Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Bottom line is, I need you to be her father.”

Namjoon remembers stilling in his seat, his head tilted in confusion because he’s not sure if he just heard the man right. Surely, Kim Seokjin, one of the highest paid and renowned actors from South Korea, did not just say that Namjoon needed to be someone’s father. Namjoon’s sure as hell not the actor around here. 

“I’m sorry—what?” Namjoon balks, completely stunned. “S-sir Kim, I thought you just wanted a nanny and an undercover bodyguard?”

To begin with, Namjoon would have never thought that this man right here would even be the person behind this whole ordeal in the first place. After three screening interviews Namjoon did with random nobodies just to land on this final one with the actual employer himself, Namjoon never expected to meet one of the most influential and popular public figures in not just Korea, but of the whole world.

Back then, Namjoon remembers the Kim Seokjin sighing from where he sat across from the applicant. “Look, Namjoon-ssi, I’m not going to lie to you. The world doesn’t know that I have a daughter, and they can’t know that I do have one. Jihyo’s safety would be compromised, and my agency—they’re going to file a case against me because that was one of my terms. I never even knew that I got an omega pregnant, but she’s here, three years after she’s born, and I will protect my daughter even if it’s from myself and my own world.”

Seokjin says seriously, and Namjoon patiently listens, giving the man the benefit of the doubt.

“The only way I can do that is, of course, by keeping her a secret. I don’t want to do this, but my career can’t be compromised and yet I will never let any sort of harm come Jihyo’s way.” He explains, looking appropriately scorned, but Namjoon barely bites back a scoff. What kind of father thinks about his career first before his own child? “So that’s why I hired someone to find me a babysitter who can also double as her personal bodyguard. According to your resumé, you have a history working for bodyguard agencies, right?”

Namjoon keeps his face collected. “I do.”

“Right,” Seokjin nods. “And that’s good, because that’s exactly who I’ll need for her. Someone who can care for her and protect her at the same time. But Namjoon-ssi, keeping her identity hidden for now is absolutely crucial, and she’s going to start school soon. I worry that if my name would be written down as her father, the media might find out about this—find her—and put Jihyo in a very dangerous situation.”

For what it’s worth, Seokjin genuinely looked distressed at the mere thought of anyone hurting his daughter. But it’s also painfully obvious that this handsome actor has a million things in his mind.

And it’s his career that takes centerstage. 

“Sooo…” Namjoon begins to trail off. Wondering why this man had to go to such an extent, but then again, Namjoon remembers signing an NDA before he even stepped into Seokjin’s home office, stating very drastic consequences should he ever expose what he discovers today. “You don’t want your name to be in any of your daughter’s papers?”

Seokjin nods mournfully, looking away as if he was afraid of being judged. “I, uhm, I… I know that’s not really possible, so that’s why I’ll really need you, Namjoon-ssi. Because as a front, it’s going to be your name I’ll have to put into her records.”

Namjoon remembers being so appalled at that moment. But even more, he was—

“Although it’s just temporary and as a mere pretense, I still mean it in every sense of the word,” Seokjin looks at the most promising candidate out of the top three he has filtered out from the hundreds that applied in one of the highest paying babysitter jobs in the market. “Namjoon-ssi, I need you to be Jihyo’s father.”

—saddened.

Namjoon’s heart hurts for the little girl he ought to meet.

How can you even ask a stranger to be your daughter’s father? Namjoon hasn’t even met the girl. For goodness’ sake, this man doesn’t even know a single thing about Namjoon except for what was written on his papers based on the thorough background check Seokjin did on Namjoon. And even then, being a child’s father is no job that any person can simply apply for.

Much more if it was for his own child.

Namjoon tried not to let the crippling disappointment manifest itself as he stared at Korea’s golden face that more than half of the country admired—Namjoon included. There’s nothing noble about Seokjin’s actions. Granted that he was willing to pay 50 million won per month to whoever gets the job, and that Seokjin has thoroughly screened the applicants right from their preliminary interviews with his staff. For Namjoon, it’s all inconsequential. Very superficial. 

All Seokjin’s efforts are in vain, because at the end of the day, he is passing off that single responsibility that his own daughter needs him for. Wealth, a penthouse, or her own personal playground right in their very own lot? No.

What this Jihyo girl needed was her dad, and Seokjin was in no way ready to be a father.

(Nor is he willing to give up what he has just yet in order to become a full on parent.)

“Sir, is, uhm…” Right off the bat, Namjoon knew he should have said no. This was a job that required more than its initial description. But besides the ridiculous pay, Namjoon’s heart feels for the child, and he… he foolishly doesn’t want her to be neglected—no child deserves to even be neglected in the first place—even though he is yet to meet her. “H-How are we going to proceed with this if I say yes?”

Seokjin takes the omega’s interest with a pleased smile.

“Of course there will be a trial, Namjoon-ssi. Perhaps for the next fifteen to thirty days, I’m going to see how well you work with Jihyo. All paid, of course. But then, if everything goes well, you two will start to live in the high rise apartment I have set up for her in another city right before her school year begins.”

Wait a minute—“In another city?!”

Seokjin once again avoids the man’s eyes as he clears his throat. “Yes. Like what I said, no one must know that I’m Jihyo’s father, and that means she can’t be seen living with me. Don’t worry, though, I’ll try to visit as often as I can. I won’t get rid of her, Namjoon-ssi. I just really need to keep her away from the public eye, and you know by now that even the ramen I buy creates gigantic waves in the media. What more when people find out that I have a child?”

Scratch that, Namjoon wasn’t just saddened for this little girl. He was absolutely, devastatingly heartbroken for her.

Namjoon knew that Seokjin had a notorious bachelor image that is his biggest selling point. He’s handsome, talented, single, and rich, even after almost twenty years in the industry. But goodness, despite everything the actor has accumulated, is it still not enough? How can he still put all that over his own fucking daughter? 

Maybe it’s stupid. But it was at that very moment that Namjoon decided. Jihyo won’t have another person in her life that would basically shoo her away. The child, though Namjoon doesn’t know her yet, is innocent. She deserves to have someone.

Still, Namjoon decides to trek this agreement very carefully. “Sir, I, uh, I’ll review the contract and I’ll tell you my decision soon. Maybe give me another two to three days or so.”

Seokjin nods eagerly. “Of course, of course. Take all the time that you need. Go over the papers and if there’s something else you’ll need or a term you wanna add or remove, we can definitely discuss that. But if you do say yes, we can immediately begin your trial period with my daughter.”

Namjoon tries not to let his eyes twitch again. Seokjin was making it seem like his own child was nothing but a lab rat.

The applicant was ready to end his interview then and there, before Namjoon remembered a small detail he swore to himself that he’d inform his employer of right from the very start.

Not making the same mistake again.

“Mr. Kim, before I make any decision, I must have you know.” Namjoon tilts his jaw forward, almost in challenge. “Although I keep my subgender undisclosed in my official documents, I would just like you to know that I’m an omega, sir, and I hope that that wouldn't be a problem with you.”

Namjoon's tongue clicks, hating that he has to inform people of his subgender like it's a precautionary measure and not a simple state of biology. But then again, what happened in his last job can never happen again.

Thankfully, it seems like Seokjin still has an ounce of humanity within him. “I don’t see how it would be,” He shrugs nonchalantly. “I think it would even be better. Jihyo’s omega father left her at my doorstep all of a sudden, and the last contact we both have of him is when he signed off her full custody to me, so it would be good if Jihyo still had an omega figure to guide her through her life.”

With every more fact Namjoon comes to know about the mysterious child, the more determined he is to never let this poor angel live in a life full of abandonment. Not when he could help.

“Good.” Namjoon bows in acknowledgment, not gratitude. “Please expect my call soon, Mr. Kim. Thank you.”

That interview had been nearly eight months ago. Two days after that day, Namjoon responded back with an affirmative with a few tweaks to his contract. Within twenty four hours, he was then introduced to Seokjin’s only daughter.

The young girl back then was adorable, but too quiet—wary, even. She had every single thing any child could ever ask for. Toys, gadgets, a big spacious room with a large playpen. Her pink colored walls looked straight out of a child’s tasy, and her walk-in closet was filled with so many pretty dresses, accessories,and shoes—all designer too, like what the fuck does a three year old need Channel bracelets and Versace doll shoes for? 

Oh, Seokjin gave her absolutely everything.

But right from the very first time Namjoon met her, what the omega immediately noticed was how dull Jihyo’s eyes were.

For a nearly four year old kid, the poor girl looked nothing like how children should be. Bubbly? Joyful? Smiling? No. Jihyo was withdrawn, aloof, and painfully shy. Almost as if she hasn’t had the chance to have a friend in ages.

Much more, a father.

The first week had been difficult and a little awkward. Introducing a potential father, and not just a mere babysitter, to a young toddler is no easy task. Namjoon remembers doing most of the talking, Jihyo barely giving him one-word responses then. But it was only ten days into their trial that something finally shifted.

Right before Namjoon bid his goodbye to the girl for the night, Jihyo surprisingly clutched the end of his shirt, forcing Namjoon to bend down to her height.

“You said swing f-fun, like the prince in the book!” Red-cheeked Jihyo chewed on her bottom lip, looking up at Namjoon with a pleading pout. “We go swing tomowwow?”

Namjoon’s heart melted. It was the first time Jihyo asked him for anything, and it wasn’t for another toy or another gaming console. No. All she wanted was to play. Like a regular child.

Not one isolated by her own dad.

“Oh okay, I’ll ask permission from your father about it,” Namjoon offers her his pinky. “But I promise I’ll convince him to let me take you to the playground, even if it’s just the one here in the apartment complex.”

Jihyo stares at Namjoon’s pinky in confusion. “What that?”

Namjoon chuckles. “This is a pinky promise, Hyo,” He says, guiding the girl to interlace their pinkies together. “This means that I will do everything I can to give you what you asked me for.”

Jihyo doesn’t look like she gets it fully. But in the ten days that Namjoon has been here, he has unequivocally garnered her fragile trust in his careful hands. A feat that not even Seokjin could rightfully have.

So she locks her pinky in, and at that moment, Namjoon swore that he would bend the world backwards if that’s what Jihyo wants. If that’s what she asks from him in a pinky promise.

“Okie, ba-bye, we go swing tomowwow, okay?”

That was nearly seven months ago. As of today, Jihyo is halfway through her first school year in preschool. It’s been half a year since she moved in with Namjoon at this ridiculously lavish apartment that had more rooms than the love her fathers has ever given her.

It’s also been six months since Jihyo started calling him—

“Appa!” She exclaimed, full blown glee painted on her face as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Woooooow! ‘Tis soooo pretty, appa, woah!”

Never in his twenty seven years of existence would Namjoon have ever thought that he would add the professional braider skill to his resumé, but here he was now, expertly tying the little girl’s milkmaid braids over the crown of her little head with a proud glint in his eyes.

“Oh why thank you, princess,” Namjoon grins elatedly. Fish tails, crown braid, headband, waterfall, or milkmaids? Yeah, Namjoon’s got that all mastered. “I’m glad you liked it!”

Jihyo giggles again, marveling at her hairstyle for the day with big shiny eyes. Namjoon listened to her intently as he fixed the ribbon tie of her uniform and kept babbling about how it looked like a crown as they rode the car and went to school. Jihyo, she’s… she looks and sounds so happy that Namjoon almost forgets the three gruesome hours he spent the day before practicing this specific type of braid over and over again on the wig he bought all those months ago.

The little princess always loved having her hair done. On her first day of school, Namjoon had been so dejected when she came home and asked him if he could do her hair, too, like all her other pretty classmates. Namjoon was so embarrassed that he immediately booked a trip to the mall with Jihyo and secretly bought a wig with the same hair length as hers, along with a whole mannequin head and different colors of hair elastics, clips, and other shit the sales lady tricked him into purchasing. Those things are exactly what Namjoon used as he followed through Cute Girls Hairstyles tutorials on YouTube, meticulously perfecting every step until he managed to execute the hairstyle to Jihyo’s tiny head.

It worked. The next day, Jihyo went to school with a big, beaming smile on her face even if Namjoon’s braids were still sloppy and kinda messy. Months after that, Jihyo never went to school with her hair looking half-assed, always the best, and Namjoon would sometimes even inspect her classmates’ head and see how he could one up that kid’s hairstyle by tomorrow. 

Namjoon was passive-aggressive just like that.

“Okay, princess, have fun in school today, okay?” At this corner of the staircase leading to Jihyo’s preschool, Namjoon kneels down to meet her four year old height, brushing away the loose strands from her face that the YouTube tutorial said would supposedly frame her face. “I’ll see you in the afternoon. Enjoy your day and behave, okay, Jihyo-yah?”

“Okay, appaaaa!” As always, Jihyo gives Namjoon a big hug, rubbing their cheeks together with a cheeky grin. “Jihyo be good, appa see Jihyo later?”

Namjoon rubs his cheeks back against hers. Oh how he loves her so much. “Yes, I’ll wait for you, but promise me you’re gonna be good and have lots and lots of fun. Don’t be shy, okay? Listen to your teacher and don’t get into trouble.”

“No twouble! No twouble!” Jihyo promises, lips pursued in her attempt at being serious. It was so adorable that Namjoon found himself giggling.

Namjoon places a kiss on her forehead, before intertwining their hands together. “Come on, let’s go!” Hand-in-hand, these two walked inside the building, immediately finding Jihyo’s preschool teacher waiting for them by the third door on the right.

“Jihyo-yah, good morning, and woah, I love you hair, sweetie, you’re so pretty!” Jimin waves from where he stands, wearing a bright yellow cardigan and equally bright smile as he marvels at the pretty hairstyle Namjoon has done on his pretty little girl. Even from this far, Namjoon could hear the echoes of children’s squeals and laughter from inside the classroom. Jihyo was just on time. “How was your weekend, Jihyo-yah, anything fun happened?”

Jihyo thanks him in a giggle for his compliment and Namjoon subtly straightens his back because he’s the one who did Jihyo’s hair. “Morning, Teacher Mimi, thank you, and yes, yes! Jihyo and appa went aquarium last Satuwday, t’was sooo much fun!”

Jimin genuinely looks engrossed at the way Jihyo rambled about the surprise weekend she had with her appa, and Namjoon couldn’t help but smile fondly at her, especially when Jihyo told her handsome teacher about how Namjoon bought a crab plushie for her… and for himself.

“Wow, that’s so cool, tell me more about it later during lunch, alright? I wanna hear more about your aquarium adventure,” Jimin pats her head, careful not to ruin her gorgeous braids. “But for now, take your seat, okay? We’re gonna start soon so I need everyone in their places.”

Jihyo nods dutifully and with one last wave to Namjoon, she enters her classroom, immediately spotting her best friend, Sana, and the two of them taking their assigned seats together, side-by-side.

“Well, now that she’s in there, good morning, Namjoon-ssi, I’m glad you and Jihyo had a wonderful weekend.” Jimin, all of a sudden, turns a little brighter. Eyes twinkling as he regarded this parent with much more exuberance than any other guardian. “You look good this morning.”

But just like the first time Namjoon has met Jihyo’s teacher, the smile automatically falls from his face. Namjoon’s spine straightens, and his lips fall into a cryptic frown as he regards his princess’ teacher with a cordial bow. “Thank you, Jimin-ssi, and yes, my daughter and I did. I hope you had a great weekend, too.”

Despite being the recipient of such icy treatment for the past half a year, the brusqueness of the handsome father does nothing to deter Jimin’s Monday morning spirit. “I did, I did. Me and my best friend checked out the Flower Festival over the next town, and we saw that new action movie that’s just up. It’s good, I’m sure you’ll like it, too.”

Namjoon tries not to let his jaw stiffen. He has no plans to watch that movie, especially since it’s the one starring a specific someone who hasn’t even thought of visiting his own child in the past month. “I’m sure it is.”

Jimin exhales deeply. Some might not understand why he’s so… adamant on forming a connection with one of his student’s parents when it seems like Namjoon could care any less about him. 

But Jimin knew that that was far from the truth.

Because Namjoon did care, in his own peculiar ways. Jimin has no idea why the man was so aloof, but most of the time, he’d use Jihyo to show his thoughtful ways. Like that time Jimin celebrated his birthday. Sure, his students all gave them their own gifts during his small celebration with his little bundles of joy in the classroom, including Jihyo that is. But then, just before the day ended, Jihyo suddenly poked his sides, crouched over like she was hiding something behind her small back as she beckoned Jimin to bend down to her level.

It was then that Jihyo snitched on her father, saying, “Appa want give you this, too, Teacher Mimi, and he told me to give it with—with my gift, but everyone only carry one gift and Jihyo is shy to have two! But this from appa, please don’t tell appa Jihyo didn’t give it with my gift earlier. He said, don’t tell Teacher Mimi ‘tis from him.”

At that moment, Jimin kind of wanted to go back to his mother’s vagina and ask her to pop him out again, just so he can say that he’ll celebrate his birthday again tomorrow.

And maybe get Namjoon to actually give him his gift personally.

“Anyways,” Jimin cleared his throat, hearing the voice of his platonic soulmate calling him a gigantic weirdo again inside his head. For fuck’s sake, Namjoon could be married (not that Jimin has ever seen anyone with him, even Jihyo’s file only indicated one name), but he shouldn’t be daydreaming over his student’s father at eight in the morning. “I also want to inform you about a slight adjustment to our class.”

The taller man turns to him seriously. “Oh, what is it?”

“Well, it’s nothing too serious. Remember how I mentioned before that we’re gonna get some extra help around the second half of the year? Well, we have a new assistant teacher and he’s… he’s supposed to be here by now but the principal held him up, so I’ll have him meet everyone’s parents and guardians later at dismissal.” Jimin explains like how he’s been informing every parent or guardian that dropped by their kid this morning. “He’s gonna be joining me for our class from now on. You have nothing to worry about him, though, I’ve known the boy since I was in college. He is an excellent teacher, and he’s very good with arts and music so I really need to have him around now that we’re surpassing half the school year and we’re gonna be more tactile in class.”

Namjoon nods understandingly, mentally skimming through the curriculum and lesson plan the school has provided the parents during the start of the year, one that Namjoon meticulously remembered from the start. Ah, that’s right, the kids were going to start to learn to play instruments and to dance now, as opposed to mostly drawings and paintings in the earlier half. Since Jihyo’s school was ridiculously expensive, promising only the finest teachers and quality education to the young children of the most affluent members of Seoul’s society, Namjoon has absolutely no qualms about the new teacher.

“That’s okay, Jimin-ssi, I know Jihyo will be in good hands.” Namjoon says confidently. He might be a little cold, but he’s no asshole. He has high respect for these people. “I’ll definitely meet him this afternoon, too. Thank you, though, for telling me.”

“Of course, of course, I’m sure you’d like him, too, Namjoon-ssi,” Then, Jimin smirks. No, he smiles. No, wait, he looks a little mischievous. That’s definitely a smirk. “Although, maybe not as much as you would like me.”

Ah, he’s definitely teasing, then.

“We’ll see, shall we?” The corner of Namjoon’s lips tilt upward, very minisculely. Almost unnoticeable but it was enough to have Jimin’s soul soaring to the heavens. “I haven’t met the newbie yet.”

