Chapter Three

Eun-Jeong had been fed a little snack and was once more in the playpen with him leaning over the side and playing with her. “Well, I hope you are going to be okay with me, I know I’m a scary stranger,” he told her softly. “I know you're going to miss your eomma, I would be as well,” he said as he waved the toy around.

Eun-Jeong looked at him pouting as she reached for the toy, only to find that it was out of her reach. “Eh!” she grumbled as she reached again. This time Jin let the toy go closer to her and let her grab it. Giggling she started to chew on the tag of it. He tried to pull it from and soon gave up when she started to cry.

“It’s not good for you sweetie,” he said softly. As he tried one last time to take it from her. He slumped and sighed as he handed it back to her, “Okay, have at it,” he shook his head as he got up. Looking around there were things all over the place. The Highchair was still out next to the table from lunch. 

Jin looked to Eun-Jeong, “Ya!” she shouted happily as she chewed on the tag once more.

He smiled and laughed, “Cute,” he told her as he added, ”Well, I guess I better clean up a little. Don’t know when I will be able to get here and do the same again,” he sighed softly. The thought of leaving froze his heart in his chest. He didn’t want to leave them, he would miss everything if he wasn’t there. He looked to the little girl and knew that he would have to, just for a while.

Jin got to work and started to move things around, trying to find temporary places to put everything that had been brought with him was a challenge. He knew that the others wouldn’t want to come home to the mess that the living room was. He also needed to set up the travel cot in his and Yoongi’s room. “You know Eun-Jeong,” he said softly to the little girl, “I don't know if Yoongi will be happy about having you in the room. I wonder if I should sleep out here with you.”

He put away the bottle and the formula in the kitchen. Leaving them out so that it would be easy to pack up in the morning. The suitcase of clothes went into his room, over his side, pushed against the top corner by his bed. The travel cot would just be able to squeeze between the bed and his dresser as well. He went to the living room, seeing Eun-Jeong bouncing in the playpen.

“Having fun?” he asked her as she threw the teddy she had been chewing on.

“Eeehhh!” she was squealing as the toy went out of the playpen and landed on the floor, causing the baby girl to laughed happily.

“Oh, so this little game. I heard all about this,” Jin said, laughing lightly as he went over, bending down his picked up the toy, and looked to her, “Don’t throw it again sweetie, I won't always be there to pick it up for you,” he told her. Though he knew that she wouldn’t be able to understand, he still spoke to her.

“Mmm Aaaa!” she yelled loudly as she reached out for the toy that was still in Jin’s hands. He laughed softly as he handed it to her and began to walk away. He could hear her babbling as he picked up the travel cot and walked into the bedroom. He set it up in the only place in the room which had space for him to do so. 

“Wasn’t too hard,” He muttered to himself as he finished setting it up. He looked to the space around it and winced, no one would be able to get in or out of the room if he left it there. Dragging it he was able to pull it between his bed and dress, making sure there was a little room before his bedside table. He didn’t want her standing up and grabbing anything that was on it. Climbing on his bed he made his way to the bottom to get off. There was no way he would be able to get on his bed any other way for a while.

Checking the time he noticed that it was time for her afternoon formula, going into the kitchen he grabbed the milk powder and looked at the instruction. He glanced to the paper that his father had given him. Showing how much he was to do her. He boiled the kettle and start to prepare a bottle. She liked it warmed up. Shaking the bottle when he was done he put it in a jug of cold water to help it cool down and went to check on Eun-Jeong.

Still playing with her toys Jin went back to cleaning up. He put a few more things away, checking on the bottle as he did so. As soon as it was cool enough he grabbed it and walked into the living room. He grinned as Eun-Jeong immediately spotted the bottle and squealed crawling to the edge of the playpen she pressed her face against the mesh side. “I take it you were waiting for this,” he said as he picked her up and went over to the sofa and sat down, putting her in his lap he let her guide the bottle as she lay in his arms. She happily drank the milk, fingers flexing against the bottle as she held it. Her eyes were watching him, curiously.

“Enjoying your milk?” he asked her softly, brushing his hand against the thick head of hair she had. She looked adorable. Warm brown eyes full of curiosity were looking at him. Her hair was black and thick, almost reaching the top of her shoulders. Jin wondered if it was long enough to put into pigtails at all. Running his fingers through the baby fine hair he watched as she closed her eyes slowly and opened them, “Sleepy,” he murmured.

Eun-Jeong finished her bottle and was already drifting to sleep. He knew that it was late for her nap, but at the time he had been driving and while she had slept a little in the car it wasn’t really enough for the eight-month-old. Taking the bottle away he pulled her into his arms properly and carefully got up. Walking over to the playpen he laid her down. Jin walked into his bedroom and grabbed one of the blankets that he had put into the travel cot and walked back into the living room. Covering her over, he smiled down at her. She was adorable.

