Chapter Text
“Is it serious?”
“Jungkook did something, they didn’t give me any other specifics… I’m so sorry Hyung.”
“Nono, it’s alright, we can reschedule to another time. Talk later when you can. Just go pick up Jungkookie for now okay?”
A sigh. “Alrighty then. Talk to you soon, Jin-Hyung.”
“You too Hoseok.”
Hoseok slumps over his seat. Jungkook in trouble? He’s more of the quiet one to end trouble, not be part of the trouble. He loves dance, Hoseok’s glad he carried that from him. It’s so confusing without context, especially when it’s only the end of the 2nd week in the dance school program.
What could he have done that the program had to call the parent or guardian?
Theater doesn’t begin in over an hour. But still, the students planned to go over choreography rehearsals today before starting dress rehearsals. If he doesn’t come back in time, he’ll have to call over a substitute for him (which he doesn’t want to do too much).
Or slightly worse; he’ll have to bring Jungkook in. The last time he was in the theater, he kept getting away somehow, playing hide and seek, being fascinated by all the equipment and cameras. He feels bad to think Jungkook would be a distraction, but this isn’t the time for the students to be distracted when the public shows are a whole 10 days away.
The auditorium was quiet, only 2 or 3 students walking around in preparations. Though during classes, it’s the entire opposite; the auditorium would be busier and more packed. The before and after hours are really underwhelming for Hoseok to stand through by himself. Ever more so when it’s just him and him correcting scripts and papers and choreography only.
He sighs. He stretches. And he sighs again as he gets up after a while, glancing at his papers to tuck the page number memory. He quickly picks up his phone left on the side of his desk. He picks off his green “Lucky Me I See Ghosts” hoodie - forgetting that he might sweat at the end of this - and exits out as he sends a text message.
Jungkookie got in trouble in the middle of his dance program
they didn’t tell me why or what tho
don’t know if I’ll be back in time or not at all
Channie
oh noo
go right ahead, I got this covered ;)
thank you Channie :3
americanos are on me tomorrow
Channie
yay !!
I’ll tell Katie for you dww
and don’t be too hard on him alright ><
Hoseok sighs as he checks out of the building.
fingers crossed that nobody’s hurt or injured
Namjoon feels a bit out of place in the building. He shouldn’t be so surprised though.
Little kids were toddling back to class, wearing new casual t-shirts - few are sweating due to early Californian heat - with baggy pants or joggers.
In contrast, his dark brunette hair is still wet from the shower he took before coming, especially the choppy bangs that are close to his eyes. He had plans on working out more, but that’s probably not gonna happen soon with the situation he was told of. He threw on some muted, beige color layers from dryer and dashed out the door while his mother yelled out, “Make sure my baby is okay!”
Not his ideal afternoon, but, oh well. Having a child gives the most unpredictable events for the future he clearly didn’t think of. But still, he wouldn’t trade his boy for anything in the world.
“Namjoon Kim?” a tall, blonde girl in pink and white - Caroline was her name - one of the teachers he met in May for program signups. She has a worried tone that reciprocates to Namjoon’s face.
“Taehyung?”
“Taehyung… is okay, but also not?”
But? “What do you mean ‘but also not?”
“Come in, we need to wait for the other guardians to discuss this minor accident.”
“Define minor?” it takes every part of Namjoon to not run down the hallway to find Taehyung. And what does she mean by other guardians? It takes another part of him to not ask more questions right now.
Caroline leads him to an unfamiliar part of the building. ‘Faculty Lounge’ a sign says. There isn’t a pleasant feeling in Namjoon at all.
“Here, I’m gonna go get Lyria from down the hallway. This is her studio.” She calmly opens a door, simple with a window covered by curtains. A name embedded on a vertical, wooden board hung by a string. Miss Lyria. It gives a fairy-like aura while entering it. If Namjoon was here for something else, he would notice it better.
But it doesn’t feel like entering a fairy’s home for long, with sparkles or sunshine… he hears sniffling.
“Taehyung?”
A head with curly dark hair snaps up, eyes wet and a little red.
“APPA!!” he immediately yells and jumps from his seat and into his legs.
“Oh baby,” Namjoon breaks to his knees, “Are you okay?” He was not expecting a full on breakdown.
“No~” Taehyung rubs his eyes. “Jungoo and Mini not okay.”
“Jung… who?” Namjoon asks as he wipes his son’s face. Taehyung turns and Namjoon sees a child who looks up at him wide eyed, like a deer caught in headlights. He’s just filled with perplexed fear, curled up on a chair, leaning onto his Mickey Mouse backpack on his. He also rubs his eyes with his arm and shakes them right after.
How did this happen?
He hears Taehyung sniffle again.
“Tae, baby, it’s okay, I’m not mad alright.”
“But it was Taetae’s fault too.”
“Oh?”
“I hurt Jungoo and Mini.”
A shudder and his heart shatters. God, Taehyung is so honest, it hurts.
“It’s okay, Taetae, Appa still loves you. Let’s wait for the other parents to arrive so we can talk about it okay?”
