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#dad jimin
justimagineok · 3 months
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coming soon...
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Perfect Lie/Love
Paring: Jimin x you
Genre:Jimin x female!reader; married couple; dad Jimin; family drama; fluff, angst, drama
A/N: hey there! nice to see you again. This is something I've been thinking about for a while. I hope you like it. ;) let me know if you wanna be tagged and feel free to send an ask or drop a reply whenever you like
Summary: Married to the woman of his dreams and father of two beautiful children, Jimin carries a burden hidden beneath his smile. Behind his beautiful story as an idol and before his life with you, he hides a past filled with deceit, a past that threatens to unravel the fragile facade of his present. As he navigates the complexities of his marriage, Jimin struggles with the guilt of his past decisions. But all of that was what brought him to you, so how could it be wrong? You would definitely forgive him, right?
Meanwhile, you, his wife, unaware of the shadows that keep Jimin awake, remain dedicated and confident. However, cracks begin to appear in your seemingly perfect life. Perfect lie/love is a moving love story tested by the invincible attack of truth. Jimin must face the ghosts of his past before they consume everything he loves. If there's still time.
In time, you'll both understand: A certain truth can destroy your life instantly.
Is a life built on lies worth it? Is love?
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foxymoxynoona · 3 months
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After the Applause (Ch. 7)
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Header and linebreaks by @awrkives
Single Dad Jimin x Female OC
SUMMARY: Jimin doesn't know how he would have made it this far after the shattering of his world without the support of his thoughtful, generous, helpful neighbor. Hanbyul has lived next to hottie Jimin and his adorable daughter for years now, long enough to remember the wife he was so devoted to and lost far too young. With each safely ensconced on their side of the brick wall of the Parks' grief, it will take an enterprising little scientist to set the stage for a second chance at love.
CW/tags: grief, prior loss of spouse/parent, comfort, explicit sex, secondhand embarrassment, sort of love triangle/web/rat's nest, fluff, cursing, dating apps, fuckboy friends, dancer Jimin, stubborn dad Jimin, stubborn pre-teen daughter, miscommunication, pining
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By Monday Sunnie was almost completely back to her normal exuberant self, but her round-the-clock caretaker Appa had simply ushered the illness from daughter to dad. He knew it for sure when walking her to school left him red-faced, breathless, and shivering. There was no use denying it, no choice except to call Hoseok and other staff to see who could cover his classes for at least today and tomorrow. The last thing he wanted to do was pass this onto his students, especially not with the recital rushing closer.
Besides, he could work on choreography for Taejoon’s idol group from home –that was a gig he didn’t want to pass off. He could really use the additional income this month. Rent was going up in two months and he’d been avoiding thinking about it because obviously he couldn’t upset their lives and move them somewhere cheaper. This was their home. It had been Subin’s home. He wouldn’t know where to hallucinate her in a new home where she’d never been before, as he did the whole afternoon he spent curled up on the couch, sweating through his fever. 
Turned out he didn’t even have the energy to make himself tea, certainly not to choreograph a routine. Once again, Jimin had vastly overestimated himself.
At the last minute he realized he was not sure he could make the walk to get Sun-young. Shit! It was a short list of friends he felt comfortable asking for a favor like that: Hoseok was already covering his classes, Jungkook wasn’t answering his phone, but Taehyung did, on the second ring, like he’d been waiting for a call from Jimin. He was happy to get her but he had promised to go with Seokjin for something and could he just take Sun-young along with him for that? It sounded to Jimin like he’d said to greet the Muppets for the disco party but that was probably not right. The fever made everything fuzzy right now.
But whatever, Taehyung and Seokjin would never take her anywhere unsafe, so that was perfect. He called Sun-young’s school to have them give Sunnie the message Uncle Tae would pick her up and then collapsed on the couch and stopped thinking about anything. The fever was miserably uncomfortable. He didn’t have any adult medicine for it in the house; he prided himself on not getting sick often but damn it would have been welcome right now. Maye anti-nausea too, his stomach cramped and complained even though he wasn’t hungry.
The whole afternoon passed in a blink. He didn’t realize he’d even fallen asleep and suddenly Sun-young’s feet were pounding down the hallway. She knew the code and let herself in, Taehyung and Seokjin right on her heels.
Seokjin called from the hall, “No offense, Jimin, but I’m keeping my distance. I can’t get a restaurant of people sick!”
“I could use a few days off work,” Taehyung joked. “Lay one on me.”
Jimin only grunted at him and eased himself up to a sitting position. Sun-young grimaced.
“You’re really sick, Appa.”
“Wonder how that happened,” Taehyung teased and nudged Sun-young. But she looked genuinely upset, and that last thing Jimin wanted was for her to feel guilty. It was part of being a dad. He didn’t want her to hide that she was sick next time.
“It’s a testament to how close we are together,” Jimin insisted, the words a croak from his throat. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks for keeping her this afternoon, Tae. Thanks, Jin.” He pushed up from the couch and did his best not to look wobbly. “OK, Sunnie, let’s figure out some dinner.”
“You sure you don’t want me to stick around and help?” Taehyung pressed.
“Nah, it’s fine, I’m good, just groggy because I’m waking up.”
“Ok… but hey man, call me if you need anything, ok? You know my schedule is flexible, I’m happy to help.”
Jimin thanked them both again and flinched when the door slammed shut behind them. The offers were sincere, he knew that, just like he rationally knew his friends did not mind covering his classes or helping him with his child. He had to believe that, because he knew he wouldn’t begrudge them the help. He loved to be helpful. But accepting help when he’d had to lean on them so much was hard. He didn’t feel like it was nearly balanced.
Belatedly he realized he should have asked Taehyung if he knew what was going on between Hanbyul and Jungkook. Taehyung was nosy, he probably knew exactly how long they’d been dating and how serious it was and where they met and the first time they kissed and everything.
Maybe it was better he hadn’t asked though. He didn’t know that he was in a good headspace right now to find out they’d been dating for months now and he was just dumb as a rock oblivious. Why wouldn’t Jungkook have told him? And honestly, wasn’t it right that Jungkook should have asked him first if he had feelings for Hanbyul before making his move? It was the right thing to do as friends.
“Appa are you ok?” Sunnie asked as he shuffled to the kitchen. 
He waved his hand at her. “Yeah yeah, I’m good.”
But she planted herself in front of him and reached up to feel his sweaty forehead.
“You’re really sick, Appa. I know what it was like. Go lay down and I can make my own dinner.”
“You’re nine.”
“So what? I can make some things! Are you hungry? I can make something for you too.”
“I’m not hungry,” he admitted. He hesitated. If he insisted on cooking for her, was this just another way in which he was failing to recognize that she was growing up and gaining independence? Or was this leaning on his daughter in an unhealthy way, expecting her to be another adult in the house?
“We have gimbap, I can eat that. Go sleep. I’ll do my homework after I eat.”
“Ok…” He hesitated. This felt like a parenting failure. “Just get me if you need anything… I’ll just be in my room. You won’t be bothering me.”
Sun-young gave him a serious, decisive node and then pointed her finger towards his bedroom. He’d been summarily dismissed. It made him laugh, which turned into an achy coughing fit, so he did what she said and went to lie down.
Time passed unmeasured, but eventually Jimin rose from his deep sleep to the sounds of murmuring female voices and clinking cookware. For a brief moment, he found himself lost in time to years ago, when his wife might be in the kitchen cooking dinner. Especially after Sun-young was born, they’d alternated day-night shifts since their newborn daughter demanded attention round the clock; she’d been a terrible sleeper. He’d usually taken the night shift because he liked it anyway. 
Just as quickly he landed back in the present time. He tried to push quickly and clumsily from the bed to find out who the hell was in his apartment with his daughter, when he heard a laugh that answered for him.
Hanbyul was here.
He slowed his step and glanced at himself in the mirror over his dresser. He looked fucked up. There was only so much he could do about it though, the sweaty pink shine wasn’t going away until the cold did. He brushed his fingers through his hair, trying to look devilishly disheveled. He was not sure that it worked. He changed his clothes quickly so at least he wouldn’t smell like stale sweat.
He pulled on his best smile as he leaned against the counter separating kitchen from dining and living room. Sun-young stood on a chair and peered through the lid of a deep pot. Hanbyul stood at the counter beside her with her loose sweater sleeves rolled up past her elbows, knife making quick work of an onion. Her hair was pulled up into a spiky high bun, a few wispy strands escaping to frame her face. Her eyes were red from the onions when she glanced up at Jimin. And smiled.
“Appa! How do you feel?” Sun-young asked very seriously again, her laughter from a moment ago deftly suppressed.
“I’m..” He wanted to say good but he didn’t want Hanbyul to take his appearance as normal. “I’ve been better,” he admitted. “But better since this morning… I think…” The scent of the onions tickled his nose and he turned quickly away to sneeze into his elbow. Suddenly Hudu leapt down from the couch and vaulted over to Jimin, jumping up against his legs, like he’d been sleeping too deeply to notice Jimin was even there. 
“We’re making samgyetang,” Hanbyul assured him, as if he couldn’t have figured that out by the gingery smell of the broth. His nose was too stuffy to have caught it from the bedroom, but when Hanbyul lifted the lid on the pot so she and Sun-young could look inside, just enough of it managed to reach his sinuses for him to groan. He had no appetite but for that, he could develop one.
Hanbyul’s raised eyebrows made embarrassment rush through him.
“Oh, uh, it smells good. My nose is all f– messed up, but I could smell that– why are you here?” His voice cracked on the last note after croaking out the rest of it. Quickly he added, “You’re always welcome but we’re sick! I don’t want to get you sick too.”
Hanbyul shared a smile with Sun-young, as if they’d predicted and discussed this response. Jimin tried to crouch to pet Hudu, still spinning around his legs, but his body was too achy. He tried to get Hudu to jump up into his arms, but the dog wouldn’t. A stalemate in which neither of them was happy.
“I appreciate your concern but I think I’ll be all right. I have such a strong immune system, I rarely get sick. Don’t worry about me.”
“I asked her to come help me make soup for you,” Sun-young added.
“I see but– it’s very thoughtful but–” He spun quickly away to deliver a coughing fit into his elbow. Hudu was worried enough to scratch at his shin.
It meant he didn’t see Hanbyul come around from the kitchen until she touched his arm and held out a mug of steaming yuzu jelly tea.
“Please go rest more. Sun-young and I are just fine here.”
“She taught me how to mince garlic!”
“With a knife?!” Jimin cried, barely more than a wheeze of words.
Hanbyul tutted at him –tutted– “She’s old enough to learn how to safely cook things! I was much younger and still have all my fingers. Now back to bed, and make sure to drink that tea.”
She was so firm about it, he found his legs obeying. He stopped just through the door though and looked back. Hanbyul slid back around the counter and looked at whatever Sun-young was showing her on the counter. He knew that hopeful smile of Sunnie’s, that desperate need for acknowledgement. She beamed at Hanbyul’s praise for whatever it was. Together they lifted the lid and slid things in, four hands working together, and put the lid back on. The pot belched at them though, knocking the top askew. Both girls erupted with giggles as Hanbyul stirred and replaced the lid. Hudu sat in the middle of the rooms, as if he needed to see everyone at once. He watched Jimin and something in his eye made it look like he was about to bark and tattle on Jimin for not being in bed yet.
She shouldn’t be here. She didn’t need to be here. It  was asking too much, for her to come into a sick apartment and make soup for him. Sunnie had done the asking and Hanbyul had come and he owed her so much.
Hudu barked.
“Go to bed, Park Jimin!” Hanbyul called, and Sunnie giggled and pointed, chanting, “Go go! We’ll get you when it’s ready!” 
“Traitor,” Jimin mumbled to Hudu. Hudu stretched out to nap, conscience clear.
He lay in bed, as ordered. He sat up to sip the tea until only the dredges were left. He lay back down and listened to the crescendo of giggles across the apartment. They wove through his dozy dreams, swaddling him, rocking him in the rhythm of their conversation. He dreamed of seashell wind chimes on the balcony of a beachside bungalow; he dreamed of a crackling fireplace in front of three mugs of hot cocoa; he dreamed of a cool breeze caressing his skin with whispers: dance on, dance on.
He awoke to silence. The window was black with night, only by the light from the hallway could he find his phone in the sheets: 8:30. Time to get Hanbyul ready for bed. His body ached as he pushed himself up from the sweaty embrace of his bed. He felt like garbage, but slightly warmed over garbage, thanks to his nap-companion Hudu, who had jumped up into bed with him at some point. Garbage that could at least get his daughter’s school things ready for tomorrow, see her to bed, shower, and then collapse again. Maybe eat some soup, if there was any left. 
He forgot to check his hair and face as he stumbled into the hall. Two figures sitting at the end of it made him do a double take. It wasn’t the ghost of Subin, though, and he wasn’t confused by a memory this time, only confused to see them there: Sun-young and Hanbyul kneeling in front of the shrine they kept for Subin by the narrow window she had always joked was for growing a single flower in. So they did grow a single flower in it, though Jimin often forgot to water it so it tended to be more dead than alive.
He paused as Sun-young’s voice carried, “Sometimes I don’t remember very much about her.”
Hanbyul made a sympathetic humming noise.
“I was only maybe six years old when she died? I just remember suddenly she lived in the hospital and Appa took me there to visit her and I didn’t like being there because it smelled bad and everyone was sad a lot.”
“It’s ok not to remember everything,” Hanbyul said gently. “You were very little and sometimes remembering someone we’ve lost can hurt a lot, I think, so our minds… hm, maybe they wrap a blanket around the memory to keep it safe for another time when it won’t hurt so much.”
“Maybe that’s why Appa doesn’t talk about her very much,” Sun-young said and Jimin felt a knife in his ribs. “It makes him really sad.” Jimin felt like they did talk about her a lot. Wasn’t Subin in almost everything they said and did? But less so lately, and that was… hard.
“I can’t imagine how hard it is to lose someone you love that much. You both are very strong. I’m glad you have each other.”
He knew he shouldn’t keep listening to this and yet he couldn't tear himself away. Was it really so bad to eavesdrop? He decided Sun-young was right; despite the shrine, they did not talk about Subin very often. He always feared speaking of her would only remind Sunnie of what she lost, what she didn’t have. It sure did for Jimin.
“I remember her hair was really soft and I would wrap it around my fingers when we read books together,” Sun-young said. “I just learned to read when she got sick and I read books to her in the hospital. She liked Hello Banana Moon and Cloud Bread. Do you know those books?”
“I don’t.”
“I think I still have them. I’ll let you borrow them so you can read them. They're really good but I haven’t read them in a long time. Maybe we can read them together.”
“I’d like that a lot,” Hanbyul said and Jimin could feel her smile even though he saw only the back of her head. The girls sat so close together, Subin’s smiling face beaming down at them from the shrine. He knew where those two books were: tucked into the cupboard beneath the candles and figurines and Subin’s photos. He’d tucked them there when she died because it was too much to read the words to Sun-young that ought to be in Subin’s voice. 
But Sun-young wanted to share those stories her mother had taught her to read with Hanbyul.
The emotion was difficult to breathe around, a pair of fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, a rising tide blocking his throat. 
“I don’t remember much,” Hanbyul said. “I didn’t know your eomma very well but I would see her in the hall or the mail room. She was always very polite and thoughtful. She would hold the door open if my arms were full. If someone left trash out, she would take on the task of cleaning it up, even though it wasn’t hers. One year there was ice on the stairs and our neighbor Ma Gurim who is high in years nearly slipped. Your mother called the building manager and wouldn’t stop calling until they came out to take care of the ice.”
Sun-young giggled and said, “Appa says I have her stubbornness.”
“Her resilience, I think it is. Her brightness. She seemed like she could do anything, just like you.”
“It’s not very fair that she died.”
“No, Sun-young. It’s really, really not fair.”
Sun-young let out a heavy sigh and rested her head against Hanbyul’s shoulder. If it made Hanbyul uncomfortable, Jimin couldn’t tell from her body language. After a moment she wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulder and rubbed her arm.
Jimin didn’t want to disturb them. He felt like he would be. Anyway, he didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t have said anything better than Hanbyul had and her words lingered with him as he tiptoed away to the kitchen. 
It was too much to ask of a woman, wasn’t it? To come into a house that had lost one and take over being a partner and a mother. Not that it mattered anyway because Hanbyul was seeing Jungkook now but… well, it would have been too much to ask of her and that’s why it was for the best. Probably she felt incredibly awkward talking to Sun-young about her dead mother because it was an uncomfortable topic and while obviously she had navigated it beautifully, it was too much to ask. 
The kitchen had been cleaned so thoroughly there was no evidence of cooking. He opened the fridge with a start in his heart that maybe they had eaten all the soup and left none for him.
“What are you doing?” Hanbyul demanded behind him. “Shoo, get out of my kitchen! Go sit down.”
“It’s my kitchen,” he glowered, and playfully demanded, “Where’s my soup?”
She squeezed behind him and bodied him away to open the oven door where a stone bowl of the soup rested, still warm. The scent of it carried such a strong sense of strength and health and rest that it nearly brought tears to his eyes. That’s it, that’s the only reason his eyes were misty.
“I’ll carry it for you, go sit.”
“It’s time for Sun-young to get ready for–”
“I know, Appa, I’m already in my pajamas. I just need to brush my teeth,” Sun-young glowered just like him, arms crossed at his doubt. “I’ll make you tea and then go right to bed.”
“We have to get your backpack ready–”
“We did that,” Hanbyul assured him. “She wants to eat school lunch tomorrow or I said I would pack her one.”
“Unnie even ironed my uniform,” Sun-young added.
Hanbyul looked embarrassed by that and clarified, “With you both sick lately they just sat in the laundry basket for too long. Sunnie told me about her fundraiser and demonstrations.”
“Appa, can unnie help us make the rice cakes? We can teach her how to make them really nice. I know Appa isn’t a good cook but he really knows how to make the best rice cakes.”
Jimin felt like he was wrapped up in a whirlwind between them as he dove into the soup Hanbyul placed before him. They’d carried on all evening without him, and Hanbyul even had Sun-young ready for the day tomorrow. He didn’t have to worry about a thing.
“I can walk Sunnie to school too, if that’s helpful,” Hanbyul offered. 
Jimin shook his head and argued, “It’s not the direction of your office.”
“You know that?” Hanbyul asked, surprised. 
“I see the direction you walk, it’s not mysterious.”
She grinned and insisted, “It’s not too far out of the way though. I’ll just make my coffee at home before I go instead of stopping by the cafe. It’s better for my wallet anyway.”
“I’m sure I’ll be better by the morning.”
Sun-young put her hands on her hips and said to Habyul, “I think both my parents are stubborn.”
“There was no other way you could be,” Hanbyul nodded and it made Sun-young giggle. “It’s a good thing.”
“Is it?” Jimin teased.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that and go brush my teeth,” Sunnie said and stuck her tongue out at him. 
How strange to feel like a cared-for guest in his own home. Hudu had moved to the living room since Jimin left the bed and stretched out in a new nap across Jimin’s slippers, several of his toys strewn across the rug. The TV was off but low music played through the speakers.
“I’ll turn that off,” Hanbyul realized, heading for it. “Sunnie was trying to teach me to dance.”
“You seemed to do fine at the club.”
Immediately she covered her face and sighed, “Let’s never talk about that again.”
“No problem,” Jimin said and meant it. He’d like if they could never talk about him going to check on her the next morning and Jungkook opening the door as well.
