His parents wanted him home.

Jungkook had known that they would, eventually. As disappointed as they’d been when he’d first told them he was pregnant they were still his parents and they loved him. And now they were going to be grandparents too. It was understandable that they’d want him to be close by once the baby arrived so they could help.

He’d just finished speaking to his mother who had called him to tell him just that. She wanted to be there for him like her mother had been there for her when she’d had her first baby and it would be so much easier for her to do that if he was back home in Busan. His father was warming up to the idea of being a grandparent too she’d told him, he’d set the baby’s latest scan picture as the lock-screen on his phone and been showing off his grandson to his colleagues at work. They were sorry they hadn’t been as supportive as they should have been when he’d first told them about the baby she’d told him, but the news had come as a shock. It had taken a little while to come terms with the fact their baby boy would be having his own baby, they hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. But they were ready to make up for it now, and the offer was still there. He could come home any time he wanted to. He was still loved and still wanted and that went for the baby too.

And Jungkook hadn’t known what to say. He’d been so happy to hear from them, it had been the first time in a long time that they’d called him and not the other way around. And it was a relief to know they weren’t mad at him, their disappointment when he’d first told them he was pregnant had been hard for him to handle so knowing that his father was now acting the proud grandparent, showing off pictures of the baby warmed his heart. But as happy and relieved as he was, the thought of going back to Busan, of being so far away from not only Taehyung but the rest of the members, wasn’t one he liked. His mother had told him that Taehyung was welcome to stay for a while once the baby was born, if he wanted to but there’d been no mention of the rest of the group. And it wasn’t as if any of them would have time to visit even if they had been invited. They were busy people.

Being a parent was going to be tough and he didn’t think he could do it without them. The members weren’t just his colleagues and they weren’t just his friends, they were like brothers to him. Like a second family. He’d messed up so badly but they’d been a huge support to him anyway. They’d been there whenever he needed them and he didn’t want to lose that. He didn’t want to deny them of the baby either, not when they were all so excited to meet him. If he moved back to Busan they would barely get to see him.

But his parents were his parents… how could he say no to his parents?

It wasn’t something he could deal with on his own he decided. He needed to talk about it, voice his worries to someone, try and make sense of everything. He needed Jin.

Only Jin was busy he realised after knocking on his door and being invited into the room. He was standing at the foot of his bed, arms crossed, looking down at an array of clothing that had been laid out on the bedspread. Jungkook watched as he picked up a shirt from the pile and held up in front of him, turning the hanger from side to side in his hand as he inspected it. “Too fussy?” He asked, without even turning to look at Jungkook.

Jungkook didn’t understand the question. It was a short sleeved button up, white with a black geometric print. It wasn’t something Jin would usually wear day to day but it wasn’t an over-the-top and in your face kind of print either. “Too fussy for what?” He asked, wondering why Jin was putting so much effort into choosing an outfit. It was seven pm. Why was he even getting changed at all?

“Too fussy for just dinner and drinks.” Jin clarified, throwing the black and white shirt back onto the bed and picking up a pastel blue one, holding it up to the light. “This one’s a little too much like a daytime shirt, isn’t it?”

“Dinner and drinks with who?” Jungkook asked, even more confused. It sounded like he was going on a date but that couldn’t be right. If he was then he was being way too open about it. If management found out there was another potential scandal on the horizon they’d hit the roof so if Jin was really dating then surely he’d be smart enough to keep it to himself.

“Yoongi.” Jin answered, still inspecting the shirt hanging from the hanger in his hand.

“Why would Yoongi Hyung care about what you’re wearing?” Jungkook asked.

“He won’t.” Jin told him, “But I care. I can’t remember the last time I picked out clothes for me just because I liked them. It’s always for a schedule or for the airport. I just want to feel like a normal twenty something year old on a night out with friends and deciding what to wear is a part of that.”

And thinking back to his trip to the cinema with Taehyung, Jungkook thought he understood. Being out with a friend, doing something any other young person might do on a day off from work, wasn’t something they got to do very often and it had been nice. Jin deserved a chance to do that too. “I like the first one.” He told him, “Maybe pair it with a dark jacket?”

“Maybe…” Jin mused, biting his lip as he looked down at the first shirt he’d shown Jungkook. Then he was turning to look at the younger, eyebrows raised, “Sorry. I didn’t even say hi. Did you want something?” He asked.

Jungkook, not wanting to bother him with his problems now he knew he was getting ready to go out and forget his own, shook his head. “No, not really.” He told him. “I just wanted to see what you were up to. And now I know… so yeah… I guess I’ll see you later. Have fun picking your outfit and I’ll see you when you get back I guess.”

“You should be asleep when I get back.” Jin was quick to tell him. “You need to get in as much of that now as you can before it gets too difficult.”

And Jungkook, knowing it would be pointless to argue, settled on a “Fine then, have fun and if I don’t see you tonight then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll tell you all about it.” Jin promised, “And I’ll make sure to spend some real time with you before we head off to Japan.”

That was something Jungkook was trying his best to forget about. The rest of the group had a magazine interview and photoshoot scheduled and both of those things were taking place in Japan. And Jungkook was not invited. Management had said it was because of his health, if anything went wrong when he was in Japan, well his regular doctor would be back in Korea and that would be problematic. But Jungkook thought it was probably more down to averting any potential embarrassment or negative press a pregnant idol doing promotions might cause. “Yeah, spending time together would be nice.” He said, trying to sound upbeat. Just the thought of them all going off without him was enough to make him feel down but again he didn’t want to worry Jin. He’d done enough to worry him lately as it was.

“It will,” Jin agreed with a smile. “Now go on. Let me get dressed in peace and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’m going.” Jungkook told him, backing towards the door and giving him a smile in return. “Have fun with Yoongi Hyung, and if either of you do anything embarrassing make sure someone takes pictures.”

“Embarrassing?” Jin exclaimed, “When are we ever embarrassing?”

But Jungkook was already out the door and pulling it closed behind him.

~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Jungkook still felt like he needed to speak to someone about his parents invitation home but he didn’t know who to turn to. The only other person home was Yoongi but he was in the shower, and when he was done he’d be heading out with Jin. He could call someone he supposed. But then what if the person he called was busy? Maybe it was best to wait until tomorrow, and then talk to Jin. Yes, yes he’d wait.

But maybe he wouldn’t have to wait to speak to someone because as he walked into the sitting room he saw that Jimin had just come through the front door. He’d already taken his shoes off and was in the middle of hanging up his jacket. Jungkook hadn’t seen a lot of him over the last few days but Jimin was always telling him to ask if he needed something. Maybe this was his chance to take him up on that offer.

Or may