Chapter 35 - Kookie's in the Bed

Chapter 35 - Kookie's in the Bed

The year is 2023. Jimin and Jungkook are in the kitchen of their beautiful 4-bedroom penthouse.

"Jimin what are we saying? Are we really going to do this?" Jungkook scratched his head in disbelief.

"I think we're doing this. It's what we both want very much. It's what we've both wanted for a long time. The timing couldn't be better. We've got the next three years on hiatus for OT7. By the time we go back out on tour he or she will be old enough to go with us. We'll just book tutors and nannies to help us. We'll spend the infant years here in our home, so he or she will get a sense of home. I mean, right?" Jimin looked at Jungkook hoping for reassurance.

"It's a dream come true for me Jimin. I'll be honest, when we first got married, I was scared that maybe you would change your mind about this," Jungkook said.

"Change my mind? I LOVE kids and… sit down Babe. Do you remember a few years ago, we got into one of or many arguments and in the middle of our fight, we ended up running into each other in the park? You were there with Ki. She was barely two years old at the time. You were sitting on the bench reading to her. You stroked her hair and kissed her mittens and showered her with love. That was the day that I knew. Jungkook I knew then that you had to be a Father. You were meant to be a blessing to a child of your own and I wanted that child to be mine. For years my biggest fear has been the possibility of denying you that privilege because of the nature of our relationship – because you fell in love with another man who can't give you a child. But now, things are different and we have options.

I would never change my mind about wanting to be the Father of your children. I just need to know that we are in this together Jungkook; no doubts, no hesitations, no turning back," Jimin said as he looked carefully into Jungkook's eyes.

"Together-Baam. But I will admit to being a little scared. I mean US as parents? You and me. I'm pretty sure we played hide and seek last Friday." Jungkook crinkled his eyebrow in a look of anxiousness.

"Yes, we played naked hide and seek. The person who lost had to give the other a blow job while standing upside down. That's hardly a child's game Jungkook." Jimin laughed heartily. Jungkook laughed too and decided to pick another example.

"Well, I still eat cookies in the bed." Jungkook giggled.

"Yes, about that, can we talk that through? Because those are silk Moroccan sheets and…." Jimin began.

"Not now Babe, later, we can talk about that later." Jungkook frowned. "You're being intentionally obtuse. My point is, we're still in our twenties. Are we mature enough to have a kid without accidently forgetting to feed it or something? I'm nervous," Jungkook gulped.

"Jungkookie, if we feed it when we feed you, it should be quite the little plump pig. Yes, we're going to make mistakes. But our love will over shadow our mistakes everytime. Now be honest, is that really all you're worried about?" Jimin said tenderly.

"I don't want to hurt it. I already love it more than I love myself." Jungkook looked down imaginatively as if staring at his baby.

"JUNGKOOK!!!!!!" Jimin was practically screaming. "I just had a thought! UNCLE TAE-TAE! We're going to make Tae an Uncle!"

Jungkook clapped his hands and threw his head back in laughter, "He will be the best uncle on the face of the earth." Jungkook and Jimin were very pleased with that thought. All worry and trepidation disappeared from the conversation.

Jimin walked up to Jungkook and sat on his lap. He stared deeply into his eyes. "So, we're doing this?" Jimin asked again.

Jungkook put his arms around Jimin and kissed him, "YES. Let's have our baby." **

Jimin and Jungkook spent the next three months engrossed in research. How exactly did two gay men have a baby? They covered everything from adoptions to foster parents to surrogates. They even looked into adopting from Africa or Russia. None of the routes were easy. Even as progressive as things were becoming, the idea of two gay men adopting a child was heavily frowned upon.

They searched and searched. Jungkook threw everything he had into finding a way to make it happen. He repeatedly came up short and his frustration was staring to grow. When he did come across a promising lead, it was quickly dashed by some homophobe who refused to assist them with moving forward.

