Chapter 4

Meant To Be

Kibum arrives just on time and immediately apologizes that he should've brought wine but he had no idea what Jonghyun was making so wasn't sure if it called for white or red wine. Jonghyun chuckles, responding he really doesn't need to apologize any more and says he already has the wine. Jonghyun gives him a quick mini-tour showing Kibum the main level of the house; the kitchen, bathroom, dining room and family room. Right as he's leading to the dining room he hears a ding coming from the kitchen. He asks Kibum if he would grab the wine glasses and tells him they're in a cabinet in the dining room as he rushes back to the kitchen. Kibum walks into the dining room, immediately seeing the cabinet and grabbing two glasses and setting them on the table that already has plates and silverware set up. He looks around, seeing if there is anything else he can do to help out and notices the pictures on the wall. He first sees the wedding picture, he notices how pretty Jonghyun's wife was and how young they both look. He thinks to himself they must've been very much in love to get married so young. He moves on to the next picture which is of Jonghyun holding two sleeping newborn babies. Jonghyun's eyes look red and tired, like he had been crying for days. He only glances at the rest of the pictures noticing that none have his wife in them. Just then Jonghyun walks in the dining room and places the platter on the table, he sees the glasses on the table and looks up to see Kibum staring at the photos. He walks over to stand next to Kibum and looks up at the photos with him.

 

Kibum turns to Jonghyun.

Kibum: “So you've been on your own since the beginning?”

Jonghyun nods.

Jonghyun: “Yes.”

Kibum: “It must've been so hard for you.”

Jonghyun nods again.

Jonghyun: “I had help so it wasn't so bad, plus newborns sleep most of the time anyways.”

Jonghyun smiled pointed up to the picture of the twins at age 2.

Jonghyun: “Now this was hard, the terrible twos is a very real thing.”

Kibum laughed looking up at the picture immediately noticing how stressed Jonghyun appeared in this picture and the twins crying.

Jonghyun sighed.

Jonghyun: “It took hours just to get them to sit still long enough for the picture, getting them to smile would've been impossible. Come and sit, supper's gonna get cold.”

 

Jonghyun walked back over to the table and opened the wine, he poured a normal glass for Kibum and about half as much in his own glass. Kibum cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow playfully telling Jonghyun it looks like he's trying to get him drunk. Jonghyun blushed a little, quickly explaining that he so rarely drinks that he really can't handle much alcohol.

 

After dishing out the meal, Jonghyun suddenly says he forgot something and rushes out to the hallway and comes right back with a wooden box in his hands. He opens it and holds it before Kibum. Kibum looks in the box, there's nothing in it. Jonghyun shakes the box a little with a smirk on his face. Kibum has no idea what the box is for, he asks Jonghyun if he's looking for tips or something cause he didn't bring any cash. Jonghyun giggles and pulls his phone out of his back pocket and places it in the box. Kibum laughs, does the same while remarking “seriously?” Jonghyun quickly places the box back in the hallway and comes back to sit down. Kibum asks him what happens if there is an emergency. Jonghyun responds that usually everyone he cares about is already at family supper so there is no emergency that could happen.

 

Jonghyun and Kibum start to eat, Kibum immediately remarking that Jonghyun did not lie about being an excellent cook. Jonghyun tells Kibum about the many cooking classes he's taken. They are about halfway through supper when they hear the front door open and the sound of voices. Jonghyun excuses himself to see what's going on. He sees his children removing their shoes and setting their backpacks down. He asks them what happened to their sleepover to be answered by the kid's friend's mother who had brought them home. She explained that her children were misbehaving and so they won't be allowed to have sleepovers for the next few weeks while they're grounded. Jonghyun asks if his kids were behaving and she assured him that they were, she apologized for canceling the sleep over at the last minute like this but Jonghyun responded that it was ok and that he would do the same if his kids misbehaved. After she left, he asked his children if they were really being good and said they were perfect angels. He laughed and asked them if they had eaten supper yet to which they responded that they hadn't. He walked between them with one hand on each shoulder telling them he had invited his friend for dinner. As they walked into the dining room he smiled, took their cell phones from them and asked them to go ahead and introduce themselves. The little girl skipped up to Kibum introducing herself cutely as Ji Min. The little boy walked over more casually introducing himself as Min Jae with a short bow and quickly moved to his usual chair. Kibum introduced himself awkwardly, not interacting with children very much he didn't really know what to do. Jonghyun excused himself to get some plates for the children. While gone Ji Min immediately started talking up a storm, asking Kibum so many questions without giving him a chance to answer any of them. Min Jae sat quietly, looking at Kibum as if he was studying a strange creature he had never seen before. Jonghyun quickly returned and started dishing food into the plates. He chuckled at his daughter's constant questions and told her that she should calm down with the questions and maybe give Kibum a chance to answer one. She took a deep breath and asked Kibum if he had ever dyed his hair, such an odd question he thought but he answered yes, he's tried many colors. Ji Min immediately whined that her daddy wouldn't let her dye her hair, but she wants to sooooo badly and she knows her hair would be soooo cute just a little bit lighter. Kibum and Jonghyun both laugh at this, Jonghyun responds that she's too young to dye her hair and maybe ask again in a few years. She sighs dejectedly and starts to eat, she wants to ask more questions but Jonghyun shushes her reminding her not to talk with full. Kibum couldn't help but notice Min Jae's very serious stare at him since he sat down. Jonghyun notices Kibum seems uncomfortable and tells his son that it's rude to stare and he asks him what's on his mind. As if he were a detective, Min Jae asks Kibum how he knows his father? Kibum nervously responds that they are friends, not really knowing what else to say. Min Jae responds that his father doesn't have friends. Jonghyun speaks up with a offended “hey” but Min Jae just responds with disbelieving look and says “dad, come on?” Jonghyun knows of course that it's true, so he retorts almost childishly that he made a new friend. Min Jae seems unconvinced, he goes back to detective mode asking Kibum what he does. Kibum responds that he goes to school part time and drives a boat for work giving lessons. This piques Min Jae's interest, he asks if Kibum ever goes water skiing. Kibum responds proudly that it's his favorite activity. This small common interest seems to take Min Jae out of detective mode and turns him back into the excited little boy that he usually is.

 

The rest of supper goes well, the kids beg Kibum to take them out on his boat and only after Jonghyun gives the go ahead he agrees and they make plans for tomorrow. The time has come for Kibum to say goodnight, Jonghyun offers to walk him to his car. While walking Kibum checks if Jonghyun is really ok about tomorrow, if he really feels ready. Jonghyun nods nervously and responds that there is only one way to know. Kibum thanks Jonghyun for supper and they awkwardly say goodnight.  

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