𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 - 𝒋𝒆𝒏𝒌𝒂𝒊.

but i'll still call out to you

Jinri was just turning to the next page when Jennie knocked the already opened door to her room.

"Hi, baby."

Jinri closed her book. "What is it, Eomma?" she asked.

"Can we talk?" her mother asked her back instead, taking a seat on her bed.

"Um...," Jinri closed her book, mumbled. "Is Auntie Rosie gone already?" she asked instead, feeling that she wasn't really ready for any discussion that probably had something to do with her confession yesterday. If it was up to her, she just wish that they could simply sweep all of these mess she caused under the rug.

And continue to live the way that they've been living. Without him.

Jennie smiled, putting a single strand of her daughter's hair behind her ears. She noticed Jinri's attempt at diverting the topic.

"She is," she said, answering her question. "What are you reading?"

"Harry Potter, the first book," Jinri replied, patting the cover of her book. "Irene imo gave it to me when she visited."

"Oh, okay..."

Jinri swallowed a lump on her throat, feeling something didn't sit right with her. Although she preferred that they would never mention anything about yesterday, she would be lying if she said that she wasn't feeling any guilt for hurting her mother with her action.

"Um, Eomma," she began, "I'm sorry."

Jennie watched as her daughter bit her lip, clearly nervous. "What for?"

"For... doing what I did?" Jinri said, unsure if that was a punishable crime herself. After all, she was only trying to find out about her father whom her mother tried to hide from her. Lowering her head, she continued, "And I- I hurt your feelings too..."

Regret instantly crept on Jennie's heart. "Jinri, you didn't-"

"No, Eomma, I..." Jinri bit her lip, "I get what you mean now. It's very reckless of me to do that, going here when I know that you've sacrificed everything and leave everyone you love to protect me all those years in France. And I'm..." she hung her sentence, her eyes darting to the floor.

"What is it, baby?" Jennie asked, her voice gently pushing her daughter to continue talking- as it is better than the awkward silence they had yesterday.

Jinri let out an exhale. "I'm just so... stupid," she said, spatting the last word in distaste.

She was. She knew that even though she met her father she couldn't do anything about it but she did it nevertheless.

What her mother said was true, he had a life here. A life that had no place for her and her mother in it.

And he seemed happy enough with it.

'What exactly I'm hoping for? For him to come and live with us happily ever after? You know that only happens in fairy tales, Kim Jinri.'

Jennie saw her daughter's somber expression, her heart breaking as she watched the little girl tried to avoid meeting her eyes.

Cupping Jinri's chin with her hand, she said, "No, baby, you're not." Jennie watched as her daughter's eyes went glassy with tears. "Why would you think that way? You're literally the brightest little girl I know, you're definitely not stupid."

A tear fell from Jinri's eyes. "But I am," she said, letting out a sniffle, "I'm stupid for hoping that he will actually be my Appa. He's so kind to me and cared for me even when he didn't know who I am. I tried my best to not think about it- I swear I did, Eomma- b-but..." she stuttered as she was gasping for air.