

"Hurry up, Minah," you shouted at a bundle of blankets in Minah's room. You were leaving in 20 minutes.

"Ugh, alright, alright," a muffled voice came from under the covers. Waking Minah up was always the worst chore in the Kim household, not that many of those existed, what with all the maids and butlers and whatnot.

You tore the covers away with brutal force and exposed the vampire to the light. She groaned and turned away from the window, saying, "Why do you always have to do that? What's wrong with the old gentle waking-up of a sane person?"

"Just get up, Kim Minah."

Another voice, this one bright and cheerful, suddenly sounded through the room, "Yah, Minah-ya! Time to get up!" Jungkook had popped his head in at Minah's doorway. At least one of your friends were up bright and early.
"And don't worry, I just woke Taehyung up. He's in the bathroom."

You breathed a sigh of relief. However, Minah's next words immediately turned your mood upside down. "Glad to see you back on your feet, Kook." Minah was still on her bed, with her bed hair, inspecting Jungkook a little.

"What?" you said.

"Yeah, I'm alright now Min." Then he looked at you and with a smile as cheerful as he could muster, said, "Nothing."

His grin spread to his eyes as Taehyung blundered in rubbing his eyes, then seeming to take no notice of the crowd of people in his sister's room, shouted, "Ha! I beat you this time! I'm up first! Your turn to buy ice cream!"

Minah groaned. "Ugh, you guys should've woken me up first!"
You and Jungkook looked at each other, smiling and shrugging. Everybody knew how much Taehyung loved his sister; any money she used on him would have been returned at a very high interest rate through the presents he bought for her.

---

"Thank you, Uncle Namjoon!" you called, waving as he and Jin drove away to a restaurant down the beach. They said they wanted some private time together to see the scenery and have lunch. It wasn't common for them to have free time together, so you all gave them space to spend by themselves.
Jin was still waving back at you from the other window, telling you kids to remember to eat and use sunscreen.

Taehyung, in khaki shorts and burdened with his swim gear and surfboard, said, "So, let's head down to the beach!" Then he raced Jungkook (with the same getup and gear) down to the sand.

Minah looked at you and rolled her eyes. "Guess we better get going then."

---

"Here," Jungkook handed you a popsicle, you lying on the sand and just generally staring at the see.

"Oh, thanks," you grabbed it from him and scrutinized it, satisfied it was the blueberry flavour that you liked so much. Directly munching on the freezing cold ice block, you smiled at him.

He was frozen at the movement of passing you the popsicle; he was staring at you. For some foreign reason, you suddenly thought that he was incredibly good-looking, in just swimming trunks and a pair of matching flip flops, the sun outlining his figure with the way he was blocking your view of the horizon and the setting sun.

"Oi, move out of the way! You're blocking my view!" He snapped out of his trance and sank down to sit on the sand next to you.

Self-conciously, you realized that you weren't wearing much, your hair was dripping water onto the towel that was under you on the sand. That was confusing. Jungkook had definitely seen more of you than what the modest two piece you were wearing revealed.

But you were sure he was definitely staring at the way your fingers were still wrinkled from the long swim in the sea. His fingers, even after the same time underwater as yours, looked long and elegant as ever, holding the popsicle stick that he was pushing and pulling in and out of his mouth. Now you were staring.

"Today was fun, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," you replied. You were still confused about many things. One thing came up first. "Why did Minah ask you if you were okay?"

"Remember when you found me at my place?" you nodded quickly, remembering all too well the event he was prompting you to remember. "I was... sick, for a while. Minah checked up on me during that time. She's glad I'm better."

After waiting a moment with no further explanation, you asked, "Am I allowed to know the reason for your... sickness?"

He hesitated. "Maybe someday. I'm still not ready to talk about it yet."

"Okay." You resigned to it, knowing he needed the space. He visibly relaxed, leaning back to rest his weight on his elbows. "You have all the time you'd want."

"One day I'll tell you."