Chapter Text
Dinner at the Jeon family household was always a loud and talkative time, the dining room alive with banter from younger siblings as the eldest and their parents watched with “fond” eyes, only occasionally stepping in to break the two apart when things got rowdy. Jeongguk found amusement in teasing his little sister, Jeongsuk, for every minuscule action just to get a reaction out of her tiny self. They possess a particularly close relationship, their closeness in age (by 1 year) probably a major contributor to it.
Though, compared to his elder brother, Jeonghui, who is older than Jeongguk by 6 years (7 for Jeongsuk), their relationship is based on respect and adoration for the other; the tutor and the learner, the sorcerer and the apprentice. Their ties involve the knowledge of not having to use honorifics, but using them anyway. Jeongsuk doesn’t call Jeongguk ‘oppa’ because they’re never formal with each other. But she does call Jeonghui ‘oppa’ as does Jeongguk when he calls him ‘hyung’. Respect, adoration, and admiration.
Jeonghui is much quieter when the younger ones are around, an overseer of sorts who finds their dynamic delightful. Jeongguk would even call him a third parent, who, if he’s being completely honest with himself, is more than qualified to replace either of their parental guardians. However, he is far too passive with the kids to ever really assert some kind of “parental status”. So it was out of nowhere when he commented about Jeongsuk’s third year of high school with Jeongguk.
“Guk, I hope you’re keeping an eye on her… now that she’s a junior,” he advises.
Jeongsuk groans rolling her eyes dramatically. With her quote unquote “status” at school as the daughter of the all powerful Jeon CEO of Jeon Industries, supervision is the last thing she needs. It’s not intended to sound superficial, it’s just the truth. She’s treated like the heart of the school, the crown jewel on the Queen’s head, and her brothers? Just the same except for one minor detail. They don’t have eyes on the backs of their necks watching her every move just waiting for the day they’ll fuck up and require a knight in shining armour to save the day.
“Are you kidding me? ‘Might as well put a sign on my head saying ‘Jeon’s Little Princess, please don’t touch her’.”
“Oh, you have no idea what the seniors have to say about the lower class-men. I am protecting you,” Jeongguk retaliates on a mouthful of kalbi.
Jeonghui leans over the table with an open hand toward his brother for a high five of approval. “Well done, bud!”
Jeongguk chuckles, nose wrinkling from embarrassment at the praise. Jeongsuk just scoffs.
Typical men, Jeongsuk thinks.
“Well, I don’t need protecting!” She protests.
Jeonghui quirks an eyebrow, twirling his chopsticks in his hands as they scrape the plate beneath them. “And why’s that?”
“Well, I WAS gonna wait a little longer to tell you guys but I guess I’ve cornered myself now-“ Jeongsuk shrugs, relying on the only piece of information that’ll actually have some sort of impact on her brothers no matter how many times she tries to prove herself, “-I have a boyfriend.”
All three men at the table, including their father who was previously absent from the conversation, choke up in sync just as Jeongsuk had anticipated.
“WhAT BOYFRIEND?” They chorus, their deep voices booming.
Jeongsuk looks to their mother with pleading eyes for backup to which she understands immediately.
“That’s wonderful, Jeongsukie!” Mrs. Jeon chimes from the head of the table, making all of the boys’ heads turn with baffled looks.
“Wonderful??” Mr. Jeon questions.
“Who is it??” Jeongguk interrogates from beside his sister, speaking over his father’s concern.
Jeongsuk scoots her chair a few inches away from her brother and his rage-fuelled eyes.
“No one you know,” she explains in a soft voice, gaze shying away from the 3 sets of eyes boring into her frame.
Jeongguk knows everyone, and he does mean everyone , at their school. He’s got their names in his mouth, their lives in his knowledge. If she’s dating anyone, he’ll find them with no moments of hesitation, monitor their every move, hold their social life in the palm of his hand. Dare they cross him or Jeongsuk, should Jeongguk ruin their life to the fullest extent.
“He doesn’t go to our school…” she adds.
“What’s his name?” Jeonghui asks, voice calmer as well as his composure from across the table.
