Flaw in the System

30

Jae sat on the toilet in a towel and dripping wet hair. Yoongi was briefing them on what the guy said and safety precautions

She flipped between months, looking at the red and pink dots, then the blue lining that indicated the current date. It's been over a month from her last period and a week from the tests.

Still no period.

She bit her lip and her hand rested on the towel that shielded her stomach. Over the last few days, she had been suspiciously aware of the craving and cramps that she had been feeling. She thought it was her period, especially when she began spotting and increased the intake of her food. But soon the spotting had stopped and she began massaging her legs due to the weird muscle spasms.

She had felt the change in her body.

But she was too scared to admit it. She knew the moment they said those three negatives, he mind screamed, "You're wrong! You're wrong! It's here! It's there."

But, God- she wasn't ready. They weren't ready. None of them were ready.

-

"Can we have pho tonight?" Jae whispered as she scooted next to Yoongi who was looking for food delivery places online.

"They don't have any restaurant that serve any around here." He mumbled as he searched for her craving.

"Mmm, jajjangmyeon?" She looked up at him from where she placed her chin on his shoulder and smiled cutely. He fell into her trap with a happy smile and nodded.

"Alright, baby."" He hummed and looked over at the siblings that had fallen asleep on the squished together queen beds.

He dialed and pulled Jae into their own rooms, easily doing so as there was a door between the two rooms. He pushed her gently on the bed and crawled in after her, cuddling with her as soon as he cut off the phone. They squirmed to fit into comfortable positions and finally settled. Yoongi placed his hand on her stomach, making her freeze. She tensed and suddenly changed positions.

Yoongi didn't think much of it and decided to spoon her from behind. He wrapped her in his arms, his hand resting on her tummy again. She winced and moved it. Yoongi looked at her concerned.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He whispered and she drew out a 'uh' as she thought of an excuse.

"I-I'm just getting a little insecure again." She said and he slowly nodded and then turned her to face him.

"How many times do I have to tell you? You're perfect." He whispered to her and kissed her gently. She just gently nodded against his lips, not wanting to talk.

"I love you." He said against her and she smiled wide at him, feeling her heart beat fast.

"I love you too." She said back, just as softly.

Ding.. Dong..

The broken doorbell rang and Yoongi got up to get the food and Jae went to wake the boys. They soon were gathered in the Jeon brother's room, sitting on the floor and eating their noodles.

"Jungkook's really grown up." Sungjin said lowly, trying to make conversation.

"He has. He used to wait till everyone was asleep to shower. Now he walks around freely." Yoongi chuckles and Wooseok gags.

"Free...ly?" Jeno was confused, his eyebrows scrunched as he looked at Yoongi.

"In the nude, kid." Yoongi informed and Jeno's eyes grew wide.

"It's such a task to try and put him in clothes sometimes that we just let him." Jae shrugged.

"Noona!" Jeno groaned and covered his ears as the information was scarring to him.

"Does he still sing?" Wooseok asked and Yoongi shook his head.

"Didn't even know that he sung." Yoongi confessed and Sungjin gasped.

"Really? He was a trainee under CUBE!" Sungjin looked at him like he was crazy.

"He would never talk about his past. It made him had anxiety attacks. That's the most painful thing to watch, so I don't pull it up." Yoongi shrugged like it was nothing. Meanwhile, Wooseok looked down as he picked at his noodles and Jeno's eyebrows furrowed.

"He did have a troubled past, didn't he?" Sungjin asked, masking his pain with a soft smile and making eye contact with Yoongi.

Yoongi saw it in his eyes. How hard he's trying. How scared he is. How regret soaks his soul and seeps from his irises. He was just trying to make up for losing a brother. He was saying that he was sorry through his actions and no matter what he'll stick to his side and pay attention to everything and make sure he's safe... Unlike he did before.

"I..,"Jeno paused and assembled his words in his head before speaking again, "I didn't remember a lot of Jungkook. Correction: I don't remember much of him. I didn't even recognize him at mother's grave. Wooseok stopped and called to him. It clicked. His presence was the same- I remember that much." He whispered his part of his memories and they all sat and listened to him.

"I remember seeing some pictures of him, not much. Just when he was a kid... Once mom fell sick, no one took pictures. There was a whole block missing before he left too. I remember that when he got home, he would make sure that me and hyung did our homework and we were taken care of. He tended to Mom's dandelions that she kept potted on the kitchen window. He then would make sandwiches and gri-"

"Grill the tomatos?" Yoongi cut him off with a smile, "I always wondered where he learned that." He commented and Jeno nodded fast, grinning.

"My mom! My mom used to make sandwiches like that! The only difference is that she would melt the cheese too but whenever Jungkook did it, the fire alarm would always go off!" Jeno laughed and the other brothers chuckled and shook his head.

Jae smiled at them as she sat and listened to their childhood memories of Jungkook. She looked at Yoongi who was focused and clinging onto every word, eyes sparkling as he imagined little kook doing all these shenanigans.

She leaned back, relaxing against the couch and rested her hand on her tummy, gently rubbing it. She watched as the nervousness and unsure energy melted away from the boys as they became comfortable around Yoongi. They told stories and plaid games. She snuggled into a blanket that she found on the couch. He mind drifted to the boys and she could imagine them here, talking to Jungkook's family and for a moment, her eye teared up.

Her heart swelled and she took a deep breath, shooing away Yoongi who looked back at her to check if she was okay, and she thought, "Is this a family?"