Read the table of content (chapter 1) for description.

DISCLAIMER- This is the epilogue to my book Eyes Never Lie. FILLED WITH SPOILERS SO PLEASE READ ONLY AFTER YOU'VE READ THE BOOK. There is absolutely no fun/ understandability in reading this before you read the book.
If you've read it already, I am very very thankful for you <3
I wrote this during a hectic clock. Please only start with low expectations.

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February 21st, 2021 (Smithfield, London) 8:00 am

Lapels of the long mustard trench coat flew backwards with every step taken ahead. The cold snowy wind rustling through the strands that usually lay unkempt on the forehead now drift like dandelions in the winter breeze.

"Mornin' papa." He breathed softly. "Been a while, no?"

Pressing the bouquet under the arm he bent down to dust away the concrete with his handkerchief before jerking it free and into the pocket again.

"The book tour went on longer than expected and then Tae was called to meet the Queen, dear god, that was a hassle.. Would you believe, we're supposed to bow to her there, and this man has the audacity to say 'you're not fooling anyone with that face-lift!' Ugh almost got prisoned!"

He sneered, seating himself by the tree, the only sound accompanying the rustling leaves was the sound of his middle aged knees cracking. "Not makin' excuses... just."

"Twenty years today, huh? It blows my mind how that has already happened." Clutching away the bouquet he takes off his mask and sunglasses.

He traces the words on the tombstone, he has for the last decade in longing and an ironic contentment with the swell of his finger. "Daffy would've been so fond of you... I know-" he chuckles "I know I keep saying that but. You would've been his only grandparent and.."

He plucks a petal of the aster flower and gently blows it off, smiling at its smooth glide into the air. "Do you watch over us still?" he plucks another petal. "I bet you do. I'm sorry for what Taehyung said about you last week. I swear I never heard you and mom doing anything that one night! You know what a liar he is!"

He grins with an apish head-shake. "Fine, you caught me there, but I double swear the comment about low stamina was totally him!" It humorously plants the softest smile on him as he sighs yet again. "You really did watch over us, didn't you?"

There's a silence for a few minutes, perhaps more, Jungkook wouldn't know in the lap of his sanctuary. This was as close to meditation he could be.

"It's been years since I kept a secret from Taehyung." He murmurs. "If it takes any longer, I may be the one to spill his beans. Might make me a bad father, but I think the husband in me trounces still." He beams "I love them, you know? I keep thinking, is this how strongly you felt for me?

There's a frown on his forehead now. "This... this magnificent urge to protect him, my child, from the world yet presenting the world at his tiny feet?" His hands card through the hair that the wind violently teases.

"Don't get me wrong, you must know the countless nights that keep Tae and I awake, wishing you were here to guide us through it. But the thrill of wallops and falls and then learning to get right up, there's nothing like it."

A giggle resonates in the barren land as he plucks another one. "Look how many petals I've grown, papa."

***************

The muscles on his arms are cramped to a flex helplessly as he carries the legions of grocery bags slung on various areas over the forearm. By the time he's at the door the slight discomfort in the lower arms has upsurged into a crick up his spine.

So he is worked up good when despite the numerous doorbells, the door does not open. "Roberta! What's taking so long? My arms are hurting."

The door finally flings open as he watches Razel climb down from a stool with a harried frown on her tiny features. "Razie, baby, why are you opening the door?" He drags in the carry bags that no longer are a cup of his bicep tea. "Where's Roberta?"

"She left." Tossing him the barest of information, she picks up her doll off the foot of the stool and footways back to the television playing Peppa Pig.

"Left? How can she just leave two kids on their own like that?" he sets the bags on the counter before paling invariably like his kitchen tiles "Oh god, what did Daffy do now?"

With a giggle into her little palm, Razel stands on the couch to glance over the backrest. "Made her-" she's throwing her head with a loud laugh. "- bald."

"WHAT?" He dashes to the first floor, skipping alternate steps matching the ascension of the anger that's already risen up to his flaming ears. "DAFFY." he barrels a wild knock on the door, boring indignant holes into the *Caution. Do not enter! (especially Razel Park)* poster on the door.

"Kim Daehyun, you are in big trouble, young man! I want you down in the kitchen before a minute ends!" as childish as it appears, he stomps a foot on the ground and struts down with flaring nostrils.

"Uncle Kookie, will Daffy be grounded now?" a peak of excitement in eyes, Razel best resembles Jimin when she's concocting a mischief.

He sighs, placing down the glass of water on the shelf. "I wish it was that easy. When we tell him he cannot step out of his room, he says 'thank you'."

The doorbell interrupts his ousting rant to the eight year old, who obviously uncaring of it, runs to her little stool to open it. "Daddy's here!!" she's yelling soon after.

Seeing Jimin is always the gentlest pat of reality for Jungkook.