While he slurped the soup and Hanbyul fiddled with the CD player and Sun-young sang loudly to herself in the bathroom as the water ran and Hudu decided to take a break from napping and work the squeaker out of his toy, Jimin got a very foreign feeling: wholeness. He felt like he was home. He was home, but he felt like it quite suddenly, like he rarely had done since the very first day he’d come home while Subin remained in hospital.
Sun-young threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek and bid him goodnight. Hanbyul followed her to say goodnight and turn the light off and for a moment Jimin almost told them where the storybooks were, but couldn’t quite bring himself to it. It felt dangerous to, like if he offered her one more step further into their lives, he’d never be able to let her go. 
Could she really co-exist with the memory of Subin? Was Sun-young really ok with that?
How could it seem so natural to watch her turn the bathroom light off and take Sunnie a glass of water and then scoop Hudu up for a snuggle. She ought to collapse onto the couch in exhaustion after an evening of parenting. And Jimin would collapse next to her, and drag her into his lap so they could stretch out and find something worthwhile to watch on the TV. She’d fall asleep there and he’d wake her gently later to move to–
Shit, he had to stop thinking like this. He had to. It was becoming too tragic to pine for his neighbor too late. He’d fucked up and only his fever-riddled brain was willing to admit how badly. Very badly. As she carried Hudu with her to sit in the chair next to him, Jimin had the unfortunate understanding that he might be very much in love with Hanbyul and been trying to hide it from himself.
I never know what I’m doing but you make me feel like I can figure it out. I think you belong here. Why don’t you just stay?
“I’m sorry if I massively overstepped tonight,” she said, completely at odds with his internal tragedy. 
“No. No, of course not. You can’t overstep but you didn’t have to do all this–” He broke off to cough into his elbow –away from her. If he got her sick, he’d never get over the guilt.
“I’ve told you before, it’s not a big deal. I love spending time with Sun-young and I’m glad you were able to get some rest. I’m serious about walking her to school in the morning too, unless you’d rather have one of your other friends.”
“I’m sorry if she made you uncomfortable talking about… Subin.”
Hanbyul’s sincere confusion was so endearing that he felt a twinge of guilt, saying Subin’s name just as he thought damn, Hanbyul really is pretty, isn’t she? It’s crazy she never went into acting or modeling.
“Why would that make me uncomfortable?” Hanbyul asked. “I’m flattered she felt like telling me about her mother. She’s a part of you and Sun-young forever. It’s unfair she can’t be here to take care of you while you’re sick and take care of Sun-young, but I hope I honored her by stepping in for an evening.”
Jimin nodded, briefly without words. 
Hanbyul gently touched the back of his hand and added, “I’m truly sorry for your loss, Jimin. I don’t know if I ever said that.”
“You did.”
“Well, good. And please don’t think you or Sun-young are ever a burden when you need help. No one is meant to do everything alone and–” She broke off as he suddenly flipped his hand, catching her palms against his. “--and I’m really happy to be here,” she said, barely a murmur as she stared at their hands. Jimin too, unsure how that had happened. It had been impulsive. It was the wrong move.
He drew in a deep, ragged breath and she pulled her hand away. He shouldn’t have. She was dating his friend. He couldn’t say he regretted it. He should have wound their fingers together, kept her there. 
But what would he say? I care about you more. Quit Jungkook and be with me. I’m sorry I was slow but it’s scary, you see? I didn’t think I could do this again…
He pushed back from the table and she leapt up as Hudu jumped down from her lap. She reached for the dishes but Jimin shooed her away.
“I can manage them.”
The fact she didn’t argue seemed telling. She gathered Hudu’s things into her bag and slid her phone into her pocket and Jimin felt an absolute dread that she was leaving. He knew he’d overstepped with the touch. She had to think so, because it had felt insanely intimate to him, just that moment of their palms touching. Her cheeks flushed and he feared it was with anger.
He started to say he was sorry, but Hanbyul spoke over him with a smile that seemed sincere, “I’ll come by to get Sun-young at 7:30. Don’t argue about it, please. I told her I would so it’s very important to me that I keep my word.”
“All right then. Thank you. Goodnight, Hudu,” he said, scratching the dog’s head. “Goodnight, Hanbyul.”
“Goodnight.”
It felt awkward. He felt it. He’d made her feel awkward, and after all she’d done for him. But he didn’t know what to say to fix it, and he already felt like shit anyway, so this one time he kept his mouth shut and just locked the door behind her.
The apartment felt empty with her gone, just him and sleeping Sun-young left, like the movie had ended and there just credits rolling. There wasn’t even music playing anymore.
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Jimin knew he ought to get back to his apartment quickly. It was bad enough he’d had to call in another favor, but it was only fair he cover Hoseok’s classes now that he was sick, and Sun-young had science club, and sometimes things just seemed impossible for a single parent.
But walking past the corner florist made him pause. And think. And think. He was a thinker, a planner, he shouldn’t do things impulsively because then things could go wrong and you weren’t prepared.
But things went wrong even if you carefully planned. Time was unknown and unsympathetic and always running out.
The apartment had just felt so empty without her in it, the chair she’d sat in pulled out as if still waiting for her to take her seat again. He felt like he was waiting for Hanbyul to get home from work. One evening wasn’t enough.  
Was it worth the risk of losing a friendship over? Two friendships?
Park Jimin did something he never did: he let impulse take over.
He bought the flowers, a big pretty bouquet of purple and pink and white because they looked like stars and that was her name. Hanyul: Big Star.
He ignored the mailroom for now, because he was on a mission. He was going to shoot his shot. If it caused a rift with Jungkook… hopefully it could be mended. Probably it would cause only a rift between himself and Hanbyul because she’d be gracious about his unwelcome feelings and then he would lose something that was devastating him to have so little of anyway.
“Hold the elevator!” Jungkook called and dove inside.
For a moment they looked at each other, and then Jungkook’s face broke into a wide grin and he asked, “Who are the flowers for?”
“Sunnie.”
“Ah. Right.” 
They’d forgotten to push the button, so Jungkook did.
“You here to see Hanbyul?” Jimin asked, wishing it wasn’t true.
“Yeah.”
“Ah.” Silence as the elevator shimmied to life. “So uh… that. How did that happen? Is it serious?”
“Is what serious?”
Leave it to Jungkook to make Jimin spell it out, the ass: “You and Hanbyul.”
“We’ve got a real connection. Why do you ask? You in love with her or something?”
Thank fuck for his careful control of his face. 
Jimin gave him a playful grin and assured him, “No, no, I’m just looking out for her. I’m just asking if you’re serious about her.”
“You should fight me for her,” Jungkook grinned back.
Jimin’s expression twitched as he said, “I’m not… I’m not fighting you for her.” Gone was his foolish plan to sweep her out from under Jungkook.
Fuck, what an awful choice of words.
“Well not physically, I’d beat your ass,” Jungkook laughed. “I mean confessionally.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“Are you at least going to give her a choice? I mean, I’m pretty serious competition, it’d be pretty hard for anyone to– but hey, maybe it’s your lucky day,” Jungkook said and slapped him on the shoulder. 
“A choice… between us?” Jimin’s heart leapt into his throat with hope. Probably Jungkook was just fucking with him, but if he was actual casual enough to give Hanbyul a no-strings choice… well, would she really choose the single dad over hot young bachelor Jungkook… but… but maybe Sunnie could help him make a powerpoint and she’d find it charming…
Jungkook sighed, “You don’t like that idea? That sucks. Listen, don’t break her heart or anything, ok? She’s a really good friend of mine and–”
“No, stop, that’s what I was going to say!” Jimin forced a laugh, stepping off the elevator after him. “I just wanted to say I’m happy for you and that I–”
“Well I’m not dating her but maybe you should before someone else does, if you’re so bothered by it.”
Before Jimin could fathom a response, Jungkook pushed the buzzer at Hanbyul’s door.
“What, what do you mean you’re not–”
The door dragged open to reveal Hanbyul –in shortie shorts and a t shirt with a faded Minnie Mouse on it and stripey flower socks. Her expression shifted at once from neutral to surprise as she stared at Jimin.
Jungkook plucked a phone charger from her hand.
“Hey Hanbyul, thanks, Jimin’s got something to say to you, bye.”
He promptly turned and walked back towards the elevator.
**
“Uh…”
It took Hanbyul half a minute longer than it should have to realize Jungkook had retrieved his abandoned phone charger and departed. Her attention remained leveled at Jimin’s face in an attempt to not die of embarrassment: she’d just woken up from a gloriously braless and pantsless nap to a message from Jungkook saying by process of elimination he thought he’d left his phone charger at her place and was on his way over. Her offer to leave it at Jimin’s was too late; he never responded and she had time to do nothing but drag on shorts before the buzzer at her door revealed Jungkook. 
And Jimin.
He looked so much healthier after his illness –thanks in part, she hoped, to the soup. He looked even better since she’d seen him, when she picked up Sun-young and walked her to school before peeling off to haul ass to work. 
And then Hanbyul spent the next two days avoiding the Parks because she wanted it too much. It brought her too much happiness to be over there, doing simple domestic things with them like that. It was torture not to kiss Jimin’s flushed forehead and brush his hair back and really take care of him. It was unkind to herself and possibly to Sun-young to let herself get so close to the little girl who did not deserve to lose anyone else from her life.
The recruiter had contacted her via email and wanted to schedule an official interview; he promised to call her soon. Hanbyul had done a freaking out dance around the apartment. Then whipped her bra off and fallen into bed for a stress nap.
And now Jimin was standing at her door, seeing her in this disheveled space, holding out a bouquet of beautiful purple flowers. She did not understand and only took them because he seemed to want her to hold them for him.
“They’re for you,” he explained, as if she was an idiot (she was.) “To thank you.”
“Jimin, I told you, you have to stop thanking me. I’m going to start taking it as an insult.”
“Wha?”
“You didn’t have to get me flowers. But they’re beautiful, so thank you.” She loved how gracious that sounded, as if she could be cool about getting flowers, as if it happened all the time (it didn’t.)
“They’re stars, like your name. I don’t know what they’re actually called,” he admitted, laughing at himself.
“Thank you, I’ll put them in water right away.” She stepped into the apartment, expecting that was goodbye, but Hudu foiled her plan, darting into Jimin’s arms –or maybe Jimin had already wedged his body in to follow her through. That brat (Hudu, but also maybe Jimin.) 
“One second!” she called over her shoulder and disappeared into her bedroom to frantically drag on a sweatshirt. It was going to be weird if she completely changed, wouldn’t it? But she was so unkempt. Would it be weird to put on pants? 
She was taking too long. She hurried back to find Jimin going through her cabinets, looking for a vase. The only one was a heavy crystal thing she had borrowed from her mother a year ago because her mother had been grievously disappointed the visit before that Hanbyul didn’t have flowers on her table.
“Perfect, right Hudu?” He tossed a smile down to the pup, and then over his shoulder at her, and she felt simultaneously like a queen and a bug. He looked like that, smiling at her when she looked like this. It didn’t make her feel better that he’d recently looked sick. He had been adorable.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” she said.
“How are you? Not coming down with anything?”
Actually she’d had a slight headache all day and her throat felt scratchy that morning, but she wasn’t going to tell him that and make him feel guilty for accepting the help. It was probably nothing. A sudden onset of spring allergies or something.
“I’m good.”
She joined him at the counter but let him do the work of untying the bouquet, snipping the stems with her kitchen scissors and arranging them artfully in the vase.
“Wow, you’re really good at that.”
“I learned some arranging tricks when I was younger because it was cheaper to buy bulk flowers and make our own arrangements for performers than buying the bouquets.”
Her phone rang –a godawful thing because she never had the ringer on and didn’t even know what it was set to– and she gasped as she reached for it, but it was only her sister so she sent it to voicemail. She couldn’t risk missing this call!
“Ouch,” Jimin laughed. “Who deserved that?”
“My sister… I’ll call her back later.”
“Oh I don’t mean to stop you–”
“No, she’s calling to ask about–” Hanbyul broke off. Was this the sort of premature news one gave a neighbor-acquaintance-friend? “I might curse it,” she admitted.
Jimin raised an eyebrow but kept his gaze on the flowers he futzed with as he asked carefully, “Curse what? Not your um, relationship with Jungkook I hope?”
“I have a job interview– uh, wait, what relationship with Jungkook–?”
“A job interview! A new job? Or the promotion at your current place?”
“I don’t have a relationship with Jungkook,” she said. “A friendship, but that’s all.”
Jimin nodded and smiled. He pushed the vase towards the center of her counter and assured her, “It’s none of my business.”
“Why, did he tell you something else?”
“No, he said the same,” Jimin shrugged. 
“When we went out clubbing he had too much to drink and crashed here. Apparently he takes a phone charger with him when he goes clubbing in case he goes home with someone.” Hanbyul shook her head. She couldn’t imagine leading that kind of life. He had only laughed at her advice: maybe stop having sex the same day you meet a woman if you want deep and lasting romance so badly! Then he’d asked how deep and lasting romance with Jimin was going and she had threatened to block him. 
“That he does.”
“You met someone that night too,” Hanbyul recalled –in painstaking detail. She tried to be light as she teased, “Any exciting dating plans? Someone you met on the app?” She had on the exact same expression she knew she wore when trying to make bad news sound like good news at work to the higher ups.
He hissed through his teeth and admitted, “I haven’t even finished setting up my profile. And if you’re teasing me about who I think you are, she’s on the funding board for a scholarship group my dance school works with so I had to play nice. I didn’t realize you’d sneak away on me.”
“I didn’t sneak.”
“Hm.”
“I was way too drunk to be sneaking,” she admitted. “I don’t go out much like that.”
“Me neither.”
“It was fun though.”
“Would have been more fun if we’d actually gotten to dance,” Jimin said. Hanbyul could have sworn there was a note of longing to his voice.
“You don’t want to dance with me,” she assured him. “I can’t dance at all.”
“That’s ok.”
“No, I mean it. Your daughter suggested maybe I’d do better at yoga and asked if I understand what the beat of the music is.”
Jimin laughed and covered his eyes, “Oops. She’s a sharp-shooter sometimes… But no one is a lost cause. I saw you dancing at club and you did fine. Anyone can learn with a little help, I believe it.”
What were they talking about it again?
“Maybe next time. If there is a next time.”
“I hope there’s a next time,” Jimin said. He looked to the side in thought, then shook his head and admitted, “Honestly I was kicking myself. I don’t know why I hadn’t already introduced my friends to you. Of course you get along with all of them.”
“Why would you introduce your neighbor?” she laughed. Try to keep it light. This conversation felt strange for a reason she couldn’t quite put her thumb on. It felt serious, like an air of goodbye had settled around them in a haze. 
She hadn’t even done the interview yet!
“You’re not just my neighbor,” Jimin corrected. “Ma Gurim is just my neighbor. You’re at least a close friend.”
“At least,” she immediately repeated. 
He looked surprised by his own word choice, panicked almost, and clarified, “Not just anyone will come over and take care of me and my daughter when I’m sick.”
“Get over yourself, it’s not an inconvenience,” she teased to cover the way her heart fluttered high in her chest. At least a close friend.
“Get over myself,” he repeated with a laugh. “It’s true, I have an ego sometimes.” He ran his fingers through those blond locks. 
Her phone rang. What timing! She wanted to follow that train of thought: what did he mean by ego? Why was he smiling like that? He wasn’t flirting with her, was he? He must still be sick.
But interview terror temporarily outweighed Jimin confusion, and she answered her phone before it could ring a third time. Jimin’s eyes got big and he shirked his shoulders as if he shared her excitement and didn’t leave.
The recruiter was straight-forward but polite on the phone. There was interest in her resume and application letter. They would like to meet her for an afternoon of interviews. There would be several rounds for this more senior position, she must understand the selection process was thorough to ensure a good fit, which date from a list of available would work for her? Did she have any professional references she could provide for contact? 
Hanbyul flew around the kitchen but Jimin was the one to find the pen and paper for her. She rattled off two former colleagues she had already messaged about acting as references. She could make the date work –though it worried her, taking time off from her current job to interview, like they would know she was up to something and fire her, and then she might not get the new job, and have no job.
By the time she hung up, her heart was racing as if she’d been interviewed already. She hoped the man couldn’t tell over the phone.
“A new job,” Jimin said. “That’s… exciting.”
“It might be,” she agreed. “If I get it.”
“They’d be fucking crazy to snooze on you. Where is it? You didn’t say…”
“Oh, well the company has several branches. One is here but there’s also one near my parents, in the town I grew up in. My sister’s about to have her baby, you know, and–”
“Right, yes, I understand.” He was nodding a lot.
“So now I have an interview,” she breathed out.
“It can be hard to live away from family,” he continued. “I understand why you’d want to move back near them.”
Yes, there were plenty of reasons to go. She had told the recruiter her childhood hometown was her branch preference. It should be her branch preference. Her parents were getting up in years and she would want to know her sister’s baby. She’d set out for Seoul years ago and what did she really have to show for it? Hudu was not an anchor.
“What made you stay here instead of moving back to be near your parents?” she asked.
“Ah, it was a hard choice,” he admitted. “They wanted me to. Sometimes I’ve wondered if it was the right choice. But I have family here too, so does Sunnie. Subin’s parents are here and I didn’t want her to lose that connection with her mother’s family. But also Taehyung and Jungkook and Hoseok, Yoongi, everyone, they’re here. They’re my family too. We have a home, I have my dance school, Sunnie loves her school.”
“That all makes sense.”
“For a long time I wondered if I just stayed here because it’s where I was before… but this is my life. Everything, almost everyone I care about is here.”
Hanbyul was the one nodding a lot now. She looked at the pretty flowers Jimin had brought her, just to say thanks for doing a thing she wanted to do all the time. She knew with absolute clarity that she couldn’t go into a job interview without knowing once and for all whether she too had a family anchoring her here. For a moment the image of her with him felt so real she could reach out and touch it. She needed to know if the illusion would dissolve at the brush of her fingertips. 
It was crazy to wonder. It was wistful thinking. She was crazy fucking delusional.
But she had to know for sure and if there was nothing, if she was completely imagining the flirting, if he just wasn’t ready or wasn’t interested in welcoming her specifically into his life well… well that was good to know. 
“I don’t have a relationship with Jungkook,” she said, feeling like someone else was speaking the words. “But um, I did date Namjoon for a little bit.”
Jimin’s brow pinched in confusion as he repeated, “Namjoon? You already know Namjoon? When did you date–”
“Recently,” she admitted.
Jimin’s eyebrows raised before he said slowly, “Ohhhh. No, really? You’re the woman who… at the club, that’s why…”
“I guess that’s me.” She twisted her mouth, not sure what to say about Jimin knowing her by action. Why was she admitting this again?! “I, um… it wasn’t serious, at least I didn’t think so. It was nice, I mean he’s nice, he’s a good guy, but it just didn’t…” She gestured, wishing Jimin would finish the sentence for her and read her mind. Alas, he did not.
“You just ended it that day we went clubbing.”
“I’d been putting it off. I sort of didn’t know if there was even anything to end, I mean we weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend or anything, we only went on a few dates really but– I admit, I didn’t handle it well, I should have called it off earlier. I didn’t know what to do because…”
She hated that she couldn’t read Jimin’s mind either. His expression was inscrutable. 
“I have feelings for someone else,” she said and felt like a good ten years of her life drained away with the words leaping from her tongue. She didn’t feel in control of that tongue. “I thought it would be better to meet someone else and move past those feelings.” She swallowed and cleared her throat. Her nose was getting stuffy. “But it didn’t work and it wasn’t fair to Namjoon.”
