Once Again

42

Earlier that day, they were at the waterpark, and everyone had changed into their swimwear. Jin had thrown on a t-shirt as well but Taehyung didn't question it. He had learned early on in their relationship that Jin was self-conscious about the scar on his back. Though Jin didn't mind his husband seeing it in the privacy of their own home, he didn't like revealing it in public.

Taehyung knew Jin had gotten the scar from an incident in his past because Jin couldn't remember how he got it, but Taehyung suspects it wasn't that long ago because the scar was still pink and soft to the touch.

Taehyung watched as Minjoon splashed Jungkook in the pool and giggled. Jungkook gave a mock gasp in reply and flicked water back at the little boy, causing a peal of childish laughter to ring out. It made Taehyung smile.

"What are you smiling at, Tae?"

Taehyung turned to look at his husband. Jin had yet to get in the pool, and Taehyung couldn't wait to pull him in. His husband always looked hot when he was wet.

"Our son is having a good time."

Jin peered around Taehyung to look at the pair in the water. He smiled fondly.

"Min-min likes being around Jungkook," he said. "I'm glad you and he made up, Tae. Three years is a long time to be apart from your best friend."

Taehyung looked at Jungkook as he considered Jin's words. He wondered if he had been harsh with Jungkook this morning when he had warned him off. Perhaps he had misread the situation between his husband and his best friend in the kitchen.

Taehyung knew Jin was a nurturing and compassionate man so it would've been just like him to be overly concerned if someone he knew was hurt.

"I'm going to go play with them," Taehyung said.

He was just getting to his feet when Jin suddenly shrieked beside him and bolted towards the pair still frolicking in the water. There was a loud thump, a large splash, and Minjoon began to cry.

Taehyung whipped his head to the pool and his heart leapt to his throat. His husband was facedown in the water, and Jungkook who held Minjoon to his chest was at the side. Jin's shirt was pushed up, exposing his scar, and there was a red welt on his back from the hard impact with the teenager who had jumped into the pool.

"Jin! Oh my god! No! Jin! Talk to me, baby! Talk to me!"

Taehyung ran to pull his husband out of the water. He could hear their son crying for Jin, and at the back of his mind he knew he should take his son from Jungkook to comfort him but all he could think of was Jin... his Jin... his beloved Jin. It was like that night all over again, on that bridge in Seoul.

Jin coughed. And he coughed again. His body shook as he coughed several more times. The relief that poured through Taehyung's body at the sound was overwhelming, and he hugged his husband tightly and began to cry into his neck.

"Dada! Dada! Dada!"

The little voice caught Jin's attention. He broke free of Taehyung's embrace to take his son from Jungkook. He was so focused on getting to the little boy that he doesn't notice Jungkook looking at his back in shock. As he reached for his son, Jungkook grasped his arm and looked into his eyes desperately.

"Jinnie, it's you. It's really you."