ᴄʜᴀsɪɴɢ ʀᴀɪɴʙᴏᴡ

~3. An old new friend

Love - Finding hope

"Why can't you just accept it, Jimin? It's not a favor. It's the payment of the service and hard work you have put in. Please, just say yes." Rosenow asked Jimin as they stood in the middle of the new, empty art gallery building.

"I practiced because I had to. I spent eight years becoming a doctor. Would it make sense for me to abandon it? Perhaps no. But I never wanted to become one." Jimin rebuked, entangling his fingers in his hair while pressing them down over his skull to keep the headache at bay. Not, wanting to stress his wife during her pregnancy, he was holding back a lot.

"Is it only because it's my father who is offering it to you?" Rosenow looked down, hot tears brimming in her eyes.

"Look, Rose..." Jimin's voice subsided further as he walked toward the lady. "You should trust me. I know what I am doing." He cupped her face and made her look up.

The woman blinked her eyes but the unshed tears still fell onto Jimin's hands as she nodded. "Why are we fighting so much?" Her voice was so broken that Jimin knew they had to talk.

"I know," he heaved a strong sigh. "I am sorry. I shouldn't be discussing it, especially now."

Rosenow stepped closer and hugged her husband close. Jimin let his arms around her carefully. "Let me take you out for lunch. Relax and we can talk at home." He felt the lady nodding.

They left the gallery and Jimin drove to the restaurant. The optimally warm sunlight filtered through the glass windows as Jimin turned on the radio to relax his mind and body. The ride was calm and silent, but they were far from peaceful.

Jimin was lost after six years of studying. He did get good grades and under the pressure of many things, he caved and got married immediately after graduation. Post-wedding, Jimin didn't think he could be more in love, at least that was how he wanted himself to feel. He wanted to walk away from the memories, from a burden that was weighing down on his chest, a pinprick that was left somewhere inside that he couldn't reach.

As they sat at the table, Jimin helped and served the food to his wife. Rosenow smiled, looking with concentration as Jimin elegantly picked up his chopsticks and ate silently. She couldn't wish for a better husband. Jimin was perfect in every sense. "Can I ask you something, Jimin?" The man's brown eyes peered up and he nodded, reaching his hand over to Rosenow so she could hold onto him. "Do you feel guilty?"

Jimin smiled. "Guilty for what, dear?"

Rose played with the words inside her head, wanting them to sound reasonable when she uttered them. "For not acknowledging his feelings."

Jimin's hand under the table closed in a fist and he palpitated. I did acknowledge his feelings, but never returned them. He thought.

Rosenow definitely didn't want to bring a certain boy up, but Jimin's self-destructive behavior lately led her to think that way. "I know you are kind and it is understandable if you do feel guilty. Just talk to me. I can't reach you, Jimin. You have to let me in."

It was true. When he couldn't find Jungkook, he had missed all the timelines to get into an MS, and also, he didn't want to do it, let alone one offered by Rosenow's father. He knew what would he get into.

Not only did he end up doing what he didn't want, but he also accepted the offer to practice as a cardiologist at his father-in-law's hospital during his two years of MS right after the wedding.