“This someone else doesn’t return your feelings?” 
She studied his face, desperate to tell if he understood what she was saying. She didn’t think she could be any more transparent, it would kill her. But she had to be. There wasn’t room for error and even though he was watching her so carefully right now, leaning forward, mouth open in that thoughtful pout he had, she couldn’t tell if he understood. She needed him to understand. She could be brave.
“No,” she admitted. “At least I don’t think so.”
“How could he not?” Even just that, even if he said or felt nothing else, Hanbyul felt warmed to her soul. 
Her smile flickered as she tried to joke, “I know, I’m a catch! But I’m still honored just to be neighbor Han–” He stepped forward suddenly and caught her face, cutting her off with a kiss. His lips pressed to hers, the softest caress, softer than her wildest dreams. A second kiss followed, harder, more certain, but still unhurried, like he had all afternoon to spend dragging that plush lower lip of his against hers. He kissed the ten years back into her lungs and then some; she felt sunlight seep from his fingertips into her jaw. She was drowning in him.
“He does return your feelings, Hanbyul,” he murmured, their noses brushing. “He’s just an idiot.”
“He’s not an idiot,” she argued. “He’s… careful.”
“So careful he may have missed his chance.”
What a silly fear from a silly, silly man. She slid her hands slowly up his chest, curious and shy at the strong curve of muscle firm behind the fabric. His neck was so warm beneath her palms. It felt scandalous to touch him so much, to hold him so close, to feel his hands ghost down to her waist, his fingertips nudging her closer.
“It’s not too late at all,” she whispered. “Not unless…” Hudu’s cold nose poked her calf and she startled. Leave it to her dog to nose in on the most romantic moment of her life because he couldn’t stand whispering.
“Unless what?” Jimin asked cautiously, as he leaned away to look in her face. Hudu barked and Jimin’s serious expression cracked into a smile as Hudu leapt up and scratched at his thigh for attention. As if demanding ok now what about me, where’s my kiss? 
God Jimin was even more beautiful up close, and now she knew what those lips felt like pressed to hers, and no words could do them justice. It didn’t seem real. Even his proximity didn’t seem real. It made her forget what she was saying until he threw a toy from the counter to distract Hudu and then pretended like they hadn’t had that interruption.
“Unless what?” he repeated.
“I just told you that I dated your friend. We, um, slept together….” Her face felt like it was on fire from the combination of kiss and confession. Double confession. Not the greatest combination of confessions.
Jimin actually rolled his eyes and sighed, “Yeah, I figured as much, I don’t need a play by play. But I kind of have a past too. I was married and she died. I have a daughter.”
“I know that.”
“And that’s not a dealbreaker for you?”
“No, of course not,” Hanbyul said, not understanding how it could be. 
“Then why would your past be a dealbreaker for me?”
“Well, it’s a very recent past…”
He shook his head, grinning, his earring dangling, and laughed, “I don’t care.”
“Really?”
“I think people are lucky if they get one chance at happiness in life. If I get another chance… I’m not going to let anything get in the way of it. Definitely not jealousy about you dating someone else before me. I can only be mad at myself for waiting so long, right?”
The magnitude of what he’d said was not lost on her. Another chance at happiness. That was… big. Bigger than a little crush, certainly bigger than anything casual thing she and Namjoon had talked about. For Jimin to speak so openly and optimistically about a future with her only moments after kissing her… 
She did it, she stole another kiss. She wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of her happiness, either. 
Then she gasped and laughed into her hand, “God, the first time you kiss me and I’m dressed like this!”
“I like it,” he immediately argued. “It’s cute. You’re very cute dressed like this.”
“I was taking a nap waiting for that call–”
He brushed the hair tenderly back from her face and instantly silenced her. The self-deprecation died on her lips because he looked at her like that. His fondness was transparent. How could she not feel radiant? Surely he’d never looked at her like that before, she couldn’t have missed it. The light touch of his fingers sent a shiver down her spine. Park Jimin was a dangerous charmer and somehow she was the object of his affection.
Impossible.
“Hanbyul,” he said her name lowly.
“Mm-hm.”
“Your face is very warm.”
“I’m…” She trailed off and pouted that he would make her say it. “I’m flustered.”
“I think you have a fever.”
“No, I don’t…”
“Are you sure you feel well?”
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Really.” He pressed his cold hands to her cheeks and her forehead and her neck and she flinched, the muscles there stiff.
He narrowed his eyes at her and accused, “Did I get you sick and you didn’t tell me?”
“It’s probably just allergies.” She felt a jolt of worry. Would her being sick cause Jimin extraordinary distress because his wife had died? 
He cradled her face. He looked at her so sweetly. 
And ordered, “Get your buns to bed. It’s my turn to take your child for the evening. I’ll bring you stew.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t cook it. I’ll order it.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” he insisted. “And not just because I got you sick but because taking care of you isn’t a burden to me either. It’s what good neighbors do.”
“Jimin!”
He snickered and then kissed her again, as if he couldn’t believe they did that now either. She was completely cowed into obeying his order to bed. He cared about her. He wanted to take care of her. And also to tease her, what a brat! She adored him.
“We’ll talk more about this later,” he promised, brushing his nose against her forehead. “If you promise I’m not too late, I can be patient for a little bit longer.” 
“Is this just a fever dream?” she murmured. Was Park Jimin really saying these things to her?! She felt like she’d hit her head and woken up in a drama.
“So you admit you have a fever.”
“No! Maybe… I’ll get my thermometer.”
She did. And Jimin brought over soup and kept Hudu, like he’d promised. And by the time Hanbyul had finished squealing over the phone at her sister –with very little space for her sister to contribute anything– her voice was shot and her nose was stuffed too much to even sniff her pretty flowers Jimin had brought her.
Did he really mean it, that he cared for her too? What did this mean for them? He hadn’t asked her out but said they would talk more later… Should she ask him out or wait for him to ask her out? Should she ask both of them out? Would Sun-young figure out something was off? Would it be upsetting for her? That child was crazy smart, she would definitely figure something out and ask Hanbyul on the spot and what was she supposed to say? I spiked a fever because your appa kissed me.
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Being patient was hard. Harder than Jimin had anticipated. He had thought that kissing Hanbyul and admitting to her that he had feelings would bring him peace but instead it drove him fucking crazy because here they were hovering in this limbo space and she was sick. His fault! She’d cleared caught it taking care of him, and all he could do was take her soup and walk Hudu for her. It wasn’t nearly enough, not compared to how much she had done to take care of Sun-young. Definitely not as much as he wanted to do. He could see her shoulders ached with the fever; how badly he wanted to rub them for her. She was flushed and sweaty and he wanted to brush her hair back –in fact he did, but that felt like as much as he could do for now. 
She’d confessed first. God, he respected her so much for that. He’d definitely been about to chicken out. In hindsight he appreciated Jungkook putting him on the spot, but it didn’t escape him that, secretly, if she hadn’t said it first, he might have run away. He wanted to be brave, he did, but he felt so hopelessly out of his depth here. He didn’t think he could be trying this again with anyone but her, only Hanbyul, because she would be patient if he fumbled a bit. He truly believed that.
But they hadn’t had a chance to talk again because she was sick and he had promised to be patient, and he didn’t want to pressure her in case she took it back, if he harassed her. It scared him for her to be sick. He would be inclined to hover. He didn’t want to scare her off already.
Because now that this door was open, maybe open, if Hanbyul meant what she said and hadn’t just been delirious with fever… 
His heart raced every time he walked by Hanbyul’s door. When he buzzed to ask if Hudu wanted to go out again, he felt like a tongue-tied teenager again. 
Sun-young seemed to just accept that they’d been taking Hudu on walks for the last two days as if it was something they’d always done. She held Hudu’s leash and led Jimin on a path around the park that was clearly familiar to her and Hudu both.
“This is where unnie goes when we walk,” Sun-young informed him as they set out on a bigger circle of the park. “We go to the cafe and she buys me hot chocolate.”
“Hudu goes in with you?”
“He’s a very good dog,” Sunnie assured him, which of course he knew.  Jimin suggested they go, since she was clearly leading him there anyway, and listened with bemused interest as Sun-young told him facts she’d learned about dogs from a book at school, and how dogs were bred for jobs, and how she wondered what job Hudu was bred for.
“I think he’s a mutt,” Jimin said.
“That’s not very nice!”
“No, it’s not an insult. He just isn’t a purebred.”
“So?”
“No, I know, it’s not a bad thing,” Jimin insisted. “But purebreds are the dogs who were bred for a specific job. Mutts just… happened.” Because animals will be animals…
“Well I think Hudu would be very good at a job,” she said, and crouched down to scratch his ratty brown fur. “He can do anything he puts his mind to.” Hudu looked thrilled at her praise and nodded and licked the air in front of her, tail thumping against the pavement.
“Just like you.”
“That was cheesy,” she teased. “I wish Hudu was our dog.”
Jimin swallowed and nodded and casually suggested, “Well, he’s our good friend’s dog, so it’s kind of the same.”
“It’s not the same at all. If he was our dog he would live with us but right now we have to go all the way down the hall to see him.”
“Mm-hm,” Jimin hummed. Yeah, tell me about it. He knew it was too soon to talk to Sun-young about this thing that might be happening, that he might be going to date Hanbyul. He didn’t know what that meant, much less could he explain it to his daughter. It might mean nothing. Hanbyul might change her mind. They might go out on a few dates and she’d decide it wasn’t working. He didn’t want to get ahead of himself, just because he was excited. Having a girlfriend wasn’t like adopting a dog, you didn’t just fill out some paperwork and they were yours forever.
“Appa why is your face all red?” Sunnie giggled. Yah, because I thought the word ‘girlfriend’ about Hanbyul. It was stupid to feel so giddy about it, like some deep slumbering part of him was creaking to life. They hadn’t even gone on a date yet. Hudu snipped at buds pushing through the ground in the flower beds lining the sidewalk and that was exactly how Jimin felt. He was waking up. Hanbyul made him feel like he was blossoming after a long, very hard winter.
“I’m just cold,” he muttered. 
“It’s not cold at all,” she insisted, and did a little spin on the sidewalk. It killed him how graceful she was and turning her back on dance but it was her choice. OK. He was living with it. “Hey we should start planning the rice cakes you signed us up to make for the fundraiser, huh? Do you know what science demonstration you’re doing yet?”
“Not yet. Let’s get hot cocoa to warm you up,” Sunnie suggested. Jimin wondered if that was what Hanbyul usually said; the phrase struck him as odd coming from his nine year old daughter. 
Hudu was pulling them that way too, so Jimin went along for it. She was right, it wasn’t that cold, it was actually very beautiful out this early April evening. Hanbyul liked winter but he knew she liked spring too, she would love walking in this right now, just as the cherry blossoms were reaching their peak. It was criminal she was stuck inside.
“Maybe if Hanbyul feels better this weekend we can see if she’ll go on a picnic with us to see the cherry blossoms,” he suggested.
“Because you just want her to cook for us?” Sunnie gave him a stern glare.
“What? No! I’ll cook.”
“You want to make her sick again?!”
“Hey!” he scowled, and pinched her cheek. She giggled and batted him away, but then grabbed his hand and wrestled with it before there was actually any space between them. He wrestled right back as they waited for the light and Hudu leapt around them, yipping like he was tattling. Jimin won by wrapping his arm around Sun-young and pulling her into his side for a stolen hug which she, breathlessly, conceded.
“Didn’t we go on picnics to see the cherry blossoms with Eomma when I was a baby?” Sun-young asked.
Jimin froze.
“We’ve gone other years,” he said slowly. Yes, it had been an annual tradition, as it was for most families. They’d missed the year after Subin died, because he couldn’t handle it. Maybe they’d missed the year after too? “Seokjin and Namjoon went with us last year.” He watched her as they waited, anxious about why she had thought of going with Subin and not with their other friends after he’d suggested it with Hanbyul. Had she already picked up on something special about Hanbyul going along, about his maybe budding relationship with Hanbyul? Was she already feeling like Hanbyul was encroaching on Subin’s place as her mother?
“Uncle Seokjin is a good cook too,” Sunnie mused. “If you invite him and unnie and Uncle Yoongi we can eat so much.”
Jimin laughed awkwardly. 
How the fuck was he going to talk to Sun-young about Hanbyul? He ought to wait until things progressed with Hanbyul, until he was sure she was sure there was a future there. This could be deeply distressing for Sun-young, him starting to date. Especially someone Sun-young cared about so much. It could ruin her relationship with Hanbyul, she could lose another very important person in her life if it was too soon for her. The progress he’d made with Sun-young could be undone. This thing that he wanted so badly might be the worst possible thing for his daughter… He couldn’t do anything to hurt her… Maybe a counselor could help? He was selfish, he wanted it all, but he also genuinely believed Hanbyul would be so good for Sun-young. Fuck, was he getting ahead of himself? But they were a package, he couldn’t be with someone who wouldn’t be a positive force in his daughter’s life, who his daughter didn’t absolutely love–
“Appa aren’t we going to cross?” Sun-young sighed noisily and then laughed at him as he hurried to lead her and Hudu across before it changed. He was sweating now. Was it better to wait to say anything until he and Hanbyul had been dating a while or was Sun-young going to figure it out no matter how they tried to hide it and be hurt he’d tried? But she was a child. But what if she was mad. But obviously he couldn’t tell her something like this when nothing had even happened yet, and might even not happen if Hanbyul thought better of it before he managed to ask her out.
“Ok Hudu, be really good in here,” Jimin warned the dog, despite Sun-young insisting he knew how to behave –as if implying Jimin was the wild card here. 
It was a cute little cafe, just a nice little local place, not too busy but busy enough to be a reputable place. A curved green awning hung over the door and there were cherry blossoms painted on the window. The decor was simple and clean, dark wood in the seating area and crisp white around the counters and coffee machines.
Sun-young marched right up to the line at the counter, Hudu’s leash tighter around her hand to hold him close, like she must have seen Hanbyul do. It was sweet, seeing this glimpse into what Hanbyul and his daughter did without him. 
When it was their turn, the older woman at the counter smiled at Sun-young and asked, “Oh, you’re not with your eomma today?”
A jolt ran through Jimin. He was used to this –people questioning where his wife was, other mother’s asking to speak to Sun-young’s mother, teachers assuming Subin would be the one to volunteer for class things. But worse, he realized with a shock that the cafe woman thought Hanbyul was Sun-young’s mother. This preyed instantly on the fears he had just been living, as if the universe reached down to pluck them out of his brain and bring them into the real world.
“Oh, I–” Jimin began just as Sun-young chirped, “This is my appa! Can we get two hot cocoas?”
Jimin was stunned by the graceful way she evaded the question and only nodded along as Sun-young picked out two pastries as well, and then led him to a table by the window, explaining, “We like this table the best so we can watch people in the park.” Hudu curled up beneath Sun-young’s chair and waited patiently for her to pass down a spoon of whipped cream. She sang, “Who likes whipped cream? Who do? You do, Hudu!”
Jimin blew on his hot cocoa and tried to find the words.
“Um… Sunnie, you handled that very well,” Jimin eventually mustered. He watched her closely, waiting for any sign she was distressed at this reminder of the fact she didn’t have a mother, or confusion around Hanbyul’s role in her life. 
Sun-young looked thoughtful before laughing, “I thought you meant giving Hudu whipped cream! You mean ordering our drinks? I was practicing what to say before we came in here because unnie orders for us but she tells me to order sometimes too.”
“No, I meant… the confusion from the woman about Hanbyul…”
��Oh that’s nothing. People think unnie is my eomma a lot,” Sun-young informed him. “Well, not a lot, but sometimes people in the park or here think that.” She looked at the ceiling thoughtfully a moment, licking whipped cream off her upper lip, then asked, “Are you mad I didn’t tell her the right thing? I usually tell people the right thing but if you tell someone who doesn’t really know you that your mom is dead, they feel really bad about it. I didn’t want to make the woman feel bad when she’s just being nice. She works here a lot and unnie always talks to her.”
Jimin curled his hands around the cup and insisted, “I’m not saying you have to say anything. I know exactly what you mean.”
“You do?”
“People don’t know how to respond when you say something sad, like that your eomma is gone. It’s thoughtful of you that you didn’t want to make her feel bad but it’s ok to correct them still, even if it makes them feel bad for a moment.”
“Oh. You wanted me to?”
“No, I mean that… I don’t want you to think you need to go along with something that makes you feel sad or bad just to not make the other person feel a little awkward,” he rephrased. 
“It didn’t make me feel bad,” Sun-young said. She set her cup down and had a dollop of whipped cream on her nose which she tried to get off with her tongue before giving up and using the back of her hand before he could find a napkin. “She just doesn’t know me. Why?” Suddenly Sun-young looked worried. “You think it’s bad?”
“No no. You’re right that she doesn’t know you. I just meant it’s ok if it does make you feel sad, or if it bothers you for someone to think Hanbyul is your eomma and you want to correct them.”
Sun-young stretched her tongue out to get whipped cream off the edge of her cup before saying, “No, I don’t mind.” If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was far more interested in whipped cream than this conversation.
“No? Ok…”
“Sometimes she kind of acts like an eomma anyway,” Sun-young continued. “Like she does some things my real eomma would do if she was here.”
Every muscle in Jimin’s body clenched.
“Is that… ok?”
Sun-young couldn’t have looked more casual with her cheek on her hand as she scrunched her eyebrows and answered, “Yeah, why not? Then you don’t have to do everything.”
“I don’t mind doing everything.”
“You can’t do everything,” Sun-young insisted and gave him a look like he ought to know this. “It’s not that I like her more than you, you’re still my appa. But she’s a girl too and she does some things differently and I think it’s better having her around.”
“Yeah?”
“I get to see her so much lately, I mean until she got sick but you said it’s just a cold.” She gave him a quick look like a sudden fearful thought occurred to her.
“It’s just a cold,” he confirmed. “She got sick coming over when I was sick.”
“How did she get sick from you?”
“Hey that’s what happens with contagious colds,” he quickly insisted, afraid where her questions might lead her. “I didn’t do anything, that’s just how germs work. Just like it’s not your fault I got sick after you were sick. You’re into science, don’t you know about germs?”
“A little bit.” She began to rattle off things she knew about germs, peppering him with questions, so clearly unbothered by this entire conversation. Jimin felt himself start to thaw out. Surely it wouldn’t be that easy. It had only been a few years since Subin died. Sun-young’s feelings could change quickly if Hanbyul actually became a more official presence in her life. She was a little girl with such a little girl understanding of the world and relationships…
But she was growing up too. Maybe he was underestimating her. Again.
Once their pastries and hot cocoa were gone and Hudu was getting restless, Sun-young asked, “Maybe we should take a brownie home for unnie so she’s not sad we came here without her.”
“That’s a good idea. Do you know what she likes?”
“Definitely.” Sun-young made the selection, and the woman packed it up carefully, extending her sympathies when Jimin explained Hanbyul was sick. He didn’t fix the misconception earlier. It was wrong not to. He perpetuated a lie. He was pretending something, trying it on, something he didn’t have any right to yet. 
He felt the twinge of discomfort in his heart. Were things moving too quickly? Was it too soon? He had promised to love Subin his whole life, and now here he was letting this cafe woman believe that Hanbyul was his wife, Sun-young’s mother, all the things that Subin had actually been.
