Chapter 1

The summer morning was warm and bright. Kim Seokjin parked her car outside her sister's house~ a soft smile on her beautiful face. She looked at her son in the backseat.

Taehyung was seven years old. His brown eyes were wide with excitement. He was bouncing in his seat~ his small hands pressed against the window.

"Mom~ are we there~?" Taehyung asked~ even though he could see the house clearly.

Seokjin laughed. Her voice was like warm honey. "Yes~ baby. Now~ remember—"

"You and Papa will come back in one week~" Taehyung finished for her. "I know~ I know. Auntie will take care of me. I will be good!"

Seokjin shook her head lovingly. Her son was too smart for his own age. She looked at her husband in the passenger seat.

Kim Namjoon was a professor. His glasses were slightly crooked on his face. He had a deep dimple when he smiled. Right now~ he was checking his bag for the third time.

"Namjoon~ we are just going for a week. Not a year~" Seokjin teased.

Namjoon looked up with a guilty smile. "I wanted to make sure I didn't forget… anything." He paused. "I think I forgot my charger."

Seokjin sighed but her eyes were full of love. Their marriage was a love story from two sides. For Namjoon~ it was love at first sight. For Seokjin~ her family had arranged the meeting. But Namjoon's clumsy charm~ his caring heart~ and his deep love for his family made her fall for him completely. Now~ they were inseparable.

Seokjin leaned over and fixed his glasses. "We will buy a new charger. Now~ let's drop our son."

She turned to Taehyung. Her eyes became soft. "Tae~ baby~ come here."

Taehyung climbed to the front seat. Seokjin pulled him into her arms. She kissed his forehead.

"Be good for Auntie. Listen to her. And don't bother Jungkook too much~" she said.

Taehyung nodded. "I will be the good boy!"

Namjoon took Taehyung's small hand. His large fingers wrapped around his son's tiny ones. "Papa will miss you. Every day."

"Papa~ don't break anything at the hotel~" Taehyung said seriously.

Namjoon's dimple appeared as he laughed. "I will try."

The truth was~ Namjoon was clumsy. He broke things often. Just last week~ he broke a cup while making tea. Seokjin had scolded him~ but then kissed his cheek right after. Taehyung had seen it and made a funny face. His parents were always like that—full of love and laughter.

Seokjin got out and took Taehyung's small bag. She held his hand and walked to the front door.

The door opened before she could knock.

"JIN!" A loud~ excited voice filled the air.

Jeon Jinim stood at the door. She was Seokjin's older sister. She had the same beautiful features but was more talkative and full of energy. She pulled Seokjin into a tight hug.

"My baby sister! Come in~ come in!" Jinim said. She looked down and saw Taehyung. Her face lit up like the sun.

"Oh~ my little TaeTae!" She bent down and opened her arms. "Come to Auntie!"

Taehyung giggled—a loud~ bright sound—and ran into her arms. Jinim picked him up and spun him around.

"You are getting so big! Soon you will be taller than me!" she said.

Behind her~ inside the doorway~ stood a small boy.

Jeon Jungkook was also seven years old. He had big~ round eyes like a bunny. His black hair was soft and fell over his forehead. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt and blue shorts.

He was not smiling. He was standing very still~ looking down at his feet. His small hands were behind his back. He looked scared.

Jinim noticed and put Taehyung down. "Jungkook-ah~ say hello to your cousin."

Jungkook looked up for a split second. His eyes met Taehyung's bright curious ones. Then he looked down again. He didn't say anything.

Jinim sighed softly. "He's shy. Don't worry~ Tae. He will warm up."

But Taehyung was not worried. Taehyung was never worried. He walked straight to Jungkook with a big smile.

"Hi! I'm Taehyung! I'm your cousin! Your mom is my mom's sister! So we are family!" Taehyung said~ his words tumbling out like a waterfall.

Jungkook said nothing. He just looked at his feet.

Taehyung didn't stop. He stuck out his small hand.

"Let's be friends! I will show you my painting! I made it myself!"

Jungkook slowly looked up. He stared at Taehyung's hand. Then he looked at Taehyung's face. Taehyung was smiling so wide his eyes became crescents.

Jungkook slowly raised his hand and took Taehyung's.

Taehyung grinned and shook their hands up and down. "There! Now we are friends forever!"

