Something was wrong in the Wang household. Specifically with Jackson. He was...happy. Which wasn't a bad thing at all but it was just a bit strange.

Taehyung had come to realise that adults don't experience real happiness. No. Nothing that would cause the giddiness his father was experiencing. He'd smile when he spoke on the phone, he'd go out and stress about what to wear, every now and again he'll blush and bite his lip at the mention of certain things saying it reminds him of someone. It all sounded a lot like-

"A crush!?" Taehyung sat back in thought. "Is that even legal?"

"Adults can have crushes too." Jungkook said over the phone.

"I mean...can they? How is that allowed though? I don't get it. More importantly, who does he have a crush on?"

"Why don't you just- WHO YOU LOOKIN' AT ENDERBITCH? YOU WANNA FIGHT? YOU WANNA GO?"

Taehyung went silent. "Uh...Kookie?"

"Sorry," Jungkook replied. "I'm playing Minecraft. Anyways, why don't you just ask? You and your dad seem pretty close, if he's seeing someone I'm sure you have the right to know."

"Hmm, true. I'll have to ask him when he gets back from-"

"FIGHT ME PIGS!" Taehyung shook his head with a small grin.

"Why don't you call me back when you're done murdering farm animals?" He chuckled.

"Sounds like a plan. Love you TaeTae!"

"Love you too bunny!" Taehyung hung up. He laid against his bed, letting out a small sigh as he stared at the wall in thought. His dad wasn't really dating anyone, was he? Why wouldn't he tell him? Sure, Taehyung never told him he was dating Jungkook, but that was different! He didn't need to know.

Speaking of his father, Taehyung could hear the front door opening, signaling that he was back from work. Not only that, but he heard someone else's voice as well. One Tae didn't recognise. Out of curiosity, he quickly jumped out of bed and sped down the stairs.

"Oh Tae! I was just about to call you down." Said Jackson. Next to him was a man who had light brown hair and was wearing a grey, turtleneck sweater. Taehyung furrowed his brow when he noticed that his arm was around his father's waist. "I want you to meet someone. This is Mark."

"Mark?" Taehyung repeated oddly. The man gave him a smile and stepped forward, only promoting Tae to move back.

Mark noticed how hesitant he was and went back to Jackson's side. "Nice to meet you Taehyung. Your father's told me a lot about you."

"That's funny, because I don't remember him ever mentioning you, Mark." The name didn't sound right to Tae. Mark. It sounded foreign. He just didn't like it.

Jackson sighed, as if he knew this was going to happen. He walked over to Taehyung. "Tae, we were just waiting for the right moment to tell you-"

"No!" Taehyung shouted. "No you can't just...do this! What if...what if he hurts you? Or us! Then what?"

"Taehyung, please. He's a good man, trust me. He's not like-"

"Like mom?" The teen interrupted. He suddenly started to blink back incoming tears. "It's been the two of us for so long and you just decide to bring someone new in like this? You think I forgot what she did? Or how she made us feel? I was six, not blind! I saw what happened!"

"Tae-"

"Don't talk to me!" Taehyung ran straight back to his room, slamming his door hard enough to hear from downstairs.

Jackson let out another sigh, running his hands through his dark hair. Mark came to his side once again and held him. "I'm sorry you had to hear that..."

The older man gave Jackson a slight grin of reassurance as he rubbed his back. "It's alright. It's understandable that he feels like that. It's our first time meeting and the first thing he finds out is that I'm dating his father. I'd be shocked to."

"He's just not usually like this." Jackson muttered solemnly.

"Give him some time, we'll all figure it out eventually."

-------------

Jungkook waved his hand in Taehyung's face, once again trying to regain his attention. They were at Seonghwa's café and the teen had spent most of their time there completely zoned out. "Tae," Jungkook said worriedly. "Talk to me, what's on your mind?"

The older boy just shrugged. "I take it things didn't go well with your dad?" Taehyung nodded. "So does he have a crush on someone?"

"Worse..." Tae muttered. Jungkook's eyes widened.

"Oh my God, he was secretly married to a rich vampire this entire time and you only found out two years later?"

"No Kookie, nothing that dramatic. Remember what Jimin said about Wattpad? Stay off it." He then let out a frustrated sigh, running his hands through his curly hair. "But he might as well have been! He's been dating this dude Mark for who knows how long!"

Jungkook hummed. He let Taehyung continue before he offered any input. "He just shows up one day in my own house! That's my space! And they just expect me to be okay with this? I know nothing about this man!"

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Taehyung stopped. He looked over at Jungkook, confused. The younger saw this and decided to elaborate.

"Think about it. Didn't we do the exact same thing? The first time your dad saw us together was when we were making out on his couch in his office. His personal space, where he finds a random boy kissing his son. It's kind of the same situation, don't you think?"

Perhaps, but Taehyung wasn't going to admit that he had a point. Karma was a bitch named Mark and Tae should've seen it coming. He just never thought his father would date again. Not without talking to him about it first at least. "T-That's different..."

"Why does him dating again bother you so much?" Jungkook questioned just before he took a bit out of his pastry.