For the love of god, Jimin himself can never explain why he’s so… drawn to this person. He didn’t even know if Namjoon was an alpha, beta, or omega—he had a feeling that Namjoon was an alpha just like him—but Jimin just can’t explain why he’s so enamored by this gorgeous spectacle of a human being.

Maybe it’s because Namjoon makes him curious. All the other parents are oversharers, telling Jimin such exaggerated stories to boost their child and family’s image, but not Namjoon and Jihyo. They were both so quiet, always so distant like they’re hiding something big.

All Jimin knows is that Namjoon is Jihyo’s kind, devoted, caring, patient, and loving father, and that’s it.

“Don’t worry, Namjoon-ssi,” Jimin grins, seeing another parent and student of his approaching just in time for Namjoon to wave goodbye. “I’ll be sure to tell him to make a good impression.”

With that, Namjoon bows to Jimin in farewell, giving him another tight smile, willing his own heartbeat to sit its ass back down because god, it’s been six months and this alpha still manages to make him go crazy with just his wicked eyes.

Namjoon knows, alright? He’s not stupid. He knows that Jimin is not so subtly sashaying his way into Namjoon’s life as more than Jihyo’s teacher. But, Namjoon can’t, at least not right now. Not while Jimin’s still Jihyo’s teacher, and not while… not while Namjoon still has his whole focus, attention, and time on his supposed ‘daughter’.

Jihyo might not come from him, but Namjoon has loved his little princess more than her actual parents ever did. He has given her everything, treated her like she was his actual child. Namjoon knew that this was a dangerous game that he was playing, but for Jihyo, he was willing to bet all his cards in. Win or lose. 

(And not for the first time did Namjoon ever wonder how he’ll ever find the courage to leave this job when the rightful time comes.)

Just the thought of saying goodbye to Jihyo—leaving her like how her real omega father signed off his rights to Seokjin when the opportunity to model abroad came—broke Namjoon’s heart to no end. He simply couldn’t do that to his child, no.

Namjoon refuses to make Jihyo go through another painful goodbye all over again.

Namjoon sits in the quiet corner as he hears the school bell ring.

All around him, a lot of trophy parents were chattering amongst themselves, all carrying designer bags, competing on whose heels would click the loudest. Some of them, Namjoon couldn’t help but muse, look like they were going to fashion shows instead of a pre-school, but for the past six months Namjoon has been coming in and out of this institution, he’s gotten quite used to their flamboyant styles.

They also know better now than to speak to Namjoon, knowing full well that they won’t be able to get anything more than one-word clipped answers from him. And that’s fine, Namjoon really didn’t like chatting with all the other parents who gossiped harder than actual bees. If anything, Namjoon just feels impatient and a little awkward. Soon enough, though, a certain little angel puts him out of his misery.

“Appaaaaaaaaa!”

Namjoon beams hard. God, he’s so whipped for his daughter. A bright smile showcasing his dimples immediately paints its way to his lips the moment he sees a small but strong figure barrelling her way into his arms.

“Jihyo-yaaaaah!” Namjoon hugs her tight, as if the last time he saw her was two lifetimes ago. “Hey, angel, how was your day? Did you have fun?”

Jihyo nods against the man’s chest. “Yes, yes!” She beams excitedly. “Teacher Mimi teach us new game today with bwicks with all pwetty colors, and Jihyo made huuuuuge mess when bwicks fell but t’was sooooo fun! Jihyo like new game!”

It’s astounding for Namjoon how Jihyo progressed from that quiet and distant child six months ago to this young girl that’s just bursting with energy right from her very seams. Jihyo is just so happy and bright these days, and Namjoon couldn’t help but mirror her enthusiasm.

“That’s amazing, baby, I’m so glad you had fun.”

“Mhmm,” Jihyo grins brightly. “We also have new teacher! We met Teacher Kookie!”

Being reminded of that supposed new teacher Namjoon hadn’t had the chance to meet this morning, his back straightens up. He looks up to see Jimin already walking his way to them, “Oh, I think I have to meet him too. Jimin-ssi, hi, is the assistant teacher around now?”

Jimin bows in greeting at the dimpled man. “You’re right on time, Namjoon-ssi. Jungkook-ssi is right over there.”

It took Namjoon a while for the new teacher’s name to register, barely making a direct connection. But when he turns around to look at where Jimin was pointing by the door, Namjoon visibly staggers from where he stands.

He’d know those eyes from miles away.

Jungkook-ssi isn’t aware yet of Namjoon’s presence, happily chatting with another parent who was just saying goodbye. Namjoon takes those few seconds to take him in, both how different he was from that boy he last saw, what, two years ago, and how nothing much has also changed about him.

For one, Jungkook looked more… relaxed. Given the formidable nature of their work back then, and how much tension and risk was always at stake, Namjoon could bet that working with children is a hundred times much more laid back than their previous job. Jungkook’s eyes looked lighter, his smile more prominent. He looks every inch of the young protegé that Namjoon wished he once had the time to enjoy.

But Jungkook is also donning a long sleeve shirt, and Namjoon is certain that underneath that plain dark gray cloth is the lines of ink that he remembers being so at awe for. Namjoon would love to see them again right now, he remembers how proud Jungkook was of his body art that he himself has designed, but then again… things are different now.

They’re both surrounded by children, far from the battlefield that they once called their job.

Jungkook finally looks at their direction upon Jimin’s soft call for his name, and the way his face morphs into shock is almost comedic, if only Namjoon didn’t mimic his reaction. The omega’s breathing ceases in his lungs, cheeks turning pale as Jungkook’s Bambi eyes widen even further at the sight of one—“N-Namjoon hyung?”

Jimin startles from his spot. “Jungkook-ah, you know Namjoon-ssi?”

It takes Jungkook a few seconds to even respond to his co-teacher’s question, barely making sense of the whole ordeal. But what doesn’t take long is for Jungkook’s face to suddenly shut off, to turn achingly professional in one blink of an eye. There was a time that Jungkook used to leave all the work about being a professional to Namjoon.

When they needed to talk to clients or other VIPs, Jungkook usually left the task of looking stoic to Namjoon alone. After all, his hyung was much more adept at that than him. One look at Jungkook’s innocent doe eyes—no matter how bloody their work was—was always such an easy give away about him and his softer nature.

Now, though, Namjoon thinks that Jungkook has mastered it well.

“I—” The new teacher clears his throat. His smile turned into something cold, almost ingenuine. “We, I, uhm. I was once acquainted with Namjoon hyu—Namjoon-ssi from my previous job. We’ve worked together before, Jiminie hyung.”

Aware of the sudden tension that blossomed between the pair, Jimin’s eyes bounced back and forth from Jungkook’s taut gaze and Namjoon’s mildly chastised eyes. “I—I see. I see you know Jungkook, Namjoon-ssi. So I guess there’s no need to introduce you both.”

Namjoon finally looks aways, eyes falling down to his child who’s now happily chatting with her best friend right beside them. Namjoon is thankful that Sana is able to temporarily catch his daughter’s attention, the omega would hate for her to see him this… flustered. 

“Yes, I uhm. I had no idea that—that he’s a teacher now. But I-I have no worries, Jimin-ssi. I’m sure I can trust Jungkook-ssi w-with Jihyo.”

At the mention of the child, Jungkook’s eyes snap to Jihyo, his eyes hardening while simultaneously turning confused. “Namjoon-ssi, Jihyo is your daughter, right?”

Don’t look into his eyes. Don’t look into his eyes. “Yes, she’s uh, she’s m-my child.”

There’s nothing but skepticism coloring Jungkook’s eyes. Namjoon knows for certain that one look at him and Jungkook would know that he’s lying. The omega doesn’t know how much Jungkook found out after he left, but the young alpha teacher must have already been mentally calculating how the hell Namjoon would have fathered a child four years ago, when they both were still colleagues. 

Did I really mean nothing to hyung?

“Well then, of course. I’m thankful that you trust me with her, Namjoon-ssi.” Jungkook clears his throat, smiling softly at both Sana and Jihyo’s direction when they both waved at him in the midst of their conversation. “I can assure you that I will be a good teacher to her, and that I will take good care of Jihyo while she’s in this school. I promise as much, Namjoon-ssi.”

Namjoon has no doubt about that. Once upon a time, Namjoon first handedly saw how fiercely protective Jungkook was of the people he cared about. It’s completely different to the way his eyes looked at the omega two minutes ago—how uncaring it was. But, Namjoon has faith.

“Thank you, Jungkook-ssi. Thank you too, Jimin-ssi.” Namjoon can’t take this anymore. “If that is all, Jihyo,” He looks at his child, gently petting her braided hair to get her attention. “I think it’s time for us to go home. Say bye-bye to Sana, and say goodbye to your teachers now.”

The girls pout a bit at having been separated, but all it takes is for Namjoon to remind them that besides the fact that they’ll see each other again tomorrow, Sana is also sleeping over at their house Friday night, and the girls part with a kiss to each other’s cheeks.

Then, the young girl turns to her teachers, bowing deeply. “Goodbye, Teacher Mimi. Goodbye, Teacher Kookie.”

The two teachers’ eyes light in fondness. “Bye, Jihyo.” They both say, and Namjoon takes that moment to bow to them as well, still avoiding Jungkook’s gaze.

“Bye, Jimin-ssi. Bye, Jungkook-ah. I, uh, I’ll see you all again tomorrow.”

Jimin nods at him in farewell, offering the omega a soft smile. Jungkook, however, only nods once, before he turns around to face another parent as Namjoon and Jihyo walk away. A part of Namjoon wanted to pull Jungkook aside, to explain everything that’s happened since he left. But… But he figured now is not the time. Jungkook looked like he hated him, he didn’t even look at the omega again when he turned back one last time, and Namjoon doesn’t know how to deal with that.

So he left, ran away just like how he did two years ago.

Namjoon didn’t have to know how Jungkook’s saddened eyes trailed after them even until both him and his daughter finally rode their car.

Chapter Text

“Okay, spill.”

Jungkook raises a brow at his co-teacher and roommate. The moment the door closes in their shared apartment, Jungkook is immediately ambushed before he even gets to take off his left shoe.

“Spill what?” He decides to play dumb, purposefully not looking at Jimin’s direction. 

However, the smaller but mightier teacher was not having that at all. He flicks Jungkook’s adorable nose in response. Jimin already allowed the younger alpha to brood silently in their car ride home. “You know exactly what I mean. You and Namjoon-ssi. What was that about?”

Jungkook’s jaw tightens, immediately giving away that there’s more to his and Namjoon’s acquaintanceship. “I have nothing to say about him.”

The fire in Jungkook’s tone surprises Jimin for a moment. Besides the fact that Jimin has never heard Jungkook sound that spiteful, the smaller alpha couldn’t help but wonder what on earth Namjoon did for Jungkook to be this mad. “Jungkook, I-I won’t force you to talk about him if you don’t want to. But I’m just curious. You looked so mad at him, and I just wonder… has he done something to hurt you before?”

Jungkook doesn’t answer for a while. He simply puts down his bag on a nearby chair, before settling himself on their couch. Jimin soon sat right beside him. “Something like that, I guess. Well, it’s just…” He trails off, looking out at their large windows in deep thought. “We were both bodyguards back then. You know my old job, right? And we were… work partners, I guess. Or so I thought. Because one day, I reported to work and I was told that my partner left. Namjoon hyung resigned without another word. He didn’t even say goodbye.”

Ah. So Jungkook wasn’t mad. He was hurt. “Oh, Jungkookie…”

“I tried not to make it seem like a big deal, trying to tell myself that he was just a… a colleague,” Jungkook’s voice cracks, telling Jimin that the wound cut far deeper than the surface. “But he was more than that to me, hyung. He was my friend—my best friend, even. And I… I never got to even tell him how I felt.”

Jimin’s face pulls into a look of surprise, lips falling into an O. The sentence felt hanging, and Jimin just had to know. “...How you feel?” 

“Yeah,” Jungkook whispers back, unaware of the growing distraught on his fellow alpha’s face. “I liked him back then. I know… I know we’re both alphas and I don’t know if he was into that thing, but I could care less. I liked him, hyung, but he just left, and I was so broken about that. Even now that it’s been, what, two years since I last saw him, I’m still hurt over how things abruptly ended between us.”

Jungkook takes a short glance at Jimin, not noticing the way the smaller alpha’s face fell. “Oh Jungkook-ah, I’m so sorry, I-I didn’t know you like him.”

Jimin’s not going to lie, he likes Namjoon. He’s way past the stage of denial the first time another parent stared at Jihyo’s father a little too long and the teacher found himself trying so hard to bite back a possessive growl. But something about knowing Jungkook and his feelings about Namjoon… it didn’t make Jimin feel jealous or mad.

It made him feel hurt, picturing these two men—one who already had a place in Jimin’s heart since they were teenagers and another who was slowly crawling into his life with every secret dimpled smile he offered behind Jimin’s back each morning—without him. 

It stings. Jimin feels like he just got Jungkook back, and Namjoon was slowly but surely entering his life. But now… knowing that these two were something else before him and they have the potential to be more without him… Jimin doesn’t know what to think or how to feel. 

“Yeah, but that’s all in the past now.” Jungkook shakes his head. “Besides, I don’t think Namjoon hyung feels the same way. He would have never… he wouldn’t have left me if he cared about me.”

Jimin swallows a ball of cotton lodged deep into his throat at this newfound information. “Well then, I think that’s his loss. Anyone would be honored to love you and be loved by you.” He attempts half a smile, but it’s shaky. Though Jungkook is too immersed in his own misery to notice.

“Thanks, hyungie. But it’s all in the past now. His daughter is our student,” Jungkook exhales heavily, crossing his legs as his eyebrows furrow. “Which is still so weird to me because I never knew he was with an omega five years ago. We were always so busy with work, I never knew he had someone on the side.”

Jimin looks at him earnestly. His own thoughts come at a crossroad. “Hmm, maybe it wasn’t a relationship? There’s no other parent written on Jihyo’s file anyway,” Jimin says, because it’s true. That was one of the first things he looked up about Namjoon when he started to harbor a secret crush on him. “Besides, I didn’t know Namjoon-ssi was an alpha.”

Jimin knows that Jungkook already mentioned liking a fellow alpha earlier already, but the confirmation that Namjoon is indeed an alpha made Jimin have a mental double take.

“You didn’t?” Jungkook asks.

“Nahh, he keeps his official subgender undisclosed.”

“Oh, well, only alphas were allowed in our previous jobs.” Jungkook says. “It being sexist was one of the many reasons I finally left.”

The glaring disdain in Jungkook’s voice is obviously another story for another day. But for now, Jimin figures he’s already dug up enough of a wound. That can wait for some other day.

“Well then I’m glad you’re with me now,” Jimin smiled tightly, wrapping an arm around Jungkook’s broader shoulder like he was the bigger one. “Missed having you around, you know. It’s just like our uni days when we were roommates and we both were still studying to be teachers. Except now, we are roommates and teachers. But you liked it here, didn't you, Jungkook-ah? Your first day was alright?”

Jungkook’s face softens, snuggling against Jimin’s side like how he always did ever since they were young. Right from the very start, Jimin had always been Jungkook’s comfort person. He was Jungkook’s safety, thus, Jimin was the first person he seeked out after resigning from that god awful job.

Jimin was always a part of Jungkook’s life, and Jungkook would like to keep it that way for a very long time.

(Forever, preferably.)

“Oh I loved it, hyung. I love the kids so much.” Jungkook brightens. “You were right, you know. Maybe I did need this kind of change.”

“That’s why you should always listen to your prettiest and kindest and smartest hyung.” Jimin has this signature eye-smile that never fails to have Jungkook’s insides melt like a burning marshmallow. He is so very fond of his hyung.

But, just to be a menace, Jungkook pokes Jimin on his side. “I don’t even have a hyung like that.”

“Yah! You little shit!” Jimin retaliates, he is an alpha too, after all. Their little game only ends up with them in a messy tickle fight—kind of how all their play fights always ended up since they were children. Later on, these two would end up cuddling on the couch, rubbing each other’s scent on each other’s skin. Some people might look at them weirdly, but Jungkook and Jimin were not an odd pair.

They were just right. Perfect.

They fit like two peas in a pod ever since their childhood, and even now that they’re full grown adults, nothing much has changed. Jungkook still only has one hyung he will always come back to, and Jimin will forever cherish his most beloved baby no matter where they are.

And the best part is, these two, they didn’t know it yet… but maybe there’s this one other person who could fit perfectly right into their arms as well.

They’re both thinking about him right now.

Namjoon has never been nervous to drop Jihyo off of her school, but he guesses there’s always a first for everything.

With the way Jungkook’s eyes blazed when he saw Namjoon again, it’s easy for the omega to guess that… Jungkook was mad at him. Simple as that. There’s no need to go around it, Jungkook simply hated him and Namjoon knew that his anger was justified.

He just couldn’t help but wonder what Jungkook said to Jimin, though.

As much as Namjoon tried to distance himself from his daughter’s original teacher, Namjoon didn’t want Jimin to think any differently of him. He didn’t want the other alpha to think that he was some kind of scum after what happened between him and Jungkook. For Namjoon, Jimin’s opinion of hum matters.

Jimin matters.

Thus, his nervousness is palpable when he drops Jihyo off the next morning, to the point that even his little princess’ nose scrunches in worry as the omega’s honey lemon scent uncontrollably spikes in anxiety all around them.

“Appa, you okay?” Jihyo pats the hand that was a little tightly holding onto her own. 

“Huh,” Namjoon snaps out of it, not even noticing the way his hand slightly trembled as they waited for Jimin to finish chatting with another parent, Jungkook standing right beside him, holding the hand of one of Jihyo’s classmates as they said goodbye to their mother. “Yeah, I-I’m fine, baby. Don’t worry about me.”

Before Jihyo could question him any further, however, Jimin finally finishes talking with the parent in front of him, and it’s Jihyo’s turn to be dropped off.

“Heya, Jihyo-yah, good morning!”

Momentarily forgetting her fumbling father, Jihyo grins at her teachers. “Morning, Teacher Mimi, Morning Teacher Kookie!”

Both teachers’ fond gazes are on the little girl, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t exactly see the way Namjoon squirmed uncomfortably beside her.

“Well, aren’t you a bright ray of sunshine?” Jungkook says, pointedly keeping his eyes on the oblivious child. “Did you bring the coloring materials Teacher Mimi asked to bring yesterday?”

All of a sudden, Jihyo gasps. Even Namjoon looks at her in surprise. “Oh no, I forgot.”

Namjoon panics. “Oh, Jihyo, I’m sorry, baby, I didn’t know—is it—was it in her diary? I’m sorry, Jimin-ssi, I didn’t see anything.”

Both teachers share a gaze, but it’s Jimin who looks at Namjoon apologetically. “It’s alright, Namjoon-ssi, no worries. It was just a fleeting reminder by the end of the day for the students. But it’s, uhhh, it’s also our fault because we failed to remind you yesterday after dismissal when you know—you, uh—”

Jimin looks between a Jungkook whose jaw is hardened, and a Namjoon who’s flinching hard as he looks to the ground.

“I—I’m sorry, Jihyo-yah,” Namjoon looks down at the child, feeling like a failure. If only he didn’t allow his emotions to get the best of him yesterday with Jungkook, he would have dutifully fulfilled his role as a parent. “I forgot to ask Teacher Jimin about the reminders.”