“Kim Taehyung. He’s really smart and sweet,” she assures.
Mr. Jeon looks to the eldest expectantly. “Does that name sound familiar, boy?” He shakes his head no.
Mr. Jeon snaps his fingers authoritatively to grab the attention of both his sons. “I need you two to go meet this…this Taehyung boy,” he demands.
Jeongsuk groans loudly in protest, frustration overtaking her expression. “This is so stupid,” she grumbles, her face in her hands.
“By the end of next week, I want both of you to have met him. Understood?” Mr. Jeon orders.
“Isn’t that a bit much, appa?” The eldest objects. “It’s not like it’s a long term relationship, I’m assuming.”
“Appa, I’ll meet him. Just me. So it’s not too weird,” Jeongguk suggests.
Jeongsuk scoffs at her brother’s suggestion. “Hah! What are you , of all people, gonna say to him?” She taunts.
“Are you questioning my ability to be intimidating?” Jeongguk defends. “If he’s anything like you, I’m sure I can handle him.”
“What am I like?”
“A brat!” He concludes.
Mr. Jeon hums satisfactorily at Jeongguk’s initiative. “Alright, then. Gukah, you’ll meet him. Alone.“ Jeongsuk makes a sound in protest but her father silences her, “Jeongsukah, give your brother Taemin’s information so they can schedule a conference.”
“It’s Taehyung ,” she corrects.
“A ‘conference’?” Mrs. Jeon teases her husband’s old fashioned formalities. “Hun, you know they’re just kids still, right?”
He shakes his head in disagreement. “Our daughter is a woman now. Only a man is worthy to date a woman-“ he turns his attention to Jeongguk, “-right?”
“Yes, appa. I’ll make sure he’s mature enough,” he assures, making his father smile with pride.
Jeonghui shakes his head, remaining quiet for the rest of dinner. Jeongsuk doesn’t finish her plate and excuses herself early to do homework, though it’s obviously because of her father’s blatant misogynistic mindset and her brother’s minion-like obedience to it.
Later that night after dinner had finished and Jeongguk had washed up the plates, he came to visit Jeongsuk’s room. He knew she was frustrated but she wouldn’t voice it directly. He just wants to help her.
He knocks softly on the door and waits until a soft yet irritated ‘what?’ is heard from behind it. He pokes his through the slightly open door and saw his sister preoccupied typing rapidly on her laptop.
“Hey,” he starts, “you know I’m just trying to help, right?”
Jeongsuk purses her lips in a mock smile, nose flaring with disgust. “Help who? Me or dad?” She sasses.
Jeongguk emerges fully into her room and shuts the door behind him before going to sit at the foot of her bed opposite to her position at the headboard.
“He’s controlling, I get that. I don’t agree with everything he says either. I’m sorry if I came off that way,” he apologizes genuinely.
“Yea… and you only want what’s best for me, right?” She dismisses.
“Well, yeah. Suk, I promise I won’t say anything to scare the guy off.”
Jeongsuk shuts her laptop with a loud slam and leans forward with unnerving intention. It’s pretty obvious that what Jeongguk wants is the approval of their hell-spawn of a father. He always does, and as much as Jeongguk says he hates him for his “methods” of parenting, he can’t help but to comply to his beck and call. Why? Because that’s his fucking father. She thinks maybe there’s more to his blind compliance, but he’d never tell her. So Jeongsuk, being her mother’s daughter, she takes her brother’s word that maybe he does care about Jeongsuk’s well-being.
“Then you’ll promise, no matter what happens when you meet him, you will tell dad ‘he’s a good guy, he is nothing to worry about, he’s a good man for Jeongsuk.’ Promise?” She insists.
Jeongguk sighs, scratching the back of his neck hesitantly before ultimately giving in. Sure, he’s his father’s little minion but he’s not a monster. Who is he to say no to his little sister?
“Alright fine,” he nodded.
Jeongsuk sticks out her pinky to him. “Promise?”
Jeongguk interlocks his pinky with hers. “I promise.”
