Seven years later.

Jungkook.

"It looks the same, right?"

"No it doesn't?" He glances, no, glares at me, rather cutely, before drawing out a long sigh, hands going out to his waisted sassily. "It's all your fault, we should have just bought it from the shop. It would have saved us the time...and this mess." He motions with a finger to the flour covering the counters and the kitchen floors, and the obvious mess of an attempt at chocolate cake that is barely holding together. 

"C'mon, it's not that bad, it's looks edible...if we cut out the burnt parts." He stares at me for a second, before busting over in giggles, his flour covered hands clutching at his stomach. Of course he finds humor in this. It's a fail. When I asked him if he wanted to bake a chocolate cake for dessert tonight, he bluntly said I knew nothing about baking, and in my quest to prove him wrong, and need to do a fun activity with him today, I might have lied a little bit about my kitchen skills. Now it is showing.  "Your so done." He lets out as he calms down from his laughter. Tilting his head to get a look at the cake, then scrunching his nose slightly at the visible damage. 

"Well, shit."

"Daaaad...." He scolds immediately, eyes widening slightly at forbidden word. "My bad, shouldn't have said that." I apologise, smiling at him before ruffling his hair with a dirty hand, smoothly trying to get him back for making fun of my cake earlier. He groans, I am sure it's accompanied with an eye roll, one I can't see as he turns on his heels to walk out of the kitchen. He returns only seconds later with a jar, half way filled with shinny pennies, and a few other small objects, that I can't make out properly, but are probably of value, for leverage purposes I assume. He stretches his hands in front of him, thrusting the jar in my direction, but keeping a hold on it.

It's my turn to groan at him, rolling my eyes away as I search my pockets. I am half covered in flour, and butter, and a bit of eggs so I don't feel half bad as I fish into my pants with a dirty hand. "I don't have a penny." I reply, feeling my back pockets. He doesn't seem to care as he raises a brow, pushing the jar even closer to me. "That's, ok. You can just pay in with a note."

"Nice try." I reply, catching onto what he is doing. He is sleek, but I am older, and experienced. I've played this before, I invented this. I know it was my idea to get everyone to watch their language around him, but I am starting to think he is taking the swear jar way seriously than I thought he would. He has been policing around, making sure to receive a penny for every bad word he hears. Small objects of value if you don't have a coin, or better yet, a note if you don't have either.

Maybe it's because I said he could buy a new toy with what he collects, or maybe he is just a typical kid who is excited to catch people doing wrong, but either way, a tiny part of me -other than the part that is proud of him for keeping toes with this task, - a tiny part of me is tired of paying up, or rather getting caught. Admittedly, half of everything in there is from me, I have contributed the most, alongside Jisung, my driver, who has been under my influence but is now learning to reform just like I am. His Appa is surprisingly good at this, and has only have to pay once, twice at most, or maybe he has only been caught those few times. Unfair if you ask me.

"Alright fine, I'll pay with a note, but just for today. That's the last of my bad words too." I say dropping in a bill, not sure if I am trying to convince him or myself. He of course isn't swayed, if anything he looks almost sure he'll catch me within the next hour, scoffing. Kids these days.

"Ok, now you need to wash up before Appa gets here." I remind him, looking at the wall clock that only holds an hour before dinner. He looks up from his bowl, looking past me to the mess we made in the kitchen, then back up at me with his round eyes. "We don't have enough time." He exclaims. I love how he always switches from roasting me, to being my wingman, although right now I don't need him worrying about anything other than him, and all that...mess he has going on. I am starting to think pouring flour on him, especially on his hair, wasn't the best idea, although it was really fun at the moment.

"Don't worry about that, I want you to go have a bath. Will you go prepare while I clear this?" I motion back to the mess. "Appa said I could bathe on my own now." He says, looking up at me. "Can I?" He asks, pouts almost. I know he has been trying to ease into growing up lately, but somehow I still feel like he is too young, and won't do it appropriately. But I am in a rush now, and I guess I could cut him some slack, seeing as he enjoys it too much.

"Alright, but don't take too long ok, I'll be there in a few." I say after him, the kid already running out of the room. Six years of age he is. He is cute, polite, lively, funny, lovable, endearing, and above all smart. Too smart for his age. He is aware of his surroundings, very observant, and understanding, and I am glad to have him as my son. God, I can't believe seven years has gone by already, I can't believe we've come, and made it this far.

It was only yesterday I was asking Seokjin to come with me to America. Feels like only days ago that I was asking him to marry me, and look where we are now. We are engaged, with a son! We weren't expecting to be parents so soon. But it happened, and we had Jeonghan, and he was the best thing that ever happened to us, he brought us closer, more than we could imagine. He was just this bundle of joy that filled our lives with laughter and washed away our worries. He was an angel.

