Work Text:
Seokjin tied the light blue ribbon around the little bear’s neck and stood up to admire his work.
The blue teddy bear looked perfect, adorable. It had fluffy fur, making it perfect for cuddling, beady black eyes that shone and a velvet bow matching its colour around its neck to add some extra style and cuteness. He loved every single bear he made, and this one was no exception.
He looked at the clock and it read 2:00 A.M. He stretched and yawned, finally understanding why he was so tired. At least he had finished this little guy, so he could post him the next day as soon as possible. Work had been hectic lately, due to a flu outbreak that had made half the kids at the daycare sick and him and his fellow teachers trying to prevent it from spreading, leaving him little time to work on the orders he had lined up.
Seokjin had always loved helping others, and he’s always loved children. That was why he had become a teacher and worked at a daycare, keeping the little ones company while their parents were at work.
But he didn’t only occupy himself by playing and reading stories to preschoolers. He had a side job, from which he didn’t get paid. In fact, he didn’t make any profit from it at all, and that was what he had wanted ever since he had conceived the idea: his handmade teddy bears sent to children who were hospitalised due to serious illness.
The idea had spurred from one of the little kids he looked after at daycare, who always carried his teddy bear with him. Some other kids had teased him for it, even though in reality they weren’t that different themselves: they all seemed attached to a certain something, be it a toy, piece of clothing or even a teacher. One of Seokjin’s colleagues had taken care of the issue, talking to both the boy and the others. She had then turned to the rest of the adults and given them the boy’s explanation for why he was so attached to the plushie.
“He said that it brings his comfort,” she clarified, “It was a present from his dad and he said that when he has the bear with him he feels safer, like his dad is there with him.”
They all knew that the little boy’s father had passed away a year ago, leaving his mother working more than she used to in order to support them, hence why she left him at day-care. The information had been heart-warming, and after that, Seokjin tried finding something he could do to help each little one if they scraped their knee on the ground or felt a little upset or sick so they would feel less alone. Mere months later he aspired to do this on a larger scale, give children who felt like hope was lost something to comfort them when they needed it.
The decision to do so for sick children had been easy to make, considering the number of them trapped in hospitals, unable to experience the childhood their peers were. He hoped that if he saved enough money, he could later expand to give such offerings to children in orphanages or from poor families. Being non-profit meant that he also had to buy all the materials and pay posting them himself, so a large sum of his salary went to that, but he never regretted it, never once thought of asking for money from these families.
Making teddy bears had also been something he didn’t even need to think about before selecting the specific animal. Teddy bears were often the first present babies were given when they were born and carried a message of childhood and innocence, things most hospital patients missed out on. It was symbolic and also a good cuddler, and everyone needed a cuddle buddy during rainy days.
For about a year and a half he hadn’t received many requests, but as time progressed his website became more popular, thus placing it in the first pages of internet searches. Then, a parents’ magazine discovered him, interviewed him, and business was in. He was getting plenty of commissions and, after four years, he had received his first ones from overseas. He had been surprised to see them, but was happy his idea could bring joy to others all around the globe. His friends liked to joke that it was because the mothers who read his interview and saw his pictures found him very handsome, which he wouldn’t deny.
As he made the bears himself, it became hectic when he became more popular, but he still never hesitated to put some extra time into his work. The first toys he made took ages to create, but he grew used to the routine and they now took him a lot less time than they used to. He could make two- or, if he was lucky, three- in the same amount of time it used to take him to make only one. Of course, the requests he received were nowhere near the ones other organisations like Make A Wish, for example, did. He was still pretty unknown outside of his country, really, but he didn’t mind.
Lately, time had been of shortage and this bear had taken him a little longer than he would have liked, but the final product was worth it. He stroked its soft fur one last time before placing it on his desk, next to an empty box. It really was a relief to have it done.
He silently slipped into his and his boyfriend’s bedroom, careful not to wake the other who was already sleeping peacefully. He changed into his pyjamas and climbed into bed. His boyfriend, Namjoon, instinctively turned around and wrapped his arms around him. Seokjin chuckled lightly, the sound apparently just loud enough to cause Namjoon to open his eyes. “Hey there,” he said tiredly, “All done?”
“Perfect,” Seokjin replied, “All set and ready to go. I’m sorry I woke you up, go back to sleep.”
Namjoon pouted. “What about my goodnight kiss?” he asked.
Seokjin chuckled and pecked his lips lightly, settling into his boyfriend’s embrace before closing his eyes. “Goodnight, you dork,” he said lovingly.
“Goodnight,” Namjoon replied, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he answered, falling asleep immediately.