It feels forever ago yet fresh as yesterday when he remembers how they would walk to school hand in hand. How Jungkook, once the shorter one of the two, would hide behind the other when Mrs. Arther's blood-hound looking Alsatian would come barking towards them.

Jimin wouldn't accept with a sword over his neck, but there was a time when it was Jungkook who would help him with his math problems too.

He would cover for Jimin's commodious romantic outings in the name of sleepovers, to his mother. Oh and not to mention the awkward time when they tried to hook Mrs. Park and Mr. Jeon up, yikes.

"Good morning, oldie." he hears Jimin chaff, walking in with the girl in his arms. "So what did you all do at your sleepover?"

"Uncle Kookie made cookies and I helped!" Eyes twinkling bright, she exaggerates zealous hand gestures. "And then we both watched tangled and-"

And Jungkook cannot help the fleet of flashbacks run through him, how he has buried himself into that man's chest and cried for hours; watched it swell with pride during their best man speeches.

Today they're fathers and watch their kids repeat history (well, kind of).

"Raze, baby you were here for a sleepover with Daffy. Not uncle Kookie."

"He's a meanie! I was so..." she continues her anecdotes.

Jimin and him, they've never stopped and verbed out an 'I love you' to each other. It will be hell awkward if they do now; but oh isn't it profound to be so knowing of its presence that you don't have to word it out?

They've shaped into each other that well.

Before he can respond, he notices Razel stop and stick out her tongue in the direction of the staircase, enough cue for him to sigh defeatedly.

"You're testing my patience, mister." He announces loud, whilst taking out a can from the shopping bag and moving to the refrigerator to place it.

Jimin settles down on the kitchen bench with Razel still in arms, both amused and totally primed for the show.

And then the addressed steps in.

Hesitant strides predated by a rhythmic clicking of the small well-laced leather shoes on the hardwood flooring. Spotless checkered blue shirt, buttoned up till the collar tucked in a finicky neat manner into crisp grey dress trousers. Attire aplombing against the pale skin.

There's an unmatching bright yellow cleaning latex glove on the right hand, that's a few sizes too big for the dinky little hand.

Pudgy full cheeks, more so from the jutted out bottom lip, dark pink tinctured on the apples of them. Hair slicked back so sprucely, it brought out the equally red ears that find a hand reaching up to twist at them gently (an action of embarrassment picked up from one of the fathers)

"Before I get reprimanded-" Speech clear like sunny skies, pristine and well-enunciated, the high pitched voice (that replaced Taehyung's deep one for Jungkook's favorite so effortlessly)

"-I would like to testify for myself."

Jimin bites back a snicker, nuzzling into the girl's hair, who herself watches with a mischievous grin.

Jungkook however, tries best to hold back the chortle bubbling up and crosses his arms with a faux frown. Former actor in him never does die. "Alright, Daehyun. Let me see how you explain yourself."

"Before I present my verdict, can I extend an appeal?" The little undergrown Adam's apple visibly bobbles with the gulp, when Jungkook impatiently taps his foot on the floor. "I-it would be nice to not be called by my government name. It's a little scary coming from you and I g-get strong urges to pee. Ahem. Thanks."

Jungkook bites into the carrot he was putting away, anything to hold an effervescent snigger. That wouldn't be very angry-parenty of him.

The boy nervously reaches his un-gloved hand into the pocket of his well-ironed pants and pulls out a piece of paper, unfolding it with big deer eyes observing for his papa's reaction. He starts reading it out.

"I, Roberta James, in my complete conscious state, solemnly admit that I have been insisting my employer's six year old son, Kim Daehyun, popularly called Daffy, who is blessed with extraordinary intellect and marvelous wit -"

"I see he's picked up your husband's humility." Jungkook mouths out a 'fuck you' on Jimin's comment.

"-To help me in perming my hair as per the latest trends. This is solely for my hunger for youthful looks despite my designation as a senior citizen and the neck-deep debts my husband has gotten me into." He bites his lips, doe-eyes flitting to the audience once before he continues to read.

"-I take the entire responsibility of the risks it puts me into, having been detailed on possibilities, whether right or wrong. I am fully aware and accepting of this going in either of the directions. I promise confidentiality and shall not be taking it to the higher authorities (aka the dad or the papa)."

Jimin gapes at Jungkook inquisitively and only receives a questioning shrug back.

"Here's her signature. You can match it for reference." He, like the miniature gentleman he is, tip-toes and pushes the paper on the kitchen counter.

"Well." Jungkook presses his lips together after a long exhale. "She did know what she was getting herself into. But do you understand that could've been dangerous for you as well?!" The snarl isn't as bogus anymore as genuine worry etches his forehead.

"Yes, papa. To save you the worry, I had decided to keep this from you. I now understand it was wrong and I would accept the punishment you choose for me."

He finally spares a glance back to Jimin. "Except going to someone's house for a sleepover. Best believe I'll bawl my eyes out at that. Good morning by the way, uncle Jimin. I love you."

