Growing Pains

42

Jin looked out of the window at the passing scenery.

He felt a hand lace its fingers with his, and squeeze gently.

He turned and smiled at Yoongi as his boyfriend drove confidently towards the railway station.

They were on their way to pick up Taehyung and his mum, and will be going to the airport later to pick up Taehyung's dad who will be flying in after his business meeting in Jeju.

Namjoon was not able to meet his family as planned because his professor had pulled him aside at the last minute to assist on a project with several senior students.

Jin had encouraged Namjoon to go because he knew this was a good opportunity for his friend, and he had assured him that he will bring his family back to their apartment safely.

Jin was looking forward to seeing Namjoon's family again.

When he had been avoiding Jungkook, it was Namjoon and his family that provided him with sanctuary, a place to gather his thoughts and examine his feelings.

Though Namjoon's parents were among the wealthiest in their hometown, the Kims were humble and this made them remarkable in Jin's eyes.

This was why he had agreed to live with Namjoon when he had had his heart set on living in the dorms.

Namjoon's parents had insisted on it, and preyed on his sense of filial duty by reminding him that they considered him as part of their family.

"What's Taehyung like, Jinnie?"

"Tae?"

Jin smiled as he pictured Namjoon's younger brother in his head.

He adored the boy because he was unique, and Taehyung was never ashamed of the random things he did or said.

He can still remember the conversation that he had with the younger when they were playing at an arcade one weekend.

Taehyung had asked him why humans cooed and loved when dogs of different breeds and colour played together harmoniously and even had puppies together, but lost their shit when their fellow men did the same regardless of gender or race.

It had given Jin pause and made him consider what the younger said.

He had been impressed by Taehyung's observation, and realised that the boy was not as dumb as most people assumed.

But then Taehyung had shattered Jin's newfound admiration when he rolled on the floor, fired at the zombie on the screen before kicking his sandal up into his hand and held it to his ear like a phone while saying, "Green leader, target has been neutralised."

"Taehyung is Taehyung. He's someone you should meet and talk to in person in order to fully appreciate the amazing person that he is," Jin explained.

"Hmm," Yoongi pulled into the railway station's parking lot, "I just hope he's not as accident-prone as his brother."

Jin bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

He realised his boyfriend was still bitter about Namjoon accidentally sitting on their two-month anniversary cake and squashing it last week, but he didn't have the heart to tell him that he was now going to have to be on high alert at all times with the addition of another clumsy Kim brother in town.

Poor Yoongichi, he thought to himself with a smile as he exited the car and let his boyfriend lace their fingers again.

He followed him into the station to meet Taehyung and his mum, and lamented that his poor boyfriend was in for an adventure.