Jihyo only pouts worriedly at her father. “S’okay, appa. I ask Sana to shawe with Jihyo, Sana o-ways brings lots!”

As much as it warms Namjoon to know that his daughter has a good friend she can always rely on, he still didn’t want to feel that much of a failure. “No, no, you know what,” The omega then looks at her teachers, momentarily setting aside his discomfort. “Jimin-ssi, Jungkook-ssi, what does she need for today and what time does she need it? I think I can make it to the store and buy them and bring them back here in an hour or two.”

Jimin and Jungkook share another look. “Namjoon-ssi, it’s alright,” Jungkook says. “We still have some spare coloring materials here, and—”

“No, no, I insist, it’s okay.” Namjoon says. Besides it being his job, there’s no way in hell Namjoon would give Jihyo any less than what she deserves. Her father’s credit card in Namjoon’s wallet was there to ensure that the child will have everything and anything she will ever need. “I’ve got nothing to do for the morning anyways, I can buy what she needs. Just tell me, it’s alright.”

At that moment, Jungkook couldn’t help but look away. Two years might have felt like an eternity, but it kind of made Jungkook’s heart clench remembering how Namjoon still loves so fiercely. Once upon a time, Jungkook was a recipient of that love, too. The way Namjoon cared about someone important to him was unparalleled… his hyung was never afraid to go the extra mile.

It kind of stings how Jungkook lost that in just a blink of an eye. He didn’t even have a choice.

“Just a small canvas, perhaps the size of an A4 paper, and some acrylic paint and brushes.” Jungkook chokes out, willing his voice not to sound too hurt. “We probably won’t start painting until 10, so you’ll have the time.”

Namjoon nods, bringing out his phone to note down everything. He can never trust his memory these days. “I got it, Kook-ah, thank you. Thank you too, Jimin-ah. Jihyo, baby, please go to your teachers now. I’ll drop off those things before 10, I promise.”

“Okay, appa,” Jihyo grins, rubbing her father’s dimple with her own fluffy cheeks when Namjoon bends down to kiss her forehead. “Take cawe, love you, bye-bye!”

With that, Namjoon gives her mildly stunned teachers one last nod before he dashes to his car.

The omega didn’t even realize that he just called the two alphas something so casual, familiar even for one of them… that it kind of made their heart lurch so early in the morning.

_________

At exactly 9:34 am, Namjoon stops by Jihyo’s school again. Since classes are already on going, he wasn’t exactly allowed to stop by her room. Instead, the omega waits in the reception, one of the staff has already phoned for the assistant teacher to come pick up the items Namjoon has brought in.

So it’s Jungkook who walks stiffly to a slightly disheveled Namjoon.

“Hey, I’m sorry I took a while. I still had to wait for the art store to open at 9.” Namjoon rambles, glad that he at least made it on time before Jihyo needed her stuff. “I’m sorry for the bother again, Jungkook-ah. I always ask Jimin if there’s anything Jihyo would need the next day during dismissal, and I guess that kind of slipped my mind yesterday.”

When Jungkook looks into the bag, the alpha sees that there’s more than what Jungkook mentioned earlier this morning. Not only was there an extra canvas, some rollers that he was certain he didn’t include in the list, and even—is that really a 24-piece brush set? These were also some art materials that looked fairly expensive to give to a mere four year old.

Wow. “You sure love Jihyo a lot, don’t you, Namjoon-ssi?” Jungkook couldn’t help but blurt, borderline amazed, mixed with a hint of bitterness.

“I—of course, I do,” Namjoon doesn’t even hesitate to agree. Even if Jihyo wasn’t from him, that girl was his daughter. “Is that enough? Or is it too much?”

Definitely too much, if only Jungkook didn’t firsthandedly know how much love Namjoon pours into people he cared about. “This is more than fine. I’ll make sure she gets this.”

“Thanks, Jungkook-ah,” Namjoon smiles, all dimple-y and sweet, just like how Jungkook remembered it from two years ago. Just like the smile he missed so badly every single day until now. “Please make sure Jihyo has fun painting today.”

“Of course, Namjoon-ssi,” Jungkook smiles awkwardly, trying not to dwell on how Namjoon still used that familiar warmth in his voice as he addressed him. His once partner on the job and maybe… no. “Your daughter is so lucky to have you.”

If Jungkook thought Namjoon would preen at that, he’s unprepared for the way his former hyung suddenly froze. His dimples get caught in between his cheeks almost rigidly. “I—o-of course, she’s…” Namjoon stammers, suddenly avoiding Jungkook’s eyes as if he just remembered that this man was the… the same man he left behind. For reasons unspecified. For lies he didn’t have the gall to stand up to, and even now, Namjoon lies to the alpha all over again. “I love her, I just want what’s best for her.”

Jungkook silently grits his teeth, unable to take it anymore. Is it pathetic of him to be jealous of a child? Or of the love that child is getting from the man he once thought loved him too? “Very well, I’ll see you later this afternoon, Namjoon-ssi.”

With that, Jungkook turns on his heel, not even giving Namjoon the chance to bid a proper farewell. But before he could take another step, Namjoon calls for the alpha again, “Jungkook-ah, wait!”

The teacher freezes, merely tilting his head to the side without turning back around. “Yes?”

“I—” Namjoon exhales heavily, and maybe it’s the fact that Jungkook’s not looking at him, but it gives the omega the courage to talk. “Jungkook, I—I know you have questions. I know you must hate me for just leaving like that, and I… I want you to know that I’m sorry. I never meant to disappear like that, okay? Trust me. And if you—you would allow me, and if you have the time, I want to explain. Please. Let me explain.”

Jungkook’s jaw clenches harshly, and Namjoon didn’t have to see his face to notice the way his lips quivered. “Let’s not talk a-about this right now. I have to go back to class.”

Namjoon’s face falls drastically. He feels dejected, terribly so. But Jungkook was within his right to deny him. “Right, o-of course, I just… I just wanted to say that,” He exhales shakily. “I just want you to know that I didn’t leave without a reason, and I—please know that you mattered to me, Kookie. You were so important to me, and I never forgot about you. And when you’re ready, I’ll explain everything to you, alright?”

There are a million things Jungkook wanted to say at that moment. One of which is, if you really never forgot about me, how come you didn’t even call me once after you left? Hell, you didn’t even call me before you left? Jungkook wanted to ask Namjoon if he was so important, then how can Namjoon just leave him like that and never reach out again until this very day? Were they really just colleagues? But what about all those moments they shared off the job? Sure, they were never intimate, but Jungkook thought… He thought they had something more.

It’s all so confusing. The pain that dug its way deep into Jungkook’s chest when he first received word from his boss that Namjoon resigned without even telling him was suddenly resurfacing all over again. And it stings like a goddamn bitch. Worst of all, along with that pain was the anger, the blame, and the irrevocable heartbreak.

Jungkook wasn’t ready to deal with all of this before 10 in the morning.

“Very well, I’ll let you know when I’m ready,” Jungkook breathes out, equally as wounded. Voice soft, almost like a whisper as he adds, “...if I ever will be.”

Yet Namjoon heard it perfectly well.

This time, the alpha teacher doesn’t let Namjoon say another word. He takes a step forward after the other, hoping that no one saw him leave like that unless he wanted to receive a memo for acting so rude towards a parent. But right now, Jungkook could really care less.

He doesn’t care about Namjoon slouching in the reception room, frustratedly running his fingers through his disheveled hair. He doesn’t care about Namjoon’s eyes trailing behind his back, gaze filled with a pain that mirrored the alpha’s own intense ones. Jungkook doesn’t care if on the way to his car, a few tears slip from Namjoon’s eyes as he remembers exactly what happened and why… why he lost his little one.

Right now, all Jungkook can do is to run away.

Not to the classroom, no, not yet. The young alpha zooms towards the restroom, furiously rubbing his eyes as if that would be enough to stop the onslaught of his tears. Hoping that if he slaps his cheeks over and over again, the pain blooming in chest would be overshadowed by his own palm. Shoulders trembling, Jungkook bends over the sink, hoping that no child or staff would see him in this much of a mess right on his second day.

And when he comes back to the classroom, handing Jihyo her father’s early morning purchases, Jungkook is thankful that none of his students, or even Jimin for that matter, says a word about Jungkook’s slightly puffy eyes.

Chapter Text

For whatever reason, Jungkook finally says yes to Namjoon’s invitation.

Maybe he had always been too soft for his ex-work partner, or maybe it’s because seeing his then hyung every morning and afternoon be the sweetest father to one of their students for the past four weeks is enough for Jungkook’s resolve to crumble. Whatever it is, Jungkook finally gave Namjoon a chance nearly a month after the omega attempted a semblance of an apology.

Jungkook’s only condition? Jimin was to be there, too. He needed his rock.

“Hey, I’m glad you guys could make it.”

The venue Namjoon chose is a quiet café that’s about a 15-minute walk away from the school. It’s not too crowded wherein there would be a large audience to hear every word of their conversation, but not too secluded wherein Jungkook would feel too cornered.

“Hi, Namjoon-ssi, thanks for allowing me to tag along.” It’s Jimin who greets the omega. For the past month that his dongsaeng and his hyung had been a little bit at odds, Jimin had been the mediator. He kept a neutral side, always making Jungkook feel and know that he has a shoulder to cry on while giving Namjoon the benefit of the doubt. After all, Jihyo’s father has been nothing but kind, albeit quiet, to him. Jimin knows Namjoon is no evil person, but one who probably just made a mistake. “Give us a sec to order, will you?”

“Sure, sure, take your time.” Namjoon’s smile is shaky. Jungkook ought to say a word to him. Outside the necessary parent-teacher concerns, conversation between the two of them had been, well, basically nonexistent. At least he had Jimin to still have a smile always ready for him. “I’ll be right here.”

Jimin and Jungkook don’t take too long to order. As a matter of fact, they’re back in five minutes, holding their own milkshakes and cake slices. An identical order to Namjoon’s own.

“So,” Jimin clears his throat, deciding to break the awkward ice. Somehow. “How are you, Namjoon-ssi? How’s Jihyo and where is she, by the way?”

“Oh Jihyo’s fine, we both are. She’s at Sana’s as of this moment. They have regular play dates every weekend, along with Sana’s older sister, Nayeonnie. Sana’s mom is looking after them for now.”

“That’s good, so that explains why you don’t have a little deer trailing right after you right now.” Jimin comments, and not for the first time has Namjoon ever heard anyone call his daughter a baby deer.

“Yeah,” Namjoon chuckles fondly. Thinking about Jihyo’s eyes makes his heart feel incredibly squishy. “I really timed it to meet with you guys, especially you, Jungkookie.” At those words, Namjoon finally dares to look at Jungkook, who’s been oddly silent throughout the night.

“So you’ve said.” Jungkook finally opens his mouth, sighing loudly. “Look, Namjoon-ssi. First of all, I’m sorry for taking about a month to say yes—”

“You don’t have to apologize about that.” Namjoon softly injects, looking down at the table with something analogous to regret in his eyes. “I know I’ve hurt you, Jungkook-ah, I know what I did. It’s alright if you need that time. As a matter of fact, I’m honestly surprised that you even said yes at all.”

“To be honest? I almost didn’t want to.” Jungkook admits, clutching Jimin’s hand under the table. His roommate squeezes his hand back in support, always Jungkook’s eternal rock. “But it just feels so heavy to carry all this doubt and resentment. I figured I just wanted to get to the bottom of it.”

Namjoon visibly bites back a flinch. “R-Resentment, right, I—” But he obviously fails. “Jungkook, before anything else. I just want you to know that I really am incredibly sorry for just disappearing like that.”

Jungkook neither rejects nor accepts the apology. Not yet. “Do I at least deserve to know why you just faded like a bubble without even saying goodbye?”

“I—” This was harder than Namjoon thought. But before he can finally tell him everything, Namjoon first decides to gather some intel. “First things first, Jungkook-ah, what did the—the company say about me leaving? What did they tell you?”

“XYZ said you resigned, completely out of the blue.” Jungkook declares flatly, like he didn’t care. As if his world didn’t collapse two years ago when he found out that Namjoon just… left. “I almost didn’t believe it, until they showed me your resignation letter themself and, yeah, I couldn’t contact you again no matter what I did. Even when I went to your place, you were just… gone.”

There’s no denying the tumultuous sadness in Jungkook’s eyes. No. It was deeper than sadness, Jimin recognized it all the way. It was heartbreak. Jungkook’s heart was shattered when Namjoon said goodbye without even saying those words. Jimin’s own heart couldn’t help but clench for his dongsaeng.

And honestly, Jimin would have gotten mad at Namjoon if only he wasn’t aware of how goodhearted Namjoon was by nature. He’s seen it everyday and it’s only logical for Jimin to give the parent the chance to explain when he knew that Namjoon will never do anything to purposely hurt anyone in this lifetime.

And true enough, Namjoon’s face only falls harder. “Jungkook, I… I didn’t resign.” He gulps, eyes starting to shine with tears he tried so hard to hold back. “I was fired.”

Jimin’s eyes widen, but Jungkook outright starts to deny. “What? Stop lying, Namjoon-ssi, you were one of the best employees in our agency. There’s no way they were gonna fire you.”

Namjoon only shakes his head, he knows it’s going to be hard for Jungkook to understand unless… “Yeah, but that w-was until…” Unless he admits the full truth. “Until—”

“Until what?” Jungkook nearly growls. He’s angry, rightfully so. Everything he’s ever believed in is getting twisted in just one sentence. A huge part of Jungkook wants to believe his hyung, but Namjoon… Namjoon left him. Namjoon lied. Namjoon isn’t to be trusted. Or is he? “Namjoon, if you’re not gonna talk, then we’re just probably wasting our time here. I’m not gonna—”

“Jungkook, give Namjoon some time.” Jimin calms him down, holding the fellow alpha down by his thigh when Jungkook makes a move to push his chair away from the table. “Please, calm down. Don’t rush him.”

Jungkook stares long and hard at Jimin’s pleading eyes. The older teacher knows that Jungkook is only appalled, thus, his instinct to run. But Jimin has a feeling that Jungkook will regret it more if he leaves Namjoon right now… now that Namjoon is finally ready to tell him everything.

Alas, Jungkook takes several deep breaths, willing his defensive body to remain seated. He does look expectantly at Namjoon, who looks so caught in the moment. Almost dramatically uncomfortable. “Namjoon?”

Namjoon snaps out of his mild panic. “Right, I—I’m sorry, this—this is just hard for me.”

“What is?” Jungkook bites back. “Namjoon hyung, just tell me. Why on earth would our agency fire you?”

It would be a lie to say that Namjoon didn’t plan on telling Jungkook his little secret. Of course he knows that one day, he’d have to tell Jungkook if… if there was gonna be more between them. But Namjoon planned to have it on his own terms, and he was so distraught back then when he lost his chance. He originally thought that Jungkook must have known the real reason by now, that the cat was already out of the bag. But as Jungkook looked at him expectantly, Namjoon realized that now was his second chance.

His only chance.

“Because,” Namjoon looks down to his hands. “Because they found out that I… I was an omega.”

“What?!” Jimin shrieks.

Jungkook’s face, on the other hand, morphs into complete disbelief. “You’re—what?!”

“I’m an o-omega, Jungkook, and—and when they found out, I wasn’t only fired,” Namjoon forces the words out, and although this was a trauma he no longer wants to relive, a big part of his conscience is begging him to explain. “They beat me up too. Those—those alphas. Our ex-colleagues. They were absolutely livid that I hid something like that and supposedly infiltrated our company. You know only alphas are eligible for our job, b-but I needed the money back then, and I was so desperate and I was used to hiding my sub gender anyways. But that all back fired when the company found out, they—they almost killed me that night, and I-I—”

“Namjoon-ssi, breathe, please.” Jimin abruptly stands up to walk around the table, kneeling in front of a visibly shaking Namjoon. “Calm down, hey, come on, Namjoon-ssi, breathe.”

Namjoon didn’t even realize that he was starting to panic. All these years, he’s buried that night when he was physically broken down by his ex-colleagues—his morale suffering even worse—deep into his subconsciousness. It wasn’t only until Jimin tilted his chair to face him did Namjoon realize that his hands were trembling as he went over those terrible memories. “J-Jimin.”

“I’m here, I’m here, hyung,” The alpha carefully takes Namjoon’s hands in his own, wary of giving Namjoon enough space to breathe but also enough for him to know that he’s not alone. “Listen to my voice, okay, please calm down. That’s it.”

Namjoon takes a ridiculously long moment to get his breathing under control, even longer to realize that Jungkook is only staring at them, shell-shocked. Jimin forces the omega not to pay any mind to the younger alpha though, nothing but on the soothing timbre of his calming voice instead. 

“I—Jimin, thank—thank you, and s-sorry, this just brings back bad memories for me, I’m sorry.”

“Hey, there’s no need to apologize. If anything, I’m sorry you went through something so horrible.” Jimin’s first aim is to, of course, calm Namjoon down. But a big part of Jimin, at that moment, is yelling, angered, at the thought of someone so kind suffering something so cruel in the hands of other alphas. “You’re okay, you’re here now. Those alphas won’t be touching you ever again.”

There’s also a voice deep inside Jimin’s heart that’s telling him to protect his omega.

“I know. I—I know.” Namjoon sniffs, and Jimin hands him a tissue to wipe away his cold sweat. And when he’s finally somewhat okay does Namjoon only look back to the still frozen alpha opposite him and Jimin. “But that’s t-the real reason I left, Jungkook-ah, I don’t know if you believe me or what. But that’s—that’s the truth. I was kicked out by XYZ, and they weren’t too nice about it to me.”

Namjoon decides to cap it at that, unwillingly to go any deeper lest he has another panic attack. As a fellow worker in that company, the omega knows that Jungkook has a pretty good idea on how extreme their former employer could get. Jungkook must know how hard Namjoon must have gotten it the night they found out that he lied.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jungkook’s words are carefully enunciated, his voice sounds oddly… strained. Like he physically needs to be held down before getting up to run and beat all those assholes down himself. “Why didn’t you show up to me after that? I—I could have helped you.” 

“I know you would have, Jungkook-ah.” In all honesty, Namjoon thought about that too—he was sure of it even. Jungkook would always take his side. However, “But… but I was just so a-ashamed of myself that night. When I was there on that ground, all beaten down and bruised, I felt like they stripped away my dignity too, and I kept thinking,” Namjoon paused, his voice shook almost pitifully. “What face do I still have to show to you?”

Jungkook’s body locks like in a fight-or-flight response. This time, his instinct screams at him to commit bloody murder.

“That’s bullshit, hyung. You—” Jungkook fails to bite back a growl. He had to blink back several times that red haze of anger that threatened to cloud not only his vision, but his entire mind. They hurt my hyung. “I would have been there for you! I would have avenged you to those scumbags. This is—you were my partner, Namjoon, and—and my best friend. This is so unfair, you are so unfair! I would have chosen you over that shitty sexist agency. I would have helped you, you know that!”

“Yes, y-yes, I have no doubt about that, Kook, but,” Namjoon desperately tries to reason out, to calm Jungkook down. “It was around the time your father got sick, remember? And you—you needed the money. And let’s face it, despite how sexist XYZ was, it pays well. You needed that job, I could handle myself alone.”