"I love you too, buddy." He coos at the adorable mannerisms Jungkook has inculcated into the boy.

Anyone you're afraid to lose, you love them. Anyone you love, you tell them. That's the only motto.

"So what happened?"

"To rearrange the keratin structure in her hair I used ammonium thioglycolate. I was supposed to pour drops of it on her head. But my hands are too precious to be risked like that so I asked her to stick her head into the pot with the solution-"

"Oh my god!!" Jungkook rushes for his phone "IS SHE OKAY!!"

"Y-yeah. Only lost a few strands.."

"She went BALD!" Razel yells, clapping her hands together in glee, so much so that Jimin has to cup her mouth and hold her back.

"B-but papa I made sure she knew the things that could happen."

"What did your dad tell you about these things?" It's only rare for Jungkook to take that tone, but when he does, he knows all the others in the family can do nothing but squeal in apprehension.

"I-I'm sorry papa, please don't tell him-"

"That wasn't my question, Daf. What did Taehyung tell you about these things?"

Big sparkly eyes quiver dolefully, flitting to the shoes that nervously nudge the toes together. "He said that it's necessary to document every stipulation-"

"What's stifoolation, daddy?" Razel interrupts, only to get shushed by Jimin for the show.

"But?" Jungkook asserts.

"B-but contracts don't justify your wrong-doings." He mumbles, pout extending farther ahead.

"Let it go this time." Jimin takes in. "Look at his wobbly little chin. You do regret it, right Daf?"

"Very much so." He glimmers with an extra puppy-effect on his big eyes and looks up at Jungkook who is already slipping away. "I pinky promise."

He raises the right hand, perhaps for gestural effect with a pinky-ovation, but only comes out as nothing because of the oversized glove on his hand. "Why are you wearing that cleaning glove?" Jimin cues in.

"Because you're here to take Razel Park, and you all are going to make me handshake her goodbye." He nods in self-agreement. "She licked her hand after the crispix breakfast then proceeded to roll her little finger in her nostril."

"Razie! That's bad manners."

"That's okay." The boy puts his hand in his pocket and turns to the man. "She's barely eight. I can forgive her-" It actually takes a huge effort for Jungkook to eat away his laughter at his six year old talking like that.

"Aw-"

"-It's actually the miscue in your parenting."

Jimin was almost on the verge of endearment, he swears he was, but then there it is. The baby version of the smirk he loathes with every shred of him. "You know what-" He turns to Jungkook. "Children only learn from punishments. Give him one."

When he receives a sneer, he leans on the counter. "You'd think the offspring of a freaky-genius and compassionate-brat would be a compassionate-genius. But the freaky-brat overruled."

Before Jungkook can come up with a chide, the phone ring breaks in. "Hello." He inspects Daehyun strangely. "Yes, this is his father speaking." His eyes widen at whatever the retort on the other line is. "Oh my god, really?"

Radio silence ensues.

****************

Ever the ballast in his aura, Taehyung retracts back the pleat of his blazer and elegantly slides his hand into the pocket of his grey trousers. With a head tilt to the right, a lone strand of hair escapes the locks that are gelled back away from the face, and falls curling on the forehead that engraves the lines of age on it.

His glasses, as always, perch low on the bridge of his nose; lips curled sideways in the barest evidence of a frown, other than which he is expressionlessly calm.

"Hoseok." The mentioned man, from where he's bent over the dead body squinting at the blue-hued face, startles. "Pass me the shoe, will you?"

"What shoe?" He looks around the dirty hotel room in confusion.

"The shoe that Cinderella lost." He serves a stifled roll of eyes. "The ones she's wearing." He points to the corpse's foot that seemed glutted into the blue stiletto, perhaps due to the bloating that was rendered by the poison.

After half a minute of struggle, Hoseok yanks off the shoe and passes it to the other, still distracted by the cyanosed face. "I was right." Taehyung shrugs and puts the shoe down, looking over at the hotel manager who stands by the door along with the receptionist, both paled. "You."

The assert in his voice is sharp, concluding; has the guy almost trembling before he squeaks out a little "y-yes?"

"Get me a glass of water."

As the guy tumbles over his feet rushing to do the same, Hoseok stands up and dusts his pants. "So do you think this was a murder and not a suicide?"

"I wasn't looking for the signs of this being a murder. That's obvious. I was looking for the murderer." He walks to the door where now only the receptionist stands.

He walks a finger on her cheek, watching her epidermis visibly shiver under his touch, eyes shut, breathing jarred; and then pushes the finger hard enough to cause her face to tilt perpendicularly sideways.

With the other hand he retracts the collar of her shirt.

"And looks like I've found that." He smirks at her.

"W-wh-wha-what?!" Frantic, if eyes could shed fear, it's her doing it now. "I-I- why- I wouldn't- why would I m-murder Ms. Merlhum— I d-dont."

"Ms. Merlhum? Wasn't her name Fina Grant as your records said?" Hoseok butts in taking off his gloves. Looks like the case was done for.