---
They both overslept that morning. Namjoon had counted on Seokjin to set the alarm clock, and Seokjin had forgotten to do so in his tired state.
Luckily, they weren’t running too late, but late enough that Namjoon would definitely receive looks of disapproval from his colleagues and Seokjin would miss the children coming in. Not to mention that he had been counting on dropping the package at the post office, the package that still wasn’t ready and he’d hoped to finish in the morning while drinking his coffee. But he was stubborn and didn’t let such plans go. Therefore, his boyfriend spent a good ten minutes convincing him that the bow he’d tied on the top of the now wrapped box which contained the blue teddy bear looked perfect and didn’t need to be moved to the left or right. In his rush he’d almost forgotten to put his little card in.
When he’d first started this, he’d wanted each card to be personalised, with the name of the patient who would be receiving the gift, but that would mean having to print new ones each time and it was easier to have one that worked with everything. It was dark blue in colour, with a trail of sparkles tracing back to a wand placed in the bottom right corner of the card. A phrase was printed on it in delicate white letters: Will you always have hope and happiness inside you. This little bear is here to keep you company, a friend who will never leave your side, no matter how hard things get.
From you Fairy Godfather.
On his website and to the children he sent presents to he was known as the Fairy Godfather. He granted a wish for them, much like Cinderella’s fairy godmother had done for her, but with the difference that he was male.
Namjoon offered to drive him to the post office and daycare. “I’ll be late anyway, I may as well help you out,” he’d said, “And it’s my fault we forgot to set the alarm clock.”
The drive had been peaceful, laughing at their carelessness while listening to soft songs on the radio and holding hands between their seats. Seokjin had been worried that the post office workers would have problems reading his handwriting, as he had written the address in a hurry and it was less than ideal, but they had assured him that it was fine. He made it to the daycare half an hour late, not that the children minded, as they were all playing outside.
He waved goodbye to his boyfriend and wished him a good day at work. As their type of relationship was shamed upon in Korea, they couldn’t show affection in public, so he didn’t get to kiss him goodbye as he would have liked, but he would choose that over being forced to see girls any day. Every moment of his relationship with the younger man felt like a godsend and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
And that was made clear to him once again when he got home that evening to the smell of food coming from the kitchen. Peeking into the room he found his boyfriend meddling with pots and pans, cooking.
“Well, I surely wasn’t expecting this,” he said, causing the other to turn around in surprise to face him, “What are you cooking, Joon?”
“Oh, hyung, you’re back,” Namjoon said, “I was still feeling bad about the alarm thing, so I thought I’d make us dinner.”
“You didn’t have to,” Seokjin said, touched by the other’s gesture, “You were late too, so you don’t have to make up for anything.”
“How about being an amazing boyfriend, then?” the younger suggested with a smile.
Seokjin laughed. “Sometimes I wonder why I still put up with you, you sap,” he said, “Let’s see what you’ve made.”
Namjoon had made a simple ramen soup (“in case anything goes wrong”), kimchi jjigae, and had even baked their favourite chocolate cake that Namjoon’s mother had made when he had introduced Seokjin to her and his father. It was a little burnt, but to Seokjin it was perfect. Namjoon had accidentally burnt their penguin oven mitt while taking it out of the oven, severing its face in half and leaving a black line above the penguin’s beak.
After their romantic dinner, they’d moved to the bedroom, where they made love until the early hours of the morning, it was Friday after all.
---
Seokjin hadn’t thought about the blue teddy bear for four whole days since he sent it. He had moved on to other bears, which he hoped would soon find their home with lovely children very soon.
It wasn’t until four days after the fateful alarm-clock-less morning that he received a concerning phone call. His phone rang while he was packing up at the daycare and getting ready to drive back to his and Namjoon’s apartment and watch the newest episode of Law of the Jungle while cuddling on the couch and maybe even work on a bear which he’d almost finished.
At first, he’d thought it might be a co-worker who had forgotten something at the daycare and was asking him to store it somewhere until they came again the next day. Or maybe it was his brother who was calling to see how he was doing. It could even be Namjoon who was stuck in traffic and wanted to let him know he would be late. Therefore, he was surprised when he saw that an unknown number was calling. He had all of his acquaintances’ phone numbers saved on his phone, so he would always know who was calling him, so he guessed it must be some company calling to ask if he wanted a free supply of toilet paper for the rest of the year. Of course, it could always be someone he knew who got a new phone number or ran out of battery and was calling from another’s phone, so he picked up the call.
