BROMANCE | VKOOK

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

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Taehyung's father had chosen an italian restaurant off campus for their dinner tonight. He sent him the location and told him to be there around 6pm, so of course Taehyung was there on time. Even ten minutes earlier, he stood there and nervously fiddled arond with his shirt. He regretted not having brought something more elegant to America. His father preferred seeing his sons being dressed up and looking good at all times, and now he had to have dinner with his son looking like a typical teenage boy. Wide T-Shirt and loose pants, a cap on his head and rings on his fingers.

He missed Jungkook already and regretted not taking him here. The way he ran off just because he got annoyed was childish and he had to apologize for that immediately once he got back to the room they shared. Jungkook didn't deserve to be treated like this when all he did was worrying about him and his father's intentions.

As expected, Mr Kim appeared exactly on time, not a minute early or late. Serious expression covering his face and a black suit on his body. "Good evening", he patted his son's back as his way of greeting him, then coughed slightly and walked inside, not showing much more affection. That was more attention Taehyung had gotten in weeks though, so a big smile made its way on the boy's lips and he followed his father inside, trying to seem a little broader and taller while walking after his father who was still everything Taehyung wanted to be someday. A strong man, rich and knowing what he wanted in life-, he had done it all.
Taehyung was just at the beginning and even there, he struggled with the simplest things like finding a loved one or understanding his feelings.

A part of him hoped that he could someday talk to his father about all this, maybe ask him how he learned all the things he knew about life. The advice a father gave was something every child craves at some point if they never had their father's attention.
But then again, was there anything someone who is never there can teach you?

Doubt so.

They got taken to the table the restaurant had reserved from them, got the menus handed and then were left alone for now. Mr Kim instantly opened up the card, looking through the wine they had here. Taehyung who didn't know much about expensive wine just looked a little lost while looking through the pages, eyes going big at all the prices.
Not that he wasn't used to all this, but his parents usually wouldn't even let them choose, they had their meals reserved beforehand and Taehyung never actually saw the amount of money his parents paid for having one meal out.

"Do you want some wine, kid?", the man asked, pulled out his glasses and put them on his nose so he could see better. Taehyung hated wine, he couldn't stand the bitter taste it left in his mouth. He nodded though, "Yes, wine is the best thing", he smiled and avoided eye contact with his father.
The man nodded and waved the waiter over, "A bottle of your best wine, please"

The guy rushed off after bowing and Taehyung didn't even know what to say. He felt so small next to his father. Mr Kim was a real man and Taehyung was nothing but a stupid boy with no clue of how the world worked. Or at least that's how he felt.

Once the guy came back with the wine, they also ordered food. Taehyung couldn't decide so he just took the same his father decided for. Which was some pasta with beef. Sounded good to him.
When they were alone again, Mr Kim looked at his son for a while, "So, how do you like university?", he asked, voice so calm and reassuring that Taehyung felt shivers down his spine as he looked up from the table and shyly watched his father's every movement.

"I love it, I really would love to come here to study", Taehyung said in a small voice, "Princeton is just what I imagined it to be."

His father nodded, "To be honest, I didn't think you'd be the type of guy to go to college one day", he said sharply, "Your mother and I thought it'd be Jimin who would want to go for an Ivy League university."
Taehyung gulped dryly, not sure what this meant. Was it a good thing he wanted to go, or was it a bad thing? He could never understand what the meaning behind the things his father said were.
"But I'm proud of you, son. Maybe you will finally get on the right track", Taehyung could swear when his father said that, there was a tiny little smile on his lips.