Work Text:
“what did your teacher say?” jaebum asks once the younger boy sits down in front of him.
yugyeom glances at him apologetically. “that i should get a tutor…”
jaebum shakes his head. “i shouldn’t have bought you the PS4 if i knew you’d be failing your classes like this, yugyeom,”
“but hyung i–“ jaebum raises a finger to shush him and yugyeom immediately stops, shame flooding his face.
“mom & dad said that if they witness you enter a good university, they’ll finally be able to relax and not worry about us anymore,” jaebum frowns at him. “i’m in charge of you achieving that, gyeom, in case you forgot,”
yugyeom fiddles with the table cloth silently. “just don’t get me a mean tutor, hyung, please,” he pleads.
“yugyeom, of course i–“
“can’t you or jinyoung-hyung do it instead?”
“you know we’re both busy with work, gyeom-ah,” jaebum stares at him, his lips pursed before standing up. he pats yugyeom on the head. “i need to pick up jinyoung at 5, glad you helped me remember,”
the younger boy watches jaebum grab his car keys with a pout, wondering why he had to fail those exams.
“no mean tutors, hyung!” he shouts after jaebum.
all he gets is a grunt as response.
-
“you’re in time, wow,” jinyoung opens the car door and pecks jaebum on the cheek.
“what are you saying?” jaebum revs the engine and grins at jinyoung. “i’m always on time,”
“don’t make me start, im jaebum,” jinyoung shoots him a stern look and jaebum gives up, smiling as drives out of the parking lot. “isn’t it yugyeom’s results day, today?”
“ah, yeah, about that,” jaebum starts and the younger man peers at him curiously. “his teacher suggested getting a tutor,”
“what a shame,” jinyoung unlocks his phone to send a kissy emoticon to yugyeom. “i was hoping he’ll be capable enough to study for the exams on his own,”
“you know he can,” jaebum presses the on button of the radio, “but he’s too distracted with games and dancing.”
“you spoil him, jaebum,” jinyoung connects his phone to the aux cord and puts on the music.
“you spoil him too,” the older man sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “now where do we get a good tutor?”
jinyoung laughs. “who else, im jaebum?”
-
“jinyoung-ah,” jaebum pulls over in front of the supermarket near their apartment. “we need to buy bread for yugyeom,”
“oh yeah,” jinyoung unbuckles his seatbelt. “he’s been asking for bread since monday,”
“let’s buy oranges too,” jaebum says as he turns off the engine.
“you just made me think of yugyeom moving out and entering his college life,” jinyoung pouts and exits the car.
“don’t say it,” jaebum pulls jinyoung immediately to him to share body heat. “i’m getting sad just thinking about it,”
jinyoung elbows him slightly and chuckles. “you’re so strict with him yet you whine to me about how your little brother’s growing up,” he smirks and fixes his beanie, giving jaebum a cheeky smile.
“shut up,” jaebum says with no malice and smiles back at jinyoung.
-
“hyung, please make sure to remind jaebum-hyung to get me a nice tutor,” yugyeom glowers at jinyoung who’s cackling.
“we’ll get the nicest tutor for you, gyeom-ah,” jinyoung ruffles his hair. “don’t worry and go change!”
yugyeom doesn’t budge from his place on the couch and pouts. “i feel like you’re playing a joke on me, hyung,”
jinyoung stops in packing the meringues they made yesterday and gives yugyeom a huge smile. “stop worrying and go take a bath.”
the 16-year-old stares into space for a while, his mind racing. if he’s going to get a tutor that means less time for dancing and playing ps4 with his classmates after class.
he’ll get another set of worksheets and he’ll have to read more books to pass the college entrance exam. it’ll be another problem if his tutor is an old mean lady. yugyeom sighs and trudges towards his room with heavy steps.
jinyoung watches the younger walk away and chuckles.
-
the ride from seoul to ilsan takes about roughly 4 hours so yugyeom takes the time to nap to gain energy for later. since it’s their parents 30th anniversary, a few of their relatives will be visiting and that means a lot of inquisitive questions about girls and college, both of which he’s not ready to talk about yet.
they arrive sooner than expected due to the absence of traffic. jinyoung gently rouses him into consciousness.
“ready, yugyeom?” jaebum asks from the driver seat as he parks the car beside four more cars and he groans internally. what happened to “a few relatives”, mom?
“it’s not that bad,” jinyoung smiles, his eyes shining with mischief. he enjoys family gatherings like this the most out of the three of them and he’s not even related by blood.
“that’s because they absolutely adore you, jinyoung,” jaebum replies, cringing as he thinks about his aunts whose questions have no boundaries when it comes to them.
yugyeom puts on a huge smile on his face when he sees some of their relatives notice that they’ve arrived.