“Hello, Kim Seokjin speaking,” he said, balancing it between his cheek and shoulder as he zipped his bag shut and hoisted it over his shoulder and picking it up again and holding it properly.
“Ah, hello, Kim Seokjin-ssi,” a female voice said, and he wasn’t at all familiar with it, “Or Fairy Godfather-ssi?”
“Seokjin is fine,” he assured the woman, now knowing it was someone contacting him about his teddy bears. That wouldn’t be surprising, his phone number was on his website, so parents could contact him freely when they needed to.
“Seokjin-ssi then,” she repeated, “I apologise if I am interrupting you.”
“Not at all,” he said, “Please, continue.”
“Yes,” she said, sounding nervous, “You see, my son’s name is Kim Taehyung and four days ago we received a notification from you to expect his bear in no longer than two days.”
Seokjin always sent out notifications to the parents once he’d left the packages at the post office, so they would know that their teddy was on the way. He sent them with high priority, so they would usually take a day or two to deliver.
“But,” the woman continued, “We are still waiting to receive it. I just wanted to know if something happened or if the notification was sent on accident.”
Seokjin was surprised. Never before had something like this happened to him. He recalled the name Kim Taehyung once his mother mentioned it, and he had been the one the blue teddy had been made for.
“I see,” he said, trying not to sound to worried as to not startle the poor woman who must already be going through enough stress as it was, “I will look into it as soon as I can and update you, Mrs Kim. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I sincerely apologise for this.”
“It’s no problem, Seokjin-ssi,” she promised, “I just thought it would be right to let you know before trying to reach conclusions on my own. And Taehyung has been dying to receive his gift, I didn’t want to break his heart.”
“I understand,” Seokjin said, “I will let you know as soon as I figure out what happened. Thank you, Mrs. Kim. Have a good day. And send your son my best wishes, at least until I can send him his bear properly.”
“Thank you,” the mother said, “Good day, Seokjin-ssi.”
She hung up and Seokjin found himself standing at the entrance of the daycare at a loss for what to do. He recalled both finishing and mailing Taehyung’s bear. Had something gone wrong? Had the package gotten lost? Had he forgotten about it all together and merely dreamed up going to the post office?
Realising it would be better to think about it at home in a calmer mindset, he made up his mind and left, locking the door behind him and entering his car.
Ten minutes later he was home, hearing water running from the bathroom, indicating that Namjoon was home and taking a shower. “I’m home,” he announced, closing the door and leaving his keys in the small bowl they had reserved for keys next to the door on a piece of furniture that also housed their home phone and phone book.
“Hey, Jin,” his boyfriend called out from the bathroom, “How are you? How was work?”
“I’ll tell you in a moment,” Seokjin replied, remembering the conversation he’d had with Mrs. Kim and collapsing on the couch, holding his head in his hands. Not too long after he heard the shower turn off and Namjoon stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hands which he was using to dry his hair.
“Hey, everything alright?” he asked, sensing the tension coming from his partner.
“Not really,” Seokjin replied, “I got a call from the mother of one of the kids I made a bear for.”
“Did they not like it?” Namjoon asked, “Do they want you to make another one? I hope they know that you put your soul into those bears, they’re not just things that can be remade to match their taste.”
“No, no, nothing like that,” he countered, amazed at Namjoon’s dedication to his work, “They never got the one I sent them. The blue one, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember,” he said, going into the bedroom to change into his normal clothes, “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Seokjin said, “You remember it, right? It’s not still sitting in your car, is it?”
“No, I would know,” Namjoon said, “Do you want me to go check just to make sure?”
“No, it’s okay, I believe you,” Seokjin promised, “And you’re sure you took me to the post office?”
“Drove you there myself,” the younger said, “You were wearing your white button up with the lavender print. Palette by IU was playing on the radio as we pulled up.”
“Alright, I didn’t ask for a police report,” Seokjin laughed, then sighed, “What will I do now?”
“Maybe go to the post office tomorrow,” Namjoon suggested, stepping out of the bedroom dressed, “Make sure they didn’t forget it or leave it behind. They could get it sent in a flash if they find it.”
“Yeah, I’ll go tomorrow before work,” Seokjin agreed.
Namjoon approached him and proceeded to pull him into an embrace. Seokjin pulled away.
“These clothes are probably riddled with flu,” he said, “Don’t come anywhere near them.”
“I caught the flu in second grade, I’m immune,” his boyfriend said, pulling him close again.
“I don’t think that’s exactly how it works,” the elder argued, but didn’t pull away again, melting into his lover’s touch.
“I missed you all day,” Namjoon tells him.