It was the end of the day on a Friday night. Jungkook had been up since 4am KST combing through journals. He was sitting at the kitchen table with his head lying on a pile of books about adoption. Jimin, who had been at the studio laying down tracks for his subunit project with Yoongi, entered and took a seat next to him. Jungkook appeared to be sobbing.

"Oh Jungkookie. It's overwhelming, I know baby, but we can't lose hope." Jimin rubbed Jungkook��s back and kissed him on the back of his head.

"Do you know how many times I've called the National Adoption counsel to ask for help?" Jungkook turned to Jimin fully expecting an answer.

"How many?" Jimin asked cautiously.

"Thirty-two. Thirty-two fucking times and guess what? No one is interested in helping a gay man adopt a baby in Japan or Russia or China. All I get is the run around. I get placed on hold, I get hung up on. I get ignored. The minute they find out that I have a husband, I am instantly deemed unfit to have a baby." Jungkook knocked the pile of books over in frustration.

Jimin massaged Jungkook's back and laid on his shoulder. "Jungkook-ah, no one said this was going to be easy. Let me tell you a little story. It's about a beautiful couple who met in a boy bad and fell in love against all odds. They survived death, scandal, public ridicule, and homophobic haters. And despite their best attempts to self-sabotage their own relationship, they survived each other." Jimin giggled.

Jungkook smiled slightly too. Jimin could see the glistening on Jungkook's cheek where tears had fallen. Jimin lifted Jungkook's chin like he had so many times before. He stared deeply into his large brown expressive eyes and he reminded him,

"Do you know how much shit we've been through? Do you know how many miracles had to happen just for us to be here today? We've got money. We've got power. We've got National acclaim and we're MOTIVATED. Nothing is going to stop us. If anyone can do this, we can." Jimin was very definitive in his declaration. He pressed his forhead against Jungkook's and held it there, "I love you Daddy," he said.

Jimin considered the matter closed and then changed the subject.

"Now, listen," Jimin continued, "I – I need to talk to you."

No sooner had Jimin spoke the words, the doorbell rang.

"Ohh shit, what time is it?" Jimin swore looking completely off guard.

"It's 5pm, why? Are you expecting someone? Who's at the door?" Jungkook was confused.

"I'll get it. I'll be right back - but Babe, promise me you'll keep an open mind." Jimin shouted with his voice fading as he left the room and headed for the front door.

"An open mind? About what?" Jungkook thought.

He had no idea what Jimin was referencing. Nor did he really want to know. It had been a shitty last few months as they slowly watched the hopes of every having a baby of their own fade away. They always knew it would be tough to be a married gay couple, but sometimes, it was too much to bare. Jungkook never for a moment regretted his marriage, but he did often regret not being more prepared for the challenges they would face as a gay couple in South Korea.

Jungkook heard footsteps approaching. He looked up and was stunned to see the person standing next to Jimin.

"Soujin?" Jungkook said in complete surprise.

"Hi Kookles!" Soujin said as she smiled at Jungkook with a warm, loving, happy grin that Jungkook adored.

"What are you doing here?" Jungkook was amazed.

"I invited her. We ran into each other at the coffee shop and we started talking and uh...she-she lives here now. She moved from Busan and she doesn't really have any family here so I thought it would be nice for her to come over and have dinner." Jimin said nervously.

"Jiminie what's wrong with you? Why are you acting strange?" Jungkook went to hug Soujin.

"What's up Kookles?" She sauntered over and embraced Jungkook. Soujin really was a very beautiful woman. After the initial shock wore off, Jungkook realized it was nice to see her again. He was happy to have her there as a welcome distraction from his baby woes.

Soujin looked healthy. She was back to her old self. Her hair which had always hung down to her waist, was much shorter now. The length of her hair now stopped a few inches below her bosom. The left side was dyed a deep purple. The left side was dyed golden yellow and her long cropped bangs were red. She was wearing a short, pleated, plaid skirt with six-inch knee-high boots and fish net stockings. Her eyes were a golden yellow to match the left side of her hair. She had perfect pouty lips and high cheek bones. The casual observer would easily mistake her for a model. Someone meeting her for the first time would never guess that she was one of the top Nurse's in Seoul. Soujin liked to party and she had a special propensity for pop Idols. But she was also a very hard worker and extremely gifted at healing patients. Somehow, she managed her duality with perfect balance.

