"...by charge 7, charge for the illegal possession, selling and transfer of weapons, the court hereby declares three years of imprisonment for the defendent jeon seokjin..."

jungkook closes his eyes, hands fisting in an effort to calm himself as the the judge reads the final verdict for his brothers case.

3 years. three whole years.

even their lawyer sweats, hoseok and yoongi slumps on their seat; but seokjin just stands unwavering, polish and perfect in his suit.

as the police escorts seokjin out, jungkook stands up and meets him half way.

"hey, its just three years. dont look so sad, kook-ah" the beta pats jungkooks face with a fond smile.

however, the alphas smile was tight lipped as he hugged his brother.

no, this wasn't easy for jungkook. for all the years that passed, seokjin was the only permanent figure, a pillar for him.

even if they came here dreading something as bad as ten years of prison, their lawyer managed to bring it down to three.

but still, thats too fucking long.

"dont go after the jopok, okay? its not worth it-- and take care of yourselves" seokjin murmurs just for jungkooks ears as he squeezed his brother close one last time before he let go.

for many minutes jungkook stood by the steps, surrounded by the scent of leather and mahogany until the vehicle with seokjin rolled away.

"maybe you should take a break today, sir. go home to your pups--" hoseok supplies from his right.

"no. i've got things to take care of" jungkook declines as he moves after one last breath, getting into his car and driving to the company.

jungkook however didn't come to starlight for work.

there the alpha was stooped over his laptop, making phone calls, doing money transfers that too a lot of it and atlast flight tickets booked after consulting with yoongi and hoseok.

and it was around midnight by the time he reached back in the cabin- exhausted and with a worser headache.

the place was quiet and it was as if on autopilot his steps moved towards the nursery.

"baby-- please let go-- ouch!" jungkook hears taehyungs whisper shout as he rounds around the door causing the alpha to curiously stop.

inside taehyung was feeding the omega pup, his back facing the door, the pup swaddled in a pink blanket nuzzled close to his chest; but the little trouble maker somehow had got a handful of taehyungs hair, long and curled by his neck, and refused to let go even as the omega tried desperate to get the iron grip of little fingers to loosen.

"ow ow ow!" taehyung mutters and freezes when he hears the alphas chuckle from the doorway.

the omega pulls the pup closer and covers his chest as jungkook walks closer then stopping behind him, carefully taking the pups fingers from between taehyungs now tangled hair and kisses the little fist; the omega sighing relieved now that his hair is free.

just then he hears the squeal of the alpha pup from the crib; so jungkook straightens up, pushing taehyungs shirt back up his shoulder where it slid down when the pup fussed and walks towards the crib, picking the sleepy pup and placing a kiss on the chubby cheeks.

the alpha takes his place in one of the empty chairs with the pup settled comfortably in his arms, little round eyes blinking curious at his father before they start drooping with sleep.

with how late it is, it was just a matter of time before the pups were back to sleep, now in the comfort of their soft crib.

jungkook just sits there and admires the silence, of the pleasant scents, his two cute little pups and of taehyung tiredly puttering around placing back the toys scattered around.

"i just want our pups to have a better life than you and me"

"if you care for them you'll want that too"

jungkook is reminded of their conversation days back and of the conversation he is yet to have.

when the alpha clears his throat, taehyung turns back.

"i choose japan. the place is in a safe neighborhood, the house is new, plenty of space--" jungkook starts without much preamble and taehyung tilts his head in confusion.

"you and the pups can leave day after tomorrow-- jimin will also be coming to start back his college" as jungkook spoke eyes distantly watching the pups, realization finally dawned on the omega.

"oh-- thats so soon" taehyung murmurs.

"its better that way. all the arrangements are made--" now with all the media attention on seokjin and the riots calming down, escaping now is the better plan.

"i will come to visit whenever i can find time" jungkooks voice was hesitant. he barely gets time to sleep with the hectic work in the company, he truly doesn't know how he'll find time to travel back and forth to japan.

"thats fine" taehyung responds, hands wringing at the end of his shirt.

jungkook nods once, then stood up slow and leaves silent.

the next day surprisingly, jungkook takes a day off from work.

while taehyung and jimin was busy packing the necessities, jungkook took care of the babies.

he bathe them, fed them, and only ever called for taehyung when it was time to change diapers. god, jungkook really used to think he was a man of no fears, until he encountered dirty diapers.

honestly it was the most relaxing thing to jungkook to take care of them, to put lotions and powders, wrestle them into clothes and neatly arrange their static hairs.

the pups never threw much of a tantrum whenever they're with jungkook; its like they're fascinated with him, big curious eyes often intrigued by jungkooks tattoos or the shine of a piercing.

and even if its fake little cries for attention, just how jungkook comes running with a murmur of "appa's here!", all ears and eyes to coddle them is enough to have the pups giggling and little feets kicking in the air.

jungkook truly wished that the day wouldn't end, but it was inevitable.

the next morning jungkook was ready for work.

"will you come to the airport?" taehyung asks hopeful.

"its a busy day" jungkook says curt as he rolls up his sleeves, "dont worry. yoongi and hoseok will take care of everything". taehyung just nods, solemn.

today as jungkook gets ready to leave, he takes extra time to hug and scent both pups,

and it did hurt more than any bullet he ever took to turn around and leave.

□□□

taehyung should be happy, but the uncertainties and what if's doesn't stop in his mind.

"eomma is doing the good thing, right?" he asks one of the pups as he got them dressed, the baby only blinking back to him in response.

taehyung rubs at his own face and got into his own coat as hoseok packs last of his bags onto their car.

the long ride to the airport had exhausted the babies as they now sleep peacefully in their strollers.

"'m gonna miss you two" jimin sniffles onto hoseok and yoongi's chest as they say goodbyes with promises of seeing each other soon,

and taehyung, his eyes did flit around hoping to spot the one person who didn't come to say goodbyes.

with a resigned sigh taehyung turns away for his check in,

but what he didn't see was the lone figure standing far away in the crowd.

jungkook did try to immerse himself in work to distract himself, but it proved to be futile.

so now he stood adorned in a hoodie and face obscured by a mask like a lone shadow in the busy airport, eyes watching the retreating figures as the last of the pups milky scent dissappeared with them.

he didn't move or call after them because he doesn't think he'll be able to let go if he get a chance to take his pups in his arms once more.

his heart felt frozen as if immersed in a sea of ice, the little pieces that was beginning to thaw aching ten folds more.

for once jungkook thought- what is the purpose of him living like this?

whats the purpose of all the money and all the power he used to crave?

only when he got a glimpse of life, of happiness, of normalcy did he understood what he's been lacking all his life.

he understood the preciousness too late, when the hollow absence settled in him like a never ending pit.

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