Chapter Text
Exactly four months after Somi’s passing is Mihi’s third birthday. Its the first event that Seokjin will be hosting for one of the girls on his own. He’s terrified.
5 am, he’s already up and running around the house. Mrs. Choi comes out of her wing looking confused.
“I was wondering what the commotion was,” she says with half open eyes. “What are you doing, Mr. Kim?”
“Uh…” he looks up at her, dust all over his black t-shirt and dark jeans. “I need to make sure things are in order.”
“But that’s my job. You should be resting,” she insists as she grabs the duster from his hand.
“But…” he stammers, reaching his empty hand out.
“Seokjin.”
Seokjin straightens and pulls his hand back. Mrs. Choi only uses his given name when she wants to make a point. Sometimes he wonders who is actually in charge.
“This is my job. I will make sure that the house is spotless. I promise.” She gives him a gentle smile. “If you really can’t sleep, then make a list of everything that needs to be done and I’ll help you with it. Okay?”
He just nods.
“Good.” She tuts at him once and then turns towards the kitchen. “But first…coffee.”
The first light of Saturday sun makes it way through the tall glass windows at 6:30 am, but it’s another hour before the girls make their way down the stairs and spill into the kitchen.
“Happy Birthday, Mihi,” Seokjin calls, picking her up and spinning her in his arms. She giggles and tucks her head into his neck. “Do you feel old now?”
“Daddy,” she groans. “I’m only three.”
“ONLY three? ONLY?” he asks dramatically. “Yesterday you were a little baby.”
“Daddy!” she places her palms on either side of his face and looks him in the eyes. Her gaze sparkle and it envelopes him like warmth no summer sun could ever compete with.
“I love you, my three year old.” He nuzzles her nose with his.
“I love you too, Daddy.”
“Yeah, yeah. Saaaaapppyyyy,” Yumi groans sarcastically.
Seokjin chuckles. “You’ve been spending too much time with your Uncle.”
“What’s for breakfast?” Yumi asks casually, but Seokjin knows she’s hoping for something special since its her sister’s birthday. Yumi can never say no to good food.
Seokjin places Mihi down on the stool at the kitchen island and walks around behind it. “I made Mihi’s favourite.”
“WAFFLES?!!?” Mihi exclaims, excitedly clapping her hands.
Seokjin’s mouth drops open. “Wait, I thought french toast was your favourite?”
“Oh,” Mihi’s voice gets quiet. “I like that too.”
“I’m kidding, Mihi,” Seokjin flicks under her chin playfully. “Of course I know you love waffles. And…” he walks over to the fridge, dramatically pulling out a tray of toppings. “I got all the good stuff.”
Both girls eyes go wide as they stare at the assortment of goodies. Whipped topping, chocolate shavings, cut strawberries, sprinkles, cherries, and other fruits and candies.
“So?” He asks with a laugh. “Did Daddy do good?”
“DADDY!” Mihi squeals. “YOU’RE THE BEST DADDY IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!”
He shovels a couple waffles on two plates and passes them over, looking his youngest in the eye. “Don’t you forget it.” He winks.
And as peaceful as breakfast was, the rest of the day becomes more and more chaotic. Guests are scheduled to begin arriving around 1, and Seokjin thinks he now understands how a chicken with it’s head cut off might feel. His attention is being drawn in every direction. He decides right then and there that running a multibillion dollar company is much easier than throwing a three year old’s birthday party.
The bouncy castle company asks him where to set up the unicorn house, the pastry chef wants to know if the colours of the cupcakes are okay, three different guests call to verify directions and the caterer seems to be MIA.
“Breathe,” Mrs. Choi keeps reminding him, and although he smiles and nods, he’s pretty thankful breathing is an involuntary function.
~~~~
This is the state of things when Taehyung arrives at the Kim Residence. He lets himself in. He’s an hour early, afterall. Maybe he should have waited, but he just really wanted a little bit of time with Mihi before everyone else arrived.
What he didn’t count on, however, is party planner Kim Seokjin. The normally poised and put together business man looks like he’s lived three lifetimes today alone. He’s wearing a simple black t-shirt and tight black jeans with holes in the knees.
Sinful.
That’s the only definition that seems fitting.
Taehyung pulls his eyes away from his brother-in-laws perfect body to the lines that paint his forehead and eyes.
“Seokjin?” he asks, but the older man seems very focused on taping two streamers together. “Seokjin?” He tries again, louder this time.
Seokjin flinches, turns in his direction. “Oh,” he says with a half smile, half grimmace. “Did you come to help?”
“Uh…” Helping isn’t exactly on his to do list, but Seokjin looks truly overwhelmed. “Yeah.” he shrugs his coat off and hangs it up in the foyer closet. “What do you need?”
“Can you help me with these streamers?” Seokjin asks, nodding at a pile on the floor.
Taehyung reaches for one and starts following the colour pattern that Seokjin had started. “No decorating company?” he asks with a chuckle.
“They cancelled,” Seokjin answers dryly. “Wonder if they ran off with the caterer.”
“The caterer isn’t here?” Taehyung raises an eyebrow.
“Nope.” Seokjin sighs, dropping his arms to his side. “Guess I should try calling them again.” He searches his pockets for his phone, but the pants are tight enough even Taehyung can tell it isn’t there. “What am I doing?” Seokjin groans. “This isn’t going well at all.”