Like a switch, Jungkook’s body slumps defeatedly. If only Jimin didn’t need to hold Namjoon for support, he would have run to his dongsaeng, cradled Jungkook in his arms as nothing but pure disappointment—at himself or at Namjoon, he didn’t really know—colored his entire being.

“I could have been there for you,” Jungkook grits out, stricken. Like he was the one living out those beatings all over again. “I should have been there for you.”

“I know, I know, and I’m sorry I took away your right.” Namjoon wanted to reach out, hold Jungkook’s hand. Jungkook did once say that Namjoon had that special ability to calm him down before dangerous assignments. But he figured now wouldn’t be the right time—not when Jungkook’s temper was still scorching hot. “I’m sorry I just left like that, but please trust me that it was a choice I had to make because of… unforeseen circumstances. I had to leave, Jungkook. XYZ threatened me that if anyone finds o-out that they’ve been infiltrated by an omega, they’re not gonna be too kind next time.”

The thought of anyone hurting his omega again has Jungkook’s nostrils flaring. “Those fuckers.”

“Jungkook!” Jimin calls him back down before Jungkook can run and find those assholes himself. With one hand on Namjoon, Jimin takes the seat beside the omega, before reaching over to pull down his fellow alpha. Like a grounding force, he held them both down. Calm, strong, secure.

“Hey, hey, there’s no need to get mad now.” Namjoon says, rubbing Jimin’s knuckles in gratitude for being here for him, as he looks back at his ex-work partner he owed a proper goodbye to. “It’s done. It’s been years, I—I’d rather just forget about those alphas now. Please.”

“You’re really just gonna let them get away like that?” Jungkook grits out frustratedly.

In response, Namjoon sighs in exasperation. “And what do you want me to do, Jungkook? You know how XYZ works, you know what they’re capable of and you know that they’re… there’s a lot going on behind the curtain. Come on, you and I know this.” Jungkook bites back his tongue because Namjoon’s right. Their former agency did have a lot of connections, most often than not, illegal ones too. “I don’t know what else they can do to me if I… if I do something stupid. Worse, they might even involve Jihyo, and that’s something I can never forgive myself for.”

For a long while, a heavy silence settles between them. Jungkook is obviously consumed by his anger, all of his senses begging him to do something he would regret but never will if it meant avenging his omega. But, there’s one sane person in this table that didn’t miss that tiny bit of information.

“N-Namjoon-ssi, I don’t—I don’t mean to pry but,” Jimin calmly asks. “How did you carry Jihyo back then while balancing such a… dangerous job? Is that how they found out you were an omega?”

It was only a matter of time before Namjoon admitted to this too. “I—no,” But when he came in tonight, Namjoon knew he’d have to explain everything. Including telling them about him and his daughter. “No, Jimin-ah, they found out I was an omega because my suppressants finally c-caught up to me and I entered a heat in the middle of a job. One where Jungkook wasn’t in. But…”

“You were never pregnant during our time together.” Jungkook suddenly interjects, eyes widening as he pieces together this information. “Not four years ago when Jihyo was s-supposedly born…”

Namjoon nods solemnly. “You guessed it right, Jungkook-ah. Jihyo’s not… she isn’t biologically mine.” He says, and although he’s just technically her babysitter, Namjoon does mean it when he says, “But all you have to know is that I love her as much as a real father does, and that’s all I can say, I’m sorry.”

Before arriving at this café, Namjoon knew he’d have to come clean, but he’s still bound by a contract. He’s already minorly breaking one of the clauses by admitting that Jihyo isn’t his, but he might be in real trouble if he dares to reveal who Jihyo’s real parent was and what is Namjoon’s actual role in her life. The omega’s not ready—or even allowed—to tell them about Seokjin yet.

“It’s alright, Namjoon-ssi, you’re not obligated to tell us anything you don’t want to.” Thankfully, Jimin understands. So does Jungkook who nods stiffly opposite them. “And I have no doubt about your love for Jihyo. I see it every day, you’re a great father to her.”

“I—thank you.” Namjoon blushes. “I’m sorry I can’t say much about her, but I—I hope that clears out most of what happened two years ago, Jungkook-ah. That’s why I really mean it when I say that I never forgot about you. I’m sorry if you were ever angry with me, but—but please know that I just did what I had to do. I’m sorry.”

“Stop. Stop saying sorry. That wasn’t your fault.” Jungkook spat out, still angry. But now, it’s directed more at their old agency than at Namjoon himself. “Yes, I was hurt that you left me, and yes it still stings knowing that you chose to suffer alone instead of coming to me, but i-in your state, I know you did what you thought was best for you.” Though a part of the alpha blames himself now, his voice breaks at the reality that Namjoon didn’t have him in the worst moments of his life, when Jungkook always swore since the beginning to be with his partner come hell or high water. “I’m just so sorry I wasn’t there for you, J-Joonie.”

Namjoon emits a choked sound, one that Jimin mirrors once they both saw the way Jungkook’s shoulders trembled. “Hey, Jungkook-ah, don’t cry,” Namjoon hastily reaches out for a tissue, handing it over to the younger alpha when it looked like he was gonna start sobbing. “It’s okay, hyung is strong, you know this. I’m fine now.”

Yes, hyung is strong, there’s no doubt about that. But Jungkook wanted to be there for Namjoon when he was at his weakest. And no matter how many times the alpha tells himself that this isn’t about him, it still hurts a bit knowing that it all boils down to the fact that Jungkook was unable to fulfill his promise.

“I know, I know you’re strong.” Jungkook chokes out, and finally, Jimin returns to his original seat. He sends Namjoon an apologetic look, but Namjoon only nods at him, silently telling the older alpha that Jungkook needed him more right now. “I’m sorry, hyung. I’m sorry I got mad at you for so long.”

If Namjoon was braver, he would have held Jungkook in his arms again. But… he doesn’t know if Jungkook has forgiven him yet, so now, he just reaches out for Jungkook’s hand as the alpha sobs against Jimin’s shoulder, Jimin’s arms rounding up his shoulders.

With unbidden sorrow in his eyes, Namjoon sighs. “Don’t be sorry, Kook-ah, I’d be mad at myself too if I was in your shoes. You know you were my best friend, my partner. I know I shouldn’t have just left you like that without another word. I should have reached out to you first, even if it took me a year or so. And now you meet me again as the single father of one of your students. I’m sorry that this mess just basically reached this point.”

“Let’s… let’s just stop apologizing for things we no longer have any control of, can we? What’s done is done, let’s just… let’s move on now.” Jungkook begs, his sobs finally quieting down to sniffles, but he’s still hiding on Jimin’s shoulder. It might take him a while to fully forgive Namjoon, but for now, he just wants to move past the anger and the resentment. “But this time, hyung, I promise. I’m here, I’m always gonna be here for you. Even at your worst moments.”

“I know you will, Jungkook-ah, and I know you won’t come alone.” Namjoon smiles lightly at them, his own eyes once again misting with tears as he realizes that he might finally have Jungkook back, and this time, with one of the alphas that Namjoon has been trying so hard not to feel anything for besides professionalism. “Thank you for coming today with us, Jimin-ah. It really makes me feel lighter to have you here.”

Jimin smiles. “S’not an issue, hyung. More than anything, I’m thankful that you trusted me too.” Before he pauses. “Oh wait, can I call you hyung?”

“I think you already did.” Namjoon chuckles lightheartedly. “It’s fine, Jimin-ah. I’d like to be closer to you too. You’re Jungkook’s closest friend, right? You mean a lot to him, and it would mean a lot to me too if we could be friends as well.”

“You have yourself a deal, Namjoon hyung.” Jimin returns his smile, before looking at his poor dongsaeng who looked simultaneously heartbroken and hopeful. “Jungkook?”

“Yes, yes, I—” He clears his throat, finally removing himself from Jimin’s shoulder but still holding his hyung’s hand. This time though, Jungkook also makes the first move to reach out for Namjoon’s fist above the table. “We’re here, hyung. I’m not leaving you again anytime soon. Both me and Jimin are here to be your friends.”

To cement the promise, Jimin also reaches over for Namjoon’s hand, and as Namjoon stares at his own two palms that are cradling two soft hands from two different people—who are both looking at him so softly and welcomingly—the omega finally accepts.

Namjoon lets himself have this.

“That’s more than what I could ever ask for.” Namjoon squeezes their hands together. Tight. He’s not letting go of them anytime soon. “Thanks, Jimin-ah. Thanks, Jungkookie.”

Both alphas squeeze his hand back, and Namjoon has a feeling that this might be the start of something new… of something good.

Someday. Hopefully, soon.

Chapter Text

Jimin and Jungkook kept their word, they became Namjoon’s friends in every sense of the word.

At least, Jungkook is once again back to being Namjoon’s best friend, and slowly but surely, Namjoon lets his guard down with Jimin. It was the easiest decision he’s ever made. The months passed by and their friendship only blossomed harder—it runs deeper than what Namjoon would have expected but couldn’t say he didn’t like. 

For months, it has always just been him and Jihyo, and it’s so nice for Namjoon to finally have friends again. As the school year progressed, Jimin and Jungkook were adamant on seeing each other quite often, even outside the school perimeters. Jihyo was more than happy to have her old teachers around when they went to the park or ate outside, already beyond comfortable with them. Namjoon, though, is careful not to bring the two alphas to their apartment. If anything, they only meet outside.

Though Namjoon is accepting, he’s still adamant on keeping some boundaries.

Tonight, however, Jihyo is in another sleepover—Namjoon swears that his four year old girl has more of a social life than him—and it was Sana’s turn to host them. After dropping Jihyo off at her best friend’s house, Namjoon drove straight to Jungkook and Jimin’s house. The two have invited him over for movie night, one he had to rain check on last week since he was the one hosting three girls—Sana, Nayeon, and Jihyo—in his own house last week.

This weekend, Namjoon makes it up for some honey glazed fried chicken.

“Oh sweet, hyung, that smells so fucking good!” Jungkook is already drooling the moment he opens the door to let Namjoon in. “You still remember my favorite.”

Namjoon chuckles, handing over the bag for Jungkook to devour. “Yes, Jungkook-ah, and I also bought some japchae for Jiminie. I know he likes that too.”

“Did someone say japchae?” Jimin emerges from the kitchen, holding a blue flavored drink that Namjoon can only pray would still allow him to stand on two feet by the end of the night.

“Yep,” Namjoon smiles cheekily. “I know you both are hungry, so let’s eat, shall we?”

Dinner was unsurprisingly fun, comfortable, and delicious. Conversation flowed easily between the three of them. They had a nightful of laughs, jokes, and stories, and it’s so easy for the omega to be with them. While it isn’t Namjoon’s first time here, it is his first time coming over at night, and if it went exactly like how Jungkook and Jimin planned, Namjoon could even be staying over the night.

No funny business, of course. Not yet at least. Not until—

“So…” Jungkook finds himself clearing his throat. They found this great reality show on Netflix to binge watch—a show called the School of Chocolate—and they’re currently on the third episode. The three of them happily snuggled on the two alpha’s spacious couch, Namjoon sandwiched in between Jimin and Jungkook.

“So?” Namjoon tilts his head to Jungkook’s direction, without lifting his head that’s tucked underneath Jimin’s chin.

“Hyung, can I ask you a question?” Jungkook asks quietly, without really looking at Namjoon, content on lying against the omega’s arm. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”

Namjoon chuckles. It’s cute how Jungkook gets so shy so easily. “Sure, Jungkookie, it’s alright.”

“Right, I…” Jungkook clears his throat, and when he looks up, he catches Jimin’s eyes who’s silently asking him a question. Are we finally doing this now? “I was just curious. After you left XYZ… what did you do afterwards?”

Jungkook silently nods, trying to navigate the conversation to lead to where they both originally planned. Oblivious to it, Namjoon answers thoughtfully. “Oh, I, uhh, I was heavily out of commission for like a month or two, you know, because of some… physical damages.”

Both the alphas’ scents spike in irritation. “Right.” Jimin grumbles, while Jungkook fails to swallow back a growl.

Just how much did his hyung really suffer?

“But I went back to my parents in Ilsan,” Namjoon continues, soothing Jungkook with a hand through his hair and calming Jimin by snuggling deeper into his neck. “They welcomed me back into their home long enough to heal. Once I was finally okay, I got back to work again. At first, I worked part time as a bouncer for a club. Also tried another bodyguard job in some luxurious hotel, but the pay wasn’t just that great. And some time later, I got offered this, uhm, job where I didn’t basically do much—at least I did what I loved—and it paid well enough for me.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Jimin pipes up. “We were just wondering about your day job since you know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you come from work when you pick Jihyo up.”

“Ahh, I mostly go around town, I go on to some museums and exhibits quite often,” Namjoon answers, awkwardly clearing his throat since he can’t exactly tell them that Jihyo was his day job. Not that loving his girl was ever a job for him. “I even just sit by the river and read a book sometimes. My day job isn’t very demanding, I have a lot of free time.”

“And you do this alone?” Jungkook asks, almost sheepish. “...You’re not with anyone during the day?”

“Uhh, no? Mostly alone. Sometimes if my friends from my old part time jobs are free, they invite me over, but being alone is fun too.”

“Yeah, of course, we just thought that, you know,” Jimin grumbles, voice turning tight. “You go on dates with someone during your free time.”

Confused, Namjoon finally lifts his head from the shorter alpha’s shoulder. “Ahh, no not really,” He says. “The thing about my day job is while I have enough time to roam around, I just don’t have time to go on dates. Besides, Jihyo’s my priority. She’s at the stage where she needs a parent the most right now. I can’t be derailed.”

For a long second, the two alphas remain silent, looking at each other in earnest, before Jungkook once again opens his mouth. “Right, of course,” He says. “And what about Jihyo’s other parent then?”

Namjoon stiffens. “I’d rather not talk about him.” The omega couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably. One of the clauses in his contract strictly mentioned that no one must ever make a connection to Jihyo and her alpha parent. Never. 

“Oh, sorry, hyung, we didn’t mean to pry.” Jimin says apologetically, although he wonders why Namjoon seemed so sensitive to talk about Jihyo’s other father. Could it be that his relationship with him was quite complicated? “But just to be clear, you’re not… in some sort of relationship with him, right?”

Jimin couldn’t help but ask, because not to exaggerate, but he thinks he and Jungkook would faint right now if they found out that Namjoon… has feelings for another alpha besides them.

“No, and even if I was,” Namjoon asks questioningly. “Why does it matter, Jimin-ah?”

Isn’t that the golden question? Why does it matter, indeed. Namjoon only gets more confused as another air of silence settles between them, the two alphas looking at each other keenly before Jungkook finally dares to say.

“Because, Joonie hyung, we…” He sits himself up properly, looking Namjoon in the eye, watching as Jimin mirrors his actions. “Me and Jimin talked, and we… we wanted to court you, hyung.”

To put it nicely, Namjoon jumps on his seat. “You guys—what?!”

Jimin puts a calming and steady hand on the startled omega’s shoulder. “We wanted to court you, hyung. You have to know by now that I’ve been crushing on you since the school year began, and then Jungkook came along and I found out that you two have already formed some sort of bond before,” He explains, patient and soft, if not a little nervous. “I figured it’s the right time to let you know how we feel about you.”

Namjoon only stares at them in aghast. “I… I don’t understand. You… both?!”

Jimin and Jungkook share another look. Needless to say that it’s difficult to keep secrets when one, you both live in the same house and work in the same place, and two, when you’ve been best friends since childhood. It was easy for both of them to see how the other harbored feelings for the omega, despite both their efforts to deny it seeing their best friend feel the same way.

Until one night, Jungkook couldn’t take it anymore. After one dinner with Namjoon, he was just bursting in the seams from how much he loves his hyung, and he could see Jimin look the same way. It was then that Jungkook realized that he wasn’t jealous about it, as a matter of fact, seeing Jimin happy only made Jungkook feel even happier. He finally decided to come clean to his best friend, and Jimin, too, was honest about his own feelings.

It wasn’t hard to love Namjoon, and both Jungkook and Jimin agreed about how honored they both would be to have a place in the omega’s gracious heart.

“Yes, hyung, us both.” Jungkook braves to say. “Jiminie hyung means a lot to me. He’s my longest running friend and he’s… he’s everything to me, hyung. I noticed how he felt for you, and I made no secret to him of how much I like you even when we were both still in XYZ. So we talked, and we both realized that if you’re willing, then we both want to try. With you, Joonie.”

If the two alphas expected Namjoon to just jump up and profess how much he loves them too, they were sorely mistaken when Namjoon suddenly paled. And it doesn’t look like a good sign at all.

“Why now?” The omega couldn’t help but ask. “Why me?”

Why now, because Namjoon… Namjoon is not available. The only thing that’s running in his mind is that Jungkook and Jimin could be a distraction. With them in his life, he runs the risk of losing Jihyo. What if Seokjin finds out that I’m seeing someone and decides I’m no longer capable of caring for his daughter?

(She’s not really yours, Jihyo’s not your —)

Fear doesn’t even encapsulate how Namjoon feels about losing his daughter.

“What do you mean, why you, hyung?” Jungkook couldn’t help but ask. “Namjoon, I already lost you once, and that was the worst years of my life. But now that you’re back, I don’t want to make the same mistake again. You… you know that to me, you were more than my best friend. I care so much for you, hyung, deeper than what you could imagine. And now that you’re here, I’m not letting you go that easy again. Me and Jimin both won’t.”

“Jungkook’s right,” Jimin adds, quite perplexed at how Namjoon seemed to squirm uncomfortably in his seat. Like the reality of Jungkook and Jimin liking him is the end of the fucking world. “You mean a lot to us, Namjoon hyung, both together and individually. And when we talked about it, we just… we wanted to try, if you would have us both. We both like you, and if you say yes, we want to court you together.”

Yes! Namjoon almost screamed. He wants to. God, how much he yearns to love and be loved. For the past years, he’s been lonely. The omega’s only source of love is from his daughter, and god, what would Namjoon pay to have a mate too.

Or mates in this case.

But the thing is, the moment Namjoon signed up to be Jihyo’s parent—not just nanny—he knew that he’d give up a lot of things. As much as he loves the child, he and Jihyo aren’t bound by blood. Rather, just by a mere contract that stated that Namjoon was to provide, love, and care for one Kim Jihyo. Namjoon can easily lose his daughter in one snap of Seokjin’s fingers. They’re simply bound by a piece of paper, and Namjoon would never do anything to compromise that.

(Even though deep inside, Namjoon knows he’s already more invested than just a mere contact.)

“Jimin-ah, Jungkook-ah, I’m… I’m very honored. Your feelings both mean a lot to me,” The omega gulps, looking genuinely apologetic not just to the two alphas. But to his own heart too. “But I’m sorry, I meant w-what I said. I don’t date. I don’t have the time for it, I’m really sorry.”

Both the alphas’ faces plummet dramatically. It hurts. They were both so positive about this. While they knew that Jihyo meant the world to Namjoon, they also thought that since Jihyo seemed more than okay with them both, it would have heightened their chances with the omega. That Namjoon could see that they both could fit in his and Jihyo’s lives just fine.

“I-Is that so?” Jimin’s voice broke. “Not even a small chance?”

“No,” Namjoon answered firmly but painfully. “Jungkook-ah, Jimin-ah, if you two haven’t realized by now, I’m already a parent. I have a child, and Jihyo’s the most important person to me right now. I can’t give her anything less than my undivided attention. I’m sorry. You two can find a better omega to be with you… not one who’s already a parent like me.”

