I wake up to an empty bed but Hoseok is a somewhat early bird, so he's probably downstairs. I get up and throw on some lounge clothes sleepily before making my way downstairs.
I get to the kitchen and Hoseok is actually sitting at the table, talking to Yoongi and Tae, so I plop in his lap, straddling him and I burry my face in his neck. He wraps his arms around me and kisses the side of my head, continuing his conversation but I'm too tired to actually tune in to what they are talking about.
Hoseok starts rubbing my back softly and I nuzzle into him more with a soft whine.
"You must have really tired her out if she's still this sleepy." Taehyung comments
Hoseok shrugs "I guess."
I hear someone else come in and then a hand on my back that isn't Hoseok's. I look up from Hoseok's neck and Jungkook pecks my lips "Did you sleep good little one?"
I nod and he lets my head fall back to Hoseok's shoulder softly. Hoseok continues to rub my back and I just hang on him sleepily. "You okay Sunshine? You aren't normally this sleepy."
I nod "I'm okay."
"Okay well you need to eat and start to get ready to go with Joon."
Jimin comes in "He already left. Didn't want to wake Jihyo so he just left."
I huff "When will he understand that he can't do everything by himself."
"He left right before you got up. I'm sure if you called him and got ready he'd come back." Jimin says
I huff again and turn around in Hoseok's lap to see Yoongi pulling out his phone. He brings it up to his ear and then I can faintly hear Namjoon, but not enough to know what he's saying.
"You're in trouble." Yoongi simply states
Namjoon responds, but again, can't hear him.
"You know why. She woke up literally right after you left. You should have just woken her up. How far are you from the house?"
There's a pause where Joon replies to Yoongi "Then she will go get ready and be done by the time you get your ass back here. Do not argue, you will only make it worse, just turn around and come pick her up."
Joon replies and a Yoongi hangs up and slides his phone back in his pocket "Go get ready kitten. Namjoon is on his way back here. I'll make you a smoothie to hold you over until he takes you out for lunch."
I nod and get off Hoseok's lap and head upstairs. I let my straightener heat up while I get dressed and once I'm done I quickly run it through my hair and just pop on some lip gloss, a little bit of eyeshadow and some lashes. I grab my heels and phone and head downstairs.
Yoongi meets me at the front door and waits for me to out my shoes on before handing me the smoothie he made. "Blueberry, banana and strawberry. Just how you like it. Joon just pulled up." He pecks my lips "Don't be too hard on him."
"I won't. Love you."
He pecks my lips again and opens the front door "Love you too."
I go out and Yoongi closes the door behind me. I get in Namjoon's car and he just waits for me to put my seat belt on before pulling down the driveway.
I take a few sips of the smoothie and set it in the cup holder a little harshly, getting on my phone.
"Jihyo, I'm sorry. I just didn't want to wake you. I knew you were going to be really tired and so I wanted you to get your sleep."
I roll my eyes "Since when have I cared about sleep when it comes to important matters? You wanted me to go with you, and I wanted to be there for you. So, you should have woken me up."
"I know, I'm sorry."
I just shrug and Namjoon sighs and reaches for my hand. I let him take it and lace our fingers together and he squeezes 3 times; our non-verbal 'I love you.'
I squeeze his hand 3 times back and his facial features visually relax. I finish my smoothie just as we pull up to the office building. Namjoon gets out and comes around to my side, opening the door and helping me out. He hands the keys to the guy that was waiting for us and Namjoon takes my hand and leads me to the elevator.
We get in and I lean on Namjoon's shoulder "We'll handle it Joon bug."
I feel him nod and then he turns and kisses my forehead "Thank you Jihyo."
I tilt my head up and catch his lips before he moves "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I wasn't willing to put up with your parents shit and help you take them down at the same time?" I ask with a smile
He smiles back at me and pecks my lips "I love you."
"I love you too."
We get up to the top floor and I take my head off Namjoon's shoulder and we both stand up straight. On the way there we pass his assistant and he nods to her, she nods back and gives me a small smile which I return. We get to his office where his parents are waiting and when I walk in behind him his mother scoffs.
Namjoon raises his eyebrow and moves behind his desk, sitting down "Is there a problem mother?"
"Did you have to bring your whore to a family meeting?"
Namjoon tenses and my hand comes to his shoulder, making him relax a little "For one she isn't a whore. And two, she is family, and this person attacked her, she has a right to be involved in any conversation pertaining to that incident."
His mother rolls her eyes but doesn't say more.
"You're right Namjoon but this meeting is about more than that incident. And I'm not sure she has rights to those conversations." His father comments
"She is my partner, I don't keep things from her and she helps me keep things running smoothly. Again, she is family, so she has rights to any conversation pertaining to Bangtan."
