16

Hoseok slumped in his chair. He was rubbing his forehead. Tae and Yoongi looked at each other asking silently as to what's going on. "Hobi, what is it?" They were in the college cafeteria.

"You guys are not gonna believe this".

"What? Is everything okay with your marriage?", Yoongi asked with concern.

Hoseok took out his backpack and slammed a gift cover on the table. Tae took it and opened it. "Woahhhh, you are going on a honeymoon soon with Kim Namjoon! Naicceeee..."

"No, not naiceee...I mean, its nice...I don't know. Guys....our exams are coming up. We need to study....I need to study. This is something which I always wanted."

"Where's the exotic destination? Romantic beaches, candlelit dinners?", Yoongi snatched the ticket from Tae trying to look at the location.

Hoseok rolls his eyes: "Hello...can you guys hear me? Real problem here."

"Oh ya big problem, you married a big rich business tycoon and now you are going to honeymoon, big deal. Just go and have some steamy sex.", Yoongi spoke casually.

Hoseok slammed the table, "Oh come on, guys. You are not helping."

Tae grinned at Hoseok as he looked at Yoongi for answer, "Do you think they are really gonna do it?"

"Of course, this man has been drooling for THE KIM NAMJOON since forever...Wait till this one jumps on the poor guy", Yoongi smirked making Hoseok blush and furious at the same time.

"You are actually thinking of that, aren't you", Yoongi continued as he saw Hoseok enter a dreamland.

"Well, you made me", Hoseok said.

"But come on guys, I don't want to go to honeymoon right now. Our exams are nearing. I don't think I can afford a vacation right now.", Hoseok said as he focused back on the subject matter.

Tae scoffed, "Oh Pff...Final exams? You're like the poster child for 'Study Hard.' But come on, a break won't hurt!"

"Yeah, Hoseok. You're a studious kid. A little vacation won't make you forget what you read", Yoongi said.

"But isn't education important? I know I said you should honeymoon but come on Yoongi, its our final exams. This will really kickstart our career...Hoseok's career. Isn't career important too?", Tae asked Yoongi a silent smile leaving his lips.

"Ya but so is making memories. I mean his family did so much for their honeymoon, I think they should enjoy it", Yoongi said making a sad face.

"You just said I should go to honeymoon", Hoseok said exasperated by his friend's sudden change of opinions.

"Well, I changed my mind", Tae shrugged.

"Its true, he should focus on his exams", Yoongi spoke seriously.

"You guys are the worst.", Hoseok said as he began to leave the table.

"Hobi stop", Tae stopped him as he continued, "Look we were just pulling your leg".

"Look why are you asking us?", Yoongi asked Hoseok.

"Coz I thought you guys could help me which clearly you are incapable of", Hoseok barked.

"Hobi, talk to the person involved in this", Yoongi said sincerely and looking at Hoseok unaware of who it was he continued, "Your husband...talk to your husband. Maybe Namjoon can help you with this". Hoseok gave a silent nod as he dialed a number.

****************

Hoseok was standing in his home. He dragged Jimin with him to Jung Mansion. "Mom, Dad, Jimin, thank you so much for your generous gift. I'm really touched by your kindness and love."

Jae spoke, "You're welcome, Hoseok. We're so happy for you and Joon. You guys are such a wonderful couple."

Hwan intervened, "We're so proud of you for getting married Hobi".

Jimin: "Ya, we are super excited for your honeymoon in Hawaii. We've heard it's a beautiful place. And I have so much planned for you both". Hoseok looked at him in amusement but now was not the time.

"I know, I know. And I really appreciate it. But I have to tell you something."

Jae: "What is it, Hoseok?"

Hoseok: "I can't go to honeymoon right now."

Jae was taken aback by Hoseok's sudden confession: "What? Why not?"

Hoseok sighed, "Because I have to study for my exams. It's the most important thing right now."

Hwan tried to convince his son, "But Hoseok, your honeymoon is more important. Your husband is more important. Your happiness is more important."

Jimin: "Yeah, Hoseok, don't be silly. You are the most brilliant man in college. You have to go to Hawaii now. After all, your exams are not until couple of months."

