Jimin's voice trembled as he glanced at the clock, his fingers frantically tapping his phone to call his best friend, Tae. Tae was supposed to be there by now—he was Jimin’s son's babysitter and the one Jimin relied on to watch over Park Jaehun while he worked. But Tae was nowhere to be found, and time was running out.
Jimin had to leave for work, but without Tae, he had no one to care for little Jae. Panic surged through him with each unanswered call.
Jae wasn’t biologically his son, but he might as well have been. After his brother and sister-in-law were tragically killed in a fire, Jae was left in Jimin’s care. It was a miracle that Jae had been staying with him that night, safe from the blaze that took his parents. Although Jimin’s life was far from stable—his income was small, and every penny went toward caring for Jae—he managed to make ends meet. His close friends Tae and Hobi had been a huge help, but now with Tae missing in action, Jimin felt completely overwhelmed.
"Jaehun, let's go."
Jimin decided there was no time to lose. He hoisted Jae into his arms and bolted to his neighbor’s house, his mind racing. He rang the doorbell repeatedly, praying that Jungkook was home and could help, even if just for a short while.
As soon as the door swung open, Jimin didn’t waste a second. He thrust Jae into the arms of a very confused-looking Jungkook, the muscular man barely registering what was happening.
"Kookie hyung, please take care of Jae until Tae arrives," Jimin blurted out breathlessly.
Jungkook blinked, still processing the sight of Jae now sitting in his arms. "What? Tae who?"
Jungkook was utterly bewildered. He hadn’t even had a chance to say more before Jimin had turned on his heels, running back down the driveway without another word.
"Thanks, hyung!" Jimin called out, not even waiting for Jungkook's agreement.
Jungkook stood frozen at his doorstep, staring at the small child in his arms, completely speechless. He had never taken care of a kid before, and now here he was, holding Jae, a quiet and surprisingly composed little boy.
Jimin and Jungkook had been neighbors for 5 month now, and while Jungkook didn’t know everything about Jimin’s life, he admired him. Jimin, at 21 years old, had sacrificed his youth to raise his nephew after losing his brother and sister-in-law. It wasn’t easy to manage work, finances, and the responsibilities of parenthood, but Jimin did it all with a determination that Jungkook found inspiring. He should have been studying, hanging out with friends, and enjoying his twenties, but instead, he was a devoted father to Jae.
"So, Jae," Jungkook said awkwardly, glancing down at the boy, "just you and me for now, huh?"
Jae looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Kookie Appa," he said, his voice soft but clear.
Jungkook’s jaw dropped, eyes widening in disbelief. He had barely spoken to Jae before this, but now the child was calling him ‘Appa’? It was completely unexpected.
"Y-yes, Jae?" Jungkook stammered, tapping his mouth in embarrassment. Why was he suddenly so nervous?
"I'm hungry," Jae said simply, his small fingers fidgeting as he looked down, a pout forming on his lips.
Jungkook softened immediately. "Didn't Jiminie Appa make you breakfast?"
"Appa gave me bread," Jae said, wrinkling his nose. "I don’t like it. I really wanna rice and soup."
Jungkook chuckled. The kid was particular, just like Jimin. But he also understood—Jae wanted something more filling, more comforting. Chicken soup and rice, from what Jimin had mentioned before, was Jae’s favorite.
"Chicken soup, huh?" Jungkook asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jae nodded eagerly, his face lighting up at the thought. He jumped up and down, clearly excited.
Jungkook couldn’t help but smile at the little boy’s enthusiasm. "Alright, chicken soup it is."
With Jae watching him closely, Jungkook set to work in the kitchen. Jae stood on a stool beside him, peeking over the counter with wide, curious eyes as Jungkook chopped vegetables and prepared the ingredients. For a man who had never cooked for a child before, Jungkook was surprisingly calm, moving through the kitchen with ease.
"Stir slowly, okay?" Jungkook instructed, handing Jae a spoon to stir the soup gently.
Jae grinned, his tiny hand gripping the spoon as he stirred the pot with careful concentration. The smile never left his face, and Jungkook found himself completely charmed. Jae was every bit as cute as Jimin had said, especially when he smiled with those crescent-shaped eyes—just like his Jiminie Appa.
"Do you like it?" Jungkook asked once they sat down to eat.
"Yes!" Jae exclaimed, giving Jungkook two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Jungkook laughed, ruffling Jae’s soft hair. It was strangely satisfying, seeing Jae enjoy the meal he had prepared. They spent the next hour watching Jae’s favorite cartoon, Robocar Poli, while lounging on the couch. It was peaceful, and Jungkook found himself surprisingly comfortable in this unexpected role.
Just as the credits rolled on the cartoon, the doorbell rang.
Jungkook got up, opening the door to find a breathless and slightly disheveled Jimin standing on his doorstep.
"Jimin?" Jungkook asked, his voice filled with amusement.
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