Chapter Text
“Fuck. I didn’t get the job at that office. Probably the tattoos,” Jungkook said, sitting back down in his chair in the tattoo parlour. He looked again at his schedule, hoping more appointments would magically fill themselves in.
“Yeah probably. Also you have a shit attitude so there’s that,” Taehyung said, sitting down on the chair that was usually meant for customers. He didn’t even take off his filthy shoes.
“Why are you even here? Usually only customers and employees hang out here and not annoying brats,” Jungkook groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Wow. So rude. I was going to tell you about how my friend needs someone to work for him during the days but I guess you don’t need to pay rent,” Taehyung said. Jungkook got up and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
“What’s the job? Tell me now,” he said frantically. Taehyung reached up and wiped some of Jungkook’s spit off of his face.
“You’d be a nanny. He has a seven year-old kid who needs looking after. She’s a good kid and she’d be at school a lot of the time anyway. It pays well,” Taehyung said, ripping his shirt away from Jungkook’s grip. “This is Gucci, asshole.”
Jungkook sat back down. Being a nanny certainly wasn’t what he expected. Or wanted. He wasn’t good with kids, or parents for that matter. Most people thought he was in a gang or something. Even if he decided he wanted the job, he probably wouldn’t get it.
“Think about it Kook. He’s a good guy, I’ve been friends with him longer than I’ve been friends with you. Here’s his number in case. I’ll tell him I told you about the job okay?” Taehyung said, scribbling the number down on a little piece of paper and handing it to Jungkook.
Jungkook took it and read the name. Park Jimin. Jungkook liked the sound of it for some reason. He sighed deeply. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. There was a very small chance it would work out well for him. He didn’t even babysit as a teenager. His resume wasn’t very impressive either.
“I can’t believe I’m actually considering being a nanny. What did I do wrong in my life?” Jungkook sighed, leaning back in his chair.
“Probably the entire sleeve tattoo that you couldn’t afford,” Taehyung said. Jungkook threw his pen at his head.
x
Another rejection. He wasn’t surprised, most places didn’t want to hire a man covered in tattoos who had minimal experience in any field besides tattooing. But the rent was due soon and he needed to do something. He barely had half. He was mentally preparing himself to be homeless for the next while.
Then he remembered the number Taehyung had given him a few days ago. He walked over to his desk in his bedroom where the piece of paper was sitting. Park Jimin. Maybe he would be his guardian angel.
He typed in the number and took a deep breath before pressing call. The rings seemed like they were in slow motion. Jimin was taking a long time to answer. Jungkook was about to hang up when he heard a soft voice.
“Hello, Park Jimin speaking,” he said. Jungkook’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt nervous.
“Hi, this is Jeon Jungkook, Taehyung’s friend. He said he would tell you that I’d call.
“Yes! Jungkook! He did tell me! Are you taking the job?” Jimin asked. Jungkook was taken aback. Jimin didn’t want an interview or anything?
“Uh, you’re just offering it to me just like that?” Jungkook asked.
“I would love to interview you but I have no time. Taehyung says you’re a good person and I trust him. He wouldn’t put Mijoo in danger. I’m really desperate. Can you come tomorrow?” Jimin asked. The man sounded like he was running around, he seemed a bit out of breath. Clearly he needed help.
“Uh yeah, definitely. What time will you need me?” Jungkook asked. He really didn’t expect to get the job so easily. He should have called him right when he got his number.
“I need to be out of the house by seven in the morning. I’ll leave you a list of everything she needs and a schedule. You can text me tomorrow if you have any questions okay?” Jimin said.
“For sure. I’ll be there. You can count on me,” Jungkook said. He was so nervous. Jimin was really giving him this job. This man was a hero.
“Thank you so much Jungkook. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll see you at seven!” Jimin said. Jungkook said goodbye and hung up. Holy shit. He really just got a job that easily. And Jimin seemed really nice, although a little hectic.
The idea of getting up so early wasn’t ideal but he wasn’t going to complain. He had a job.
He’d have to thank Taehyung later.
x
Jungkook stood in front of his new employers house. He could barely keep his eyes open he was so tired. Seven in the morning was such a brutal hour but it would be worth it if he didn’t have to get kicked out of his apartment.
