Chapter Text
“Yah! Namjoon-ah!! Stop slacking and make sure the stuff is paid exactly! aigoo” Yoongi shouts at Namjoon, who was … well, slacking on the counter, dozing off to some 80’s music played on the radio, not noticing a young couple waiting for their change. He startles and apologizes to his customer, and quickly gives them their change and some candy as a token of apology. He loved it when people would break into a smile at receiving the candy, no matter the age, kids and adults loved getting free candies. And he would be lying if he said that he didn’t purposefully slack off just to give away candies. He then proceeds to wipe his thick glasses clean and starts checking the accounts till another customer comes by.
The day ends rather merrily. The flow of people was steady; they had good business. Happy customers always made Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok happy. While Yoongi cooked, Hoseok made sure to collect the vegetables, clean them up, and also do the dishes. Namjoon manages the accounts and sometimes joins the other two in the kitchen, which Yoongi definitely opposes, but Namjoon doesn’t mind peeling a potato or two.
After all the accounts for the day are cleared, he sweeps the bill counter and proceeds to flip the board on the door to ‘closed’, and then notices Hoseok coming into the dining area with a washcloth to wipe the tables clean, to which he furrowed his eyebrows,
“Where is Beomgyu?” His attention is grabbed by Yoongi, who groans in pain, holding his back, bent down, trying to pick up the key for the kitchen.
“Fuck, this back pain is killing me,” He hisses.
“Did you consult the new doctor Hyejin-ssi recommended?” Namjoon asks.
“Ah! Not yet. Maybe on Sunday? But yeah, Hobah!, where is Beomgyu?” Namjoon shakes his head in disappointment when Yoongi tries to divert the topic.
“That kid has his exams coming up. I told him that I don’t want him cleaning tables at night when he could study something.” Hoseok says and continues to spray glass cleaner on the table and wipe them squeaky clean.
“If he is not here, then he is playing games on the computer, I’m sure,” Yoongi tuts.
“Why computer, he has that touch mobile, what is it... Aah! Smartphone.” Namjoon provides.
“How can you not know ‘smartphone’? Didn’t Soobin buy you one?” Hoseok coughs into the words. He is showing symptoms of some age-related lung disorder recently, and is already stressed about having to rest and leaving just the two of them to work. Namjoon has been repeatedly advising both of them to do a health check-up, but they have been giving this and that reason to avoid it every single time. Namjoon is ready to do whatever it takes to get them to the hospital and get them a full-body checkup.
“He did. And I am still against using it. All I use it for is to call you both and him. Maybe 1 or 2 other people. I can do that plenty on the phone with buttons.”
“It is the 21st century Namjoon-ah. You have to change your thoughts from the 20th. Get it?” Hoseok smacks his head with the menu card and moves to stack them near the bill counter.
“Whatever.” Namjoon makes sure that everything is proper and locked, and all three of them get out, turning off the lights and fans, and Hoseok locks the front door. Yoongi nudges Namjoon and gives him a carry bag,
“For Soobin-ie. He must be cramming for exams and might not have had enough time to cook.” Namjoon thanks the elder who walks in the opposite direction to him, along with Hoseok, to their apartment, and Namjoon walks along the street that was adorned in yellow lights and the night sky back home.
Yeonjun stands by the doorframe contemplating whether to get in or run away because he is scared to face the wrath of the couple. Hoseok more than Yoongi.
“Yeonjun-ah, don’t worry. Hobi won’t bite you,” Namjoon chuckles, almost cooing at the younger being cute at a moment of crisis.
“Ahjussi, you don’t know. One day, I missed adding salt to a dish, and Yoongi hyung made me do sit-ups 43 times, and now I missed a whole day. My life is in danger. W-Why are you laughing?” Yeonjun fumes.
“I am sorry. Well, nobody asked you to bunk work. And stop calling me ahjussi? You call Yoongi hyung ‘hyung’. Even Hoseok.” Namjoon raises his brow.
“When you let me open that box in the attic, I will call you hyung. Till then, it’s Ahjussi. Bye Ahjussi!!” Yeonjun rushes with a grin to the kitchen, and Namjoon sees through the glass door Yoongi standing firm, his hands folded, saying something inaudible and smacking the younger one with a ladle on the head. But he is sure it doesn’t hurt much. Yoongi is careful like that.
With Yeonjun on time, the three had a rather peaceful day. The customers were plenty and good, and no negativity in between. Namjoon continued supplying people with candies, but this time, he was determined not to doze off in between, and the candies needed to be given away.
Their little restaurant was infamous among people in the streets of Itaewon. Freshly cooked, healthy meals by Min Yoongi watered mouths just by mere thought. One of the other reasons might be that Min Yoongi and Jung Hoseok were a couple. And they never shy away from flaunting their love for each other. A few people, out of curiosity, used to come to the place, and that didn’t faze Yoongi as he was happy to have a customer and money in his pocket, unless they crossed the line. He would never stand by insults thrown even vaguely at them. Though 54 years of age and running, Yoongi had the strength and knowledge to chase away the homophobes and make sure they learned a lesson. Namjoon will always be in awe of his hyung because, at 53, he feels that the energy is running out of him rather quickly.
“Ahjussi, I have cleaned the kitchen and thrown away the garbage. The truck will be coming tomorrow morning, so that is taken care of. I have also made sure the order we placed for the next batch of vegetables, meat, milk, and everything will be arriving on time, so you don’t have to spend your energy on that in the morning itself. “ Yeonjun finishes in one breath and then exhales deeply.
“Thank you, kid. Anything else?” Namjoon asks because he knows there is something in the other’s head.
“Yes,” Yeonjun grins, mischievous, and Namjoon gets the smell of what it might be.
“I am not gonna open that box in the attic if that’s what you want.” Namjoon glares at Yeonjun, his glasses at the crook of his nose.
“Ah, why? Are you a spy from the 80’s to hide that thing ?” Yeonjun pouts, and Namjoon shakes his head in amusement.
“Don’t worry, I’m not a spy. It’s just... A lot. From the past. I don’t want to bring them back,” he sighs.
“If you never wanted to bring those memories back, why still keep it?”
That strikes something in Namjoon. He didn’t want to talk about the box, but neither did he want to lose the memories associated with the things inside it. Yeonjun has been behind him for months, pestering him about the box, and every time he tells one reason or another to avoid it. But it doesn’t seem like Yeonjun is gonna back down right away. The kid seems pretty adamant. Well, what could happen?
“Okay, follow me,” Yeonjun’s eyes widen bright and big at the words his boss said.
“Oh my god! Really?” He bounces in excitement at Namjoon as he walks toward the stairs that lead to the attic.
“Yes. Now move before I change my mind.”
As expected, the attic was dusty but had no rodent infestation because Hoseok made sure every corner of the restaurant was clean and hygienic, even if that part wasn’t involved in the restaurant itself. The box was already in view because Yeonjun had found it last time he cleaned the attic. Namjoon drags the box towards him and sits on the floor, squinting his eyes trying to read what’s written on it, “Joon’s belongings”.
Yeonjun sits next to him, excited to see the contents that Namjoon claimed to be from the past. Namjoon takes out several things like notebooks, pens, toys, the ticket for the first amusement park ride he went on with his friends, the scrapbook he had during middle school, and many more. He explains everything to Yeonjun, every detail he could remember that happened almost 35-40 years ago. The attic fills with laughter and memories as Namjoon reminisces about his past.
“Who is this?” Yeonjun pushes a Polaroid photo next to Namjoon.
His eyes widened, not expecting the other to find the photo. But his lips curved into a wistful smile, and he said, “Park Jimin.” The one that got away.