✔️ Unconditionally [Book 2] | Jeon Jungkook

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"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday Baby Piglet, happy birthday to you!"

Long legs outstretched flutter kicked in time to the song sang in a gentle baritone to the object of his affections. Brows lifted in wonder, Bambi eyes gazed back at him as he sang, watching the way his mouth moved, her own moving in preparation for mimicking.

"It's not her birthday, Taehyungie," Hyun-Ji giggled.

"It is exactly the two month anniversary of the day she was born, and so it is her birth day! Right, baby?"

His rebuttal was final, and from the way Hyori cooed back to her godfather, it seemed that she agreed, and Hyun-Ji was outnumbered in her opinion. He had done the same thing last month, and he would surely do the same the month after.

The pair lay on the floor for tummy time, a cuddly blanket beneath them, while Hyun-Ji sat on the chair adjacent, her legs crossed and a laptop warming her lap. Her current role was that of administrative assistant. While godfather watched lovingly over Hyori, Hyun-Ji registered both her and Jungkook for new student orientation at university.

Jungkook was back to working around the clock, building their savings in preparation for the coming semester the way a squirrel socks away acorns for the winter. Almost daily he left early and returned late, with just enough energy to fall asleep while kissing her goodnight.

It felt like she hadn't seen him in days, and while she understood the reason, it did little to ease the void his absence created.

Her device switching to the screensaver bought her back to the present.

"You ok?" Taehyung asked. He had since transferred onto his back with Hyori held high above him. She stretched her limbs as she hovered and looked like a superhero flying through the air when she wasn't chewing on her fists.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm ok," Hyun-Ji smiled, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.

From behind blonde fringe, he examined her face. She avoided his scrutiny by busying herself once more with the registration process, afraid that his stare would have its usual truth serum effect and make her spill her thoughts unwillingly.

"Whenever you're ready to talk..." he said.

Only a small smile and the light clicks of her keystrokes answered him.

How he could always be so forthcoming with his thoughts was admirable. He had drilled into her head, as older brothers tend to do, that she needed to communicate. And she had. She had practiced the newly acquired skill at every opportunity ever since she promised that she would that day in his car.

But, while helpful, it was draining. Sometimes she dreaded having to hash out what she was thinking and feeling, desiring more to process silently. It didn't feel right to bother Jungkook so often with her problems, and the more she did, the more she felt like she was ruining the semblance of peace they had been blessed with since the conclusion of high school and Hyori's birth.

Well, as much peace as an infant allows.

Kissy noises made her look up from the screen, and the corner of her mouth tugged upward. Hyori was offering her seemingly delicious fist to Taehyung, which he then peppered with kisses before she shoved it right back into her mouth.

He truly loved her as if she were his own.

"Do you ever want kids?" She asked, changing the subject from herself.