Not Another Love Affair || JJK

Chapter 23

"Hyung," Jungkook breaks into a smile as he greets his brother in a quick hug, "I've been good. You?"

Seokjin shrugs as he pats his younger brothers back, walking into the hotel room Jungkook now called home.

"The usual." he answers while taking off his shoes and setting them aside, "Are you the only one home?"

"Uh," Jungkook runs his fingers through his hair and glances towards the bathroom door that still remained shut as he recalls the small fight he had just had with his wife. "Hyunji's just in the washroom. Do you want anything? Water? Tea?" he asks, stepping towards the kitchen as Seokjin follows with a grin.

"Look at you all grown up and asking if I want tea." he snickers and Jungkook scoffs playfully.

"I'm just trying to be a good host."

"You should save that for when you start working tomorrow."

Jungkook grabs a cup and fills it with water, his back turned to his brother who had taken a seat by the island.

"Don't worry about me, Hyung." he turns back to his brother and places the glass of water in front of him. "I'll be the best bellboy you've ever hired."

"We'll see about that."

Both brothers settle into a comfortable silence, Jungkook's eyes often falling to the bathroom door past Seokjin's shoulder as he wonders whether Hyunji would be coming out at all. Part of him felt guilty for getting fired up so quickly, but the other half made sure to remind him that he had done nothing at all and that she was the one who accused him of saying something he wasn't. As if he was the bad guy in the first place.

"Did a war break out in the kitchen?" Seokin begins as he tilts his chin towards the mess that still remains sprawled along the counters and stove.

"Oh," Jungkook mutters, "I was just cooking earlier and didn't get the chance to clean up."

"I see."

"I promise it's not usually like this."

His older brother sides eyes him, not entirely believing him, but letting it go anyway.

"How's mom?"

Jungkook brings up the topic that had been eating up at him for a few days now. Although it had been several days he still wasn't used to whatever position their relationship was in now. He wanted to be on good terms with his parents and also wanted to avoid another scolding. He wanted to be able to go home and possibly taste his mothers homemade food again. But at the moment doing so felt like a fantasy.

"She's alright." Jin begins, tapping his finger on the side of his glass as he looks down at it, "She's not doing her best, especially since she still doesn't know where you are. I can't say she's gotten over it yet."

"Oh."

The information causes Jungkook's insides to twist. The last thing he wanted was to make her upset and worry for him when he was doing alright on his own and with his new wife. But he just couldn't make up his mind on what to do.

"You should go visit them, Kook."

Jungkook's eyes lifted from where they were staring down at the counter and shift to his brother, reflecting a sense of being lost. He looked small and felt that way too, like he was a little kid again waiting for a parent to tell him what to do. And the fact that he wasn't a child anymore and had gone the extra mile to prove to his parents that he wasn't was possibly taking a toll on him.

"You think so?" he asks, nipping at his bottom lip as his brother nods his head.

"I think being honest with them will make everyone feel better. No matter how much you reassure her that you're doing alright, it's like she won't believe it until she sees it."