But alongside it was this fresh, slightly raw, new feeling. Like maybe those clothes could fit in time. Not yet, it was foreign and uncertain and scary but… but maybe he could get used to it. If Hanbyul could be patient with him
He had a feeling she would be.
“Maybe you can get unnie flowers too,” Sun-young suggested as they passed a woman selling bouquets on the corner as they crossed back to the park.
“I gave her flowers just a couple days ago.”
“Really?”
“Uh… yeah, you know, to thank her for helping out so much while I was sick. But then she was sick so I don’t think she can even enjoy them. Her nose isn’t working.”
“Maybe you should just ask unnie out on a date again.”
Jimin thought for sure he’d misheard her. He tripped on the curb as Hudu leapt ahead, barking at a squirrel. Sun-young dropped the leash and cried out, but Hudu immediately stopped and trotted right back, waiting patiently for Sun-young to pick the leash up again.
“What did you say?” Jimin asked, clearing the cough from his throat.
“Don’t you like her?”
“Hanbyul-ssi?”
“Yes.” Sun-young looked up at him with her big dark eyes, waiting expectantly.
“Of course, what’s not to like about her?” he returned, trying to sound casual.
“I know, and I think she likes us too and you already took her flowers so… I think it’s backwards? But I don’t really know anything about dating. I think you take her to see a movie now,” Sun-young suggested. As if she was really scraping her knowledge here to help her poor old appa who didn’t know anything about dating.
“You… would be ok with that?”
“I guess you can see a grownup movie I’m not old enough to watch anyway.”
But Jimin desperately wanted this permission that chance and the strange wandering mind of his daughter had brought him, so he pressed, “You would be ok if I went on a date with Hanbyul? If I… if we spent more time with her?”
“I know what dating is,” Sun-young scoffed. “I know when we went to see Mango Crush  it wasn’t even really a date because I was there so this time it can be just the two of you.” Jimin walked slowly, taking Hudu’s leash to pull him closer as some bicycles whizzed past and a bigger dog barked loudly. Hudu didn’t like it and stuck closer to Jiminn’s leg. He was thinking of what to say next.
Instead Sun-young asked, “Do you think it’s weird because it’s not eomma?”
“Weird isn’t the word I was thinking but… maybe. Do you think so?”
“No,” Sun-young said. He thought that was a strange answer and didn’t know whether to trust it.
“I miss your eomma every day,” he continued, “and I haven’t wanted to think about meeting someone new. No one can ever replace your eomma. She loved you so much. I loved her so much.”
“I know that.”
“So I just want to be careful. I don’t want to do anything that makes you and me sad. It’s hard to lose your eomma. It was hard for me to lose my wife.”
Sun-young pursed her lips in thought and it broke his heart, having such an adult conversation with a little girl. It was wrong what he’d said before. She didn’t have a little girl view of the world; she’d had to grow up very quickly in some ways. He just wanted to protect what little girl remained.
“I miss Eomma too, I wish she didn’t die. But I like doing things with unnie too. Is that ok?”
“It’s definitely ok.”
“Then why is it weird?”
“Just… because… I don’t know. Maybe it’s not weird,” he admitted because he didn’t know how to explain his complicated feelings and maybe he didn’t need to. If Sun-young didn’t have a hard time holding both Subin and Hanbyul in her heart, maybe he didn’t need to make it weird for her. If her feelings changed, if she felt different lately, well, they would work through that then. 
“Yeah, don’t make it weird, Appa, and don’t try to be funny and confuse her so she doesn’t know you’re asking her out. Unnie says when you are communicating something important, you have to be firm and clear and believe in yourself.”
“Are you… giving me advice on how to ask her out?”
“Yes!”
Jimin glared and assured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out. I’ve done this before.”
“With eomma? But that was so long ago.”
“Hey!”
“When we get home you can take Hudu and the brownie and I’ll run to our apartment so you have privacy,” Sun-young suggested.
“I’m not asking her out today! She’s sick!”
“But if you wait, Uncle Tae might ask her out! I think he likes her too.” 
And Namjoon and Jungkook Jimin internally grumbled.
“Don’t you worry about it.”
“Maybe I should help. I asked her out for Mango Crush.”
“Sunnie,” he stopped her right outside the building. “I’ve got this.”
She clapped her hands together and agreed, “That’s good, Appa, believe in yourself. I think she likes us a lot, I think she’ll say yes.”
He did not ask Hanbyul out, despite Sun-young’s eager questions as soon as he got back from returning Hudu and delivering the brownie. He tutted her away. Now he wondered if it would be better for her not to have known for a different reason. She might overwhelm Hanbyul. She might make Hanbyul feel rushed or pressured into something she didn’t actually want.
No, he had to trust Hanbyul in making her own decisions. He believed she would. And his heart did feel lighter about it all knowing he had Sun-young’s shockingly full support. 
Instead he waited until Sun-young had gone to bed to make the last phone call he needed to before he’d feel free to take the next step.
“Hey, Namjoon! I don’t want things to be awkward between us so I want to be upfront with you about my feelings for Hanbyul…”
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Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter
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drawballa · 1 year
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Checking in on our little family, someone come tuck them in properly <3
189 notes · View notes
pj-miin · 2 years
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Princess | pjm
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𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆: dad!jimin x mom!reader
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: you decide to take your daughter on set to see her dad
𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: fluff, established relationship
𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: (slight) sexual implications
𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓: 1.8K
« «  » »
Today was Friday—presumably your favourite day of the week, and even more so on this specific Friday. You’d been busy with work all week, and so had Jimin—their album was in its final stages which meant he’d been busy filming the music video all week. Usually, you’d work from home when Jimin was at work, and vice-versa, but this week was a bit hectic and required both you and your husband to be in and out of the house.
You were more than grateful that your mother had come over and stayed the entire week to look after her granddaughter, especially since Jimin’s parents were out of the country in the meantime. Asking one of the girls to babysit Minji wouldn’t have been an issue, they would’ve been more than happy to, but you were sure they were all busy with work too and having their kids to look after, looking after your daughter would’ve just been a hassle for them.
Your mother had left for Busan yesterday evening, which caused the house to lose some of its cheer, but you were understanding—your father must’ve been lonely.
Finally getting the opportunity to take a day off work, you were excited to spend some quality time with your ten-month-old infant—and perhaps even catch a glimpse of your husband for the first time this week since you were currently making your way to the music video set the boys were filming at, today, with your daughter.
The week had been beyond the confined term of busy for both of you. You had barely seen Jimin this week, he had barely seen you and neither of you had gotten much time to spend with your daughter. And of course, your husband could only go so long without seeing the miniature him. He’d called you earlier this morning after finishing a shot, asking you to bring Minji to set later today—and how could you have refused.
The boys hadn’t seen Minji in a while either, the last time you’d all met up was at Seokjin and Sera’s house, but that was well over a month ago. Although they would show up sometimes so the kids could play together, you all hadn’t met all together in a while, and you were sure everyone was missing each other’s company, which is why you’d decided to invite (though they didn’t need a ‘formal’ invite, they were family after all) everyone to your house tomorrow for dinner.
“Minji baby, we’re here,” you cooed at your daughter from the front seat of your car once you’d parked it. She’d ended up falling asleep through the length of the car ride, a habit you were sure she’d inherited from you. The only habit she’d inherited from you, you should say. Aside from that, your daughter was a carbon copy of her father—whether it be her small button nose, her soft rounded eyes, her heart-shaped lips, and basically everything else.
You’d been told one too many times that girls tend to go after their father most of the time, but you didn’t know to this extent. If that hadn’t been enough, she was inseparable from her father. Jimin was the only one that could get her to finish her food, the only one that could put her to sleep, the only one that could bathe her without her making a fuss, and the only one to get her to stop crying. Of course, you were capable of doing these things too, you were her mother after all, but not as easily as Jimin could.
You unfasten the seat belt of your daughter’s car seat, and take her into your arms. Waking up in the process, she looks at you with wide eyes that reminded you so much of Jimin. “Are you excited to see your appa? Huh, love?” You coo at your daughter who buries her face in the crook of your neck, you chuckle at this.
Walking inside, you were greeted by numerous staff members. They all gather around Minji, who hides her face in your neck. They smile in understanding, it’s hard to have babies open up to complete strangers.
You follow one of the staff members as she leads you to the filming site. Once inside, you immediately notice Hobi and Jungkook while they were monitoring some of the shots.
Their faces light up once they notice you and they walk over. You watch as Minji looks attentively at her uncles and Hobi immediately takes her into his arms.
Minji being the youngest among the kids (for now), she was insanely pampered by everyone.
“Oh baby, did you miss us?” Hobi asks while blowing raspberries into your daughter’s stomach, Minji giggles.
“Okay, it’s my turn now,” Jungkook announces, taking Minji into his arms. “She’s grown so much,” Jungkook says in surprise. The last time Jungkook and Yoora had come over to play with Minji was about four weeks ago, and of course, babies tend to grow pretty fast.
“Who’s a big girl now?” Jungkook murmurs softly to his niece.
“Where's everyone else?” You ask curiously, looking around.
“They’re still filming, they should be done soon,” Hobi informs you, you nod.
“Does Minji want to see her appa?” Jungkook asks the small girl in his arms, of course, there was no response from her that any of you could understand, she babbles in response to Jungkook’s question. Jungkook smiles and takes Minji to where the others were filming, you and Hobi follow closely.
“Minji look,” Jungkook points to where Jimin was filming his shot with Seokjin, “who is that?” Jungkook asks the girl in surprise.
“Appa,” Minji exclaims at the sight of her father, you giggle.
“She sounds a lot like you right now,” Hobi remarks from beside you, referring to the days you’d come to visit Jimin on set, before you had Minji, before you got married—back in the days when you called Jimin your boyfriend.
You elbow Hobi’s rib cage, “that is not true at all.”
Hobi hums in response, “sure, if that’s what you think.”
You divert your attention to your daughter who was now squirming in her uncle’s arms.
“Oh no,” you sigh, taking your daughter from Jungkook.
You bounce her slightly in your hold, attempting to calm her, but you knew this wasn’t going to work—she’d gotten a glimpse of her father which meant she needed to be in his hold and you didn’t want to distract Jimin while he was working.
“Here, I’ll take her outside for a while,” Hobi offers and you accept gladly, handing over your daughter to Hobi before she causes a scene, and you knew very well that if Jimin gets a glance at his girl, he wouldn’t be able to focus wholeheartedly, which you didn’t want.
Once Hobi leaves with your daughter in his hold and Jungkook on his tail, you put your attention on your husband, Seokjin had now left the frame and Jimin was filming his solo shot.
Perhaps Hobi was right, you really can’t get enough of your husband—you’d been together for six years now, married for a little over a year and you’d known him for a while before you’d started dating and yet the sight of him—especially him in his element, made you blush like a high schooler.
The director’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts as he announces a break.
Jimin’s eyes catch yours and he jogs his way to you while the rest of the boys stand and talk amongst themselves about the shots.
“Hi love,” he says with a grin, hands finding their place on your waist as he presses a chaste kiss on your lips.
“Hi baby,” you giggle into the kiss.
“Are you finished with the filming?” You ask.
“Almost,” he says, “there are two more shots left.”
You nod, finally taking the moment to absorb your husband’s visuals. He was styled in a black suit, the first few buttons of his shirt undone—which you were sure would drive the fandom insane at the sight of your husband’s toned chest. His hair was styled back, allowing you to catch a glimpse of the three gray strands of hair the 32-year-old man had grown into, and it drove you absolutely insane—dilf of the century.
Possessively, you attempt to close the buttons of his shirt, aware that all the female staff members must’ve been swooning over him. He grasps your hands in the process, “what are you doing, love?”
“I’m protecting my man from the gaze of other women,” you inform him, continuing with your task.
He laughs with his head back, “I think it’ll take a little more than that, babe.”
You frown at that.
“Where’s Minji?” He finally asks, noticing the absence of his daughter.
You decide to tease him a little, “oh yeah, about that, she was a little tired, so I didn’t bring her, she’s at Taehyung’s house, with Hyejin.”
Jimin’s face drops immediately, “baby,” he whines like a child, “why didn’t you bring her?”
“Love, she was tired,” you try to reason but he isn’t hearing any of it.
“You could’ve brought her for a while,” he continues to whine, his puppy eyes and pout on full display.
Like father, like daughter.
Unable to resist his cuteness any longer, you finally give in, “I’m only joking, she’s outside with Hobi and Kook.”
“Really?” His eyes shine.
You laugh, “yes.”
As if on cue, Hobi and Jungkook walk in with little Minji in Jungkook’s arms, playing with the tattoos on his arm. You smile at the sight.
Restlessly, Jimin takes his mini-me into his hold. Minji’s eyes light up at the sight of her father, “appa,” she cheers happily.
As if Minji was a magnet, the other four that were standing near the back walked towards you.
“Hey princess, did you miss your appa?” Jimin asks softly, placing a kiss on her cheek.
“Minji, give appa a kiss,” you instruct your daughter.
She’d only learned how to do this yesterday, but you loved it.
She gives you a blank stare, “Minnie, give appa a kiss,” you say again.
This time it seems her brain comprehends what you tell her and so she leans in and places a small kiss on Jimin’s cheek.
Both yours and Jimin’s hearts almost combust from her cuteness.
“That’s enough for you now,” Taehyung declares. “Let me play with my niece.” He says, taking Minji into his arms. “Isn’t that right Minji?” Taehyung coos at her.
“Yah, I haven’t even seen her in so long,” Seokjin complains, wanting to hold Minji too.
“You just saw her last week, hyung. I deserve to play with her, actually,” Namjoon says, arms outstretched to take Minji in his hold, but Yoongi beats him to it.
“I’m clearly her favourite uncle,“ Yoongi boasts, giving her kisses, she giggles, “see, she agrees,” Yoongi shrugs, walking away with her.
Jimin walks after him, “hyung, you can’t just steal my daughter from me,” he whines.
“You see her every day, Jimin-ah,” Hobi says, shoving him aside.
God they’re really never going to grow up.
142 notes · View notes
yoonbroom · 8 months
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BTS FIC RECS
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a list of BTS fics I really enjoyed! pls go and show these amazing authors some love <3 if there wasn't a summary I just included a little blurb from the fics! and anything with * are my own thoughts. now onto the recs ↓
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KIM SEOKJIN
TURN BACK TIME - @raplinesmoon
oneshot, fluff, angst, smut
After total humiliation at his middle school baseball try outs, Kim Seokjin wants nothing more than for his awkward years to fade away until he’s thirty. Cue a magic baseball glove, and his wish is finally granted. Seokjin suddenly wakes up seventeen years later, now the star pitcher of the team he’d always dreamed of playing for. Confused and overwhelmed at the prospect of the new life waiting for him, he turns to the only person who seems to understand him — you. Will Seokjin learn what it truly means to be thirty, flirty, and thriving? Or will he find himself wishing he could turn back time?
WITH YOU - @yoonpobs
oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, ceo, marriage, divorce, parent
marrying your childhood best friend was not the love story that most painted it to be. you knew that better than anyone else.
UNTITLED - @eoieopda
drabble, fluff, est relationship, parent
"I loved the dad joon and dad yoongs drabble 🥹 it's freaking cuteeee omg jade 😭😭 *whisper* can you do dad-to-be or dad seokjin too please...? I'm on a seokjin missing hour 🥹 thank you ❤️❤️"
LONG TERM COUPLE - @taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, idol au, strangers to lovers
long term couple masterlist *the whole long term couple series is honestly one of my faves😭*
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MIN YOONGI
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, idol au, strangers to lovers
long term couple masterlist
NO MORE - @gyukult
series (two-shot), angst, smut, fluff, unrequited love, college, secret relationship
yoongi doesn’t like your consistent pining, and one day, after finally coming to terms that he will never reciprocate any feelings back, you give up. yet, for some reason, yoongi is the one who can’t come to terms with the consequences of when he says ‘no more.’
VOWS AKA 10 WAYS TO WIN YOUR HUSBAND'S HEART - @hamsterclaw
series, fluff, angst, smut, arranged marriage, est relationship
You’ve been in your arranged marriage with Yoongi for five years, and he’s never once retaliated for anything you’ve done to him. One day you realise you’ve lost your appetite for provoking him, and you set about trying to win his heart instead.
CARE FOR YOU - @archivedkookie
oneshot, fluff, est relationship, marriage, doctor au
Yoongi will always care for you, no matter what.
BABY, YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR PT.2- @jungshookz
oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, mechanic au
welcome to min mechanics - what can i do for you today, doll?
THE TROPHY WIFE - @taeyohonic
oneshot, fluff, angst, est relationship, idol au
the proposal doesn’t go as planned
BACK-BURNER - @/yoonpobs
series, angst, fluff, smut, sisters best friend, friends to lovers
sometimes you felt like you were the back-burner of a two-decade-long friendship. how could you ever compete?
VEGAS BABY - @chimivx
series, fluff, angst, smut, idol au, parent au
A peek into the life of an Idol and his soulmate tackling the obstacles that come with having a surprise in the whirlwind of a world they live in. { This link takes you to the full collection of works. }
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JUNG HOSEOK
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, strangers to lovers, idol au
long term couple masterlist
ONE NIGHT LIGHT - @bts-reveries
series, fluff, angst, smau, parent
Hoseok has been living his very own version of a perfect life. Unlike some of his best friends, this doesn’t include a happy marriage, adorable kids, or even a stable relationship. All he would ever need was music, dancing, and of course, the parties. Now what happens when he gets a wake up call from reality when the door rings approximately six years after his last one night stand?
AT THE CONCERT - @katnisspeetaprim
oneshot, fluff, est relationship, idol au
Hoseok was quite insistent that you come to this show in particular...
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KIM NAMJOON
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, strangers to lovers, idol au
long term couple masterlist
UNTITLED - @/eoieopda
drabble, fluff, est relationship, parent au
dad!joon
ALONE ON YOUR BIRTHDAY - @monimonimoon
drabble, angst, est relationship
Namjoon promised he would be there on your birthday, he wouldn't be working, he certainly wouldn't work late. Sometimes, increasingly frequently, he broke his promises.
ME AND YOUR MAMA - @joonberriess
oneshot, smut, fluff, est relationship
you like to remember both what life before the little one was and after with your loving boyfriend namjoon.
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PARK JIMIN
ROCK BOTTOM - @jkbabiey
oneshot, angst, fluff, smut, marriage, idol au
When, in a four-year marriage, you get to the point where you question its worth, you know that’s your rock bottom. How many I’m sorry’s will you handle? How many times are too many times?
MASK ON - @herherteartear
series, fluff, angst, smau, single dad au
blind dates are never the move.. unless your best friend is vouching for the person you're going on a date with. it couldn't be that bad, right? wrong. now you're in love with a man who has a big secret. a big secret with chubby cheeks and pig tails.
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, friends to lovers, idol au
long term couple masterlist
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KIM TAEHYUNG
MINI ME - @bts-reveries
series, fluff, angst, smau, strangers to lovers, parent au, artist au
Unlike his best friends, Taehyung was young, wild, and free. No relationship, no babies, no responsibilities. Well he had his puppy, but that was it. Taehyung watched his nieces and nephews grow up and it was no secret that he too wanted to have one of his own someday. So what will happen when he finally finds someone that matches his personality (and himself) well?