"N-n-no accidentally-"

"-water." The man dressed pristinely, completely uncoordinates with the rumpled twisting of his face.

Taehyung grabs the glass and tosses all the water to the corner of the room. Inverts the empty glass in a swift spin of the wrist and bends down over the body. He puts the rim of the glass between the the body's lips as if feeding her a drink.

"Hoseok, what do we see here?" He looks up with a sly glint, lifts up the glass to show how the two small C-shaped bruises on the corner of the lips of the body had perfectly fit into the rim of the glass. "More amusing when you see that there's no glass in the room."

"Now which beverage did you force- feed her?" Hoseok questions already dialing for his subordinates.

"Shoes, fairly new by the appearance of the sole, have severe drags on the length of the heel. While the entire hotel is carpeted, the first drag begins at the wooden floored reception."

Taehyung whips out his kerchief and wipes his hands, thereafter lifting the body's limp hand. "There's skin remnants in the nails, probably when she struggled for life-- similar to the angry red scratches on the back of your neck."

In one swift second he is shoving the hanky back into his pocket and walking out of the door. "Handle the why's and how's yourself. This fucking bored me."

***

The cigarette dangles between his fingers, smoke ropes dancing above to the sky before fading into the night sky-- just the way he does with his thoughts today. Loud and pungent, and suddenly vanishing them into thin air.

"Jungkook is not going to be happy about this." Hoseok snatches away the cig and pulls in a long drag from it himself. With a tickling smile, he offers it back.

"No, thanks."

"What, no snarky remarks about my saliva?" When he only receives a head shake for a reply, Hoseok pulls away from the car that they stood against in the barren parking lot and poses right in front of the other. "Come on, I'm wearing red pants to work! Fan my humiliation kink. I'm right here!"

"Not in the mood." is the only mumble he gets back. Taehyung leans away, ready to get into the car when his friend pushes the car door to close again and pulls him back.

"You know better by now that talking problems out is essential. Who else are you gonna do it with if not me?"

"Don't give yourself too much credit." Taehyung snarls, all empty and forged. "I have many friends."

"And to name a few ..?" Hoseok cannot help but throw his head back laughing when the other only huffs and gets inside the car.

He jogs to round the vehicle himself and slides in the passenger seat, still chuckling over the elation of Taehyung's defeat in a war of words. The other however has his jaw tight, eyes firm on road but pupils distracted in focus.

"I'm all ears no lips." He gestures to lock his lips and throw the metaphorical key on the backseat. "Just sayin'." Adds with a shrug.

Taehyung however continues to drive, and Hoseok then decides to let him be.

It's a good twenty minute drive and Hoseok takes this time to blast some retros in the exquisite class-D amplifier that Taehyung's car was equipped with.

When they finally come to halt in front of his house, Hoseok is wordlessly unbuckling his seatbelt when the silence breaks.

"Have you ever felt inadequate, Hoseok?"

"What do you mean?" Busy lacing up his shoe to get off, he answers nonchalantly. "I hire you for every second case. Inadequacy is my second skin by now."

"No I.. I mean.. Family-wise." it's the barest of murmur, and if it wasn't for the quelching silence in the car, Hoseok would've missed it.

He sighs, leaning back into the seat with eyes trained ahead on the empty lamp post-lit street; peripherally watches Taehyung skew into his seat. "Forget I said anything." Taehyung omits away his words. "Good night, you can get out."

"A lot more than you can imagine." He answers anyway. By the timid gasp that comes from Taehyung, Hoseok can make out his genuine surprise. Sharing your problems might not always get a solution, but the feeling of knowing that you don't stand alone is orphic.

"I don't think you get what I mean." He turns to Hoseok completely, hands nervously fiddling in the lap like the other has seen only a few bitter times. "Daehyun.. He's a good child, right?"

"The best. That little 'Good evening uncle Hobi, I love you.' I swear my poor heart will combust some day."

Taehyung shakes his head, an airy chuckle accompanying. "I didn't teach him that. I didn't teach him anything."

"That can't be true, you're-"

"It is. Sadly, very much so." His hands run through the hair, finally putting away the flick of hair on the forehead. "Who taught him to walk-- Jungkook. To talk-- Jungkook. The manners, the life lessons, the reprimands-- Jungkook! And who am I? The man he sees around his house often!"

"Hey, hey!" Hoseok grabs his hand and squeezes it (brave move, he thinks to himself) "It is fairly normal, yeah?" He tries to be as gentle as he has seen Jungkook be with Taehyung in icy situations.

"Children, at every milestone of life, take from different parents. Honestly, Yora's done everything that you mentioned and I went through your emotions thrice over!"

"No, Hoseok. Your low emotional quotient didn't almost take your partner's life! Mine did." he exasperates. "I love my son, more than I love anything ever. But I loved Jungkook too. You do remember what happened with thqat, right?"