“I missed you too,” Seokjin assures him, “How about you let me take a shower and then I make us some quick dinner and we relax, hm?”
They leaned in and pecked one another’s lips a few times before Namjoon finally let him go.
The rest of the evening was uneventful. Although his boyfriend’s presence and nice home-cooked food calmed him, Seokjin couldn’t stop thinking about the missing bear. It couldn’t have simply vanished off the face of the Earth, right? That was impossible.
He rethought that the next day when he went to the post office only to be told that the package had been properly delivered to the right address.
---
It didn’t leave his thoughts for two whole days, by which he had made zero progress in locating the missing package. He’d called Severance Hospital, where it was supposed to have been delivered, but one of the receptionists who’d been working there that day had caught the flu (that damn flu) and was absent while the other must have been tending to a different issue around the time the package must have been delivered, because he couldn’t remember a medium sized box with a huge blue bow on it. He’d even called some of his friends asking if he’d left it at their houses, which he, of course, hadn’t.
He had pretty much lost hope and was considering pushing his current projects aside to make a new one for Taehyung, but it turned out that he didn’t need to.
Two days after his conversation with the young patient’s mother, he found an email in his website’s inbox.
Dearest Mr. Kim Seokjin, it read,
My name is Min Yoongi and I am the father of a boy named Jungkook who is currently receiving treatment at Severance Hospital for acute leukemia. A few days ago, we had the pleasure of receiving your wonderful surprise for Jungkook and I am writing to thank you for your kindness.
You have brought a smile to my son’s face, something I hadn’t seen in a long time and I am eternally grateful to you. Jungkook has been sleeping with the bear every night and rarely leaves it out of his sight, even during his treatments when the doctors allow it.
I apologise for sending this so belatedly. I am afraid I hadn’t heard of your services before and had to try and locate you through the card that came with the bear.
Again, thank you so much for your kindness. I will never forget it.
Yours,
Min Yoongi and Min Jungkook
Seokjin once again found himself at a loss for words. He felt tears sting his eyes as he read the email a second time. And a third time. And a fourth one. By the fifth silent tears were streaming down his face.
For almost a week now he’d been searching for this bear, only to discover that it had somehow ended up in the hands of another patient, a young boy who treasured it so close. And the thankfulness with which the boy’s father wrote to him… He almost felt bad that the whole situation had been caused by a mistake. At the same time, he couldn’t help but notice the absence of the boy’s mother or her name at the end of the letter while both father and son had ‘signed’ it.
Namjoon found him staring at his computer screen, the last of his tears trickling down his cheeks. “Jin, what happened?” he exclaimed in panic, rushing to his lover’s side, almost tripping over his own feet on the way.
Seokjin simply pointed at the screen in reply, encouraging him to read the email, instead of giving him a verbal response.
When he reached the end, his hand flew up to cover his mouth as he realised what had happened. “That’s… That’s the missing teddy,” he said, “The one you were trying to find.”
“What will I do, Joon?” Seokjin collapsed on top of his keyboard, burying his face in his arms, “I can’t possibly ask them to send it back to me, it will break the kid’s heart and his father’s too. They think I’m some wonderful person, but in reality, I just made a stupid mistake and now I can’t get out of this maze that I myself created.”
“Hey, calm down,” the younger man soothed him, rubbing his back, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“I should let him keep it,” his partner said, “But I owe one to Taehyung now and I have others to make. I can’t let his parents wait anymore, what’s more Taehyung himself.”
“Then push the others aside for as long as it takes to make a new one for Taehyung,” Namjoon suggested.
Seokjin looked up at him. Namjoon could practically see all the cogs spinning in his brain as he thought of what to do.
Suddenly, he grabbed his mouse, clicked on the ‘Reply’ option and started writing an email in reply to Min Yoongi’s.
“I’ll ask him which room his son is staying in,” he told Namjoon as he wrote it, “And I’ll arrange to meet him there tomorrow. Bring me my phone. I’ll call Taehyung’s mum and tell her that I’ll bring his tomorrow at the hospital. I’ll pull an all-nighter and make him a new one. No one is being left unsatisfied.”
“Your sleep schedule is,” Namjoon muttered as he handed Seokjin his phone.
“Now is not the time to be funny, Joon,” his boyfriend scolded him, “I’m being absolutely serious.” He clicked ‘Send’ and punched a quick text to Mrs Kim, asking about her son’s room number and if they could meet the next day around noon.
As soon as he was done with that too, he got up and all but ran to his office, pulling out any fabric and materials he had left to make a new bear and getting to work.