WELCOME TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL - @tteokggukk
oneshot, fluff, idol au, strangers to lovers
"He’s been watching your videos for quite some time now, ever since your channel started rising. Art was one of his major interests and he absolutely adored the way you made your videos with the calming, ASMR-like sound of mixing paint and how you skillfully glided the brush across the canvas. On days when he found himself tired and in need of a quick way to relax, he’d subconsciously find himself binge watching videos on your channel— even repeating several videos since you were only starting. He found it fascinating, but also because he found you interesting."
ONE OF THE BOYS - @littlemisskookie
oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, childhood friends, best friends to lovers, high school
All your life you wanted only one thing- for Kim Taehyung to like you. You did everything you could to make this happen, from picking up his hobbies and rejecting anything feminine. But who do you start to become when you stop trying to impress him?
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, (best)friends to lovers, idol au
long term couple masterlist
"I WISH ID NEVER MET YOU" " I HATE YOU" - @v-hope
oneshot, angst, idol au
"pls do 12 and 27 with tae (angst)"
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JEON JUNGKOOK
UNTITLED - @onlyswan
oneshot, fluff, angst, est relationship, idol au
in which you make jungkook’s world spin and you tend to… make him a little too dizzy.
ME AND MY HUSBAND - @gashinabts
oneshot, fluff, angst, smut, est relationship, parent au
You don’t want to brag but you have the world’s greatest husband. Jungkook packs your lunch everyday, and makes cute shapes with the fruit. There’s even a little note, ‘ Have a good day at work, Baby! <3’. Smiling to yourself you place the note down, and eat your food with content.
17 GOING ON 27 - @hansolmates
oneshot, fluff, angst, photographer au
one second, you’re sobbing at prom because the most popular guy in school dumps you due to your relationship being a little prank to break your heart. the next? you’re a creative editor at Ego, the hottest young adult fashion magazine. as you try to figure out what’s the deal with this sudden time skip into adulthood, you come across relationships and friendships that are made to be cherished and made to be broken.
HOME - @bonny-kookoo
oneshot, fluff, smut, idol au
Singing about love without having experienced it properly before, Jungkook felt a little foolish- as if he didn’t quite have the rights to the words he’d put out there for others to listen to. But Jungkook also loved to learn new things; and loving you was one of them.
LONG TERM COUPLE - @/taetaespeaches
series, fluff, angst, smut, strangers to lovers, idol au
long term couple masterlist
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want recs for other groups? check out my navigation → here!
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luciathcv · 22 days
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lullabies - jjk
summary: in which everyone is sleep deprived and jungkook helps with some lullabies || warnings: none || genre: fluff, established relationship, parenthood au, dad!jungkook || word count: approximately 700
Your baby was constantly waking you and Jungkook up throughout the night with loud sobs, and this night was no different. You checked on her the first time, going into her room and making sure nothing was wrong and that she wasn't hungry or anything like that, and when she rejected you feeding her, you knew she wasn't. You then checked her diaper to make sure she was okay and she was, it was clean. You even did everything to make her crib as comfortable as possible while still making sure it was safe for her, and yet every once in a while, throughout the night, you were being woken up the sound of her cries.
After the first time, you stopped checking and waited for her to calm down, which after a few minutes, she always did, but it was constant throughout the night and you couldn't take it.
Your head pounded as you woke up for the nth time to the sound of your baby crying. You turned over, now facing the man who was spooning you from behind, to see that Jungkook was also awake now.
"Just try to ignore it, honey. Blair will be okay." Jungkook softly says in an obviously sleepy voice. We were both sleep deprived, but we expected this, and we'd just have to get through it.
I nodded as I shut my eyes and cuddled up to his chest, the both of us lying there for a few minutes as we listened to the sounds of our baby's cries.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I moved away from him and he opened his eyes, looking at me.
"I can't do this. She's crying for longer than usual." I said, which wasn't actually true, but it definitely felt longer than usual this time.
"Okay, I'll go check on her." Jungkook tells me.
"It's okay, I can-" I'm cut off.
"Baby, no. You checked on her last time, it's my turn. Lay down." He said as he pecked my forehead and got out of bed, walking out of the room.
A few minutes later, I could still hear my baby crying next door, but at least she wasn't crying as hard as before. Even though I knew Jungkook was there taking care of Blair, I couldn't help it. I got out of bed and made my way to Blair's room.
When I walked into the Blair's room, I saw Jungkook standing in the middle of the room with her in his arms, swaying back and forth slowly as he softly spoke to her. He looked over at me when I walked in the room, smiling a little at the sight of me.
"You just couldn't resist, could you?" Jungkook softly asked me with a smile and I nodded, walking over to him and putting my hand on Blair's arm, gently rubbing it.
Jungkook handed me Blair and I carefully took her in my arms. He led me to the little sofa and made me sit down. He then stood by Blair and I and started softly singing lullabies. I continued gently rocking her as we both listened to Jungkook singing. Jungkook's hand made his way up to my head as he started gently massaging my head with his hand.
Now, with his singing voice, me rocking Blair, and him massaging my head, along with just the lack of sleep in general; Blair and I were both getting sleepy.
Eventually, without even realizing Blair fell asleep and so did I also I continued to unconsciously rock her in my sleep. Jungkook noticed and he stopped massaging my head. He walked over to Blair and took her from me, gently placing her in the crib. He bent down and gave her forehead a little kiss before walking over to me and picking me up from the chair, carrying me out of the room and back into bed.
I didn't even realize what had happened until I woke up the next morning, tucked into bed, next to Jungkook, who was sleeping next to me. I checked the baby monitor on my nightstand and I saw that Blair was still asleep.
Parenthood is difficult, but it is worth it.
-- link to my masterlist
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7ndipity · 5 months
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Them With Pregnant S/o Hcs
Namjoon x Reader, Jimin x Reader
Summary: How they would look after their S/o during pregnancy and interact with the baby bump.
Warnings: mentions of morning sickness,
A/N: Thanks to the lovely anons who requested these! I hope you like them!
Masterlist
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Namjoon:
He’s so excited when you tell him, but also so scared. He worries a lot about being a good dad, and being a good partner to you, but I think he lets those nerves motivate him to be the best version of himself that he can be for the both of you.
He’s so unbelievably careful with you, bordering on fearful at times to even touch you, though once you remind him that you’re not that fragile, he tries to ease up a bit.
Develops a sudden love for back hugs where he can support both you and them at the same time, able to feel the subtle differences in your growing bump as they develop.
He finds himself talking to them a lot. Sometimes at night when he can’t get his mind to quiet, he’ll ramble to them about different things while you sleep on, totally unaware.
He’s definitely a nervous planner, researching everything from different birthing techniques to the shortest routes to the hospital to which brand of diapers are the best.
Refuses to let you do almost anything around the house as you get closer to your due date and things get more difficult for you(tho you might have to follow him around and talk him through everything, cause he’s kinda lost)
Super attentive to your every need, whether it’s looking after you during morning sickness or tracking down any random cravings you might have.
Takes choosing the right name for them very seriously(but ends up picking their name in moment when he’s holding them for the first time)
Sometimes you catch him just staring at you, as if he can’t really believe that this is actually real, that you’re carrying his child.
Jimin:
When you told him you were going to be parents, he was so overwhelmed with joy, he could not stop crying, just hugging you tightly and thanking you over and over.
Has a tendency to just sit and rest his hands or drum his fingers on your tummy, even before your bump starts showing. It almost becomes a stem or self soothing thing for him.
When they start kicking back whenever he does it though, he’s a crying mess all over again.
Gives them cute nicknames like Lil Bean, Minmin, Moonlight.
He worries about you a lot, even if you’re not having any/many issues or difficulties, he can’t help fussing over you constantly.
(Lowkey horrified by how much you have to go through during and after pregnancy and thinks you’re one of the strongest people ever)
Tries to help you as much as possible as your belly gets bigger and things get more difficult to do, whether that’s taking on more of the household chores or just tying your shoes for you in the morning.
Kisses your bump everyday and tells them goodmorning/goodnight.
Likes to lay in bed with you at night talking to the both of you, making plans for all the things you want to do together once they arrive(their first spring and going to see the cherry blossoms, decorating your christmas tree together, etc)
Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @whitefoxgirl @bethanysnow @coffeedepressionsoup @main-bangtansmauyeondan @captainorangegoose @k4ngelz
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jeonsbabygirlsworld · 8 months
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DADDY
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WARNINGS : BREEDING KINK , SPIT KINK , DADDY KINK , mentions of bondage , oc is is 6 months pregnant 😭❤️, dad kook ,oc dresses up while he is away 😩mentions of baby’s gender .
Jungkook and you had a very active sex life , your and his kinks were on a different level , his breeding kink , spit kink , bondage , daddy kink these were on top , Now that you are pregnant with your first child , almost 6 months in the pregnancy , Jungkook found out he had a lactation kink .
“ y/n do you feel like eating something? I’m gonna head to convenience store and come back home quickly” jungkook asked while getting ready . “ I’m craving for some ramens maybe get me some ?” You said softly . Jungkook hummed and told you if you want anything else just text or call him .
While he was away you took a bath , ready to change in your lingerie , you bought this a few days ago and you wanted to try it but pregnancy made you so tried that you knocked out early at night . While you got ready wearing the black lingerie doing your hair a slight tinge of makeup and his favourite perfume . You lighted some scented candles .
Y/n ❤️ : Come home fast .
You texted him and he replied he is on his way and will be back soon .
While you waited in your room sitting on the bed waiting for him , you heard the front door unlocking .
Jungkook placed the groceries on the kitchen table and made his way to the room . He was greeted with a scent of candles and perfume while you sat there smiling at him . Jungkook then came near you and asked “ fuck baby you look so hot .. got dressed while daddy was away” he whispered softly bending and kissing your cheeks and lips “ want daddy to fuck you dumb baby?” You moaned softly . His hands parted your thighs making you lie down on the bed and started teasing you .
He slowly teased you over your panties making them extremely wet .pressing on your clit and slowly circled your pussy lips while inserting his long fingers . He removed his clothes and his boxers and teased your clit with his cock making you whimper his name .
Jungkook started off with slow moments making you feel comfortable and get adjusted to his length .Pregnancy really made you super sexy and your pussy was tight .
“Baby your so tight loosen up for me gonna fuck you so so good” .. “ my sexy baby mama” . You moaned listening to him , jungkook then fastened his pace your titts bouncing up and down from the rough thrust he was still careful not to hurt you .
You started squeezing your boobs making milk come out of them which made jungkook groan and telling you how hot you look right now and then went back in sucking them . Soon jungkook came filling you with his hot cum . Just then when he was ready to clean you up you reached for his hand telling him that you need him more .
Jungkook chuckled and said “baby give me a few minutes your man’s tired your Pussy sucked the fuck out of me” he was still hovered over you, you took his cock in his hand and teased the tip making him moan your name .
“ jungkook maybe fuck my ass please?” “My pussy is bit swollen maybe rub them while fucking me” you made doe eyes looking at him . He hummed and teased your asshole while slowly moving in making slow pace just so he could adjust to your tightness “ fuck fuck my baby is so so tight need to fuck you everyday use that pretty ass of yours”……“ want me to rub that swollen pussy ?” He smirked while tears where flowing from your eyes telling him that you need them “jungkook- kook faster rub my pussy , love you daddy. Incoherent words left your mouth .
While jungkook was in the verge of cumming again he pulled out and stroked his cock making him cum on your pussy lips and spreading his cum all over your pussy groaning from pleasure you pulled him to kiss you . “ I love you jungkook” you softly whispered and pecking his lips . “ I love you to Y/n” .
Jungkook cleaned you both up and now you where cuddling each other , your were telling him how excited you are to meet the little bean , telling him how she misses her dad when he is away and how active she becomes hearing your soothing voice when he sings .
Jungkook giggles placing his hand on your womb and kisses saying how much he wants to pamper you with kisses hugs and love and cradle you . Soon sleep overcomes both of you .
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serendipitous-seven · 2 months
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how you met | a serendipitous life
whether fate is a belief or it's perfect timing, we'll see how each couple met and ignited their purple.
dad!bts mlist
↳ Namjoon & Moon | the couple with the longest history.
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You started as the friends who always had a thing for each other. You knew you wanted to confess to him eventually but when he was signed and whisked away to the city, you sort of lost your chance. Once you moved away for college, the two of you lost touch but you always made it a point to silently support Namjoon and kept mutual friends between each other. After graduating college some years later, you were surprised by a very unexpected visitor at your celebration dinner - Namjoon (appropriately set up by said friends.) It didn’t take long for you and Namjoon to rebuild your friendship leading to the revelation that both had mutual feelings - thus a relationship was made official. You and Namjoon have learned the true meaning of ups and downs. Despite the long separation between friendship and relationship, Namjoon broke off the relationship spurred on by pressures from his career and outside disapproval of your relationship. But ultimately the two of you decided you didn’t want to miss out on any more years with each other -again- and rekindled your relationship once and for all. While you are both still learning to strengthen the bonds of union along with two kids, your love for each other is unbreakable. No matter what, you always find your way back to each other.
↳ Jin & Hart | the traditionally untraditional couple.
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You are a family friend whom Jin secretly had a thing for, for a long time. Given his career, he never found the right time to see if there was a mutual attraction. Despite years in between seeing each other at family & friend gatherings, the few times Jin had personal free time - he could never shake you from his mind. So finally, while on a month's break, he took his parents to visit his hometown. Call it chance or the doings of two self-proclaimed, match-making mothers, a welcome home party of sorts was thrown together, conveniently bringing you to him - much to his delight. He charmed his way into your life though you persistently rejected him. It terrified you, the thought of dating an idol but, even you couldn’t deny who Jin was at heart, a jokester who just wanted to see the ones around him smile. He made sure you were comfortable and felt secure in the relationship. It was smooth sailing all things considered, until the night Jin was going to propose he learned you had a surprise of your own - you were pregnant. Both raised in very traditional homes, your families did not welcome the news initially, but when baby Gi was born, he melted their hearts. Now with three kids, another on the way, and a husband pursuing his love for acting, your life is as busy as ever. But even with the prospect of your husband signing with his first television series, you’re confident you can get through this next journey without a hitch.
↳ Yoongi & Kitt | the mom and dad of the group.
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You started as an intern for BigHit some years back and upon meeting Yoongi, the two of you hit it off. It was whispered throughout the company that you two would end up as more than just workmates turned friends. While the two of you would dismiss those rumors, not even acknowledging them outwardly, the attraction to each other only grew. But given contracts and fears a relationship could destroy your integrity to the company and work, you concluded that your feelings had to be kept locked away. That is until you left after being promoted. Yoongi was confused and unwilling to let this go, especially where it concerned you. He confronted you and, well, the rest is history. Of course, the relationship was kept a secret for quite some time until the members told Yoongi they’d known for a while (many laughs are still shared about this.) Everything sort of fell into place from there. You married and had Dae not long after Jin and Hart gave birth to Gi. Everyone who knows you will say you and Yoongi are the most laid-back couple who keep a low profile and are very set in your ways. But if there’s one thing you’ve learned, it’s that you can never be too settled.
↳ Jimin & Chick | the power couple beloved by many.
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Park Jimin swears he fell in love with you the moment he saw you on the set of their music video for Idol. You beg to differ. But Jimin never expected this, to fall for the head stylist. He knew he couldn’t leave the shoot without getting to know you - somehow and someway. He had enough charm and confidence to woo you only to fall short of your wit and cute smiles, reducing him to a blushing mess. Dinner was had the next night but not without a herd of paparazzi. You two were in a relationship according to headlines before you even knew it yourself. But it was an easy decision for you, falling for this man who vowed to take care of you (so long you kept your promise to cuddle him in bed every night.) Escaping to another country to marry in a very private ceremony, and returning to Seoul was a whirlwind. But you and Jimin quickly proved to be a power couple, taking the world by storm. Now with Jimin pursuing other opportunities, and a third boy on the way, you’ve retired from styling and do what you’ve always wanted to - create fashion from your home studio. Power couple or not, managing this bunch with your soon-to-be four boys will be interesting, to say the least!
↳ Taehyung & Luv | your every day Mr. and Mrs.
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Oh, Mr. Romantic. He didn’t know how or when he would meet the love of his life, but it was something he hoped for. Little did he know that you were under his nose the entire time. Close friends with Woo-Shik from ‘Wooga squad’, you always had a thing for Tae - but no one could ever know. Spending time with Tae always went amiss until the chance fell into your lap when Woo-shik invited you over for a very regular dinner at his house. Lo and behold, Mr. Kim Taehyung was there. He chatted you up (conveniently sat next to you) and if you remember correctly, he even fed you a bite to eat. Wandering eyes amidst the friend group - they just knew. Life was busy and you didn’t see Taehyung for some months until Cupid struck you with another arrow - you crossed paths during a random day out. You had lunch, spent the rest of the day window shopping together, flirting with each other, and Taehyung, the bashful but cheeky man that he is, kissed you when he walked you to your door that night. He confessed that he couldn’t get you out of his mind since that night at Woo-shik’s house, and even wondered what it would be like to kiss you. It was as easy as it could get. Dating. Missing him while he toured. Getting married. Crying with him when the group retired. And now with a 1-year-old boy who is the apple of your husband’s eye, the two of you can’t wait to see what the future holds.
↳ Jungkook & Bell | the couple who met at the right place, right time.
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He believed wholeheartedly he would hear bells when he found the one. So as a special guest at a speaking event, the sound of bells entered his ears (really it was an accompaniment of perfectly timed music set to play between speeches) he looked up at the podium, and there you were, a local speaker who just so happened to fall before his sparkling eyes. You knew BTS, you listened to some of their songs, but it was nothing more than that. Even then, when you found yourself talking to Jeon Jungkook, you had to pinch yourself to make sure this was real. He was very discreet but he made sure you knew he was interested. And you were too, this was intriguing. So, with only the purest intention, you went out to get to know him - maybe you could be friends. Several dates and a very awkward and shy kiss later, Jungkook made it clear what he wanted. You. Oh, what a curve ball life threw at you once the two of you started dating. How secretive it had to be - how stressful that was. But in the last year of BTS’ contract, the news came out and well, opinions were mixed. But the two of you had prepared for that as much as possible, supporting one another. Now married with a few years under your belt, Jungkook continues to pursue a solo career in music while you care for your newborn baby at home - soon to return to your job as well. Being the youngest couple in the group, people often underestimate the two of you. But you know well enough that, together, there isn’t a storm that can’t be weathered.
↳ Hoseok & Sunny | the international couple.
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Hobi was open to the idea of falling in love with someone overseas, but he never expected it to happen. When he laid eyes on you, working behind the camera for one of their interviews, he couldn’t keep them from wandering over to you the entire time (you laugh about it now when you see clips of that interview and how distracted he was.) He talked a big talk and when J-Hope of BTS slipped you his number you rolled your eyes as he walked away, crumpling the piece of paper but sticking it in your pocket anyway. It wasn’t until you got home later that night did you remember you had his number, annoyed with yourself the more you thought about how enjoyable conversation actually was with him; you caved and texted him. Oh how delighted he was! You two texted all night, in between your work and his schedule the following day, and nearly every day for the next year. The reality of your relationship didn’t take long to rear its ugly head after he returned to Korea. Missing each other was painful and often led to bickering. One day he challenged you and asked ‘Why don’t you move to Korea and pursue your career in media out here?’ Stubborn and understandably terrified of the idea, you were offended he was asking you to uproot your life. Some time passed when one day it all just clicked and you knew Hobi was not someone you were willing to lose. With the help of your colleagues, they found a spot for you at a company based out of Seoul. Things were strained for a while, from having to restart your life in Korea, dating an idol, and the language barrier, but Hobi always made sure you knew how much he valued you for doing all of it. Spending any free time he had with you, making this new city feel like home for you. When you experienced some ridicule, Hoseok proved how much of a pillar he would be. You lived together before marrying, had your son Huimang, and now juggle being a mom, and a wife to a retired idol all while working your way up in the world of media. Too busy isn’t a word in your and Hoseok’s vocabulary, so trying for your second baby should be a breeze.
