It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.

~

Friedrich Nietzsche

46.

It took Jin almost two hours till Kook would calm down. And he couldn't exactly call it calm down when the younger had cried his heart out and exhausted and fallen asleep.

All the time Joonie kept his hands in Kook's hair and Jin kept rubbing circles on his back. Sometimes patting him too as Kook buried his head in his Jin hyung's chest. Joonie too tried to calm Kook by his presence as kuch as he could but it was hopeless both of them knew. The only one who could end Kook's misery was Tae and unfortunately, kook didn't want to talk to him. Kook had told them both in his crying sessions, sometimes sniffing and sometimes hiccuping but both of them got the jist of what was happening.

Jin had a lot to say but he knew right now wasn't the time. So he texted Tae that Kook was with them not knowing if he knew or not. It was late already and both the husbands were mentally exhausted. They held Kook and each other's hands as the pressed Kook between them like a small baby and slept.

Jin woke up up early. He was still sleepy but he saw Kook's dried tears on his faca and sighed. He decided to let both of them sleep as he made a cup of tea for himself knowing both of them wouldn't wake up so soon. He sat in the balcony as he sipped his tea. He could see people getting out of their homes, some leaving for morning walks and some for jobs. Students running around to make it to the buses on time. Little kids running around here and there with their tiny steps. Jin sighed and smiled.

Over the last month, he and Namjoon had come a long way. They had become husbands in the truest sense. They had confessed their love to each other when Tae and Kook were on their honeymoon. It was only blissful after that. Joonie would soon launch his own music and Jin was already perfecting his menu for his restaurant.

They had assumed that the younger couple had been okay too. They had always looked so happy whenever they had called but even after their confession they didn't understand reach other as much as they should. Jin couldn't help but feel guilty. If him and Joon hadn't chased their happiness and let Kook stay in management and not made him the CEO so early maybe they could both have had more time.

But Jin knew thinking this was no use. He knew every couple had their own story, their own ups and downs, their own learning curves and this fight would only make it stronger. He looked at his empty tea cup and got up. It was time to wake up Namjoon, he had a recording to do today. Softly, Jin woke up Joonie. He could see Joon wanted to stay home but he and his producer would not get time together so soon to reschedule the meeting.

Joon went to the guest room's washroom so that he wouldn't wake up Kook. Jin served him breakfast. Joon kissed his bunny's head and his husband before he left. He told Jin to call him if something happened.

Jin asked Joon to call Tae on the way to check of he was alright. Jin knew Tae would also be in a bad shape and he would have no one to share his feelings with. After Joon left, Jin cleaned the house even though he didn't need to buy if he didn't have anything to do he would lose his mind. Around 11, Jin decided to wake Kook up. That child needs to eat something, jin thought.

Jin went to his room and kissed Kook on his cheeks, 'Wake up baby.'

'Hmmm.' Kook yawned and was disoriented as soon as he opened his eyes. He saw he was in Jin hyung's room and last night came to his mind.

'Wake up baby. Freshen up. I will cook something for you.' Jin hyung said. Jin saw kook nodding. He knew Kook didn't want to speak anything yet so he left him alone.

After 10 minutes, Kook was sitting in the kitchen. Jin would cook fresh pancakes and put them in Kook's plate who would lather it in maple syrup and eat it hot. Jin realised how hungry Kook was. Kook hadn't even bothered to go to the dining table. Literally sitting on the kitchen counter and eating pancakes straight out of the pan too sometimes.

After Kook slowed down scarfing down his food, Jin said, 'Baby keep sitting here. I am trying a chicken recipe for the restaurant. I need you to taste it for me.'

Jin saw Kook nod eating his last two pancakes slowly.

Jin got to work. He took large chunks of chicken breast and put it in oil, keeping the flame very low.

After two minutes, Jin started huffing. 'Why is it taking so much time to cook? Aish!! This recipe is so bad. I shouldn't even have tried to. It will make my meny horrible. God!'

Jin saw Kook look at him amused bit he didn't comment. Jin huffed again after thirty seconds and switched off the gas. 'This is useless. Let's do something else Kook. I have never been able to make this recipe perfectly.'

Kook looked at Jin and said, 'Hyung, don't give up. See the flame is low and the pieces are preety huge. They can't cook so soon. We can cut them up. And maybe by decreasing their size and making the flame high we will be able to cook it in less time and the chicken too won't be raw that way.'

