When the concert ends, Mr. Lee leads me backstage to the room where Jimin found me earlier. After kicking off my flats again, I settle on the couch with my feet tucked under me, waiting patiently for everyone to change, ready to leave. I can barely stifle the first yawn when the second one hits even harder.
"Mr. Lee?" I call out.
He pops his head in around the corner of the door, an eyebrow raised high.
"Yes, Ms. Cho?"
"I need to ask; do you know where my bag ended up? The last place I remember having it was in the stadium security room. It has some very important things in it...like my passport and ID."
My gaze follows Mr. Lee as he comes in and walks behind me, returning with my bag, setting it on the couch next to me.
"I saw it was still on the floor by the table after you and Mr. Bang left. I brought it back with me. I'm sorry though..."
"Sorry...?"
"It might be ruined. It was sitting in a pool of blood so..."
I lift it up and see the unmistakable stain all the way down one side and across the bottom. Dropping it to the floor in disgust, I rub my hands down my face. At least I have my things now and won't have to worry about that...
"Thank you, Mr. Lee...for everything you've done today. Did you have to speak with the authorities regarding what happened?" I ask, now curious to know details of what happened after I left.
He sits down in a chair across from me, leaning forward with his hands clasped between his knees. He just sits there, searching my face.
"Do you really want to talk about this?"
"Yes. No. Yes?" I say, suddenly unsure of whether I do or not. "I don't know if it's so much a want but rather a need to know. Does that make sense?"
He nods his head.
"Yes, I spoke with the authorities. They already knew what had happened from the video recording in the room. They saw how Ms. Kang confessed to making the call, how she attacked you first and you defended yourself. They only had a few questions that needed clarification on, which I provided."
I look down at my hands, picking at the seam on my pants while I ask in a small voice, "What will happen to Ms. Kang?"
"She'll be charged with ass*ult at the very least. Chances are she'll be put through a mental evaluation to see if she is competent enough to understand the legal ramifications of her actions in this predicament. I don't know if she is though...her delusion was fairly well fixed in her mind, though she hid it well. We will be speaking more at length with Ms. Yun and Ms. Jeong to see what they know as they worked closely together as a group for a long time."
"Will she be fine...physically?" I quietly ask.
"Yes, she will be. You did break her nose with that right hook, but you didn't do any other permanent damage. The medical exam showed she wasn't pregnant...and she never was."
I just nod my head, showing that I already knew that and accept his summation.
"Remind me to never piss you off though, alright? After today, I don't think I want to be on the receiving end of your fury!" I respond with a small smile to myself, then nod.
"And what about that other guard? The one from the studio and earlier tonight? You said he was Ms. Kang's younger brother... do I need to worry about anything with him? He already seems to harbor a lot of animosity toward me."
"No, I'll deal with him," he says, shaking his head. "But...if he ever makes you feel uncomfortable about anything, and I do mean anything, let me know right away. Please. I don't anticipate anything from him other than the posturing he did tonight, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."
My eyes jump back up to his face again at that, then beyond to the doorway where Jimin and the other members are standing, listening.
"Jimin!"
Mr. Lee turns his head to watch the seven men walk further into the room, wariness on his face.
"Mr. Lee," Jimin says as he walks past him and to my side, sitting down next to me and pulling me into his arms, where I melt into his warmth. "What do you mean about you don't expect anything to happen?"
Mr. Lee proceeds to explain what happened after sound check, the run in with the security guard from the other night, and my response and how I handled it.
"Fair warning and a little bit of unwarranted advice, Mr. Park...keep your lady on the happy side, because frankly speaking, she's kind of scary if you piss her off!" He smiles at Jimin, who in turn chuckles a little.
"I plan to do exactly that, Mr. Lee," he says as he kisses the top of my head then mumbles into my hair, "Are you ready to go, my love?"
I nod my head, covering a yawn with my hand. I hear a few chuckles around me. As I sit up, I see Hobi picking up my bag from the floor, his eyes getting wide as saucers as he sees the dark splotches on it.
"Little sister, what happened to your bag?!? What is this?" he asks, pointing to the blood stains on it.
"Ummm...blood?" I say self-consciously. He holds it up higher looking at each spot, and the eyes of everyone else are on it too.
"There's so much of it!"