Namjoon visited him occasionally to bring him coffee and his glasses when it got late, eventually retiring to their bedroom, but not without a goodnight kiss and their routine bedtime ‘I love you’s.
Seokjin saw the sun rise as he filled the bear with stuffing, heard the hustle and bustle of their neighbours waking up as he stitched in its shiny black eyes, smelled his boyfriend’s morning coffee as he cut the ribbon that he would tie around the teddy’s neck, almost snipping his own finger off by accident out of tiredness.
By the time the cream teddy was sitting in a box on his desk, wrapped in a pretty ribbon, he barely had the strength to kiss Namjoon goodbye before he left for work and calling in sick before collapsing in bed, setting his alarm so he would get four hours of sleep before heading out to meet the others at the hospital.
Although four hours weren’t enough, he didn’t even think about calling the meeting off, getting up and putting on his long, oversized button up that he left unbuttoned over a simple shirt and jeans. The shirt was the one he’d worn for his interview and photoshoot with the magazine all those years ago, one his friends had dubbed the ‘fairy godmother robe’. If he was going to meet these two boys, he would do it so they never forgot the experience. After all, how many kids got to meet their fairy godfather?
Before leaving, he brewed some coffee and hot chocolate, pouring them into three colourful travel cups, coffee for himself and hot chocolate for the boys. He would buy their parents a drink nearby if they wanted one.
The drive to Severance Hospital took him around twenty minutes. He stepped out of his car, carrying the box on which he’s balanced the two cups of hot chocolate, having drunk his coffee on the way, a sip or two whenever he stopped because of a red light or traffic. He checked into the reception not even a minute late. He received some strange looks, but he couldn’t care less.
As he made his way to the boys’ rooms, he started to understand what must have happened. In his hurry, his 5 must have looked an awful lot like a 6, making Taehyung’s room 275 seem like Jungkook’s 276. He couldn’t really blame anything on anyone after all, the innocent mistake had brought someone happiness and that was all he’d ever wanted.
Taehyung’s room was the closest, so he visited there first. He knocked on the door and it was opened by a woman, presumably Taehyung’s mother. “Good day, Seokjin-ssi,” she greeted him with a smile, gesturing him to come inside.
The hospital room was occupied by her, a man who must be her husband, an old lady, probably a grandmother, and young Taehyung himself, sitting up in his hospital bed. The room around him had been decorated with various small trinkets, pictures, cards and flowers that visitors brought him.
Taehyung himself seemed like he would have been a lively child before he was hospitalised, a spark in his eyes that drew Seokjin closer and a warm aura that made him adore the boy without even meeting him properly. His eyes widened when he caught sight of him.
“You’re the Fairy Godfather!” he exclaimed.
“I am,” he replied, “How are you, Taehyung?”
“I’m very well, Godfather-ssi,” the kid answered, “How about you?”
“I’m very well too,” he said, “But you can call me Seokjin or Jin and hyung. We’re friends now.”
“Alright, hyung,” Taehyung’s eyes sparkled even more, his whole face lighting up.
“I brought you something,” Seokjin told him.
“My teddy?” Taehyung asked hopefully.
“Of course,” Seokjin smiled, “And some hot chocolate that I made you.” He handed him both the box and the cup.
Mr. Kim helped him open the box and pull out the teddy bear he’d longed for for so long. As soon as he held it in his hands, he hugged it close to him, only loosening his grip on it to take the cup and sip some of the hot beverage his ‘godfather’ had brought him. He complimented him on how tasty it was.
“Of course it is,” Seokjin said, “It’s magic.” He winked and watched Taehyung sip more while hugging his bear close.
Seokjin learned from Taehyung’s parents that he had Coronary Artery Disease that had become more serious a year ago, when he was ten years old. He’d been in the hospital since then and the doctors were still hoping they could help him recover but had told his parents that they may have to prepare for the worst.
Seokjin’s heart went out to all of them. It certainly wasn’t easy for a young child like Taehyung to handle such a terrifying disease and it mustn’t be easy for his family to see him suffer like this. He noticed that sometimes, when Taehyung thought attention had been away from him, he would hold the bear closer and his smile would drop, making him look like the troubled child he was, a child who wasn’t even sure if he would make it to thirty years old or die at eleven. For the first time he saw for himself how much his small gift of a teddy bear could mean to one who received it.
Taehyung drank about three fourths of the hot chocolate in small sips before handing it back to Seokjin. He guessed it was as much as he could stomach at that moment. He’d tried to make it as liquid as he could so neither he nor Jungkook would have problems drinking it, in case it was too thick.