Jeongsuk does everything she can to prolong this unnecessary meetup between her brother and her boyfriend. When Jeongguk would ask for his phone number, she’d leave to go grab her phone and never come back until hours later when they’ve all forgotten. She had hoped by the end of the deadline that her father had put on them, they’d all forget about the ordeal by now. She hoped.
She was minding her business, locked away in her room when she heard a deafening yell coming from the living room that could only belong to one person.
“JEONGSUK-SSIIIII.”
Jeongsuk emerges from her room before screaming from the top of the staircase to respond. “WHAAAT???”
“GIVE ME THAT BOY’S PHONE NUMBER!!”
“UUURRHHGG!!”
Jeongsuk stomps in every step as she descends the staircase to find Jeongguk lounging on his ass on the recliner. As Jeongsuk approaches her brother, a door clicking open is heard from upstairs.
“SHUT UP!” Jeonghui shouts from his room before slamming his door shut. It’s a wonder how their parents deal with them.
The youngest siblings turn to each other, Jeongguk holding his hand out toward Jeongsuk expectantly.
“What?” His sister questions.
“Wh're is the phoneth numb'r?”
Jeongsuk rolls her eyes pulling out her phone from her pocket with a grunt.
“You know what, I’ll just call him,” she compromises dialling his number & putting the phone to her ear.
The elder shakes his head disapprovingly. “Put it on speaker. But don’t tell him it’s on speaker.”
Jeongguk swears he could almost hear her growl with a passionate resentment. She complies though, begrudgingly removing her cell from her ear and in between the both of them, now on speaker so they can hear the incessant ringing.
“Don’t say anything,” she orders her brother.
The phone rings a few more times before there’s an answer, a low voice emitting from the speaker.
“Hey, Suk, what’s up?” Says the deep voice that has goosebumps crawling up Jeongguk’s arms. Why is his voice so deep??
“Hey, so,” Jeongsuk starts, her voice much smoother, almost honey-like, in stark contrast to how she speaks to her brothers, “this is gonna sound weird but, uhm… my stupid brother wants to meet you.”
Almost immediately, Jeongsuk smacks her hand overtop her brother’s mouth to keep him from protesting.
A soft giggle comes from the speaker, making Jeongsuk smile slightly and it has Jeongguk’s once menacing expression softened.
“That’s not weird, bub. When does he wanna meet?”
The way he speaks is exceedingly more mature than Jeongguk expected for someone his age.
“Is tomorrow okay for you?”
“Yea sure. How’s 4pm?”
Jeongguk nods against his sister’s hand.
“Yea, okay. But, uhm, I won’t be going with you guys. Just to let you know.”
“That’s fine. You know me, I’m a big boy,” he jokes making Jeongsuk bite her lip, suppressing a smile.
Gross, Jeongguk mentally comments to himself at how smitten his sister is.
“I’ll text you the address. Does he like coffee? I think I’ll buy him a coffee,” Taehyung offers.
“I think he’ll appreciate that,” Jeongsuk confirms seeing her brother’s eyes widen with delight.
“Alright cool! I can’t wait to meet him!”
“And I can’t wait for you two to meet!” Jeongsuk chimes through gritted teeth because truthfully she’s cursing this whole interaction.
“I gotta get going now. I’ll talk later. Bye, bub.”
“Bye,” she bids gently before hanging up.
Jeongguk chucks his sister’s hand from off his mouth when the call is over.
“Are you happy now?” Jeongsuk sasses.
“Extremely,” he asserted spiritlessly, crossing his arms to slump down further into the recliner.
As Jeongsuk retreats back to her room, midway up the stairs, Jeongguk scolds her in advance.
“You better tell me the address, you prick!”
“Yeah, yeah! Whatever,” she dismisses him with a wave of her hand before she’s finally alone in her room, peace and quiet at last.
The day of the meeting comes and, just as expected, Jeongsuk has curved her way out of Jeongguk’s every request for the goddamn address. It was on Jeongguk’s free period when he made an unexpected yet welcomed (by the teacher) visit to his sister’s math class. He knocks on the door, relieved to not have interrupted a lesson, a devilish smile on his face. Jeongsuk’s teacher recognizes him immediately, a gleeful grin spreading across his face.
