Baby Daddy

36. Fighting Chance

Jungkook could see the mixed reactions on Ava and Jin's face when they saw him standing in the kitchen near Rai. They had barely managed to put their grocery bags down before they took turns launching questions his way.

"Where did he come from?" Ava asked.

"What is he doing here?" asked Jin.

"Do I need to get another cream pie ready?"

"Hold on, hold on...cream pie?" asked Jungkook, making Ava stop after having asked that.

"Yes, cream pie!" she snapped. "As soon as I found out what a jerk you were to my bestie, I took matters into my own hands. Unfortunately said hands were occupied carrying a cream pie at the time so I thrust it in that dreamy face of yours. Look, I've always been a fan, but my girl comes first. If I need to get another cream pie ready just so I can launch it into your face again, I will."

"Could you guys use an inside voice?" asked Rai as she brought a hand up to her head. "This is all giving me a headache."

Ava immediately went into protective friend mode, dragging a chair up next to her.

"Jin honey, can you get her some water for some aspirin?"

"I already had some before I had a nap an hour or so ago," said Rai. "It's too early to take any more."

Ava nodded, putting a hand on Rai's back, gently rubbing it before shooting daggers over at Jungkook. Jungkook had never experienced such hatred in a gaze before as he did at that moment in time.

"What did I do?" asked Jungkook.

"Everything," replied Ava. "The only thing you didn't do is try to save this marriage."

Jungkook knew that while it may not be true for him right now, it was true of the future him. Jungkook clenched his hands into fists at the thought of everything he had ruined; Jin being able to see it from where he was.

"Jungkook, how about you come with me for a moment and we'll leave the two ladies to talk?"

Jungkook looked over at Jin, who still looked the same albeit it older. The elder looked more distinguished now, and still as worldwide handsome as his nickname always claimed him to be. Jungkook moved to follow Jin across the hallway and into a small office. Jin shut the door behind them to allow them privacy. Jungkook stood there for a moment, taking in the office they now stood in. Jungkook figured that it was a writing office. During one of his dates with Rai, she had confided in him her dreams of someday becoming an author. This must be her space to pursue her dreams. After quietly observing the room for a few more moments, Jungkook moved to reluctantly take a seat in a plush blue chair by the window, watching as Jin looked at him as if he were a parent looking at a child. Jungkook had never felt so small before.

"What are you doing here?"

"I...it's complicated," said Jungkook.

Jin sighed as he perched himself on the arm of an armchair across from Jungkook.

"I'll give you a second to collect yourself then because I'm willing to be patient and hear you out," said Jin as he put his hands over his knee. Jungkook's eyes fell on the wedding band on Jin's finger.

"You and Ava...you got married?"

Jin nodded with a soft smile.

"Do you two have kids?"

Jin chuckled, looking over at Jungkook.

"I should be the one that is asking you the questions, not the other way around."

"Think of it as me warming up," said Jungkook daring to crack a small smile.

Jin rolled his eyes, slipping his phone out of his pocket to flick through the photos. He got up from his perch on the arm to show Jungkook a picture on his phone.

"Ava and I have a daughter. Her name is Kim Moon. She's twelve, and currently at school. She's quite a handful. We're trying for a son now so that she'll have a brother."

Jungkook's eyes fell on the picture of the three of them. They were all smiles as they posed at some kind of water park. Water slide tubes were visible behind the three of them; Moon perched on the top of Jin's shoulders while Ava had her arm wrapped about him. They looked happy. He knew that his future self could have photos like that too, but he had chosen a different path. It seemed his future self chose to be selfish. Jin slipped his phone away when he noticed that Jungkook was zoning out as he stared at the photo.

"What kind of man did I become Jin?" asked Jungkook.

Jin sighed as he looked at Jungkook; watching as the other looked at him expectantly.

"Tell me I am not too late..."

"Jungkook...no one is ever too late," said Jin, "But this...what you're doing right now is crazy."

"I couldn't help it," said Jungkook. "When Seol came back to the past to fix us...when I fell for Rai, I was never happier. Then when I found out for a fact that Seol was my son, that happiness increased a hundred fold. I couldn't just sit around and wait for that love to eventually dissolve, so when Seol told me Rai and I still ended in divorce, I borrowed his watch and came back."

"You make it sound so simple," said Jin. "This complicated, ludicrous thing that you've done you make it sound inconsequential."

"I just...I want to make things right by Rai and Seol," said Jungkook. "I want myself to realize how happy and complete I felt with them. The thought of losing them someday...it breaks me. Terrifies me."

Jin was silent as he watched Jungkook turn his eyes down to fiddle with his hands on his lap.

"Jin...please help me," said Jungkook. "Take me to see my future self so I can straighten things out."

"Jungkook, I..."

"Jin, I don't normally ask for much, but think of Rai. Think of Seol," said Jungkook as he looked up at Jin. "Please help me give this family a fighting chance."

Jin sighed as he cast his eyes about the office; obviously in thought. Eventually he nodded slowly.

"I'll tell Ava we're going for a drive. She can stay here with Rai while I take you over to see him. No guarantees that you will actually be able to meet face-to-face though."

"That's fine," said Jungkook. "I'll handle the details. Just please take me."

"I will," said Jin. "Even though you're completely insane."

"When it comes to love," said Jungkook, "one is willing to do absolutely anything to keep it."

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