His father sighs and nods "I have to respect that son, as you are the leader."
"So the file that was stolen?" His mother asks
"It contained information on past activities while you and Mr. Kim were running the gang. Nothing extremely detailed, just general information which is why things haven't fallen out of our control completely." I answer
"What has fallen out of control?" Namjoon's father asks
"Just a few smaller gangs that pushed product, but we are gaining that control back. Out most important associates, we quickly got in contact with when this all first happened and we explained the situation at hand. Because we are close with them on the business level they understood and have helped regain control of other smaller partners." Namjoon answers this time
"Son I do believe it was smart of you to keep that file at the club. The business is not legally or in any way yours, so it made sense that nothing important would be there. But clearly someone was smart enough to figure it out so what is being done about that?" His father asks
"We for one upped security at the club because some information about the business is there and because it was too easy for this guy to get in. We also removed all files pertaining to the gang and moved them to another location." Namjoon answers again
"What about the guy that took the file and beat up your.... girlfriend." His mother asks, hesitant to call me anything nice
"Yoongi and Hoseok took care of that yesterday." I answer
They both nod "Anything else or are we done here?" Namjoon asks
His father stands "I think we are done. You have handled this situation quite well. Both of you. Jihyo, you are doing good. You'll make a good wife and partner for him."
Namjoon stands and I bow my head slightly "I hope I do actually make a good wife and partner in his mind." I respond to Mr. Kim
He nods and they both leave. Once the door is closed behind them I turn to Namjoon and wrap my arms around his neck "It wasn't that bad."
"Aside from my mother calling you a whore, you are right, it wasn't that bad. Thank you for coming. Had you not, there probably would have been yelling." He places his hands on my hips and pecks my lips "How does lunch sound?"
"Lunch sounds great."
We leave his office and his car his waiting for us when we get down to the garage. Namjoon opens the door for me and closes it softly once I'm in.
Namjoon drives us to the small café down the street from the office and we both order a sandwich and some tea.
We find a table towards the back that's more secluded but gets a little more sunlight and we sit down and start to eat.
"So last night." Namjoon starts
I hum "What about it?"
"I just- I know things are still difficult, I guess is the word. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
I shrug slightly "I was a little jealous, but then I got mad at myself for it and went upstairs. Hoseok came up and we talked about it, and I feel better about it but things like this will take time; for all of us. Not just me."
"I know, I just wanted to check in."
"What about you? You had to come up and get dreased so you saw me and Hobi."
He shrugs "To be honest it was cute; seeing the two of you curled up together. Did I feel a little a little pang of jealousy? Yes. But I know he took care of you and as long as both of you are okay and happy with step you took, all I can be is happy for you both."
I nod "Okay."
"Has Kook decided when he is okay with starting your training back up?"
"He said maybe next week. I'm hoping so too. Jimin and Taehyung have been taking care of things at the club and we have a few new bartenders so I haven't needed to be there and I'm gonna go crazy if I don't have something to do."
Namjoon chuckles "He probably will. And I doubt you'll actually go crazy."
We finish up and throw our trash away and go back to the car. When we get back to the house everyone is home and in the living room. Hoseok and Tae are playing with Artemis; Yoongi, Jin and Jimin are watching some kind of variety show and Jungkook is curled up in one of the chairs drawing.
I go up behind him and tap his shoulder. He looks up with a questioning look on his face but smiles when we make eye contact. I peck his lips and let him go back to his drawing.
When Artemis notices I'm back she runs up to me and I pick her up and kiss her nose before snuggling her to me. Hoseok and Taehyung pout up at me "Heyyy." Taehyung whines
I shrug "Sorry Tae, she knows who she needs to love up on."
Yoongi looks over from the show as Namjoon sits in the other chair "How did it go?"
"His mother called me a whore but other than that it went fine." I shrug
Yoongi raises his eyebrow "She called you a whore?"
I nod and sit on the floor, placing Artemis in my lap "Yup. Doesn't bother me, I'm not one and I know that. She can call me whatever the fuck she wants, doesn't change the fact that I'm with Namjoon."
"My father did compliment her. Said she would make a good wife and partner for me. So I guess that's an actual good thing that came from that meeting." Namjoon adds
"I mean except for the fact that we can't get married. Polygamous marriages aren't legal in Korea, and wouldn't be recognized if we got married somewhere else. It also wouldn't be fair if I just married you."
Almost everyone grunts in some form of disagreement "Baby-" Hoseok starts
I stop him "Not a conversation for right now. We will cross that metaphorical bridge when we get to it."