Taehyung’s parents offered to buy him coffee or lunch, but he refused profusely. They insisted that it was the least they could do to thank him, but he didn’t want to take them away from their son, they should spend as much time with him as they could. “I’m meeting another patient now anyway,” he said, “His room is right next door.”
He quickly told them the story of his horrid morning handwriting that had caused the missing package disaster and how he found out what had happened. They had agreed with him that demanding to get the teddy back would have been heartless and admired his strength to do what he had. “You shouldn’t have gone to such measures for us,” Mr. Kim insisted, “This is beyond anything we and Taehyung would have expected.”
“I didn’t even hesitate,” Seokjin countered, “If I can do something to make a child happy when they need it, I would do anything within my power to make it happen.”
The boy’s parents and grandmother thanked him again while Taehyung seemed too absorbed in his new toy to notice that he was about to leave.
“Taehyung,” his grandmother said, “Hyung is about to leave. Won’t you say goodbye?”
The boy looked up at him. “You’re leaving?” he asked sadly.
“I am afraid I have to,” Seokjin told him, sitting down next to him on the bed, “There’s another little kid like you that I have to visit now. He’s in this hospital too, right next to you. He needs a little friend to make him happy too.”
Taehyung nodded in understanding. “Thank you so much Jin-hyung,” he said sincerely, “I still can’t believe you came here to bring me my teddy. Thank you for making him for me and thank you so much for coming.”
“It’s alright, bud,” Seokjin said and took his hand in his, “You stay strong, okay? No matter what happens.”
Taehyung nodded and Seokjin hugged him. He pretended that he didn’t feel the wetness spreading on his shoulder, where the boy’s face was nuzzled, and truly he didn’t mind it anyway.
He waited until Taehyung was ready to let go before ruffling his hair and wishing everyone in the room another goodbye and taking his leave, stepping out into the hallway. He took the few necessary steps that separated room 275 from room 276 and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” said a voice from inside. He opened the door and stepped inside.
Where Taehyung’s room had appeared cheerful and decorated despite the grief that surrounded it, this one seemed like the opposite. A pale child was lying asleep on the bed hooked up to even more tubes and machines than Taehyung had been, which had appeared to be quite many at first sight. A man was sitting next to the bed, one of the child’s hands in his own, stroking the back of his hand. He didn’t really seem that different from the ill child himself, tired and pale and troubled. The walls were bare, a small bunch of baby’s breath on his bedside table that wasn’t even placed in a vase, but a simple glass filled with water. The only colourful thing in the room was the blue teddy bear that the boy was holding tightly even in his sleep.
Seokjin was afraid that he would bother the father and son, guessing that the boy was the infamous Jungkook and the man was Min Yoongi, his father. He tried not to make too much noise as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him, but even that sound was enough to cause the man to lift his head.
“You must be Kim Seokjin or um… Fairy Godfather?” he tried to find the right way to greet him.
“Seokjin is fine, Mr. Min,” Seokjin replied, hoping he hadn’t been wrong with his assumption.
“Yoongi, please,” Yoongi said and they shook hands.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Seokjin told him.
“Likewise,” the other man nodded, his hold on Seokjin’s hand lingering even after they had greeted one another, “Thank you. Thank you so much for this.”
Seokjin hadn’t been sure if he should confess his mistake to the father or keep it a secret. On one hand, he didn’t want to man to believe something that wasn’t true, and he didn’t want to appear like a perfect human, those didn’t exist. On the other hand, he didn’t want to make both him and his son lose the hope this had given them.
He’d given it some thought while driving to the hospital and had decided to come clean to Yoongi and let him decide what he would tell Jungkook. He was the boy’s father after all and he knew what was best for him better than anyone, especially Seokjin who had never even met him before.
“I um… I would actually like to talk to you about that,” he finally told Yoongi.
The other man looked at him quizzically. Seokjin opened the door so they could go outside for some relative privacy, though in reality he was just worried Jungkook would wake up while they talked and overhear their conversation. Yoongi seemed hesitant to leave his son’s side, but eventually followed him outside.
There, Seokjin told him about everything that had happened, carefully so he wouldn’t confuse him and relay any information incorrectly or leave something important out. By the end of the story, Yoongi was looking at him as if he didn’t know what to say.
“You don’t have to tell Jungkook if you don’t want to,” Seokjin told him, “Do what you think is best for him.”
The other thought about it. “I don’t think I’ll tell him,” he said, “He really saw this as something special and I don’t want him to lose his happiness again now that things are so close to the end.”
Seokjin thought he heard his heart shatter. “He doesn’t have much time?”
