Once Again

83

SEVEN YEARS LATER...

Jungkook looked up when Hoseok arrived at his table and placed a bowl of chashu ramen in front of him. He smiled to show his appreciation before picking up his chopsticks. He was about to take his first mouthful when the man opposite him whined.

"Hobi, where's my food?"

Hoseok huffed in annoyance and rolled his eyes before turning his back on Jungkook's lunch partner to go back into the kitchen. Jungkook laughed as he ate.

"Jungkook, come on! Help me here!"

"You reap what you sow, hyung," Jungkook grinned, totally unsympathetic. "You should know better than to agree with your pregnant husband when he asked you if he looked fat."

"I hadn't had my first cup of coffee yet at the time!" Yoongi grumbled. "And I was functioning on three hours sleep because Hobi sent me all over the city to hunt down his elusive snacks! You're supposed to be on my side, Jungkook!"

"Hey, you're the one who got him pregnant," Jungkook held his hands up in surrender. "You should know by now that this would happen. Have you not read any of the books that Hobi's doctor gave him?"

"I'm a busy lawyer who reads contracts all day! The last thing I want to do when I get home is read some more!"

"Then you have no one but yourself to blame," Jungkook said as he stuck his nose up in the air, knowing full well that it drove his friend and lawyer batty. "Even I found the time to read several chapters!"

"That's because you haven't read any of the contracts that I sent to you! You always ask for bullet points instead!" Yoongi scowled. "It's not a bloody school exam, Jungkook. It's business!"

Jungkook shook his head as he returned to his bowl of noodles. As far as he was concerned, food always beat talk about work. Furthermore, the younger Jung never failed to make his favourite ramen exactly the way he liked it. The way Jin used to make it.

It has been seven years since Jin disappeared ftom his life once again. Broke his heart and left Seoul with his son Minjoon.

Jin had walked out of the hospital as soon as he was discharged and picked Minjoon up at Jungkook's home while Jungkook was at work. The man had even talked the hospital staff into not telling Jungkook that he was being discharged, claiming that he wanted to surprise him.

Instead, Jin had fetched his son and then took a cab to the airport to catch the first available flight back to Japan. Hoseok and Haein had accompanied them, not willing to let father and son return alone to the home where they had lived happily with Taehyung.

Jungkook had wanted to go after Jin but was persuaded to remain in Seoul by Yoongi to give Jin time to grieve for his late husband properly. Jungkook tried to keep in touch but three months after Jin left, the love of his life disconnected his mobile number, and deactivated all of his email and social media accounts. Worse, he transferred ownership of his ramen shop to the cousins and left Japan with his son and no forwarding address.

Jungkook had asked the cousins if they were in contact with Jin, and when they replied that they were, he had begged them for Jin's new number and email address but they declined to share because Jin had told them not to. It had wounded Jungkook greatly because he longed to see his beloved's face again and hear his voice.

Jungkook understood that Jin was suffering. That he still mourned his late husband, and the daughter that he never got to hold. He knew that Jin blamed him for their deaths, and that he held him responsible for the chain of events that led to their untimely demise. But seven years was a long time. Too long to be gone with no news, in Jungkook's estimation.

Jin had not been there when Hoseok received his call-up notice to enlist in the military. He had not been there when the cousins made the decision to close the ramen shop that he had given to them so they could return to Seoul before Hoseok enlisted. They had opened a ramen shop in Mapo-gu bearing Jin's old shop name which Haein ran with a couple of assistants while Hoseok served his country.

And Jin had not been there when the young chef got into the Special Forces like Haein. It had been a proud moment for the cousins, and Jungkook was there to witness it. What was puzzling was Yoongi had attended as well. The seemingly uninterested man had even shed a tear.

But when Hoseok was honourably discharged two years later, and Yoongi was once again there for the ceremony, it soon became clear to everyone that the stoic attorney was smitten with the young man. And when they married two years later, almost five years after Jin left, no one was surprised.

Jungkook kept a diary during Jin's absence. He recorded all of the important events in his life and in the Jung Cooks' lives. He poured all of his thoughts, feelings, and longing for Jin onto the sheets, and he pasted photographs – both past and present – to chronicle his journey with and without his beloved. He hoped that one day he would be able to present the journal to Jin as a gift, a testament of his undying love for him. Until then, he will wait patiently and continue to fill the pages.

"Yeobo, don't forget to pick up Haein from the airport this evening," Hoseok announced flatly as he returned to the dining area to plop a bowl of ramen in front of his husband. "His flight gets in around six."

The older Jung cousin had left for a culinary school in Switzerland after Hoseok and Yoongi got married. Jungkook had sent him there when he voiced interest in learning about different cooking and food preparation techniques. Haein was now returning, armed with his diploma and eager to put his newfound knowledge into practice.

"Aww baby, I knew you couldn't resist m—"

There was a loud thud under the table, and Yoongi winced before glaring at Jungkook. He reached down to rub the spot on his shin where his friend had kicked him.

"Ow! What the hell, Jungkook?!"

"Your husband has just graciously let you out of the doghouse, and is now feeding you. Are you so eager to go back in?" Jungkook asked dryly.

"No," Yoongi responded meekly before looking back at his husband with a mixture of love and apology. "I'm sorry, baby, for being bad."

Hoseok took a moment to look at his errant husband with no expression on his face. His stillness made Yoongi uncomfortable, and soon the man was squirming in his seat as if his underwear was made of barbed wire. Hoseok smiled – his husband was sufficiently repentant.

"You're forgiven. Now eat up. You have to go back to the office soon. And make sure to take this cheeky pup with you," Hoseok gestured to Jungkook with his chin. "He's been underfoot in my restaurant too much lately!"

"Yes, baby," Yoongi agreed as he pulled Hoseok in for a quick hug and kiss. "And I will go straight to the airport after work. I know how much you've missed Haein. I miss him too."

"Please, hyung. Not in front of my food," Jungkook pretended to gag. "Haein would be horrified to know that you miss him. I know I would be."

There was a thud under the table, and Jungkook glared at his lunch partner as he rubbed the sore spot on his shin.

"Ow! What the hell, hyung?!"