“Good afternoon, sir! How are you?” Jeongguk asks awfully casual.
In the front row, he sees Jeongsuk’s head snap up at the sound of his voice, eyes glaring as soon as they land on the boy. Though, his sister is not the only one attentive to him, the entire class turning to look at the confident boy in the doorway, the very famous Jeon Jeongguk, starboy son of the Jeon CEO of Jeon Industries, Prince charming himself gracing them with his presence. The classroom’s stunned air brimming of rumpus whispers.
“Jeongguk! I’m good, how are you? What are you up to?” The teacher responds heartily, voice airy with laughter.
Jeongguk shrugs, loving the attention he gets from the class. “You know my little sis up there in the front?” He points, making Jeongsuk’s eyes widen with anger.
“Has she been keeping up with her work? She’s a troublemaker, y’know.”
Jeongsuk scoffs loudly causing the whole row behind her to throw her judgemental looks.
“The youngest is always the most mischievous,” the teacher agrees as a light-hearted joke.
“That’s why I’m here! She’s causing trouble. You don’t mind if I have a talk with her outside, right?”
“Go ahead. Jeongsuk, I’ll remember this the next time you miss class,” he teases.
Jeongsuk laughs awkwardly, an apathetic “haha”, before marching over to her brother, shoving him out the door. She shuts the door behind them in the hallway before turning to her brother with a deathly stare, arms crossed over her chest, not at all pleased with the smug look on Jeongguk’s face.
“You’re so annoying,” she snaps.
“Ouch,” Jeongguk responds in mock offence.
“What do you want?”
“I would love it if you gave me the address your boyfriend would want to meet me at. Pretty please with a cherry on top, Sukkie?” His voice climbs an octave dramatically, swaying from side to side.
“You couldn’t have just texted me?”
“I did, you brat!”
“Jesus Christ! Here!” Jeongsuk whips out her phone from her pocket, opening the text conversation between her and Taehyung before handing it to her brother.
Jeongguk takes it gladly, sending the address to himself with a depleted sigh.
His gaze lingers a little longer on the screen when suddenly he’s scrolling further up into the conversation, alarmed when he sees the words “babe” and “love” being thrown around chaotically.
“Hey!” Jeongsuk makes a panicked sound before snatching her phone back.
“How long have you been together?” Jeongguk asks with genuine curiosity, voice laced with mild concern.
Jeongsuk tucks her phone away into her back pocket. “A month. I gotta go,” she states quickly before disappearing into her classroom.
Last period soon comes to an end. Jeongguk drops off his sister and her friends at the mall before he’s off to meet the supposed boyfriend, following the address almost an hour across town to a coffee shop close the residences of local college students. Jeongsuk had told him Taehyung would be waiting for him at the table by the window, but all he saw were empty seats. Granted, he had arrived a couple minutes early. He makes his way inside the establishment, examining the environment. The area seems to be commonly littered with college students thereby filling the shop with studying millennials, MacBooks open, earbuds in, and a coffee by their side, the occasional muffin laying on tiny plates. The sight makes the boy a bit anxious, feeling small like a lost child at the grocery store.
He takes a seat right by the window, watching the busy streets move on its own in a blur. Everything is moving quickly, everyone is sure of themselves, and no one is paying any attention to the high school student far from his comfort zone. Just an hour ago he was on top, the eldest of the school, the senior with daddy’s money in his pocket. Everyone looked up to him and the rest of his class, they were intimidated by him, charmed by him, smitten by him. Until now, Jeongguk was on the top of the food chain.
His thoughts run wild before a deep voice from behind him brings him back to reality.
“Excuse me?” The voice speaks with tenderness.
Jeongguk turns his head finding a tall figure in slimming black jeans and a fitted leather jacket hugging his broad shoulders. Two cups of coffee have his hands occupied.
“Y-yes?” Jeongguk stammers, voice cracking with comical timing.
The other boy laughs, a distinct sound that Jeongguk thinks he’s heard somewhere before.