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taglist: @mizz-kraziii
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kanmom51 · 3 months
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JM's dad posting 18 Jan 2024
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💜💜
Miss the two of them so much already.😭😭
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foxymoxynoona · 9 months
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After the Applause (Ch. 4)
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Header and linebreaks by @awrkives
Single Dad Jimin x Female OC
SUMMARY: Jimin doesn't know how he would have made it this far after the shattering of his world without the support of his thoughtful, generous, helpful neighbor. Hanbyul has lived next to hottie Jimin and his adorable daughter for years now, long enough to remember the wife he was so devoted to and lost far too young. With each safely ensconced on their side of the brick wall of the Parks' grief, it will take an enterprising little scientist to set the stage for a second chance at love.
CW: grief, prior loss of spouse/parent, comfort, explicit sex, secondhand embarrassment
Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter
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Hanbyul sulked on the foot of her bed, feet underneath her pillow and a blanket cocooned around her body as she clicked through suggestions on her dating app. She narrowed her eyes unhappily at each of the three profiles the app recommended for her today. She didn’t like any of them. Well, she might have liked them at another time, she wasn’t really giving them a fair shake, but right now she had really just hoped that looking through them would cause Namjoon’s ears to burn and he’d finally respond to her last message.
Well actually, her last four messages…
She groaned and buried her face in the crook of her arm. Her sister had already poured salt on her wound of humiliation at having sent Namjoon four messages without any response. It was mortifying. She felt like an idiot, only overshadowed by the misery of oh my god he’s ghosting me he’s done with me. Their last date, date number three, had gone really well, she thought! But that was a week ago and there’d been no response since. 
Holding her phone had the added benefit of ensuring she would see the second he messaged if he did. Not that she was hoping he would, obviously! This was the 21st century and a girl did not let a guy just disappear on her and then forgive it when he suddenly messaged her again! Unless there was a good reason. Maybe he had a good reason. Maybe he was in the hospital, or his mom was, and then she would totally forgive him. She was a very understanding person!
But what if he was playing hard to get? She hated that it might be working, even if she didn’t want to admit it. She’d liked him on their dates but would not have expected to feel his silence so loudly until confronted with it. Was this what they meant about absence making the heart grow fonder? Was the injustice of him ignoring her actually making her feel more strongly about their connection, one he could so easily and carelessly sever?
In the meantime as she did-but-didn’t wait for him to message her back, Hanbyul perused the dating apps again in an effort to reassure herself that even if Namjoon was tired of her, there were more frogs in the pond. She preferred that phrasing to there are more fish in the sea since, like her neighbor, she had an aversion to seafood. 
It wasn’t weird to know that about your neighbor, right? She cooked for them sometimes! Not that she went out of her way to cater to his preferences but if she just happened to be making something she thought he’d like, she would share it, and it was convenient that their opinions on seafood aligned. 
She sighed at her own lack of interest in the app’s recommendations and decided to plunge into a free-browse. The concept of finding someone to date based on a few photos and answers to mundane questions seemed impossible, but she supposed that’s how it always started. If you really got to know people first, that would limit her dating pool to…
Well, to a very small rain puddle.
Speaking of very small worlds, her eyebrows raised in surprise when a person familiar in name only showed at the top of her browsing when sorting by distance: Jeon Jungkook. 
Curiosity got the better of her and she opened his profile. Just to put a face to the name! Now she recognized him as a person she had seen entering or leaving the building opposite her a few times. His photos were mostly selfies, either at the gym or with dogs, except for one of him with Taehyung, Jimin, and another man who seemed vaguely familiar.  
She’d just started to read his profile –out of curiosity, nothing else!-- when a new message alert popped onto her screen.
[Jeon Jungkook]: hey
[Jeon Jungkook]: neighbor Ko Hanbyul!
Hanbyul let out a startled gasp and dropped her phone and looked around, expecting he could somehow see her right now. Did the app know when you were on someone’s profile page?! She’d certainly never gotten any alerts that someone was checking her out. Oh god did that mean no one ever checked her out?!
[Ko Hanbyul]: Hello family friend Jeon Jungkook
[Jeon Jungkook]: youve heard of me 😎 
[Jeon Jungkook]: how are you doing this cold night? Winter or spring right now what is it
Hanbyul sat up and leaned against the wall. It felt weird to be talking to Jimin’s friend. Very weird. And he seemed so immediately comfortable with her, which she didn’t understand considering they’d never even met in person. He must be a naturally charming person. She envied that about him. Were all of Jimin’s friends charming just like he was? God, she really could never belong there. Would Jimin think she was trying to force her way in if he knew she was talking to Jungkook?! 
But they were just talking! It wasn’t like they were going on a date. She wasn’t going to go on a date with one of Jimin’s closest friends! It felt rude not to answer him though when he was being friendly, and he was a friend of a friend. Friend of a neighbor.
[Ko Hanbyul]: it’s early spring and I like the cold. You?
[Jeon Jungkook]: yeah I like winter best but I dont think this is spring there are more than four seasons
[Jeon Jungkook]: our schools lie to make it easy to learn but dont you think there are more seasons in a year? 
Hanbyul’s mouth twisted into a grin. Ok, he was an interesting guy. 
[Ko Hanbyul]: what are the other seasons?
[Jeon Jungkook]: hm
[Jeon Jungkook]: rainy season, allergy season, mosquito season, sweatshirt season, the busy season
[Ko Hanbyul]: busy season for what?
[Jeon Jungkook]: everyone has a busy season everyone always says that
[Jeon Jungkook]: right? Its our busy season. 
[Jeon Jungkook]: unless your Jiminie
[Jeon Jungkook]: then busy season is every month before a show right? Kekeke
The mention of Jimin flustered Hanbyul, gave her that twinge like she was betraying Jimin somehow because probably Jungkook was flirting with her. That’s why he’d messaged, right? Was she flirting back? She genuinely didn’t know. He was awfully handsome, maybe it was too much to think he was flirting with her.
But at the same time, Jimin wasn’t interested in her at all, so what was she being faithful to? A crush? And anyway, it was just a conversation!
[Ko Hanbyul]: when is your busy season?
There, impeccable flirting. Smooth as dirt.
[Jeon Jungkook]: nah not me i do screenprinting i work for a clothing company so its always busy
[Ko Hanbyul]: oh! That’s interesting!
[Jeon Jungkook]: its not but ok kekeke thanks 😉
[Jeon Jungkook]: do you have a favorite t shirt? 
It was such an off-the-wall question, though she supposed relevant to his career. Conversation with him flowed easily like that, bouncing from one topic to another. Sometimes he’d go quiet for a bit but then he’d be back with some other new topic just as Hanbyul started to set the phone down. Almost an hour passed in this way before he surprised her further.
[Jeon Jungkook]: yeah, you seem cool
[Ko Hanbyul]: Thank you, you too! Jimin was right to say that about you
The second she sent it, she cringed. Referring to Jimin so familiarly! And after talking to his friend on a dating app for an hour! It was a faux pas in every direction and all she could do was cover her face as Jungkook responded.
[Jeon Jungkook]: he said good things about me huh? Tell me every single one
But Hanbyu was cringing too hard, and worried now that this might be leading to Jungkook asking her out. Did she want to go on a date with Jungkook?! Ah, maybe he was only being polite because she was the neighbor of his friend but their conversation had seemed pretty flirty! He was charming and handsome. He wasn’t Jimin, but Jimin didn’t want her and Namjoon didn’t want her so maybe…. But what if she just was always longing for Jimin? That would be a terrible thing to do to Jungkook!
[Ko Hanbyul]: Sounds like you and Park Jimin need a heart to heart
[Jeon Jungkook]: after this convo i think your right
What did that mean?! Hanbyul tried to think of something to say back, but Hudu was at the front door, jingling the bells that he wanted to go out. 
“Use the potty mat!” she called, but Hudu hated the potty mat and honestly she hated it too. Plus she could use some air. There was nothing for it but to slip her phone in her pocket, bundle her and the pup up, and head out.
They weren’t alone in the hall though. At almost the same time she opened her door, the Park door opened down the hall, and out stepped the very man she was messaging, Sun-young bundled up beside him.
For a moment they just froze and looked at each other with surprise, until Sun-young shouted a greeting and Hudu started to do a dance that had Hanbyul worried he was going to pee in the hallway with excitement at seeing Sun-young.
“I’m taking my dog out,” she explained, no other greeting preceding it as she started quickly down the hall.
Jungkook snickered and motioned, “Yeah, me too. I mean, my niece.”
“What? I’m not a dog! And I don’t need to pee outside,” Sun-young said with a dramatic eyeroll. “Hi, unnie. We’re going to get churros.”
“Oooh.”
She pushed the elevator button and bit back the endeared smile. Churros. That was pretty cute.
“So you’re…” She stopped herself before saying babysitting, knowing Sun-young would hate that.
“Yeah, uh, I’m hanging out with Sunbun tonight.”
“We’re watching Sailor Moon from the very beginning,” Sun-young told her. “Do you like that show? Did you have it when you were a little girl or are you too old?”
“Hey! I’m not that old,” Hanbyul cried and playfully scowled at her. 
“I know, you’re younger than Appa.”
“She’s my age,” Jungkook answered and for a moment Hanbyul forgot it said her birth year on her profile. She hadn’t remembered his year, although she did remember he was born in September. “So, did you watch Sailor Moon growing up?”
“Yes…” Hanbyul answered. They all stepped into the open elevator together and Hudu sniffed around Jungkook’s feet as Sun-young stooped to scratch his head.
Jungkook grinned and demanded, “Why are you answering like it’s a trap?”
“Oh, I didn’t admit it before, but one of my favorite t-shirts when I was younger was a Sailor Moon shirt, actually.” It was the truth, but it made him laugh so hard she thought he must not believe her. She laughed too because he had a very infectious laugh.  
“Do you still have it?”
“It would be too small now!”
“Eh, small shirts can look good,” he shrugged. She didn’t miss the way he cocked his head or pressed his tongue between his lips. Did he mean in general, or on her specifically?! That had to be flirting…
Sun-young suddenly stood up in between them, her eyes narrowed and sliding back and forth from Hanbyul to Jungkook in such a suspicious way that Hanbyul took a step closer to the wall. She felt caught, like she’d truly been doing something wrong and now Sun-young was witnessing it. She braced herself for whatever was going to come out of the girl’s mouth as she put her hands on her hips.
“Hey. Do you know each other? I thought you said you didn’t know who Uncle Tae and Uncle Jungkook are…”
“Yeah, we know each other,” Jungkook answered first, in a way that sounded so much guiltier. The way he said it sounded like it meant way more than we just started talking on a dating app an hour ago. Oh god and they’d been talking the whole hour… but it was just friendly! Platonic! Right?!
Sun-young turned to Jungkook and demanded, “Aren’t you dating that lady at the cafe?!”
The elevator doors opened and Hanbyul leapt out, but Hudu suddenly wanted to take his time and stick by Sun-young’s side. Even pulled on the leash to stay put!
Jungkook’s laugh echoed around the apartment lobby as he insisted, “What do you know about that? I’m not dating her. I mean, I went on a date with her but… ah, you’ll understand when you’re older.”
“You never say that to me,” Sun-young frowned.
“Sorry but this one time I’m going to say it. I don’t have to tell you every woman I talk to or date!”
“But now you’re dating…” Sun-young turned her narrowed eyes towards Hanbyul, whose face could not have felt more on fire. This was as bad as when Sun-young asked her why she didn’t just date Jimin. No, worse, because there was a witness to the mortification!  
“A man and a woman can talk,” Jungkook insisted. “It doesn’t mean they’re dating.”
“And they can date… but it doesn’t mean they’re dating either?” Sun-young tried to puzzle out. 
“No no, there’s a difference between talking and going on a date and dating and… hey, why don’t you talk to your dad about this kind of thing?”
“About if you’re dating unnie?”
“Aish,” Jungkook hissed through his teeth and gave Hanbyul a charming, amused grin. “You run, I’m going to distract her with churros. Can’t ask questions if your mouth is full of churro!”
Hanbyul desperately wanted to know what was going to be explained here but also desperately didn’t want any part of it. They were just talking! It felt like a betrayal of Jimin and yet what was there to betray? Jimin didn’t want her! Besides, Jungkook had just said they were just talking…. But he’d said it to a nine-year-old, maybe he was just being vague… Or maybe he didn’t want to date, there were other things a man and woman could do. Like talking sure, or… Jungkook was a handsome man! No Jimin, but then, who was? Maybe he wasn’t the sort to date, just to sleep around. Hanbyul had never really done the sleeping around thing but she could really use some sex. Sex would be a positive addition to her life. She couldn’t find her vibrator lately; maybe it was under the bed but she was scared to look and hadn’t bought a new one yet…
Sun-young’s little face turned up and Hanbyul just barely heard her say, “I don’t think you should talk to Unnie so much.”
Oh geez, what was Jungkook going to say to that?! But Hudu chose that moment to give in to her tug towards the door; he took off as if he suddenly remembered his bladder, and she sure didn’t want to clean up a puddle in the lobby, so off they ran. And so she would never know what else Jungkook said.
She was too embarrassed to say anything to Jungkook on the messenger app for the rest of the night. Embarrassed and unsure what to say if Jungkook did ask her out on a date or invite her over for sex. Although she did check later that night, just to make sure he hadn’t messaged her either…
Wha, what was she thinking?! Men did not just invite Hanbyul over for sex! Definitely not men like Jungkook, or Jimin, or Taehyung for that matter… Or Namjoon…
“Hudu, we’re going to die alone together, I hope that’s ok with you,” she sighed, and decided to take the long way around the park. 
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The seats were pretty high up but the best he’d been able to afford. Still more than he had planned to spend right now, nowhere close to Sunnie’s birthday, but when he’d heard from Hoseok, who’d heard from this dancer who knew that dancer who was one of the principals, that Mango Crush was about to announce an unexpected concert for reasons Jimin didn’t remember or care about, he’d already decided to by the tickets before Sun-young even came running from school screaming about it. He’d been prepared for her cries of disbelief when he’d agreed that yes, they could go. He’d been prepared for her surprise when he rattled off the exact time they would go on sale that night and showed her his alarm so he wouldn’t miss it.
He had not been prepared for her to beg, “Can Hanbyul-unnie go with us? Please?!”
He’d tried to keep his face neutral at the instant hurt. Of course his daughter would rather go see a girl-group with a female friend. Hanbyul was a fan, she knew the lyrics and everything. Part of loving his daughter was letting her grow and replace him and he wasn’t going to cry about it until he was alone in his room later maybe.
“Oh, you’d rather go with Hanbyul?” he’d asked carefully to give himself a moment to think.
“Yes, all three of us!”
He’d been so relieved that Sun-young still wanted him along that he’d bought three tickets without further argument, without even talking to Hanbyul about it first. Then he’d worried about how awkward it would be to ask his neighbor if she’d like to go to a kpop concert with him and his daughter, but Sun-young had run ahead and by the time he’d joined them at Hanbyul’s door, she’d already graciously accepted the invitation. She begged Jimin to let him pay for her own ticket, which he had refused, because for a moment he felt so cool in front of his daughter.
“I know the seats aren’t very good,” Jimin apologized to Hanbyul over Sun-young’s head as she searched for the power button on the flashy Mango stick. Hanbyul had brought one for each of them
Hanbyul actually laughed, “They’re fine! Haven’t you been to a concert recently? The music reaches you anywhere and we can see the stage straight ahead. You did great!”
Jimin flushed at the unexpected praise, then chalked her kind words up to excitement. He had half expected Hanbyul only came along to be a good sport for Sun-young, which in and of itself would have meant so much to him. But she leaned in close to show Sun-young where the switch was, and turned her own on, and the two of them shouted and cheered as they waved them in the air along with everyone else. But he didn’t think either that she’d only come for personal enjoyment of the concert, either, because every step of the way so far, her attention had been focused so joyfully and sincerely on Sun-young. It was like she really wanted to be here with them. It made JImin feel really good about all this.  
“It’s my first concert ever!” Sun-young squealed.
“What?! Then I’m even more glad I brought the Mango Sticks!” Hanbyul cheered. “I’ll buy you a t-shirt too, ok? I still have the t-shirt from my first concert! I was about your age too. My friend’s mom took us.”
“Who was it?” Jimin immediately demanded. He knew so little about Hanbyul’s childhood, or her private life, or really anything at all. What kind of girl had she been? He found himself wanting to know.
“Baby V.O.X.”
“Ah, I know them!”
“Personally?!”
“No no, I know of them, I remember them,” he admitted. “I thought you would name some super secret cool band I’ve never heard of, but they were popular.”
Hanbyul gave him an indecipherable look and laughed, “Do I seem like I’m into anything secret and cool? I like popular things just like anyone else.”
“Well I don’t know many famous people,” he shared his own confession.
“I think of you as knowing everyone.”
“No no, why would I know famous people?” He thought it was ridiculous. Yes, he knew some famous dancers, but Hanbyul wouldn’t know who any of those people were. “Well, I’ve done choreography for some idol groups but not the big ones, they tend to have their own choreographers.”
“That’s really cool though! We should go to a concert for one of those groups,” she suggested, eyes sparkling.
“I don’t know them well enough to get tickets!”
“It’s ok, I’ll buy the tickets next time.”
“Yay, more concerts!” Sun-young cheered, then grabbed Jimin’s arm as the lights flickered. “IT’S STARTING!”
Jimin took her hand and she didn’t even pull it away, just raised his hand and her Mango Stick in the other to join the shouts as Mango Crush took the stage.
“Can you name them yet?” Hanbyul asked, leaning close and repeating it when Jimin couldn’t hear. She had to get close to his ear, her warm breath tickling the side of his neck.
“Yes,” he scoffed and rattled them off because obviously he had done some quick studying so he wouldn’t sound like a total idiot to Sun-young. Hanbyul stared at his lips, as if really closely testing his accuracy.
“Now which is which?” she shouted, gesturing towards the stage where little ants in sparkly costumes danced around. The massive screens behind the stage showed them closer and it was Eujin… or maybe Hana… Adda? No, that one was Violet…
Ok, they weren’t that far away, the venue wasn’t that big for such a quickly pulled together concert. He could easily see all nine of them. But still. Their hair colors were all different than the pictures he’d seen so he was toast.
“Shit, she changed her hair,” he said, overly loud, and Hanbyul laughed. It was the music that made Jimin smile so big. Live music was infectious! Even if you were a little tired of the songs because you’d been listening to them nonstop for the past week to try and learn the lyrics before the concert with your daughter.
Hanbyul’s attention shifted to Sun-young as Jimin’s daughter dropped his hand to take hers, and they sang the words together, loud and adorably off-key but swallowed in the mass of voices around the venue. He couldn't remember the lyrics at all in the moment.
It was the third song before they performed one Jimin knew well enough to shout along to. Sun-young’s eyes got so big and she laughed with her whole body and grabbed his hand again and waved her Mango Stick thing and Jimin knew every minute of listening to their music and every won spent on the tickets had been worth it. 
