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Namjoon, Jin, and Jungkook climbed out of the car, and Jin immediately moved to stand in front of his youngest son. “Alright, let me just straighten this out here-“
“Dad!” Jungkook blocked his dad’s hands from being able to smooth out the fabric again. “I am fine!”
Tears sprung to Jin’s eyes and he pulled Jungkook into a tight, air blocking hug. “I can’t believe my baby is graduating today!”
“This is, like, the fifth time you’ve gone through this! Seventh, if you count Yoongi and Hoseok’s college graduation!” Jungkook looked over at Namjoon with a pleading look in his eyes.
“Alright, alright,” Namjoon lightly placed his hands on Jin’s shoulders. “Release!”
Jin pulled back from the hug just enough to shoot Namjoon a glare. “I’m not a dog.”
“You are kind of acting like Cloud, though~” Jungkook teased his father, who opened his mouth to respond, but instead whirled around to face the opposite direction.
“I sense grandchildren!” The 40-year-old man took off in the direction he knew the children were in.
“How does he do that?” Jungkook asked, staring off in the direction his father had now disappeared in.
“Just don’t question it.” Namjoon said, patting Jungkook on the back as they both headed after Jin. They eventually found him next to a familiar car, embracing both Kim grandchildren.
“Uncle Kookie!” The girl broke away from her grandfather’s hug to run to her favorite uncle, jumping as she reached him because she knew he would catch her.
“Hi there, Sammie!” Jungkook hugged the three-year-old tightly before setting her back on the ground. “You’re looking as cute as ever!” The little girl giggled adorably as Namjoon went over to Jin to play peacemaker.
“Dad, give me my baby~”
“No!” Jin clutched the 16-month-old boy to his chest and turned slightly away from his son. “I’m not giving Austin back.”
“Jin, give him back.” Namjoon said sternly.
Jin just looked at his husband with wide eyes. “But look at him! Look at his little chubby cheeks!”
“I see his chubby cheeks.” Namjoon responded, easing the toddler out of his husband’s grasp before handing him back to the baby’s father. “I recall a certain someone a few years ago who was complaining about being a grandpa so young.”
“That was before the babies came!” Jin insisted, and Jungkook rolled his eyes at his dad as someone approached.
“Who’s ready to get their graduation on?” Jungkook immediately felt the bubbling in his stomach and chills on his skin that always accompanied the arrival of his best friend. Yugyeom threw his arm over Jungkook’s shoulders. “I am so ready to put high school behind us.”
Jungkook chuckled nervously. “You’re telling me.” He swallowed his feelings down before looking back at his dads. “Hey, Gyeomie and I are going inside.”
“Okay,” Namjoon nodded. “We’ll meet you outside the doors after the ceremony.” The two 18-year olds left the family, who opted to wait in the parking lot for the final members to show up.
Once everyone had arrived, they entered the arena and went to find seats. “Hey, Taehyung, where’s-“
“She wasn’t feeling too well today~” Taehyung responded to Jin.
“Tell her we hope she feels better soon.” Jin smiled at his second youngest son before pulling out the program to count how many names were before Jungkook’s so he could estimate how long he could nap or zone out during the ceremony before he would have to begin listening for Jungkook’s name.
“How was your first-year teaching?” Hoseok asked his older brother.
“It was fun, the kids were great, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that the year is almost over.” Yoongi responded honestly, shooting Sammie a goofy smile to bring a laugh out of her.
“I bet Ms. Cobb was happy that you decided to stick with Conway.” Jimin commented.
Yoongi chuckled. “Especially after she made me her personal assistant during my student teaching.”
As the two boys laughed at their former teacher, Namjoon was debating in his mind how to bring up a certain topic. He finally decided to just say it. “So, I saw Jennie the other day. She’s-“
“Dad~” Taehyung cut Namjoon off and gave him a look, gesturing the how Jimin’s facial expression had already grown solemn. Thankfully for Jimin, the ceremony started at that moment, so he didn’t have to suffer through that conversation with his dad.
The ceremony was long and drawn out, but that didn’t stop the family from cheering enthusiastically when Jungkook’s name was called and he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. After the ceremony, the family waited outside of the doors they were supposed to meet Jungkook at. Taehyung was talking about how he definitely did not miss having to play Pomp and Circumstance a billion times a year during his time in band as they waited for the baby of the family to exit the building.
