Chapter thirty eight
The week days ended, and with them did exams.
Of course, I helped Tae hyung every now and then, such as he did in other subjects that I wasn’t so keen on.
I could have gone again to the extent of trading papers again, but the older warned me not to. And to be candid, I didn’t want to lose any gentleman points, so I agreed without any further arguments.
Saturday came, allowing Tae hyung to bring me home, and not for studies, but to have pleasant hours of fun. 
And oh did I miss such meetings, and even wished for me to have appreciated the previous days of radical enjoyment and nonchalance while they lasted, although I couldn’t have cherished them more than I did.
Alas, dreams don’t last for long, and Tae hyung and I weren’t really a sworn on couple for us to spend most of our free time together, but I was ecstatic to have had the chance to experience it, and hoped for days of the ilk to await us in the future.
After a few peals at the doorbell, I was granted entry by Mrs Kim.
I instantly panicked.
“G-good morning, Mrs Kim.” Greeted I with a bow, and an awkward smile. She grinned.
“Good morning, Jungkook-ah.”
“Taehyungie didn’t tell us that you were coming, but what a pleasing surprise!” the tension escaladed more at the appearance of the father.
I scratched the back of my head.
“Th-thank you, Mr Kim.”
“Now, now, don’t keep calling us like that!” the female nodded in agreement, a pout on .
I looked at them in befuddlement. Was I too impolite? Or offensive? But how?
“Wh-what should I do then?” 
“Aunt and uncle, of course!”  
“O-oh, as you want. Sure.” They chuckled as ‘aunt’ ushered me to enter with a gesture of her hand, and so did I.
“Did you have breakfast?” I nodded at her question, not wanting the previous week’s scenario to be repeated.
“Taehyung-ah is in his room. Do you want me to call him for you?”
“No no, don’t bother yourself, I will go on my own.” He nodded, then turned along with his wife towards the living room.
“Have fun, then!” it wasn’t necessary for him to remind me to.
I nodded nonetheless, then headed to the top floor where Tae hyung was.
The door to his room was slightly open.
Even so, I knocked before entering slowly, to find a giggling Tae hyung laying on the bed.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Your expression was priceless!” I felt blood rushing through my cheeks.
“H-huh?! Were you watching all along?” he nodded, titters easing up as he rubbed his left eye and sat properly.
“Although, you didn’t do so bad on your own.” I heaved a sigh.
“Really?” asked I as he smiled in confirmation then sat on a chair.
“Don’t you think that you are ready to announce the thing to them?”I diverted my eyes away from his.
“I don’t feel like I am. I-I need some more time.” Perhaps I needed more than only some more.
“Alright, but if we would sit together soon, we will have to tell them. Otherwise, they will be doubtful if we were to delay it further.” the sole thought of it made cold sweat run down my spine.
“O-okay.” Stillness enveloped the room for a tad. “Anyways, what will we be doing?” 
“Well, mom got out the family’s album, and I haven’t looked at it for quite a long period. Would you like us to take a look together?”
“Certainly.” I was given the opportunity to see a child Taehyung, not only personality wise, but also a miniature version of him.
He responded with a nod, then took a large green folder that was placed in the bookcase and put it on the bed before sitting on the mattress. I followed suit.
“I will be starting from the oldest to the latest photos.”
“Anything is fine.” His slender fingers opened the album gently. The first page had their apparent names written on it; Kim Taehyung, Kim-Lee Chanyung, Kim Taejan. I could easily notice that the boy’s name was morphed from his parents’. A fine idea, it was.
He flipped another page, the smell of old ink and dust emitting from the book as he did.
And there was it; an image of a new born Taehyung. He looked peaceful in deep slumber, to say the least. A blue body suit enveloped his frail looking body, the cartoon characters’ pins on it making the photo even more delightful. No hair was on his skull, other than fairly light brows. His skin looked fairer than it did as a teenager. His blood red lips were slightly separated, his hands curled into tiny fists. 
 I didn’t know that he could become any more adorable.
The sight brought a genuine and bright smile to my lips, nose scrunching in the process.
“Lovely.” I spoke the truth.
“All babies are.” I shook my head.
“Generally, I don’t find babies too cute, but you just never cease to amaze.” I couldn’t see his reaction, but only heard his chuckles, as my eyes were glued on the photo of the babe as if it was a holy painting; a bless. 
“There are more adorable ones.” He flipped the page again. Now, a few months old Taehyung was in display. He was crawling on the grass, one of his hands tented to the camera, a wide smile on his face. His eyes held a bright glitter in them, and undeniably took a big portion of his face, making him look even more adorable. We had already seen three birthday pictures by then. In some, he wore hats. In others, he wore masks. There even were few in which he ‘wore’ cake.
“Yet only you pleased the eyes.” We moved to the next page. He was standing on his feet fully, yet the progress could be seen as he leaned less on the wall by each photo that passed. Brown hairs grew on his head as well. His parents stood beside him, and to be candid, they didn’t change much.
“That’s what my parents say.”  
“I wouldn’t mind being a third one.” new photos were in display, in which hugged him other adults along with teenagers and fellow toddlers.
“These are my relatives and my parents’ friends.”
“It’s obvious.” My focus was only on him though.
Next was what appeared to be a glimpse of an interesting scene; he was standing on the table that was against the wall, his hand placed on the interrupter with a stunned yet lovable look at the camera.
He pointed at the image.
“I wanted to try opening the lights for myself, but I got caught.” I chuckled, then pinched his cheek intently.
“Oh, my heart can’t take this, you’re so adorable!”
“S-stop saying that~”
“It’s no lie.” I let go of the flesh, only to hug him tightly for a second, then released him.
“Th-thanks.” I flipped further instead, eager for more. He wore an elementary school uniform, and a pout on his face. “I didn’t want to leave mom and dad and wanted to stay with them, but I was forced to depart them anyways.”
I wondered; how could they decline such an innocent face’s request?
The page was changed again. And there stood Jimin hyung next to Tae hyung, their clothes summer’s. Surprisingly, he was taller than the latter. “Jimin hyung’s house was being built until I became eight, and that’s when they moved out and we got acquainted right after.“ I nodded “Oh, by the by, I was actually shorter than Jimin hyung until a few years ago.” I shrugged.
“Even Hoseok hyung was shorter than Yoongi hyung, but they exchanged places.” He chuckled. 
I spotted another photo in which Jimin appeared again; both of them were in school uniforms.
“This was our first day as classmates.” I lifted my head slightly with an ‘o’ shaped mouth.
“I see.”

An hour passed. We finished inspecting each and every single photo in the album. 
It was as if I saw his full life in countable minutes, which was a new, yet entertaining experience for me.
Although, I could not deny envy entry to my heart, for Jimin hyung was present in the majority of the photos.
But I didn’t have the right to. They knew each other far before Tae hyung and I did, and yet he told me that I was his most preferred friend out of the six of us. It was a tough battle, yet I won, so I am thankful. Even though, my avarice made me want to go back in time and be the one in Jimin hyung’s place, but of course I couldn’t. 
Regardless, Seokjin hyung and Namjoon hyung made their appearance fairly late.
Also, I learnt that Eungo-ah was a birthday gift he received three years beforehand.
And I certainly approve that chubby cheeks suited him, as they lasted.
We were laying on the bed by then, legs entangled, his head on my shoulder, and the folder in my hands.
I closed the album as blank pages were seen, then put it on my lap.
“That was fantastic.” he chuckled “I wish that I will be able to experience raising such a lovable babe in the future.”
“Really?” his voice held a hint of sadness within, for a reason. Regardless, I nodded, then turned my head towards him.