Yes“Jennie?” His voice echoes back the shock he feels.

“Hi, Oppa,” Jennie greets him, a slight hesitation in her voice, as though she’s not sure of what to say.

“Don’t call me that,” Namjoon almost barks out in response, but he manages to swallow down the anger he feels. “What are you doing here? I told you I’d call you.”

“I just—I’m not sure why I came, why I knocked on your door,” Jennie breathes out the statement as though it took her last bit of energy to utter it. “I wasn’t going to knock, but I’ve been here all day. Standing outside your building. I saw him, Oppa, Jungkook. He’s beautiful.” Jennie’s eyes glisten, and Namjoon can see she’s fighting to hold back tears.

It irks him that he cares, that she’s still beautiful, that, despite it all, she still holds that innocence that Namjoon had found so addicting all those years ago. A part of him wants to slam the door in her face while the other part wants to pull her into his arms and comfort her. He does neither.

“How’d you even find me?" Namjoon questions. "I never gave you my address.”

“Our parents,” she whispers, her head hanging down, eyes focused on carpeting beneath her pink sneakers. “They still talk. I got your information from my mom. She’s mad at me too.” Jennie declares with a bitter smile.

It bother’s Namjoon that so much of his little boy resides in Jennie. They share the same large eyes which shine with a blend of curiosity, mischief, and innocence, and the same button nose that they both squinch. But perhaps the most significant similarity, the one that causes Namjoon the most pain is the realization that Jungkook has his mother’s smile.  He sighs. Knowing that he’ll never share any physical features with his son hurts.

“Good.” He grits out the word. He doesn’t mean it, but he wants to. He’d never wish for her parents to hate her, but he’s angry. “Oppa, I know you asked me to wait. But, but, but what if you never make a decision. What I did was horrible, I know that, but there’s never going a be a good time, a right time, or a moment when what I did won’t seem so bad. I’m not asking to move in or take over as his parent. I-I just want to know him, Oppa. I can be anything you say, a friend, a neighbor, anything. Please, just, just let me know him. Let me have a chance to make up for my past behaviors.” Her eyes are begging. He sighs again; it reminds him so much of Jungkook.

It makes him mad. Madder. He wants to scream and kick and throw a tantrum. He wants to tell her there is no fixing or repenting for her past, wants to tell her to dig a grave and bury herself. He wants to say that he loved her, would have given her the stars and the moon had she requested them. Instead, he sighs for the hundredth time. He’s beginning to feel antsy. He needs her to go, needs his space, needs to breathe.

“I told you I’d call you. I haven’t called you,” he deadpans. “You need to go. I’ve never lied to you, Jennie, so if I say I’ll call, I will. But this, doing the complete opposite of what I asked... this isn't the way to get me to trust you.”

“Oppa, I promise not to do anything to hurt him,” she cries. Tears stream down her face, and Namjoon steels himself against the onslaught of emotions he’s feeling, anxiety mixed with sadness and anger. He feels like he’s going to break.

Tears are Jennie’s secret weapon. He’s fallen prey to her tears on more than one occasion.

“I don’t trust you, Jennie. You coming here unannounced is reason enough. Give me time to figure out a plan that will not leave my little boy in an unsafe situation. Trust is earned; you can’t force it. You broke me and our relationship the day you stole Jungkook then left him alone in a crowded train station. What if something had happened Jennie?”

“I never left him, Oppa. I was there the whole time, hiding. I saw when Yoongi arrived, but Jungkook was in my view the whole time.”

“That makes it worse, Jennie. He was scared, crying, terrified. Yoongi said it took him half an hour to calm him before they could even leave. You watched it, Jennie, and did nothing. That, saying that, doesn’t make it any better. Please, I need you to go. I can’t talk to you. I want to scream and yell. My insides hurt, and I just... I just need you to go.” Namjoon’s tired physically, and emotionally. It hurts to talk, to think, to remember, and right now, Jennie’s presence is requiring him to do all three.

She doesn’t answer immediately, just stands there staring, mouth slightly open, eyes moving slowly from side to side. Namjoon braces himself, preparing his emotions for what’s to come. Jennie is not one to let things go. She’s a fighter, even when she knows she’s not going to win. If there's something she wants, the young woman will do whatever it takes to get it.

“Okay, Oppa, you’re right,” the girl breathes out.

Namjoon looks up in surprise. The shock on his face causes a tiny smile to appear on Jennie’s face, and once again, Namjoon is stunned by how much it reminds him of Jungkook.,

“I’m not an evil ogre,” she sighs. “You’re right, this was a bad decision. I’ve overstepped my boundaries. I just missed so much time with Jungkook, you know?” she muses, as though she’s talking to herself. “It’s my doing, my fault that things turned out this way, but forcing my way in isn’t the way to get what I want. I’ll wait and be patient. I only ask one thing. Please think about it. Please give me a chance to make up for my mistakes, Oppa. I’m begging.”

Jennie bows, then turns and leaves. Namjoon stands alone in his open doorway, too confused by what just occurred to speak. Instead, he watches as the girl gets further and further away. When Jennie is completely removed from his sight, he closes the door, then turns and leans against it. He places a hand on his chest. His heart is beating fast, furiously, and breathing is uncomfortable. He needs to talk to Jungkook.

Hoseok sounds groggy and somewhat confused when he answers the phone. Namjoon looks over at the clock and realizes the time too late to hang up and cover up his mistake.

“Oh my god, Hoseok, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize the time. I-I’ll just call in the morning,” he apologizes.

“No, no, Namjoon, it’s fine. I actually dozed off on the couch. It’s a good thing you called, or else I would have woken up with a wicked crick in my neck come morning. What’s up?” Hoseok asks, and Namjoon can hear the concern hidden in the man’s tone. He feels grateful and guilty.

“I, uhm, I just, uhm—Jennie, she was here. She came to my house. What if Jungkook had been here, ho-how would I have explained who she was? I’m not sure I’d have been able to lie, but I couldn't tell the truth either.” Namjoon feels like he’s breaking. The words tumble out of his mouth like fallen Jenga pieces.

“,” Hoseok exclaims, and the expletive has Namjoon feeling somewhat calmer. “Are you okay? Do you need me to wake the kids and come over? Because I will.”

Hoseok’s offer is as shocking as it is welcomed. Namjoon has had time to realize how much broader his world has become. For so long it’s been just him, Yoongi, and Jungkook. Yes, he has his parents, his job, and a few acquaintances, but his condition makes social gatherings uncomfortable. So his world has consisted of two people, and for the most part, he had been okay with that. Having Hoseok offer to come without hesitation or a second thought, well, it’s an eye opener for Namjoon as he realizes the man can now be considered a friend