Inside the building, Yugyeom has thrown his arm over Jungkook’s shoulders again, keeping him from going to meet his family. “The team is throwing a goodbye high school party tonight. You’re coming, right?”
Jungkook moved out from under Yugyeom’s arm as he answered. “Can’t, we’re doing a family thing tonight.”
Yugyeom playfully pouted. “What am I gonna do without my best friend?” He unknowingly hurt Jungkook with those two words, much as he had for the past six years.
“Yugyeom…” Jungkook trailed off, wanting to make absolutely sure he was ready to spill his heart out to the boy he had grown up with.
Yugyeom noticed the seriousness about Jungkook and pulled him to a secluded area. “What’s up, Kookie?”
“I have something I have to tell you, and I probably should have told you this a long time ago.” Jungkook took a deep breath as Yugyeom waited for him to speak. “I’m gay.”
Yugyeom’s eyes widened slightly, more at surprise than anything else. “Really?” Jungkook nodded as Yugyeom thought back on their years of friendship. “That makes sense, you never really joined in when me and the other guys were talking about girls and stuff. But why didn’t you tell me before? Why are you telling me now?”
Jungkook looked down at his hands as he tried to gather up the courage to tell his best friend something he had been hiding since his preteen years. “I like you, Gyeomie…as more than a friend.”
Yugyeom stayed silent for a second before finally uttering an “oh”. A silence passed over them until Yugyeom decided to speak again. “I’m sorry, but I’m not-“
“I know.” Jungkook rushed out. “I wasn’t expecting anything to come out of this, I just didn’t want to leave for college with this still hanging over me.” Jungkook had decided to go out of state to LSU for school after being offered a higher scholarship than any of the schools in their hometown. He was lucky in that his brothers, Jimin and Taehyung, were also going to school there, so at least he wouldn’t be completely alone.
Jungkook was ready to leave and possibly never see Yugyeom again when the taller male spoke up again. “This doesn’t change anything.” Jungkook looked up at him. “At least on my part. I still want you to be my best friend, just tell me what you need so that you won’t hurt anymore.”
Jungkook took yet another deep breath. “Maybe give me a while. Like, let me figure out more about myself while I’m gone, and then after a semester or two, I’ll shoot you a text.”
Yugyeom nodded and gave Jungkook a small smile. “I can do that.” They looked around awkwardly for a few seconds before Yugyeom decided to lean in and give Jungkook a parting hug. Jungkook clung onto him, knowing this would be the last time he would experience this for a while. When he finally pulled away, he whispered a ‘bye’ and walked out of the arena to meet his family.
“There’s the graduate!” Namjoon greeted when Jungkook finally appeared.
“How’s it feel?” Taehyung asked, throwing his arm over his baby brother’s shoulders.
Jungkook gave a small smile. “Like a load has been lifted.”
Taehyung nodded. “Now you just have the summer and then it’ll be the three of us,” Taehyung threw his other arm over Jimin’s shoulders and pulling him in close as they walked to the parking lot, “alone, no parental supervision. I can’t wait to teach you all the ways of college.”
“You can’t wait to what now?” Jin asked, giving Taehyung a look.
Taehyung immediately withdrew his arms. “I’ll see you at the house!” He called as he ran off to the car, everyone else that hadn’t arrived with Jungkook, Jin, and Namjoon following as they went to their respective cars.
Namjoon was getting into the car when Jin noticed that Jungkook was off. “Hey, you okay? You should be happy after your graduation.” He lovingly stroked Jungkook’s hair, not wanting to let him enter the vehicle until he knew he was okay.
“Dad, you remember when I was 13 and I told you that I like someone that couldn’t like me back?” Jin nodded as he thought back to that day five years ago. Jungkook paused before completing his thought. “It was Yugyeom.”
Jin nodded in understanding. “And I’m guessing you just told him and it didn’t go to well.”
“Actually, it went fine.” Jungkook took a shaky breath. “I think it’s just gonna take some time to get over. But I’ll be okay, I know I will.”
Jin smiled at his youngest son. “I know you will be. And I’m proud of you, because you did something that’s extremely difficult to do.” He pulled Jungkook in for a hug before finally letting him climb into the backseat.
“Let’s get going~” Jin instructed Namjoon as he buckled his seatbelt. “I need me some grandkid cuddles.”