Jimin and Soujin were particularly close. It didn't start that way. Through a series of strange k-drama style events, they found a unique connection. Jungkook was never able to explain what lived between Jimin and Soujin; he could feel it though. The thing that lived between them had a strong, heavy, sensual, presence. Jungkook found it pleasurable, almost erotic at times to watch the two of them together. It was always Jungkook's assertion that in a different time, in a different place, in a different world, in a different lifetime, the two of them, Soujin and Jimin, would have been soulmates. They may have even been in love. But today, in this present world, they were just intimate friends who had a special connection.

Jimin and Jungkook ordered in from their favorite Chinese take-out. They all sat at the table and conversed excitedly about their adventures since they last saw each other at the wedding.

"Soujin, I am really impressed with how beautiful you look. And you look so healthy and happy. Are you happy?" Jungkook asked tenderly.

"Yes. For the first time in a long time, I am really happy." Soujin smiled.

"I take it that means that therapy has gone well?" Jimin asked, trying to echo Jungkook's sentiment of being sensitive.

"Thanks in no small part to you two, I was able to work through some really heavy shit with my therapist. My issues with Jackson started long before I shot him and killed him." Soujin could see both Jungkook and Jimin look down in discomfort when she mentioned the killing of her brother. She continued talking, "Guys, its ok. I'm at peace with what happened. It was a no win situation that I didn't create. My intention was to save Jackson's life, not take it. Jackson put his death into motion, not me. I think the challenge for me right now is winning back my parents. They say all the right things, they avoid openly blaming me for anything. But the truth is, I killed their beloved son. No, correction, drugs killed their beloved son, but I'm the walking living breathing reminder of that, you know? Mom tries hard. Dad, well dad can't really hide his pain. It's been two years. I feel like I lost them two years ago. But - they're in therapy too, at the suggestion of my Therapist. I have high hopes that time will heal us. For right now, it's mostly just me and Anderson…when he's in town.

But, yes, my Therapist was ahh-mazing. He helped me work through stuff my feelings of guilt and shame. I can't thank you enough for insisting that I go. We were together for two years before I fucked him and he had to stop seeing me." Soujin said passively.

"Whoa, rewind, you what?" Jimin asked in disbelief.

"I think she said she fucked him," Jungkook said unnecessarily. He was smiling mischievously.

"Soujin, you can't have sex with your Therapist. That's against like every law that exists on earth!" Jimin said in a lecturing tone.

"Calm down Daddy. We were almost at the end of our sessions anyway. He felt that I had made so much progress that he was going to refer me to a less "crisis centered' therapist anyway." Soujin didn't see why Jimin was so concerned.

"Anyway, my new Therapist is just as good. She's picking up the smaller pieces where my old Therapist left off. She mostly gives me "checkups" to make sure I am staying on track and handling any bad emotions that may creep up." Soujin picked up an egg roll and broke it open with her chopsticks.

"Great. So, this one is a female. We won't have to worry about you fucking this one." Jimin said sternly.

"No. Not yet, but I'm working on it. She's hot as fuck," Soujin said teasingly to Jimin.

Jungkook was floored. He laughed so hard that he beat both fists on the table and then held his sides.

"Soujin!" Jimin whined. "We were making such progress." They all laughed. This seemed to be Jimin's signature line. There was always a point in the conversation when Jimin would feel particularly disappointed by something Soujin said or did.

Jimin, as only Jimin could, engaged both Soujin and Jungkook in recounting fond memories of Jackson. Somehow Jimin knew that it would bring peace and contentment to both Soujin and Jungkook to have another opportunity to display the Jackson that they all loved. The conversation created a moment of joy. The three of them bonded in a way they never had before. Jimin, the master communicator, flexed his super power that evening.