"First of all. Let.That. Go. Now." he seeths gritting his teeth. "Secondly, all my children prefer their mother too. You will learn to live with that because you have your own moments with them."

"You have three boys. Freud's Electra complex can explain your situation. Daffy is one boy with two fathers. Both working on unpredictable hours. If one gets chosen as better, it's obvious the other must be terrible at it."

Hoseok has seen Taehyung through a lot; possibly every stage of heartbreak that documents. But the sheer self-abolishment in his eyes is a first. There's hopelessness as if the best kinds of spectacles lay right in front of him, but with his hands roped back.

There's longing of a kind that has his lips sealed speechlessly even though the right kinds of consolations perch right over the tip of his tongue.

"Until last week, the best part of my entire day used to be him opening the door for me. That adorable 'Good evening dad. I love you' my goodness, that is my whole life. I swear. But then.."

He sighs already starting to sit himself in his poised posture. "Jungkook was away for two days and he couldn't stop asking me to call him about his whereabouts. I never get worried calls from my son."

To abscond from the cracks in his voice, he busies himself fastening the seatbelt. "When Jungkook arrived back, he ran into his arms and hugged him for I don't know how long." he sighs again. "I do know actually, 37 seconds."

Hoseok has no words to say. He does have a lot to explain but its his own surprise at how keen Taehyung is in his action yet cluelessly silent on his words. It is a shocker how hard it must be to keep it all bottled up.

"While I get a greeting that even a bi-annual visitor like you does." Un-letting of any retort, he ignites the engine. "You should really go now. I need to be with my family even if my absence doesn't really make a difference."

**********

"Papa can't we call dad once? Pretty please. Just this one time!" Little legs jog on the spot, lips pouting in plea with eyes holding real twinkling stars.

"Daf, baby you know we can't bother dad during work. He should be back any moment."

"I understand but-" both yelp at the sudden interruption by the doorbell ringing. And then they're grinning incredibly, ear-to-ear smile and sparkle in the whole demeanour.

"Okay shh, calm down." He gives a small pat on the butt. "You open the door, I'll go check the lasagna."

The boy takes a deep breath, tiny cage of his chest lifting up before he smiles and walks to door, half squealing and half trying to hold it back for later.

*
Nicotine on the tip mixes with vanilla on the dorsum of his tongue, leaving with a taste that is repulsive but addictive at the same time. Like how it always works with life.

He has pressed the doorbell and his heart is practically littered on the floor to get a glimpse of the two most precious opulences of his life; yet his littered heart is blue thinking how the other side might not consider the same.

"Good evening, dad." he hops off the stool after unlocking the door. Plump cheeks are elevated to the eyes that crinkle in the most beautiful smile. "I love you."

"Hi buddy." He doesn't want his sullen mood to radiate, so he gently pats the neatly combed head and simply makes his way for the shower.

"He didn't say it back." The boy timidly enters the kitchen where Jungkook is taking off the oven mitts after putting the lasagna on the counter. "I presume he had a bad day."

"Well good thing then you have the best surprise for him to make it better, right?"

"Right!" He jumps clapping his hands together, smile reaching the high of clouds with every bounce of the toes. "Let's get the table ready."

When Taehyung steps out for dinner after the shower, the house is infused with the aroma of everything home. It's instantly grounding; enough for himself to feel a release of some tension from his muscles.

He sits down by the table, smiling at the boy bouncing and squirming in his seat. "What's got you so jumpy, captain?"

"I made your favorite food and papa helped!" He chirps, a big grin stretches over his face. Jungkook clears his throat with a raised brow as he enters with two wine glasses.
"Or the other way round." he mumbles, crossing his little arms over his chest.

Placing the glasses, Jungkook nooks down for their kiss of the day. Taehyung, like his usual self, sighs into the kiss like he's touched with a twinkle of fairy dust each time.
This time however, he gently holds the tip of Jungkook's chin between his fingers and lets his lips rest on his like a realm of desire.

Taehyung chases after his lips when he tries to pull back, compelling one last peck and then suddenly he's turning away to pour the wine.
Jungkook eyes him for a dubious minute, Taehyung's avoiding vision only making it more obvious, but still decides to keep discussing it for the bedroom later.

"So, what're we celebrating here?" he takes an elegant sip from the glass while Jungkook starts serving with a bright smile and a wiggle of eyebrows to Daehyun.

"Can we tell now please please!"

"If you finish your food to the last bit, we can think about it."

"Logically, you cannot think about it since the legal proceedings-"

"Food. Now." The glare is enough to have the boy pouting but nevertheless digging into his supper.

Taehyung however has his mind reeling in awry fields. How close the two of them seem and he, a mere intruder. He quietly eats away his food that he long lost his appetite for, occasionally nodding and humming at the conversation Jungkook tries to indulge him in.

"Tae?" Jungkook's hand on his, forks clinking together, gathers him back. "What's up, love?"

