But you're still a traitor~
"Rowoon!!! Here's your favourite red car!" Jaerin passed him the toy and sat beside him on the floor. Both of them were at the day care center just beside the school.
"I don't wanna play." The boy said in a sad tone and pouted. "I wanna go to Mommy."
"She will come soon. Don't worry."
That time a ringing sound of the bell at the door was heard.
Rowoon who was waiting for his mother, looked at the door with an excited smile but that smile soon turned into a frown, seeing his Aunt Jimin.
"Rowoon!!!" The blue-haired girl ran to him and carried him up, securing him with her arms. "Aww I missed you."
"Hi Aunt Jimin. Where's Mommy?"
"Mommy is busy with work. She will come soon."
"Is she angry with me?", his voice turned lower.
"No! Why would she be angry?"
"I miss Mommy." With that, the kid hugged the older lady.
Few seconds later, Jimin felt someone was pulling the hem of her shirt. Looking down, she saw a familiar kid, Jaerin.
"Hello~", she cutely greeted her, waving her hand.
"Hi~" The woman crouched down, putting the boy on the floor and then pinched the little girl's cheek. "You didn't go home yet?"
"No! Uncle Jeno will be coming."
"Jeno..." Her eyes widened at the moment she heard his name. Another ringing sound of the bell was heard and the door opened.
A broad smile broke out on Jaerin's face as she ran past Jimin straight into the arms of a man in a formal attire. "UNCLE JENO!!!!"
Jeno lifted her with a grin and threw her up into the air and caught her, settling her in his arms. He squeezed her tiny nose with two fingers and asked, "How was your day, princess?"
"Good! Uncle, Uncle." She patted on his face and pointed at the front.
Jeno's eyes went to that direction when Jimin turned around and faced him. The older girl tucked her hair behind her ear as her lips curled up a little. The man walked forward and stood right infront of her, flashing his eye smile. That smile of his could literally make her heart explode any time and she knew it.
The light brown-haired guy looked down and saw another child. "You came to pick up Rowoon?"
"O-Oh yeah. His mom is a bit busy."
"I think I heard Jimin's voice. Is that you?" An older woman came out from another room.
"Oh Mom! Yes I'm here today to pick up Roni."
"Oh okay. Oh Jeno, nice to meet you again." She smiled at the young man.
"Good evening Mrs. Yu. Thank you for taking care of Jaerin", he said with a bow.
She nodded and said, "It's getting late. You two should go back home. I'll be coming afterwards. "
The two adults and two kids went out of the building and stood at the bus stop. They took the same bus and sat next to each other with the children sitting on the older people's laps.
"So... I never got to meet Rowoon's mother", Jeno spoke up.
"Oh yeah." She nervously laughed a little.
"She must be very busy with her work. Is she a single mother?"
Jimin just nodded.
"That's sad. She went through so much hardships and is still facing them", he mumbled.
"Huh?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "How do you know?"
"Oh I just said because uhh she is a single mother. That's it. It must be hard for her."
"Hmm. I feel so bad for her... By the way, I also never saw Jaerin's parents."
"Her Dad is always busy with his business."
"Oh! You said that she is your friend's daughter. Who is that friend? Was he at your birthday party at the restaurant? But coming to think about that, in no way Haechan or Renjun would be a father haha. Then Jisung and Chenle are too young. Then Sir Na..... nah he just returned from abroad this year. How would he have a child?"
"Right! You haven't met her Dad", he lied.
She just nodded and looked at their laps only to see two asleep toodlers. She beamed and said, "Aren't they cute?"
"Yeah so cute." Jeno looked up into her eyes and continued, "You are cute too."
"Mhmm?" Her eyebrows raised up as she was confused whether she heard right.
"Jimin, I know we only met a month ago and we don't know each other that well. But I want to know more about you." A sincerity was felt in his manly voice.
Heat rushed to her cheeks and she felt something flip inside her stomach.
"I think I'm catching feelings for you."
"What?!" Her brain went blank when she realized what he just said. "Are you being serious? Or is this some kind of a joke?"
He moved his hand inside his black bag, searching for something. When he finally got it, the male handed one of his AirPods to her. "I'm always serious. And I'm not good at jokes by the way."
After she received the earphone and set it in her ear, the female stared at his side profile- sharp jawline and nose with long eyelashes and calmness around him. She blinked a few times when a famous song started playing.
He looked at her and asked, "You like this song? Love Scenario?"
"Yeah. I like it", she answered, the confusion still prevailed.
