Connected

27: Carriers

When he was a child, Jeongguk used to be a happy soul. He was satisfied with the smallest things and appreciated a bar of chocolate over expensive candy. His eyes used to be filled with a passion of simply being able to live, sparkling in the sunshine and twinkling under the night sky filled with stars. Jeongguk's eyes were charming and carefree back then.
Back then, there was still Bai An-jeong; his mother who would protect him, teach him, love him. Even though her husband was no longer there and life as a single parent with no money to spend was harsh, it never changed the purity of her heart.

Bai An-jeong– back in her teenage years– was known as a kind beauty with good grades, coming from a family that was neither rich or poor. People loved her a lot. Her eyes almond-shaped and pure, a light, Chestnut brown of colour and hair Ebony black, reaching till her small waist. Her figure was petite and her body weak. Skin pale Honey due to her preference of sitting outside the sun. But it was her facial features that people would never forget as they met her. It was the way her almond-shaped eyes sparkled as she smiled, turning into two crescent moons even brighter than the sky of stars could ever be. It was the way her small lips curled up, two adorable dimples showing itself to the world. It was the blush that would settle on her cheeks when she was pleasantly surprised or embarrassed.
That woman going by the name Bai An-jeong used to be a person with a bright future, as it were not only her grades that were great, but several well-off men publicly showed off their liking towards her. But Bai An-jeong never minded them. And neither did she ever regret the path she had taken. Marrying Yoongi was what she wanted. Having Jeongguk was what she wanted. Her son was the best and most beautiful treasure life ever bestowed upon her. How could she ever regret having him?

Bai An-jeong long since became history, and her son grew up to be a troubling, independent young man. But even without her walking next to him were there still people who recognised him as her child; the only child of the unfortunate young Miss Bai, who chose misfortune and left her son to suffer.
Not once was there anyone who recognised him as Min Yoongi's son. Not even when Jeongguk by coincidence met his father's parents was he seen as his child. His grandparents had obviously recognised him. But they decided to ignore the truth and treat him as a stranger. Jeongguk did not mind.

But right now– sitting in the kitchen, surrounded by six Vampires– Jeongguk can not help but mind it. He always used to be seen as Bai An-jeong's son and because of that knew what about himself was inherited by his mother. What about him was inherited by his father? How did his grandparents recognise him? There never was an answer to any of those questions. Even after meeting Yoongi and getting to know him was there still not even as much as one answer.

But, now the answers came rushing into his mind.
What did Jeongguk inherite from his father?

His figure and eyes were obviously from his mother. He inherited her beauty and goodwill.
But– after seeing Na Ki-ha's memories– Jeongguk suddenly noticed that what he got from his father was a little more: the look in his eyes, likes and dislikes, his behaviour— from the outside Jeongguk is a lot alike to Bai An-jeong. But from the inside, he is so, so much alike to Min Yoongi.

Having learnt that, how could he possibly stay calm?
As a child of his mother he loves and misses her so much. But as a child of his father his greatest wish had always been to meet the man. Of course watching him grow up would make him sentimental!

"Mom was... so very pretty..."

The room was instantly on high alert. All sounds gone, all thoughts gone, all distractions gone. The six were surprised to hear Jeongguk say that. As a son of his mother, although she long since died, he can still remember her and he has photos of her. For Jeongguk to suddenly say something like that— was it not a little strange?
They just silently waited for the Nestling to speak up again. Only Yoongi felt that something was amiss.