FAMILY | on hold

thirteen✔

this chapter is dialogue heavy but it's only because taejin are still getting to know each other

It's almost closing time and Taehyung hasn't shown up. He messaged Seokjin asking for the restaurant's address a few hours ago but he hasn't replied to Seokjin's text asking when he'll get here. By the looks of it, Taehyung won't be coming. Seokjin knew he shouldn't have expected so much because one good conversation doesn't mean—

"Hello. Is Kim Seokjin here?" a familiar voice that's deeper than the Mariana Trench enquires at the reception.

Minsoo looks up from the computer to the source of the voice and he's taken aback by the good-looking man standing in front of him. "Hello, sir. Yes, he's here. Would you like to speak with him?" he asks.

"Yes, please."

"Please wait here," Minsoo says. He heads into the kitchen and asks Seokjin to come.

Seokjin dries his hands with a cloth before he walks out of the kitchen. His gaze immediately lands on Taehyung and his eyebrows arch upwards in surprise. He thought Taehyung wasn't going to show up today.

"Hey," Seokjin says, a bright smile on his face.

"H—Hey..." Taehyung says, shifting a little on his feet. "I—umm—I'm taking you home. I'll wait outside." He turns around and quickly leaves the restaurant.

Seokjin stands there stunned and watches as Taehyung disappears through the door.

"[Kor] Sunbae, who was that?" Minsoo asks, eyes wide with curiosity.

"He is... a friend?" Seokjin answers, a hint of uncertainty in his tone because he doesn't know how to label his relationship with Taehyung.

"[Kor] He's very handsome," Minsoo says.

*Following conversation spoken in Korean*

Seokjin laughs lightly and heads back into the kitchen. "Hyung, my friend is taking me home tonight," he says to Donghyun.

"Who is this friend?" Donghyun asks.

"A friend," Seokjin says, his voice slightly high-pitched and ears red.

Donghyun hums deeply and stares at Seokjin long and hard as if asking for specifics. Seokjin ignores Donghyun's gaze and continues cleaning. He couldn't possibly tell Donghyun that he's developing a friendship with his kids' principal. Hell, he hasn't even told anyone that he's working for Taehyung in the first place. Nobody knows about that except for Kriti.

"Jin-ah, I have a feeling that you're hiding something," Donghyun says.

"I'm not hiding anything, hyung," Seokjin says.

Donghyun just sighs heavily and decides to drop it. He won't interrogate Seokjin as long as Seokjin doesn't go back to his old ways. Whoever this 'friend' is better not be a bad influence because the kids have already suffered enough.

"Yah! I can't believe you're making me go in the car alone with Minsoo for the rest of my life! Now I have to listen to that garbage pop music!" Donghyun complains to lighten the mood.

Seokjin bursts out laughing. "Hyung, everyone knows you secretly listen to that 'garbage' music."

"What?!"