Chapter 11

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Author's Point of View

The café was filled with the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the gentle murmur of conversations. Taehyung sat comfortably with Aera on his lap, feeding her small bites of pastry while the others sipped on their drinks. The little girl, full of energy and excitement, was talking animatedly about her school and her best friend, Yu-Jun.

"Unkie, you know what?" Aera began, her eyes twinkling. "Yu-Jun said she loves two people so much, and they are her Mumma and Dada!"

Taehyung smiled at her innocence. "Oh, that's so sweet," he replied.

Aera nodded eagerly before looking up at Taehyung with a thoughtful expression. "And you know whom I love the most?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Whom, sweetheart?" Taehyung asked, curious.

"I love Mumma so much..." she said, then paused, her small face scrunching in thought. "But I don't call someone Dada." She pouted, tapping her chin with her tiny finger as if deep in thought.

A few seconds passed before she gasped with excitement. "Unkie! Can I call you Dada?"

The café seemed to fall into silence.

Taehyung's eyes widened in shock. Jimin nearly dropped his coffee. Hobi froze mid-sip. But the one most affected was Jungkook. The moment Aera's words reached his ears, he choked on his coffee, coughing uncontrollably. Jimin quickly patted his back to help him, while Taehyung looked at him in concern.

"Mumma! What happened to you?" Aera asked, worried.

Jungkook finally caught his breath and wiped his mouth, looking at his daughter. "Aera, baby... it doesn't work like that," he tried to explain gently.

Jungkook turned to Taehyung with an apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry, Hyung, she-"

But Taehyung shook his head, cutting him off with a soft smile. "It's okay, Jungkook." He looked at Aera's expectant eyes before continuing. "It's okay even if she calls me Dada."

Jungkook looked at him in surprise. "What?" he asked, not sure if he had heard correctly.

"Yes, Jungkook," Taehyung said, his voice steady but gentle. "She's just a child... she doesn't understand these things the way we do. If it makes her happy, I don't mind... of course, only if you're okay with it."

Jungkook hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "It's fine for now, but... what about the future? What if she gets used to calling you that?"

Taehyung's gaze softened, and his voice dropped slightly, almost as if he was speaking more to himself than to Jungkook. "Then it's okay too... we don't know what the future brings."

Jungkook felt his face heat up. His cheeks turned pink as he looked down, unable to meet Taehyung's gaze. His heart was racing, and he didn't know why. There was something about the way Taehyung had said those words that made his chest tighten.

Everyone else had noticed too. Jimin, Yoongi, and Hobi exchanged glances, silently observing the unspoken emotions between Taehyung and Jungkook. But none of them said anything. It was too soon.

Aera, unaware of the tension, turned to Taehyung again. "Why is everyone looking at you like that?"

At that, everyone quickly looked away, pretending to be focused on their drinks. Jimin took an exaggerated sip of his coffee, and Yoongi coughed to hide his chuckle. Hobi just shook his head with an amused smile.

Taehyung let out a small laugh and turned back to Aera. "Ignore them, sweetheart. Now, open your mouth-aaah." He held up another piece of pastry.

"But first, give me an answer! Can I call you Dada?" Aera insisted.

Taehyung smiled warmly. "Yes, sweetheart. You can call me Dada."

Aera let out an excited squeal. "Really?! Thank you, Dada!" she said, wrapping her little arms around his neck.

Taehyung felt something warm spread in his heart. Hearing her call him that... it felt right. Natural. Like something he had been waiting for without even realizing it. He didn't know why, but he wanted to hear it again and again.

Jungkook, who had been watching quietly, felt something stir inside him too. When he heard Aera call Taehyung 'Dada' for the first time, a strange mix of emotions filled his chest. Happiness. Warmth. A little bit of nervousness. He didn't know why, but it felt... right.

Taehyung turned to glance at Jungkook, giving him a small, reassuring smile. Jungkook's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked away, pretending to focus on his coffee.

Everyone continued chatting and laughing until it was time to leave. Aera, however, wasn't ready to say goodbye. She clung onto Taehyung's arm, refusing to let go.

"Dada, come with us!" she whined, pouting cutely.

Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Aera, baby, He has to go home," he explained gently.

"But..." Aera's eyes filled with unshed tears, making Jungkook sigh again.

In the end, Jungkook gave in. With a small smile, he turned to the group. "To celebrate our friendship... let's have dinner at our home tonight?"

The moment he said it, everyone immediately agreed.

Hobi smirked. "Who are we to say no when we have such a cute host inviting us?"

Taehyung chuckled. "And who am I to say no to my sweetheart?" he said, patting Aera's head.

Jungkook chukled at them but couldn't hide his sweet smile.

They left the café and drove to Jungkook's home. Yoonmin and Hobi went in one car, while Jungkook, Taehyung, and Aera shared another.

Once they reached the house, they spent some time chatting before Jungkook went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Jimin followed, insisting on helping. Meanwhile, Hobi and Yoongi played with Aera, who was full of energy as usual.

Around 8:00 PM, they all sat down for dinner, enjoying the delicious food Jungkook and Jimin had prepared. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and lighthearted teasing. Jungkook fed Aera, who happily let her Mumma pamper her.

Taehyung, smiling at the sight, suddenly spoke. "I'll visit you every day at Hobi Unkie's café," he promised Aera.

Aera's eyes widened in excitement. "Really?! Mumma, will you take me to the café every day after school?" She gave Jungkook her best 'magical puppy eyes' look.

Jungkook sighed dramatically. "How can I say no to that face?" he muttered before nodding. "Okay, fine."

Aera cheered, and everyone laughed.

They continued talking for a while until Aera, finally exhausted, fell asleep on the couch.

Taehyung gently picked her up and carried her to her room, tucking her in carefully. He stood by her bedside for a moment, brushing her hair from her face.

When he returned, it was time to leave. Everyone exchanged numbers before saying their goodbyes.

As Taehyung stepped out of Jungkook's house, he realized something-he wasn't just happy tonight. He felt... content. Like he had found something, or maybe someone, he didn't even know he was missing.

And Jungkook? He watched Taehyung leave, his heart still racing, his mind filled with questions he wasn't ready to answer yet.

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Preview ~

To be contained...