“Are you waiting for someone?”
Jeongguk nods rapidly, eyes never wavering from the boy’s poised expression.
“I’m guessing you’re Jeongsuk’s brother?”
Jeongguk swallows harshly, nodding once more, speechless, looking up at the boy with wide innocent eyes, lips falling into a slight pout.
The other places his drinks on the table in front of him, pushing one to the baffled boy sitting down.
“I bought you a coffee. Jeongsuk told me your order,” he explains before sitting down in the seat across from Jeongguk. “I hope you don’t mind.”
Jeongguk inhales sharply before putting all the pieces together, coming to an obvious realization.
“Are you Taehyung?” He blurts.
The other smiles shyly, taking a second to ruffle his dirty blond hair. “Yes, that’s me,” he chuckles.
“Oh…”
“Yea… and you’re Jeongguk, right?”
“Yeah,” he replies briefly.
Taehyung nods. “It’s nice to meet you, Jeongguk.”
“You too…”
There’s a beat of silence between the two as Taehyung takes an awkward sip from his coffee, Jeongguk’s left untouched, wordlessly boring holes into Taehyung’s figure.
“So, uh… how was the drive here? I hope it wasn’t too much out of your way,” says the other trying to initiate a conversation.
Jeongguk shakes his head, his soft head of hair bouncing merrily. “It was fine.”
Jeongguk curses himself for having such curt responses.
“That’s good… how’s school?”
Jeongguk feels like he’s talking to his distant relatives after years never seeing each other.
“It’s good! It’s good…” he nods finally taking a sip of his coffee, staring down at the textures of the wooden table in front of him.
“How’s the coffee? Did I get the order right?” Taehyung asks, voice sweet like organic honey right off the comb.
Jeongguk hums, observing the taste considerably. It’s a caramel macchiato. “It’s good. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Taehyung chimes, a satisfied smile plastered across his face.
The sound of a text message erupts from Taehyung’s jacket pocket.
“Sorry, just a second,” he frets softly, pulling out his phone to respond.
Jeongguk takes the opportunity to fully examine the boy’s appearance. He can tell Taehyung’s taller than him from earlier. His facial features are sharper than Jeongguk’s own, hair parted in the middle revealing his forehead along with his bold & bushy eyebrows. The way he carries himself is very self-reliant, self-assured, mature, just as Jeongguk had hoped. But… not to this extent.
The second Taehyung puts his phone down, Jeongguk spouts out a burning question.
“How old are you?” He utters, the question sounding more intrusive than he expected.
“Um, I turn 19 in December,” the elder huffs out nervously.
Jeongguk’s jaw goes slack, hung open in silence.
“And you’re 17, correct?” The elder inquires trying to ignore Jeongguk’s peculiar looks.
“Where do you go to school?” He asks, ignoring the elder’s question.
“Woodside U.”
‘U’? ‘U’ as in university, he concludes to himself. Jeongguk slumps back in his seat with an exasperated exhale.
“You’re dating my sister…” the younger murmurs.
“Yep.”
Jeongguk furrows his eyebrows, suddenly overcome with impatience.
“No,” chides the younger.
“No?”
“No, she’s 16. Are you kidding me?”
“What’s the problem?”
“I mean she’s still a kid!”
“Maybe to you.”
“To everyone!”
Taehyung rolls his eyes.
“That’s a three year age difference, you-“
“So? You and I are only two years apart. What’s the difference between another year?”
“The difference is that you’re not dating me. You’re dating her! Th-that’s… weird!” He sputters, tripping over his own anger.
Taehyung pauses to recollect his composure, something Jeongguk still needs to work on, before retaliating.
“I see what you’re saying, Jeonggukah. Though I don’t totally agree with you, I’ll respect your opinion. You are the brother of my girlfriend, after all,” he asserted.
“Is there any other reason you see me as a bad fit for your sister?”
Jeongguk quirks an eyebrow, searching for any other flaws the elder could have possibly shown in the past 15 minutes. He really can’t find any.
“You- I don’t need anymore reasons! Stay away from my sister!”