The house was nice. A lot nicer than Jungkook’s crappy apartment. There was even a garden out front.
He walked up to the front door and knocked. At first there was no answer, he wondered if he had the right place. He rang the doorbell this time and the door swung open revealing a disheveled looking man. He didn’t get a good look at him as he ran back inside, yelling something and running back and slipping on his shoes.
“Jungkook, hi. I’m sorry I really have to go right now. There’s a list on the fridge and the schedule is there too. Mijoo is eating breakfast right now. I really really have to go. I’ll be home around six. Bye!” he said running out the door and getting in his car. Jungkook didn’t even get a chance to say hi. At least he had the right place.
And even though he didn’t get a good look at Jimin, he didn’t look like he expected him to. He looked young.
He stepped inside and removed his shoes. He made his way through the house. It was really nice. Just as nice inside as outside. It was really clean too. Clearly a real adult lived here. A father.
He got to the kitchen and saw a little girl sitting there eating. Jungkook knew she was seven years old but for some reason he was expecting her to look younger. He really needed to stop making assumptions about this family.
“Hi, you’re Mijoo right?” he asked. She looked up from her cereal and looked Jungkook up and down. He felt nervous.
“Yes,” she said.
“I’m Jungkook. Your new nanny. I hope we can get along,” Jungkook said. He didn’t mean to talk to her as if she was an adult but he really hadn’t dealt with children since he was one himself. She stared at him for a while, and Jungkook was squirming under her gaze.
“Do you want rice chips?” she asked, reaching across the table and grabbing the bag. Jungkook took it as a good sign.
“Thanks,” he said sitting across from her. Maybe this job wouldn’t be so bad after all.
x
“Why do you have pictures on your body?” Mijoo asked as Jungkook walked her to school.
“They’re called tattoos. I had someone put them on me because they are important to me,” he said. She reached up and touched one of the ones on his arm, rubbing it.
“It doesn’t come off,” she said, rubbing a little harder. Jungkook chuckled at her efforts.
“No. They’ll stay on me forever. They didn’t get drawn on with markers or pencils. It was done with a needle,” Jungkook said. She looked up at him with wide eyes. She was pretty cute.
“Did it hurt?” she asked. She looked so concerned, Jungkook almost felt bad for telling her.
“Yeah, but I knew it was going to. That’s how bad I wanted them. I give other people tattoos too. That’s my other job,” he said.
“Wow. That’s so cool. I want tattoos!” she said. Jungkook was amazed that she wasn’t afraid of the pain. He hoped Jimin wouldn’t fire him for getting his daughter interested in tattoos.
x
The other parents stared at him. He supposed it probably was strange to see an unfamiliar tattooed man dropping off a little girl at the school. He still wished they would stop staring.
“I’m gonna go play with my friends. You can go now if you want,” Mijoo said. He straightened out her hair for her and zipped up her coat.
“I’ll stay until you go in. But you can go play,” he said. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving her. If something happened to her that would definitely be on him. And he really couldn’t afford that.
Mijoo shrugged and went off to play. He caught a nearby mom staring at him and he winked. She looked completely horrified. He might be worried if he really wasn’t supposed to be there. But he was. Mijoo was his responsibility now, and he was going to act like it.
x
He went back to Jimin’s place as per Jimin’s request on the schedule. He hoped no one would call the cops on him for entering a house in such a proper neighbourhood.
He walked around the house until he got to the living room. It was a complete disaster. He thought this place was so clean and tidy but clearly he hadn’t made it that far into the house. There were toys everywhere and half eaten snacks. It looked almost worse than his apartment. Almost.
The schedule said to tidy up Mijoo’s toys but he knew he couldn’t stop there. This place needed help.
The toys and garbage were easy to clean up. But he noticed a big juice spill on the carpet and that proved to be more challenging. Really he couldn’t believe he was cleaning to this extent in a house that wasn’t even his, but for some reason he really felt like he needed to.
While he was picking up the last of the trash, he stopped to look at the photos hung up around the room. Most of them were of Jimin and Mijoo, but there were a couple with an older woman in them too. He assumed it was Jimin’s mother. She looked like him after all.
One figure he expected to see was missing from all the photos. There was none of Mijoo’s mother. He looked for any sign of another woman in the photographs but he didn’t see her. Jungkook wondered if she was still alive. Or if Jimin was purposely erasing her presence.
