“Are you sure you don’t want at least one of us to go with you?” Yunho asked, straightening the collar on Seokjin’s shirt.

“Maybe we should all go,” Jonghyun said, looking indecisive. “We should present a united front.”

Yunho shot back, “But we don’t want to scare anyone off.”

“Guys,” Seokjin tried.

“Here,” Jonghyun said, ing a huge packet of paperclipped and stapled sheets of paper in a manila folder to Seokjin. “This is our most comprehensive report to date, going back six months, encompassing everything from our financial data, to our projected expectations for the coming year.”

Yunho’s fingers dug too tightly into Seokjin’s collar. “Make sure you talk about what the neighborhood was like before we came along.”

Jonghyun nodded almost frantically. “Sell the homicide rate and violent crime statistics like a in a brothel.”

Seokjin’s head cocked. “Did you just …”

Jonghyun blushed. “Sorry. I just … we really need this.”

“Badly,” Yunho said. “So, make us sound in need, but not desperate. Play up how bad the neighborhood is, and what it would be without us, but don’t make it sound like this is an American ghetto. “

“Yunho. Jonghyun.” Seokjin took the folder between his fingers and held it like a life preserver. “I won’t mess this up. Have a little faith.”

From the doorway, with her arms crossed and an amused look on her face, Victoria said, “Do any of you listen when I talk at all?”

Yunho made a face. “Of course.”

“Then did you not hear the part where I said Changmin was bringing an investor?”

Jonghyun looked confused. “I’m not …”

Victoria sighed. “Not a potential investor, an actual investor. Sometimes I’m scared you guys are doctors, if you manage to miss the little things like this.”

“We …” Yunho started.

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Come on, Seokjin. Changmin is notoriously punctual. If he beats us to the restaurant, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

She turned to leave, and as Seokjin moved to follow after her, Jonghyun whispered, “Bring us back a check!”

Yunho added, “Please.”

It was, with no small bit of surprise, that Seokjin had failed to secure any real interest from the gala he and Victoria had attended. As the weeks passed, there’d been a few promises, and some questions, but no donations, and no follow up phone calls.

With each day that went by, and each meeting that Seokjin had with Jonghyun and Yunho about the state of the clinic, things seemed more and more desperate.

But then, without warning, and without Seokjin asking, Victoria had come to him with a possible opportunity.

Seokjin had been skeptical when she’d said Changmin, representing his firm, was interested in claiming a stake in the clinic, but that he had a friend who was also interested.

Victoria had chided, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

And Seokjin hadn’t.

So now he was in the car with Victoria, headed to meet Changmin for the first time, terrified that he’d get there and the idea of having an influx of money would disappear into the wind.

They managed to snag a parking space fairly easily, Seokjin complimenting Victoira on her driving skills, and then they were ambling towards the outdoor café that was in the heart of Seoul’s financial district.

Seokjin had seen a few pictures of Changmin on Victoria’s phone. But meeting him in person was completely different.

Seokjin, who was now completely smitten with a certain gang leader, was still more than a little flustered by the decidedly handsome and masculine features of Changmin.. In fact, Changmin was excessively handsome, with chiseled features, clear skin and the kind of smile that could knock needs and turn them wobbly. He did have a youthfulness to him, and his age was probably impossible to guess, but undeniable, he was gorgeous.

Not to mention his incredible height.

Changmin with his perfect features, his amazing smile, and his pressed suit, was most certainly the kind of man that women threw themselves at. And men, too.

But then Victoria pulled ahead of Seokjin to kiss Changmin, and Seokjin saw such absolute love and devotion on his face when he looked at her, that there was no way there were any other people in his periphery. In just a second, Seokjin saw that Victoria was his whole world, and that he maybe wasn’t even aware of Seokjin at all as she spoke softly to him and held his hand.

Eventually the brief spell was broken, and after Changmin helped Victoria push in her chair, he reached over and shook Seokjin’s hand.

Seokjin returned the grip and said, “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“It’s nicer for me to meet you,” Changmin said. “I always like to know my competition.”

Seokjin felt himself go white. “I’m not … wait …”

Changmin laughed and Victoria hit his chest. “That’s not funny,” she said, even if she was smiling.

“Sorry,” Changmin apologized. “I didn’t mean you’re my romantic rival. But you’re all I hear about at home sometimes--you and that clinic of yours. You’ve got her thinking about the clinic and her patients there so often I’ve got to fight for her attention.”