Taehyung watches as Seokjin leans against the pillar that he was just taping streamers to a moment ago. He slides down the wall and pulls his knees up to his chest. “I can’t do this.”
“What do you mean you can’t?” Taehyung motions to all the decor that is already set up. “You’ve already done it.”
“Somi was so good at all of this,” Seokjin leans his forehead against his knees. Taehyung thinks he might see a tear, but it’s quickly hidden. “She threw the best parties for the girls. Everyone…they are all going to see how much of a failure of a father I am. And Mihi…not just Mihi. Yumi too. They are both really perceptive. They are gonna see how disappointed everyone is.”
And this time it can’t be mistaken. A sob actually comes out of Seokjin’s mouth. Kim Seokjin. The Kim Seokjin is falling apart in front of him. Taehyung looks around, perhaps hoping someone more suited than him will come around to offer the man comfort. But they are alone.
“Hey,” he slides down beside Seokjin, leaving a little space between them. “You’re not a failure.”
“You don’t have to lie to me, Taehyung.” Seokjin offers him a weak smile and wipes away his tears with the back of his hand. “I can see how horribly this is going.”
“Seokjin. You’re a busy man. A newly single father. You have a lot of responsibilities. And yet, here you are, on a Saturday morning breaking down because you want to give your three year old the day of her dreams. That doesn’t sound like a failure to me. That sounds like an amazing father.”
“I just - It’s hard, you know?” Seokjin fidgets with his fingers, keeping his gaze on them. “I miss her a lot. I’m sure you do too…”
“I do,” Taehyung agrees. “She was my best friend. Twin bond is no joke.”
“I’m sorry,” Seokjin whispers, looking over at Taehyung. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that to you. I’m sorry, though. You’ve also suffered.”
“I guess maybe we just haven’t appreciated each other’s suffering that much.” Taehyung’s words are quiet. Soft. “Been focused on our own pain.”
Seokjin nods in agreement, wipes away another tear.
“Maybe we can change that now though.” The words leave Taehyung’s lips before he can really think about them. Seokjin casts him a inquisitive look. “Noone understands the loss more than us, right? Two adult men suddenly left without the woman who meant the most to them. So, maybe instead of battling it out with each other, we can support each other instead. Clearly you need someone to talk about your feelings with. So do I. It’s hard to find people who understand.”
“Yeah, especially after the first month,” Seokjin scoffs. “Everyone else moves on. Thinks I should too.”
“But I understand. So…let me help?” he raises his eyebrows at Seokjin. “Starting with this party. Let me do the streamers, you worry about the caterers. Okay?”
Seokjin nods, gives Taehyung a smile of relief. And trust. It sends a shiver down Taehyung’s spine. He ignores it. At least for now. But he’s starting to realize that he may not be able to avoid his feelings much longer. He thought he had put them away, locked them behind a door in the back of his memory forever. But it seems they are fighting now, trying to make their way out of storage.
“I can’t wait for you to meet Jinnie, Tae,” Somi hooks her arm through Taehyung’s. The large Kim mansion looms before them. Somi and Taehyung grew up wealthy, but this was an entirely different level of fortune. “He’s so amazing, Tae-tae. You’re gonna love him. Oh, and handsome.”
“So you’ve said,” Taehyung answers flatly, but still sends a soft smile in his sister’s direction.
Somi knocks three times and then they wait. She moves from foot to foot beside him.
“Somi, calm down,” he chides. “You would think you were meeting my boyfriend, not the other w-”
The door opens and Taehyung’s brain stops working. Right there. Midsentence. On the front step of the fanciest house he’s ever seen. Because every cell in his body is working in overdrive to take in the man in front of him.
Taehyung has never seen a more handsome man in his life. In fact, he believes its impossible that one exists. This has to be it.
“Hey, Somi,” his voice is smooth and sweet. Taehyung wants to eat it, devour it and then taste it again. “And you must be Taehyung.”
The man turns to look at Taehyung. His eyes are caramel, rich and creamy. And his smile. It’s breath taking. Plump, pink lips. Taehyung thinks they must taste good. They have to. It would be impossible for them to not be like candy.
What the hell, Taehyung. This is your sister’s boyfriend.
“N-nice to m-meet you,” he forces out. He can see Somi eyeing him from the corner of his eye, but she doesn’t say anything. He wonders if she knows.
Even now he wonders if she ever figured it out. That he had fallen in love with his sister’s boyfriend right there on the doorstep of his home.
At first sight.
Of course, he had learned how to wallow and mourn in silence. In the privacy of his own room. And eventually, he figured out how to forget about his feelings for Seokjin. Well, maybe forget isn’t the most accurate term. More like survival and hatred mixed together. One caused the other and vice versa. He’d learned how to block out his sister whenever she ranted about Seokjin, yet somehow still look interested. That was the only way to make it. The less he knew about Seokjin, the better. And if he was forced to be in the man’s presence, then he would find things to dislike. Even if it meant making it up.
But now. Now they were spending more and more time together. And it was getting harder every day. Harder to ignore his resurfacing feelings. Especially since now he was getting to know him, to discover that Kim Seokjin was his dream in every single way.
Now he knows.
It wasn’t just love at first sight.
And fuck…he’s screwed.