Jin took a deep breath and handed Kook his Banana shake. He said, 'We can do it slowly but you didn't do it baby.'

Kook couldn't understand what Jin meant, 'What hyung?'

'I know you are hurt baby. And you-' Jin started saying.

'I don't want to talk about it.' Kook said as he tried to get up from the counter.

'You sit your ass down here Jeon Jungkook.' Jin hyung said.

Kook was scared. Okay, mad jin was bad news. Mission abort. He sat himself on the same place knowing a long lecture of hard hitting truths was going to be thrown at his face. Jin hyung was never wrong. Kook knew that.

'This chicken breast is your husband. And the flame is you. Tae is a certain way. He is not good at expressing himself. He needs time to melt or cook in this metaphor. But he is trying. He can't help it. That's who he is. If we cut the chicken into pieces surely we can get the chiken made fast but then, it won't be a piece of chicken breast would it be?

I am not blaming you Kook. Your flame is low. Your patience is running out. I get that. You have too much work. Maybe you guys are not getting enough time together. There have been too many changes in your life in the last three months. No one is blaming you baby. But it's time maybe you stop blaming Tae too. What he did was wrong. There is no excuse for that. He shouldn't have taken
Decisions for your company without talking to you but baby you are assuming so many things about him simply because you are angry. You left him last night and in the morning too. You too are taking decisions alone for your relationship.'

Jin sighed. He could see the conflict on Kook's face. He sat on the counter by Kook's side and give him another glass of banana milk and poured a tea for himself.

'Baby, there is a quote by Rumi along the lines of "Beyond the fields of right and wrongdoing, There is a field, I will meet you there...." I am saying that in love, things are not so black and white.... Love and relationships mean seeing your partner's Greys and acknowledging your own. He has his flaws, you have yours. A couple communicates and works on them. You don't leave your partner hanging like you did or make decisions alone like he did.

Kookie, Ask yourself if worse happens, let's say Tae cheats on you, would you regret marrying Tae or after the intial hurt goes, be thankful still that he came and showed you the best time of your life and let him go... If your answer is that you would regret being with him. I suggest you pack your bags and split now. But if by chance the answer is no, no matter how much Tae hurts you or you hurt him... You would still not regret being with him and spending your life with him.... Then you better talk to him make this relationship work. Because if you let fights get between you too. You are going to regret it.' Jin said.

'But hyung, how do I know if a relationship is getting toxic?' Kook asks genuinely interested. What Jin was saying was new to him. The Greys... The knowing each other and not regretting... All of this was new and he didn't want to make mistakes again. Because Kook realised he might not understand everything he was saying but one thing he could agree on. If Tae had made decisions alone so had he by leaving Tae alone and not giving him time to explain.

Jin looked at Kook's face and held his hand, 'A relationship gets toxic when one partner started emotionally abusing the other's strength or weaknesses. When you feel exhausted after being with your partner. That's when you know... But baby, the truth is that no one really knows anything when it comes to relationship. You can be with someone for your life and still find out new things. There is reason I or Jinnie hyung never really asked about your relationship because relationship is meant between two people and it should stay so. Even if you have told me what happened, I still have half information. I don't know Tae's version. I can only assume. Moreover even if he comes and explains... I don't the chemistry and the comfort that you have with each other when no one is around. All I am trying to say is that listen to your heart baby. Don't be blinded by anger. Stop for a moment and listen to what your heart tells you. If your heart accuses Tae and only him. Confront him and let him tell you his side of the story. And if your heart forgives him, move on. But if your heart acknowledges that you too were wrong... Don't shy away baby... Don't shy away from apologising. All relationships are different. You both have your own journey but love... Communicate.... Talk to him. Don't assume things on your own. Let him talk and when he talks listen not to argue but to genuinely understand where he is coming from. Your inner consciousness will guide you baby.' Jin stopped. He had shared all his wisdom. He knew he could only support Kook from the sidelines. This was his fight. And no matter how much Jin didn't like it Kook would have to fight this on his own. It was the most important part of his relationship on line.

'Hyung?' Kook asked hesitantly.

'Yes kookie' Jin said.

'Can I take your car? I want to go home.'

An: All what I said above is what I think about a relationship with your significant other. It really doesn't apply to relationships where there is not a 100 per cent surety from both the partners. Devotion and love like that can turn toxic very quickly in such relationships. Rest everything i feel Jin said it all about. Follow that little voice inside your heart called inner consciousness. It is rarely wrong. Love you!