“That’s not true,” she chastised.

“It is,” he argued playfully, and Seokjin was truly enjoying seeing gentle banter between people who truly loved each other.

“So Seokjin,” Changmin said, clearing his throat and signaling to the nearby waitress. “a friend of mine will be joining us in about half an hour. It was the only time he had for us today. But until then, I suggest we enjoy a good meal and get to know each other as friends.”

The waitress arrived to take their order and Seokjin shrugged. For funding for his clinic, Seokjin knew he could do just about anything. And genuinely Changmin seemed nice and funny. Seokjin wanted to be on good terms with him, and not just because of Victoria.

By the time their food was starting to arrive, Seokjin wasn’t sure if he wasn’t a little in love with Changmin himself.

Changmin was funny and personable. He cracked jokes easily, came off as friendly, had an ease to him as he spoke. He made Seokjin feel comfortable and almost as if they’d been friends forever.

“So you didn’t even meet in Korea?” Seokjin asked, interested as Victoria explained how she’d met Changmin.

Changmin shook his head and said for her, “I went abroad as part of a case I was working. I was just low-level member of the firm, barely a junior associate, and I went where I was told. I met Victoria in Peking. I fell in love right away.”

Victoria said, “I didn’t.”

“It’s true,” Changmin laughed, unbothered. “I was smitten. I followed her everywhere I could, tried to buy her things, and I was pretty desperate just to make eye contact. I wore her down eventually.”

Victoria told Seokjin, “I put him out of his misery. I thought it was only humane.”

They told him how they’d split their time equally between Korea and China in the beginning, and that it had been hard. Their relationship had suffered for it and they’d almost broken up several times.

More somberly, Changmin said, “I thought it was going to lose her.” He grimaced. “So I went to the firm, I told them that I wanted a transfer to the burgeoning Chinese branch of the firm, or I was going to quit. I’d find other work if I had to. But I wasn’t going to give up Victoria for my work, and it was my work putting a strain on us.”

Seokjin guessed, “So you moved to China permanently?”

Changmin nodded and took a bite of the fish on his plate. “I got the transfer. I never regretted it, even if Chinese food isn’t as good as Korean.”

Victoria pretended to look offended. “We’re getting a divorce immediately.”

Scoffing, Changmin said, “Good luck with that at this point. You can’t live without me anymore.”

When she didn’t put up a front, her answer was obvious. But Seokjin had already known that. After all, she’d followed Changmin back to Korea, as opposed to spending half a year apart from him.

“So,” Seokjin offered, truly curious, “what brought you to Korea then?”

Changmin snorted a little. “For the same reason I have a check for your clinic in my pocket.”

Seokjin’s eyes widened.

It was Victoria who cleared and then said more than a little diplomatically, “There was an incident.”

Quickly, Seokjin said, “You don’t have to say anything. It’s not my business.”

Tight lipped, and with lines of worry creasing his face, Changmin told him, “Incident is a very liberal way to pose the situation.” He took a deep breath. “Several of the higher-level members of the firm were caught misappropriating funds.”

That sounded very bad. Seokjin kept a hawk’s eye on everything that went in and out of his clinic. He knew the price and average use of everything that was handled, and he kept a strict ledger of the highly expensive medication that was stored away in the area they called the vault. So the misappropriation of funds in a law firm had to be extremely severe in comparison.

With some shame, Changmin said, “Members of the firm were caught using the money that our clients entrusted to us as their lawyers, to go on vacations, take meals at extremely exclusive and expensive restaurants, and worse than that …”

“Worse?”

“They hired escorts,” Changmin managed, “for both public and private instances.”

Victoria told Seokjin, “Please don’t spread this around. The firm is in the middle of taking care of the matter, but they want to do it as quietly as possible. There will be lawsuits involved, and when a firm is suing its previous employees, things can get nasty.”

After a long drink of water, Changmin said, “When the managing partners found out and traced the depth of the issue, they had no choice but to let these employees go. But that left a significant hole in both the firm and our client’s trust. I was recalled from China to settle things here.”

Seokjin hedged, “I still don’t understand what that has to do with my clinic.”

“Damage control,” Victoria said simply.

