Chapter Text
“Okay okay, TIME OUT!” Taehyung screamed.
Jeongguk taking wrestling classes was The Worst Thing to happen on planet Earth. Along with creepy-crawlies. It was so unfair. The boy was smaller and younger than him, but he was faster and stronger.
“Did I hurt you anywhere, hyung?” And Taehyung’s grievances melted away at once at Jeongguk’s concerned tone.
“No Kookie, hyung is fine. You’re just... really strong.”
Immediately, Jeongguk let go of the firm grip he had on Taehyung’s shoulders and flopped down on the bed next to him, muttering, “Thanks, hyung. I’ll show that Seungcheol now.”
The two boys spent the next few minutes collecting their breaths. Taehyung was sure he was tired enough to fall asleep despite having woken up only two hours ago. His eyelids had almost closed when Jeongguk asked, “Is your appa my eomma’s boyfriend?”
Eyes wide open.
Taehyung knew that his father had gone on dates with Jeongguk’s mother, but even he, in spite of sitting next to Wheein steadily for a month, didn’t know enough about The Matters Of The Heart to know if their parents were at the boyfriend-girlfriend level.
“I don’t know, Kookie,” Taehyung sighed dejectedly. “Why’d you suddenly ask?”
“Remember Wednesday was a holiday, hyung? I spent the entire day at the bakery that day. And A LOT of men asked me if my eomma had a boyfriend. And-and I didn’t know what to say. Then, when Jin samchon saw how confused I was he told me that this happened all the time,” Jeongguk said to the ceiling.
“Many people want to be my eomma’s boyfriend, hyung. But-but I want only your appa to be her boyfriend,” he further divulged.
Taehyung vehemently agreed. Their parents were so good together, eye-smiling at each other and the world around them together. And if there was one thing about The Matters Of The Heart that Taehyung was certain about, it was that his appa was So Gone for Park Jimin.
“We’re going to fix this. Come on, Kookie.”
Taehyung walked out of his room with Jeongguk close on his heels. His found his father sitting on the couch in front of the television, almost dozing off, like Taehyung had been minutes before. Like appa like son.
“Ahem.” Taehyung cleared his throat loudly.
His father sat up straight at the noise. He smiled when he saw Taehyung and Jeongguk. “Oh, hi, boys. Tired of your Sunday already?”
“Appa, we have a very serious question to ask,” Taehyung said gravely.
“No, boys, we cannot play basketball inside the house.”
“Appa, this is more serious than indoor basketball.”
“Wow. Okay. What is it?”
“Are you and Jeongguk’s eomma boyfriend and girlfriend?”
His father’s eyes widened funnily but no words left his mouth. He was spending too much time with Jeongguk.
“It’s an easy question, appa. Yes or no.”
“No...”
“And why not?” Taehyung crossed his arms and demanded. “Do you know how many people want to be her boyfriend? What are you doing? You’re in the lead!”
“Is that so?” That same amused tone Taehyung detested.
“Yes, Taetae hyung’s appa! Many men like eomma,” Jeongguk answered this time. “...But she only likes you,” he added shyly.
“See!” Taehyung said. “Do something about it, appa. NOW!”
“Now?”
“YES!”
Without saying anything else, the boys grabbed a hand each and dragged Taehyung’s appa all the way to the bakery, stopping only to allow him to lock the apartment.
~~~
“Oppa?” Jeongguk’s mother blinked in surprise when Taehyung and Jeongguk thrust his father into the bakery.
“Hi, eomma,” Jeongguk called cheerfully from behind Taehyung’s father.
“Jeonggukie? Taetae? What’s going on?”
“Appa has something important to ask,” Taehyung said and pushed his father ahead till the man bumped into the counter behind which stood Jeongguk’s mother.
“Taetae, everyone’s looking...” his father whispered nervously.
“All the more reason for you to do it,” Taehyung said, not bothering to whisper (forget that Jeongguk said he did not know how to whisper).
“Oppa? What is it?” Jeongguk’s mother asked, drawing his father’s attention fully to her.
His father took a deep breath, released it and said, “First and foremost, I have our children’s blessings for this.”
He then took her hands in his and said sincerely, “Jiminie, the past few months have been among the happiest of my life because you’ve been a part of them. You’re a brilliant, brilliant woman and I want every opportunity to tell you and show you that. And it would be such a privilege if Taehyung and I could get closer to Jeongguk and you. So... will you be my girlfriend?”
Jeongguk’s mother stood stock-still, eyes open and unblinking. Great. Jeongguk was rubbing off on everyone. It took a few nervous seconds, during which Taehyung felt his legs slowly turning into jelly, for Jeongguk’s mother to reply.
“Of course!” she exclaimed softly, eyes disappearing as crescents lined with long lashes took their place with how widely she was smiling.
“Finally!” her boss celebrated.
“Finally!” Taehyung and Jeongguk cheered in agreement.
Jeongguk’s eomma broke into a series of giggles before she leaned across the counter and kissed Taehyung’s appa full on the mouth, for everyone to see.
Taehyung joyfully clasped his hands, while next to him Jeongguk groaned, “Ew.”
“Get used to it, Kookie,” Taehyung thumped him happily on his back. “We’re going to see a lot more of this.”
“And I thought they were going to be best friends,” Jeongguk said memorably.
“Well, they are a special type of best friends.”
“There are types of best friends?” Jeongguk asked him suspiciously.
“Obviously!”
“So, what’s our type then?”
Taehyung enveloped the now eight year-old boy in his embrace and hummed, “Brothers.”