He shared a smile with Hanbyul over Sun-young’s head, and then Hanbyul covered her face shyly. He worried she thought he was laughing at how much she enjoyed the concert but no, it made him very happy that she did! He didn’t see how to explain that in a shout over the noise though so he just turned back to the music and only watched her out of the corner of his eye as she and Sun-young sang their hearts out.
We’ve only got one life  So let’s live it loud  Take up the space we were meant for Hands up, sing it proud: This world is ours!
*********
The show ended later than Jimin had expected, but Sun-young complained about being hungry on the way home so they stopped at Yoongi’s noodle place because it was open, close to home, and cheap. He insisted on paying for Hanbyul’s noodles too, after she had insisted on buying so much merch for Sun-young. All the rules were out the window tonight, so he might as well let Sun-young sit up until midnight to eat noodles in her Mango Crush shirt with her Mango Crush headband.
The shop was mostly empty this time fo night, so once their food was ready, Yoongi came to visit. Sun-young was so excited telling him about the show that her noodles got cold; no matter how many times Jimin encouraged her to eat, she could barely get a bite in before she needed to tell Yoongi something, or ask Hanbyul if she remembered this, or insist Jimin tell him her favorite outfit or whatever. 
Only after she finally stopped to catch her breath did Yoongi say, “Nice to meet you, by the way. I think you’re Ko Hanbyul?”
With a gasp, Jimin realized he’d missed the introduction and apologized, “Yes, yes, Ko Hanbyul, and this is my friend Min Yoongi. I forgot you haven’t met my friends.”
“I’m meeting them more lately, it seems,” she said, which felt cryptic somehow. Did she just mean because she’d spent that afternoon over with Taehyung and now met Yoongi? That didn’t seem remarkable… “It’s nice to meet you,” she continued on. “And great to meet the owner of this place, I get noodles here all the time.”
“Thank you for keeping us in business.”
Yoongi seemed to be pointedly ignoring Jimin’s look because why had Yoongi said her name first?! Why hadn’t he just asked who she was? He realized now it would make it seem like he had talked about her, which he had but not in a nefarious way!
“Yoongi and I go way back,” Jimin explained to keep Hanbyul from feeling uncomfortable. “I helped him meet his wife! She’s an incredibly talented ballet dancer–”
“You didn’t do anything.”
“I hosted the party where you met.”
“So when you come here on a date, I’ll take the credit?”
Jimin flinched. It wasn’t all right to make that kind of a joke in front of Sun-young –or Hanbyul for that matter!
Trying to salvage it, he insisted, “Why would I bring someone here on a date? You think I can’t take someone somewhere nicer?”
“Well now you’re just insulting me,” Yoongi laughed. “What’s wrong with here for a date?”
“I think it’s nice here,” Hanbyul readily agreed. And now Jimin felt like an asshole.
“I just meant for a first date, you take someone to a really nice place! This is where I bring someone when– no, why are we talking about this?” he broke off, realizing this was a completely inappropriate conversation to have in front of his daughter. He broke out into a cold sweat and insisted, “I’m not dating anyone, Sunnie, don’t worry.”
“We already knew unnie before we brought her here,” Sun-young informed Yoongi. 
“Oh, is this a date?” Yoongi asked, with a particular sparkle lighting up in his eyes that made Jimin want to strangle him in cold blood.
“No,” “No,” Jimin and Hanbyul said at the same time Sun-young said, “Yes.”
“What do you think a date is?” Jimin asked, realizing there must be a misunderstanding here. 
“I know what a date is,” she smiled and instead of saying anything further, asked, “Appa, what was your first concert?”
Yoongi snickered at the way Jimin flustered and reeled, trying to catch up, not sure what to correct or explain. He glanced at Hanbyul in the hopes she would say something elegant but she just shoved a mouthful of noodles in, and then caught his eye and it was obvious she didn’t want to answer. He wasn’t sure which of them started laughing first but when she choked on her noodles he reached out to pound on her back.
“I’ll leave you to it. Mochi is on me when you’re done,” Yoongi offered and disappeared like a disruptive shadow.
Sunnie was waiting for an answer though, like she couldn’t even hear her dad and neighbor laughing, and repeated, “Who was your first concert, Appa? How old were you?”
“Uh… ok, you’re all right now? Hm, I think it was Super Junior. I was older… fifteen? Sixteen? I saw dance troops before that but I think that was my first concert.”
“Oh! Is that why the blonde hair?” Hanbyul asked. Then grimaced and explained, “I mean… they had blonde hair, didn’t they?”
“Are you asking if I dye my hair to look like a member of a k-pop group I saw twenty years ago?”
“Um…” Hanbyul’s eyes look very wide.
“No!” he laughed. “This is my natural color!”
“He’s lying! He dyes it every six weeks but he won’t let me dye my hair,” Sun-young tattled, as if Hanbyul might not know he was in fact not a natural blonde. 
“Your hair is perfect, I don’t want you to bake it.”
“What color do you want it to be?” Hanbyul asked her.
“Hm… white.”
“White!” Jimin repeated.
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Not all white. Some black and some white.”
“Like a zebra?” Jimin screwed his face up.
“It’s cool, Appa.”
“I’m out of style on what’s cool,” he confessed to Hanbyul. As soon as he said it, he knew it would annoy Sun-young. “I just decide what I want to do for my style and do it.”
“That’s cool too,” Hanbyul assured him. 
Sun-young beamed, “When I get older I’ll dye my hair, ok?”
“Ok, maybe,” he conceded. “I just don’t want you to burn it and then it all falls out.”
“Your hair isn’t falling out.”
“Eh…” he grimaced.
“I think it’s ok if we’re bald together,” Sun-young decided. “If we at least had fun getting there.” Jimin’s heart thumped and he didn’t know what to say. Was he a sap that hearing his daughter say that melted him into silence in an instant?
“That’s quite profound,” Hanbyul said with a warm smile that made him feel like she understood too. She didn’t think he was a sap for being affected by that.
“What does profound mean?”
“Very wise. But if you want white stripes, maybe you can do tie-ins first and it won’t damage your hair?”
Sun-young grinned, “I think you are very profound too, unnie. Right, Appa?”
“Sure, sure. Except when she’s accusing me of trying to look like an idol from twenty years ago…”
“Is that bad?” Hanbyul asked and looked sincerely concerned.
He tried to look upset but couldn’t maintain it for long and admitted, “No, actually I think it’s flattering… but I don’t think I can admit my style is twenty years out of date!”
“No, you have a really good style! Contemporary!”
“It’s ok,” Sun-young conceded. Jimin couldn’t thank her, he laughed so hard at her slight compliment. She must have meant it to be funny though because she giggled too, and Hanbyul laughed and–
And it was just very easy. It was just a very easy, good night, one of the best ones Jimin could remember having in a fucking long time. He didn’t know what to do with that, how much joy he felt just sitting in a noodle shop late at night with his daughter and his neighbor. Was it just post-concert fumes? But he thought it was more than that, and he didn’t know how to hold onto that feeling, but he wanted to.
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The feel-good glow of the concert lasted less than a week. Tuesday Sun-young complained of a headache to get out of solo practice with Hoseok but then didn’t have too much of a headache to sneak the house phone into her room to call Ginam. Wednesday Sun-young had a poor attitude at her ballet class; Jimin could see it in the way Young-geul carefully chose her words in describing Sunnie’s progress in the ensemble choreography for the recital. Jimin expected she’d perk up for hip hop rehearsal on Thursday, seeing as she’d begged so hard for that class in the first place.
Instead he had to go into the school again to fetch her when she didn’t come out. At least she wasn’t off in a hidden science room melting lab tables or anything; he found her walking at an actual glacier’s pace through the school hallway. As slowly and meticulously placing one foot in front of the other as if this were a choreographed routine –except it wasn’t. She had a class to get to!
“What are you doing!?” he cried. “Let’s go!”
“I am going.”
“Like a snail,” he scolded and reached for her arm. She pulled away and gave him a scathing glare. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s your hiphop class!”
“I know.”
“So let’s go, we don’t want to be late.”
“I do…” she mumbled.
“Park Sun-young. To disrespect your teacher and the other dancers in the class– you wouldn’t do that. What’s gotten into you this week? Didn’t we have a fun weekend?”
“Yes,” she pouted. “But it doesn’t mean I want to go to dance class. I’d rather…”
“Rather what?” he asked when she just trailed off. Not that it mattered. He got behind her and nudged her along and she at least took slightly bigger, quicker steps. Not that her answer mattered. Yeah, sometimes he felt like doing something besides dancing too, but discipline was an important lesson! “You become a better dancer by putting in the effort even on days you don’t feel like it,” he said, pretty sure a teacher had said that to him when he was younger as well. Although not at her age. He wished he had been dancing at her age, but he hadn’t gathered the money, freetime, and bravery needed to give dance a try until middle school, and then a day in which he didn’t want to dance was rare. He knew what a blessing it was to be excused from the family rice cake shop to go dance. 
“I’d rather be sleeping I guess,” she grumbled. “I’m tired. I don’t feel good. I can walk home by myself and you can go to your class.”
“Absolutely not.”
“But Appa…”
He pressed his hand to her perfectly normal looking and feeling face, then the back of her neck, then reached for her wrist to feel her pulse. Not that he could really read a pulse, but it succeeded in calling her bluff.
“Appa, stoooop.”
“You’re fine. Now let’s go.”
“I can walk home with Boyeon–”
“Everyone’s already gone! The school is empty and we’re going to be late!”
“No, Boyeon is still in the science lab, I can go–”
Science. Science.
“Walk. Now.” Jimin’s voice had an edge to it, one which Sun-young rarely heard and took seriously when she did. Her head drooped but she moved her feet finally and the two of them hauled ass through the city to get to the dance studio. 
As they got closer to the studio though, Sun-young began to bounce and shuffle, clearly nervous.
“What is it now, Sunnie?” he sighed, at least trying to sound gentler. “Do you need to go potty?”
“Appa! I’m nine, I don’t say potty. And no!”
“Then what’s the problem?” he asked. He held the door for her to slide past him into the building, but there she stopped even though her class was up on the next floor.
“I… I forgot my dance stuff.”
“You’re holding your dance bag,” he said, eyes narrowed suspiciously. His tongue poked the inside of his cheek to keep himself from snapping out anything else; he was baffled why she would lie about something so obviously untrue.
She nodded and didn’t meet his eyes, “I know but um… it’s my ballet stuff. I forgot my hiphop clothes.”
“Well you can just dance in…” But she wore her school uniform and slightly heeled loafers, not at all appropriate for a hiphop dance class. Besides, he didn’t believe her, her dance bag was right there on her shoulder and he’d never heard of her separating out her gear before. “What are you talking about? Your dance bag– oof, why is it so heavy?” he demanded as he slipped it off her shoulder. 
“It’s nothing– Appa, don’t! Appa!”
He ignored her protest and grabby hands as he let the bag thunk to the ground and crouched to unzip. 
Her smaller ballet bag was in there, sure enough, shoes and all, but instead of her dance shoes and gym clothes for hiphop class, five books took up the space instead. He only saw titles for two (Astrophysics for Young People in a Hurry by Neil Degrasse Tyson and a book about tornadoes eloquently titled TORNADOS!) before admitting,
“I’m confused. Why do you have so many books in your dance bag instead of–”
“They were due at the library today and I forgot to turn them in.”
“Well what’s in your backpack then?” he asked. Before guessing, “More books? You forgot to return all these books– then get another bag! Why didn’t you bring your dance stuff? You know you have hiphop today!”
“I know! But I thought– I hoped maybe– I don’t know!” she cried and looked as if she might be on the verge of really crying.
Jimin breathed out through his nose, brain scrambling to figure out what to do. Late library books (and there seemed to be a lot) were going to have fines he didn’t want to pay. Sure it was only a small fine per book, but it was the principle of the matter. Sun-young shouldn’t be late returning books! And she shouldn’t be late to dance class, or showing up without her things! He knew for a fact they didn’t have a spare pair of shoes in her size and he didn’t want her dancing in the studio without shoes; the last thing she needed right now was a broken toenail or bruised ankle. He didn’t understand how she’d made such a mess of something so easy and routine.
“Ok,” he decided. “You go get started with warmups. I’m going to run home and get your dance shoes and bring them here, then I’ll take these books back to the school library for you. I can do all that before my class– Sunnie, why didn’t you just say about the books while we were still in your school?”
“I don’t know… I didn’t want you to know I have them…”
“They’re books, not cocaine.”
“They’re science books, it might as well be the same thing to you!” she defended hotly.
Jimin fought hard not to roll his eyes. She was being ridiculous! Just because he didn’t want her throwing away her dance career at the fresh age of nine didn’t mean she was banned from consuming science! In fact, reading science books was perfect, because she could do that around her dance classes!
“Just go warm up,” he sighed. “Tell them I’ll be back with your stuff as quick as I can.” It would be faster if he took a cab but it was such a waste of money for such a ridiculous mistake.
Sun-young scurried away and Jimin scurried the opposite direction, her backpack and useless dance bag both strapped to him so he could jog. 
He was winded and sweaty by the time he got back to their apartment, and in no mood for the way Sun-young had tossed her shoes and typical dance clothes in the corner, wadded up. This wasn’t how he’d raised her at all! He shoved them into the bag with an angry huff –and only now realized that since he had to go all the way back to the studio to give them to her, he should have just left the books there instead of lugging them all the way home. Fuck! Her scrambled brain was making his brain scrambled too!
He gave himself a minute only to grab a drink from the kitchen and catch his breath. Then, in leaving the apartment, had the idea that maybe he could ask Hanbyul to drop off the books. Fuck, except it was only 4pm and she didn’t get home until after 5. 
And yet in passing her door, he could have sworn he heard voices right beside it. In a moment of weakness, he paused and leaned in close. It wasn’t possible to hear what was being said, but he definitely picked up a low voice, laced through with her softer, lighter one. 
Why was Hanbyul home early, and with a man? Not that it was any of Jimin’s business or anything but… what if she’d gotten sick or something? Or maybe something in her apartment had broken and it was a contractor? That made him nervous; not all contractors could be trusted and it might be obvious that she lived there alone. And if something had broken, she could have mentioned it to him for help; she’d admitted before she hated calling about broken things, but he didn’t mind it at all.
“Focus, Park Jimin,” he muttered to himself as Sunnie’s book bag– no, dance bag!-- dug into his shoulder. It didn’t matter who was in her apartment with her, he couldn’t just run to Hanbyul to help with things that weren’t her problem. He was the dad here, he needed to clean up his daughter’s mess and get to the bottom of all of this. He turned from her door and stretched his calves in the elevator to prepare for the jog back to the studio. At this rate he was going to be danced out before his class even began.
*******
At least Sun-young wasn’t giving him the silent treatment this time, but the forced small talk was awkward. They ate their late dinner in silence and then she went off to do homework while he dealt with bills at the dining room table. Expensive, expensive, everything here was so expensive on only one income. Not for the first time he thought about how much easier some things would be if he took Sun-young to live closer to his parents, or even with his parents. They’d kept him on the right track for his childhood! Clearly he was fucking something up with Sunnie and she wasn’t even a teenager yet!
He waited until she was asleep later that night to call –double checking to make sure she was really asleep and wouldn’t overhear him calling his mom to tell her about things lately. Perhaps against his better judgment, he told her about the forged permission slip, and the forgotten dance clothing, and the books, and the attitude about dance class. But he needed to talk to someone about it, and none of his close friends had raised children or could really understand, even if they meant well. 
She listened to it all with far more of a sense of humor than he cared for. Apparently she found it amusing that Sun-young was giving him a run like this.
“She’s a bright girl,” his Eomma mused, voice full of pride instead of worry or warning. “Stubborn, like her appa.”
“But I was stubborn about the things that were good for me,” he argued. “Once I could dance, I never took it for granted.”
Eomma chuckled, “Yes, yes, stubborn about the thing you cared about. Was it the right thing? It turns out, it was for you, I think. It’s hard to know.”
“But in this case, I do know. Sunnie is talented at dance. She’s worked hard to be good at dance, she loves it there, it’s her home. I mean, she was practically born and raised in that studio!”
“Yes, how brave to take a step away from it, hm?”
Jimin scowled and warned, “It sounds like you are saying I should just let her quit dance. Throw away all her hard work. Do you know how many times people tell me that they wish their parents had made them stick with something because later they have nothing?”
“I’m not telling you to do anything. Do I think she should dance? Yes, of course, she’s a beautiful dancer. Ah, Jimin my son, you are as stubborn as your daughter, do you know?”
“I’m protective, Eomma. I’m trying to do the best for her.”
“Do you know, I wanted you to be a lawyer! Or a doctor. You were smart, so very smart, Class President. Nobody else in our family was class president, did you know that?”
“I did know that,” he mumbled. He also remembered her expressing those wishes for him. His father had expressed them longer than she had though; once he started to dance, she’d given it up, and he’d learned to live with that tickle of fear that he’d disappointed his parents in such a fundamental way that he would never do anything right by them again. For all he knew, that was still true. He lived far away, did not make a lot of money, had a beautiful daughter they didn’t get to see enough, and he’d lost his wife. 
“But you knew dance was the right thing for you, oh you said that to us so many times, with your heart and soul and your sparkling eyes, even though you worked so hard in the shop too. You were so certain and I saw with my own certainty that if we did not bend, our relationship would break.”
“Eomma…”
“Do you know how many women I know whose sons, daughters, they don’t talk anymore? They hate their Eommas and Appas. You said it’s because they let them quit. I say it’s because sometimes they didn’t let them quit, or try something else. How do we tell what the right thing is to do as parents? We’re all trying our best.”
“Yes,” Jimin could at least agree with that.
“You are always so certain about the things you believe in,” Eomma continued. “Your conviction is so strong! You wanted to dance, you wanted to live in Seoul, you wanted to run a studio with your friends. But a daughter is not like those things. You can’t choose much of anything for her, even if sometimes it hurts so deeply, knowing you can’t make everything right for your child. Especially when it hurts them.” Jimin swallowed and leaned away from the emotion in her voice. He knew when she was talking about his loss, and as much as he appreciated that she was sad for him about it, he couldn’t give into grief right now.
Instead he focused on his surprise that she wasn’t backing him up, and pressed, “Aren’t you going to say to me that children should respect their parents? Parents shouldn’t just give in to every whim of their child –that’s always what you and Appa say! You say I spoil her too much with–”
“Bending is not the same as bowing! Bending is difficult for you, Jimin. I understand. Maybe it’s even harder now, since…” She didn’t have to say it. Since Subin died. “As a parent you realize how little you actually control and it makes you want to do more. But parents who do not bend, they will lose their children or make them miserable. Which is worse?”
“So you’re saying I should just let her quit.”
“I don’t say this or that. I’m just saying things, don’t listen to me. Can’t she do both? I don’t know, wouldn’t it be nice to have a doctor or an engineer in the family?”
Jimin managed to suppress his sigh. He loved his eomma dearly and her advice was both helpful and not at the same time, but he appreciated it. There was wisdom behind it, even if he didn’t want her pressing Sun-young to be a doctor anymore than–
Ugh. But what if he was doing the same thing with dance?
But Sun-young had always loved danced! From infancy! She’d always said she wanted to be a dancer, and if she quit now, it might be impossible for her to catch up later in any meaningful way!
Jimin was exhausted from the day, and didn’t find the peace he had hoped for in talking with Eomma. There was nothing more he could do about it today though.
