From: sassySeok

Omg!

Omg!

Omg!

Danger!

This is not a drill

To: sassySeok

You know it’s 3 in the morning, right?

From: sassySeok

Mmm…

Remember 4 am freakout over a hug?

To: sassySeok

That was a mistake!

And omg are you taking revenge?

When did you become this petty?

From: sassySeok

I’ve always been this petty

But I am texting you

because I too now have a

Namjoon hug type issue

To: sassySeok

You hugged Namjoon?

From: sassySeok

…

From: sassySeok

What????

From: sassySeok

No

To: sassySeok

I’m confused

From: sassySeok

Not surprised.

Now back to me

To: sassySeok

Yes master

From: sassySeok

So, not sure how it happened

But Yoongi is now my fake boyfriend

From: sassySeok

Wait I do know how it happened

From: sassySeok

typing is annoying

Imma call you

Hoseok fumbles with the phone, trying to catch it before it falls out of his hand. When he’s once again in control, he hits the speed dial for Jin and waits impatiently for the older man to pick up.

“Hello,” Jin answers sleepily, and Hoseok would feel more guilt if he weren’t so amped up and anxious.

“What took you so long to answer?” It sounds accusing, and this time he does feel embarrassed.

“You mean the two seconds of ringing? Because, dude, it has to ring for me to answer? What’s going on with you?” Jin sounds somewhat miffed, and Hoseok honestly can’t blame him.

“Sorry, hyung. I guess I’m freaking out more than I thought. There’s all the drama with my parents and Jimin, and now Min Yoongi—I mean he just throws me completely off, you know?”

Hoseok hopes Jin does know what’s going on with his emotions, because he’s a thousand percent sure that he doesn’t. Yoongi is not his boyfriend; he’s not even sure if the opportunity presented itself that he’d want the tiny manager to hold that title. What he is confident of, however, is that it feels good to have someone on his side. Hoseok’s been fighting this battle alone for so long; he knows that if he asked, Jimin’s mom would be there, would help. But Hoseok wants her to get healthy and doesn’t want to drag her into a fight that could potentially undo all the positive progress she’s made in her life. He owes her that. After all, it was his parents that caused her initial decline in the first place. No, he’s leaving Solar out of this fight.

“S’okay, I’d be stressed too. I’m cranky because I’m tired, but I’m here for you. Tell me what happened. I thought the fake boyfriend thing was just a one time act for the parents?”

“Me too!” Hoseok’s response is loud, too loud. “I choked when he asked if he could come to the meeting with Jongin and his new beau. I was so shocked when he offered; I froze at first, unsure how to respond. Apart from you, I’ve never really had anyone on my side before, and I’m not sure what it means, or it means anything at all. Do you think I’m overreacting? Like maybe it’s just my already stressed mind trying to find meaning where there isn’t, know?”

“Mmm, I get where you’re coming from Hobs. A lot is going on, and Yoongi’s there, being all hero-like, standing in the gap and giving you something to hold onto. It’s normal to wonder if there are feelings other than just gratefulness. Maybe wait for the whole thing with Jimin and your parents to settle before you try figuring it out. My advice, let Yoongi help. You can’t do it alone Hobs, and I have seen how Yoongi is with Namjoon. You’re in good hands with that one.” Jin’s words are comforting, and coincidentally, precisely what Hoseok needed to hear.

“Sorry, for waking you up, hyung. But I am glad I did. You’re right. I need the help; I feel like I’m drowning and Yoongi’s the only one who’s thrown me a life vest.” Hoseok inhales deeply and pauses before continuing. “I’m not going to read more into this, but I’m not going to shut the door either. I’ll just see where it leads me. How are you doing? How’s Namjoon?”

He hears Jin moving around on the phone, sheets rustling, and he pictures the man repositioning himself in the bed.

“He seems better,” Jin whispers. “He and Jungkook are still here.”

“Still there?”

“Mmm, Taehyung and Jungkook wouldn’t stop crying when Namjoon said it was time for them to go, and honestly I wanted to observe him for one more night. So Namjoon’s currently in my guestroom asleep and being sandwiched by Tae and Jungkook. Because Jungkook wouldn’t sleep without Namjoon and Taehyung wouldn’t sleep without Jungkook. Meanwhile, I’m in my big bed all alone. Why’s my life like this?”

“Why don’t you go crawl into bed with them?” Hoseok laughs even as he makes the suggestions.

“Are you delirious? We barely survived a hug, sleeping in the same bed would end our non-existent relationship for sure. It was cute and sad how Jungkook clung to him all day. I could almost taste the worry, and a big part of me thinks he cried to stay here more because he knows I’m a doctor and in his little mind he believes being here is safer for his dad.” Jin sighs, and Hoseok feels it in his soul.

“Mmm, Jimin came home a bit shaken and made me promise never to fall asleep without telling him goodnight first. I asked him why and he said that Uncle Joonie falled asleep before telling Kookie goodnight and it made Kookie sad.”

It dawns on Hoseok as he retells Jin the story how much children pick up just by looking. Jimin may not have understood completely what was happening to Namjoon, but he was perceptive enough to know that Namjoon not being awake was a bad thing. Hoseok begins to wonder how much of what’s going on in their life his little boy has caught on to. The thought that something he can’t control is making Jimin worry has him feeling guilty.

“They see so much, too much sometimes, and it scares me as a parent how many things I can’t shield Taehyung from, you know? I can’t imagine the guilt and worry Namjoon must feel. He’s such a great dad.” Jin’s voice sounds contemplative, as though he had much more to say but chose not to because what he said was all that needed to be said.

“He is a great dad,” Hoseok agrees. “We all are just doing the best we can, hyung. In the end, all we can hope to do is keep them safe and make sure they know they’re loved. I never felt that growing up from my parents, but my nanny was top-notch at it. I want Jimin to know I love him to the moon twice and back. I think as long as they grow up knowing how hard we tried and how we love them, then we succeeded in doing our job.”

“Mmm, true, very true.” Hoseok hears Jin sigh over the phone. “Oh, wait. Have I shared the latest installment of Homework Escapades with Taehyung?”

“No, but that’s my favorite show,” Hoseok responds with a chuckle.

“So, Tae’s homework yesterday was to draw and label a picture to show what I do for a living, as well as what he wants to be when he grows up.”

“Jimin had the same homework. Apparently he wants to be Spiderman and Tigger.”

“Aww, how cute, he’ll be Spider-Tigger. A bouncy version of spiderman that likes to say, ‘Off with their heads.’” Jin’s statement makes Hoseok laugh. “Anyway, Tae wrote Appa is a doctor, which he spelled dokter, and yeah, it’s wrong, but the fact that he sounded it out and got this close makes me stupidly proud. I ask him what he wants to be when he grows up, and he says an appa, and I swear to God, Hobi, it was the parent moment to end all parent moments, you know?”

“That’s lovely, hyung.”

“Yes, it was, but this is not the end of our broadcast. So it’s time to draw, and he says, ‘Appa I’m gonna draw you with coffee because you like to drink coffee.’ I say okay bud and leave the room for a bit to get some things done while he finishes up.