chapter 7

Seokjin, after getting ready, slung his bag over his shoulder and walked downstairs toward the dining table.

There sat his father, mother, and his brother Dino, quietly having breakfast. The moment they looked up and saw Seokjin—not only awake on time but already dressed for university—their mouths fell open, eyes wide in pure shock.

Trying to ignore their stunned expressions, Seokjin calmly pulled out a chair and began eating.

As expected, Dino couldn’t resist his brotherly duty. With a dramatic gasp, he teased, “I’m a hundred percent sure I must be dreaming. There’s no way my younger brother woke up on his own and got ready without help!”

Seokjin shot him a sharp side glare, but instead of responding, he stuffed another spoonful of food into his mouth.

Their mother, amused by the rare scene, added with a knowing smile, “Actually, Taehyung calls him every morning. After multiple calls, only then does Jin wake up.”

Dino leaned back in his chair, smirking wider. “Mmmm, that makes more sense. Otherwise, it’s impossible for him to wake up by himself.”

Seokjin didn’t even bother replying. His focus was on finishing as much breakfast as possible before Taehyung arrived—because Taehyung never waited long.

Right on cue, the sound of a car horn echoed twice outside, sharp and rhythmic. Seokjin’s lips twitched in recognition. It was Taehyung.

Reluctantly, he rose from his seat, though his hand still clung to the plate, stuffing in one last bite. The horn sounded again, more impatient this time. With a sigh, Jin finally let go of his plate, grabbed his bag, and hurried toward the main door.

But before he could step out, his parents called out in unison, “Seokjin!”

Seokjin turned at the sound of his name and faced his parents. The air in the hallway had gone suddenly tight; both of their faces were serious, the casual warmth from breakfast gone.

“Seokjin,” his father said, voice low and firm. “We know there’s a rumor about you and Namjoon. We don’t want him near you. Understood? No dating.”

Jin’s expression went flat—done, like a man who’d heard this lecture a thousand times. He forced a small, polite nod. “Okay. Bye.” He threaded past them and left the house.

Outside, Taehyung waited in the car, hands on the wheel, patient. Seokjin opened the passenger door, slid in, and shut it with a soft click. Taehyung pulled away from the curb; the city blurred by, but Jin’s face stayed distant and shut.

Taehyung glanced over. “What happened?”

“The same warning,” Seokjin said, voice quiet and clipped.

Taehyung let out a short chuckle, then reached into the passenger footwell and handed Jin a small paper bag. “If that’s got you down, I know how to fix it.”

Jin peered inside. His favorite drink sat snug at the top like a tiny peace offering. His lips softened into a grin and his eyes brightened at once. “Baby, thank you so much.” He made a teasing pout. “Come here — I’ll give you a return gift: a kiss.” He waggled his eyebrows.

Taehyung scrunched his face into mock disgust and laughed. “Before you kiss me, I’ll drive this car off a hill and we’ll both die. That would be better than a kiss from you.” His tone was joking, but his fingers tightened on the steering wheel for a heartbeat, then he tossed a warm, exasperated smile Jin’s way.

Jin laughed, the sound light and real, and the small gift between them seemed to do exactly what Taehyung promised: it loosened the tightness in Jin’s chest, if only for a little while.

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