“jaebum,” jinyoung says before stepping out of the car. “smile!”
-
the celebration ends before 8 and jinyoung is dead beat. the house is finally silent, no more kids screaming and loud pitter patter of footsteps on the stairs. jinyoung and yugyeom helps in cleaning the mess in the kitchen while jaebum goes outside to talk to his father. he steals a glance before he enters the kitchen and a warm feeling settles in his chest when he sees jaebum’s smile and the way his father squeezes his shoulder.
ever since jaebum entered university, jinyoung knows how he struggled to communicate with his parents especially his dad who was originally opposed to what course he’s taking. it’s nice to see how the years went by and now they’re finally back on track.
jaebum’s mom pinches him on the waist softly, snapping him out of his reverie. “how’s yugyeom doing, jinyoung-ah? you know he doesn’t tell us much about his school,”
jinyoung smiles and looks at yugyeom whose face is turning sour. “mom, don’t!”
“yugyeom’s doing fine but his teacher suggested getting a tutor so me and jaebum are currently looking for one,”
“oh?” she pats yugyeom on the cheek and smiles. “getting a tutor is fine, yugyeom-ah, at least you’ll be properly guided,”
yugyeom pouts in response and jinyoung snickers, putting back the glassware on the cabinet gently.
“how about you, jinyoungie?” she leans on the table and looks at him with a soft smile. jinyoung’s reminded of the days where he’ll wait for jaebum in the kitchen and the way his mom never fails to make him feel so comfortable and welcomed. “is work okay?”
“me and jaebum are working fine,” jinyoung replies. “jaebum’s been staying in the office longer these days but i’m making sure he’s dehydrated so there’s nothing to worry about,”
“i asked about you though, jinyoung,” jaebum’s mom raises one eyebrow at him and he laughs.
“i’m okay, eommoni,” he grins and fiddles with the table cloths stacked neatly on the marble tabletop. “work’s stressful but it’s part of being an adult,”
she sighs. “i get so emotional whenever i see the both of you like this,” jinyoung’s eyes dart to where he saw yugyeom last but the younger’s nowhere to be seen. “makes me think of how much the both of you have grown,”
jinyoung notices the sag of her shoulder and the wrinkles on her face, sees the lines of worry then he walks forward to give her a hug. “you don’t have to worry about us now, eommoni, we’re doing fine,”
she hugs him back, rubbing his back gently. “i know jaebum can get emotionally constipated sometimes but bear with him, alright? i’ve only seen him the happiest when he’s with you,”
“of course,” jinyoung feels his chest tighten with emotions but he clamps it down.
“take care of yugyeom too,” she mumbles and pulls away. “that kid is the same with jaebum,” she frowns. “they both leave me worrying about them all the time.”
“he’s in good hands, eommoni,” jinyoung bites the inside of his bottom lip and smiles. “i know how to bring out the emotions in him,”
she laughs and pats him on the butt then resumes in wiping the glasses. jinyoung also busies himself with cleaning as he thinks about his home. he thinks about his mom and his sisters and their kids and feels the deep longing in his chest unfurl.
jaebum comes in the kitchen minutes later, going to jinyoung’s side and wraps an arm around his waist. “you okay?”
he nods giving jaebum a reassuring smile. “where’s yugyeom?”
“most probably asleep or watching tv in his room,” jaebum responds then moves away to hug his mother.
“me and jinyoung are going up,” he says, “do you want me to call dad?”
she shakes her head, waving them away. “he’ll come here if he knows what’s best for him,”
they both laugh and bids her goodnight with a kiss on the cheek.
-
jaebum goes out of the bathroom wearing basketball shorts and a shirt when he sees the tv open. his eyes move to his bed and there’s jinyoung sprawled on the center of the bed with his eyes half-lidded, obviously half-awake.
he grins and puts down his phone on the bedside table. jaebum shuts off the tv and unplugs the cord before settling on his bed but half of his body is still not on the bed with the way jinyoung’s laying.
“jinyoungie,” he pokes the younger on the cheek and jinyoung opens his eyes blearily, blinking slowly. jaebum sighs in his head, wondering how was he blessed with such a beautiful boyfriend. “move to the side,”
“no,” jinyoung closes his eyes and settles deeper into the bed, ignoring jaebum.
