To Find Something True

※ thirty

Half past six. Thirty minutes before the boutique announced it was closing. All of them – except the staff who were on their off day – were still there.

Seokjin was at the counter, watching Namjoon walk back and forth with a phone in his hand, attaching and detaching from his ear. Hoseok leaned by the wall, watching his assistant entertaining the baby with Taehyung; his lips curved downwards.

When the time reached six past forty-five, Jisoo decided to go home. Still wanting to stay with the rest of the staff at the boutique, her older brother asked Jungkook to send her home and he obeyed. Finally, both of them checked out of their shift of the day. 

Namjoon took off his spectacles, placed them on the counter, and pinched his nose bridge. “He didn’t pick up his phone,” he said, trying to stay calm but he couldn’t.

There were no words spoken, just sighs.

Hoseok was relieved they had Jiah. She did so much that admiring and thanking her was not enough. The baby might have cried the whole day if it was Wheein looking after him. The view of her playing with the baby looked so heavenly and satisfying that he couldn't look away and didn't want to stop staring. In awe, to the point he didn’t realize Yoongi was calling for him.

He only stopped when Jiah said, “Hoseok? Don’t you hear Yoongi calling you?”

Flustered, he immediately changed his view to Yoongi. The man arched his eyebrows and, glanced between him and his assistant. The man in a denim jacket rolled his shoulder before shoving his hands in his pocket. “I want you and Jiah to come with me to the mall tomorrow,” he said. He looked at Namjoon over his shoulder. He added, “If this has settled.” 

Hoseok asked, “What for?”

Namjoon was talking in the corner at that time, hissing and whispering, sighing and rubbing his face. Seokjin kept watching him.

Feigning ignorance of the background, Yoongi said, “We need suits for the occasion.”

The red-haired man's eyebrows narrowed. “Suits? We have tons of fashionable clothes here.”

“But do you see suits?” 

“Hyung, I –”

“I’ve gone through the guest list. There’ll be journalists and reporters there. That bastard’s whole family is gonna be there too. New names. They might drag you around again, to introduce you to them.”

“So?”                            

“You need to look presentable,” Yoongi said. “At least, when the news reaches Amber, we assure her that we're doing well. I don’t want to get her Facetime reprimanding me and Seokjin.” 

“Amber isn’t the kind who would reprimand someone easily though,” Hoseok said.

“That says you,” Seokjin butted in this time. “We’re just preparing for what could happen if she comes back sooner." 

Hoseok’s attention returned to Yoongi. “What color did you pick?”

“Dunno. That’s why I want Jiah to come with us. She has better creativity in this.” 

Jiah’s eyes widened. Both hands held the bouncing baby on her lap. “Me?” 

Yoongi flashed a light smile.

“But… Jiah’s supposed to have her day off tomorrow,” Hoseok reminded.

“I know. It will be spent on shopping with us.”

Hoseok held the urge to roll his eyes. He thought Yoongi sounded like an aunt who was excited about their child’s wedding gown and tuxedo. If he supported Jiah and let her have her way, Yoongi certainly wouldn't take it – considering his resemblance to Seokjin's usual attitude that day.