Jungkook shakes his head, willing the tears not to fall yet. “Hyung, you know we d-don’t care about whether you’re a parent or not, it doesn’t matter.”

“Well, it matters to me.” Namjoon answers back, stiff on his seat. It matters so much, he’s so scared about losing a child he’s long lost his boundaries for. “I’m sorry but please respect my decision.”

If anyone thought that it was easy for Namjoon to reject the two alphas, then they were painfully mistaken. He could feel the way his own heart squeezed inside his chest, wanting nothing more than to put a smile back on Jimin and Jungkook’s faces. But he only sits still, because he’s a parent now, and Jihyo is his priority. Even over his own self.

Nothing and no one can ever come between them. Namjoon would never risk it.

“Right, of course, it’s just…” Jimin wants to explain. He won’t push, but he won’t give up too easily either. “We just want you to know that when Jungkook and I decided to court you, we already knew that Jihyo came in the package and that’s never gonna be a problem. If you ever change your mind, p-please know that it’s okay to us, that we’re not—”

“I already said no, Jimin-ah,” Namjoon snaps, wanting to just end this conversation. His inner omega is yelling at him to just accept the two alphas. To take them into his arms and kiss them and say yes. But… Jihyo. She matters the most to Namjoon right now. “Why is it so hard for you two to understand that I can’t date you both or date anyone for that matter?”

“You can’t? ” Jungkook asks back. “And why can’t you, hyung? Is there something stopping you?”

Yes. A contract. “I, no—that’s not—” Namjoon has long known that he’s given more than what he’s supposed to the moment he entered Jihyo’s life, Even Namjoon will admit that he’s long crossed such boundaries in an effort to really be her father. He was so determined to supply the love Jihyo lacked in her life, and he knows that he’s giving up more than what was expected from him in that contract. But even if it hurts, in Namjoon’s eyes, Jihyo was worth it. He just loved her so much. “It’s none of your business, Jungkook-ah, just leave it. I already said no.”

Another silence, this one was more awkward. Much heavier. Totally painful. 

“Okay then, I’m sorry if we offended you,” Jungkook finds himself saying, looking down at his lap in sorrow. He just wanted Namjoon—both him and Jimin did. They loved each other and they loved Namjoon too. They really can’t understand why Namjoon won’t let them love him. “If you think that me and Jimin are not suitable enough for you and Jihyo’s lives then that’s alright. We-we understand.”

That… irritates Namjoon more than what it should have. “I never said that, okay, I just said that I can’t.” Namjoon spat. The last thing he would want is for these two to think that they’re not enough. They’re more than what Namjoon could ever want, but… he just can’t let his employer see that Namjoon has other priorities too besides the child he cares for. “Look, there’s so many people out there in this world. Omegas, Betas, and Alphas. Have your pick, but it’s just not going to be me.”

Though as Namjoon says that, the crevices of his own heart only break further apart. Just imagining these two with another omega in their arms made him hurt more than the physical bruises he suffered from those brutal alphas all those years ago. He doesn’t want to lose them, but Namjoon is more afraid of losing Jihyo.

“But we don’t want anyone else, hyungie,” Jimin says, barely choking back a sob. “Me and Jungkook want you. O-Only you. We both like you so much.”

Namjoon shakes his head, a lone tear slipping down his eyes down to the slope of his nose. “Unfortunately—no, not unfortunately—I already have a child, and I won’t let anything or anyone come between us.”

The two alphas couldn’t help but look shocked. They never said anything about separating Jihyo from Namjoon, that was never a part of their intentions.

“We never wanted to come in between you, hyung. Jihyo’s your daughter, only your daughter.” Jungkook couldn’t help but speak up. He doesn’t want Namjoon to think that they would even try to take him away from his only child. “Having us doesn’t mean you’re gonna lose her.”

Yes it does, Namjoon wants to yell. As good as Namjoon was in his role of being Jihyo’s father, at the end of the day, he’s just a highly paid nanny acting in a role. He’s disposable. “You just don’t understand, okay? I can’t do it!” 

“So please make us understand.” Jimin nearly begs. His heart won’t settle, his alpha howling inside of him in pain at not having the omega he loves in between his arms. “Hyung, are you really gonna lie to us and tell us that you don’t like us too?”

Namjoon knows he can’t deny that. But, “It doesn’t matter what I feel,” He grits out. Another tear falls, and both alphas’ hearts hurt seeing their omega cry. “Jihyo’s the important one here, not me or you.”

“And she’ll always be the more important one,” Jimin continues to add. “I know that she’s your child, and we get that. But we just don’t want you to think that we have any intentions of separating the two of you.”

Having had enough, Namjoon finally stands. “You know what,” His brows furrowed, the omega’s jaw was clenched tightly. “Just drop it.”

Jungkook follows suit, standing up beside him. “Sorry, hyung, but we both just want to understand what you meant.” Hell, Jimin and Jungkook aren’t even forcing the courting idea anymore. They just really wish to make sense of what Namjoon was saying. “We don’t get how we’ll come in between. You’re making it seem like both your day job and your life at home is focused on Jihyo alone.”

That… that gets the omega switching from a defensive state to one that’s infuriated. The love he has for Jihyo is not a job. And deep inside, Namjoon knows that Jungkook doesn’t mean any harm, but his judgment is clouded. The only thing running inside the omega’s head is how Jungkook made the connection between his job and Jihyo… and how that’s a big no-no in the contract.

“Listen here and listen well, Jungkook-ah. Jihyo is not a job to me. She’s my daughter, she’s my life. And I don’t care what you two have to say, but the two of you are only gonna cause us to separate, and I will never have that.” Namjoon finds himself gritting out, voice laced with something fearsome enough to have the strongest and most powerful alphas cowering.

Startled, Jimin also stands from his seat, seeing as Jungkook looked fairly chastised and shocked at how deep Namjoon’s voice went. At how angry the omega really sounded. 

“You’re making us sound like an enemy,” Jimin defends both themselves. “We’re not, Namjoon hyung. We’re your friends, and it hurts that you think of us as some hindrance between you and your daughter.”

“Because you two will be!” Namjoon snaps. He didn’t exactly yell, but that’s the loudest Jungkook and Jimin have ever heard from him. “You just don’t get it, and I don’t expect you to understand. But Jihyo’s my only focus right now. You just don’t understand what you two can do.”

What they both can do? It was starting to dawn on the two alphas that there’s something that Namjoon isn’t telling them, and while they knew that Namjoon has a right to keep his secrets, his anger was obviously stemming from the words unsaid.

From something figuratively stopping him.

“Namjoon hyung?” Jungkook asks quietly, like a zookeeper trying to calm an angered lion. “What don’t we understand? What are you not telling us?”

The question has Namjoon taken aback. He’s already said too much, and if he’s provoked even more, he’s afraid that he’d finally break the contract, and then… then he’ll lose Jihyo.

See, this is exactly what he means.

“Nothing,” The omega shakes his head, and with his jaw still taut, he finally walks away. “Coming here tonight was a mistake. I’m sorry to have to reject you, but I’m not letting you compromise what Jihyo and I have. And right now, I have to go.”

With that, Namjoon takes his belongings, hastily putting on his shoes before running away. He doesn’t look back as Jimin and Jungkook repeatedly call for his name. He ignores Jungkook reaching for his hand, or Jimin pleading for him to talk again some other day. No. Right now, Namjoon needs to leave, he just wants to go home and curl up with Jihyo in their makeshift nest. Which only made him sadder when he realized that Jihyo’s not around tonight.

For now, he just can’t be here in this house. So, he runs.

Neither of the two alphas needed to see Namjoon break down in his car anyways, not when they couldn't help him, and when they’re the very reason of his bleeding heart.

Namjoon was rarely late in picking Jihyo up.

However, after what happened between him, Jimin, and Jungkook last Saturday night, he couldn’t help but want to linger a little longer at home. Not wanting to spend an extra second inside that school in fear of another confrontation. He knows that the two alphas only meant well with their intentions, but their words… their words sting hard, and Namjoon’s not sure if he’s willing to see them again after their last meeting.

He just couldn’t forget how Jungkook insinuated that Jihyo was his job. It was but it long stopped feeling that way. Namjoon was just adamant on denying it.

Fate, it seems, is finally on his side for once. Because after dropping her off hastily this morning, Namjoon finds a legitimate reason to not see either Jimin or Jungkook today.

It comes in the form of a text from his very own employer, ten minutes before he leaves the house.

‘Hi Namjoon-ah, I want to pick Jihyo up from school today. I wanted to surprise her, so you don’t have to worry about coming to pick her up. Just please tell her teachers that she’s getting picked up by a certain ‘Kim Jin’ today so they’d let me get her. Thanks Joon.”

Okay, so he might still have to text Jimin, but at least Namjoon wouldn’t have to see them.

He texts his boss back an affirmative, also sending Jimin a brief message that Jihyo is going to be picked up by Seokjin’s chosen pseudonym, and that he has Namjoon’s permission. (Quite ironic that it’s the nanny giving his permission for Jihyo’s father to pick her up, but it is what it is.) Not even five minutes later, Jimin takes note of his text. Followed by another text that says, “Hyung, when you’re free, can we talk again? Jungkook and I didn’t mean to hurt you, please let us fix this and clear things up.”

Namjoon pointedly leaves him on read.

It was safe to assume that Seokjin would probably spend the rest of the afternoon with Jihyo, so Namjoon was fine to relax within the confines of his and Jihyo’s home. While Namjoon doesn’t know when Jihyo will be back—if Seokjin wants to have a sleepover with his daughter at his own penthouse, then all Namjoon can do is wait. Besides, this will be good for them. Seokjin hasn’t spent time with his daughter in a while, especially after those tedious movie and other drama promotions. It’ll be nice for them to bond again.

(Namjoon also knows that Jihyo still secretly yearns to spend time with her alpha father, and that’s not something Namjoon can ever be greedy about.)

But, what the omega didn’t really expect is that just when he finished reading the third page of this novel he’s been meaning to read, Namjoon’s phone rings in a call. Seeing Jungkook’s name as the caller ID, the omega hesitates at first, but he figured that this must be important if Jungkook decided to actually call.

“Hello?” Namjoon answers warily.

“Hyung!” Jungkook piques up, and right off the bat, Namjoon notices his tone of distress. “Hyung, please, I think you need to come here.”

Namjoon is already running towards the door. “What? Why? What’s wrong? Did something happen to Jihyo?”

“Well, I—” Jungkook stammers, and when Namjoon strains his ears, he can hear the sounds of someone crying. It sounded a lot like his daughter. “Yes, it’s about Jihyo and the man who was supposed to pick her up today.”

Namjoon just finished putting his shoes on. “What happened? Did he not come?”

“No, no, he’s here, but…” Jungkook pauses in his words to soothe a crying child that’s wrapped around his waist. “But Jihyo doesn’t want to go with him.”

Safe to say that Namjoon freezes. “What?”

“She didn’t want to go with this person.” Jungkook explains, his words sandwiched between ‘shh-ing’ sounds. “Jimin is talking with him right now, and he’s getting a little angry too. Saying that we’re not letting him see Jihyo when he has your permission. But, hyung, the moment Jihyo saw him… she turned hysterical. She kept saying she wanted her appa, she asked me to call for you to come get her and no one else.”

At that moment, Namjoon felt devastated. His heart breaks for Seokjin, but at the same time, he has no idea why Jihyo would throw a tantrum upon seeing her real father. Could it be that Jihyo no longer remembers him? Or worse, despite remembering him, has Jihyo completely disregarded the fact that Seokjin is her real dad?

Namjoon doesn’t know which reality hurts worse.

“I’ll be right there, Jungkook.” Namjoon is already making his way to their car. “Please tell her that I’m coming as fast as I can.”

“Okay, hyung, please be safe.”

Namjoon ends their conversation with a hum, thoughts jumbled up like a clogged sink. He has never dealt with a Jihyo that’s scared of her own dad, and the omega honestly has no idea how he can console her about this. More so, Namjoon doesn’t know how he’ll deal with Seokjin… his boss might be a good employer, but realizing that his daughter’s nanny was far loved by his own child might trigger his competitive tendencies.

What if Seokjin decides to finally get rid of me? Namjoon’s heart pounds thinking of him and Jihyo getting separated in the blink of an eye.

Before the omega realizes it, he’s parked his car at the school’s lot. After hastily locking the door, he runs towards Jihyo’s classroom, and true enough, he’s greeted with the sight of an agitated Seokjin, and a Jimin who’s trying his best to calm the man down.

“I keep on telling you, Jihyo knows me! I can handle her, I can make her stop crying!”

“Sir, as much as I want to give Jihyo to you, the child is very obviously distressed. She kept on screaming and crying because of you, and we can’t just—”

“Jin hyung,” Namjoon cuts off their conversation in the hallway. Both alphas turn towards him. “Jimin-ah, what’s happening here?”

When Namjoon inches closer, he sees that Seokjin’s face is painfully red, all the way to the tips of his ears. But up close, Namjoon sees that Seokjin isn’t just red with anger, no, but he’s flushed with sorrow. A deep, harrowing clench to his jaw and a vulnerable shine to his eyes that can only be brought out by the fact that his own daughter didn’t want anything to do with him.

Namjoon looks away before the pity flashes in his own gaze. 

“Namjoon,” Seokjin grits out, rubbing his hands all over his face. He’s wearing a thick coat, a black cap and a matching mask, probably to try and disguise his face. But Namjoon can still see the way his eyes quivered. “Tell this man right here that I have a right to see Jihyo.”

“Sir, with all due respect, we are not taking away your right to see the child. It’s just… we can’t give her to a person she obviously doesn’t want to go with.”

The words were merely stating a fact, but both Seokjin and Namjoon flinch.

“Jimin, I—” Namjoon finally decides to step in. “Let me see Jihyo first. Where is she?”

Jimin looks at him worriedly. “She’s inside the room with Jungkook, hyung. Come.”

With that, the teacher finally opens the door to a now empty classroom, and he’s greeted by the sight of Jungkook cradling a slightly sniffing Jihyo on his lap, playing a game of rock-paper-scissors to distract her for the time being. When the door unlocks, however, both student and teacher turn towards the door, and Jihyo once again bursts into tears upon seeing Namjoon.

“Appa!” She cries, hurriedly jumping off Jungkook’s lap to run to Namjoon. Her pigtails are slightly askewed, missing a few clips from what Namjoon assumes is because of her tantrum. “Appa! Appa! Appa!”

Namjoon bends down to tightly envelop the child in his arms immediately. The poor girl kept crying, burying her face against Namjoon’s neck where the omega’s scent is most potent. Namjoon didn’t have to look at Seokjin to know that the actor was trying his hardest not to cry. How his own daughter would gladly scent another person instead of even coming close to her own father probably crushed Seokjin’s heart into a tiny billion pieces.

Worse, Seokjin knows he has no one else to blame but himself.

“Hey, princess,” Namjoon finally pulls her back, cupping his child’s face tenderly. “What’s wrong, baby? Jin was supposed to surprise you today. Why didn’t you want to come with him?”

“Don’t wanna,” Jihyo sniffs in response. “You Jihyo’s only appa, no one else.”

Namjoon is vaguely aware of Jimin and Jungkook in the background witnessing a live drama. He knows that by now, these two are putting two and two together, realizing that the man waiting could be the child’s other father.

But if that is so, how come this Jin person didn’t once call himself Jihyo's appa too? Jimin couldn’t help but wonder silently.

“I—” Namjoon didn’t know what to say, not wanting to offend his boss, but not without upsetting Jihyo either. “How a-about we talk about this in the car, okay? Jin hyung is gonna come with us, and we’ll talk there, okay?”

“No!” Jihyo yelled, turning hysterical again. “Don’t want him to go with us! Only Jihyo and appa go home!”

Seokjin couldn’t take it anymore. “Jihyo, come on, b-baby. Why don’t you like to spend time with me too, hmm? Can—can I just come with y-you too, we can spend time together? Please, baby?”

The air is heavy among the four adults and the lone child. Namjoon feels incredibly caught in between, wanting Jihyo to calm down but also wanting to give Seokjin a big hug. His hyung might not win best dad in the world, but Namjoon knows how painful this must be for him. To hear that his own blood is not even acknowledging him… doesn’t even want to be around him.

“I don’t wanna!” Jihyo cries out again, and never has Namjoon seen his usually even-tempered child scream this loud. “You no appa! Only want appa, not you!”

At that, Seokjin finally breaks. The last bits of his composure fall apart as his face crumples behind his mask. “Baby, Jihyo, please don’t s-say that. I’m your appa, remember? It’s me, I’m your r-real appa, Jihyo-yah. Please come to appa, please—!”

Jihyo cries harder in Namjoon’s arms. She starts to thrash when Seokjin dares to come closer and pick her up from Namjoon. “No! No! NO!” She yells, and Namjoon tries to ignore the feeling of her nails scratching his neck in favor of trying not to let his baby girl fall from his embrace. “Don’t want you! Appa love Jihyo! Appa want Jihyo! You no love Jihyo, you no want Jihyo! You no appa!”

The juxtaposition of having one of the most influential and richest actors in the entertainment industry begging a preschooler to spend time with him kind of made Namjoon’s heart scathingly break for the actor. But when Namjoon remembers that this actor and this preschooler are an actual father-and-child, the omega’s heart then breaks for Jihyo knowing that for all her innocence, she only knows how to give what she receives.

If her own dad didn’t want her, then Jihyo wouldn’t want anything to do with Seokjin either.

Namjoon kinda wants to cry, too.

“Jihyo, p-please, Jihyo—” Seokjin pleads, not caring about the fact that there are two strangers who are watching the scene with bated breath. “Please, come here to appa, please. A-Appa loves you so much—!”

Before Jihyo could yell again, Namjoon decides to pipe up. “Hyung, wait, please stop. You’re upsetting her more. Let’s just go home, and—and take your car with you. I will talk to Jihyo on our way home, please, let’s not do this here.”

He pointedly looks at Jungkook and Jimin’s direction, whom Namjoon knows is waiting for some sort of explanation especially when Namjoon said that Jihyo’s alpha father is somewhat out of the picture. He didn’t owe it to them as Jihyo’s teachers, no, he owed it to them as their friends.

(Suddenly, all that Jimin and Jungkook said last week echoed in Namjoon’s ears again.)

Namjoon didn’t really want to admit it, but at this point, he just feels defeated. It doesn’t make him happy to see Jihyo turning spiteful to her real father. He thought that by providing the child with all the love she needs, it would have been enough. That she would never need to look elsewhere for the care she’s been deprived of. Forgetting that love isn’t greedy, that a child like his daughter deserved all the love she could get especially from her alpha father.

Namjoon has forgotten about where he should rightfully stand.

The omega couldn’t deny it any longer, he was so afraid that Jihyo would no longer need him one day when Seokjin was finally able to fulfill his role of being a father. But look how that turned up.

Maybe, just maybe, Namjoon was starting to realize that he is truly biting off more than what he’s only supposed to chew.

___________

By god’s grace, Jihyo falls asleep on their way home.

She was probably exhausted from throwing a fit she rarely had. Namjoon carefully scoops her into his arms as he carries her back to her bedroom. Not a meter away is her real father, looking at his own child so longingly as she is cradled by someone that should have been him.