Yoongi looked down and shook his head grimly. “The doctors say he’s got a few more months at most,” he said.
The other found himself at a loss of words again. He didn’t know what was appropriate to say. Saying that he was sorry sounded too pessimistic and as if he was pitying Yoongi and he didn’t want the man to think that he was pitying him. But he couldn’t just let it slide either. Yoongi’s son was going to die soon and that wasn’t something that could be taken lightly.
Yoongi seemed to understand his silence. “You don’t have to say anything,” he told him. He kept his gaze down to the floor.
Seokjin held out the cupholder which held the two cups of hot chocolate. “I brought this for Jungkook,” he said, “I mean… If it’s alright.”
“I don’t know,” Yoongi answered, lifting his head, “He hasn’t had much of an appetite recently, so we’ll see how he’ll feel. Still, thank you for the thought.”
“It was the least I could do,” Seokjin insisted, “After everything that happened. I really am sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Yoongi objected, “You gave my son hope. You can’t imagine how wonderful that is. Just ten years old and feeling like the whole world is against you. Even his own mother left him when he was diagnosed three years ago. Said that she didn’t want to see her child die but didn’t seem to think how bad it would be for him to have so little support. He only has me now and I’m afraid that even I am not enough. When your package arrived, he thought it was from his mum at first, but then we saw your card and he was so happy. His whole face lit up. I can’t take this from him.”
Seokjin understood him. He had a feeling that he would do the same. Sometimes it felt like a beautiful lie was better than an ugly truth.
“Can I meet him?” he asked Yoongi.
“I’ll see if he’s feeling like waking up,” the other man said.
They entered the room once more and he walked over to the sleeping boy. He gently placed a hand on his cheek. “Hey, Kook, you wanna open your eyes for a moment?” he whispered sweetly to the child, “Your fairy godfather is here to see you.”
At those words the little one’s eyes opened up slowly and he scanned the room before his eyes landed on Seokjin’s form. They seemed to glow with happiness when they did.
“Hello, Jungkook,” Seokjin introduced himself, stepping closer to him, “I’m Seokjin or Jin, whichever you like. You can call me hyung.”
“H-hello, Jin-hyung,” Jungkook said as he sat up in his bed. Although he appeared to be very sick, it felt like he had some renowned strength.
“How are you, Jungkook?” Seokjin asked, “I see you’ve kept this little guy close.” He gestured to the blue teddy bear the boy was still holding close to him.
Jungkook nodded and smiled. “We’re friends,” he said, “We help each other when we’re sad.”
“That’s lovely to hear,” Seokjin commented, feeling his lips turn upwards into a smile.
“Kookie, what do you say to Seokjin-hyung who sent this to you?” Yoongi prompted, sweetly.
“Thank you very much, hyung,” the boy said.
“It’s no problem, Jungkook-ah,” his ‘godfather’ told him, “I’m just happy that you’re smiling. I brought you some hot chocolate.”
“Do you think you can have it, darling?” Yoongi asked his son.
“Yes,” Jungkook replied, “But could you bring me a straw, please, dad?”
“Don’t you have any more?” Yoongi asked him.
Jungkook shook his head. “I used my last one to drink my juice this morning.”
“Alright, I’ll go get you some,” his father said, “You wait here with hyung, okay?”
Jungkook nodded happily.
Yoongi turned to Seokjin. “If you need a nurse, press this button,” he told him, pointing to a button by Jungkook’s bed. Seokjin nodded in understanding and he left.
Jungkook waited until his father was out the door before turning to Seokjin. “Hyung, can I tell you something?” he asked.
“Of course,” the elder said, “Anything you want. I’m listening.”
“Thank you,” he said, “Not only for your present, but also for helping my dad. He’s been so tired since I got in the hospital, but now he’s happy again. He works so hard since mummy left and is always here to keep me company. We’ve both been so much happier since you sent me my teddy.”
“You’re welcome, Jungkook,” Seokjin said, “Like I said, I am happy that you and your dad are happy. That’s all I want. And I want you to keep hope.”
Jungkook’s face fell and he looked down. “I’m going to die, hyung,” he mumbled, almost inaudibly, clutching the bear tighter to his chest, “What can I hope for?”
“Oh, Jungkook-ah, don’t think like that,” Seokjin said, placing a gentle hand on the child’s shoulder, “There is still so much to hope for. For some good remaining days with your dad, being happy and making him happy. For his happiness when all this is over. There is always hope, sweetheart, don’t ever forget that, okay?”
The little boy nodded and Seokjin approached him, asking if he wanted a hug. Jungkook nodded and nestled himself in the elder’s arms.