Taehyung clings harder to Namjoon, head tucked into his chest with a shake. It was probably a nodding okay.
“I will ask Nini to make you a strawberry shake when we go, okay?” He feels another head shake into his chest. Namjoon tries to not push anything further even with the sinking feeling of whatever might have happened.
Was there a fight? Bullying? An accident?
Namjoon was about to reach his limit when someone else called out a name.
“Jimin? Jimin!”
A petite man, definitely shorter than Namjoon, quickly walks in. He’s wearing a red-orange flannel and jeans and a big blue beanie that strikes out. Despite not getting a clear look at his face, his body language is filled with worry and parent’s desperation for their child. The man doesn’t notice Namjoon nor does he register ‘Jungoo’ staring at him in the corner when he goes into the nurse’s office.
That’s probably where the other child is… Namjoon’s shoulders drop again.
The door opens again, but it was just Caroline now with Taehyung’s teacher, Miss Lyria. She’s a dark haired lady, the same height as Caroline. The only contrast is the darker clothing than Caroline’s light peach and pink clothing.
Jungoo gets up from his seat from seeing them and speaks up.
“Baba?”
Lyria hears him, quickly coming down eye-level to him. “He’ll be here soon baby, it’s okay.”
“Baba!”
“Shh, it’s okay~” Caroline tries to help, but the boy persists with a worried face.
“Baba! Baba!” he jabbers some noises in between and after. Baba was the only coherent word as Papa.
He’s now mumbling noises, to himself now. Caroline and Lyria are discussing something quietly Namjoon couldn’t understand. The room becomes quiet now, it’s only the chattering, the boy’s little noises, and the printer in the back of the room.
Then the door swings open, revealing another man with pretty dark locks.
“Hey, Jungkookie!”
Namjoon blinks twice, at the man with a “Lucky Me I See Ghosts” hoodie. First of all; to hell with that jawline. And second; because he’s sure this man is Korean, probably from the Jeolla accent he hears in his English. And of course the name he heard “Jungkook” is Korean.
Huh, the other man in the nurse’s office could be Korean as well… how coincidental could this possibly get…
The man picks up the boy who repeats, “Baba baba!” to him, and his father gives him the most reassuring smile there is.
“Alright I think that’s everybody,” Lyria heaves a breath. “Lets just hope nobody goes home crying again please.”
Hoseok actually thinks he is being set up here. Mind boggling enough with the results; a boy in the nurse room with his father and another boy who was probably crying. Or he could be dreaming.
Mostly because. They’re pretty hot. Like… Holy Fuck intimidatingly hot.
Hoseok tries to shake off his attraction for the sake of his purpose here; his son. He has waited 20 minutes for an explanation from call to arrival. He’s got his priorities written down and relationships are not exactly at the top of his list as of now.
They’re all sitting in Lyria’s studio. It seems obvious Hoseok’s never been here. Even with the dark undertones, Lyria’s studio is cozy. It has a black sofa, a bit bigger than his loveseat at home, two beanbags and a chair. The walls are decorated like a scrapbook in children drawings and awards and certificates. It’s something like those fantasy libraries in movies or films.
Jungkook jabs himself into Hoseok, snuggling him, looking to find more comfort in his Baba’s arms. Hoseok clutches him into his green ghost hoodie as Lyria starts to speak.
“As you’ve all been called, something has happened earlier today that needs to be clearly discussed about,” she speaks quite eloquently like the professors during lectures in his university. “Frankly, we don’t know what really happened yet, but we figure it couldn’t possibly be fighting or bullying.”
“Especially since Taehyung and Jimin here have shown a friendly companionship since the beginning of the program,” Caroline gestures to the other two kids respectively. Taehyung was on the loveseat with his father. Jimin’s father holds him by his lap on the chair. Hoseok and Jungkook were on the beanbag.
“Yoongi Min and Jimin have been with us for two years, this year being his third. He’s only made a few slips here and there but this one has been uhm… an accident that didn’t involve dancing at all.”
Lyria sighs as she looks at the parents’ confused and crossed eyes. She looks toward Caroline to keep going.
“Jimin? Could you please tell us what happened during lunch today?” Caroline softly asks him, hoping to not make him scared to tell.
“Uhm,” Jimin’s lips start to mumble. Yoongi reaffirms him with a touch on the shoulders. His shaking stops at least, his anxiety melts away a little bit.
“It was lunch time and we were just eating,” he starts explaining properly. “I was sitting with Kookie and Taetae. Taetae and I… were sharing our lunches, but he wanted to give my dumpling back. But I said no! You have it!”
“Dumpling was Mini’s!” Taehyung complains pointing to Jimin who pouts at him.
Hoseok gets confused again. He’s here because of dumplings? “And how did Jungkookie get into this?”
“I don’t know,” Jimin shrugs to Hoseok. “He got up and kept saying ‘don’t fight! don’t fight! don’t fight!’ at us. It surprised me and then I… fell down.”
“Fell. Down??” His father tries to stay calm at the new information.