Hoseok pleaded to everyone, "No, I can't. Please understand. This exam is very important to me. It's the foundation that will set my career. I've worked so hard for it. I can't just leave it now."

Mom: "But Hobi, you're already a genius. You know everything. You don't need to study so much."

Hoseok: "No, Mom, I do. I want to get my Masters in cybersecurity. It's my passion and my goal. I want to make you proud of me."

Hwan walked towards his son. "Hobi, we are already proud of you. You are the perfect son."

Jimin chimed in, "Ya Hobi, you're already making us proud of you. You're an amazing person and a wonderful husband. You don't need to prove anything to anyone."

Hoseok looked at Jimin and smiled, "Thanks Jimin, I am not trying to prove anyone of my worth. I want to prove it to myself. I want to achieve my goals and fulfill my dreams."

Jae: "Hoseok, we understand that you have high standards and ambitions for yourself. And we admire that about you."

Hwan (Mr. Jung): "But we also want you to be happy and enjoy life. And we think that going to Hawaii with Joon will make you happy."

Jimin: "Yeah, Hobi look after all that happened, we want you and Joon hyung to be happy. He loves you so much and he deserves your attention and affection more than anyone else."

Hoseok pleaded. He was tired. He loved Joon but he didn't want to compromise on his career goals too. "Guys, please stop pressuring me. You're making me feel guilty and conflicted."

Jimin: "We're not making you feel conflicted, Hoseok. We're just trying to make you see sense."

Hoseok threw his hands in air, "Guys, please listen to me. I appreciate your help, but I don't need it right now. I appreciate your happiness, but I don't share it right now. I appreciate your sense, but I don't agree with it right now."

Jae looked at his son in shock, "What do you mean?"

Hoseok took a deep breath, "It means that I have made up my mind. And my mind tells me that I have to stay and study for my exam."

A voice boomed, "He is right."

Everyone turns around and sees Joon standing at the hall. They were so lost in conversation they didn't even know when Joon had made an entry. He is holding a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates in his hands. He walks towards them with a smile on his face.

Joon: "Hi everyone. Sorry for interrupting your conversation. But I couldn't help overhearing what you were saying."

Jimin looked at his brother, "Joon! What are you doing here?"

Joon looked at his brother, "Well, I reached home and the guard told me you guys are here so I came here."

Hwan: "That's wonderful, Joon! We're so glad you're here!"

Joon smiled, "Thank you, thank you. But before we go any further, I have something to say."

Everyone looked at Joon. "It's about the honeymoon in Hawaii. Hobi is right. We should postpone it."

Hoseok was stunned by Joon's words. He couldn't believe that Joon was willing to postpone their honeymoon for his sake. He felt a surge of love and gratitude for his husband. He looked at him with admiration and affection. But he also felt guilty and sorry. He felt he has disappointed Joon.

"Joon, I am sorry."

Joon: "Hoseok, I want to do this. I want to support you in your studies. You've worked so hard for this exam. You deserve to do well. Our honeymoon can wait. And besides, we are not going to miss it. We are just postponing it. We'll go to Hawaii later, when you're done with your exam." Joon turned his gaze to their friends, his fingers gently entwined with Hoseok's, "Everyone, thank you but we are sorry. We hope you understand".

Hoseok's parents and Jimin watched them with smiles on their faces.

Jae cooed, "Aww, they're so sweet."

Hwan looked at Hobi and Joon, his heart swelling with pride, "They're so mature. You guys are so mature. I am proud of you...all three of you."

He opened his arms and Hoseok, Joon and Jimin hugged the old man.

**************

Joon was on the library, reading books. It was the weekend and he didn't want to disturb Hoseok who had his head inside his books preparing for his exams. Though he was initially sad that they had to postpone the honeymoon, he respected Hoseok's decisions. He loved Hoseok more than anything in the world. And he wanted him to do well in his exam and want to complete his postgraduation with honors. But he also wanted him to be happy and enjoy life. And he wanted to be the reason Hoseok is happy.

Somewhere Joon felt both Jung brothers are similar when it came to career goals. But he didn't want to make the same mistake he made with Jin. He felt guilty. Maybe it was his intense pressure that made Jin take that drastic decision. He shrugged off his thoughts and went back to the book when he heard the guard knock his door.