While he just beamed and caressed Jaerin's hair. 'Gosh! How can she be this cute? I think I am gonna get a heart attack being too near her now.'
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The door bell had rung and a woman in her fifties came running to the door. After she opened the door, a smile appeared on her face. "Oh Eunseo, come inside dear. Rowoon is with Jimin in her room."
The girl bowed to the elder person and went upstairs to the room with a green door. She didn't have to knock as she just casually opened it, revealing a sleeping child and Jimin who was sitting at the dressing table, smiling weirdly looking at her own reflection. "Why are you smiling so much?"
She yelped out with a flinch and looked over her shoulder, only to see her friend. "You scared me."
"You were so busy giggling that you didn't even notice me coming inside." Eunseo jokingly rolled her eyes. "But what's with that face?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
Jimin touched her cheeks. "Why? What's wrong??"
"It's just so red..."
"Is it so?" The blue-haired girl turned to the mirror and again broke into a giggle, remembering what happened in the bus with Jeno.
The brunette looked at her weirdly and her attention drove to the bed when some shifting sounds were heard. She went towards the bed and looked over at her son who flattered his eyes open. They were red and puffy. Before she could even say something, Rowoon shouted, "Mommy!!!" and hugged her.
"Aww my baby." She sat on the bed, pulling the toodler to her lap. "Sorry for coming late." She was scared what he would say next.
"Sorry, Mommy. I will be good boy now."
"Huh?"
"I don't hate you. I love you so so so so so so much~"
She chuckled looking at her friend across the room. "I'm sorry too-"
"No, no, I'm sorry!", he retorted
"Alright." She hugged him once more, mentally sighed in relief that he didn't ask her about his father again. "Shall we go home now?"
"Hmm." He cutely nodded.
"Mommy bought your favourite icecream~"
"OH MY GOD!!! YAYYY!!!"
The female carried him up with a giggle and said to Jimin, "Tomorrow I need every detail!" She did a gesture of 'I'm watching you' bu showing two fingers at her eyes and then at her friend, leaving the latter flustered.
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11 p.m.
Eunseo was done feeding Rowoon his dinner and having no appetite, she decided to skip her dinner. She had a hard time, making the boy fall asleep but after he finally did, she laid flat on the bed, staring at the blank ceiling while several thoughts were circling around her head. 'Why did Sir say that?' That time in the office, she just left without speaking any further words because the situation didn't let her. She was very confused. Now, that she got some alone time, she could think about it. 'Na Jaemin... Na Jaemin... Na Jaemin... Na Jaemin!!! Oh shit!' She let out a loud gasp after remembering something.
2014.
It was the start of summer vacation. The sun was up in the sky, the burning heat could be felt. People were going out only with an umbrella or a hat during those hot and sultry days. The summer was welcomed by the pleasant music of the grasshopper. The dazzling sunlight made the swings, slides, see-saws at the empty park sparkle. The small sparrows decided to have a bath at the artificial fountain at the park. The street animals finding a shade to have a good rest in this hot afternoon. Some kids were flying kites from the rooftops of their houses. The cotton candy clouds were floating by along with the a group of birds. The trees were all full with green leaves and underneath was a field of soft grasses with colourful flowers having good odour.
Jaemin and Eunseo were now freshmen in high school. The two were called to their drawing school for a craft workshop. After the class was done, they were packing their bags.
Jaemin shifted in his position and taking a few breaths, he asked, "Hey Eunseo! Can you meet me at the park after five minutes?"
"Umm sure", she answered although being baffled. The teen girl saw him suddenly running out of the class. Eunseo looked at her right and made eye contact with an older girl sitting at a desk just beside hers who just smirked.
Eunseo walked to the park just infront of their drawing school after packing her bag. She looked around but there was no one. "Jaemin?"
"Eunseo-ah!" A voice called her, making her turn around.
Jaemin came out from behind the slide and stood at a distance from her, holding a bouquet of pink tulips. The brunette's lips parted by an inch when she saw his smile- this was the brightest smile she saw on his face for the first time. He fixed his glasses on his nose and walked forward, positioning him just infront of her. "Hey Eunseo!" He was exhaling loudly before continuing, "I know you may be confused right now but... I want to tell you something. I have known you for three years and finally got the guts to tell you how I feel about you." He gulped. "I-I like you. I really do. It's my first time loving someone like this and I'm glad it's you. I was always scared to fall in love because I thought I was not good enough. But I overcame my fear and here I am finally confessing my love for you. Would you be my girlfriend?", he asked, extending the bouquet of flowers.