He wanted to ask but it was probably inappropriate. He just kept cleaning.
x
Jungkook was out of breath when he got to the school. He didn’t remember how to get there on his own so he ended up having to google directions. He was so worried he would be late. But he checked the time and saw that there was still a few minutes before the children got out.
He stood around and waited, playing games on his phone when he heard two moms whispering about him.
“Who is that? Is he in a gang? I didn’t think we had those in this neighbourhood,” one of them said. He wanted to laugh but he kept it in.
“Maybe. We should write down his description in case any children go missing,” the other said. Jungkook rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe people still thought this way. They were only tattoos. He didn’t even have any on his face.
The school bell rang and the children started coming out. He spotted Mijoo quickly and waved her down. She walked over to him and took his hand in her tiny one. It was so adorably small he wanted to cry.
“How was school kiddo?” he asked. She shrugged.
“It was okay. This boy pushed me,” she said. He felt anger flare up within him. How dare that child hurt her. He couldn’t believe how protective of this girl he already was.
“Why did he do that?” he asked.
“He said I’m stupid and pushed me,” she said. Jungkook felt so bad for her. He had gotten bullied early on in his life as well.
“You should tell a teacher when that happens. Or just hit him back. That’s what I did,” Jungkook said. She looked up at him in shock. He really wasn’t used to giving advice to children. That was probably the wrong thing to say.
“Daddy says I shouldn’t hit,” she said. Jungkook shrugged.
“You shouldn’t hit first. That’s wrong. But sometimes you have to defend yourself,” he said. This was definitely not what he should be telling her. But it was true.
“Can I have a piggyback?” she asked. Jungkook laughed at her lack of attention span. He bent down and she climbed on. She was as light as a feather.
Jungkook found himself enjoying the sound of her humming happily on his back.
x
“Jungkook, that’s an edge piece, it can’t go there,” Mijoo said as Jungkook tried putting a piece into the puzzle they have half built. He hadn’t built one in ages and it was proving to be more difficult than he remembered.
“But it looks like these,” Jungkook said. Mijoo shook her head and took the piece away from him.
“Mijoo! I’m home baby!” they heard from the front door. Mijoo was immediately on her feet and ran to Jimin, who was now standing in the entry way of the living room where they were playing. He picked her up and gave her a kiss. It warmed Jungkook’s heart seeing them like that.
This was the first time Jungkook got a good look at Jimin. He was shorter than Jungkook was, and slimmer. However, the muscles in his thighs were definitely prominent. His smile was really pretty too. It looked a lot like Mijoo’s. Their faces were very similar. He also indeed looked young. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five.
When Jimin turned his attention to Jungkook he froze. He realized that this would be the first time Jimin had a good look at him as well. He looked Jungkook up and down, the same way Mijoo did that morning. Jungkook was sure he was about to be fired.
But a smile stretched across Jimin’s face instead. It made Jungkook’s heart speed up.
“Thanks for looking after Mijoo. I appreciate it a lot,” he said in that adorable, soft voice. Jungkook pulled at the hairs at the back of his neck.
“No problem. It was fun,” he said. Jimin turned to Mijoo, poking her nose.
“Did you have fun with Jungkook?” he asked. For a second he was scared that Mijoo would say no, but she was quick to nod.
“Yes. Jungkook is really fun,” she said. It made Jungkook blush for some reason. A child liking him was not something that happened. It felt good. The grin Jimin gave as a response was even better.
Jimin looked around the room and his face turned bright red.
“You cleaned! I’m so sorry, you didn’t have to do that!” he said, “I thought you would just pick up the toys but…did you dust?!”
Jungkook laughed at Jimin’s cuteness. He looked so embarrassed.
“It’s fine. I was bored anyway. If I’m getting paid I should work right?” Jungkook said. Jimin looked flustered but he nodded anyway.
“Daddy I want tattoos like Jungkook!” Mijoo suddenly yelled. Jimin looked at her wide-eyed. Jungkook clenched his teeth. This was it for sure.
But Jimin just laughed. And what a nice sound it was.
“Maybe when you’re older baby, okay? Only adults can get tattoos,” Jimin said. Mijoo pouted at this but Jungkook had never felt more relieved. Jimin was the greatest boss ever.