"I know," I say sadly. "I think my bag is ruined. I know it's waterproof and I haven't looked yet to see if it somehow made it to the things on the inside, but I think I left it open before everything happened. I'm not sure how I'll explain it if there's blood on my passport when I have to fly back to New York next week."
"Wait, you're leaving?" There are several voices talking all at once. "We thought you were staying. Jimin said you guys are going to be getting married!"
"Hey, hey, hey!" I say loudly, capturing everyone's attention when I stand up putting my hands on my hips. "One question at a time! First of all, my vacation to Busan was only three weeks long. This was week two, so I only have one week then I have to go back."
The members break out in protests and questions again, except for Jimin, who is still sitting on the couch listening, calmness on his face as he watches me explain.
"Jimin plans to go back with me. I have one week after that to pack up my apartment and office and decide what will be shipped back to Seoul. Then I'll start my new job and won't be leaving again anytime soon."
"And during that trip, I'll be meeting Nae's family..." Jimin adds, shutting up his brothers briefly.
They start clapping him on the shoulders and back in congratulations. Hobi drops my bag and lifts me up in a hug, but quickly puts me down, his face flushed with embarrassment as he takes a step back.
Jimin stands up, a look on his face as he stares at Hobi, only to pull him into a big hug, laughing together. It warms my heart to see them both happy.
Namjoon clears his throat, and when we all turn to look at him, he has only one question that I hadn't thought about.
"When will you meet Jimin's family?" I turn to look at Jimin, brows raised in surprise.
"She already met my father at the cafe over a week ago. I was hoping she would want to meet everyone this week before we leave for New York. I know my mother really wants to meet her, and so does my brother."
He steps up to me, grabbing both hands and holding them in his. "Would you want to do that?"
I nod.
"Would it be better to do it while still in Busan before we leave or after we come back? Things have been so hectic lately," I say softly.
"I think while we're still here. How about tomorrow afternoon?"
"That soon?"
"Well, we could do it Monday...?"
I laugh at the look of hope and eagerness on his face.
"Tomorrow is just fine, Jimin. I'd like to thank your mother for helping you with the clothes anyway. And speaking of, I need to figure out what to do about the things at my hotel...am I going back there until the trip home?"
Jimin steps into me, wrapping my arms around his neck and his around my waist. "I was hoping you would stay with me until it was time to leave."
"Don't you have to go back to Seoul though?"
"Yes, technically in a couple days, but I'd like you to come with. You can see our place, check out the office you'll be moving to," and he leans in so only I can hear when he whispers in my ear, "and I can make you scream my name as much as you want without worrying about somebody hearing..."
I flush bright red as he kisses my earlobe. As he pulls back, he winks and smiles while he pushes his growing hard-on against my stomach.
I can only nod my head.
"So, we need to figure out the best way to get your things and when," Namjoon interrupts, causing both Jimin and I to look at him in surprise. "Mr. Lee, is there a way you could help us out with that? I imagine NaeYeong doesn't really want to have to explain to Leeza why she's grabbing her things, or where she's going..."
We look at Mr. Lee, and I can see the gears turning.
"I think I might have an idea. Let's head to the hotel. There are too many ears around here."
Hobi picks up my bag once more, slinging it over his shoulder.
"I can take that," I say.
"No, I think you have more important things to take care of...or maybe he should be carrying it," he says, winking as he points to Jimin's lap area.
I look down and flush even redder than before. Jimin pulls his shirt back out and covers himself as much as possible, but it doesn't seem to help. With a scowl at Hobi, he yanks my bag from his shoulder and holds it in front of himself.
I just shake my head as we all leave the room, walking toward the exit and vehicles. By the time we get there, he must have himself under control because he hands me the bag, squeezing my hand before walking out the door to get in the vehicle. I wait and follow with Mr. Lee at a safe distance, keeping my head down as there are several cameras pointed in their direction.
Quickly getting into the vehicle, the door closes behind me, and I settle into my seat. As we pull away from the crowd, Jimin finds my hand and threads his fingers through mine. I squeeze his hand although I don't look at him, just in case someone's camera is able to see us. The driver takes us a different way to the hotel due to the amount of traffic leaving the stadium, which takes longer for us to arrive, and I let out a sigh of relief once we enter the underground parking area, finally looking over at him and smiling.