With trembling pupils, she looked at the boy and then the pink tulips. 'How sweet of him! He even remembers my favourite flower', she thought. With shaky hands, she granted the gift and just stared at it.
"I know it's very simple but my Dad once said true love isn't about expensive gifts, going out to places, holding hands or taking pictures and posting them on social media. It's about the happiness you feel when that person is near you when you are at your best and also your lowest. You were there when I needed someone. You saw me at my lowest and now what you are seeing is the best time of my life."
Eunseo was surprised after hearing his words but no smile was visible on her lips. Her eyes went over to the tree and behind there stood her friend, that same girl from drawing class who just nodded as if it was a signal. With that, the brunette's face changed into an expressionless face and in one go, she threw the bouquet which was made with love, on the ground.
Jaemin's eyes widened and he let out a gasp. "E-Eunseo?"
She scoffed a laugh and looked at him with narrowed eyes. "You really think I like you?"
Something shattered inside him and it was his heart. His eyebrows were pulled together. "Huh?"
"How stupid you are Jaemin! You really thought I would like someone like you?" She stepped the flowers and smashed them with her foot. "Stupid flowers. Who even wants this? I thought you were rich. You could have brought something expensive for me."
The black-haired boy couldn't believe his ears and eyes. It was as if he was seeing a new person infront of him and not his friend.
"And what did your Dad say? What was it? True love is about the happiness you feel when that person is near you when you are at your best and also your lowest. So cheesy." She made a disgusted face.
"W-Why are you acting like this?"
"Oh Jaemin, you don't know me."
Out of nowhere, that girl and her friends came from behind the bushes. The three girls started recording the teen boy, laughing.
"Sieun?" Jaemin recognized one of the girls as his classmate in drawing school.
"Look at this boy! He got rejected by his crush~", the older girl teased him while recording from her phone.
"You think you could date our Eunseo?", another girl asked him, dropping her arm around the fourteen-year old girl. "Your ugly ass can never get a girl so beautiful like her", she said.
Sieun walked towards him, hitting his head with two fingers continuously as he moved backwards. "You are such a loser. Instead of getting a girlfriend, go back to Momma", she taunted him.
"Eunseo, what's going on? Please tell them to stop", he requested.
She looked at his condition yet she said, "No. You guys can carry on."
Another girl grabbed his collar and slapped him hard, making his cheek red. "Sorry my hands were itching."
"Eunseo, c'mon on!" The girl in yellow dress dragged her near him and handed her a can of coke. "Pour it over him."
"What?!"
"Yeah! His white shirt looks really clean."
The younger girl followed what they said and opened the can.
"Eunseo, don't do that! Eunseo please!!!", he cried out loudly.
"Too late Jaemin." She dropped all the drink on him and said, "Oops my hand slipped." And then the girls shared a good laugh.
The boy wanted to get up and Sieun kicked him down, making him fall on his stomach. Two other girls held his hands while Sieun took out a marker out her pocket and wrote at the back of his shirt 'I'm a LOSER'.
"Here. Scribble on his face", the taller girl said, passing Eunseo the marker.
When Jaemin turned towards her, she saw his face full of dust and soil sticking because of the coke and a scratch on his forehead, blood oozing out from it. He joined his hands, begging them to leave him. But Eunseo showed no mercy and scribbled anything she wanted while he shouted.
Sieun and the other girls came with a scissors and the leader of the gang started cutting hair of the back of his head. By now, Jaemin couldn't hold back his tears anymore and bursted out. He felt stupid for liking her, for getting in this situation, he was angry on himself for trusting her, for falling in love with her. It was all over for him. Now he would be scared to trust anyone or love someone. He saw the real face of Eunseo whom he assumed as an angel. He thought today would be the best day of his life but turned out into a horrifying incident which left a big scar on his life.
Jaemin was lying down on the ground now, being a crying mess with unevenly cut hair, stains on his shirt and blood on his face. Before the bullies left, he just heard Eunseo's last words. "Before loving someone, change yourself."
And at that time he swore to himself- he would change.
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Next morning.
Boss
Hey
I'm sorry I can't go to work today
Don't think I'm avoiding my duties
I'm hurt
WHAT?!
GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS ASAP!!!!
I am celebrating my favourite festival- Durga Puja which means no study for 5 days and only fun yayyy!!! 😭😎
By the way, WAYV IS FINALLY COMING BACK!!! This feels so unreal. I'm so happy 😭😭😭 also next year is gonna be a busy year in ncity too.
Did something good happen in your life recently? 🥺
Thank you~