Like they were a perfect pair working in tandem, Changmin added, “Should this leek to the press, and it probably will, the firm needs to be prepared to do a large amount of damage control very quickly. By donating and endorsing your clinic, should the papers attempt to drag the firm through the mud, the firm can quickly point out all of the good we’re doing either to atone, or simply out of the goodness of our hearts.”

Seokjin could have laughed. No law firm did anything out of the goodness of its heart. But Seokjin understood all the same. The public would enjoy a juicy story of corruption and deceit for a few days, but more potent was the goodwill story about how Changmin’s clinic was making a donation to a clinic that benefited a low income and crime riddled neighborhood. They could wring that story for good press for weeks. Maybe more.

Changmin withdrew his pocketbook, and from that came a crisp looking check.

“This,” he said, sliding it over to Seokjin, “is the firm’s way of thanking you for doing your part to better Korea.”

Victoria nodded at him, and when Seokjin picked up the check and peeked at the number on it, he tried not to look too startled. It was a more than nice donation.

“If the trouble at the firm leeks,” Changmin continued, “we ask that you give a few interviews about what the money means to you. Paint us in a good light, will you?” Changmin gave the first sign of an awkward smile. “I promise you, the firm does good work. Most of us are trustworthy and hardworking. A few bad eggs have attempted to spoil the whole dozen, but that doesn’t mean we’re all the same.”

Careful Seokjin put the check in his own wallet for safe keeping, and he assured Changmin, “That won’t be a problem.”

“And,” Changmin said casually, “we can talk at a further date about establishing a more permanent arrangement. Victoria tells me charity is great for tax season.”

Seokjin was so full of happiness he felt like he might burst.

Changmin’s friend, who ended up being a Korean-American who Changmin had also met in China, came less than fifteen minutes later.

He his hand out to Seokjin right away, before even taking his seat and said almost too loudly, “I’m Danny Ahn.” He nearly tripped over his own chair as his too long hair fell into his line of sight.

Changmin shook his head in an amazed way. “You know how to make an entrance. Late and clumsy.”

“Hey,” Danny said a little snappishly. “You try living my life. Then you’d know how impossible it is to be on time.” Danny flashed a more dazzling smile to Victoria. “Nice to see you again. My offer still stands if you want to leave this loser.”

Victoria laughed while Changmin glared. She said, “I doubt your wife would appreciate things like that coming from you.”

“Seokjin,” Changmin said, gesturing to Danny, “I wanted you to meet Danny because he currently works for an American sponsored organization that is right in your wheel house.”

Danny leaned an elbow up on the table and said, “It’s true the organization I’m with is American, but we’re looking to go multinational, and we’ll have the backing of several global funding parties if we do.”

“And what do you do?” Seokjin asked, feeling a little lost.

“What you do,” Danny supplied, “essentially. The focus of my organization is to concentrate on presenting educational opportunities for those individuals who come from low income families, but want to become doctors and nurses. We provide grants and scholarships for high school students so they can go to college. We run seminars and workshops for those just starting out in medical school. And we open clinics in underprivileged neighborhoods, or where the cost of health care far outweighs what a good deal of people are capable of paying.”

“That’s amazing,” Seokjin said.

“We work with Doctors without Borders,” Danny continued, “provide relief for communities who need free access to dental, health, and vision care, and we try to focus on preventative care. Changmin tells me what your clinic is doing, in the neighborhood it’s in, is nothing short of a miracle.”

“It wasn’t easy to get off the ground,” Seokjin said honestly. “But it’s worth the struggle every day.” He slid the folder he’d been protecting since Yunho put it in his hands, towards Danny. “This is the proof.”

Danny leaned towards Seokjin. “I’m serious about us wanting to expand to other countries. We’ve already formed a subdivision for that very aspect while our main body focuses on the United States. I’d like to visit your clinic, if I may, and make a donation.”

“Of course!” Seokjin all but squeaked out. “And thank you.” He got to his feet and bowed deeply.

“Enough of that,” Danny said, waving him off.

Changmin interjected, “You’ve been in America too long.”

“You’re one to talk,” Danny shot at him. “You’re so Chinese now I’m surprised your parents recognize you.”

Victoria told Seokjin, “It’s always like this when they get together. I usually lean back and try and decide which one is acting like a five year old, and which is the six year old.”

“You’re just jealous I made a new friend that I’ll possibly like more than you,” Danny told Changmin as he handed a check of his own to Seokjin. “Don’t be jealous, Changmin. You can come visit me in New York one of these days, if you’re nice to me.”