Jungkook's lips twitched. It was not a smile~ but it was close.

Seokjin watched them and felt her heart swell. She turned to Jinim.

"Thank you for taking him for the week. Namjoon and I… we need some time. Just us."

Jinim waved her hand. "Don't even say thank you. Tae is my nephew. I love him like my own. You two go. Enjoy. Be romantic. Do whatever you two do.🌚😏😉."

Seokjin blushed. "Jinim!"

Jinim laughed loudly. "What~? You are married! It's okay!"

Seokjin kissed Taehyung's head one more time. "Be good~ baby. Mama and Papa will call you every night."

Taehyung hugged her tightly. "I will miss you~ Mama."

"I will miss you more~" Seokjin whispered.

Namjoon came to the door. He had finally found his charger in the glove compartment. He bent down and hugged Taehyung.

"Papa loves you~" he said softly.

"I love you too~ Papa. Don't break anything~" Taehyung said again.

Namjoon laughed and his dimple showed. "I promise to try."

He stood up and nodded at Jinim. "Thank you~ noona. We will bring something nice for you."

"Bring me a good story!" Jinim said. "Now go! Drive safe!"

Seokjin and Namjoon walked to the car. Taehyung stood at the door and waved. His parents waved back. The car drove away slowly.

Taehyung watched until the car turned the corner and disappeared.

Then he turned to Jinim. "Auntie~ can I have juice~?"

Jinim laughed. "Of course~ baby. Come inside."

Taehyung walked into the house. It was warm and smelled like bread. The living room was clean and cozy. There was a big couch and a television.

Jungkook was already inside. He was standing near the couch~ looking at the floor again.

Taehyung walked to him. He didn't understand why Jungkook was so quiet. Taehyung was never quiet.

"Jungkook! Do you want juice too~? I like apple juice. What do you like~?" Taehyung asked.

Jungkook looked at him. His bunny eyes were big and shy. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. He closed it again.

Taehyung didn't wait for an answer. He started talking.

"I have a lot of friends at school! There is Jimin—he is small but he is very strong! And there is Hoseok—he laughs very loud! And there is Yoongi—he is sleepy all the time but he is funny!"

Jungkook just blinked.

Taehyung kept going. "Yesterday~ Papa took me for ice cream at night! We went to the shop near our house. Papa dropped his ice cream on his shoe! He was so sad! Mama scolded him but then she shared her ice cream with him. They are so weird."

This time~ Jungkook's lips moved. A small sound came out. It was almost a laugh.

Taehyung's eyes lit up. "Did you laugh~? Did you~? I saw it!"

Jungkook shook his head quickly. His ears turned pink.

Jinim came back with two glasses of apple juice and a plate of snacks. She placed them on the small table.

"Here you go~ my boys. Tae~ these are your favorite crackers."

Taehyung's eyes went wide. "Auntie! You remembered!"

"Of course I remembered. I am the best auntie~" Jinim said with a wink.

She turned on the television. A cartoon was playing—colorful animals running and jumping.

"I will be in the kitchen making lunch. You two play nice~" she said.

She walked away but stopped at the door. She looked back with a soft smile.

Taehyung was sitting on the couch~ drinking his juice. Jungkook was standing a little away~ watching the cartoon.

But Taehyung kept looking at Jungkook. Every few seconds~ he would glance at him and smile.

Jungkook pretended to watch the cartoon. But his eyes kept moving to Taehyung too.

Jinim smiled to herself and went to the kitchen.

After finishing his juice~ Taehyung put the glass down. He saw Jungkook slowly moving toward the hallway.

Jungkook was walking quietly. He was going to his room. He liked his room. It was quiet. It was his space. He felt safe there.

Taehyung noticed.

"Where are you going~?" Taehyung asked loudly.

Jungkook stopped. He didn't turn around.

"…My room~" he said. His voice was very soft. Like a whisper.

Taehyung jumped off the couch. "I will come too!"

Jungkook's shoulders went up a little. He wanted to say no. He liked being alone. But he didn't know how to say it.

So he just walked faster.

Taehyung followed him. His small feet are padded behind Jungkook.

Jungkook went into his room. It was small and neat. There was a bed with blue blankets. A small desk. Some toys in the corner.

Jungkook sat on his bed. He pulled his knees to his chest. He made himself small.