"So Soujin," Jimin moved the topic in another direction, "do you want to tell Jungkook about our little idea, or shall I?"

"By all means Daddy, this is your Rodeo. I'm just a cowboy," Soujin responded

"I'm sorry, I don't know how Rodeo's fit here. Does this mean you want me to tell him or that you're going to tell him? I'm confused." Jimin shrugged his shoulders and winced.

Soujin shook her head in frustration, "You tell him Daddy. You tell him."

"Um Babe," Jimin looked at Jungkook.

Jungkook knew that look all too well. It typically was the look of trouble. It typically was the look of "Jimin's about to tell me something that's going to piss me off."

"My sweet, sweet…" Jimin's empty words danced around.

"Get to it Jimin." Jungkook wasn't in the mood for bullshit.

Jimin went for it and just blurted it out, "Soujin has agreed to be our surrogate."

"Jimin. May I speak to you privately?" Jungkook got up and whisked around the corner so quickly that Jimin had to jog slightly to catch him. Before Jimin even had a chance to speak, Jungkook unloaded.

"Are you out of your mind? Why would you even ask her to do that? We can't use her as a surrogate. Jimin are you thinking? Are you even thinking? Yes, she's a great person and we owe her our lives, but this is too much to ask of her. She's already been through enough. Now we're going to rip a baby out of her arms? What's wrong with you? I want a baby too Jimin, but HER? And don't even get me started on her weird ass obsession with K-Pop stars!" Jungkook was careful not to be too harsh. He really needed Jimin to understand that this was a bad idea.

"Look, I know she's a bit untraditional. But so are we. She OFFERED to do this. I didn't ask. She's a beautiful person Jungkook, and you know it. She's dealing with the death of her brother better than we are! You can't dismiss her."

"Jimin, she's wearing a tank top that says, "I BEND OVER FOR IDOLS!" Is this really the kind of person that we want carrying our child?" Jungkook was barely feigning a whisper.

Jimin placed his hands on either side of Jungkook's face. He spoke directly into him, "She's healthy. She's young. She's beautiful. She's willing. She even went to the Doctor and had a full screen of tests before making the offer. She believes in us Jungkook. She believed in us before we even believed in ourselves. She wants nothing in return, just to give us a baby." Plus, she hates kids, so we know that she won't be attached or ever want custody."

"Ohh hell NO! I hate kids. You don't EEEEEEEEVER have to worry about me wanting that grubby creature." Soujin yelled from the other room.

Jungkook couldn't help but smile a bit. Jimin broke out into a full laugh.

"I guess our private conversation, was not so private?" Jungkook lowered his head slightly embarrassed, slightly irritated.

"Nope. Nope, it is not." Soujin confirmed. "May I?" Soujin appeared from her abandoned seat at the table.

"Look, I may be a bit different. But how I live my life is my business and it will never be reflected upon how YOU raise YOUR child. I am just being a vessel of delivery. Once we download the creature, it's yours and I go." Soujin explained.

"What's in this for you? I mean, who offers to carry a baby for nine months for someone else?" Jungkook was still a bit suspicious.

"You still don't get it, do you? You two are an openly gay couple from the biggest boy band in the world. And you've been open about your love for years, even when it wasn't cool to do so. Do you know how many lives you have changed? How many lives you have saved just by refusing to lie? Refusing to back down? Refusing to give up? You're modern day heroes in world where heroes are lacking. I love you two. I love you for who you are and what you have done. And now you're breaking more boundaries and setting even high standards. You are paving the way for change in this antiquated SK society. I want to be a part of that guys. I want to help you achieve your dreams because it's what you deserve. I know this hasn't been easy. People have tried to destroy you just because of you being you. You fought every step of the way. I want to fight with you. It really is just that simple you dorks." Soujin went back to the table, crossed her thin pale legs and began rummaging through the remainder of the moo-shoo pork with her fingers.