Jungkook nudges me slightly with his foot and I look back at him to see him raising an eyebrow at me and I know what he means. I sigh "But there is a metaphorical bridge we need to cross right now."
Everyone looks at me "What is it Angel?" Taehyung asks
"I don't want you guys to be upset." I pause "But I am infertile. I can't have kids and if on the off chance I got pregnant the pregnancy either wouldn't be successful by itself or there would be so many complications that would be incredibly dangerous for me and the baby."
I watch everyone's faces as they process and it's all a mix of surprise, concern and some hurt.
"When did you find out?" Taehying asks quietly
"When I was sixteen. I got checkups every six months up until two years ago to see if anything would change, but nothing ever did. There are other options and those options are something to possibly consider in the future if kids is something we decide we really want. But I didn't want you guys to just not know until we reached that point because that would be so unfair to you all."
Everyone is silent and I know they are processing the information I just gave them. Jungkook nudges me again and I turn to look at him with an eyebrow raised in question. He motions with his head for me to get in his lap, so I pick up Artemis and get in Jungkook's lap. I get comfortable before setting Artemis down in my lap and petting her to calm my own nerves. Jungkook hooks his chin over my shoulder and starts to rub my hip soothingly.
Everyone stays quiet and I eventually start to get irritated with the silence. But also extremely worried because everyone has been so quiet. Taehyung is the first to move and he just gets up and leaves the house. Jimin gets up and kisses my forehead before following Taehyung, probably to talk to him.
I can tell Jungkook wants to follow too but he just pulls me tighter to him and kisses my cheek "It's okay little one." He whispers.
I shake my head and push on his arms with my free hand. He lets me go and I get up, setting Artemis in his lap before basically running upstairs and into my old room. I lock both doors and grab a stuffie from the drawer before curling up on the bed.
Jungkook's POV
We all watch as Jihyo runs upstairs and Namjoon goes to get up but I shake my head at him "She needs some space. If she wanted comfort she wouldn't have pushed me away."
He sighs but sits back down. I look at the three remaining and I raise my eyebrow "Nothing? None of you had anything to say? Jin you especially, considering you already knew?"
Yoongi sighs "I didn't know what to say. I've never thought about kids. I mean Jimin and I talked about adoption but not for a long time."
Hoseok nods "Yeah I wasn't sure what I could say either."
I sigh "Anything, literally you could have said anything. She needs some kind of reaction, good or bad because it tells her how you feel. When you say absolutely fucking nothing she overthinks and starts to think the absolute worst. Taehyung storming out didn't help."
"I'm sorry." Taehyung says quietly from the entry way
All of us look at him in surprise, not knowing he came back. "Why?" I ask
"You know why." He starts to get a little defensive
"Why can't we just consider the same options we talked about before Taehyung? Adoption, a surrogate. Literally anything Taehyung."
"I hoped that maybe..."
"I know Tae, but she was honest with you. You can't treat it like it's her fault. She didn't ask for it. When she went for her last check up before she gave up, she begged me to go with her, so I did and when the doctor told her nothing had changed and never would, we sat in that room for an hour while she cried. She wants kids Tae, but it isn't likely or safe. If she could find a way that would work and not kill her or the baby she would have. But there is no way and that's not her fault."
"I should probably go talk to her." He mumbles
I shake my head "She probably locked herself in a room somewhere. She needs some space."
His head drops and I sigh and get up, bringing his chin up "Just give her a little bit to process the possibility of rejection. She'll come out eventually and you can talk then." I peck his lips and he nods and leans into me.
I let him lean on me for a minute and then I kiss his cheek "Go take a shower and get something to eat, hopefully she'll be out by the time you are done with those two things."
He nods and heads upstairs. Jin gets up and heads for the kitchen to cook for Taehyung and probably Jihyo also for when she does come out of whatever room she locked herself in.
Taehyung finishes his shower and is almost done eating, but Jihyo hasn't come out yet and I start to get worried.
Jimin gets up "I think I know where she is, I'll go get her."
He heads upstairs and comes down a few minutes later with Jihyo on his hip, her head on his shoulder and a stuffie in her hand and I realize why she was up there so long.
As soon as she sees Namjoon she reaches out to him and Jimin kisses her temple before handing her to Namjoon "Hey baby, you hungry? I'm sure we can make something for you."
She shakes her head and just lays on her head on Namjoon's shoulder.
Taehyung gets up and puts his dishes in the sink before going over to Namjoon and Jihyo. He touches her back lightly but she flinches away and Taehyung quickly retracts his hand before nodding "I'm sorry Angel." He leaves and Namjoon sighs and kisses her forehead.
