when in time, nct dream

chapter thirty-one

Waking up to the sound of birds chirping was always a good way for Jiyoung to start her day.

As soon as she woke up, she rolled over, turning off the alarm from her phone. She yawned looking at screen, smiling seeing the usual good morning message from Jaemin.

She quickly responded, good morning message at 6:30? you haven't slept yet have you. She laughed reading the boys message saying he was heading to bed when she messaged back.

Getting up, she felt her bones begin to crack. With a satisfied sleepy smile, she began her way downstairs.

"Mom? You heading somewhere?" Jiyoung asked curiously, running a hand through her bed hair as she sat down at the counter.

Jinae hummed, getting a glass of water for her daughter. "Gonna head over to your grandmothers' house to spend some time with them. You got work today?"

Jiyoung shook her head no, "not until tomorrow. Just the weekends off for the summer."

Jinae sighed, "you all are finally becoming adults, huh? You guys are finally getting your jobs, training for them, and figuring out what you want to do with your lives."

Jiyoung nodded, "guess so."

Silence encased them, Jiyoung silently drinking her water while Jinae finished getting their breakfast ready.

"Mom, can I ask you something?" Jinae nodded, Jiyoung turned around towards the stairs, noticing Hyuna hadn't walked down. "The other day at the park, Jaemin said he thought he saw Hyuna's kidnapper. It made me worried so I just wanted to check with you to make sure she's still in custody."

Jinae grew silent, enlightening the worry from the pit of Jiyoung's stomach. Her foot subconsciously began tapping against the floor as she waited for a response.

"Jaemin's always had a good eye, hasn't he?" The older woman sighed, her tensed shoulders finally dropping. "I didn't want to tell you but no, she isn't in our custody."

Jiyoung sat her drink down and straightened her posture, her eyes changing as she suddenly felt fully-awakened. "What do you mean? I though we saw her taken into custody?"

Jinae looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. "Whoever was there to take her weren't the police. Chief Lee messaged me after I left saying he was late and said she wasn't there nor were we. He was confused but so was I. Turns out they think she has a team and they managed to get there before the real police force."

Jiyoung gawked at the information she had just been given, suddenly feeling her throat begin to dry up.

"But then again, we've had surveillance and cops policing and going undercover all over the republic so honestly, I would doubt whoever Jaemin actually had seen was Minji."

Jinae never looked back at Jiyoung as she spoke but the teenager could tell her mother was feeling multiple emotions as she spoke.

She could hear the guilt her mother bottled up but she could also hear the disgust laced in her tone as she mentioned the other woman.

"Why didn't you ever tell us? We're not little kids mom, we're trained masters and most of us even have higher up jobs that protect the people. What good are we in these positions if we aren't even included on these types of conversations?"

Jinae nodded, "I know you're upset and you have every right to be but I just got you back and I don't want to risk putting you in harms way by sending you after a kidnapper- a dangerous one at that."

Jiyoung's eyebrow arched, "a dangerous one?"

"We believe the woman who kidnapped Hyuna is also the partner of your kidnapper."

Jiyoung's back straightened as she fixed her posture, now staring holes into the back of her mother's head. "I thought you said that she was shot during the invasion."

"She was. But she didn't die. By the time they untied me and informed us of everything that happened, she was in critical condition and was sent out of the Republic. I don't know how she ended up with Hyuna on the outskirts."

"Can we please help with the investigation?"

Jinae reluctantly sighed, turning around, "fine."

there are one of those days
days when i suddenly feel all alone
when i feel like i don't belong anywhere
and my head is hanging down

━ feel special, twice

💃🏽

three posts a day? 👀