"So..um.. What was the big news?" He dodges the topic successfully, but not so much the dissecting eyes.

"Yes!" Daffy jumps on his seat and grabs a laminated paper that Taehyung had unsurprisingly already noticed on the adjacent chair. "Look! Look! Look!"

"Letter of scholarship." Taehyung mumbles, blood rush of realisation seering past his ears. "..Steiner Woldorf high school?"

"Daffy got a sponsored admission in high school." Jungkook announces with a proud swell of chest.

"H-high school at s-six? What?" Taehyung knows he's tumbling over his words but it's either that or sheer waterworks of his eyes.

"JUST LIKE YOU DADDY!" The boy is lunging into Taehyung's lap and giggles with his head thrown back, tongue poking into the toothless gap of the incisor when Taehyung grabs his cheek into a chunky frail bite.

"So much better than daddy."

"Do-don't.. ha.. don't b-bite me." He says between breathless giggles. "I didn't even disinfect m-my cheek, daddy!." He laughs out loud when the teeth graze his cheek again.

Jungkook catches the flailing chubby hand and places a tender kiss on it, all while his eyes admire Taehgung's glossed over expression, a sublime aura of pride emitting out of him.

"I don't get it.. how did, even-"

"This little demon applied himself and-"

Taehyung smiles down gripping again at the certificate "Don't they usually hold entrance exams and all?"

"I cleared it, dad!" He sits up on his thighs with a smug grin. "It was so easy and I didn't even have to-"

"Who drove you to it?" The smile on his face starts to fade when he turns to Jungkook for an answer to his question that conspicuously is rhetorical.

"I did." He begins with careful notice. "Daffy wanted this to be kept a surprise for you."

"And if he had not cracked the entrance-" Taehyung shakes his head in a dry chuckle. "-I guess I would've never found out what goes on in my son's life."

Daffy gasps dramatically. "Why would I not crack it? I am unmistakably more skilled than the sweaty-Harry who just graduated sophomore year."

"Why.." The forced stretch of Taehyung's lips into the smile is painfully apparent. "Why couldn't I be the one you confided in? We could've surprised papa together."

Jungkook gulps at that. Not the annotation or the undertone of it. But the excruciatingly wrong abstract Taehyung has driven himself to. Two decades of studying each other to the heart beat gives you the semaphores of hurt in it.

"Are you upset?" The boy stands on his knees balanced on his thighs. With a hefty pout he begins to fiddle with the collar of Taehyung's night shirt.
"I just want to be like you."

"Oh baby." Taehyung sighs, placing a gentle kiss on his temple. "Never, never be like me. You're taking a bad example for yourself."

None of the three nudge the topic furthermore as they munch on the dessert. When they're wrapping up at the dinner, Taehyung in the kitchen doing the dishes Jungkook notices Daffy mindlessly staring at the certificate, scratching at the edge of the lamination.

"Baby, what's up?"

"Nothing." He jumps off the chair, posture and demeanor a little too much like someone just a wall away. "Bed-time. Good night papa. GOOD NIGHT DAD!"

"'NIGHT."

All Jungkook can do is plop down on the dining chair and put his head into his palms. "How the fuck did I end up with two version of the same person?!"

It's later then, when he gets out of the shower catches Taehyung puffing his pillow getting ready for bed, that the silence in the room is choking.

Taehyung over the past years has taken penchant in being particularly chatty during this hour. Today he seems distracted enough for that.

Jungkook wordlessly walks to the dresser, sits down, holds the towel he had around his neck up above his head and clears his throat, loudly. Loud enough for the dazed husband to break out of his train of thoughts and arrive at Jungkook-station.

Through the mirror reflection, he watches Taehyung drop the pillow with a sigh and walk to him reluctantly. He takes the towel that Jungkook holds out and starts to massage it on his hair gently drying them.

"Should I be scared?" Jungkook's lids droop on the tender pats on the scalp, curtains of hair that fall on his forehead decorate his vision.

"What for?"

"You know, the criminal stuff you were out for today."

"Today— as opposed to the build-a-bear delivery boy I've been all my life?" Despite his eyes blinding by the towel that rubs his head, it's a voice he knows is accompanied with rolling eyes.

"Tae... honey, you have to tell me what's wrong.. we can't keep waiting for mental disorders and murders to sit and talk about our problems."

"Don't mock these things." Taehyung dumps the towel on his head with an impact and walks away when Jungkook giggles at his own (non) joke.

When Taehyung's back by the edge of the bed again with the pillow Jungkook takes this as an opportunity to slide his arms across the elder's torso in a back hug; he shelfs his chin on the broad shoulder.

"Bugsy, put a shirt on. I don't want you catching a cold."

"Are you going to puff that pillow into a parachute, or what?" He nuzzles into his neck, a trail of pecks to the back of it till he's hearing the man sigh.

"Daffy-" It seemed like all he had done since he got home was sigh. "D-daffy deserves a better father."He finds himself blurting before there's a green to go.