“c’mon, nyoung,” jaebum rakes his fingers through jinyoung’s hair and the younger hums. “i’ll fall off the bed if we sleep like this,”
jinyoung doesn’t move until a minute passes. he turns his back to jaebum and scuttles towards the wall. his arm reaches blindly for the comforter and jaebum laughs before taking pity and covers him with the comforter himself.
jaebum lies down the bed and moves the glass of water to the other side of the bedside table. he looks to his side and moves closer to jinyoung, pressing a kiss to the younger’s nape. “let’s go visit your family next,” he mumbles, his words muffled slightly.
jinyoung’s head turns halfway. “huh?”
“let’s visit your family next, i said,” jaebum pulls him closer by wrapping an arm around his waist. “then let’s take a vacation somewhere far,”
jinyoung turns around completely to look at him with a frown. “what’s up with you?”
“nothing,” jaebum’s thumb glides slowly across jinyoung’s cheek and the younger’s eyes flutter close. “i want to spend more time with you,”
jinyoung’s lip curl into a smile. jaebum resists the urge to kiss him on the lips. “we see each other every day,”
“yeah but that’s not enough,” jaebum leans down to press kisses against jinyoung’s neck and jinyoung groans, slightly pushing him away.
“you’re being sappy again,” jinyoung looks at him, blinking away the sleepiness for a while.
they stare at each other for a while before jaebum sighs, kissing jinyoung on the temple. “dad talked to me,”
“about what?” jinyoung frowns, searching jaebum’s eyes.
“about how i should make sure i never let you drift away,” jaebum slowly says, and jinyoung feels his pulse quicken.
“you’re not going to let me dr–“
“shush,” jaebum places his index finger against jinyoung’s lips and he pouts. “i know i can get stupid sometimes, i tend to shut off and it’s hard for me to say what i’m feeling especially with the work getting heavier these past few months, that’s why i want to spend more time with you even though i see you every day,”
jinyoung’s silent as he looks at the skin of jaebum’s neck. “it’s okay, you know? i think i already signed up myself to be a partner of someone who’s emotionally constipated ever since i agreed to be yours,”
jaebum’s lips twitch and jinyoung shakes his head. “you’re absolutely absurd, im jaebum,”
“and i love you,” jaebum pulls him even closer and presses his face against jinyoung’s neck and inhales. “very, very, much,”
jinyoung laughs, caught off-guard by jaebum’s sudden words but replies with the same words, with the same sentiment, with the same feelings.
but then jinyoung pulls back to look at jaebum questioningly. “visiting my family would be easy but how are we going to take off time from work?”
“already talked to my dad, and he said it’s okay,” jaebum grins cheekily.
jinyoung huffs. “perks of being the newly appointed boss, huh?”
“yes,” jaebum doesn’t hesitate to agree. “i’ll abuse all my perks just for you,”
jinyoung lets out a giggle. he pulls on jaebum’s hair and the older lets out a sound of pain, frowning as he looks at jinyoung.
“don’t let your employees think their new boss is a slack,”
jaebum’s face turns into a scowl. “for the past few months, i did a lot of overtimes. they better function well while i’m gone for two weeks,”
“two weeks, huh?”
“i remember us agreeing to go to europe next when he went to nyc for our first anniversary,” jaebum explains.
“is two weeks enough?”
“i was actually thinking about that too but if we can’t visit all the cities in our itinerary then we can always come back, yeah? we still need to save some places for our honeymoon too,”
jinyoung lets out a loud laugh at that. he looks at jaebum, his eyes twinkling. “honeymoon? god we’re so spoiled, i’m so spoiled,”
“you’re the type of person that deserves to be spoiled,” jinyoung slaps him on the chest and jaebum laughs, his chest vibrating.
“you’re lovely,” jaebum mumbles against the skin of jinyoung’s neck. “how are you with me?”
jinyoung stares at the dark tufts of jaebum’s hair, the soft skin of jaebum’s lips tickling his neck. “did you eat something weird?”
“yes,” jaebum whines lowly, puckering his lips and starts to press wet kisses against jinyoung’s neck, moving upwards to the back of jinyoung’s ear. “i ate a jinyoung candy and now i’m addicted to you,”
“goodness, jaebum,” jinyoung tries to suppress his laughter. “stop it,” he pushes jaebum’s head away from his neck. the older man does pull away obediently with a huge smile on his face.
“i like making you happy,” jaebum says, kissing him on the lips softly. “i’m happy you’re mine,”
jinyoung’s glad that the lamp is far away from them or else jaebum would’ve seen the flush on his face. “so sappy,”
jaebum arranges their position properly, jinyoung’s body pressed against jaebum’s. he puts his hand on jaebum’s chest, feels the thump of his heartbeat and smiles, kissing jaebum again.
“we’ll talk about this again tomorrow, alright?”
“alright.” jaebum hums, content and pulls jinyoung closer to him.