"It...It just does! I don't want to change what we have! I don't want to see my dad hurt again..." He admitted. Jungkook remained silent, simply letting Taehyung get everything off his chest. "Not after what my mom did to him."

Taehyung had never even mentioned his mother to Jungkook before. He never wanted to. It brought up too many painful memories. "She wasn't a good person." Tae said simply. "She was neglectful and never seemed to care about us. She'd always harass my dad, both verbally and physically. I was only six when she finally left, but I remember everything pretty clearly..."

"TaeTae," Jungkook took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. Taehyung smiled at this but still looked away.

"I just wish I could've done something. That's all."

"You should trust him," Jungkook told him earnestly. "He trusts you, doesn't he? If he didn't he'd be more persistent in stopping us from seeing each other. Maybe you should give Mark a chance?"

So that's exactly what Taehyung did. After their poor introduction, Mark decided to take the Wang's out for dinner. Every now and again he'd ask Taehyung a few questions in an attempt to get to know him, only for Tae to respond with hums or short, one word answers.

"Taehyung, how was your day?"

"Fine."

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"Sure."

"What do you do in your free time?"

"Think about the possibility of the world ending at any moment and wonder if I've made an impact on anyone's life or if I'm just wasting my time. Like right now."

Mark let out a light sigh. They clearly weren't getting anywhere and sure, Taehyung could try to get to know him, but he didn't necessarily want to. He knew he said he'd give Mark a chance but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

He couldn't just let this man take his father away. No, not on Taehyung's watch.

Over the next few weeks Mark would continuously take them out. The carnival, dinner, anywhere he thought Tae would like. Yet the boy made no effort to connect with him whatsoever.

Taehyung could tell his stubbornness was stressing Jackson out to no end. It all came to a head one night during a dinner at their house.

The three of them were at the dining room table. Jackson and Mark were conversing, casually flirting every now again, while Taehyung sat somewhat bitterly across from them. "This must be how Jimin feels." The teen thought.

Just then, his phone went off. Taehyung looked down at the notification with a smile. "Who is it?" Asked Jackson.

"It's Jungkook." The teen grinned. Mark seemed to notice his giddiness.

"Jungkook?" He mused. "Someone special?"

"My boyfriend." For a moment, Taehyung glanced at his father. He didn't frown, he didn't falter, in fact, he smiled. As if he was...happy for his son. It put a conflicted knot in the teens stomach. He felt like such a hypocrite.

"Maybe you should invite him over for dinner?" Mark suggested and Taehyung couldn't help but glare at him.

"I don't think that's your call to make, Mark." Sure, he'd been staying over a lot more recently. He practically lived here with how often Tae would see him come out of his father's room in the morning. However as far as Taehyung was concerned, he was just a guest that had overstayed his welcome.

Jackson frowned at this shift in attitude. He excused himself, saying he needed a moment. Leaving Mark and Taehyung alone. The teen looked as though he was going to leave on that concept all but Mark quickly called for him to stay. "Taehyung," he said. "I know you don't like me very much-"

"You think?"

"And that's okay." Taehyung faltered. "I know you don't want your dad to be hurt. And I don't want him to feel like he has to choose between you or I."

"What are you saying?"

Mark gave him a sad smile. Almost defeated. "That if you truly don't like me, then I won't tear you two apart. Jackson cares about you more than you know and it's been eating him up inside thinking that he has to choose a side. You have a good bond and I don't want to break that."

Taehyung stared at him in disbelief. He wasn't serious, was he? "You'd... you'd leave my dad alone, if I asked you two? W-Why?"

"Because I love him, and I hate seeing him like this, and I know he's thinking about the same thing as we speak." Had Tae really been getting in the way this much? Jackson truly cared about his opinion so much that he'd break off a relationship for Taehyung's happiness?

They were a family after all, and adding another member should be something they both agreed on.

"You make my dad happy," Taehyung admitted quietly. "If you leave, chances are I'll never see him like that again." His father tended to smile more nowadays. Even with the weight of work, he was still cheerful. Could Taehyung really take that away from here? Of course not.

"Just do this one thing Mark," Taehyung said seriously. "Don't hurt my father. I know he's not fragile or anything, I just never want to see him in that kind of pain again."

Mark took the teen's hand, looking at him with determination. "I promise you that I'll never hurt your father in any way, and if I do - feel free to call me a lying bastard."

Taehyung grinned, giving him a nod. Jackson came back a few moments later to find the two of them smiling at each other. As tempted as he was to ask what he missed, he thought it would be best to leave their moment be.

"We've got cake in the oven," he announced, gaining their attention. "I even made it myself~"

Mark scoffed. "Did not. All you did was stand there and eat half the icing! And we haven't even decorated it yet!"

"Not surprised, he did the same with my birthday cake. I practically made it myself!" Taehyung whispered.

"I can hear you! Fine, if you don't appreciate my efforts, I guess I'll just have to eat the entire cake by myself!"

"Jackson don't you dare! Get back here!"

"Yeah! You can't eat the whole thing if I beat you two it Dad!"

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 ⏣ 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

Question: do you like longer chapters or shorter ones?

[Edit: thank you so much for 300+ reads! This is the most I've ever gotten 💜]