Chapter Text
Kim Taehyung leans against the wooden desk in his office as he stares at the neighbouring buildings through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He twirls around the scotch in his short glass before bringing it to his lips and gulping down the drink at little gracelessly.
The alpha’s hands are trembling a little too hard and the soft knock on his door is almost enough to startle him. He says nothing in response, the only person who knocks on his door is his secretary and if it’s anyone else, the omega usually informs him minutes before they step into his office.
The door opens and the sound of her heels clicking against the floor as she steps further into his office is soothing and familiar, it keeps his mind from wandering too far though it does nothing to tame the ache in his chest. She comes to a stop before she draws in a deep breath. “Your mother called twice. She says it’s urgent,” The omega tells him carefully, her normally sweet scent souring for a moment.
“Tell her I’ll call her as soon as I’m able to,” He mutters before taking another sip. His mother has been trying to get a hold of him for hours, and he has been avoiding her like the plague.
“Sir, she says it’s urgent,” She repeats, a little firm and desperate and he knows his mother has given her a difficult time.
Taehyung pushes himself off his desk after setting his empty short glass on the surface and walks further towards the large windows. He slips his hands into his pockets as he stares down at the busy streets, the people scattering on the ground look like a group of ants. “Did she leave a message?”
“Only that you are to call her back as soon as possible.”
“What else do you have for me?” He asks, hoping she has something for him to do– hoping for something like a meeting that will keep him. But the moment of silence from her tells him she has got nothing for him.
“I’ve got nothing else for you, sir.” She utters lightly, and he wonders if she’s making a face at him. “Mrs. Kim has halted all your activities– Mr. Jung will be overseeing your schedule until further notice.” He lets out a sigh and closes his eyes for a spit second. Trust his mother to try and get him out of his office.
“When was this decided?” He asks.
“Right before she disconnected the phone call, sir.” The tiny omega answers clinically, and this is when he finally turns around to look at her. He regards her quietly with a weak smile and nods slowly.
“Is that all?” He questions, voice soft and she nods, waiting patiently for what he’ll say next. “You can go,” She hesitates for a moment, faltering in her movements before she leans forward and bows respectfully, gripping her files to her chest.
“I’m very sorry for your loss, sir,” She whispers, it’s genuine and less robotic sounding and he wonders just how long she has been meaning to say this to him. It’s been a little over a week since his family held a conference to announce his half-brother’s passing– to explain his mother’s absence for the last month.
His half-brother had kept an appropriate distance from the family after he left. The older alpha denied his inheritance after his father’s death; he had always been vocal about wanting nothing to do with the family business. His interests and passions were filled with music (tapes with song samples were always stacked up by the windowsill and when they were younger– he had the pleasure of listening to some mixtapes on the cassette player), something their family never took seriously.
“Thank you,” The alpha waves her off dismissively and watches her stand– she bows again before turning and leaving his office.
With a family like theirs, with wealth and power enough to make the average man look at them with wonder– it’s expected for the remaining family to take over the retired and keep it afloat. The alpha grabs a hold of his scotch bottle, pours it into his glass slowly, ignoring how badly his hands continue to tremble.
His half-brother denying his position made things a lot harder for him– Taehyung had no interest in running the company because he came after Yoongi. But being a second child– you’re a spare and always on standby.
Yoongi left one evening and after they had failed to find him– they’d turned their efforts to Taehyung. Their parents got him private tutors that were stricter and harsher.
He had his path laid out for him and reshaped after Yoongi walked away. All Taehyung’s childish dreams of hoping to stay away from the burden of running businesses and wearing suits too suffocating had to be shelved, and he had to follow blueprints that were originally Yoongi’s.
And Taehyung has always been the good alpha son, had to grow up too quickly at a young age and wanted to make his mother proud especially after the death of his own father shortly after that. He had been ready to do anything to wipe away the sadness in her eyes whenever she was reminded of Yoongi and his father– so he took the blueprints and followed them to a fault.
Over the years he learnt to hate Yoongi for leaving them. But part of him as always wanted him to return home because despite them not being particularly close– he looked up to him and admired his independence and courage it took to leave the comfort of their own home to find whatever it is he was looking for.