It's a short ride to the floor, and we make our way to the room, dropping off our things.
"A few of us are going to do a Live for a bit. Do you want to come and hang out?"
"Will you guys still be able to be yourselves if I come, or will you feel like you have to censor your actions and words?"
He tilts his head in question, thinking about it. "I think we'll be fine."
"Are you sure? Maybe you should check with the others first."
He pulls out his phone and sends a text. Getting replies back, he smiles and looks up at me.
"They want you there too," he says, dropping his phone on the bed, pulling me into his arms. He places a quick peck on my lips, the taste of salty sweat dried on his.
"Okay, let's go. Where's it happening?"
"Jungkook's room."
He pulls me out the door and down the hall a couple of rooms. Knocking when we arrive, the door opens almost immediately by a staffer and I see Jungkook, Taehyung, and Hobi near the couch. A few staff are hanging about, getting things ready with the camera and food.
I go hang out on the opposite side of the room as the guys, staying out of the way while they get ready. I'm a little curious where Namjoon, Jin, and Yoongi are, but figure they have their own things going on.
A staffer shushes everyone then, letting them know the live will start in a few seconds before clicking the start button. I stay quiet along with the staff while the guys do their live, moving around for food, and once finished, the staff pack things up and remove themselves while the five of us stay. I never realized how much there was to the behind the scenes to continue maintaining everything they do. My eyes are continuously getting opened to this lifestyle, and it's no wonder they look so tired sometimes.
Eventually, someone orders food for delivery, and we sit talking and joking while we eat. Once food is in my stomach, I'm having a difficult time hiding my yawns that start to come more frequently, and Jimin pulls me into him. I let my eyes close with his voice rumbling in my ears as they continue to talk, slowly coming down from the adrenaline of the concert. Before I know it, I'm being carried back to our room in his arms, and gently placed on our bed. He carefully removes everything I have on and tucks me under the covers, where I snuggle in closer to his side of the bed, whimpering a little at the empty coolness that meets me. Then I feel his warm body sliding in next to mine, arms wrapping around me as he places a kiss on my head.
"Sleep, my love," he whispers into the dark night, as his own breathing evens out.
It feels like several hours later when I wake up, darkness still enveloping the room. I move carefully from his embrace and roll over, looking toward the window, and I realize it's still night-time as there's no light fighting against the drapes. I probably didn't sleep as long as I thought, but not sure what woke me up. When my bladder cramps, it dawns on me. I pad softly to the bathroom, closing the door before turning on the light. When done, I wash my hands, brush my teeth, and clean my face, checking on the cut again. I run a brush through my hair and am in the process of braiding it when I hear a soft knock on the door.
"Nae? Are you okay in there?" I hear Jimin ask.
Dropping the untied braid so it hangs down my chest, I open the door to him standing there, eyes puffy from sleep. I step to him, sliding my arms around his torso as I snuggle into him, skin to skin. His own arms close around me, holding me close for a few minutes. Then his lips find mine before he lifts me up and carries me back to bed, where he makes slow, passionate love to me until the light starts showing around the curtain edges.
It feels as though we just went to sleep again when we're woken up by a phone ringing. I crack an eye open, trying to figure out what the infernal sound is. Jimin stirs next to me, his hand sliding up my body to settle on my br*ast, distracting me from the ringing temporarily. When it starts again, I realize it's my phone that I'm hearing from deep within my bag. Groaning, I kiss Jimin before rolling out of bed, stumbling over to where I dropped my bag the night before. Fishing through it with my hand, my eyes still not quite focusing, I finally find my phone and look at the display.
"Oh!" I exclaim, suddenly wide awake when I see my parent's number flashing across it. Hastily I answer and I have a wide smile when I hear my mother's voice. I put them on speaker and start pulling on clothes in case they want to switch over to video.
"Why haven't you called us the past few days, NaeYeong?" my mother's voice scolds.
"It's been really hectic here, Mother. I haven't had a chance to make many calls."
I hear my father on the line too, and they take turns asking how the sights have been, so I let them know that the past few days have been spent getting ready for the concert.
Then the conversation turns to the same serious topic that always seems to come up every few months with my mother. They're definitely more traditional, even though we live in America. I sigh deeply, knowing what's coming.
