Chapter Text
It’s a typical morning at the playground. Jimin is teaching back-to-back classes every Saturday morning during the spring, and Seongwol always insists on joining him in the studio — which means it’s just Jeongguk and Haerin, awake as soon as the sun rises and eager to get outside. It’s almost always empty except for the two of them, racing each other down the slides and hogging the swingset until the rest of the neighborhood wakes up.
Except for today, of course. Because Taehyung is visiting this weekend. He’d insisted on some quality time with his favorite goddaughter when he found out Jimin would be busy, so of course Jeongguk had invited him on their usual Saturday excursion.
Although…given the fact that they’ve been here for 20 minutes and he’s made no attempt to join Haerin on the monkey bars, Jeongguk has the sneaking suspicion the older man is actually here for something else.
They spend another few minutes in silence on their chosen bench, hands wrapped around their thermoses of coffee. At least Haerin’s not completely alone, Jeongguk muses — there are a few other kids and their families up early this morning, and of course she’s already convinced them to play a game of tag. Jeongguk has snacks packed for her whenever she wants to take a break, so he’s content to just watch her play for now.
“So. I guess we should just get right into it and talk about the fact that you’re sleeping with my soulmate.”
Jeongguk nearly chokes on his coffee.
“C-come again?” he splutters, whipping around to face a serious-looking Taehyung.
The older man continues, unfazed. “Jimin told me you’re waiting until his lease is up to officially move in together, but I can smell you all over his bedroom. And it’s obvious you spend all your time with him and the pups. So if it’s really that serious between you and Jimin, I figure we’re overdue for a little chat.”
Jeongguk is a thousand flavors of confused, mind stuck on the word ‘soulmate’ applied to Jimin and Tae’s protective tone. “I thought…didn’t you say you had a boyfriend?”
“I do. And you better believe Min Yoongi is the hottest man alive,” he says with a flash of a smile. “But Jimin is my other half. The purest, most beautiful soul on the face of this earth. And his daughter is the light of my life. I was there when the last piece of shit alpha broke his heart, and I swore to myself I would never let it happen again.” Tae’s expression darkens, his winter-pine scent growing sharp with anger. “Which means if you ever hurt him, or Haerin — I’ll be the one burying your body.”
Jeongguk bristles, his alpha automatically responding to the threat in Taehyung’s scent. His response comes out with a low growl. “I would never hurt them. Never.”
Taehyung eyes him critically for a long moment, and Jeongguk stares back defiantly. Finally, the other alpha’s shoulders relax. “Yeah, I believe you. You’ve been really good to them so far.”
And just like that, the aura of hostility is gone. Taehyung sips his coffee and grins, scent mellow. It throws Jeongguk for a loop, how he can be intimidating one moment and friendly the next. He’s satisfied that Jimin’s best friend believes his sincerity, but it still leaves his alpha on edge. “Is that…all you wanted to say?” he hedges.
Taehyung shrugs, unbothered. “Pretty much. I know you’re a good guy, based on the way Jimin and Haerin talk about you.” He pauses for a moment, before continuing in a softer voice. “They really love you, you know.”
The words fill Jeongguk’s chest with warmth, a glowing happiness that radiates from his very core. His alpha nearly crows with pride. “I love them too. With all of my heart,” he affirms.
Taehyung laughs, amused and pleased by the way Jeongguk radiates satisfaction. “Good. I’d really hate to do to you what I did to the last alpha who fucked things up.”
Jeongguk raises a curious brow. “What exactly did you do to him?”
Tae’s grin turns razor-sharp. “Let’s just say he’ll never work in a public-facing job again.”
Before Jeongguk can probe further, Haerin zooms over to them, cheeks flushed and hair escaping her pigtails after half an hour of running around. She pats Taehyung’s leg and giggles, yelling “Tag, you’re it Tae-samchin!” before scampering off again.
Taehyung lets out an indignant “Yah, Park Haerin!” before he sets his thermos down and chases after her. Jeongguk once again struggles to reconcile the goofy man shouting at a group of elementary schoolers with the seemingly-dangerous alpha who may or may not have committed acts of violence.
He sighs, taking a long sip from his coffee. As long as Haerin is smiling, it’s a successful Saturday in his book.
It’s a chilly morning despite it being spring. Jimin exhales a hot breath into his mitten-covered hands before slipping them back into his jacket pockets. After another few minutes of walking, he finally arrives at his destination and knocks on the door of a familiar townhouse.
The door swings open and he’s immediately greeted by Namjoon and a beaming Seongwol. The former ushers Jimin inside and he sighs in relief at the blast of warm air.
“Hi Jiminie-hyung!” Seongwol squeals excitedly. “You’re really here!”
“Hi, moonbeam. Your appa asked me to come pick you up since he was running late! Did you have a fun afternoon?”
Seongwol nods emphatically. “I read so many books with Joon-samchin! And we just started a puzzle too! Will you finish it with me?”
Namjoon chuckles fondly. “Why don’t you take it home instead, Seongwol-ah? That way you can take your time.”
The pup gasps in delight, doe eyes sparkling in a way that reminds Jimin instantly of his father. “Then Rinrin can do it with us too!”
“That’s a great idea, pup. Can you put all the pieces back in the box and get your things together?”
Seongwol runs off to the living room to pack his things. Jimin glances carefully around the otherwise empty room again before turning to face Namjoon with a neutral expression.
“Did Sohee…leave early?”
Namjoon sighs. “No, she never made it. Said something came up. Seongwol didn’t seem surprised, sadly.” The two of them share a disappointed look. “He did perk up when I said you were coming to get him, though.”
Jimin smiles weakly as Seongwol rushes back into the entryway, his Iron Man backpack and the puzzle box cradled carefully in his arms. Jimin zips the boy’s thick jacket all the way up and clucks disappointedly when he learns Seongwol didn’t wear gloves this morning. He slips his own adult-sized mittens over the boy’s hands before they bid farewell to Namjoon with a promise to visit again soon.
Jimin takes Seongwol’s mitten-covered hand and tucks the puzzle under his other arms as they step back out into the cool evening air. They walk for a few minutes in silence, Jimin internally grappling with the frustration and anger coursing through him at the thought of Seongwol’s mother. How dare she raise his hopes like this only to abandon him again? He’d never really considered himself lucky for the way Haerin’s father had left them, but at least having cut the man completely out of their lives prevented Haerin from ever being hurt like this.
“Jiminie-hyung,” Seongwol says after a while, pulling the omega out of his internal censure of Jeongguk’s ex.
“What is it, moonbeam?”
Seongwol’s eyes are bright and wide as he looks up. “I wish you were my eomma.”
Jimin’s heart screeches to a painful halt before cracking open, flooding his chest with an overwhelming sense of affection. It takes a few seconds for him to get it under control, to beat back down the tears that threaten to prickle at his lash line. With a deep breath, he stops walking and crouches down on the sidewalk until he’s eye-level with Seongwol. He places a delicate hand on the pup’s cheek.
“Seongwol-ah. You know how much I love you, right?”
Seongwol smiles so wide his eyes turn into crescents and nods softly. “Uh huh. And I love you too.”
Jimin rubs his cheek against Seongwol’s, scenting him lightly before kissing his forehead and standing up. “Good. Now tell me, what should we make for dinner? Your appa asked us to pick up ramen.”
Seongwol squeezes his hand as they continue walking down the street. “I want kimchi-jjigae! And banana milk, please!”
Jimin laughs brightly, adding another bottle of banana milk to his mental grocery list. “Well, since you asked so nicely.”