Yoonkook; Heartaches and Bedtime Stories

~ Chapter Eleven ~

Jimin had been half asleep in the living room of his and Jungkook's dorm, wasting his Saturday night away with dumb cartoons and roms-coms when Tae and Jungkook interrupted, fighting like cats.

"You knew this whole time and didn't tell me??" Jungkook gasps, "You ditched him in that fucking restaurant??" Tae yells. "What's going on?!" Jimin yells even louder, switching off the cartoon he'd been trying to watch.

He stood up, clad in mismatched pyjamas, and held his hands to his hips in a stern manner.

"This is ridiculous, Jungkook, do you like the man or not?" he sighs, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. Tae shares his pointed look, staring hard at Jungkook as if begging for an explanation. Jungkook takes a breath, sounding more like a huff, before speaking up, "Look, it's just that... I'm only 19 years old! A first year! Of course I'm not gonna settle for some preoccupied, single dad. He should've made that clear from the start! This isn't my fault!" he stutters out angrily, with a clear agenda of self-defence.

Jimin flounders a little, still not fully understanding the situation entirely, but Tae readily speaks up, eyebrows firmly glaring at Jungkook. "The only reason I didn't tell you was because my brother thought it best not to let the whole school know of Yoongi's situation... he's been through a lot, Jungkook! And he doesn't need people like you sticking their nose down at him" he puffed out his chest, "His daughter will always come first, so if you're too immature to understand that, don't bother with him again".

Jungkook didn't say anything further, merely throwing his arms up in the air and groaning loudly to express his annoyance before darting down the hall, slamming his door shut for extra effect. "He's so childish" Taehyung grunts, plopping himself down onto the couch next to Jimin - who was still sitting wide eyed in bewilderment. "So... Yoongi has a daughter?" he asks cautiously, to which Tae easily nodded, the question in fact brought a fleeting smile to his face, "She's the most adorable little girl, Yoongi's done such a good job raising her all by himself".

Jimin smiles, despite his shock, "I'd love to meet her! I wish Yoongi would've told us though, we wouldn't judge, you know?" he pouts when Taehyung shakes his head at him, "You may not have judged him, but look at what a mess Jungkook's caused... I didn't know he could be so heartless" he frowns miserably. Jimin knew how hard this must be on Tae, being best friends with the perpetrator and caring for the victim simultaneously. It wasn't his fault after all.

"Anyways, I better go... I have a date with Hobi later, and I'm sure Joon will want to speak to me" he sighs, patting Jimin's shoulder lightly before standing up to leave. "It'll be alright Tae, don't think too much about it" his friend smiles reassuringly, burying down his questions and true worries about the situation at hand as they wave goodbye.

-

"Yeh... Yoongi was pretty upset when he came home last night, he tried to act nonchalant, but I know it was eating him up... poor guy" Hoseok pouts in a way that has Taehyung unintentionally swooning for him even more. The two eventually settled on going for dinner in a small, tidy, quiet restaurant, and were halfway through enjoying their meals when the elephant in the room eventually surfaced.

"I just wish Kook was a bit more empathetic... I don't like this self-centred attitude he has, but then again he's never been good at facing his problems" Tae sighs, mind full of woe. "Well... I'm just gonna tell Yoongi not to get too hooked up over it, he's not worth it" Hoseok rolls his eyes before taking a sip of his lemonade.

At this Taehyung narrows his eyes, "Jungkook isn't worthless! He's just... a little hopeless sometimes" he murmurs, not wanting to get into an argument over it but still feeling the need to defend his best friend. "Well, Yoongi's a single dad, he's mature, what's the point in him messing around with some kid who ditched him in a restaurant over it!" Hoseok says with a lace of malice on his tongue.

Tae's about to retaliate when he remembers their surroundings; the pasta dish in front of him, the candlelit table, the murmur of other dining couples around them. Sighing gently, he leans over and softly takes Hoseok's hand, prompting him to share the same thought. "I'm sorry" the elder cuts into the silence, "I didn't mean to bring it up, or get so rude, that was wrong of me" he apologises, shyly kissing Tae's hand as a way of making amends.

"It's okay, I just think that... maybe it's best to leave this situation to Yoongi and Jungkook? It's not right for either of us to make up their minds about eachother" says Tae, and Hoseok eagerly agrees, the two easily falling back into nervous first-date chatter and flirtatious gestures. The two were pretty hopeless themselves...

"So... this photography you do... ever had a model to work with?" Hoseok grins cheekily, making Taehyung choke on his breath and cheeks flush.

They're pretty hopelessly caught in young love.

-

Yoongi was just putting Seoyun to bed when his older brother calls him suddenly. He quietly puts away the story book he had been reading to her, and kisses her forehead gently before exiting the room to call him back.

"Yo" he answers coolly, sinking down into the comfort of his cheap couch and switching on the TV for background noise. "Don't play cool with me, Min Yoongi, I heard what happened" Seokjin mildly scolds him, "Hobi told Joon, told me" he continues, a little sheepishly. "I was just checking in, wanted to make sure my baby brother wasn't too hurt" Yoongi scoffs at this, "Now you're being the nice brother?" he snorts. "Hey! Have more respect for your Hyung" he teases, knowing Yoongi was easing more and more into the phonecall as they joked around.

"I think Jungkook's a nice kid, Yoongs... Joon's little brother wouldn't befriend someone malicious. I understand that what he did was wrong, and I hope you're not taking the hit too hard, I just want you to understand that it's understandably a bit of a shock. Namjoon thinks that if you yourself would've told them from the start, maybe things would be different? You can't blame Jungkook entirely for his reaction" Jin spoke as if he were some mighty wise owl, though Yoongi couldn't bring himself to argue with his advice.

"Yeh... I know" he sighs, slumping down in his seat, "I'm just a bit disappointed I suppose, I was actually interested in him, you know? That doesn't happen often for me..." he rubs his face as if Jin would see his misery. "It'll work out, Yoongi. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Just, focus on you and Seoyun, yeh? Look after yourself" his brother reminds him, knowing Yoongi isn't the best with prioritising himself. They end the call with a chuckle and a promise to talk again soon, and Yoongi is once again alone - with not even his daughter around to entertain him.

"Saturday night in alone... again" he smiles bitterly to himself, pulling his tired, aching body up from the couch to pour himself a drink.