"Sir, two people want to visit Mr. Kim Hoseok. They say they are his friends."

"Oh." Joon got up and went to the gate when he saw two people standing outside. They were carrying bags with one scrolling his mobile that was in his hand. (A/n: We all know who that is.) They saw Joon walk towards them and bowed as he stood in front of them.

"Hi, Mr Kim Namjoon," Tae said excitedly.

"Hello," Yoongi spoke softly.

"Hi, Do I know you?" Joon said.

"Is Hoseok home?" Yoongi asked.

"Yeah, he's in his room, studying," Joon said.

"Can we see him?" Tae asked.

Before Joon could answer, Hoseok came running towards the gate. "Hey guys. Come on in. Joon meet my friends, Min Yoongi and Kim Taehyung. They came here for group study. I hope that's okay."

Joon smiled unconsciously, "Of course. Nice to meet you both." For the first time, he has seen Hoseok smile so happily.

They walked towards Hoseok's room with a silent awkwardness lingering. Joon knew he was being the "fourth wheel" here. He cleared his throat, "I will be in the study if you need me Hobah." He nodded as he excused himself leaving Hoseok with his friends.

As Joon left Tae looked at Hoseok raising an eyebrow, "Hobah?"

Hoseok rolled his eyes, "Come on guys, we have a lot of studying to do."

As the three started brainstorming, Joon could hear laughter as he descended down the stairs. He slowly tiptoed towards Hoseok's room. The door was open. He silently watched them from the door. He felt a pang of jealousy in his heart. How much did Joon wish he could be as close to Hoseok as his friends were. With Joon, Hoseok was silent, shy, and obedient. But with his friends, Hoseok was like a carefree man. Bold, funny, relaxed. It was like Joon was seeing a whole new version of Hoseok. He wished he could make Hoseok laugh and comfortable like they did. Hoseok was smiling, laughing and giggling like a kid. He wished he could make Hoseok feel happy and loved like they did.

Joon smiled and left quietly to his library. This was his haven. For him, solitary was peace. For Kim Namjoon, library and books were his escape from the daily materialistic life. The sound of laughter continued to drift from Hoseok's room. Although Joon wished he could be the source of that laughter, he found contentment in being a silent observer to Hoseok's happiness.

*******************

As the dinner hour approached, the maids informed Joon, who was watching TV. "Shall I call Mr Hoseok?"

"No, just set the table. I will call him", Joon said as he switched off the TV and went towards Hoseok's room. He walked towards Hoseok's room, finding the trio engrossed in their conversation about cybersecurity.

The atmosphere was buzzing with the intensity of discussion. Hoseok, Yoongi, and Taehyung were huddled around books and laptops, deep in discussion about cybersecurity.

Hoseok: "So, guys, have you heard about the recent ransomware attack on that major company? It's crazy how these attacks are becoming more sophisticated."

Taehyung: "Yeah, I read about it. They managed to encrypt all the company's sensitive data and demanded a huge ransom to decrypt it. It's scary how vulnerable systems can be."

Yoongi spoke up, "Absolutely. It's not just large corporations either. Even individuals are at risk. Did you hear about the phishing scam where hackers impersonate a trusted entity to steal personal information?"

Hoseok: "Oh, yeah. Those phishing emails can look so convincing. They trick people into clicking malicious links or sharing their credentials."

Taehyung: "And what about IoT devices? I mean, they're convenient, but the security on many of them is questionable. Hackers can potentially exploit vulnerabilities to gain access to home networks."

Yoongi: "That's a valid concern. And it's not just IoT devices. Vulnerabilities in software and operating systems can be exploited too. Remember that major data breach last year due to an unpatched software vulnerability?"

Hoseok: "Right. Patch management is crucial. But what do you guys think about biometric authentication? It's supposed to be more secure, but I've heard there are ways to trick some systems with fake fingerprints or facial images."

Taehyung: "I've heard the same. Biometrics can be a double-edged sword. While they provide an added layer of security, they're not foolproof."

Yoongi: "Agreed. And speaking of security layers, what about multi-factor authentication? It's definitely a step in the right direction, but how effective is it against determined hackers?"