Jin stood up and looked to the time. They would still be in the studio going over the music now. He grabbed his phone and looked to it. The messages from earlier were still there, as well as a slew of others. Each of them worried and asking if everything was all right. He didn't know what to tell them, he didn’t want to tell them about Eun-Jeong over the phone, it didn’t feel right. It would have to wait until they came home. But was springing it on them like that any better?

Jin wanted to bash his head against a wall in frustration at the situation. Walking into the kitchen he sat down, pulling up a number he pressed the call button and waited for it to be picked up.

“Hyung?” came the fast reply as soon as the call connected.

“I hope I’m not calling at a bad time?” he asked, “If I am I can always call back later, or you can call me?” he suggested a sudden bout of worry getting to him as he heard Yoongi’s voice.

“No, it’s fine, we’re just doing some vocal practice,” he told him, “So, what's going on?” he asked. Jin could hear the others in the background asking the same thing and waiting for Yoongi to answer them.

“It’s hard to explain over the phone. Though if you could all make sure to come home on time for dinner, it might be easier to tell you then or show you,” he muttered a little at the end.

“Okay, are you sure everything is okay, you… you don't sound okay hyung?” he asked him, worry in his voice.

“I’m… I’m okay,” he said, trying to sound positive. Though he didn’t think he succeeded.

“Okay hyung, we’ll be home for dinner,” he told him, the worry hadn’t faded.

“Okay,” Jin said with a  little smile on his face.

The call ended and Jin got up to make a start on dinner, they should be home in another hour and a half. He wanted a good meal for them all since it might be the last one he would be able to cook for them in a while.

XxXxX

Yoongi looked at the phone as the call from Jin ended. Something serious was going on, he could tell with the way Jin had been speaking and that worried the rapper. Putting away his phone he glanced up. The others were all watching him and he could see the worried expression on the others faces. He tried to give them a reassuring smile, but it didn’t work as the worry remained.

“Well, Hyung?” Jungkook asked, taking a step towards him in the small lounge area that they had taken their break in.

“He doesn’t sound right. He sounds sad, worried and there was something else as well, but I can’t place it,” Yoongi answered him, frowning, even more, thinking on the call and trying to remember what he could tell from his hyung’s voice.

“Sad?” Taehyung said, moving closer and taking a seat nearby, “Do you… do you think something else has happened?” he asked softly.

“Hyung has only been called home like this once, and that was when his cousin's husband had passed away a few days ago,” Namjoon pointed out softly.

“So,” Hoseok began, the usual sunny smile he had one his face was nowhere to be seen in his worry for Jin, “Chances are something bad has happened and he doesn't want to talk about it over the phone,” he finished quietly.

“Yeah,” Jimin nodded as they all began to sit down again. Lost in their own thoughts.

“So he wants us to come back home now?” Namjoon asked him, he and the others were all ready to get up and walk out to be with their hyung.

“No, dinner. I think he needs a bit more time to himself. If we go early it might… it might not be a good idea. I think he needs to collect himself a little before we come barging in on his peace and quiet,” Yoongi answered him, shaking his head and sighing. He wanted to go home and make sure Jin was all right, but he knew that.

“So what should we do?” Jungkook asked, sitting next to Taehyung“I don't know about you but I don't really want to do anything without Jin-hyung here.”

“Yeah,” Taehyung agreed, curling up against Jungkook.

“I don't think any of us feel like doing much until we see that Jin-hyung is all right,” Yoongi agreed, “Let’s just… let’s just stay here for a bit longer. If they start to complain about us not practising, Namjoon or I will talk to them about it,” he sighed softly as he leaned back in the chair he was sat in and closed his eyes. A frown on his face as he wondered what was going on with his hyung. The man could be closed off at times, especially when it came to things going on in his family. They had only learned of the death in his family when he said something by accident as he talked to Sejin about taking some time off for the funeral in two days.

The others were all lost in thought as they waited for the time to tick down. They talked quietly together, each of them curious as to what was going on, but none of them mentioning it. Sejin walked into the room and looked to them all. He didn’t even say anything, knowing that they were all wanting to see Jin.

“It’s time to leave, Namjoon-ah said that you wanted to leave in time for dinner back at the dorm,” he said softly as they all turned to look at him.

“Yeah, Jin-hyung is back and he is making us dinner,” Jungkook said, a small smile on his face, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Oh, he’s back?” he questioned, “Why didn’t he come back here?” he asked.

“Something’s going on,” Yoongi said, “He sounded off when we talked to him a little while ago.”

Sejin nodded, “Let's get you home so you can find out what's going on. Call me if it's anything I need to know,” he added as he led the way out to the van that he would be taking them home once more.