Jimin let Mijoo down to finish her puzzle as he walked Jungkook to the door. Jungkook said goodbye to her and started putting on his shoes.
“So you’re okay with me having tattoos and stuff?” Jungkook asked once he was sure Mijoo couldn’t hear them. Jimin raised an eyebrow at him.
“Do you really think I let you stay home with my child all day without knowing anything about you? Taehyung told me you’re a tattoo artist. It’s fine Jungkook, I don’t care about that stuff,” Jimin said. Jungkook blushed. He felt kind of stupid.
He thinks he misjudged Jimin instead of the other way around.
x
The next few days were much more relaxing. He didn’t have to worry about losing his job and he knew Mijoo’s routine now. He was surprised by how calm and low maintenance she was for a kid. He was expecting much worse.
He would even say that he liked the job a lot.
“Jungkook! Stay for dinner!” Jimin said, as Jungkook headed for the door. He didn’t want to intrude, but his desperation for a free meal was stronger than his guilt. He went to the kitchen where Jimin was and took a seat at the table.
He watched Jimin cook and he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander down Jimin’s body. His shoulders weren’t very broad, but his back looked nice through the stretched material of his shirt. His waist was very slim as well. Jimin’s upper body was easily a ten.
But his ass. That was a different story altogether. He wondered if it was even possible to have a butt that perfect and round. If Jimin’s upper body was a ten, his lower body was a solid fifteen. If Jimin was a man he met at a club rather than his employer he’s sure he would have taken him to a hotel for an entire weekend because one night would not be enough.
That’s when he realized that he was just blatantly checking out his employer in his own home with his seven year-old daughter in the next room. He quickly averted his eyes.
“Jungkook please set the table,” Jimin said. Jungkook did as he said.
“Are you one of those types who has like seven different forks for different things?” Jungkook said to him. Jimin giggled.
“No just one fork is fine,” he said, smiling so big it reached his eyes. Jungkook couldn’t stand how cute he was. Cute and hot. What a man.
Mijoo made her way to the kitchen right after Jungkook finished up and sat down again. She climbed into Jungkook’s lap. It made him feel good that she was so comfortable with him so quickly.
“You don’t work tonight?” she asked him. Jungkook shook his head.
“Nope. No one made an appointment with me for tonight so I get to stay here,” he said. Really, he was upset about not having appointments. Business was way too slow.
“If you don’t have appointments tomorrow can you come to my dance class?” she asked.
“Sorry kiddo. I do have appointments tomorrow. I didn’t know you danced,” Jungkook said as Mijoo moved to her own seat and Jimin put the food on the table and sat down as well.
“Mhm! Daddy teaches the class,” she said. Jungkook looked at Jimin who was nodding. Dancing definitely explained the body.
“I’d definitely like to see you guys dance one day. When you have a show or something let me know so I don’t book appointments for that day,” Jungkook said. Jimin was smiling, and Jungkook thought he saw his cheeks turn red, but he was probably imagining it.
x
“You’re gonna ask him out soon right?” Yoongi said to him at work one night. Jungkook groaned.
“What do you mean?” he said, but he could already guess what the other man was insinuating.
“The dad you’re clearly into. When are you gonna do him?” Namjoon said. Jungkook rolled his eyes. These two wouldn’t get off his back. He had been working for Jimin for three weeks now so of course he would come up in conversation a lot. But the other two weren’t convinced that that was the reason Jungkook was talking about him.
“I’m not into him. He’s my boss and he’s definitely not my type,” Jungkook said, continuing to draw in his sketchbook.
“You said he’s young right? So what’s the problem?” Yoongi said. Jungkook kind of wanted to hit him.
“I don’t want to fuck anyone in my age group. He’s like a real adult with an adult job and a house and a kid. My type is usually someone I would meet while I’m drunk,” Jungkook said.
“I give it two months. You’ll definitely have slept with him by then,” Yoongi said. Jungkook ignored him.
x
Jungkook couldn’t sleep. He stared at the ceiling of his apartment feeling somewhat empty. He looked at the sleeping form next to him, some guy who’s name he couldn’t even recall right now.
The night had been fun, the sex had been good. But felt completely unsatisfied. This would be the third time this month that he had been left feeling this way.
