JOURNEY || JinKook ☑️

TWENTY SEVEN - STAYED

Jungkook

Taehyung keeps on chuckling while looking at me. I hate it. This is why I don't like to call him but I don't have a choice.

"You're acting like a kid. I can't believe you're in your 30's." Taehyung looks at me, constantly blinking as the moving lights hit our eyes. I'm now on my third bottle but he's not even touching his beer.

"I called you to have a drink with me. Why aren't you even drinking?"

"And who will drive for you once you get wasted?"

I slouched on the couch and looked at the ceiling. For some, going to a club means partying. I hate noise, the reason why Jin doesn't appeal to me. However, tonight is a bit different. I reserved a VVIP corner for me and Taehyung. Still noisy but the sound is a bit low than the public area downstairs.

"I won't go home drunk. I just want to waste time." I reasoned out. I can be unreasonable, I know.

Taehyung rests his arms on his knees to take a better look at me. His face turns serious as if he wants to catch me on something. "What's wrong? I mean, let's be serious."

"I'm serious."

"You're not. You will not call me and ask me for a drink if there's nothing bothering you. You said Jin is so annoying. That's not an emergency. From the very first time you met Jin, you're always annoyed at him. What's new to that? So now tell me, what's the problem?"

"Namjoon."

Taehyung laughed. Before he thought of something else, I need to burst his happy bubbles.

"It's not what you're thinking you stupid!"

Taehyung points to himself and looks as sarcastic as ever. "Me? Stupid? Look who's talking!"

I held my palm up to stop him from talking nonsense. "Before you accuse me of something else let me get this straight. I hate it that Namjoon is trying to take Jin's attention away from Soobin."

"Soobin?"

"Yes, Soobin"

"Oh... Okay." Taehyung shrugged and took a drink. "So, what about Soobin and Namjoon?"

"No, it's not that. Soobin changed a lot because of Jin. Now, Jin's attention is getting divided because of Namjoon. He's calling him during his tutorial and I don't like it. He should concentrate on teaching Soobin. That's what I am paying him for."

Taehyung is staring at me but it feels like he's thinking of other things other than what I am telling him. "Are you listening to me?"

Taehyung nods. "You said Namjoon is calling Jin during tutorial hours. And then?"

I don't know if he's interested in what I'm talking about but I brushed it all off and continue. "Now, he will meet Jin at 8 pm."

Taehyung puts the bottle down on the table. "They are dating, right?"

Is he even serious about asking me that? "I don't care if they are dating."

"You don't care, okay. And so what if Namjoon will meet Jin at 8? I can't grasp your logic. Seriously!" Taehyung's face is starting to get more confused.

"Listen, Namjoon knows that Soobin likes it when Jin is having dinner with us. You don't know how happy Soobin is every time Jin is there. Namjoon knows that and he's trying to take Soobin's happiness away!"

Taehyung's face is impassive. I don't know what he's thinking about. He's just staring sightlessly at me.

"Hyung, are you out of your mind? Jin has his own life too. You don't own him. He can go on a date whoever and whenever he wants to. I mean, 8 pm is definitely out of his schedule to you.

You don't like him. You always say that but you keep on tying him to you and Soobin. He doesn't have any obligation to you. He can say no if he doesn't want to have dinner with you and Soobin. He's free to do that. And he can go home and have a date after his working hours. What's wrong with you?"

Taehyung just added up to my frustration. I don't know why he doesn't get my point. Is it too hard to understand? "Tae, it's not that I don't want him to date. It's just that, I don't want Soobin to regress. He's improving now."

"Soobin is improving because of you." Taehyung cut me out before I can speak again. "Okay, let's face it, Jin has a say to his improvement. Jin is his support system. He brought him closer to you because Jin knows what will make Soobin happy. He conditioned Soobin's mind not to feel any hatred towards you because Jin used to be a parent too. Whenever Soobin is with Jihoon, he always speaks about you. Jimin noticed that too.

He's acting like a stubborn hard-headed kid before because you don't care about him. Soobin is happier now because of your presence. He is happy because you now have time for him.

Let me just remind you, you are the father and Jin is his teacher. Jin can be a second parent but the responsibility is still on you. So don't pressure Jin as if he will be at fault if Soobin regresses. Actually, you should educate Soobin about it. That Jin cannot stay with him whenever he wants him to."

So it's my fault again? Is that what he's trying to say? Is he trying to make me realize that I am a shallow unreasonable selfish person?

"So you asked me to have a drink because you don't want Jin to leave Soobin for Namjoon. Is that what you mean?" Taehyung sounded annoyed now. I can tell, his expression changed.

I finished my third bottle and put it down on the table before standing up to leave. "Let's go home now. It's already 12."

Taehyung shakes his head in disdain. I asked him to come with me hoping that he will understand my plight but it seems like he understood Jin more.

Taehyung put his arm on my shoulder as we head out of the club. "I know it's not because of Namjoon getting Jin's attention away from Soobin. It's Namjoon getting Jin's attention away from you. Think about it. You just can't accept the fact that you're liking someone right now other than Ken."

I watched Taehyung rides his car and drives away. I sit down in my car for a while, trying to figure things out about myself. Honestly, I am a bit happier now compared to before. Those little things I'm doing for Soobin lifted my spirit up. It made me realize how fulfilling it is to be a father. I know I still have a long way to go but I know I'm making progress. If I will base it on Soobin's smiles, I know I am beginning to be a father.

My hand rests on the door handle of my apartment. I don't know how to face Soobin. I left him alone. He might be asleep by now. Conscience starts to eat me. I am just starting to be a father to him then I left him alone again because of my childish attitude.

The house is quiet as usual. I went to the kitchen and saw a box of Korean Fried Chicken and a bag of a burger restaurant. I can hear some noise from Soobin's bedroom. He probably fell asleep with the TV on.

I opened the bedroom door and got surprised when I saw Jin on my son's bed. Jin hugging Soobin and my son is hugging him too. Jin did not leave my son. A feeling of comfort rushed through my body. Somehow, I'm happy that Jin stayed. Stayed for my son. I know he cares.

I pulled the blanket and placed it over my son and Jin. I opened the dim light and turned the TV off before walking out of Soobin's room.