"What?" Jungkook pulls back.

"You heard me."

"Did I do something?"

"Yes, you did." He turns back, holding Jungkook's face in the curve of his palms. "You married me."

There's question in Jungkook's eyes. An evanescent smear of something bordering between offended and forlorn.

"He deserves someone who can put in as much emotion as you do."

"Is it about the admission? He just wanted to surprise you-"

"It isn't about that!" He slumps backwards to sit on the bed. "You know how to make people fall in love with you. Well I clearly don't."

Climbing on the bed, Jungkook climbs on Taehyung's thighs until he's completely straddling him; legs looping around the man's waist like a belt. With a careful pitch, he whispers. "Shoulder rubs?"

"Shoulder rubs."

He brings the pads of his fingers right above the trapezius and begins with placid pressure circles on it. The reaction, like ever, is immediate when Taehyung drops forward on him with a sough of 'thank you'.

"Remember that time you slipped from the hoverboard trying to act all cool for him and landed straight on your ass?"

While Taehyung scowls, Jungkook slides his fingers to the shoulder blades at the back, gently continuing to massage. "He never touched the hoverboard again, do you know?"

"Of course he didn't. I scarred him for life!"

"Nope." He snickers, leaning to tenderly touch the tip of their noses together. "He imprisoned the board for the next 7 years in the storage closet under the daddy-hurt'er law breach under section god-knows-what of the Daffy-law-book."

"He wrote a law book?!" He smiles, then frowns again. "See, I didn't know that too. I don't know anything about my son."

"I found that out when I was forcing him out of his room for his birthday party and he sentenced me a 'restraining order'. Then I wasn't in the mood for chit-chat."

"Oh boy, you were mad mad that day." They stare at each other, a whole nother conversation that the glimmer of their eyes indulge in.

"Yes because you were sooo helpful. We had to serve food without the birthday boy arriving." He rolls his eyes, jabbing the swell of his thumb into the collarbone for extra bore of his annoyance.

"I'm not gonna force my baby into making friends when I know the pain that gives a child!"

Jungkook's hands glide to the back of his neck, now rolling the skin under his fingertips. "He has picked up your habit of smirking at the mirror! God it's so annoying!"

"Handsomeness deserves to be smirked for." Taehyung's own fingers find their predilection on Jungkook's velvety skin over the waist, drawing tender circles on the smooth skin.

"He dresses up as you on every halloween."

"Was it your idea about the magnifying glass?" He narrows his eyes but a feeble version of the smile still escapes. He receives a similar smiley huff for a reply.

"Well that's non-detective-y of you to not carry one. My son is a perfectionist."

There's a minute of serene silence before Taehyung shifts to tighten his arms around the other's waist and sullenly lay his head on his chest. Jungkook knows his cue to envelop him back, hands tenderly carding through the dark brown strands that glimmer in grey highlights of age.

"He never runs to hug me when I get home."

"It was you who mentioned the germs you carry from the crime scenes. Logically so, it's actually a surprise he takes that head-pat. Because when Jim visits after work, he uses his rain-coat as a PPE kit."

"True, but..." Taehyung adjusts his head over the shoulder, cheek pressing for the words to mumble up in his mouth. "I don't get 'when will you get back' calls like you do."

"That's because I told him he can't!"

"What, why?!"

"You used to get so mad at me when I bothered you for irrelevant stuff during work!" Both draw back in equal measure of an offended frown.

"Well, I'm pretty sure my son would know better than calling during an undercover mission to ask if mentos in guava juice would explode too?"

"That." He slaps the other's chest, making him retract with a wince. "Was." Slap "one." Slap "low." Slap "moment." Slap "Stop bringing that up every chance you get."

"Then." Taehyung arcs himself to lightly grab Jungkook's chin between his teeth. "Let." Bite "My baby." Bite "Call." Bite "Me."

"Hey! I was your baby first."

Taehyung draws back and lays sideways on the bed, Jungkook automatically situating himself behind the older to pick him into his spoon. "And you always will be." He rests his back against Jungkook's chest.

"He chose me for the secret because it's you he seeks validation from. It's you he wants to make proud. Always you."

Taehyung ponders more and more on the words and even though he feels weight practically lifted off of his chest, there's a newfound brick on his shoulders. Something urging him to be better. To be worth looking up to.

"I may have bagged the friend-father position, but that doesn't even buzz close to the hero-father designation that you got. You're his hero. As much as you are mine."

Taehyung feels the choke of his throat with sentiments so much so that he could see himself and his subpar poetic skills waxing sonnets on how incredible of a man Jungkook has grown to be.

His emotional maturity undoubtedly stands the baseground why they still are together and why even if it began the other way round, it's Taehyung who saves himself from drowning each time by holding on to his only anchor.. Jungkook.

"And not to mention he literally is your son. No matter how much you avoid accepting."