Changmin rolled his eyes so hard Seokjin was worried he’d strain something.

“Thank you,” Seokjin said once more, fighting the urge to bow again when he noticed the amount of the check almost rivaled Changmin’s.

“There’s one other thing,” Danny said, tearing his eyes away from Changmin. “Seokjin, you’re the kind of doctor that my organization hunts for. You’re smart, resourceful, and headstrong. We want to expand into countries like Korea and do on a much larger level, what you’ve managed to do at your clinic. We’d like to have your assistance to do so, your guidance in dealing with an environment much different than the States, and we’d compensate you for it.”

“I’d love to know more.”

“Brilliant,” Danny said. “Now, how about we all get desert?”

Victoria asked, “Have you eaten any real food today?” But she already had the desert menu in her hand and was skimming over it.

“Does airplane food count?” Danny asked. “You know I just got into town this afternoon. Literally. I came right here.”

“Okay,” Changmin said, leaning over Victoria’s shoulder to see the menu himself. “Desert then. For Danny whose wife will kill him when we tell her he isn’t sticking to his low cholesterol, low fat diet that his doctor specifically said him had to.”

Danny pouted openly and Seokjin laughed. It was probably the best, most productive lunch date he’d ever had.

When he brought the two checks and the coming opportunities to Yunho and Jonghyun they squeezed him so tightly that Seokjin wasn’t sure he breathed for a couple of minutes. Then he had celebratory shots from the bottle of vodka that Seokjin hadn’t known Yunho kept hidden away in one of the back cabinets in the storage room.

“This is going to buy us at least a couple months of breathing room,” Jonghyun said, clinking his shot glass against Seokjin’s. “We can even get that new ultrasound machine we need.”

Yunho corrected, “We can pay our staff and keep the electricity on.”

Seokjin said, “We weren’t in that much danger.” But they weren’t that far off, either.

It was rare that Seokjin felt things were going so utterly his way that he could take a moment to breathe and appreciate the situation. But considering it was currently happening, he was quick to take advantage of the situation, and made a quick call to ask Namjoon to meet later that night.

For once, paperwork could wait.

After the checks were safely in the bank, and Seokjin was enclosed in the tinted windows of Namjoon’s car, he felt safe enough to say, “Today was the best day I’ve had in a really long time.”

Namjoon didn’t take his eyes off the road, still too close to Infinite’s headquarters to not be openly nervous, but he did say, “You look really happy.”

Seokjin pulled a little at the seatbelt he wore, the strap cutting across his neck as he turned to Namjoon. “How can you say that? You haven’t looked at me once since I got in the car.”

They rolled to a red light and finally Namjoon’s eyes drifted over to him. “I told you, from the moment I saw you, from the second I thought you were an angel welcoming me into heaven, I’ve known what a beauty you are. At this point, I don’t have to look at you to know when you’re happy. You radiate it.”

“I’m not a girl,” Seokjin said a little defensively. He had been teased for being pretty as a kid. He was certainly prettier than some of the girls he’d gone to school with. A lot of them, actually.

Namjoon cracked a smile. “I just mean, Doctor Kim, that you’re gorgeous, and I appreciate the view as much as I appreciate your optimism and positivity. It’s kind of rare those things go hand in hand. But look at me. I feel all kinds of smug, because I got someone beautiful on the inside, and the out.”

Before the light could turn, Seokjin leaned over to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Good answer.”

Namjoon nearly preened, “I’ve been studying up on how to be a good boyfriend. I don’t want to mess this up.”

The car was moving again by the time Seokjin said, “I wouldn’t worry about that, if I were you. You’re doing fine from where I’m sitting.”

Namjoon gave a blush and Seokjin was pleased.

As expected, Namjoon took them to his grandparent’s noodle house. Seokjin hadn’t exactly been subtle when he’d let Namjoon know that it was the best food he’d had in a long time. And he was more than a little envious of Namjoon who got to have it any time he wanted, and was in close proximity.

“You come here as often as you want, my son-in-law,” Namjoon’s grandmother said the second they were seated and Seokjin was telling her how he couldn’t get enough of her food.

“Granny,” Namjoon said, always seeming so embarrassed when she talked. But the love was so easy to see in his eyes whenever he was with her, and Seokjin knew her teasing was just teasing.

“Ignore him,” she told Seokjin, patting his head like he was in kindergarten. “You’ll be my son-in-law. Then I’ll cook for you every day.”

