Once Again

81

The day of the funeral dawned dark and gloomy. There was a chill in the air as if Mother Nature herself had fallen into depression and decided to abandon the human race in her despair.

Jungkook kneeled before the little boy beside him to straighten his tie, and to push an errant lock of hair back into place. He then made sure that the armband around the child's thin bicep was fastened properly before he looked up into the little face that reminded him so much of Jin.

"Do you want me to carry you, Minjoon-kun?" Jungkook asked.

"No, ojisan. I will walk. I want to show appa and dada that I'm a big boy now. I want to make them proud."

The declaration made Jungkook's heart ache, and he pulled the boy into his arms. He buried his face in the soft neck as he swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to hold back his tears.

Jin and Taehyung's son had matured before his eyes in the past three days as he stood stoically between Jungkook and Hoseok at the funeral home during visitation. The boy had accepted all messages of condolence somberly and did not once cry. It had hurt Jungkook because Minjoon was still a toddler and should have been allowed to show his grief.

"Are you ready, Jungkook?" Hoseok asked as he stuck his head around the door of Jungkook's bedroom.

Hoseok, Haein, and Minjoon had been staying in Jungkook's home since the tragic event. No one had expected the terrible outcome so they had instinctually wanted to be close to each other so they could console one another.

The three Special Forces members who had come to Haein's aid did not stay however because they had to return to their base after using their personal time to track and rescue Jin. But before they left, they had made a solemn promise that they would always be there for Minjoon.

"Yes, we're ready," Jungkook replied as he brushed himself off and stood up. He held his hand out and waited for the child to take it. "Come, Minjoon-kun. Let's go say goodbye."