They stayed like that until Yoongi returned with a handful of colourful straws in plastic wrappers. “Here you go, love,” he said to Jungkook, “What colour do you want?”
“Blue,” his son replied, “Like my teddy bear.”
Yoongi and Seokjin smiled as his father unwrapped one of the blue straws and inserted it in the hole in the cup’s lid before handing it to him. Jungkook beamed as he took a slow sip. “It’s delicious, hyung!” he said.
“Thank you,” Seokjin told him.
He stayed for a little longer, chatting with both Jungkook and Yoongi. They tried to avoid the topic of Jungkook’s illness to not disturb the boy and spoke of more light-hearted things. Seokjin told them what it was like making the teddy bears for all the little kids and sending them and even encouraged them to meet Taehyung, assuring them that he was a lovely and kind boy who would really appreciate their company. Jungkook drank some of his hot chocolate, but like Taehyung couldn’t finish it. He still seemed like he’d enjoyed it, though.
Jungkook told him about all his favourite music artists, shows he watched on his room’s TV and stories that his father read him. He told him about what they used to do before he was completely bedridden, running around outdoors, taking care of their garden, playing with their neighbour’s puppy who he had named Fudge, even though the dog already had a name, because he thought it suited him better. He told him how much he’d wanted to become a great singer like G-Dragon and IU one day and meet them and perform on stage with them.
After an hour, Jungkook’s lids started drooping, even though he was trying very hard to stay awake. Yoongi noticed it. “Are you sleepy, bun?” he asked softly, reaching out to stroke his cheek.
Jungkook nodded and leaned into the touch. “Go to sleep then,” his father said.
“I won’t keep you any longer,” Seokjin said, thinking that Jungkook really needed his sleep.
Jungkook cracked his eyes open once more. “G’bye, Jinnie- hyung,” he murmured.
Seokjin smiled. “Goodbye, Jungkook-ah,” he said, “Remember, don’t lose your hope.” He softly pulled the boy closer to him and embraced him. After a while he felt him relax and realised that he must have fallen asleep in his arms. He gently laid the boy down, so he was lying in his bed comfortably.
He looked up to Yoongi. “He’s really a wonder,” he told him.
Yoongi smiled sadly. “He is,” he agreed and sighed, “I’m really going to miss him.” He sounded like he was choking on tears. Seokjin thought that maybe he had more than two people to comfort today.
He noticed a notepad and a pen on the nightstand next to Jungkook’s bed, probably for Yoongi or the nurses and doctors to use, and picked it up, scribbling something onto it before handing it to Yoongi. “This is my number,” he told him, “You can call me whenever you want to. You’re a good man, Yoongi, you deserve to be happy just as much as Jungkook does. I know you might not think so, but you’re doing a great job and he loves you so much. Try to make this as easy for him as possible. And don’t hesitate to call me. I would be glad to be your friend and support you when you need someone.”
Yoongi took the paper. “Thank you,” he said, “For everything. You didn’t need to come today, but you did it for Jungkook. That’s already enough for me to trust you. Things have been really hard for us these past few years, with Eunsuh leaving and everything. I started working more to pay for his treatment and all I could ever think of was, ‘What if something happens and I’m not there’. You really brought our hope and happiness back to us and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you.”
“You don’t need to,” Seokjin said, “Just be there for him. You mean the world to him and he wants to be with you as much as possible. That will make me happy and that’s all I need to know.”
The other man nodded. “I’ll let you know when…” he trailed off.
Seokjin understood what he meant. “Thank you,” he said. Although he knew that when those news came they would crush him, he wanted to be with this family until the very end. Yoongi would need some support after this anyway, and he was willing to stand by him as a friend as much as he could.
They said their goodbyes and Seokjin took one last look at the sleeping boy before taking his leave, peeping through Taehyung’s door to find him also sleeping surrounded by his loving family, his teddy held close. He smiled softly before leaving the hospital altogether with two new places in his heart for two little boys.
And no one needed to know that as soon as he got home he collapsed in Namjoon’s arms and cried, because the world had been so cruel to those poor souls, because he had at least been able to provide them with some comfort and that was all he’d ever wanted to do.
No one needed to know that two days later he received a drawing of a cute small creature in the mail, drawn by Kim Taehyung as a thank you message.
No one needed to know that he pinned that on his bulletin board above his desk along with the card Yoongi and Jungkook sent him, so he could remember the two boys.
No one needed to know how often he thought of them while working on other bears.
No one needed to know how much he cried three months later when he received a phone call and all he could hear from the other line were Yoongi’s sobs.