He would’ve sounded a little more assertive if it weren’t for his obnoxious voice crack in the middle of his sentence, blush creeping up his neck in embarrassment.
“Well, I’m glad we got this out of the way,” Taehyung snuffs, sipping on his coffee.
“I’m sure you are,” Jeongguk remarks standing up from his seat, leaving his gifted coffee on the table to go wasted before marching off outside without another word.
He drives off, hands gripping the wheel aggressively, knuckles turning white. He has his phone on speaker, ringing up his sister but to no avail, there’s no answer which has him zooming down the highway fuming.
She is getting a firm talking to when he gets home.
No one except Jeongsuk is home when Jeongguk comes back which is for the best. He crashes through the front door, heart beating slow but harshly pounding in his diaphragm with mortification. He finds Jeongsuk in the kitchen playing music from her phone fixing herself a cup of ramen.
“Jeongsuk!” Jeongguk screams, disrupting his sister’s calming atmosphere.
She jumps at the roughness in his voice, dropping her chopsticks in the hot boiling water of her ramen. She tuts in frustration before meeting her brother’s eyes both looking evidently irritated.
“What the hell is wrong with you??” She hisses, hesitantly dipping her fingers in and out of the hot water to retrieve her utensils.
“Me? You think I’d just let it slide that you’re dating a guy who’s 19??” He marches to the island counter on the opposite side of Jeongsuk.
“He’s still 18, first of all. And yes, I don’t understand what the big deal is?” She explains, completely discarding the topic like nothing as she continues to stir up her noodles.
“What? Jeongsuk-“ he takes the styrofoam cup from her hands out of her reach, “-do you not understand that you’re a minor and he’s not? That you’re only 16 and he’s an adult?”
Jeongsuk makes a move to reach out for her food but Jeongguk moves away. “Oh please! It’s only a 3 year age difference,” she defends. “Give it-“
“Only??”
“Yes ‘Only!’ Mom and dad are 8 years apart! This is nothing!”
Jeongguk’s face morphs into something akin to disgust, eyebrows creasing harshly.
“Suk, that was a different time! Expectations were different. This right here is sooo different,” he urges.
Jeongsuk slaps the counter, leaning forward to face her brother challengingly.
“How is this different?” She dares to ask, eyes narrowing.
Jeongguk returns her posture, both staring each other down. “Because...! It just is!”
“Bullshit!” She protests.
Jeongguk hands back her ramen, backing away from the counter. “I’m telling dad,” he declares.
Jeongsuk is suddenly overwhelmed with panic, rushing to the other side of the counter after her brother, her ramen completely forgotten about.
“No!” She grasps onto Jeongguk’s arm, “Jeongguk, you promised,” she pleads.
Jeongguk stares down at his sister baffled. “You can’t be serious?”
The younger’s face flares up with duress. “You promised me, Guk. You said you’d tell him that Taehyung is good for me.”
Jeongguk rolls his eyes. “You’re funny. As if I would do that after I’ve met that douchebag. He’s no good for you. You’re gonna get hurt.”
“He’s not like that!” Jeongsuk whines, tugging on his arm like a kid begging for candy. “If you think he’s using me for sex, you’re wrong!”
“Jesus Christ, Jeongsuk, I don’t wanna hear about that–“
“I told him he can’t have me like that! And he understood! He won’t do anything.”
“That’s not good enough.” Jeongguk peels away from his sister’s hold.
“Jeongguk, you promised!” She begs, voice tragically strained.
Jeongguk stares at his sister, realization setting in and nausea bubbling in his stomach.
“You really like him that much?” He inquires.
She nods fervently, eyes wide and puppy-like. “Yes and he likes me too.”
“There are other guys out there. You don’t have to settle for this one guy.”
“I don’t give a fuck for other guys.” She crosses her arms.
Jeongguk grunts, mentally urging himself to say no, hands coming up to pull at the strands of his hair insanely. He doesn’t want to disappoint his dad. But this is his sister. His sister.
“Jeongguk, please don’t tell dad. You promised.”
He buries his face in his hands, groaning. A moment passes before he finally gives in. “Fine!”