A teary eyed Jimin looked at Jungkook. Jungkook had tears falling from his eyes.

"Ok Soujin." Jungkook said as he choked back tears. "We accept your offer. We greatly appreciate your offer."

Jimin and Jungkook both rushed over to her where she was sitting and wrapped their arms around her. She elbowed both of them to get them off.

"Woo-Hoo" said Soujin dryly. "Now let's talk logistics. Which one of you is going to be the bio daddy? Give me 20 minutes and I'll rock your world. We can tie this up in a nice neat bow and I'll leave here gooooooood and pregnant. I'm ovulating you know?"

Although Soujin was speaking to both of them, she was staring at Jimin like he was a piece of Filet Minot. Jimin returned her glare with mild interest. He was trying to decipher if Soujin was serious. As an added layer of protection, he stepped slightly behind Jungkook.

Jungkook stood in between them and made some decisions, "So maybe we'll slow this down huh? Soujin, let's head to the Doctor first thing tomorrow and get you booked for fertility treatments. I also think it's a good idea if we use an anonymous donor egg instead of your eggs. Using your eggs would make you the biological mother and I think that would make things much more complicated than they need to be." Jungkook was well read on the issue of surrogacy. He had the knowledge at his fingertips and he was ready to use it.

"So, we're not going to do this the old-fashioned way? BUMMER." Soujin teased as she licked at Jimin while rubbing her nipple.

Jimin hid himself further behind Jungkook in order to avoid Soujin's continued glare. He spoke in a muted voice as he talked into Jungkook's shoulder, "I also think that Jungkook and I need time to decide a few things. I believe you bring up some good points that we haven't considered Soujin." Jimin was growing uncomfortable because he still couldn't determine if Soujin was serious or not.

"Guys, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I mean I'm down to do it if that's what you need. Hell, I'll take you both at the same time…if that's what you need. What kind of sex is that? Would you do me while he, does you? Or would you both do me? Hm?" Soujin burst out laughing at her crass sense of humor.

"Jiminie, HER? Are you sure?" Jungkook whispered again.

"I'm KIDDING you dorks. Kidding. Kidding. Kidding. But on a serious note, ever since Jimin and I talked, I have been laser focused on preparing to carry this baby. I've stopped taking my birth control pills. I've sworn off all guys…even Idols. No Liquor and no junk food. I have been very committed. I've even been taking prenatal vitamins religiously because I read that doing so can greatly increase your chances of the insemination sticking the first time. I hope both of you know that this isn't cheap. My research says that a typical insemination can cost upwards to $30k US, so be prepared to spend in case this doesn't go well the first round. Make sure you take great care in studying the source of your donor egg. They give you a full profile. Read it and have the embryo tested to confirm the accuracy. What? Why are you staring at me? Oh don't be so shocked you dorks. I'm a fucking Nurse remember? I know things. If you're ready, let's get it." Soujin ended with a big beautiful smile. Her red bangs fell into her eyes and she laughed at a stunned Jungkook and Jimin.

Soujin's apartment was just a few blocks away from Jimin and Jungkook. It was snowing outside so the two decided to walk her back to her home. Jimin wanted a chance to play in the snow as they went.

They walked her up to her apartment and gave her a big hug. Jungkook leaned down to her stomach, "Goodnight my wittle woaf of bread," Jungkook giggled.

"DUDE, there's nothing in there but moo shoo pork and gas." Soujin reminded Jungkook that she wasn't pregnant yet. Jungkook frowned. He was obviously getting a little ahead of himself.

"Jungkook step away from Soujin's stomach please." Jimin said, slightly amused.

"I guess…we'll see you in the morning? We'll call you once we have the Doctor's appointment scheduled. Then we will send a Limo to pick you up. Sound like a plan?"

"Sounds great guys. Love you Kookles, love you Daddy," She entered her apartment and closed the door.

Jimin and Jungkook jumped up and down in her hallway stifling their screams of joy.