Thankfully, Seokjin also doesn’t say a word as he follows the two all the way to her room. He silently watches by her doorway as Namjoon lays her down on her bed, removing her shoes and carefully plucking out her hair ties. The omega even manages to change her from her uniform to some PJs, and he only leaves after placing one last peck on Jihyo’s forehead.

Seokjin looks away.

Namjoon then points to their living room, silently telling the alpha that they would talk there instead of here where Jihyo might wake up and throw another tantrum. The omega doesn’t have any alcohol in this place, knowing full well that even when he is supposedly at home and with Jihyo, Namjoon’s still on the job and must always remain sober. But at that moment, he kind of wished he had something stronger than tequila. Nothing could ever prepare him for this kind of conversation with his boss.

It’s silent for a while. The heavy sighs of the alpha sitting one cushion away from Namjoon on their living room couch is the only sound filling the room.

And then, “You must think I’m pathetic.”

Namjoon’s eyes snap to his employer. “What—hyung, no!”

“Don’t lie, Namjoon-ah,” Seokjin says forlornly, he’s not even looking at Namjoon. Rather, he’s staring at the black TV Screen in front of him. “Acting’s my job, not yours. I know I must look downright tragic today.”

Namjoon sputters, fidgeting with his fingers. “S-Seokjin hyung, I’m sure this is just a—a one time thing. Probably a misunderstanding. Jihyo was probably just overwhelmed seeing you again.”

Seokjin scoffs, chancing a look at Namjoon. Now that his face isn’t obscured by a mask, the omega could see both the obvious frown on Seokjin’s face, and the striking glimmer in his eyes that looked heart wrenchingly distraught. 

“Is it? Is she?” The alpha asks, almost sarcastic. “You’re telling me that if I were to go into Jihyo’s room right now and if I were to lie down beside her, she won’t wake up and have another tantrum when she realizes that it’s me right by her side?”

This time, it’s Namjoon who looks away. “Hyung.”

The lack of words is enough of an answer for Seokjin. “I thought so.” He says quietly. Broken. Like Seokjin’s world turned smaller and smaller until it finally came crashing down unto him with every single one of Jihyo’s wails earlier today. “My own daughter hates me. And what’s even worse is that my own daughter thinks that I don’t love her.”

Seokjin says it like a matter of fact, and Namjoon so badly wants to deny it. He wants to console his employer, wants to tell the alpha that that’s not true. Jihyo is probably just confused. But… if there is one thing Namjoon realized all these months he’s spent with the little princess, it’s the fact that Jihyo has lacked this one thing ever since she was born.

The young girl never had anyone on her side.

So, just this once, Namjoon stands up for her. Not just as her nanny, but as someone who loves her unconditionally. “Hyung, I—I really want to tell you that Jihyo is probably just stunned today, seeing you again. But, sir, she—she hasn’t seen you in months. I know I regularly update you, like you and I both talk about her often through text, but you rarely have the time to actually speak with her over the phone. And—and I know she hasn’t forgotten you, but… she’s a child, Mr. Kim. What you show her is what she believes in. I know Jihyo doesn’t hate you, your little angel is never capable of anything ever remotely vengeful inside her innocent little heart. But you can’t expect her to think like us—like adults—and make Jihyo believe that she’s loved when—”

“—when I act like I don’t care about her.” Seokjin concludes. He looks fairly chastised, but not offended. He knows that Namjoon is only saying what he needs to hear. And while every word pokes at his skin like fresh cigarette burns, Seokjin knows that the omega only has his daughter’s best intentions at heart. He knows that… Namjoon loves his daughter. In a way he should have. In a way Seokjin failed to do so. “I mean, I did send you far away from me, right? I shouldn’t really expect my own daughter to think that I-I care for her so much when… when I pushed her out of my own house to live with a stranger, can I?”

Namjoon’s eyes mist with pitiful tears. “Seokjin hyung,” He says quietly. “It’s—it’s not too late. Jihyo… she misses you a lot, hyung. I know she does, because when you pop up on TV in a commercial or like a-a new movie trailer, she stops whatever she’s doing and she looks at you. She really watches you, every single time. No matter if your commercial pops up ten times a day or when we’re outside and she sees a billboard or a poster, she still watches and really looks at you, hyung-nim. Jihyo misses you a lot, I swear.”

The reality that his daughter truly does long for him is probably what breaks Seokjin’s façade. Tears uncontrollably finally stream down his face, his broad shoulders trembling in sadness as all the anguish floods out of his body.

“I’m such a terrible father,” Seokjin sobs, and it’s nothing like how he cries on TV. This is real—not an act. His sadness is raw, his disappointment in himself is palpable. Even his scent perfumes the air in pure sorrow. “My o-own daughter, she doesn’t w-want me but she wants a father, and I’m the biggest failure for o-one. And you’re r-right, Namjoon-ah. I can’t blame her, because that’s exactly what I’ve shown her. I made her think that I don’t care about her and she—she doesn’t think I love her at all. And it fucking sucks because all I have, all my savings and property and everything to my name, all this I plan to give to her. Everything—this is all for her and her future, Namjoon. But at the end of the day, I’m still the worst father in her eyes because I made her think that she’s not important to me. No, it’s because I acted like she doesn’t mean the world t-to me. What the fuck? Why did I do this to her? What the hell h-have I done?”

Even though they’re bound by a professional contract, Namjoon throws all caution away to swing an arm around Seokjin’s broad shoulders to pull him to his side. By now, he’s also in tears. The omega’s heart hurts for both father and his child. He knows that Seokjin thought he’s only doing the right thing in protecting Jihyo by keeping her hidden and far away from him, but the thing about parenthood is that… It's a huge responsibility. One that people can’t just throw away to somebody else, no matter how big they’re paid.

Seokjin needs to understand that yes, this is indeed his fault. Jihyo is only a child who mirrors how the rest of the world treats her. But Seokjin’s the adult who was supposed to nurture her. He can’t blame his child for acting like she doesn’t want him when Seokjin made no sign of showing that he wanted her too.

Seokjin can’t blame Jihyo for treating somebody else as her father, when Seokjin failed to cherish his one and only child.

“Jin hyung,” Namjoon waits until Seokjin’s sobs have dwindled down a little, at least until his breathing has slowed down. “I know… I know today sucked, and Jihyo’s probably gonna take some time again to get used to being around you. But like what I said, it’s not too late. You’re her father, of course she loves you. She just… needs a little more reassurance. You have to show her, you need to make an effort, which I know you can.”

Silence. Seokjin only sniffles lightly, his head lying heavily against Namjoon’s shoulders. “What—what if she never does?” He asks quietly, like he’s genuinely terrified of the thought of Jihyo always being afraid of him. “What if she h-hates me forever?”

“Hyung,” Namjoon sighs. “She doesn’t hate you. Jihyo’s just upset. And you can’t give up on her before you even try. Jihyo already doesn’t have an omega parent, you shouldn’t give up on her that easily either. Please.”

Seokjin finally looks at Namjoon, his gaze turning into a mixture of something pleased—secured—and maybe even a little jealous. How can this supposed stranger teach him more about fatherhood when he has no child himself?

No. Namjoon has a child. His child loves Namjoon more than she even loved Seokjin. Because Namjoon was the one, paid or not, who loved his daughter unconditionally. No amount of money could ever equate to Seokjin’s gratitude for that.

“But at least she has you, doesn’t she?” The alpha asks rhetorically. “I think I made the right decision to hire you all those months ago. You… you love her like your own child, and I should be angry that my own daughter considers you more of a father than she does to me but… more than anything, I’m just glad Jihyo has someone by her side. Someone who loved her when I failed to do so.”

Namjoon reddens. This is so not the time to look flattered. “T-thank you, hyung. And you know I’ll be here for her for as long as she needs me, for as long as you’ll let me be around her.”

The corner of Seokjin’s lips tilt upward in a humorless smile. “I’d truly be the worst father to ever exist if I also took you away from her.” He then looks down to his lap. “Besides, it’s not as if I can ever marry and… and give her another omega parent. I can’t do that.”

Namjoon knows it’s best not to pry, but the relief that floods into his chest is a little overwhelming, if not temporary. He tries to quell it down, trying to tell himself that… it’s only for a few years. It’s impossible that a man like Seokjin wouldn’t have millions of people lining up for him, and his hyung’s decision on getting married and giving Jihyo a true omega parent is probably gonna change in a few years time and—

“I’m aromantic in case that wasn’t clear enough,” Seokjin interjects when he notices the lingering question in the way Namjoon stiffened. “I don’t do relationships because… it’s not my thing. I can’t do it—I, I don’t want to do it. Jihyo was already a surprise, but that’s why the most I can accept into my life was her but not her omega parent too.”

Oh… oh. Now, Namjoon understands. He won’t lie and say that he was never curious as to why his hyung never had anyone by his side. The alpha never dated, besides baseless rumors of course, Seokjin never had any relationships as far as Namjoon knew. And now, he gets it.

“I see, hyung, it’s okay,” At least now, Namjoon is more secure in the idea that he can be with Jihyo for a very long time. He won’t lie and say that the relief isn’t palpable. At least Seokjin is indirectly telling him that he’s not getting rid of Namjoon anytime soon, not unless he fucks up big time, that is. “I’ll be here for Jihyo for as long as you wish for me to be. You’re right when you said that I love her and I’d do anything for her. This… this is barely a job for me. But even though I love her, I should know my boundaries, hyung. I know that she’s still your child first, and above anything, it’s you whom she needs to build a bond with.”

Seokjin bites the inside of his cheek. “Well, you are more of a father than I have ever been to her,” He says, finally lifting his head off from the omega’s shoulder. “You’ve been with her for like a year at best, and she already loves you more than she loves me. I guess if I can, I’d promote you right now. But as it is, I think being Jihyo’s omega parent is the farthest you can go.”

One signature of actor Kim Seokjin is that he never fails to crack a joke, no matter the atmosphere. And even now, Namjoon couldn’t help but crack a small smile at the loose attempt of humor. “I do try, hyung, thank you. I know she’s not my child, but I love her just as much. I guess if I do get promoted, the only thing I wish to ask for is more free time on the weekends. You know, when she spends it with her alpha father instead.”

Seokjin looks intently at Namjoon, half grateful, mildly embarrassed. But if anything, Namjoon is doing this for himself too. He can let his life center on Jihyo, ture, but the omega shouldn’t let it enclose on her alone. He has to have a life of his own as well, letting people in doesn’t mean there’s less space for her. “Thank you, Namjoon-ah, I—I’ll make sure to try harder. And yeah, we can start with the weekends, I guess. I don’t want to overwhelm her, and of course, you can have more free time. Just because I don’t date, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t too, right?”

Namjoon stiffens, a light blush immediately washing against the apples of his cheeks. “I—I don’t date too, I mean. I’m not aromantic, but I promise I’ve been focusing on Jihyo, hyung, I swear.”

At that, Seokjin couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. “Oh, so you’re telling me that when those two teachers realized that I was an alpha picking your daughter up, I was probably just imagining the way they glared at me?” He teases. “Or how about the fact that you, uhh, address those two informally? That’s just a figment of my imagination?”

Even if Namjoon did not say a word, the blush on his face spoke harder than any actual sentences. “Listen, hyung, it’s not—I promise my whole attention i-is still on Jihyo, and—”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I don’t doubt that for a moment, Joon-ah,” Seokjin grins, rubbing a reassuring hand against the omega’s tense shoulder. “You have your own life too. Jihyo’s my daughter and I’m not asking you to give up everything for her, and I will never prevent you from dating if that’s what you want.”

“But hyung,” Namjoon tries his best not to look too shy, perhaps a little sheepish. “I-It’s not like it’s possible. They’re Jihyo’s teachers and—”

“The school year’s almost ending.”

“Hyuuuung,” Namjoon whines, covering up his face as he reddens, much to Seokjin’s amusement. “I’m serious. They think Jihyo’s my daughter, and when you showed up, I’m pretty sure that they just connected the dots.”

Seokjin only offers the omega a small chuckle. “Well then, I guess you can tell them the truth.”

Namjoon ceases in his whining, lowering his hands to stare in shock at his employer slash, uh, friend. He can do that? “B-But the contract—”

“Was drafted by me, and I’m telling you right now that it’s okay.” Seokjin grins. “As your boss, you have my permission to tell them your real relationship with Jihyo. Just… I guess just leave out the fact that Kim Seokjin’s her father, if they didn’t already recognize me that is, but you can tell them the truth, Joon-ah. It’s okay. It’s the least I can do for you.”

While hypothetical, the weight that lifts from Namjoon’s shoulders is so significant. He can’t deny that he wants to tell Jungkook and Jimin the truth, remembering back to the cause of their argument days ago. When those two realize why Namjoon said what he had to say, maybe they’d understand him better. No more lies.

(Maybe Namjoon can finally have both his daughter and his mates. That is, if he still hasn’t lost his chance.)

“Thank you, hyung, I… I might take you up on that offer.” Namjoon looks genuinely grateful. Besides the reassurance that he and Jihyo won’t be separated because of Namjoon dating, it makes him even more thankful to know that his employer is supportive in letting him have a little something for himself. Two mates, hopefully. “I couldn’t exactly tell them why I lied, and… they’re my friends. At least now, I have your permission.”

Seokjin nods in understanding, exhaling heavily. “You do that, Joon-ah,” He says. While he might not fully understand, Seokjin’s getting a better picture of what's happening in Namjoon’s life. “At least, now, one of us on this couch gets a better shot at being happy.”

There’s a rock that weighs heavily in Namjoon’s chest. He can’t personally understand what Jihyo’s going through—the omega is close to both his parents—but it does make his heart ache knowing that a father and a child yearn so much for each other. And even if the distance between them right now is only a room apart, circumstances have resulted in them being oceans away.

Or maybe not just circumstances. But, choices.

“Jihyo loves you, hyung, trust me.” Is all Namjoon can say, because it’s the truth. No matter how hard Jihyo cried, she wouldn't be that sad if she didn’t love her father. The omega remembers what the child yelled earlier today, Appa love Jihyo! Appa want Jihyo! You no love Jihyo, you no want Jihyo! You no appa! And he knows that hearing those words could make a father’s world shatter worse than a 9.8 magnitude earthquake. It’s painful now because they both genuinely love each other, yet both their love aren’t well received. “You just gotta show her that you love her too. Make her feel it, and I know that soon, you both will be happy together, hyung.”

Relationships are generally difficult for Seokjin, and yes, he will admit that he wasn’t prepared to be a parent. More so, he was not ready to care for an actual child. But Jihyo is not a mistake, and she didn’t choose to be born to Seokjin. The least the alpha can do for her now is to man up and take responsibility. He’s done pushing away the people he loves—not when Seokjin now understands how painful it felt when Jihyo refused to even breathe into Seokjin’s direction.

Besides, Namjoon’s right, it’s not yet too late. Seokjin might have made some mistakes but that doesn’t mean he could never redeem himself. The last thing Seokjin wants is for his child to grow up and think that he doesn’t love her. That he never cared for her.

Not again. Never again.

“I hope so, Joon-ah, I hope you’re right.”

Chapter Text

Jihyo doesn’t go to school for the rest of the week.

What will a preschooler miss anyway? It’s just for four days. Jihyo stays cooped up inside their house, and Namjoon merely shoots Jimin a text about Jihyo’s absence before he, too, becomes radio silent.

Though Namjoon did follow it up with a, I’ll explain everything soon, okay? We’re alright, just trust me on this one.

Thankfully, Jimin and Jungkook seem to understand. Jungkook shoots Namjoon a text in response saying, Take your time, hyung. We’re not going anywhere. I hope you and Jihyo are okay.

For now, Namjoon pushes the two alphas to the back of his mind. Right now, his main focus is on Jihyo and how to get her and her father back on good terms again. Seokjin, too, stays with them in their apartment for the rest of the week. The high rise condominium he gave Namjoon and Jihyo consisted of four rooms. One for Jihyo, one for Namjoon, another for a guest room, and the last one was turned into Jihyo’s playpen, so Seokjin occupied the guest room for a while.

The first day was a nightmare. Jihyo refused to leave Namjoon’s side at all, violently shooing away all of Seokjin’s efforts to spend time with her. She threw another tantrum when she woke up later on and realized that there was another alpha’s scent she missed so much—but still believed didn’t love her—lingering inside her home. 

However, Seokjin refused to give up this time.

Everywhere Jihyo went, there was Namjoon. But, there was Seokjin, too. Staying close, never straying too far, but giving the girl enough space to know that he wouldn’t push and overwhelm her. When Jihyo starts putting up a fuss, Seokjin will leave the room, but he’ll be in the house. He, too, took a long break from his job to spend it getting back his daughter’s favor.

This honestly reminded Namjoon of that time he was on a trial period with Jihyo. The girl was back to being aloof, cold even, but this time, to her own dad. The only difference is she has Namjoon on her side now, refusing to leave her alone and making her feel that she doesn’t have anyone right beside her.

Slowly but surely, Jihyo opened up. Around the third day, she at least wasn’t outright upset anymore upon seeing Seokjin. Jihyo would look at him, seeing her father hold one of her toys, and she wouldn’t push him away.

If Jihyo was an omega, Namjoon thinks this was the equivalent of her at least accepting her father into her nest. Seokjin already considers it a huge win.

However, on the third night Namjoon tucked Jihyo into bed, he remembers his heart breaking all over again when Jihyo softly asked him a question right before she fell asleep, “Appa, would he still be here again tomowow? Or will that appa leave Jihyo again?”

Namjoon tried his best to control his tears, telling her—promising her—that, Yes, baby, your father’s not leaving you anymore, I promise. She doesn’t sound like she believes him, but when she woke up the next morning, seeing both Namjoon and Seokjin wake her up… a small but shy smile slipped into her face.

(When Namjoon told Seokjin of Jihyo’s question, the alpha once again broke down into tears. This time, he asked Namjoon to buy him a beer. They both had two bottles each.)

When the weekend rolled in, Seokjin asked Jihyo if she wanted to spend time with him in his penthouse. Yesterday was so much better, Jihyo finally acknowledged her father, playing with him in her own withdrawn way. But it was a start. Seokjin cried again, when he finally had Jihyo on his lap without the girl having another tantrum, even if it was just for an hour.

Jihyo just wasn’t comfortable sleeping in her father’s house without Namjoon just yet, so Seokjin said that he and her would just spend the afternoon outside and Namjoon would come by the evening into his penthouse, and he promised that the omega would be there to tuck her in.

The little girl relented.

So for Saturday afternoon, and most of the evening, Namjoon had been by himself. A part of him is still worried, anxiously holding his phone in case Seokjin called and said his daughter needed him right now. He thought about using that time to finally go to Jungkook and Jimin’s place, but he was just so worried, Namjoon was afraid that he just wouldn’t be able to say all that he wanted to say.

The call never came, though. Instead, the call he expected saying that Seokjin and Jihyo were safely back into the alpha’s penthouse, and that Jihyo was about to be tucked into bed in less than an hour was what he received. Namjoon exhaled a relieved breath, and drove to Seokjin’s apartment, just in time to put Jihyo to sleep.