Taehyung may have resented him for leaving, may not have had the closest relationship with him and the last time they saw one another was fifteen years ago, but receiving news of his death a couple of weeks ago was painful.
“He was married. Married.” His mother tells him, stressing out the word. Her eyes are bloodshot, and her face is puffy– it takes him back to the first few weeks after Yoongi left them all those years ago, she’d been distraught and inconsolable, and it was the only time she had allowed him and his late father to see her weak. She got back to herself eventually, but there has always been something missing– she’s not the mother he remembers.
Now that he’s older he understands why Yoongi’s absence had disturb her so. The devastation of losing her first husband’s son, the man’s rightful heir, was too much to handle.
“Married?” Taehyung asks, eyes widening slightly. It’s hard for him to picture Yoongi with anyone, he was always the quiet alpha and one that was unapproachable with how spicy his scent was and how bent out of shape he always was when they didn’t have to attend any formal dinners.
And despite being bold on some days, Yoongi sometimes had moments where he’d shut out the world around him– they lived in the same household but sometimes, Taehyung barely saw him.
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you,” She continues before he can get a word in. Taehyung closes his eyes for a moment, he had thought of picking up the phone to call her after his secretary left but found himself unable to do so.
“His lawyer got in touch with me yesterday evening,” She sniffs and it’s so unlike the woman who runs the company with an iron fist, who their employees get scared of at the sound of her heels over the floors and her voice (the only reason she’s still running the company after her second alpha’s death is because Taehyung is an alpha of age).
But he knows why she’s this broken. No parent wants to bury their child and the fact that he has been buried without her knowledge– she’s taking all she can get. “He told me my Yoongi got married and where to find his husband– his omega,” She rubs at her eyes and Taehyung– he can’t think.
“Hey…” He breathes out, “Mother, don’t cry,” He begs and it’s all in vain as he watches tears slip out of her eyes.
“You know what this means, don’t you?” She asks, and Taehyung knows this is going nowhere good for him. Yoongi being married makes things complicated for him.
“He has been dead for only a month,” Taehyung swallows thickly. He sighs. “Mother, the omega needs time to grieve. We all do.”
“A week was all we omegas were given to grieve.” She tells him. “I married your father a week after his brother’s passing years ago.” She frowns and looks away from him. His chest is aching painfully and he’s finding it a little hard to breathe. What she doesn’t say out loud is that was the only way for her to keep control of the company, that it was the only way to keep her firstborn fed and comfortable.
“Mum, please,” He tries again. It’s useless because he knows an alpha’s sibling, one of age, has an obligation to take care of whatever their siblings leave behind after death– including their partners and children.
Taehyung is Yoongi’s only sibling and he’s an alpha with no current relationship to use as an out– there’s nobody else to do this. Only their crooked gambler cousin and Taehyung wouldn’t wish that alpha on anyone.
She dabs at her eyes with a balled tissue, “It took years, but your father made me incredibly happy. I fell in love with him, I still love him.” She continues. “Taehyung, it’s your duty to marry and look after him for your brother.”
“I have no interest in settling down,” He holds her gaze, levelling a stare but not imposing on her. His scent flares up a bit, he finds himself relaxing when she gives him a look of disapproval. “Yoongi was been gone for years with no contact. I owe him nothing,” Finding out about his death had hurt, but Taehyung found himself unable to shed any tears for him.
“He was struggling,” She’s never going to say it, she’s never going to mention how sometimes Yoongi got lost in his head, and neither will he. “Son, please,” She whispers miserably. “He’s the only connection to Yoongi I have left,” She repeats quietly.
He wants to ask her how she knows for sure this isn’t another one of the nutjobs that have come forward in the past, claiming to be Yoongi’s partners and claiming to know his whereabouts in hopes of getting their hands on the inheritance and funds he had rejected (a rejection his mother had refused to accept because she always thought he’d come back and a few months ago, some money had been withdrawn from his account and instead of frightening her it gave her hope).