"When are you going to meet someone and settle down like your brothers? It's time you give us grandchildren, NaeYeong!" my mother wheedles in her whiny voice. I roll my eyes at that because I've heard it so many times over the last several years. I see Jimin is now wide awake, and I admire his body as he gets out of bed, grabbing clothes and heading to the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, I hear water start running in the sink.
"If you don't make a conscious effort to talk to anyone, how will you ever meet someone!? I've lined up a few gentlemen who I think..."
"No, Mother, absolutely not!" I say emphatically, cutting her off, which I normally wouldn't do. Jimin comes back out dressed, his hair wet.
"NaeYeong, don't be disrespectful to your mother. Listen to what she has to say! When you get home from Korea, you will come here and meet the first one," my father dictates. I see Jimin open his mouth to say something, but I shake my head no before he can.
"I'm sorry, Father. I meant no disrespect. And I understand why Mother is doing this. But I was trying to say that it's not necessary anymore. I've met someone and we are very serious about each other. He plans to come back home with me next week. He wants to meet you and he has time in his schedule to do so."
There's a long pause on the other end of the line.
"Hmm, I suppose I'll believe it when I see it," Father states, and I can hear the skepticism in his voice.
"You'll meet him soon, I promise. We're going to his family's place today. I've already met his father, and I'm looking forward to meeting his mother and younger brother."
"Does this man have a good job?" my father asks.
"Yes, Father, he does. He has been with his company for around 10 years, and he and his team are well established. I've also met the CEO of his company." I look at Jimin, giving a shrug as I'm not quite sure how to explain Bang PD-nim. "Which brings me to the other thing I planned to tell you both when I come home next week. It will only be for a very short time because I'm being transferred to our office in Seoul. It's already been arranged with work."
Both my parents start talking all at once, which causes me to rub my temples feeling a headache coming on from their loud voices. Jimin walks up behind me, kissing the top of my head, then begins to massage my neck and shoulders, trying to help relieve the tension I'm feeling from talking with my parents. Finally, I hear them calming down.
"Are you happy, NaeYeong?" I hear the tears in my mother's voice as she asks me that question. I reach back to grab Jimin's hand in mine.
"I'm the happiest I've ever been, Mother. He is the sweetest, most compassionate, hard-working, gentle soul I've ever met. He makes me feel loved in so many ways – his thoughts, words, care – I never thought I would find that. I can't express in words how much I feel for him in such a short span of time, though I feel like I've known him for most of my life."
"How long have you known him?" my father, always the practical one, asks.
"That's a little harder to explain, Father." I lean my head back into him, looking up as he smiles down at me.
"What do you mean?" my father asks sharply. I click the mute button quickly.
"Would you want to meet them today by video if they agree, instead of waiting when we go to New York?" I whisper to Jimin quietly. I see him thinking about it, then he nods yes. "My father can be...very intrusive, asking hard, uncomfortable questions. I just want to make sure you still want to do this on the spot?"
He smiles and nods again before grabbing another chair and pulling it up next to me.
"NaeYeong! Are you there?" I hear my father say loudly. I unmute the phone.
"Yes, Father, I'm still here."
"You haven't answered my question."
"I'll explain, but first would you want to meet him by video? That might help with explaining..."
"He's there with you? Right now?" my mother asks.
"Yes, Mother. He's sitting next to me."
I hear them speaking in muffled voices, as if they covered the microphone on the phone to discuss it. I take the opportunity to rush into the bathroom to check my hair, sweeping a brush through it and putting it into a low ponytail, then grabbing a sweater to pull on. I'm sitting back in my chair when my father comes back on.
"Yes, since he's there, I have a few questions for him."
I click the video call option and wait for them to accept, propping the phone against one of the bags from Jimin's shopping spree that are now on the desk. I keep the camera on me first while it connects. My parents' faces fill the screen, a look of apprehension on my mother's and a frown on my father's. I look over at Jimin to gauge his reaction, but he doesn't seem too fazed by it.
"NaeYeong!" my mother's face breaks into a loving smile while my father's gaze softens. I smile shyly at them, feeling like a small child again, then straighten my shoulders when I feel Jimin's fingers find mine in my lap. I look at him and the love on my face is plain to see, as is his.
"Good morning, Mother, Father. But I suppose I should be saying good evening!"
"What time is it there?" my mother asks. Jimin holds up his watch for me to see.