All is so far doing really well. As much as Jihyo put up a fight, Namjoon could see just how much she missed her alpha father. Letting Seokjin into her life again was something Jihyo obviously yearns for just as much as her dad did. Despite the initial resistance, there’s no denying that Jihyo wants Seokjin back.

But it was an even bigger surprise when Seokjin asked Jihyo if it was okay with her that Seokjin would be the one to tuck her into bed Sunday evening, alone, in his own penthouse and bring her to school on Monday morning… and Jihyo actually said yes. As long as Namjoon and Seokjin were going to pick her up Monday afternoon, then it was okay.

Namjoon won’t lie, a part of him wanted to ask his employer if he really wasn’t needed on Sunday. The two decided to bond together, just the two of them, doing god knows what and going god knows where. But Namjoon remembered that this was also a way for him to draw his own boundaries, he can’t let Jihyo be dependent on him forever.

Namjoon had his own life too, and the first step to getting it back on track is by finally meeting up with Jungkook and Jimin.

So when he bid Jihyo and Seokjin a goodbye on Sunday morning, Namjoon finally decided to go to Jimin and Jungkook’s house when lunch time rolled by. He might have showed up unannounced, but thankfully, the two alphas weren’t anywhere near indecent. Namjoon couldn’t help but chuckle though, seeing Jungkook’s hair all up and messy, half an eye still shut while still in his pink bunny pajamas, when he opened the door to Namjoon holding three bags of kalguksu.

“Hyung!” Jungkook’s spirit abruptly awakens. “Oh my god, you’re here!”

Namjoon had half the mind to look sheepish. “Hi, Jungkook, and yes, I’m sorry for coming all of a sudden. Is it a bad time?”

Jungkook shakes his head fervently. “No, uhh, no but I’m just gonna take a quick shower. I think Jimin’s just finishing up, b-but please come in and help yourself. Give me ten minutes, tops.”

Namjoon smiled. “Take your time, Jungkook-ah, I’ll be here.”

So Namjoon does make himself at home. He could hear Jungkook banging on the bathroom door, exclaiming in a hushed voice to Jimin saying, “Jiminie hyung, get out, fast! Namjoon hyung’s here!”

Needless to say, Jimin looked far too startled leaving the bathroom. He quickly dresses up, leaving Jungkook to take a shower. When he enters the living room, seeing Namjoon indeed sitting on the very couch he walked away from last week, the alpha couldn’t help but fluster even more.

“N-Namjoon hyung!” Jimin gasps. “Hi, it’s nice to see you again. Are you okay? How’s Jihyo?”

Namjoon simply offers him a small grin. “Hey, Jimin, it’s nice to see you too. And she’s okay, we both are.” Before he hands him the bags. “I bought you guys lunch, by the way. I’m sorry for just barging in unannounced.”

“No, no, that’s not an issue.” Jimin clears his throat, before taking the bags. “Let me just prepare this, so we can all eat together. Let’s just wait for Jungkookie, okay?”

“Take your time, Jimin-ah, I’m not going anywhere.”

The air in the apartment was a little awkward, if Namjoon were to say so himself. Both he and Jimin were a little tense as they waited for Jungkook to finish. They’re both probably remembering what happened the last time Namjoon was here and how that ended.

But Namjoon forced himself to sit still, he was here to talk. Properly.

True to his words, ten minutes later, Jungkook walks out of the shower, all dressed up and looking very small in his oversized modern hanbok. He, too, sits stiffly at their dinner table, inviting Namjoon to sit beside him as Jimin finishes putting the food into three separate plates.

Mundane silence occupied the air as they took their first few bites, until Namjoon finally braved opening his mouth after he had his fifth spoonful of kalguksu. “I know you guys must have questions.”

The alphas straighten up on their seats. They both drop their chopsticks, finally turning to Namjoon’s direction.

“It’s not… you don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to,” Jimin says carefully, almost like he’s afraid Namjoon would once again burst and walk out on them before either of the alphas could blink. “We know you don’t owe us any explanation, hyung.”

Namjoon shakes his head disagreeably. “As a matter of fact, I think I do.” He says, before looking down onto his fidgeting fingers. “I wasn’t completely honest with you two last week.”

Jungkook exhales a heavy breath. “How about let’s move to the couch, hyung, then let’s talk.”

So they do. Silently, the three men walk to the spacious couch. Namjoon couldn’t help but have a moment of nostalgia, before he remembers that the memory he created on this very couch just last week wasn’t exactly a good one.

“First things first,” Namjoon says the moment they settle. “I want to say sorry for how I acted.”

Jimin clears his throat. “Hyung, that’s not—”

“No, I have to apologize.” Namjoon cuts him off, adamant. “You two didn’t mean any harm, I just got… too defensive.”

Jimin and Jungkook share a wary look, almost like they’re afraid that just one wrong word and it’s bye-bye Namjoon again.

“Okay, hyung, thank you for apologizing.” Jimin says, keeping his tone gentle. “We’re sorry, too, if we both got a little pushy.”

Namjoon hums, waiting for the question he was expecting. When it doesn’t come, he looks at the two alphas sitting on each side of him in confusion. “Are you guys not gonna ask why?”

Just like his voice, Jimin also keeps his smile soft. “We won’t force you to say anything you don’t wish to tell us, Namjoon hyung.”

At that moment, all the fight just leaves Namjoon’s body. Ever since that night—actually, ever since he finally reconnected with Jungkook and formed an actual friendship with Jimin—Namjoon felt like he was a pressure cooker that’s only two seconds away from bursting its lid. Right now, he feels like the cover has been lifted, and all the tension has finally left. The omega feels like he can just breathe, because all along, these two were never the enemies. He had no reason to be that overwrought against them. 

“God, you two are just…” Too kind to me, Namjoon wanted to say. How can these two just be so understanding? “Thank you, I’m so lucky to have you both. I—fuck, I’m sorry I rejected you guys last week.”

The reminder of Namjoon’s rejection has Jimin looking down to his lap, and Jungkook’s voice straining. “You don’t have to apologize if you don’t like us the way we like you,” Jungkook says, genuine. Though a little hurt. “O-Or if you just don’t see us as a part of your lives.”

“No, that’s not…” Namjoon sighs. Not having Jungkook and Jimin in his life is gonna be the worst self-inflicted punishment he ought to put himself through. “That’s the last thing I want you guys to think.”

Against the logical part of his brain, a glimmer of hope sparkles in Jimin’s eyes. “Hyung?”

Namjoon realizes he’s played with their hearts far too much. Enough is enough. He needs to dive straight into the truth, and Namjoon needs to do it now. “Here’s the thing, Jungkook-ah, Jimin-ah, the truth is I’m not Jihyo’s father.”

“So you’ve said,” Jungkook mentions, albeit slightly befuddled. “We know she isn’t yours biologically, but I know you’re her dad in every sense of the word.”

Every validation Namjoon gets that he’s been a good father to a child that may have not come from him is like a piece of gold he treasures inside his chest. “I—thank you, I guess, but the truth is…” However, he’s not here to talk about his ego. Namjoon was here to lower his pride. “The truth is I’m just Jihyo’s nanny. I’m just… paid to take care of her. To love her, and to be her father on paper.”

Both Jimin and Jungkook gasp in aghast. “What—?”

“You guys remember the alpha that showed up to Jihyo’s classroom last Monday?”

The alphas’ faces tighten almost immediately. “Yeah.” Because they did. The man didn’t even have to lower his mask for the world to know that he was a fairly (cue: extremely) handsome alpha underneath the cloth. Jimin and Jungkook couldn’t even deny their insecurity about that.

“Well, he’s Jihyo’s real dad, and he’s…” Namjoon trails off, choosing his words carefully. Seokjin might have given him a pass, but he’s not gonna abuse it just for his own selfish reasons. “He’s my employer. He started paying me almost a year ago to take care of his daughter. I won’t dive into the whole semantics of it, but the bottom line is, he needed someone to play the role of Jihyo’s dad in every sense of the word. I originally applied since what he was looking for was a babysitter slash bodyguard, and the pay was really good, but in the end, Jin hyung told me that I also had to be her father not just on paper, but in person too.”

Every sentence that tipped off Namjoon’s mouth seemed to increasingly add onto Jimin and Jungkook’s shock. It took them a ridiculously long while to process the information, and even much longer to realize that—

“Wait,” Jungkook’s eyes widened even further. “So you live with Jihyo’s alpha father?”

“I—no, not exactly. Things are a little different with us.” Namjoon says, and that’s when he finally explains. He begins from the start, carefully leaving off the details he wasn’t allowed to divulge. Namjoon tells them everything he can, but decides to keep Seokjin’s name as Jin hyung since that was the pseudonym Seokjin used when he tried to pick Jihyo up that fateful day. Namjoon clearly tells them everything the two alphas needed to know, and left out the details they didn’t.

In the end, it was safe to say that Jimin and Jungkook felt like they were starring in a famous drama. There’s no way their insanely regular lives just got spiced up by such a mind-blowing twist. Damn, who knew that all the shows about rich families of Seoul were half true? That their backgrounds are indeed quite dramatic.

“So that’s that.” Namjoon exhales, literally feeling like how Atlas did when the world was finally lifted off from his shoulders. “The reason I rejected you was not because I saw you two as a villain in mine and Jihyo’s relationship, but because I was just scared. I feared that if my boss would see that I was dating on the side, that my whole focus wasn’t on Jihyo, then he’d fire me, you know. And the last thing I would want is to lose her. Jihyo might not be my child, but I just… I love her so much. I couldn’t imagine losing her.”

Namjoon chokes out, because the bottom line of this whole tangent is that he has never loved anyone as much as he has loved Jihyo. Maybe he’d loved her too much, but at the very least, Namjoon thinks it’s what Jihyo deserves. After being given so little in her short life—mere crumbs from both her parents—Namjoon was more than happy to fill out those blank spaces.

His only mistake was that Namjoon barely left some love for himself, too. He forgot that there could be a world outside of Jihyo, and even if he did take up the role of parenthood, it’s something every parent should never forget.

“Oh hyung,” Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to capture Namjoon’s sobbing form into his loving embrace. Jimin followed right on top of him. “We’re sorry if that’s what you thought. We’re sorry if we pushed you too far.”

Namjoon shakes his head. None of this was Jimin or Jungkook’s fault. Absolutely nothing. “No, no, don’t apologize. The truth is, I haven’t been too careful either. I wasn’t drawing my boundaries clearly, and that… I just forgot that I could have a life outside of Jihyo, too. I was just so scared of losing her, but after my employer assured me that I could be around Jihyo for as long as she needs me, I somehow felt less scared, I guess. He also allowed me to tell you the truth despite our contract. So, yeah, I’m sorry for making you both think that I wouldn’t want you.”

It all makes sense now. In a perfect world, lovers would put each other as their priority. But in real life—or at least in their lives—it was clear that Jihyo was Namjoon’s number one priority. Like how a real father should. This fact didn’t hurt Jimin and Jungkook as much, because at the end of the day, Namjoon might not put them first, but he was willing to break his own heart just so that he would never lead the two alphas on with a lie and eventually hurt them worse.

With that, Jimin and Jungkook realized that Namjoon cared about them in his own remarkable way. They, too, were important to the omega. So much so that Namjoon was here, apologizing, and explaining to them his whole truth despite his legal contract.

“Namjoon hyung, you don’t need to apologize anymore,” Jimin cups the omega’s teary face, gently thumbing away every single tear that drops from his gorgeous eyes. It’s almost unfair that someone could still look this beautiful despite the tears streaming down their face. “We get it now. You were just scared of losing Jihyo.”

But then again, there’s an old proverb that says that a person’s inner beauty will always reflect on their physical appearance no matter the circumstances. Maybe that’s why Namjoon could never be anything less than breathtakingly beautiful. 

“I was, Jimin-ah, I love her so much. I know I’m just her nanny and that I shouldn’t get too invested, but I just love her so. I love her like she’s my own child.”

“And that’s okay, hyung, there’s nothing wrong with that. If anything, Jihyo’s a lucky girl to have you.” Jungkook says, nosing against Namjoon’s hair in an effort to calm his sobs down. (And maybe because he just loved Namjoon’s scent of honey and lemon a lot, shh.) “But what about her real father? She seemed so scared of him.”

The reminder of Seokjin and how he’s genuinely focusing on his bond with his daughter manages to bring a small smile to Namjoon’s face. Before, it would have made him feel uneasy. Not because he didn’t like Seokjin, but because at the back of his head, the omega feared that if Seokjin and Jihyo were finally going to get close, then they wouldn't need Namjoon again.

Now, though, Namjoon understands that his daughter deserves all the love that she needs. No one has the right to be selfish about love. It’s not love if it isn’t selfless.

“They’re both… working on it.” Namjoon keeps it at that. “That’s why Jihyo didn’t go to school for the rest of the week, they both worked on their bond for now, and Jihyo’s actually spending the night with her dad. And that’s also why I decided to finally come here to explain.”

“Joonie,” Jungkook pipes up, wanting to clear this up first. “Before anything else, we just want you to know that we would never do anything to compromise you and your relationship with Jihyo. I know she’s your first priority, and we both understand that.”

Namjoon smiles at him gratefully. “Thank you, Jungkook-ah, I’m so sorry for snapping last week. I was just really insecure about me and Jihyo, and I felt like just one wrong move and Jin hyung would get rid of me.” He shrugs, a little self-deprecatingly. “I’m disposable, you know.”

Both alphas grumble a harsh protest.

“No, you’re not.” Jimin huffs, genuinely looking like he’s willing to debate with Namjoon on this for three hours straight. “Jihyo’s father would be a fool to just get rid of someone who truly cares about and loves his daughter. And if he does, I know Jihyo will fight him about that. Hyung, I know you keep on saying that you love Jihyo like your own child, but you have to remember that Jihyo loves you like her own father too. She loves you so much, and she’ll never get rid of you.”

Namjoon knows that Jihyo loves him, but hearing somebody else say it—see it, too—makes his heart kindle with an unbidden happiness. “You really think so, Jimin-ah?”

“Oh I know so. We both do.” Jimin says, leaving no room for discussion. Jungkook nods in absolute agreement on the opposite side. “You should see her in school. She talks about you a lot. Everytime we ask the kids to draw a family picture, it’s always you there. Jihyo loves you so much.”

Namjoon could cry again. There’s nothing more that could make an omega—or Namjoon in general—happier to know that he’s done good. That he provided well for his pup, at least enough for Jihyo to truly love him like her own father.

“I—thank you, that’s so nice to hear.” Namjoon chokes out, before sighing deeply again. “But yeah, that’s that, by the way. That’s the real reason I rejected you. It’s not because I don’t like you both, but because I was just scared.”

Namjoon’s indirect confession doesn’t escape Jimin and Jungkook’s ears. Not even for a second. They both stare at each other over Namjoon’s head, and gulp once they realize that the ball is back in their court.

“Namjoon hyung,” It’s Jungkook who braves the game first. “What if we asked you again right now? Would you reject us again?”

As if he was expecting it, Namjoon only huffs. Smiling dimly at the two alphas. “If anything, Jungkook-ah, I should be the one asking you two,” He looks at Jungkook first, his best friend and partner all those years ago. Then at Jimin, the alpha Namjoon tried so hard to keep at arm’s length, only to fall head first at the end of it all. “Would you still have me? Or am I too late now?”

Jimin and Jungkook could honestly cry. They would, actually, if only they weren’t exhausted from crying and eating gallons of ice cream on this very couch ever since that night Namjoon rejected them.

“Hyung, you’re not too late,” Jungkook chokes back a sob. He’s waited so long to hear this from his partner. “You came here, because you wanted to explain, and we meant it when we said that we’d wait for you.”

Jimin nods along. “Besides, Jungkook and I haven’t felt this way for another person besides you,” He pokes the omega’s dimples, wanting oh so badly to be one of the reasons they pop up everyday. “You’re not getting rid of us that easily.”

“Really? Even if I rejected you?” Namjoon almost couldn’t believe it. He felt like he didn’t deserve such good, patient, and understanding alphas. “It’s okay if I already lost my chance.”

Namjoon looks like he’ll be anything but okay if Jungkook and Jimin were cruel enough to give him a taste of his own medicine. Thankfully, though, the omega will never have to find out.

“Namjoon hyung,” Jimin keeps his voice firm, unlike his whole soul that’s trembling as he carefully reaches up to cup Namjoon’s cheek. “Can we kiss you? Can I kiss you right now?”

But at that moment, Namjoon was just done denying himself. He wanted to be happy, and here it was, happiness (and love) knocking right at his door.

Only a fool would reject this twice.

“Oh please do.”

Not a single moment wasted, Jimin crashed their lips together desperately, like he wasn’t going to give Namjoon a chance to change his mind. Not that the omega would even want to, he wanted this. So badly. There’s no denying the eruption of flower petals in the omega’s chest the moment Jimin’s lips touched his own, Namjoon could feel his whole body shivering. Jimin’s lips tasted like paradise, and Namjoon just couldn’t get enough.

It’s good that the alpha was on the exact same page, too. Jimin cupped—basically holding down—Namjoon’s face, keeping him so close to himself. The alpha moved his lips fervently, capturing Namjoon’s plush pout in between his lips then teeth, later on moving to sucking on his tongue. Jimin was going absolutely crazy.

But that was until they heard a neglected whine from beside them, causing Jimin and Namjoon to part. When they looked to the side, they saw another flushed alpha—looking ridiculously turned on from the show he was given—but also a pouty one because he obviously didn’t sign up just to watch, but to be a part of it, too.

“I want a kiss too, Namjoon hyung,” He huffs, crossing his arms over his abdomen as if that would hide his growing boner. Jimin smirks from behind Namjoon. “I waited so long to be able to kiss you, please let me too.”

Namjoon and Jimin couldn’t help but share a chuckle. Leave it to Jungkook to look so adorable but also so demanding. The older alpha loosens his grip on Namjoon’s cheek, just so the omega can finally face his partner and give him what he’s been looking for.

“Hi, Jungkook-ah,” Namjoon whispered softly, his breath hitting Jungkook’s lips from how close they are. The alpha stares at him with wide, besotted eyes. “Come here. Kiss me, please.”

Just like Jimin, Jungkook refuses to waste another second not kissing Namjoon’s lips. He finally kisses his partner—something he’s been yearning to do for ages—and finally lets himself have this. Jungkook lets the happiness grow, his scent of milky blackberries increasingly flourishing in joy and contentment. Jungkook’s lips broke out into a huge smile as he moved against the omega’s mouth.

As for Namjoon, he couldn’t believe that at his age, the butterflies-in-your-tummy theory was right all along. If Jimin bloomed a garden in his chest, Jungkook caused a slew of butterflies to parade in his tummy, causing his breath to hitch and hands to tremble. He’s in a state of bliss, Namjoon never thought he’d ever experience a love like this his whole life, but here he was.

With two alphas—two soon-to-be mates.

Soon enough, the omega feels another pair of lips tracing soft kisses on his nape. He can only guess that it’s Jimin, for his sweet scent of French buttercream heavily clinged onto him. So potent and almost cloying the air—a sign that the alpha was feeling more than he usually should. In a completely good way that is.

“Hyung,” Jimin whispers from his neck, where his face is buried, trailing kisses and leaving some light marks on Namjoon’s gorgeous skin. “Can we move to the bedroom?”