He hopes this is another one of those– and his hopes are proven to be fruitless when his mother says. “He’s got the mark and our scent. He’s Yoongi’s.”
“Does he want any part of this?” Some omegas refuse, and it’s a long legal process and costs money, it’s easier to agree because most of the time it never works in their favour. His mother hadn’t refused or tried to fight marrying her late husband’s brother because her best option was to marry him to secure her son’s future.
“Yes,” She nods and places her soft hand over his. “That was why his lawyer contacted me. Yoongi had personally asked him to wait so his husband could grieve in peace–” Taehyung interrupts her.
“A month isn’t enough to grieve.” He tries.
“Everything is under an alpha’s name once married and there’s an expiration date after their death on how whatever they’ve left behind is used. How much freedom they have.” Her scent goes a little sour. “A widowed omega has no chance at all. You know this, I don’t– I don’t wish this kind of loss on anyone.” She whispers, wiping at her nose with tissues he hands over to her.
“Son, please. I want him close– I want to know how they lived– what he has been up to and Taehyung, I want to take care of him, if he’ll let me. I’m sure Yoongi would’ve…I thought he died all alone…” She trails off and he balls up his fists after pulling away from her.
Taehyung runs his hands through his tousled hair before loosening his tie and sloping back into his seat. He has spent his whole life trying to be better and build the family’s empire alongside his mother after the death of his father.
This life wasn’t part of his dreams growing up, but Yoongi packed a bag and walked out one evening and all Taehyung’s dreams crumbled before new outlines were forced on him. He has learnt to make peace with it.
But this is another one of Yoongi’s problems he has to deal with and he’s not sure he wants to. “What’s the omega’s name?” He finally asks.
His mother smiles at him softly for the first time all evening, “His name is Jungkook.” She looks down at her hands and sighs, “And he’s precious.”
Taehyung is in his mother’s penthouse when he catches a glimpse of the omega’s back before he disappears behind the guest bedroom’s door with a soft click. He’s left with his sweet scent; it faintly reminds him of Yoongi, but he also smells of tears and heartache–
Taehyung doesn’t go after him and he instead walks into the kitchen area, finds his mother arranging a bowl of soup on a beautifully decorated tray. “Mother,” He startles her, she looks up at him with large eyes before sighing.
“Didn’t think you’d come,” She says with a soft smile. She has been blowing up his phone and he hasn’t had much work to do because Mr. Jung is overseeing everything until they’ve got whatever this is under control. “I’ll just take this up to him and I’ll be down in a moment,” She lifts the tray and Taehyung stares at her, trying not to look too shocked– the only time he ever sees his mother in her own kitchen is to get something from the fridge. She has no reason to even be in a kitchen– she has a personal home chef who cooks her fresh meals every day,
“Did you cook?” He blurts out, a little confused and she gives him a look.
“Of course,” There’s a small smile at the corners of her lips. “I know my way around my own kitchen.”
He says nothing and watches her leave the kitchen. He sits by the kitchen island, loosening his tie around his neck and sighs.
The chicken soup his mother has made tastes delicious and Taehyung is reaching out for a second bowl when his mother comes back into the kitchen.
“Is that him?” He asks and it’s unnecessary because the answer is in the scent he first smelt when he walked in.
His mother grabs a bowl of her own. Taehyung’s glad to see her eating again. “Yes,” She pauses, “He’ll come down when he’s ready.”
“I’ll be marrying him in three days,” The words come out bitterly and he’s not sorry, “I’d like to know him before I walk him down to the altar with the intentions of spending the rest of my life with him.” He sighs into his soup before standing up and heading for the cabinet he knows his mother keeps her liquor. He grabs a bottle of his mother’s blended whiskey.
“He’s in mourning,” She says quietly.
“All the more reason to postponed this until further notice.”
“Do you have someone else you want to marry instead?” She questions and Taehyung can’t get the bottle open fast enough.
His life has only ever revolved around work, around the company– traveling for endless meetings, negotiating trades with pig-headed alphas– keeping himself updated on all the latest information– he has never had time for dating.
He is married to his work– has been married to it since he was young, and had it beat into him that he was to take over the business when his parents stepped down. “No,” He says truthfully.