Maybe he didn’t come enough. He decided that must be why he felt this way, even though deep down he knew it wasn’t true. The truth was that these one night stands weren’t making him feel like they used to. Maybe he was getting old, he was twenty-two.
As he drifted off to sleep, he imagined a very familiar body next to his instead of the stranger it really was.
x
“Jungkook I want one more bedtime story,” Mijoo whined, looking so tiny and cute in her bed. He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled.
“Sweetie, it’s way past your bedtime already. Your dad will kill me if you’re up too late,” he said. She pouted.
“Just a short one,” she bargained. He couldn’t say no to that adorable face of hers.
“Fine. Just a short one,” he said, letting her get up and pick a book off of her shelf.
Jimin had asked him to babysit her since he had a work party to go to. When he offered to pay him double, he couldn’t say no. But he didn’t think he would say no anyway. He really liked playing with Mijoo. And he would like to see Jimin again too.
Mijoo fell asleep half way through the book she had picked out and Jungkook chuckled to himself as he tucked her in, gave her a kiss and left the room. He had grown so fond of her lately. He didn’t think he could be so attached to a child but she had really won him over.
He plopped himself down on the couch in Jimin’s living room and put on some anime. Jimin wasn’t due home for a couple hours still.
He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep until he heard the door open. He looked up and saw Jimin walk in. When he saw Jungkook he smiled.
“Hi Jungkookie~” he said. He had definitely had some alcohol. That much was obvious to Jungkook. But he also looked completely exhausted.
“Hey boss. Sit down, I’ll get you some water,” he said. Jimin did as he said and sat on the couch, giggling while he did so. It was possible that drunk Jimin was cuter than sober Jimin.
He caught himself smiling while he was getting Jimin’s water. Why was he smiling? He was just getting water. He tried to force the smile down but it was a complete failure when he saw Jimin grin back at him as he walked back to him and handed him the water.
He sat down next to him and laughed to himself as water dribbled down Jimin’s chin. It didn’t seem like Jimin noticed at all. He was definitely drunk.
“Thank you Jungkook,” he said, putting the water down on the table in front of them.
“No problem boss,” he said. Jimin’s expression turned serious then.
“I mean thank you for everything. You’ve been so good with Mijoo and you’ve helped us so much lately. I’ve just been so tired,” he said. He did look tired. And really sad. Jungkook reached over and started rubbing his back.
“It’s no problem. I really like you guys. It’s been really fun, I mean it,” he said. He had never seen Jimin look sad before. It was heartbreaking.
“I just wanted to provide a good home for Mijoo. I thought I could do it on my own but it’s been so hard,” Jimin said. Jungkook thought he might cry. Jimin leaned his head on Jungkook’s shoulder and it made his heart pound.
“Do you mind me asking what happened to her mother?” he asked. Jimin took a deep breath and pressed himself closer to Jungkook. He could smell the alcohol on his breath.
“I was a bit of a party animal in high school. I met her at a party when I was seventeen, we had sex and she got pregnant. Neither of us had been living the lifestyle of a parent, but she was worse than me. I smartened up when she got pregnant. I knew I had a responsibility to the child. She acted like she did too, but once Mijoo was born, she surrendered all rights and left. I haven’t seen her since. We were never in love, or even in a relationship, but it still hurt when she left,” Jimin said.
Jungkook really badly wanted to take his hand and tell him that everything would be okay. But he knew that Jimin just needed someone to listen right now.
“I feel so bad. I made my mother help take care of her while I went to college. And now that I’m on my own I’ve been doing so poorly. You saw the place when you first started. I’m not good at this,” Jimin said. Jungkook got up the courage to put his arm around Jimin’s shoulders and pull him closer.
“I think you’re doing really well, if that means anything. Mijoo is such a good kid. She does well in school, she’s friendly, she’s funny. She’s so good and wonderful. And that’s your doing you know? She wouldn’t be good without you. I can tell because she’s a lot like you,” Jungkook said. He wondered if his words had any positive effect.
Jimin lifted his head from Jungkook’s shoulder and smiled at him. Jungkook’s face turned red at the proximity, but he was happy that Jimin was smiling.
“Thank you Jungkook. I think you’re doing well too.”