Namjoon pointed out, “Technically he wouldn’t be your son-in-law, granny.”

Her eyes narrowed at Namjoon so Seokjin interjected skillfully, “I love your food, Grandmother Kim, but I’d be even more honored if you’d teach me how to make your best dishes.”

Something gleeful passed over her worn and wrinkled face as she inquired, “You like to cook?”

Seokjin nodded. “Very much. My brother complains I make him eat healthy food too often, and he says that healthy food tastes bland. But I think I’m a good cook.”

Namjoon’s grandmother leveled a finger up at Namjoon threateningly. “You bring this beautiful boy into my restaurant. He is a doctor. He likes to cook. And you tell me he won’t be my son-in-law?”

With dozens of people surrounding them, and chatter loud in the noodle house, Namjoon smiled sweetly at his grandmother and said, “I really like him, Granny. He likes me. How about we don’t rush things so maybe there’s a chance of that in the future?”

She put her hands on her hips, considering his words for a second, then told Seokjin, “You come and see me when you want to cook.” She called back to the kitchen to get started on their order, then told Namjoon, “The lion who waits for the noon hour, misses his chance with the gazelle which frolics in the morning dew.”

She shuffled off and Seokjin asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”

It looked like Namjoon’s face must have been hurting from how hard he was smiling. “I think she’s just telling me not to let you get away. You’re the gazelle frolicking in the morning dew.”

“Of course,” Seokjin said. “And you’re the lion with a pride.” Though when Seokjin thought about the members of Bangtan like Taehyung and J-Hope, he imagined small lion cubs rolling around and purring.

Seokjin wasn’t completely naïve. He knew that all the members of Bangtan, his brother included likely, were capable of being dangerous and lethal. But Seokjin hadn’t ever seen that kind of behavior from them, other than a few threats from Jimin and an ill placed gun.

There would come a day, Seokjin had no doubt, when he saw them for the lions they were. But for now, he imaged cubs.

“Prides rarely have more than one lion,” Namjoon said, scooting closer to Seokjin. “It’s a dominance issue, and the lion who controls the pride will … weed out the competition, so to say. So, a pride is primarily composed of a single lion, several lionesses, and all the children he fathers with them.”

A little wonderstruck, Seokjin commented, “I forgot that you’re very smart.”

Namjoon asked excitedly, “Someone told you I’m smart?”

“Top of your class smart,” Seokjin said, and he moved is hand to Namjoon’s under the table.

It was unspoken between them, heavily implied and nothing in need of an explanation, that they could be friendly in public, but not overly affectionate. Bangtan territory was much safer for them than Infinite’s, but one wrong move would spell disaster. They could be considered good friends at Namjoon’s grandmother’s noodle house, but anything more was dangerous.

By the time they had steaming bowls of specialty noodles in front of them, deep fried and extra crispy chicken tucked to the side like an extra prize, Namjoon said, “I have something for you.”

“For me?” Seokjin asked. He felt momentarily worried. “We haven’t been dating long enough for us to have an anniversary of any kind.”

“I didn’t get you a present because I felt like I had to,” Namjoon said kindly, moving a piece of his own chicken to soak in Seokjin’s noodles. “I did it because I saw it and thought of you, and because you’re the kind of person that makes me want to give gifts to you all the time for no reason at all.”

Seokjin his chopsticks at Namjoon and said, “Now you’re the one making me look like the bad boyfriend.”

Namjoon chuckled, and from his pocket he produced a plain, ordinary looking box. He set it between them and said, “This is for you.”

Food mostly forgotten, Seokjin reached for it, taking off the top easily and peeling back a bit of fluffy paper covering.

“It’s beautiful,” Seokjin said the second he saw the silver pendant. Thankfully his hands were still clean, and he lifted it so he could admire it better.

“I got it put on a short chain,” Namjoon said, his voice making him sound like he was nervous. “Because I know you have to bend over your patients a lot, and do all kinds of things at your clinic. I didn’t want you to get the pendant caught in anything with a longer chain.”

Something that small but also that thoughtful was incredible.

“I like it a lot,” Seokjin made sure to tell him, his thumb ghosting over the ivory colored etching.

“It’s Saint Luke.”

Seokjin gave a nod. “The patron saint of physicians and surgeons. Namjoon, really, this is wonderful.”