He has rolled around the sheets with other alphas and very few omegas– had done it more often during his university years before realizing that he had to grow up and be a little more serious.
His longest relationship ended because his ex was tired of being the second priority. If he could take it back and try a little harder to keep that relationship flourishing, he would. “There’s no one I have in mind.”
“Then maybe this one will be that someone,” She says hopefully. But not everyone else is as lucky as her, she fell in love with his father after marrying him– there’s still traces of her that shows she’s still in love with her late alpha.
Omegas that marry a second time wear red and are meant to stand out from the crowd. They wear vibrant colours, and throughout the ceremony their face is hidden behind the veil and only unveiled after the ceremony, in private.
Most people know the tradition to keep the veil on is only to shield an omegas grief from their guests.
Taehyung meets his brother’s widower officially before the doors leading to their ceremony. He’s taller than Taehyung expected, built differently than most omegas he has come across, but his scent gives him away.
There’s a short red veil over his face, it matches perfectly with the fitted suit he wears, and the white bow tied around his neck.
He steps closer to his future spouse, an idea he still hasn’t wrapped his head around, and places his hand on the small of his back– just as instructed by the wedding planner he had reluctantly met– and he ignores how tense the omega next to him gets.
The soft sound of music fills the air and the heavy artsy doors before them part– Taehyung squares his shoulders and guides him down the aisle slowly with practiced patience and his head held high.
It’s a thing to be proud of because it shows capability and selflessness to stand up and care for a grieving omega. But all he feels is dread because this is a stranger he’s going to spend the rest of his working and lonely miserable life with.
He could’ve said no, not shown up– he spent the previous night thinking of packing a bag and leaving, but that’s something Yoongi did.
He could’ve left, should’ve left– but that would mean his sleazy cousin would marry the omega, dip their fingers into Yoongi’s funds and do what they wanted with it.
But imaging the heartache that would cause his mother, it kept him put and he spent the night staring at the high ceiling his penthouse that will no longer be his alone because it’s his obligation as Yoongi’s only brother to do this.
And this isn’t the first time he’ll have to pick up after Yoongi.
The consent omegas give during the ceremony is showing their necks to their future alphas after untying the bow– he does just this with a moment’s hesitation and Taehyung spends seconds too long staring at the old marks on his neck he knows belong to Yoongi.
The omega trembles and shudders in his arms when Taehyung gathers enough guts to sink his teeth below Yoongi’s.
The wedding is a blur and Taehyung guides his husband around– he never breathes a word in the omega’s direction, the vows were spoken directly to the minister and the guests. Omegas that marry a second time are meant to be seen, admired, but not heard during the ceremony.
When all congratulations are in order from his mother (the omega seems calmer around his her), and some of their business partners– his chauffeur takes them back to his penthouse, all the ride, yapping away about what a great wedding and how stunning everything looked.
When they step into the elevator leading up to his apartment, the omega steps away from him. He stands rigid and defensively and Taehyung doesn’t have to see his face behind the veil to see his tears– he’s trembling where he stands, and he still smells of tears, his scent a mixture of Yoongi’s and Taehyung’s own is bleeding into it.
When the elevator comes to a halt, he steps out without a care if he’s followed and stalks down the hallway to his door. They’re married now and as far as he’s concerned– the omega can do whatever the hell he wants.
The soft steps come after him and the alpha loosens his tie in frustration.
Stepping into his spacious home– he immediately heads over to the small bar in his kitchen and cocks a bottle of bourbon and pours it into his glass with plans to get himself stupid drunk because he’s on his honeymoon and his mother is overlooking the company for him with Mr. Jung.
He takes no shame in downing the drink quickly and wincing at the burn. He brings down the glass and sighs tiredly, “You must be tired,” He mumbles after clearing his throat when he realizes the omega is still lingering around. “The guestroom is all yours,” He says as he walks from behind the bar, bottle in hand and his glass in the other. He has work waiting for him and this whole wedding has been a setback. Mr. Jung is good at his job, but Taehyung needs his job to keep himself sane. More so now than ever.
