Baby Daddy

22. Alternate Plans

Ava knew that bumping into this man would cause what he was holding to go everywhere. What she hadn't seemed to fully realize was how big a mess it would truly make. She could hear the slushy ice clink against the plastic lids as the contents of the soft drinks showered both of them; popcorn coating them like sprinkles. The man that held the food dropped all the bins onto the ground. He had gotten the worst of the soft drink shower as he brought his freed hands up to his face. The liquid was dripping from his bangs, slipping down in small uneven rivulets down his face. Ava was blinking the soft drink out of her own eyes as she lifted her head to look at the man before her as he brought the mask he was wearing down to his chin so he could better mop at his face with his hands.

Holy crap. It was Kim Seokjin.

Ava stood there speechless as Jin blinked his eyes a few times before eventually focusing on the woman in front of him. He just stared at her for a moment before a tiny smirk graced his lips.

"Thanks for the shower."

"Huh?"

"I said thanks for the shower," said Jin with a chuckle before his brows furrowed in concern when he noticed that Ava was just standing there staring. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think I just got some soda in my eye."

"Me too," said Jin still chuckling. "I actually think I have soda in places I never dreamed of it being."

"I'm sorry."

"You're fine," said Jin.

'Definitely fine,' Ava thought as she looked over the soda and popcorn covered man in front of her.

Seol was meanwhile half watching the trailer as Jungkook kept his hand firmly on Seol's wrist so he couldn't move. Seol was starting to panic. This wasn't part of the plan. If their plan really was to work, he had to get Rai and Jungkook by themselves for the movie. Him sitting here like an awkward third wheel would not work.

"I should go see what is taking uncle so long," whispered Seol as he leaned over towards Jungkook.

"No. He's fine," Jungkook whispered back without taking his eyes off the trailer on the screen.

"But I'll be really quick..."

Jungkook turned then to look at Seol in the dark, and even though Seol couldn't fully see his face, he knew he was getting 'the look'. Seol could spot that anywhere. Both of his parents had fixed him with that several times in the future, and it never failed to make him shrink in his seat. He did so now as Jungkook gave him 'the look', sinking down a bit in his theater chair. The grip that Jungkook had on his arm wasn't tight, but it didn't loosen at all.

"Trust me," said Seol as he tried to squirm free, shifting to sit himself back up. "I'll be right back. He could be struggling with carrying everything..."

"Fine," said Jungkook with an eventual sigh, releasing his hold on Seol's arm, "But you have two minutes. I'll be timing you."

Seol didn't bother to say anything else as he quickly scampered up out of his seat and up the aisle. In his rush, he almost ended up tripping up the aisle. Seol pushed out through the theater door, and saw that Ava and Jin were staring at each other in the hallway. Jin had taken some napkins that he had crammed into his hoodie pocket out, trying to pry the wad of wet napkins apart in a vain search for a dry one.

"I'd offer you a dry napkin for your face," said Jin to Ava as he tried to pull the wet ball of napkins apart, "But those are in short supply."

"Are you two okay?" asked Seol as he walked over to them, noticing the mess everywhere.