That causes Namjoon to abruptly pull away from his messy kiss with Jungkook, his eyes looking hazy, lips swollen red. Both alphas’ chests flare with pride knowing they did that to the most beautiful omega they know.

“I—” Namjoon clears his throat, slightly nervous. “I have to be honest. I h-haven’t taken a knot in so long, and I don’t know if my body’s ready for that yet. If you’re expecting more, I’m sorry but I don’t think I’m ready.”

Jimin and Jungkook emit a choked noise in protest.

“Joon, no,” Jungkook tsks, cupping Namjoon’s face tenderly. “You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready to do with us yet. Anyways, we’re still courting you, remember? But what we do want to do is show you how much we appreciate you and your body. That’s all we want, we promise.”

“Jungkookie’s right,” Jimin adds. “We’ll never force you to take any of our knots, that’s not our intention. We just want to worship you right now, hyungie, if that’s okay with you?”

Namjoon could almost snort. “Of course, I’m okay with that.” Before he adds, looking a little sheepish, “I’m sorry, I’ve just been with some alphas in the past who demand that, you know, I just take up their knots as if it’s that easy to do. It doesn’t even feel good to me if I don’t feel connected to a person on a deeper level, so I just—I just wanted to be clear on that. I didn’t want you to expect and get disappointed.”

Jimin tries hard to force back a growl as he thinks of all those alphas that imposed on their omega so carelessly. Jungkook, on the other hand, is pretty unsuccessful, though. “Fuck those alphas, they don’t deserve you.” 

“You never have to think about those stupid knotheads ever again, hyung,” Jungkook adds, looking visibly agitated. “You have us, me and Jiminie hyung will treat you right, we promise.”

“We’ll treat you like how you deserve,” Jimin swears. “You’ll be a good omega for us, won’t you? Then we’ll be the best alphas for you too, Joonie.”

The words were obviously the right thing to say. Namjoon would like to blame his biology for the visceral effect of being called a good omega to his body, but he knows it’s all on him. He loves being told that he’s good—that he’s done well. Jimin and Jungkook both notice that spike in his scent.

“I’ll be good,” Namjoon mutters, dazed, standing up from the couch as he takes the hand Jungkook offers up to him. “I’ll be the best omega for you two.”

Jungkook leaves a wet kiss on the omega’s left dimple. “You already are.”

With this, the two alphas lead their omega to their shared bedroom, taking a very long time since they decided to share a flurry of heated kisses along the way. Although the two alphas both have their own rooms, Jimin and Jungkook often share a bed. Mostly the one in Jimin’s room since his space is marginally bigger than Jungkook’s. And now, Namjoon’s scent is about to be added to their concoction. Honey and lemon smelled so amazing and bare, as bare as Namjoon was now since the omega was officially stripped down to his undergarments by his two very eager alphas.

“Oh look at you,” Jimin hisses, cupping Namjoon’s cunt through his drenched panties, pausing from kissing his omega senselessly. “Your slick smells amazing, hyung.”

“It does,” Jungkook gasps out. If he had a tail, it’d be wagging right now as he lowers himself down to Namjoon’s crotch, inhaling the scent of his slick directly from the source. “Hyung, can I taste you? I’ll make you feel good, I fucking promise.”

Namjoon’s thighs shudder, he covers his face with his hands in shyness. “O-Okay.” He mumbles.

But neither of the two alphas were having that.

“Uh, uh, uh,” Jimin reaches up to pull down Namjoon’s hands from his face, exposing his blushing cheeks. Jimin couldn’t help but coo, pressing a kiss to his omega’s lips. “Is that how you ask your alphas? Don’t hide from us, baby, ask us nicely.”

Namjoon whines again, but Jungkook only teases him by rubbing circles over the fabric of his navy blue panties. God, the wet patch keeps getting larger, and Jungkook is simply getting hungrier.

“S-Sorry,” Namjoon huffs, but he does look down at Jungkook earnestly. “You can t-taste, alpha. Please, do whatever you want.”

Jungkook’s vision almost turned red from the offer, but he does follow through. “Such a good omega,” He says as he pulls down Namjoon’s underwear in one swift motion. “You listen well to your alphas, hyungie. So good.”

As Namjoon finally lays completely bare in front of them, Jungkook couldn’t help but groan. Namjoon’s hairless cunt had such full and thick lips, just a trace of darkness on its vulva. It looked pretty and pink, and glistening wet. Smells so fucking delicious too.

“Easy, Jungkook-ah,” Jimin teases from where he’s kissing Namjoon’s chest now, toying with his nipples using his tongue, causing the omega to whine high in his throat again. “Leave some for me. You just might eat our omega in full.”

Jungkook only growls. “No promises.” Before he dived straight in, tonguing Namjoon’s pussy lips in one long lick, causing his slick to pool heavily on his tongue. The omega’s slick tastes exactly like his scent, and Jungkook knows that drowning in this glorious slick would be like a doctor’s prescription from now on—Jungkook would have to do this three times a day. 

His overwhelming lust manifests itself through a deep groan breathed right against Namjoon’s pussy, causing the omega to tremble from the vibrations. Jungkook could feel his inner alpha clawing with desire from wanting to devour Namjoon in whole, drink the omega up until the very last drop.

(That’s exactly what Jungkook plans to do. The alpha’s going straight to heaven, and there’s no coming back now.)

Namjoon could only keen from above, pushing his chest deeper to Jimin’s equally eager mouth as Jungkook truly began eating him out. He licks a fat stripe over Namjoon’s pussy lips, and the omega shudders violently. Jungkook keeps on licking in between his slit, over his pussy lips until it’s even wetter than it already was. He proceeds to part Namjoon’s legs wider, spreading his cunt open even more as Jungkook assaulted his dripping pussy with his overeager tongue.

Hisses helplessly fall from Namjoon’s lips. His eyes fell shut, and the omega could only grip the bed sheets, whimpering like a goodman mess. Namjoon’s hands fly to each of his alphas’ heads, gripping the roots of their hair tightly when Jungkook began tracing his tongue around his clit, and Jimin began sucking on his nipple with a hint of his teeth.

“Jungkookie, M-Minnie oh f-fuck—that’s—! Baby, oh my god!”

“You both are so cute, so pretty,” Jimin traced Namjoon’s chest with his fingers first then his tongue, eyes lingering over every single inch of Namjoon’s body. Even the sight of Jungkook vigorously sucking on Namjoon’s clit, causing the omega’s thighs to tremble, has Jimin’s breath taken away. “I’m so lucky that you’re both mine now.”

Jungkook catches his fellow alpha’s eyes. “We’re very lucky to have you too, Minnie hyung.” He says, before spitting on Namjoon’s cunt just to lick it up again. “Isn’t that right, baby?” He then asks their omega who’s obviously in another multiverse.

It’s almost cruel how the two expect Namjoon to still be coherent enough. When they don’t hear a response, Jungkook proceeds to nibble on his clit, with Jimin mirroring it on Namjoon’s nipples. The omega yelps at the stimulation, whimpering highly again.

“W-What?”

“Aww look, Jungkookie,” Jimin chuckles. “We’ve only used our mouth on him and he’s a big dumb drooly baby already.”

The words, if they came from another person, would have Namjoon screaming in protest. But when said by Jimin like that, full of affection and teasing, the omega couldn’t help but fluster. “M’sorry, alphas, w-what did you say?”

Jungkook smirks. “We asked you, omega, don’t you feel lucky that we have Jiminie hyung as our alpha?”

Upon understanding the question, Namjoon nods vigorously. “Yes, yes,” He gasps as Jimin rewards him with a bite to the meat of  his chest, before his lips teasingly trail up to his neck. “So lucky to have you both. My—my alphas.”

Pleased, Jungkook returns to eating Namjoon out. Jimin, on the other hand, cups Namjoon’s face in one hand to kiss him deeply again. He swallows each and every one of Namjoon’s whines and moans, using his other hand to push Namjoon’s tummy down when he’d get too squirmy from Jungkook’s talented tongue. 

“Fuck.” Jimin cusses, loud and hard, when Namjoon begins scratching at his forearms, realizing that the omega was truly losing it. “You’re so beautiful, baby. Look at you, so messy for us.”

Namjoon preens, the compliment igniting a fire at the bottom of his tummy, causing another wave of slick to rush out of his cunt and straight into Jungkook’s awaiting tongue. “A-alphas, please.”

But neither Jimin nor Jungkook was looking at him. The alphas were staring hard at his pretty pussy that’s beginning to spasm. Their eyes then trailed over to the omega’s heaving chest, Namjoon was panting heavily now that he was getting close. Jimin could only curse under his breath, pressing kisses all over the skin his lips could reach.

Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to continue devouring Namjoon’s cunt, intensifying all his efforts just to see their baby finally fall apart.

“Ah, ah, ah, alphas, oh my god, fuck—fuck, please, I’m gonna c-come!”

“You taste so good, omega.” Jungkook buries his mouth on Namjoon’s cunt until he’s nose deep in the prettiest pussy he’s ever seen and tasted. His fingers reach up to his clit, rubbing on them, causing the omega to practically scream the only thing he remembers—his alphas’ names. “You’re so good for us. You taste incredible and you’re so, so pretty.”

Namjoon never knew that he had a praise kink, but he thinks that this is only the beginning of future discoveries with Jimin and Jungkook.

“Ahh, please, alphas.” Namjoon moans out loud, sounding oh so desperate. “Oh—oh god, please!”

“Jiminie hyung, you’d have to taste him too,” Jungkook quips in between his harsh licks of the omega’s pussy that’s now mimicking a waterfall. “I swear, he’s insane. Our Namjoonie’s so perfect.”

Jimin chuckles from where he left this nth mark on Namjoon’s collarbones. “Oh of course I’ll taste him too, Jungkookie. Right after you do, as a matter of fact.” Before looking into Namjoon’s eyes as he says, “Our omega’s not leaving this bed until he’s come. Thrice.”

Namjoon doesn’t even have the time to gulp when he feels Jungkook push his tongue right into his entrance, over and over and over again. The omega instinctively closes his legs, thighs spasming against his will, but the alpha under him only uses his natural born strength to spread his pussy lips further apart, unraveling the hood to once again reveal his engorged clit. Jungkook’s lips latches onto it so easily, creating a rhythm of sucking on his clitty, then tracing infinity symbols against his glistening lips, before fucking Namjoon’s entrance with that same lewd tongue. 

The omega all but thrashes against both his alphas’ mouths. “Jungkookie, J-Jiminie—Alphas!” He screams as Jimin finds that sensitive spot against the left side of his neck, so close to his mating gland. “I’m g-gonna come, fuck, please!”

“Then,” Jimin smirks, using his fingers to twist Namjoon’s nipples in a way that he knows is just the right amount of pain to maximize the pleasure. Jungkook fucks his tongue inside the omega’s walls faster. Harder. “Come.”

Namjoon all but surrenders to his alphas. He lets go and an onslaught of slick and cum quickly gushes out of his pussy. Jungkook doesn’t waste a single drop, drinking it all up until the omega is done with his high. All throughout his orgasm, Jimin holds his hand, peppering kisses all over his chest and face, praising the omega over and over again. “That’s it, baby, you’ve done so well, such a good omega...”

Lost in the haziness, Namjoon doesn’t know where he begins or where his alphas end. All he knows is that he’s so gone. His two alphas have delivered him into new throes of pleasure, and Namjoon is all but lost in paradise. He’s only grounded by the feeling of Jimin’s tender hands caressing his skin, and of Jungkook’s lips gently pressing kisses against the insides of his thighs.

When Namjoon begins to return to the earth, however, the first thing he registers is a weight on each side of his abdomen. When he opens his eyes, he sees Jimin and Jungkook making out just above his tummy, their fingers never stopping to caress his skin, and oh yeah—

“Oh fuck.” Namjoon gasps, once he registers exactly what these two alphas are doing. Jimin was basically eating out his slick and cum right from Jungkook’s dripping mouth. “S-Shit.”

The omega’s pussy pathetically clenches around nothing, as the two part with a knowing smirk on their handsome faces.

“Jungkookie was right, baby, you do taste good.” Jimin makes a show of licking Jungkook’s chin up to the insides of his mouth, moaning scandalously as traces of Namjoon’s slick and cum headily cover their taste buds. “Now, it’s my turn.”

Before Namjoon could even tell them that he has barely recovered, Jimin has now taken residence in Jungkook’s earlier spot, barely giving Namjoon a warning as he licks inside his walls again. 

“Oh, Jesus Christ!” Overstimulated, Namjoon’s spine shudders like he’s being electrocuted. But there’s no denying the pleasure mixing in with the pain. He can only lay there helplessly as Jimin assaults his barely recovered pussy with his equally talented and long tongue.

“You look like you need some help, baby,” Jungkook chuckles at the look on Namjoon’s face. The omega’s gripping heir sheets tightly, eyes screwed shut while screaming as his sensitive clit gets sucked on by Jimin’s eager lips. “Do you need a distraction? Do you want to help alpha instead, hmm?”

When Namjoon looks to the side, he sees Jungkook palming his raging boner through his boxers. The omega’s mouth immediately waters, pawing at Jungkook’s undergarments to push them down. 

“Give me your cock, alpha. Want you in m-my mouth —oh god, Jiminie— right now, p-please, Kookie!”

Never in a million years did Jungkook think he’d ever hear his partner, his crush for years, beg for his cock. There’s only so much his sanity can handle.

“Anything for you, my pretty omega,” Jungkook growls, discarding his boxers immediately to slip his cock into Namjoon’s awaiting mouth. “Fuck, your mouth’s so small and tight. But you still fit alpha’s cock so nicely, fuck,” Jungkook’s tattooed arm reaches up to fist Namjoon’s hair, the omega whimpering again as Jimin, from beneath them, suckles harshly on his swollen clitty. “You’re such a perfect omega, just for alphas though. Only for us, right, baby?”

Namjoon nods through the tears in his eyes. Jungkook was so big, and his mouth was indeed small. But there’s no way in hell that he’s letting even an inch of this cock slip out of his mouth. “Only f-for alphas, fuck! ”

Jimin’s earlier promise of not letting Namjoon leave until he’s come thrice was not just fulfilled, but exceeded. For yes, after he came again on Jimin’s mouth, Jungkook fingered him to this third orgasm as Jimin fucked his cock in between his tits. Namjoon’s pecs were just too good to be true, and there’s no way Jimin would pass up the chance to fuck them like how he’s been dreaming of ever since he saw Namjoon pick Jihyo up in a thin white shirt or that plain black tight top.

And maybe it’s in an alpha’s nature to always one up the other, because after a short break, Jungkook got a little envious, and he fucked Namjoon’s thighs too. He always had a thing for the omega’s thighs, even back when they were still working for that bodyguard firm. (He’ll never tell Jimin that his first words to Namjoon were wow, thighs, but he has a feeling that Namjoon will bring it up to tease him sooner or later.) The feeling of Jungkook’s cock fucking his thighs, his cock sliding in between his pussy lips and hitting his clit, brings Namjoon to his fourth orgasm for that day.

And just to make the numbers even, Jimin lets Namjoon use his mouth on him until the alpha comes. Teasing him endlessly about how they’ll both prepare the omega for their cocks, until his pussy is finally ready to get knotted. Because, let’s face it, Jimin and Jungkook have perfectly delicious knots that are too good to be wasted. While Namjoon’s mouth was already perfect, they could barely imagine how it felt like to be buried inside his cunt.

“Don’t worry, baby, we’ll knot you after we’re done courting you,” Jimin promises as he finally finishes wiping the three of them down with damp towels.

Namjoon snaps up from where Jungkook’s spooning him. “Wait, what?” He looks completely dismayed. “Are we sure that we can wait that long?”

Both Jimin and Jungkook laugh as the older alpha finally joins the aftercare cuddles, the two alphas sandwiching their omega in a tight hug. “Well, Jungkookie and I definitely can.” Jimin says, because really, they’d wait for Namjoon forever if that’s what it takes. 

“But can you, hyungie?” Jungkook teases the omega, placing a peck just on his nape.

“I–I–” Namjoon doesn’t know how to say that he wants to take their knots in exactly three banking days from now without sounding like a complete knotslut. But it’s just… just one day in Jimin and Jungkook’s bed and Namjoon’s already never felt this good and happy, and he just can’t wait that long. “We’ll see about that.” Namjoon huffs challengingly. If there is one thing Jungkook and Jimin ought to know about him, it’s that Namjoon is ridiculously but passively competitive. He’ll make sure that it’s the alphas who’ll give in to him first.

Jimin chuckles at the pout on Namjoon’s face. “Uh, uh, uh,” He pecks his omega’s lips with every syllable. “You have to be patient, baby. No one’s getting knotted until you’ve accepted our courtship.”

Namjoon hmphs, “Well, I won’t accept your courtship ‘til I get your knots,” He says, teasing and coy. “So who’s gonna give in first?”

Jungkook couldn’t help but giggle right beside them. “You know, I want to tell you that the easiest solution to that is for you to just accept our courtship as soon as possible,” Before he snuggles into Namjoon’s neck. “But I’ve waited so long for you to be mine, Joonie, to have both you and Jiminie in my life like this. So I want to savor this, okay? Just enjoy getting courted while we’re at it, hyungie.”

Now when Jungkook says it like that, how can Namjoon not soften up expeditiously. For his alpha, he’ll set aside his hoe tendencies for now. Because, fuck, Jungkook just turned Namjoon’s heart into complete mush in the best way possible.

“Fine, I’ll do this for you,” The omega reaches out to peck Jungkook’s lips, “And you, too.” before he does the same to Jimin’s smiling mouth. “You know I’d do everything for you both.”

Both the alphas’ hearts swell in so much joy.

“That’s more like it, Joonie,” Jimin giggles, kissing Namjoon again, then Jungkook, before his eyes slowly fall shut from exhaustion. “But for now, all you have to do is be patient.”

Namjoon barely suppresses a huff as he feels Jungkook melt into his neck, both his alphas’ arms wrapped securely on each side of him. Right now, there’s no other place Namjoon would rather be.

“I still want both your knots ASAP, though.”

Jimin and Jungkook share another sleepy giggle before they quiet down.

“Someday, baby.” Jungkook promises as his lashes trickle the skin of Namjoon’s neck.

“Soon, we promise.” Jimin adds, before his breathing evens out and he falls into the happiest slumber he has ever had.

It’s a good thing that the two alphas have finally gone to sleep, because then, they won’t be able to see the happy tears forming in Namjoon’s eyes. Someday, oh what a wonderful promise. Knowing that one day, his alphas would be his in every sense of the word. Soon, meaning that it won’t take long before they do.

Namjoon’s not just yearning for a knot, but he yearns for someone to call his. He yearns for his mates. For a family.

Someday, Jihyo won’t need him anymore and while that’s a hard pill to swallow, Namjoon would be more than honored to know that he has loved and has been loved by his little princess for some time in her life. But then again, that won’t be anytime soon, not when Jihyo’s still this small and she still needs an omega parent in her life. Namjoon will be here for her for as much as his daughter needs him.

S oon, though, Namjoon would also be getting two mates whom he can also build a family with . Someone he can call his very own. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s gonna be less space for Jihyo and Seokjin, rather, his heart is only growing bigger. He’s building a life for himself—one that he deserves, one that’s making him truly happy.

Someday, soon, Namjoon is going to have his own very special family.

FIN.