He settles on the suites comfortable couch and leans against it. Setting ground rules will be stupid. All he had to do is marry the omega and stay out of his hair– he’ll be free to dip into Yoongi’s funds as much as he wants if Taehyung marks his signature down on whatever documents he needs.
The omega stays standing in the centre of the room, seemingly unsure of himself and what to do.
The last time he saw Yoongi was when the latter was fifteen– when his mother had said he got married, Taehyung pictured someone more outgoing, more adventurous and not– not someone timid.
But Yoongi had been fifteen back then and it has been over a decade since Taehyung heard from him– a lot changes in that amount of time.
“What happens now?” His voice is delicate, the veil is still covering his face. He speaks his words like a melody, it sounds musical and it reminds him of Yoongi’s love for music and suddenly it makes some sense.
Taehyung nods, staring at the omega in the dimly lit room. “Whatever you wish,” He tells him.
“Alright.” The omega attempts to take a step forward and falters, “Goodnight.” He finally says before walking in the only direction that leads to the bedroom. He knows where he’s going, his mother has probably brought him in here and made him familiar with everything.
“Goodnight,” Taehyung says minutes too late and brings the bottle to his lips. He’s hoping to drink himself a little silly and he thinks the world owes him this for giving in to this bullshit so easily.
He only manages to drink a couple of glasses before he gives up, and he stops short in the hallway, outside the guestroom the omega had entered, and he feels like shit at soft sounds of crying that comes from the room.
He raises his hand to knock– but stops because he’s not sure what he’s even supposed to say to him. The omega is still grieving, and with this cruel world’s tradition, he’s forced to live and be married with another alpha if he wishes for an easy life.
Taehyung takes a step back and walks to his own bedroom.
He stays under the shower’s spray longer than he needs to the following morning. When he finally drags himself out of his bedroom after he’s dressed, down the hallway and into the kitchen– he finds his personal chef happily making his breakfast and smiling at him.
“Congratulations on the wedding!” The man says and Taehyung offers him a thin smile. He heads for the fridge and– “There’s a smoothie in there for you. Just the way you like it.” He grabs the drink with his name on it and thanks him.
“Where’s the lovely omega? Jungkook, was it? Your mother said.”
Taehyung looks around for a second– part of him had forgotten. “I’m not sure.” He mumbles as he brings the smoothie’s bottle to his lips. It’s a healthy drink– it doesn’t taste good. “He’s not up yet?”
The chef shakes his head, working with scrambled eggs on a pan before him. “Long night?” His tone is suggestive, and Taehyung ignores him. He would be able to smell it if anything happened last night.
Seokjin is an unfamiliar alpha– if the omega left the room the first time he caught Taehyung’s scent in his mother’s penthouse, there’s no way he’ll come out now. “He hasn’t had anything to eat?” He asks absentmindedly.
“Nope,” Seokjin said, “I’ve been here since 8 a.m.,” He states. It’s 11 a.m. “Unless he came out while I was grocery shopping and went back wherever he is– haven’t seen him.” He pauses and looks up from the scrambled eggs. “Trouble in paradise already? It hasn’t even been 24 hours since you tied the knot.”
“Seokjin,” Taehyung rubs his temples, “Take the day off today.”
Taehyung’s breath is taken away– the omega is beautiful. He’s got the largest eyes, unruly soft curls, sweet lips and smells even better. “Are you hungry?” He finds himself asking. Seokjin had packed up his tools, cleaned up the kitchen before he left with the promise to return the next day.
He nods, unruly curls bouncing on his head as he does so.
“Come have breakfast with me,” He says. He had been thinking of ignoring him, but it will be weird because they are going to be spending the rest of their lives together. He thinks he can settle for treating him like a lodger– it’ll be more tolerable and less awkward.
The omega plays with his food on his plate– he takes small bites, looks a little green as he does so, but it quickly passes before he’s back to toying with the food.
“Jungkook,” Taehyung tests the name on his tongue, “What was he like?” Taehyung finds himself asking before he can think it over. Because he’s curious on the life his half-brother led for the last fifteen years since he left.
