"Say something nice about him!"
"No you!"
The Jeon siblings were bickering. It reminded Jungkook of when they would come here as little kids, fighting through the whole drive, forcing their Mom to crave pain relief washed down with wine as soon as they arrived.
"He was a man!" The older motioned down to the box. They had finally gone ahead and opened it, pulling the bag of ashes out. He had questioned why they hadn't paid up for an urn but then dismissed it being that Jisoo had handled everything and it was exactly like her to stick with simple cardboard. Certain things were just an afterthought to her.
"That's it, really?" She rolled her eyes, "He had a face."
"And a body! But not a good or healthy one." He continued.
She smirked, "Wore ill-fitting suits always. Polyester often as well- how tacky is that? The man made millions!"
"That's a good one. He made lots of money! Didn't rectify that he was a shitty person but...."
They both paused the banter for a moment, cracking the bag open and sprinkling it around the edge of the water where they were standing.
"But he'd always take the summers and come to the beach house. He'd admire us from afar, even would occasionally dunk his feet in!" Jungkook grabbed a scoop of water and washed it over the remnants, making sure the ocean took everything.
Jisoo followed suit, "And he really did always want the best for us. Sometimes we faulted him for how he went about it but at the end of the day, it came from a good place."
"Him and I didn't see eye to eye on many things. He hurt me often. I hope we can both heal in this next chapter." Jungkook felt his nose twitch, a single tear cascading from his face as he stood, watching waves carry his Father further downward.
"I hope he sees that being in the ocean, being with family- it was all more important than being in the office. I hope he is grateful that we dumped him here even though right now I know he's cursing us from above or below or wherever he just so happens to be!" She flicked the tear off of Jungkook's cheek, leaning her body into his chest in a comforting manner, "And we'll visit him often. I expect many more beach trips in our future- as couples hopefully. With kids."
"I think that would be beautiful!" He was talking with Jisoo now, "Should we get back?"
She nodded, "Kookie?"
"Yes?"
"Will you take me to California, I want to see what you did there, see you in your element. I want to see you dancing and wearing shorts and growing your hair out! And I want to get a tattoo as well! From the same place you went."
"Okay well now you've just gone mad!" He smirked, "But I would love to show you California and show you the studio that saved me the first time."
"I should have went with you back then."
"I didn't expect you too. And I don't resent you for not." They climbed into their respective beach chairs, grateful to see that Tae and Jin were in conversation instead of awkward silence.
"Did you find closure?" Taehyung smiled shyly.
"I think we really did!" Jisoo returned it, her hand looping with Jin, the other with her brother, "I'm happy we came here."
Jungkook was too. Very happy.
And not just to be in Rhode Island or living in New York but instead to be back in his own body, with his people, in his element.
"Why are you smiling so much?" Tae learned over, gentle kisses trailing down the boys jaw.
"Just entirely content. I never could have imagined such a luxury in life."
The older hummed, basking in the sounds of the water and the surrounding nature, "Can we get married here someday?" Tae said it so bluntly, like it was a fact they would get married at all.
Jungkook hesitated
The beach house wasn't just a pretty structure with a photogenic back drop it was painful memories, first moments, it was family drama and family reconciliation. Jungkook took his first steps here and Jisoo said her first words. His Mother and Father yelled through the walls, shaking the top floor, they made love in an attempt at a third kid that just never happened, they broke Jungkook apart so heavily that even now, the sounds of shoes on a cement patio drove him to spiral.
But this is where he had grown up. Where he got his acceptance letter for college, where he made the decision to learn the trade his Father had always wanted, where he finally spoke his truth and revealed a major piece of himself.
It wasn't all sunshine. It was a lot of rain. And it took a lot of grace but Jungkook couldn't imagine his life panning out any other way.
He wanted to marry Tae in the sand and serve mixed drinks at a bar in the backyard. He wanted to use the kitchen island as a gift table, and he wanted his own kids to curl up in the loft with their cousins as they shared secrets that they weren't supposed to know.
He wanted all of that to continue in Rhode Island, the ocean remaining a special place. Every time something happened his Father could be there to watch and it was kind of a beautiful concept in Jungkook's eyes.
The younger let his forehead rest against Tae's, a mop of curls encasing his skin, the smell of honey and lavender looping around them.
"I'd love to marry you here."
YOU ARE READING
A MYSTERY TO ME | TAEKOOK
Fanfiction- When Taehyung agreed to marry into the Jeon family, he had no idea that Jungkook was part of that. - It's been five years since Jungkook and his family severed ties, five years since he moved across the country, five years that he's spent forgett...
