Baby Daddy

39. A Necessary Reunion

Sitting up after having fallen on a bare carpet was just a rude awakening; seeing the house that he eventually bought with Rai someday still empty and waiting to be bought was the painful part. Standing to his feet, the older Jungkook looked around. He was definitely in the past; a past where he and Rai hadn't gotten married yet and had just started out. If he remembered correctly, it was the year of the big comeback; a comeback that was bigger than all the rest.

The older Jungkook snuck down the hall to the showroom worthy bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, he tried to brush his hair down so he didn't look so awful. Thankfully - when he tried to turn on the faucet - running water gushed out. He moved to cup his hands, splashing some water onto his face before using some more to slick down his hair even more. He soon shut the water off, tugging at his shirt to try in vain to erase some of the hundred and one wrinkles. When he was satisfied with his appearance, he left the bathroom and snuck downstairs. Thankfully the open house was in full swing and a few couples were loitering about the place. Jungkook tried to blend in as he made his way towards the front door. Upon reaching it, he slipped outside the house and began to walk down the street. He walked as quickly as he could towards the practice studio, figuring that he would find Seol there.

- - -

Rai and Ava had taken their leave once Seol had been fully embraced by the others in order to go get a dinner party ready at Rai's apartment for after practice. Seol was completely disguise free as he stood in his father's position among the other members. Seol knew there was a lot at stake with this comeback, and the least he could do was to take his father's place for now until he came back. The group had already decided that Seol looked similar enough that they would just put a mask over his mouth on the comeback night if they had to in order to properly disguise him so he could perform.

Seol felt a tremendous amount of pressure to fill his father's shoes. He wanted nothing more than to make him proud. As Namjoon moved to turn the music on again, Seol internally began to sing "Time After Time" to himself before beginning to throw himself into the singing and dancing of a whole new routine.

- - -

When the older Jungkook finally made it, he could hear the familiar sounds of the past as he entered the studio. He remembered his key code, so he was able to sneak in through a side door out of sight of security. As he began to walk down the hall, the older Jungkook could hear the pulsing beat of music through the walls and the squeaking of well choreographed moves in sneakered feet. He continued to walk slowly down the hallway, pausing outside the practice room door for a moment to look through the tiny window. He watched the choreography taking place within the room. His eyes especially focused in on the young one near the front who was throwing his everything into it. Seol.

Reaching out a hand, he pushed open the door. It went unnoticed since everyone was well into their practice routine. The older Jungkook moved to lean against the wall by the door as he watched the scene continue to unfold before him; memories returning with it. He remembered the blood, sweat, and tears that went into all that they did. If he closed his eyes, he knew he would be able feel himself brought back to all the euphoric highs and lows. He didn't close his eyes though. For the first time in a long time, he didn't want to dwell on the past. He wanted to be present.

The song came to an end sooner rather than later; the heavy panting evidence of their efforts as the members dispersed about the room to grab at their condensation clad water bottles. Some of them grabbed white towels that laid about, swiping them across their foreheads.

"Alright, so we'll practice it one more time from the top and then call it a day," said Namjoon.

As Namjoon grabbed for his water bottle, he noticed someone standing at the back of the room. Namjoon's eyes immediately turned to look at the older Jungkook standing there. Jungkook knew that Namjoon wouldn't recognize him right off because of how different he looked. The longer Namjoon stared and tried to figure it out, the more members turned to look his way until everyone was looking his way. Everyone including Seol.

"Dad?"

Jungkook pushed his body away from the wall, watching Seol take a second to register that he was actually here and not holed up in an office, locked away in a studio, or walking out the front door of the house after yet another petty argument. He was here. Present. Jungkook blinked back tears as he tried to move towards Seol, but Seol was faster. Even though it was obvious that Seol was exhausted from practice, he still summoned the burst of energy necessary to race across the small expanse of practice space between them. Seol crashed into Jungkook, causing him to stumble back a bit at the force of Seol's hug. Soon Jungkook moved to wrap his arms just as tightly back around Seol.

"Dad..." breathed out Seol; Jungkook being able to hear his voice hitch ever so slightly.

"Hello my son," he said as he rubbed a hand gently on his back. "I'm so sorry for everything I've put you through."

Jungkook didn't know whether his shirt was becoming slick with sweat or tears then. Perhaps it was a combination of both. One of his hands moved up to stroke gently through his son's hair as they stayed there under the stare of everyone else present.

"Um...what the heck is going on?" asked Taehyung as he looked over at Jin.

"A necessary reunion," replied Jin; watching the two of them continue to hug tightly as if they were the only two beings in the world.

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