He looks back up to see his sister smiling ear to ear, cheeks flushed a bright red.
“On one condition!” He interjects, “I have to supervise every date you go on to make sure nothing, and I mean NOTHING, happens. If he lays a finger on you, I swear to Go–“
“Okay! Okay… fine.”
“No hugging, no kissing, no hand holding, absolutely nothing. Got it?”
“Fine, whatever–“
“And if I ever find out you two made plans without telling me, I WILL tell dad. Understood?”
Jeongsuk makes a face, groaning in annoyance. “Are you done? I get it, Guk. You don’t have to pull out the dad-itude.”
Jeongguk nods affirmatively. “Good,” he huffs, dismissing her comment.
Jeongsuk nods cautiously before going back to her forgotten cup of ramen that’s bound have gotten cold by now.
Before the elder can leave, Jeongsuk requests one last thing. “Jeongguk? This stays just between us, okay? Don’t tell Jeonghui. Please?”
Jeongguk hums, “Alright.”
Luckily, she doesn’t ask him to make a promise on his word. His gut is telling him this is wrong; there’s so much wrong with this. For now he’ll stay true to his word heavily banking on the possibility the two will break up sometime soon because of the restrictions he put on them.
Dinner that night was feeling like the longest meal Jeongguk has ever experienced. The first thing to come up in conversation as soon as the boy sits down is his meeting with Taehyung.
“What’s your report, son?” Mr Jeon asks, stuffing a piece of lettuce into his mouth.
Jeongguk nibbles on his bottom lip, scraping his chopsticks against the ceramic plate in front of him. He doesn’t like lying to his dad even if he is a temper-mental asshole.
“It was good, appa,” he says plainly, feeling Jeongsuk’s eyes glaring daggers into the side of his face.
Mr Jeon watches his son expectantly. “That’s it? Well, ‘good’ isn’t enough for me so if you want Jeongsuk to keep her boyfriend you better be telling me the truth,” the man threatens as if reading Jeongguk’s mind.
Jeongguk gulps nervously, training his gaze on the hotpot in the centre of the table in hopes no one else will sense his anxiety.
“Taehyung is… a good man,” he starts, suddenly feeling a punch to his middle when he realizes how literal his words are.
“Yes, and?”
“He’s… mature just like you wanted and polite too.” Jeongguk rationalizes to himself that he’s not technically lying.
“That’s a start,” his father comments impatiently.
“He… uhm…” Jeongguk feels an encouraging elbow nudge him at his side, “He’s a good man for Jeongsuk.”
“He’s… quite… charming,” Jeongguk thinks back to the boy buying him a coffee, “and generous too… I think you’d like him, appa.”
The boy can taste something vile on the back of his tongue, guilt running down his spine and hollowing out his chest.
“Really?” The man questions.
Jeongguk nods rapidly, forcing himself to stuff his mouth full of food, stopping himself from saying more things he’ll eventually regret.
“He sounds like the dream boy, doesn’t he?” His mother chimes, throwing her daughter a comforting smile.
“I suppose…” the man agrees warily. “Jeongguk, I trust your word dearly. Taehyung is a good man for Jeongsuk?”
Jeongguk holds his breath, finally finding the courage to look his father in the eye. “Yes,” he breathes out with confidence even though his conscience is scolding him.
And that’s enough for Mr Jeon to let the topic go for the rest of the meal. The table moves on with ease into the next conversation but Jeongguk is still lost in his guilt. He barely pays attention and when asked about it, he blames it on the stress of school.
Somewhere in the back of his mind is blissful ignorance telling him that maybe Jeongsuk’s relationship with Taehyung isn’t that bad. Three years apart doesn’t sound like much when one person is 30 and the other is 33. It’s a maturity thing & both have proven themselves mature. After all, what’s the difference of having friends 3 years older than you or a significant other who’s 3 years older. Jeongguk has tons of friends who are at most 5 years older than him and no one seems to frown upon that. But that’s all in the back of his mind, locked away and repressed from resurfacing. For now, his point still stands. This is wrong.