Taehyung walked into the room. He looked around with big~ curious eyes.

"Your room is nice!" Taehyung said. "I like blue! My room is green! Green is my favorite color. But blue is nice too!"

Jungkook didn't say anything.

Taehyung walked closer to the bed. "Can I sit~?"

Jungkook wanted to say no. He wanted his space. He didn't like people in his room. He didn't like people touching his things.

But Taehyung was already sitting on the bed. Right next to him.

Jungkook's body went stiff.

Taehyung leaned closer. His shoulder touched Jungkook's shoulder.

"Your room is very quiet. My room is loud. Mama says I make too much noise~" Taehyung said with a giggle.

Jungkook could feel Taehyung's warmth. It was strange. It was different. But it was not… bad.

Taehyung was looking at him. His brown eyes were soft and friendly.

"Are you scared of me~?" Taehyung asked.

Jungkook shook his head.

"Then why are you so quiet~?"

Jungkook thought for a long moment. Then he said~ very softly~ "I don't… talk much."

Taehyung tilted his head. "Why~?"

Jungkook shrugged. He didn't know how to explain. Words were hard for him. They got stuck in his throat.

Taehyung smiled. "That's okay. I talk enough for both of us!"

And then he started talking again. He talked about his favorite cartoon. He talked about his Papa breaking a plate that morning. He talked about a bird that sat on his window.

Jungkook listened. He didn't say much. But he didn't move away.

Taehyung was sitting very close. His arm was touching Jungkook's arm. He was in Jungkook's personal space.

But Jungkook found that he didn't mind.

.

In the kitchen~ Jinim was chopping vegetables. She heard Taehyung's loud voice coming from Jungkook's room. She heard her son's silence.

She smiled softly.

Her son never let anyone in his room. He never let anyone sit on his bed.

But here was Taehyung~ a whirlwind of laughter and words~ sitting right next to him.

And Jungkook was letting him.

Jinim looked out the window. The sun was high now. The day was beautiful.

She thought about her son. He was so quiet~ so shy. He loved his personal space. He loved being alone. He got that from his father.

Jeon Jeun~ her husband. He owned a small cafe in the city. He worked hard. He provided for the family. But he didn't show his love much. He was quiet~ like Jungkook. He cared deeply but his words were few.

Jungkook was exactly like him.

Jinim was the opposite. She was talkative. She was warm. She showed her love loudly.

And Taehyung—Taehyung was like her. Loud and loving and full of light.

Maybe that was why Jungkook didn't push him away. Maybe he needed someone like Taehyung.

Jinim wiped her hands and walked quietly to Jungkook's door. She looked inside.

Taehyung was lying on the bed now~ his legs kicking in the air. He was telling a long story about his friend Jimin.

"And Jimin said he can lift a rock! A big rock! But the rock was actually small! It was so funny!"

Jungkook was still sitting with his knees to his chest. But he was looking at Taehyung now. His big eyes were focused. His lips were parted slightly.

And then it happened.

Jungkook smiled.

It was small. It was shy. It was barely there.

But it was a smile.

Taehyung saw it and stopped talking. His eyes went wide.

"You smiled!" Taehyung shouted. "I saw it! You have a bunny smile! Like a bunny!"

Jungkook's face turned red. He tried to hide his face behind his knees.

But Taehyung was laughing. A loud~ happy laugh.

"Don't hide! It's pretty! Your smile is pretty~ Jungkook!"

Jungkook peeked from behind his knees. His ears were bright red.

Taehyung grinned and patted Jungkook's head.

"We are going to be best friends~" Taehyung declared. "I decided."

Jungkook didn't say anything. But he didn't say no.

From the doorway~ Jinim watched her son. His ears were red. His face was half-hidden. But he wasn't pushing Taehyung away.

In fact~ he was leaning closer. Just a little.

Jinim's heart filled with warmth.

She stepped away quietly~ leaving the door open.

In the room~ Taehyung had started another story. His voice was loud and happy. He was lying on his stomach~ his legs swinging.

Jungkook was still sitting. But his body had relaxed. His knees were no longer pressed to his chest. He was leaning back on his hands.

He was looking at Taehyung. Listening.

For the first time~ his quiet room didn't feel empty.

It felt full.

It felt like something new was beginning.

.

.

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To be continued....

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