Jungkook immediately brings his hand to the left side of his neck, traces his fingers over the old mark beside Taehyung’s. The omega’s breath quickens a little before he slows. His scent smells of distress and sadness and Taehyung’s sorry he even asked.
When Jungkook looks at him– the emotions of loss are painted on his face and his brows are furrowed. “Sorry,” He says as he brings his attention back to his food.
“Don’t be,” Taehyung shakes his head. He should’ve have asked something else, but he’s got nothing to say to him. He can’t talk about their wedding– there’s nothing there and he knows it’ll only bring forth his own bitter feelings about the whole situation. And asking him how he slept or if he’s alright sounds pretty silly because the answer won’t be fine.
Jungkook then reaches into his sweatshirt’s pocket and pulls out his phone. He toys with it for a moment before pushing it to Taehyung. “This is– before the–” The words struggle to leave his lips, but Taehyung looks down at the phone and finds himself staring at a picture of Yoongi– much older than the fifteen-year-old Taehyung had last seen and he’s grinning widely at the camera.
The Yoongi he remembers disliked having any cameras in his face. The childhood photos his mother sometimes looks through– he always looks miserable.
The anguish in his voice as he talks about Yoongi is hard to describe– he can tell it’s hard for him to talk about him, but the omega continues– even as tears that he quickly wipes away stream down his cheeks and his scent grows ugly– it’s almost suffocating, the sadness in his scent and the expression on his face.
He knows Yoongi better than any of them do– the Yoongi Jungkook describes has traces of the old one he left behind. Jungkook’s Yoongi was more carefree, a lot less angry, brought out the artist their family’s business wouldn’t tolerate– and the one video Jungkook shows him of him making music by the piano has Taehyung’s heart clenching painfully.
Yoongi left home and led the life he wanted to lead before he had been ripped away–
“He had chest pains one night and–”
It’s an honest mistake.
It’s an honest mistake when he steps into the bathroom a week later, forgetting to knock because he has been living alone for so long that he never has to knock on his own doors. The alpha finds himself staring at Jungkook slipping on a t-shirt– Taehyung catches a glimpse of a small bump and his stomach drops.
“Sorry,” He says when he clears his throat and Jungkook startles, taking a hesitant step back and wrapping his arms around his waist. He’s still a little skittish, and he wonders how it will be when he goes back to work a week from now.
He doesn’t want to assume, but his mouth works faster than his brain can tell him to put some brakes on it. “How far along are you?”
“Twelve weeks.” Jungkook tells him.
Taehyung closes his eyes for a moment. He had agreed to this, but he hadn’t thought Jungkook would come with extra baggage. “How long have you known?”
Jungkook swallows and looks anywhere but at him.
“Jungkook,” Taehyung calls, a little firmer than he intends and ignores how the omega flinches away from him. “How long?”
“Before the funeral.” He answers after seconds too long.
“Is it his?” It’s a rude thing to ask, but Taehyung isn’t going to be raising a random alpha’s child. Yoongi may have been estranged from them, but he was still blood.
“She is.” Jungkook shifts on his feet before sitting on the toilet after bringing down the lid.
Taehyung nods. “What are you planning to do?”
“She’s Yoongi’s.” Jungkook tells him, “I’m going to raise her– you don’t have to– I don’t care if you don’t want me to have–”
Taehyung cuts him off before he can continue. “I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” It now makes a little more sense now– that Jungkook had married him without so much as a complaint. He’s in the same situation his mother had been in when she lost Yoongi’s father. Alphas offer security and there’s less stigma. “When was the last time you saw a doctor?”
“Before the funeral,” He says again and Taehyung sighs.
“Why haven’t you bothered to book an appointment?” He’s a little frustrated suddenly.
Jungkook frowns at him, looks at him like he has just asked an absurd question before he tells him, “They don’t tend to omegas with dead alphas.”
Taehyung shifts uncomfortably– that’s a whole can of worms he doesn’t want to uncap.
“Morning, Mr. Kim.” The lawyer holds his hand out and it’s a firm handshake before he gestures for Taehyung to sit on the chair across from his desk.