The craftsmanship on the pendant was exceptional, and there was no way it hadn’t cost a pretty penny.

“You know,” Namjoon asked, clearly surprised.

“Of course,” Seokjin laughed, wanting desperately to be able to kiss Namjoon in that moment. “It’s not exactly something they teach in medical school, but it’s something all doctors eventually pick up. Most of them end up with some kind of charm with Saint Luke on it for good luck.”

Namjoon asked a bit too quickly, “Do you?”

“I do now.” Seokjin held it out to Namjoon and asked, “Will you put it on me?”

Their noodles were getting cold, and Seokjin was certain that now both of Namjoon’s grandparents were watching from the kitchen. But it all seemed inconsequential to Seokjin when Namjoon’s warm fingers brushed against his neck, and the cool sensation of the silver chain draping across his skin contradicted that warmth.

The pendant fell perfectly just at his collarbone, and was the perfect length to tuck under his shirt if need be.

“It’s perfect,” Seokjin said, hoping Namjoon understood how much he liked it. “Thank you. I’m really kind of upset now that I don’t have anything for you.”

“You don’t need to get me anything in return,” Namjoon said, and with a final nod of approval at the pendant, he finally went back to his noodles. “The fact that you like it is more than enough.”

“I love it,” Seokjin corrected.

“Then I hope it’s a good luck charm for you.” Namjoon took a big bite of noodles.

“I know what I’ll do to repay you,” Seokjin said, watching Namjoon nearly down half of his noodles in thirty seconds.

“Huh?”

“I’ll cook for you,” Seokjin said, his mind made up. “Not Western food, either. I’ll make you my best traditional Korean dishes. A full dinner. Just the two of us to enjoy it. We’ll leave the kids at home for once, okay?” Up until the interruption that had occurred at the end of the breakfast meal ages earlier, Seokjin had very much enjoyed eating with all of Bangtan. They were loud and boisterous, but also lovely and lively.

An intimate dinner just the two of them sounded better, however.

Namjoon lowered his chopsticks and asked, “Can you make naki bokkeum? With a side of japchae?”

“Is that your favorite?” Seokjin countered.

Namjoon gave a deep nod. “Granny always makes it for me on my birthday.”

“Then I’ll make it for you when I cook,” Seokjin said.

Namjoon seemed excited at the prospect, and so the weight of the pendant seemed less burdensome against Seokjin’s skin.

When the meal was done and the crowd around them was beginning to thin out, Seokjin kissed Namjoon’s grandmother on the cheek and said, “Thank you very much for the wonderful meal.” He didn’t have grandparents of his own. There were none living on either side and it was surprising to him how easily he’d taken to Namjoon’s grandmother. He almost considered her his own, with the way she doted on him and his eating habits whenever she saw him.

“You’re a good boy,” she said into his ear as she hugged him. “And you’re good for my boy.”

“Thank you.”

Then she squeezed him harder than he’d thought was possible for someone of her age, borderline painful, and she said, “If you break my grandson’s heart, I will poison your next meal.”

Seokjin blinked slowly as she kissed his brow and pushed him towards Namjoon and the door.

“What’s wrong?” Namjoon asked when he saw Seokjin’s expression.

“Your grandmother,” Seokjin said, feeling Namjoon’s hand settle at the small of his back as he guided him out onto the street.

“What about her?”

Seokjin shook his head almost in disbelief. “I think she had it wrong when she said you were the lion. I think she’s got that covered personally.”

Namjoon wondered, “What makes you say that?”

“Nothing,” Seokjin laughed out. “I just mean she loves you very much.”

Namjoon looked confused, and Seokjin realized suddenly that he was jealous. Namjoon’s grandmother had given him the equivalent of the shovel talk. Seokjin knew Jungkook loved him a lot, and would have his back always, but he wasn’t the type to say the kind of words Namjoon’s grandmother had. And Seokjin’s father would rather be glad to wash his hands of him, than defend him.

It was a petty kind of jealousy, and maybe not even the kind he should have given attention to. But it was lingering in his mind as Namjoon opened the car door for him.

“You’re lucky,” Seokjin told him, kissing Namjoon the second they were protected by the anonymity of the car. “She’s a great grandmother.”

Namjoon made a quiet sound, reaching up to cup the side of Seokjin’s face as he kissed him back, with more pressure and more love than Seokjin had ever felt before.

And suddenly Seokjin was the one who felt lucky.