Seven years back Seokjin accepted my proposal to move abroad. He agreed to give himself another shot at life, and took huge leap of faith by coming along. The first two years were difficult for him, especially with the pregnancy, and eventually the baby. He had to adjust too, get used to being without his friends, and of course the difference in culture, but he managed, we did. He knew he needed the change, and the healing it would bring him, so he fought. I was beside him through it, loving him and our baby. I kept reminding him that we were having a miracle in our lives, and he had a reason to chase life even harder.

When Jeonghan came along, it was admittedly the light at the end of his tunnel. He was again the man I knew back when we were teenagers. He had found a new joy, something worth fighting for other than what we shared. He was happy, immaculate. Jeonghan changed him, or rather brought back the old Seokjin.

But we had to juggle him with the other responsibilities we had. Seokjin finally got to work physically, presenting as the face behind the designs that had made headlines in the fashion world during his hiatus.  Ones he had been working on during his pregnancy and post delivery. He finally got the attention he deserved, and with a little push, he was running an empire. Standing proud among the best designers in the world.

By the time Jeonghan was four, we had made our mark in the states, we had achieved our legacy, and we were living our dreams. We were unstoppable together, so we made plans to return home and make a ground for our business in Korea and a home for us as well. Seokjin wasn't forthcoming at first, he wasn't sure he was ready to be go back especially with the unpleasant memories he associated Korea with. He feared his wounds had not healed fully, and being around in Seoul, would open everything back up. Eventually he caved, wanting Jeonghan to grow up to be familiar with his roots as well.

Eighteen months ago we finally made our return. We made sure everything was running smoothly with our businesses in the states before we made our official debut in Korea. We were already selling big before we came back, but the official launch of KSJ here was a huge lead, together with my co-companies, and the mergence of my industries with his, we were definitely huge.

Seokjin was learning to take it step by step, he hadn't reeled into an acute depression like he thought he would, and his fear of this place was certainly dissipating. We might have been A list celebrities, but we made sure to maintain a low profile. It was no news that we were engaged and working together, but that's about all the media knew. We didn't want Jeonghan to grow up in the limelight, knowing well every bad thing that came along with it. He was already having a hard time making new friends at his new school, and we didn't want to add more to that. He was extremely smart for a six year old, and knew what, and what not to do with his status, so we weren't entirely worried about him.

I choose him a comfortable pair of clothes for the evening, before walking to the bathroom opposite - where I hear him play with his toys - to check on him.

"I thought we said we were rushing it up." I say, smiling lightly when he submerges the iron man figurines into the water. Of course he would get distracted playing around with his toys. I hold out the towel to him, helping him out of the tub. "Are you sure your clean?" I ask him playfully, taking another towel to dry his hair with. "Yes, dad." He pauses a second, as he takes on my still flour covered shirt. "But your not."

"No? I thought I could go like this, what's wrong with it?" I joke, making a playful offended look. "Dad, your covered in white, and you smell like raw eggs. If your trying to impress Appa, it's not gonna work. Trust me, he doesn't like this look." I can't help laugh at that. He has probably gotten yelled at a few times for getting dirty like this, covered in goo, or those slimy things he gets when he goes to school, but other than that, I am still surprised at him thinking I am trying to impress Jin. Ok, maybe I am, but how does he know that, or even know this all to begin with.

I am telling you, he knows too much for a six year old.

"Alright, champ, what would you suggest that will impress Appa?" I question as I lead him to his room, pointing out his clothes that he needs to change in. He pauses for a second, like he is thinking about it, tilting his head back, and narrowing his eyes slightly. "Lots of things. But I think he'll like that you made dinner. Just don't show him the burnt cake." He has a way of reading us, this rare gift of observation that he has that allows him to make us happy. It's like he always knows what to say, what will lift our moods when we are down, or the things that would write off our worries when we are stressed. Maybe it's something that all kids have, or maybe it's just what kids do, but it has lifted my spirits nonetheless.

I wanted tonight to be a surprise for Seokjin, and I wasn't sure if it would go well. You'd think that's an absurd thing to say for people who have been engaged for four years now, but it's real. He knows it's our anniversary today, and instead of doing the usual dinner out on a fancy restaurant, I wanted a family dinner with all of us. Just comfy and casual at home, and I wasn't sure if it is what he would be expecting. Not that he is rigid to change, or demanding in any way, I just didn't want to disappoint him, and I thank Jeonghan for being here to remind that he won't.

I clean up Jeonghan's bathroom, before moving to down the hall to take a quick shower and make a change of clothes. I go for casual,  downing a pair of grey sweat pants, and a black hoodie, alongside some comfy slippers. Jeonghan helps me prepare the dinning table, while the help assist with the mess from earlier. We are just about done when the front opens, a shivery, dressed in suit, and cherry looking Seokjin walks in. The love of my life, the farther of my children, my fiance.

"Happy anniversary." Jeonghan shouts out as he runs to him.

I know I have been gone this week, haven't been the same since last Sunday, but oh well...😁 It is what it is, next time maybe.

Share with me what you think about this, if it matches what you were expecting and of course what your looking forward to.

Thank you all and stay safe.