“You asked to see me.” Taehyung says dryly as he settles down, the crosses one leg over the other and stares at the alpha sitting before him.
“Yes,” The man says with an easy smile, his pink tongue runs over his thick lips and in another life Taehyung would have been all over him. “Thank you for coming,” He starts looking through the draws in his desk before he pulls out an envelope. “Your brother had asked me to give this to you– he had been specific that you were to receive this after you found out about the baby.” He tells him as he slides the envelope to him.
“You knew?” He asks, a little frown on his face.
“I’m his late alpha’s lawyer– thus his own now. We talk.”
“And you couldn’t be bothered to take him to a doctor? You’re an alpha, aren’t you?” Taehyung narrows his eyes and he glares at the smile. “Or to tell my mother and I about this?”
“It’s against the law, Mr. Kim, to accompany a widowed omega anywhere that needs his or her alpha’s signature to come in. And I don’t have the money one needs to get my way.”
Taehyung says nothing as he reaches for the envelope. The law isn’t something he wants to get into so early and he’s got a meeting right after this.
Omegas get the short end of the stick when they’re left widowed and without any other alpha to step up. Omegas born in wealthy families have it a tad bit better than most because money makes people bend over for you.
Taehyung shakes his head and clears his throat. “Is this all?” He wonders why the man couldn’t just send it to his home address.
There’s another question that is bothering him. “Why did Yoongi want you to contact us only after burial?” They only found out of his death then– they hadn’t gone to the funeral, had no clue where and when it happened. He’s sure his mother has gotten the location of his brother’s resting place out of Jungkook now.
“Yoongi’s death wasn’t sudden.” The lawyer starts, “He was one of the lucky ones.” Taehyung breathes out deeply at that and his fellow alpha is unfazed as he continues, “He had time to figure things out before his death, and he wanted Jungkook in peace for a little while. You and I both know how tradition works when an omega is left widowed and with child. A new marriage not even a week after the death of their loved ones– it’s cruel.” He leans back into his seat.
“Did he know?” That he was going to be a father, is what he doesn’t say.
“An alpha’s nose is sensitive to the changes in his omega’s body. There’s no hiding such a change, no matter how early.”
It’s a tape he pulls out from the envelope and Taehyung is left staring at it moments too long inside his car outside the law firm he just walked out of. He picks up his phone, calls his secretary– and asks her to find a cassette player.
He finds the cassette player on his desk. He makes a mental note to thank her when he sees her next, she wasn’t at her desk when he came into the office.
He slips in the tape into the player, slips off his jacket and hangs it on the back of his chair as he waits for it to play. There’s a lot of white noise, before a throat clears and Yoongi’s voice is deeper than Taehyung remembers it to be.
“This style is a little outdated– but the last time we spoke– cassette players and tapes were a big thing back then.” A hoarse laugh comes after. “Hi,” He says, “It’s your cowardly brother,” There’s a pause before a sigh. “I should’ve written down what I was going to say, but the only pen I have right now is one I borrowed from a frustrated nurse and it’s out of ink. I’ve troubled them enough,”
Taehyung leans back into his seat, unsure of how to feel.
“I ruined your childhood when I left home. I’m sorry–I’m sorry for what I did, for leaving and never letting you and mum know I was alright– I’ve been alright for years,” He sounds sincere, if a little frustrated. “I’ve seen better days though.” He continues, “Taehyung,”
Taehyung tenses where he sits.
“I’m dying.” His breath hitches. “And we both know what happens after I’m gone. We know how this song goes because you’re a product of something similar.” He goes on, “I’ve got an omega, his name is Jungkook– and man, he’s the prettiest one I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Just beautiful, with the voice of a goddamn deity. Been times where’ve wanted to send you and mum postcards– pictures of him because– he– he’s the one.” He sounds choked up.
“He’s pregnant. Shit. He doesn’t know it yet– he’s too concerned with my wellbeing to focus on himself and he won’t listen to reason. He’s a stubborn one. He loves me too much and I wonder why because I don’t deserve to be loved like I am.”
“Fuck,” Taehyung says and it’s the next moment, “Fuck,” comes from the tape, his breath shaking.
