Colliding Stars (Minsung)

Chapter 23: Bruises & Bandages

(Credits to the rightful owners.)

Wordcount: 5.5K

Jisung P.O.V

Warmth. Growing up under the cold roof of a monster who called himself my father, warmth wasn't something that I expected to experience ever in my life.

Then, I received the first kind of warmth called friendship. Warmth like the aroma of a hot cup of cocoa with marshmallows floating in it on a chilly evening. Next, I experienced the warmth of motherhood. Warmth that unfroze my heart on cold days.

But today I experienced a warmth never in my wildest dreams I thought I ever will. The warmth of my parents. The warmth of my eomma's embrace as she held me in her arms, the warmth of my appa assurance as she gently rubbed my back. The warmth of feeling safe even when you are in your most vulnerable state. Warmth of feeling protected. A warmth that hugs you like a blanket on the coldest night of the year.

"It's okay baby. We are here. Eomma is here." My mother said as she made me look up at her and cupped my cheeks. Appa wiped the tears off my face before eomma continued, "Ommo look Byul-i our son takes after you. My two Chipmunks."

Appa laughed, "Of course he got all my good looks." She said making me giggle as well.

"This is so adorable!" A loud sob erupted in the space.

I looked behind to see Changbin hyung crying on a teary eyed Lixie's shoulder.

Hyunjin was covering his face with a tissue as an equally emotional Channie held his husband's shoulder. Jeonginnie was showing his dimpled smile as tears flowed down his eyes while Seungmin stood holding Jeongin's hand in his, a wide smile on his face as well but his puppy eyes glistening with tears. Their kids stood close to their parents, looking a bit confused but still had lovely grins on their faces when they looked at me.

Sannie hyung, Wooyoung and his parents seemed in similar states of tearful joy.

I smiled at them all. A hearty chuckle escaped my chest, my chest felt light. I rested my head on my appa's shoulder as she kept holding me and eomma in her arms.

For some reason my gaze wavered. It travelled from the tear stained faces, and wondered in various directions around the place. My eyes were searching for a certain someone.

Where did he go?

I casted my gaze down and then back at my parents when I failed to find him.

Why did he leave?

"Eomma!" I looked back again at once when I heard the voice of my little angel.

I saw her standing next to Sannie hyung's parents who were holding Taehyun and Hyunkai, both deep alseep in their arms.

"Is that..." I heard my appa ask and I saw her and my eomma looking at Ryujin's direction with glimmering eyes widened in surprise.

I nodded with a smile before gesturing Ryujin to come towards me.

My baby took hesitant steps foward seemingly puzzled by the whole situation.

And when she stood right in front of me (I was still sitting on the ground with my parents) she puffed her cheeks and said, "Ajummas did you make my eomma cry?"

I chuckled seeing my cute little daughter glaring at my parents with her hands placed on her hips.

"No sweetheart. How can we make our son cry?" Eomma said with a bright smile on her face.

Ryujin looked even more confused as she turned to me with astonishment evident in his eyes.

"That's right Ryu. These are your grandparents!" I said.