Ah yes, at the time when Taehyung had proposed an adoption 'contract', they didn't foresee the havoc it'd put their lives into.

Only recently legalised same-sex marriage, the adoption centres that year had enormous hesitancies on child care in an all-male household. Thankfully, finding a surrogate came in fairly easily.

They incorporated IVF by alternative sperm donation until she conceived and promised each other to never try to find out who's space shuttle made it to the launchpad.

It wasn't much of a guess now.

"We don't know that!" Taehyung locks their hands together. "He could be any of our's."

"Tae, I love your support but I failed spoke English, the only language I know, in fourth grade and this boy started reading at 10 months old."

The other is only left to chuckle whilst bringing their locked hands to his lips and leaving tiny pecks on the back of it. "How do you always always know what to say? You're so perfect, Bugsy." Kisses the hand again.

"I'm not. Neither are you. But we are perfect together. And perfect for our little one. Perfect Freak family."

There's a small knock before the door to their room creaks open; wide awake eyes, clutching a paper to his chest, Daehyun peeps his head in through the crevice.

"Would it be alright for me to come in at this hour?"

"It would be alright at any hour, baby." Both of them turn to face him, slouching half up.

"I just had an announcement to make. I first decided to do it in the morning but I couldn't sleep so.."

"And you have a written document of it." Taehyung clutches at his heart like he's presented with the most dreamy scenario. "My baby!" He whispers and puts a dramatic hand over his mouth.

"Yes, dad. Since I unintentionally upset you with the surprise about joining high school, I repent by rejecting the scholarship. I shall stay in elementary school and let the world suffer the lack of my intelligence for a few more years. Of course that'd be a big loss for science, not experiencing such a prodigious brain, but I am willing to make that sacrifice. That's all."

He takes a big inhale after reading the speech in one breath and looks up at his fathers trying hardest not to laugh. "Still have doubts about the gene pool after that humble speech?" Jungkook whispers into Taehyung's ear.

"Come here you." Taehyung lifts the other off the ground. Daffy mid-air kicks his slippers off and climbs to sit on Taehyung's stomach while Jungkook cuddles into the older's chest.
"You are going to be a high schooler."

"I am? Why?"

"Truth?"

"Always." The boy nods proudly, a subtle jiggle of his full cheeks combined.

"Because dad is so very very very very proud of you."

If Taehyung had to make a list of all his regrets in life, not saying this earlier would be on a whooping top ten; especially when the boy's face suddenly beams like the star on top of the Christmas tree.

"He's proud of me!" Daffy whispers in Jungkook's direction as if sharing with him a secret in his personal confines.

"Really?" Jungkook whispers back with comically wide eyes.

Taehyung laughs at that. Maybe he could live with take charge of being the hero and just sit back and watch the friend-father work his magic. Maybe.

"Oh, dad. I wanted to warn you that the wheels of the choo-choo train you're building might get jammed pretty soon."

"Uh.. what?"

A panicked Jungkook suddenly sits up and faces Taehyung behind where Daffy sits on his stomach. He exaggeratedly mouths 'HE FOUND THE LUBE. I HAD TO LIE!'

"Yes. I suggest you use a lubricant with a lower viscosity. I'm not sure if you know, but the one that you're using is made for having intercourse where the friction between-"

"OKAY! TIME FOR SLEEP! Daffy must sleep with us tonight! Best boys deserve the best cuddles!" Taehyung flips the boy to the side and spoons him from behind, Jungkook doing the same to him.

But not before a pinch to his side with an 'it's all your fault.' To which he can do nothing but gape with 'what the fuck did I do?'

"What were you guys talking about before I came?" Audibly on the brink of sleep, the boy tries to keep a conversation nonetheless.

"We were talking about how you are the best gift to us." Jungkook circles his arm over Taehyung to glide his fingers through the boy's hair.

"That is actually wrong.." he slurs, half in sleep. "GIFT stands for Gamete intrafallopian transfer, but I was actually an ICSI that is Intracytoplasmic sperm injection where t-the...." The volume descends of him babbling into a slumber.

"Compassionate-genius." Taehyung mumbles turning to his husband.

"Freaky-brat." Jungkook hisses back, offended but smiling despite.

Taehyung had always had a disliking towards the concept of constellations, always detested the theory of conceptualising something that is only imagined. Illogical.

Now however, he understands it more than ever.

Now when he has his two stars in life, he can only see them decorate for himself in all their razzle and dazzle, leaving his stomach aflutter at
Because in every universe, he'd give anything to end up with his Baby Looney toons.

===================================

I decided to put this in Logolepsy bc I think the book has a good closure in itself and this is just... *big sigh*

CANT GET ENOUGH? THERE ARE MORE TINY ENL STORY THINGS WRITTEN ON MY TWITTER (@/the_sanctuaryX) head over!!

8k words of peak domesticity for you. Thank you so so much for sparing your time on this.

Lola, Bugs and Daffy for you all 🥺🥺

Byeeeeee