“Fuck. He’s going to have my baby– my baby is going to have a baby and I won’t be there to hold his hand through it. I won’t be able to see– I hope the baby looks like him, takes after him– you’ll know what I mean when you see him. I think of a little girl with his eyes and I want to keep trying to survive, but even with all this money–” He stops, “Please, Taehyung. I know you owe me nothing and I’ve got no right to beg you for anything– but please, look after the family I’m leaving behind.”
The tape ends and Taehyung stares unseeingly at the cassette. He moves with a trembling hand to the envelope, pulls out a small USB stick and plugs it into his computer.
It’s a shaky video, filmed in a hospital room and the first few seconds are of Yoongi waving at the camera and looking sicker than the pictures Jungkook showed him days ago– the camera then pans from the bathroom to the room– there’s a lump on the bed and the closer Yoongi gets to it– it’s Jungkook dwarfed in the blankets, curled hair fanned out on the pillow, snoring lightly.
“He’ll deny snoring.”
“Kim Jungkook?” The nurse that steps into the waiting room calls, scanning the room and Taehyung looks at Jungkook’s tense form. “Kim Jungkook?” The nurse calls again, a little impatiently.
Taehyung places his hand on his knee, “That’s you.” He says and sees the embarrassed flush that fans over Jungkook’s cheeks. His official documents had read Min Jungkook before he took Taehyung’s name– it’s clear he’s not used to his new name.
Yoongi had changed his surname to Min when he’d left after he fell off the face of the planet for years.
“Sorry,” The omega says as he stands abruptly and follows the nurse. He pauses and looks at Taehyung, “Do you want to– to come with me?” He asks softly and Taehyung is aware of the looks everyone else in the waiting room gives them.
He stands, out of obligation and unable to stand the judgemental looks thrown his way. He looks at his wristwatch– his next meeting is in about an hour. “Of course.”
“Fucking working alphas, so useless.” He hears an older omega whisper after him as he follows Jungkook and the nurse.
The doctor, an alpha, knows their situation– that Jungkook’s alpha is dead and Taehyung is filling in his shoes and has the official documents to back it up– so the appointment is less awkward, and the baby isn’t referred to as his.
She asks Jungkook questions about how he’s doing, scanning over a chart a nurse had filled earlier after she took Jungkook’s blood pressure, other vitals, weight and height.
The alpha asks if anything is bothering him, if his morning sickness is troubling him (Taehyung is always out of the house early and Jungkook saying yes to this makes him frown a little), and after his short and careful answers she then asks– “Would you like to see and hear your baby?” The woman is already getting the equipment ready. Taehyung stands by the door throughout the appointment, staying out of it because he’s out of his element.
He watches as the doctor squirts gel over Jungkook’s bump– it’s now Taehyung sees it clear than he did in the bathroom. The doctor presses her ultrasound probe over it– and she’s soon pointing at the screen, “There’s your baby,” She says and it’s then her face brightens. “Healthy little thing– the size of a lemon almost. Gorgeous.” She fiddles with the machine, and then all they hear around them is the sound of the heartbeat– and the doctor’s lips are moving, but all Taehyung can focus on is how stunned Jungkook looks–
He’s then pushing the hand, the probe the doctor has over his bump away from him like it’s offending him, like it burns. He sits up where he lays, brings down his shirt with shaking hands and there are tears dripping out of his eyes and down his cheeks.
Taehyung has heard him cry countless times before, but he has never seen him cry this openly and hard– the kind of crying where his breath hitches and his whole body is trembling.
“Oh, Mr. Kim,” The doctor starts sadly, and Jungkook’s shaking his head– all that escapes his lips is another hitching sob.
“I can’t do this alone,” The omega finally says between sobs and the doctor glances at Taehyung– he’s a little stunned at the breakdown before he moves over to them, Jungkook doesn’t resist when Taehyung rubs a hand on the small of his back and pulls him close to him and lets Jungkook nuzzle his neck for comfort. “Yoongi– he is supposed to be here with me–”
He swallows thickly and closes his eyes before saying, “You don’t have to do this alone.”