Only Above the Surface

Family: Part 1

It's been a few days since Jin went home. A few days since he's spoken to anyone besides his mom. A few days since he's talked to Jungkook other than a simple, vague text. He's mulled over things, repeatedly, but all he's really done was shut everyone out.

He sighs in frustration, watching as the sky changes from baby blue to cotton candy pink as the sun sets behind his childhood home. His mom refused to move from the quaint house after all these years. She says there's memories in these walls, years of growing up, happy and sad moments all confined in a single story, two bedroom house. Jin says it's just 'cause she doesn't want to deal with the hassle of moving.

He's been lounging on the patio for a couple of hours already simply watching the birds, the trees, the sun. Time continued on as Jin stayed still for the first time in a while.

He hears the back door open and shut behind him. From the corner of his eye, he sees his mom take the empty seat next to him. She connects her phone to the wireless speaker sitting between them on the small outdoor table, Love by Keyshia Cole filled the silence between them.

"A beautiful sunset," She said softly after a while.

Jin made a noise of agreement but otherwise remained silent.

"Jinnie baby," Mrs. Kim began with a soft sigh. "What's on your mind?"

Jin shrugged. "What isn't on my mind lately? I hate this. Being an adult, having responsibilities, making decisions. It's too much pressure. Who thought this was okay? If it was me, I'd say to hell with the whole thing. Why do I have to pay someone else to simply survive? Why do I have to make decisions on relationships? I just want to be a Seokjin burrito."

Mrs. Kim chuckled, reaching out to caress Jin's forearm. "That's life, buttercup. Somedays you feel on top of the world, some days you feel squashed by the world. You just gotta roll with the punches. As for relationships, well, that's a little more complicated."

Throwing his head back, Jin let out a groan. "That might be true, but I don't wanna hear it." He took in a deep breath before getting to what has really been on his mind. "Ma, I said some really shitty things to Jungkook when we fought."

"Ah, there it is. I was wondering why you stayed here longer than your one to two-day trip. It certainly couldn't be because you missed me. Now I have the real reason. So, what did you say to lover boy? I heard most of the story from Jimin already but tell me what really happened."

Jin recounted the story to her as he watched the sun disappear behind the horizon. Not leaving out a single detail even if it did make him look bad. "I called him pathetic, Ma--and a coward, a pathetic coward, if you will. After I thought it over, I realized what he did wasn't even that bad. I mean, he should have definitely said no to Minho but he didn't act on it, not really. The kiss was all Minho, and I know how forceful that asshole gets. But you should've seen Jungkook's face after I said those things, I felt like I broke him."

"Oh, honey," Mrs. Kim reached over and pulled her son, with the incredible force for a woman so small, into her lap.

"Mom! I'm too big for this!"

"Oh, shush, you. You're still my baby whether you're 2 or 72 years old."

Jin adjusted himself in his new position, laying his head on her chest and wrapping an arm around her middle. "I wanted to call him, to tell him I didn't mean it, but I'm scared." Jin laughed as realization hit him. "Looks like I'm the coward here. Yet again. I keep seeing that now."

"You're not a coward, honey. You were hurt and you said some things to hurt him back. It's understandable, sweetheart. You just gotta talk things out with him."