Once Again

40

Author's Note: I will be publishing a new JinKook story shortly as my way of thanking everyone for finding me again after I closed my BlueTulip97 account. It is also my way of thanking my new readers for giving your love and support to both Once Again and Growing Pains. Please check out Waiting For You which was written and completed on Thanksgiving Day. It is my way of giving thanks to all of you. I hope you will also go and check out my Thanksgiving message on my message board. It provides a little background on the story.

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Jungkook walked beside Taehyung as they followed Jin and Minjoon around the animal exhibits at Tobu Zoo. They were there because Taehyung had promised this outing last weekend but his sudden work trip had postponed it.

Jungkook was feeling slightly distressed after the events in the kitchen this morning, and this led to an awkward silence in the car when they left for the zoo after breakfast.

Jungkook had sat next to Taehyung in the front because Jin wanted to sit in the back with his son. The little boy was excited about seeing the animals in the zoo, and had kept a steady chatter while Taehyung drove. It helped to hide the uncomfortable silence between the two men in the front seat.

When they arrived at the zoo, Taehyung had grabbed the backpack in Jin's hand and shouldered it. Jungkook frowned in confusion and wondered why they needed a backpack for a visit to the zoo because Jin already had a bag that carried all of Minjoon's essentials. Jin saw the puzzled look on Jungkook's face and laughed.

"We're going to the waterpark after the zoo, Jungkook-san. I have all of our swimming things in there, even for you."

"Waterpark?"

"Ojisan! Appa said there's waterpark next to zoo!"

Jungkook brows unknitted, and he smiled at both Minjoon and Jin. His eyes lingered on Jin until he remembered what Taehyung had said to him this morning. He looked away and met Taehyung's dark gaze before the latter deliberately placed a hand on Jin's neck to pull him in for a kiss so passionate that it left him blushing furiously.

Taehyung then whispered something in Jin's ear while keeping his gaze on Jungkook, and Jungkook watched as Jin looked like he was about to melt into the ground. It left a horrible taste in Jungkook's mouth.

An hour later, they were at the gorilla exhibit, and Taehyung was holding his son in his arms as he showed him where several members of the pack were in the enclosure.

"Dada! What is that gilla doing?" Minjoon asked.

Jungkook, who was to the left of Taehyung, smiled at the child's adorable pronunciation. It took a little of the sting away from Taehyung's coldness towards him.

"Where?"

Jin was on Taehyung's other side, and he wrapped his arm around his husband's waist so he could lean his head against his son's to look at what had him so excited. He felt relaxed today, and it was wonderful. He was happy to have his husband back with him

"That one! That one!" Minjoon's finger pointed.

Jin looked at the gorilla sitting on the grass. It was rolling something round and brown with its finger. He squinted to get a better look, and his eyes widened as his mouth formed an 'O' in surprise. He looked around Taehyung at Jungkook.

"Kookie! Look! It's just like that gorilla at San Diego Zoo!" Jin exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with barely restrained mirth. "He's playing with his shit."

The last word was whispered so Minjoon wouldn't hear but Jin still felt his husband tense with disapproval at his side.

Jungkook threw his head back as he laughed out loud. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. He had taken his Jinnie to the zoo to cheer him up because his sweet baby thought he had failed his Pathophysiology exam.

Seeing the gorilla playing with its faeces had taken Jin by surprise, and it had amused him so much that it helped to lift him from his doldrums. That day was one of Jungkook's favourite memories of his Jinnie.

Wait. It was something he did in the past with his Jinnie. His Jinnie. How would Jin have known that?