“Over the chair backwards,” Jimin pouts his reply to everyone, especially to his dad, “I’m sorry.” His head ducks away from eye contact, ashamed for his clumsiness.
“It’s okay love, you’re okay. You didn’t break anything.” his father says, voice deep and raspy but there’s a quiet comfort in them.
“I thought they were fighting about something,” Caroline sighs, “because it was Jungkook’s yelling that caught my attention. And the next thing I saw, Jimin fell over backwards in his chair and then both of them just started crying.”
“Jungkook here didn’t cry as much, but he was quite shaken up by it, especially seeing Jimin fall over right in front of him,” Lyria explains further. “This program’s goal is to bring young and inspired dancers together, kids who have a hard time connecting with others or just need a place to feel comfortable in. We were prepared for a little tripping and some slipping, but… not a mishap caused by food-sharing.”
“We apologize for the sudden inconvenience of this accident, but we don’t take accidents lightly here, especially with kids.”
“No need, Caroline,” Yoongi tells her and Lyria. “Thank you for immediately calling.”
“I suggest taking the weekend off for them, including Friday tomorrow,” Lyria then looks at Caroline, “and in the meantime, reinforce the no sharing food policy during lunch time. And anytime before and after.”
Everyone nods in agreement, even the kids do quietly.
“We have to get back to classes now,” Caroline rubs her face with both her hands, “the three of them are free to be dismissed early now.”
“Thank you again,” Yoongi head tilts like a bow, perhaps a native habit.
Jungkook’s father also says thank you, picking Taehyung up into his arms to carry him.
And Hoseok looks over to Jungkook who still has wide eyes. His arms open onto his Bapa’s arms.
He sighs, but tries to smile. Jungkook was just trying to get the other kids to stop fighting. He was half right; his son did try to end the trouble, but it only backfired from there unfortunately. Hoseok picks Jungkook up into his right arm, picking up his Mickey Mouse backpack on the left.
He’s the last one out before Yoongi Min, and the other man - who seems like 6 feet - is in front of the three olders. None of them or the kids talk when going to the exit of the building.
The awkward silence is just… so damn awkward in the open space in front of the building. It’s weird… and just exceedingly strange and funny. Hoseok’s sort of dizzy from the mix of adjectives in his head now goddamn-
“Meow.”
The most random cat noise breaks the silence. Jungkook heard it too, looking at Hoseok like he grew three heads.
Hoseok notices the tall brunette looks around perfectly confused. Then he notices Yoongi Min rubbing his face with a groan.
Jimin frowns at him, “You said you would change it a long time ago!”
His father drops his shoulders, “Yeah... and I forgot, good on me.” He shakes his head, picking up his phone. “Don’t ask questions, my roommate gave me that ringtone.”
Hoseok laughs with a squeaking sound. He’s kind of grateful that a meow ringtone broke the awkwardness.
“Speak of the devil,” Yoongi huffs, “It’s my roommate.”
Jimin slowly slips down from his father’s hold, trying to get down. He’s not as hurt it seems.
“Jimin, are you sure you can walk okay.”
“Nurse Janey said it’s okay,” he tells him, “If something starts hurting, I’ll sit down, I promise!” Jimin holds up his pinky to him.
Yoongi exasperates into a sweet smile. He complies and pinky promises him in agreement.
“Well that was fucking adorable.”
Hoseok’s laughter body slams up to his throat, shocked at the curse word. He looks over to Jungkook, only half relieved that he's unfazed by it.
"Dollar jar!!" Taehyung obliterates into a whine at his father.
"Three dollars because I said it in front of your friends," he says in haste. "I am so so sorry."
"I'm horrified, yet it's okay because that was also hilarious," Yoongi brings his phone at his face to facepalm. Jimin remains clueless at everyone's sudden fit of smiles.
"Why are you laughing, Dad?" he asks.
Yoongi sighs, "Adult things, baby."
Jimin makes a gaping "Ohhh" sound and doesn't push from there, already seeming to know that it's not exactly a conversation for him to get into yet.
Hoseok heaves a breathe in, "So, now that it's not really awkward anymore~"
Everyone laughs at that.
"I'm Hoseok Jung. This is my son, Jungkook."
The tallest smiles, "I'm Namjoon Kim. And this little, beloved rascal is Taehyungie."
"I'm Yoongi Min. And this is the mini version of me, Jimin."
"Hi~" Jungkook says meekly, throwing his arm out to wave at everyone.
Everyone also smiles at the little guy in Hoseok's arms.
"It was nice meeting all of you really," Namjoon smiles. (and Holy Fuck- dimples. How the hell did he not see this human being before??) "Even though we started out in a strange situation."
"Because of dumplings," Hoseok heaves out.
Yoongi huffs, "Yeah, I'm gonna have a great talk with my roommate about this tonight."
Turns out; Yoongi's roommate packed Jimin's lunch for that day. Nobody says this out loud, but Hoseok sighs when his head thinks about hunting Yoongi's roommate down and to thank him for giving him two exceedingly hot and respectful men.
"That. Totally doesn't sound weird. At all."