Hoseok: "Well, it's certainly better than relying solely on a password. But like any security measure, it's not immune to social engineering attacks or other vulnerabilities."

The trio was delving deep in their discussion, when they heard a knock. "Hey, Hobah, dinner is ready."

The trio looked at each other. Tae and Yoongi looked at each other. They began packing their bags when Joon spoke, "You know you don't have to rush off. Why not stay and join us for dinner?"

Taehyung and Yoongi exchanged surprised glances before glancing at Hoseok. Taehyung spoke up, "Oh, really? Are you sure we're not intruding?"

Yoongi nodded, "Yeah, we don't want to impose or anything." Joon chuckled warmly, his eyes reflecting sincerity. "Absolutely not. It would be great to have you here. Consider it a mini celebration for making Hoseok laugh like that. This is the first time I have seen a different version of him altogether."

Hoseok looked at Joon blushing under his dimple-cheeked husband's gaze. He cleared his throat, "Yeah, you guys...Stay for dinner, please."

Taehyung and Yoongi shared a brief glance, as Yoongi gave a nod to Taehyung. "Alright then, if you're sure. We'd love to stay.", Tae said gratefully.

"Yeah, thank you so much for having us."

As the maid set the dinner table, Jimin walked in. "Hey, guys! Sorry am late. I am starving. Hey, Taehyung and Yoongi right?" He bowed to Hoseok's friends as he relaxed in his chair.

As they exchanged greetings, food was served. Tae couldn't help but notice something different. Hoseok was silently chewing his food. But something was missing. "Hobi, you love kimchi, right? Why isn't it on the menu tonight?"

Hoseok felt uncomfortable. He never told Joon or Jimin what he wanted nor did anyone ask. "Oh, you know, I guess I didn't feel like it tonight."

Taehyung's playful grin didn't waver as he continued, teasing Hoseok gently. "But you love kimchi, it's like oxygen for you."

Hoseok found himself hesitating, aware that his friends were well-acquainted with his culinary preferences. But before he could respond, Joon spoke up. "Actually, guys, it's my fault. I never asked Hoseok what he loves. Sorry Hoseok. You see, I have a milder palate and I cant handle spicy foods. So, I asked the maids to prepare dishes like that."

He turned to Hoseok, "But Hobah, this is your home too. You don't have to hold back or hesitate. From now on, promise me you won't hold back on any of your thoughts or wishes. If it's important to you, it's important to me."

Hoseok met Joon's eyes, a mixture of surprise and affection in his gaze. "Thank you, Joon. I appreciate that."

"And you both as well. It's clear how much Hobah cares about you guys. So, never hesitate. If you require anything, just let me know. If there's anything within my power, I'd be more than happy to do it for you."

"Ahemm", another voice boomed.

"You too shorty", Joon chuckled looking at his brother Jimin who made a face at his nickname.

Jimin offered to drop Tae and Yoongi at their homes. After they left, Joon turned to him with a warm smile. As Joon and Hoseok walked back to their home, Joon spoke up, "You know, I really enjoyed your friends' company. They're a lot of fun."

"Yeah, they're amazing. Thanks for inviting them to dinner."

"Of course, anytime you want to have them over, feel free to call them."

Hoseok grinned appreciatively, "Thanks, Joon."

As they stood face to face, Joon slowly closed the distance between them. Hoseok's heart quickened its pace. Joon gently took Hoseok's hands in his, his eyes filled with sincerity as he confessed, "Hobah, this is the first time I have seen you smile and laugh so happily. Your smile is like sunshine Jung Hoseok; it brightens up my life."

--------------------------

TBC....

I wanted to write the honeymoon part but truth is Honeymoon can wait. Education is important. Career goals are important. Moreover, its important to be independent and have self-respect. MAN OR WOMAN, these things can impact your life very much.

Hey guys, thanks for the patience. I couldn't update coz was dealing with the combo pack of vertigo and migraine which is just hell... and I hope no one goes through this shit coz its so painful AF. Plus working on laptop and hogging mobile just triggers more of these conditions.

Stay hydrated and stay healthy guys. and as much as possible, control gadget usage and take a break.....

(Uff...those dimples)