Weeks have passed, Jungkook and I haven't spoken much to each other. We have our usual good morning, good night, and the occasional 'don't stay out too late,' and 'are you hungry?' Besides that, the house had become eerily quiet much to my dismay. Yoongi had taken the boys to visit their grandmother, leaving Jungkook and me alone.

A small part of me is cherishing this quiet not-so alone time. I mean, I haven't heard a single snide remark or flirtatious, sometimes downright crude compliments from the boy but the hesitant glances he gives me, the sneaking off to friends' house nearly every day shows he isn't comfortable here. It all feels so wrong to me. This is his home too, he deserves to feel comfortable and welcomed here.

I've learned to not villainize Jungkook for his feelings. Namjoon was right, growing up without a proper and stable parental figure leads to unhealthy relationships. I wasn't in his life, I'm not a father figure to him, I have no right to demand him to treat me or see me as such.

I need to start putting Jungkook first. I need to fix things between him and me.

I sit back on the couch, remote in hand, as I skim through channels as I wait for Jungkook to return home. He said he would be back at six, it had been written on the note he left on the dining table, another way the younger and I had been communicating for the past days.

It didn't take long before he came through the door. Shoes already off in his in hand, the strap of his bookbag sliding off his shoulder, he looked sweaty and sluggish as he spared me a glance before heading to his room. I opened my mouth, ready to speak but then closed it, pursing my lips. It might be best to wait, let the boy freshen up. He'll come down looking for dinner, hopefully at least.

Three hours had passed, it was clear he was not coming down. It took me a 34-year-old man awhile to muster up the courage to talk to my own son, and I hate to admit it, but it took an extra two minutes just for me to knock on his door.

After three knocks, Jungkook opened it, a look of confusion was apparent on his face.

"Hey, can we talk?" He nodded, allowing me to enter.

I closed the door behind me and sat with him on his bed."So-" I pause, trying to get my thoughts together. I thought I would have been better prepared than this.

"Did something happen?" Jungkook asks the look of confusion was now replaced with concern as he shifted closer to me.

I shook my head quickly to dismiss any negative thoughts or worries the boy might have.

"I haven't been treating you fairly. I want you to be happy and to feel comfortable here."

He nods silently before looking at me. "I just assumed you didn't want to speak with me? I took advantage of your kindness."

"Yeah, you did. You ed up. I ed up. Who doesn't? But it's super mature for you to own up to it, and I just want to communicate with you more."

"I'm sorry," He whispers.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you. I was immature and didn't consider your feelings. I made you out to be some little monster that wanted to torment me, but you're not. So what is something I can do to make you feel more at ease, something that could help our relationship?" I suggest, and the boy turns to me, looking me in the eyes.

"Can I call you hyung? Referring to you as my father makes me feel a bit icky," He confesses.

I smile and pretend I'm not hurt. This is for Jungkook, I need to put my own personal feelings away, his happiness is my only concern.

"Yeah, that's fine. Anything else?"

Jungkook looks hesitant for a moment and lets out a deep sigh. "Do you think it's possible that one of these days, you could hear me out?"

"What do you mean exactly?"

I hope he isn't talking about what I think-

"I would like to express my feelings for you verbally I want you to understand me not now or anytime soon whenever you're ready. This isn't something we can continue ignoring."

There it is.

"Right. Uh yeah, we can do that, give me like a week," I force out a chuckle in an attempt to ease my nerves.

The boy is a lot more mature than I give him credit for. It often scares me. He doesn't act or talk like your average teenage boy at times, I'm not certain i want to hear him out, the way he looks at speaks volumes already.

"Okay. Thank you, hyung."

I stand up, ready to make my way to the door until I feel Jungkook gently grab my hand I turn to see him standing in front of me, and I tense under his touch.

"Hyung, you didn't let me ask you what I can do to better our relationship," he says softly, releasing the grasp he had on my hand.

A smile creeps onto my face, and I feel my ears burn at his thoughtfulness. "Uh, I just want to talk to you more. I don't like going days without seeing or speaking to you," I admit.

Jungkook grins, nodding. "It was so boring and quiet without you."

"Yeah, I didn't enjoy it at all."

He frowns, "That sounds like sarcasm hyung," he whines playfully.

"It's not, I promise," I chuckle.

I watch as his eyes flick from mine to my lips once and awhile. I can hear my heart drumming loudly, I wonder if Jungkook can too, but from the smirk that grows on his face, I'm sure he can.I snap out of whatever trance the boy had me in and stepped back towards the door.

"I'm glad we finally got to talk. Goodnight, Gguk."

"Night hyung," he says with a mischievous smile.

I close the door behind me and placed a hand on my chest feeling my heart beat rapidly from the interaction. Never once did I think I would be able to ease the problems between Jungkook and I, but God am I glad I did. I guess this is what we needed the whole time. Boundaries, not barriers.