"What can I do for you? Is there something you need me to get you or do?"
She nods "Juice."
Before Namjoon can even ask Jimin is pulling out the apple juice and reaching into a back of one of the cabinets, grabbing a large sippy up, about the size of a smaller water bottle. "I um bought these when she first told us about being a little." He says shyly before filling the cup most of the way and screwing the lid on.
He hands it to Jihyo and she takes it, smiling slightly and starting to drink the juice.
Jimin puts the juice back and sits at the Island. Namjoon taps her butt gently "What do we say to Jimin?"
"Thank you Chim Chim."
He hums "You're welcome princess."
Jihyo stays attached to Namjoon for a few hours, letting me and Jimin touch her and talk to her but she completely avoids and ignores Taehyung. When Namjoon tells her it's rude she gives him short replies, but nothing more than that.
While Jihyo is on the floor playing with Artemis, Taehyung curls into my side on the couch with a defeated look on his face. I rub his arm soothingly but I don't really know what to do or say.
Yoongi comes downstairs and sees Taehyung watching her longingly and he sighs and comes over, pecking Taehyung's lips "When she's big Ji again, you'll be able to talk to her. I know it sucks but it'll be okay Tae."
He nods and Yoongi pecks his lips again before heading for the kitchen; walking right past Jihyo.
She looks up when he walks past and cocks her head to the side slightly "Daddy!"
Yoongi stops and Namjoon furrows his eyebrows "What do you need Jihyo?"
She shakes her head at Namjoon "No, that one!" She points at Yoongi and we all look at her confused.
Yoongi turns around to look at her "Whatcha need babygirl?"
She pauses "Umm." She looks hesitant to ask for whatever it is she wants but Yoongi gives her an encouraging look "Snuggles?"
Yoongi nods "Sure. Can I get a drink from the kitchen first?"
She nods and Yoongi squats down to her level on the floor and kisses her forehead "I'll be right back."
The rest of the night she stays attached to Yoongi, only letting him go so that he can cook something for her. She actually ends up going up to bed with Jimin and Yoongi for the night.
When Namjoon, Taehyung and I go to bed Taehyung finally lets himself cry and Namjoon and I just hold him and let him cry until he ends up falling asleep.
---------------------------------
Jihyo's POV
I wake up in between Jimin and Yoongi and I'm aware of what happened yesterday, so I don't panic when I spot the stuffie squished in between me and Yoongi. I get up carefully so I don't wake either of them and I go to my old room and put the stuffie back.
I also grab my phone from where I left it on the floor and I notice it's like 6 am. I shrug and head downstairs, not expecting anyone to be up but after I let Artemis and the boys out I notice a lump on the couch.
I go around the couch and see Taehyung curled up, half covered by a blanket and his cheeks are swollen, red and tear stained.
I sigh and pull the blanket up to cover him all the way before kissing his forehead and going to the kitchen. I quietly make some tea and sit at the island, texting with Wonho and Sohyun. I hear Taehyung starting to wake up in the living room so I make him a cup of tea and wait for him to come in the kitchen.
He comes in a minute later and I silently slide the tea over to him. He nods slightly and I just watch him quietly while he takes a few sips. After those few sips he sets the mug down and covers his face with one hand.
He shoulders start to shake a little and I quickly get up and go around the island to him, wrapping him in a hug. He wraps his arms around me tightly and cries into my shoulder. I just rub his back and run my hand through his hair soothingly, letting him cry.
When he starts to calm down I gently pull his face from my shoulder and rub his cheeks with my thumbs carefully so that I don't further irritate his skin. "I'm sorry." He croaks out, throat raw from crying all night
"It's okay. I didn't expect a good reaction from everyone and I know that you really want kids some day in the future and I'm sorry that I can't give them to you. I know you hoped I could and would."
He shakes his head "It's not your fault, you shouldn't be apologizing for something you have no control over. I'm sorry for the way I reacted. It was wrong of me to storm out."
"I understand Tae, really I do. But thank you for apologizing. I'm sorry for my behavior towards you while in little space, it was rude and unfair."
"You were upset and that carried over, I understand."
I nod and lean in, kissing him softly. I pull away and kiss his cheek "Come lay with me. I think we both could use some more sleep."
He nods and we go back to the couch where he had been sleeping. He lays down and lay in front of him, pulling the blanket up and around us. Taehyung curls his arm around my waist tightly and tucks my head under his chin. I turn the TV on and turn the volume down so that we don't risk waking any of the others, then I press myself further into Taehyung and lace our fingers together at my stomach.