Twisted Life, Thorny Love

12. Bless you

Junha had quickly grown very attached to Taehyung. So had Jungkook. He had started to look forward to Taehyung's classes and mostly the weekends when all of them spent some time together. When Taehyung had no better work to do, he came to Jungkook's house to play with Junha even though there was a kid in his own house. 

Jin and Namjoon had adopted Dohyeon a week after all of them went for bowling. Junha was beyond euphoric when he realized that there was someone of the same size and shape as himself. He was soo excited about playing with Dohyeon that they were sure the whole neighborhood could hear his shouts. Dohyeon was around seven months older than Junha, but the two of them became very good friends the second they saw each other. 

In all the time that they spent together in the last two months, never once did Jungkook's gaze go below Taehyung's face. He thought he could spend hours staring at those ethereal features without getting bored. Just like every other day, here he was, sitting in the class and staring at his Professor without blinking his eye for a single second, except for the fact that his nose was feeling extremely itchy and his throat was burning. 

"So stacks work on Last Come First Serve basis while Queues work on First Come First Serve basis. This of it as an actual stack and a queue. Let's think of a stack - Bless you, Jungkook - So let's think of a stack of books. Whatever book you throw in the last, you have to take that out first, right? That's how a Stack works in C++ as well. Last In, First Out or Last Come, First Serve. And in a queue - bless you again - So if you stand in a line, whoever goes in first, gets their work done first, right? That's how it is in a queue. First In, First Out or First Come - bless you again - First Come, First Serve. Is that clear, everyone?" Taehyung asked, looking at Jungkook who was busy rubbing his nose. 

"Yes, sir" the class answered. "Okay. I'll tell you all about inserting and deleting mechanisms on Monday. Have a good day. Jungkook, meet me outside" he said as he walked out with his book. Jungkook ran out immediately. 

"Are you okay? You literally sneezed almost twenty times in the class" Taehyung asked. "Yeah ye- achoo - I'm fine" Jungkook said. "Sure you are" Taehyung said sarcastically. 

"Umm, I've been promising Junha that I'll take him to the park. Do you wanna bring Dohyeon to the park behind the church lane today in the evening?" Jungkook asked. 

"Are you sure? Looks like you are coming dow- bless you - looks like you are coming down with something" Taehyung said, feeling Jungkook's forehead. 

"It's okay. Normal cold, I guess. I have been putting it off for a long time now. He'll get upset" Jungkook said. "Okay, then. Should I come at 6?" Taehyung asked. 

"Yeah. I'll go now, before some other Professor comes in. Seeya" he said and got into the class. Taehyung stood there for a moment, his eyebrows pulling together after hearing another sneeze and a cough. 

"Mum!! Junha!! Papa is back!!" Jungkook yelled as he got in. He went straight into the washroom and showered before going to Junha. "Let's go to the park in the evening, okay? Let's play with Dohyeon and Uncle Tae" he said as he picked him up and turned around in circles, making him giggle. 

"'tay" Junha said. He had picked up on many words and his high pitched voice made Jungkook and every one else go mad whenever he said something. He had been one of those kids whose speech started long after other kids of the same age. There was even a time when Jungkook was worried if Junha was going to turn out mute. But his worries got erased as Junha started making incoherent noises and telling stories in his own language. 

"I'll get going, mum. Bye! Say 'bye' to Grandma" Jungkook said. "Baai" Junha said, waving his arm widely. "Byee" she said and off Jungkook went, back to their home. That was how it had been for the past two months. 

Jungkook would come to his parent's house and shower immediately as he didn't want to pass germs to his son. 

Then he would take him home and enjoy for sometime and then prepare dinner. The two would eat and then Jungkook would tell him some story until he slept and then he would sit and study for a bit before falling asleep. 

Almost twice a week, Taehyung would come over along with Dohyeon and go back home after an hour or two. Sometimes, his mother would ask him to stay for dinner and leave after eating. Sometimes he would stay and sometimes he wouldn't. 

"Path, Path, Path" Junha kept yelling the second they got in. "Not yet, Junha! Papa has to get ready, tiger has to get ready" Jungkook said, poking Junha's stomach. He kept jumping up and down, too excited to stay still. Jungkook chuckled and gave up on asking him to chill and went to select an outfit instead. 

After rummaging for half an hour in his closet, he settled on a white T-shirt and jeans. 

'This one suits me best' he thought as he looked into the mirror. 

He put a white T-shirt and jeans on Junha just for the fun of it and took him out. He put on a mask to avoid passing his cold to Junha. Junha couldn't stay still as he ran out of the flat, impatiently waiting for his father to lock it. 

"Hand" Jungkook said, sticking out his index finger and Junha grabbed it and ran forward, pulling his father along with him. "Aish" Jungkook chuckled as he followed him to his car.