This would all be easier if Subin was here. Subin would be able to understand what Sun-young was going through. Maybe it wasn’t even the science thing! Maybe she had other little girl things going on she didn’t want to talk to her dumb old dad about and there was nothing he could do and even if he let her quit every dance class and just live in a science lab, she’d still hate him. Even going to see Mango Crush hadn’t bought him more than a few days of good will.
He got a beer from the fridge but didn’t feel like drinking it alone. But it was sort of late, and he didn’t feel like getting embroiled in any of the dating drama Taehyung or Jungkook would throw his way, and Yoongi was working, and Hoseok was absolutely asleep, and his acquaintances after that weren’t ones he was going to call to come over for a beer at 10 o’clock. Besides, he didn’t really feel like seeing any of them right now, he wanted to just be alone. But not alone with himself.
Briefly he thought about Hanbyul. Maybe more than briefly. Her presence would be welcome. Nothing about her was ever intrusive or abrasive. She always struck just the right balance between listening to him vent and distracting him from pointless thoughts. Fuck, did he vent too much to her? Definitely. He shouldn’t bother her right now.
He went to her door anyway. He knocked and waited. Hudu started barking right away, oops, and then she took an unusually long time to come to the door so that he worried she’d already gone to bed. When she opened it, she had a robe pulled around her body and squinted like she had been asleep, but her makeup was still on.
“Jimin? Is something wrong?”
“Um…” He trailed off when Hudu only looked up at him, then went running off somewhere further into the apartment. And in the distance, a masculine voice said something lowly.
“Nope. Sorry, I was just going to invite you over for a beer but–” It seems you have company?! “--looks like you already went to bed. I’m so sorry for waking you–”
“No, it’s fine. It’s ok. There’s nothing wrong?”
“Nope, absolutely nothing wrong. Just… nothing at all,” he grinned, pouring every ounce of charm he could into distracting her from his own incredibly awkward feelings. Holy shit, Hanbyul had a man in her apartment and they were– obviously they were– was it the same man who had been there six hours ago?!
“Goodnight,” he said and practically ran down the hall. Damn, he was tired of running today.
*******
“Everything all right?” Namjoon asked as Hanbyul returned to the bedroom. She tossed Hudu a dental chew on the way to apologize for banishing him from the bedroom earlier, but there were some things her favorite little pup was not invited for. Not to the fancy dinner Namjoon had taken her to at a place with live music, not to the swank bar afterwards, and definitely not to her own bed, where Namjoon had so suavely removed every item of her clothing for the kind of sex Hanbyul thought was fake.
Wow.
Yeah, it turned out he’d had a good excuse. His mother was in the hospital, doing fine now, but he’d been a little distracted. He was very close with his parents and had gone right to her side.
Charming.
He sat on the edge of her bed now, chest and arms so deliciously bare in the low lights she’d left on, though he’d regrettably pulled his boxers and slacks back on. Hanbyul decided her legs couldn’t hold her much longer and she sat beside him, still a little knobby-kneed from earlier.
“Yes,” she said belatedly. “Everything’s fine, yeah. Just a neighbor asking about– it’s not important.” Talking about Jimin to Namjoon threatened to shake loose the careful coolness she’d managed to maintain throughout this unbelievable evening. She’d done such a good job of staying focused on this man and she didn’t want to ruin it now, just because seeing JImin at her door had first terrified her that something was wrong with Sun-young, and then terrified her that he would be able to tell she’d just had sex. Which felt like something he shouldn’t know. Even though it shouldn’t matter because it’s not like they were a couple or anything! But it felt unfaithful, after that fun time with the concert last weekend… but it wasn’t unfaithful! That was just a fun social event with her neighbor and his daughter. She was not dating Jimin, even if she wished she was. Oh god, but that was unfaithful to Namjoon!
Namjoon let out a deep, satisfied-sounding sigh and leaned in to kiss her before admitting, “I should get going. Early morning tomorrow.”
“Me too.”
“Thanks for inviting me in. I had a great time today.”
“Me too.”
She walked him to the door where he kissed her again and she had that feeling of disbelief that this man had wanted four dates with her now, and that she’d found him so quickly. He had to have a flaw, certainly, but she hadn’t found it yet, except maybe his taste in women… OK, that was too mean to herself. But she focused on the kiss, and enjoyed the kiss, then scooped Hudu up so he wouldn’t run out. He wasn’t totally enamored with Namjoon yet, but they didn’t not get along and Namjoon clearly wanted Hudu’s affection, so that wasn’t a dealbreaker.
He opened the door and stepped out then turned to her and laughed, “You know, it’s such a small world. My buddy lives right down the hall from you.”
Hanbyul froze except for the clench of her very sore abdominal muscles.
“Um… what’s your buddy’s name?”
“Park Jimin. Have you met him?”
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andy-wm · 3 days
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Why is Bam on insta?
This thought flashed in my head when i saw the most recent photos of Bam.
Maybe I'm just slow and everyone else figured this out already but maybe not, so I’m sharing it.
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The Bam insta account isn't just a fun side project set up by JK while he’s doing military service. He doesn't even have an account for himself*, so why would he make one for his puppy? It's not like he needs (or wants?) more followers or influence, and he could have just used his t1ct0k, where hes already got gazillions of followers.
When bowwow_bam first appeared, many comments suggested he created it to keep in touch with ARMY while he's serving in the military. And yes he DID share the account with ARMY on weverse, but I doubt that's the reason it exists.
Bowwow_bam is not for ARMY...
The photos JK gets from the training centre let him know that Bam is happy and well cared for.
Even though Bam has been in and out of the training centre often while JK has had his schedules, those stays were brief compared to 18 months. This time, Bam will basically be living there full time, long term.
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Maybe this is why JK sent Bam to the training centre so often in the past, when he might have left Bam with friends or family instead. That way, the training centre became familiar to Bam before his long term stay.
Bowwow_bam is for JK
Bam's photos are likely sent to JK directly, so why post them to a public platform? And why post ONLY these?
Why?
Sure, it's a good way for JK to stay connected to ARMY with minimal effort. Let's not be foolish enough to think he doesn't care about that. It's pretty clear he wants to pick up his career where he left off when he comes back. (It goes without saying that BTS - and JK - will still have millions of fans after MS.)
But i don't believe thats the only reason Bam has an insta account, and i dont think it's the most significant reason either.
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There are so many ways JK could have maintained a socials presence. If he wanted to be on insta, even just reposting old content would keep him at the forefront of ARMY's mind... if he had an insta account* that is.
It also got me thinking about what JK will be doing with his time off.
He isn't all that close to his family, he tells us. And most of his friends are idols, from what we see (although that could be selective information), so probably insanely busy with their own schedules. And his Bangtan brothers, his found family, are also doing their service. And he and Jimin are apparently on different shifts (if the information we have is correct).
So who is he connecting wiith?
Who is his link to home and normality?
This doggo right here is.
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Besides letting JK know that Bam is happy and well cared for, the photos connect JK to home and give him something tangible to look forward to on the other side of his service.
They'd remind him that this episode of his life has an end date, that he has a place to return to, and that somebody is waiting for him to come home. Bam is waiting for him.
But why post them on instagram?
We know JK has a strong connection with ARMY. He's said many times that we're his safe place (debatable, honestly) and his happy place (I truly hope so). He's told us it's ARMY he talks to late at night when he's alone. He's also set clear boundaries about what he's prepared to share and how close we're allowed to come - although he blurs these lines himself sometimes... naked livestreams from his bed come to mind, but i digress...
I believe the insta account - Bam and ARMY together - is his anchor. This is his link back to his life before and after MS.
Sharing these photos from the training centre with his three (or four or five) million closest friends would validate for JK what his life has been, and will be again. It tells him we (like Bam) are still here, still waiting, without him ever having to ask.
It keeps that part of his life real for him.
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Just to be clear,
I'm not downplaying the significance of Jimin and JK serving together in the companions program.
In my mind nothing could be more significant.
Jimin is with him day after exhausting day, just as he has been for the last twelve years. While that must be an enormous comfort to them both, these long and arduous days must still seem endless.
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Getting through this difficult time with any sort of optimism would require something to look forward to, and recieving photos of Bam would give JK much happiness, and remind him that there is life outside of the camp.
They'd serve to remind him that at the end of it all he will see his beloved doggo in person...
...and that he and Jimin will go home and his little family will be whole again
💜🐰🐶🐥💛
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*pretty sure he does tho...
~as always, opinions are my own and all of this is conjecture~
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bts-hyperfixation · 3 months
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Can you please write a BTS reaction? They went out on a friendly dinner with their crush (it's friendly for their crush, not for them<3), but their crush had to babysit her nephew or niece (1-2 years old). So she brings them with her. How do you think they will react if they see her being all motherly and patient towards the babies?
BTS and babies are too cute and I am at the wrong point in my hormone cycle to be writing about this...
Please send me asks to keep me motivated while I’m off work! Thirsty thoughts, Most likely to, reactions, life updates, and general gibberish welcomed!!
Namjoon
Completely and irrevocably enamoured with this small child and the way you are interacting with them. Honestly thought he couldn't love you any more than he already did and now he kinda just wants to bash his head off the table in hopes that the stupid part of his brain that won't let him confess will go away. This is a man who had thought he had written off having kids when the world fell apart a couple years ago but now he is sure he is ovulating like a woman.
Seokjin
Jin was a little annoyed at the prospect of babysitting because he likes to be the centre of attention, especially your attention. But he quickly finds that annoyance melting when the baby starts babbling and you start cooing back and now he kinda just wants you to talk to him like that. 
Yoongi
Keeps having flashes of an apartment littered with baby toys and you sitting at the kitchen table feeding a baby that looks suspiciously like a mix of the two of you. Whenever you are preoccupied by the baby his mind wanders away to this fictitious apartment filled with your laughter. He spends a lot of time just watching you interact with the baby. You have to call him to snap back into the conversation more than once. 
Hoseok
Spends more time making faces at the baby than he does looking at you to be honest. He insists you go to places that are kid-friendly. He is not particularly swayed by how great you are with children, he knew you would be, this isn't new information.
Jimin
Not overly fussed about the baby honestly, he wanted to talk to you because you don't have a lot of time together as it is but now you're distracted. Don't get me wrong, he thinks the baby is cute and he loves how caring you are, it's one of the reasons he loves you. Doesn't mean he isn't frustrated and a little pouty about this turn of events.
Taehyung
Has immediately taken the baby out of your arms, he doesn't see how you interact with them, he is too busy tickling and feeding them himself. You get to watch him play dad/uncle instead (He would be lying if he hadn't thought that it might sway your feelings to be a little more romantic for him). Mostly he is just enjoying the baby's company. 
Jungkook
 No, he isn't jealous of a baby... Well maybe a little bit but you can't blame him. He gets a little pouty to start with but when you excuse yourself to the bathroom and ask him to look after the baby, you come back to find him holding baby above his head and giggling. His nose is all scrunched up and he is smiling so wide that he will never beat those cutie patootie allegations. He spends the rest of the meal sighing dreamily as he watches you take care of the baby.
My ovaries nearly exploded picturing Jungkook playing with a baby, especially watching his arms flex as he lifted the baby and his tattoos and his little nose scrunch and... yeah... so thanks for that.
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luciathcv · 26 days
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the final stretch - jjk
summary: the third trimester is hard, but it's all worth it in the end || warnings: idk reader is pregnant? || genre: fluff, established relationship, pregnancy au || word count: approximately 850
when you're in your third trimester, jungkook is extra caring
not that he isn't very caring all the other times
it's just now, he's extra about it lol
but you really love it and you really appreciate it
pregnancy was a lot, the whole pregnancy really, but especially in the third trimester
and jungkook was there for you the whole time
being pregnant caused you to swell a bit in the ankles
and so it hurt a lot for you to walk
and jungkook knew that
so he did a lot of running around for you
getting you everything you needed
going out to run errands for you guys
etcetera
"Sit down, baby. Sit down." Jungkook said as he walked you over to your guys' couch and gently sat you down.
You guys were just out at a family event that you couldn't miss, and it called for a lot of standing and walking around, which made your ankles swell up a bit as well as causing a lot of pain in your feet. Jungkook could tell you weren't exactly enjoying yourself, so he ended up getting you guys out of there a bit early.
You let out a whine as you put your legs up on the couch, your hands making their way to your belly.
"I know, I know." Jungkook said as he leaned down and moved some hair out of your face. He kissed your forehead before going to the kitchen and getting an icepack from the freezer.
He came back to you and sat by your feet, putting the icepack on your ankles, rotating it every minute or so.
he also took notice of how insecure you've gotten
you were really upset about the way you looked while pregnant
and he knew that
he felt so bad
You stood in front of the full length mirror you guys had in your bedroom. You were wearing some loose pajama pants and a tank top. You had the tank top pushed up so that you could see your belly.
Jungkook walked into the room and you looked over at him. "Y/n." He said as he walked over to you, standing behind you as he put his hands on your belly.
"Do you still think I'm pretty?" You asked him and he looked at you with wide eyes.
"Of course I do. I always will." Jungkook told you.
"Even when we're old?" You asked.
"Even when we're old." Jungkook confirmed.
You looked back at your reflection in the mirror. "My belly button is huge, my stomach itself is even bigger, my boobs hurt, my ankles are fat, my back hurts, it's too much." You complained.
"I know but it's almost over." Jungkook tries to reassure you.
"I guess so." you agreed.
"Think about it, it'll all be worth it once our baby is here." Jungkook said and you nodded, he was right.
"Yeah, I know." You said.
along with everything else, you were having the most difficult time at night
you could not sleep
it was so uncomfortable that you just couldn't sleep
Jungkook was fast asleep next to you as you lie on your bed, your hands on your stomach, and your eyes squeezed shut as you tried to sleep. You were having shut a hard time though as you were so uncomfortable. Not only were you uncomfortable but your hormones were just so all over the place that you were extra emotional. With all of that combined, you just couldn't help but start crying.
It started off quiet but then it just progressed and got worse as you started crying harder. Jungkook shot up, waking up to the sound of your sniffles and sobs.
One hand made it's way under your neck as he started gently rubbing it, while the other made it's way to your stomach, rubbing it as well.
"What's wrong?" He sleepily asked.
You sniffled as you wiped the tears from your eyes. "I can't sleep. All I want to do is sleep and I just can't." You complained, tears rolling down your cheeks.
"Oh, I'm sorry, baby." Jungkook comfortingly said.
"You did this to me." You cried with a pout on your lips.
Jungkook quietly chuckled, "I know, I know. I'm sorry."
"I'm suffering while you're peacefully sleeping so don't laugh." You whined.
"If I-" Jungkook is cut off when he feels the baby kicks your stomach. You gasped as you looked down at your big stomach. "She's telling you to not be mad at me. If I'd had known you were still awake, I would've stayed up all night with you." Jungkook told you.
"I'm sorry, I'm just..." You try to find the right words.
"I know, baby. It's a lot." Jungkook said, understanding. "It'll all be worth it when our baby is here." He reminded you.
"It will." You agreed.
Jungkook then stayed up with you, doing everything in his ability to get you to fall asleep, and eventually, you did.
even though jungkook saying "it'll all be worth it" all the time was kind of annoying
it really was true
because once you birthed your baby
all of the hardships of the pregnancy were forgotten
and all you could think about was your baby
-- link to my masterlist
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7ndipity · 6 months
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Can I get a BTS reaction to their child (baby, like 1 or 2 year old) giggling and laughing to them looking at themselves in the mirror? I just saw this happening, the dad was pushing the cart close and far away from the mirror and the kid was DYING of laughter
Dad!Bts Reacting to Their Child Laughing at Their own Reflection
Warings: none
A/N: This is such a cute mental image! Tbh, I think they would all react pretty similarly, but I tried to make these unique for each member. Hope you like it!
Masterlist
Requests are open
°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•
Jin: He would find it almost as funny as they do, making silly faces and poses with them in the mirror to make them laugh even harder.
Yoongi: He would try to be quiet, so he wouldn’t distract them, but their laugh is one of his weaknesses, so he’d end up snickering as he watched them.
Hobi: He’d be laughing right along with them, pushing the cart back and forth like you mentioned, probably filming to share on instagram.
Namjoon: Is both in love with and baffled at their ability to amuse themselves so easily, but so long as they’re happy, he’s happy.
Jimin: He’s obsessed with the sound of their laugh, he would happily sit and watch them for ages, he just thinks they’re the cutest thing ever
Taehyung: Loves seeing them so happy, would probably end up buying several extra mirrors for their room just so they can play with them.
Jungkook: Another member who would be laughing and playing in the mirror right along with their child, he just loves seeing them have a good time.
Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @bethanysnow @captainorangegoose @k4ngelz
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jjungkookislife · 29 days
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Since Day One: Teaser
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♡ pairing: pre-k teacher!jimin x pre-k teacher! f. reader
♡ genre: single dad au, fluff, crack, enemies to lovers, 18+
♡ wc: tba
♡ summary: Being a Pre-K teacher is no easy feat, but Jimin is always up for the challenge. However, on his first day on the job, he makes an enemy in the parking lot before he even sets foot inside the building. Looks like this school year won’t be all sunshine and rainbows after all.
♡ warnings: cursing, snippy!Jimin, angry!reader, more warnings to come on release
♡ part of @btsfests "Daddy's Home Fest"
♡ teaser date: April 2, 2024
♡ date of release: April 6, 2024 *
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“Harin, make sure you grab your backpack,” Jimin reminds her as he pulls up for his turn. A staff member opens the backdoor, unbuckling Harin’s seatbelt.
“Good morning,” they greet him as they take Harin’s backpack and help Harin onto the sidewalk.
“Bye, Daddy!” Harin waves as the staff member helps her put her backpack on.
“Bye, baby! I’ll be right down the hall, okay?” Jimin calls as he waves, and the back door shuts as his daughter is taken inside the school. 
Relieved, Jimin checks his mirrors before pulling off the curb. All he had to do was park and haul ass to the office. He could do it. He had about five minutes to get it done and he hoped it would go smoothly.
Jimin pulls into the staff parking lot with ease. He sees one spot open and drives toward it, putting his signal as another car arrives in front of him with its blinker on.
However, Jimin arrives first and takes the spot. The car waits for a moment before driving away. Jimin doesn’t pay them attention as he gathers his belongings and coffee. He puts his blazer on as quickly as possible and pockets his car keys after he looks at the vehicle.
When he rounds the back of his car, he bumps into someone, spilling his warm coffee on their clothing.
“You did that on purpose!” The woman screams. “You took my spot and now you’re throwing coffee on my dress!”
Jimin is taken aback. 
“It was an accident,” he explains as he pats his pocket for a handkerchief but must have forgotten it in his haste to leave home.
“Everyone knows I park right there every day! You took my spot!” The woman stomps her heel and Jimin rolls his eyes, which upsets the lady more.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me?!” She asks, shocked.
“Yes,” Jimin shrugs. Normally he’d be an adult about the situation. Maybe he’d offer to get her dress dry-cleaned or buy her a new one. He did feel bad about it, but he was already having a bad morning and she was making him late with her screaming.
“I’m late,” Jimin states as he walks around her, ignoring her calls, insisting he move his vehicle. 
“What a grouch,” Jimin utters as he walks toward the school's front office. Hopefully, he wouldn’t see her again any time soon. She must be one of the parents parking where she shouldn’t. Even if she claimed to park there daily, Jimin didn’t care. Not today.
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tentative date
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