"Nearly eight in the morning."
"And he's there with you already?" my mother purses her lips together and my father frowns again. "And where is Leeza?"
"Actually, I'm at his hotel with him. And I honestly don't know where Leeza is. I assume she's at our hotel, or she went out all night clubbing like usual. We haven't been talking much lately."
"I always felt there was just something about that girl..." my mother shakes her head as she mutters it to herself loud enough for all of us to hear.
"Mother!" I exclaim.
"What? You know it's true, and I never said any different," she stares at me.
"Enough, you two. We're here to meet this man. Where is he, NaeYeong? I thought you said he was right next to you," my father says, shutting the two women in his life up.
"He is, Father," I say with a smile on my face as I look over at him, turning the phone in his direction. "This is Mr. Park JiMin." He smiles at me, then turns and bows to my parents from his seat.
"Hello, Mr. Park," my father says.
"Good evening, Mr. Cho. It's very nice to meet you. NaeYeong has told me so much about you both."
"I thought she would've done the same for us..." my mother states quietly to the side.
"HaeWon..." my father quietly admonishes. "Let us hear them out."
Wait, did my parents just switch bodies?? It's usually the other way around. I look at Jimin with my brows raised.
"Fine. I'll stay quiet. For now. But NaeYeong, you and I will be having a long talk later." My father shakes his head at her words and looks at us before putting on his serious expression.
"Of course, Mother."
"Mr. Park, how long have you known our daughter?" my father starts.
"I met her about two weeks ago, sir." I turn to look at him.
"It wasn't quite two weeks, Jimin. It was when I bumped into you at the beach. That's the first time we met."
"Yes, technically that's when we formally met. But remember, the first time I laid eyes on you was at my father's café when Leeza came over and gave me the phone number. You stayed back, respecting my privacy. You caught my attention right away and I wanted to get to know you."
"That's right! I was so angry with her for doing that."
"So, your father owns a café?" my father continues as if we didn't have a small side conversation of our own. "And do you work there as well?"
"Yes, sir, he does. It's Café MAGNATE, located here in Busan. But, no sir, I don't work there with him. I live in Seoul and don't get to return often due to my schedule."
"Then what brought you to Busan this time?" I can see the curiosity on my mother's face.
"My team and I were named the ambassadors for Busan's bid to be the host city for the 2030 World Expo. Our agency partnered with the city to perform the free concert last night."
"Oh, so what do you do with the company?" my mother asks, causing me to give a deep sigh, rolling my eyes as I drop my head to my hand. You'd think that after the past nine years, they would know things like this...
"I'm one of the performers with the group."
"Oh? And does it pay good?" my father queries. My head whips up, appalled at my father's audacity.
"Father! That's his private business!"
"What? I'm just checking if he's able to take care of my daughter."
"I can take care of myself! I have a really good job that I work hard at. And I'm not going to expect Jimin to take care of me financially!"
"But you know I would do it, Baby," he says as he leans over to kiss my temple.
"I know you would, but I don't want you to. I hope we'll talk about a pre-nuptial agreement or something. I'm not with you for that!"
"You most certainly will not!" my father interjects. "It would be his job to take care of you as the man of the house."
"No, absolutely not! And besides, this is between him and I," I reiterate, shaking my head. There's an uncomfortable silence for a moment while I watch the expression on my father's face.
"So, Mr. Park..." my mother says tentatively, "what are your intentions with my daughter?" He looks at me before he turns back to them to answer.
"I want to marry her. And I want to make her the happiest woman in the world, just like she has made me the happiest man. I can't imagine my life without her in it."
"Hmmm, I see. What makes you think you are good enough for her?"
"I'm not good enough, but she makes me want to be the man who is. I plan to strive for that every day with her, to show her how much she is loved, valued, cared for, and cherished."
"And do you believe you'll be able to take care of her financially?"
"Father! Seriously!"
"It's okay, Nae. I'll answer that. Yes, Mr. Cho, I do, if she'll allow me to. You see, I'm one of seven members of the biggest K-pop group in the world right now. I currently have a good net worth. I believe I'll be able to take care of her for a long time."
"But that's not why I'm with you!" I cry.
"I know you're not, and that's another reason among all of them that I love you." I stare at him momentarily before I answer.
"And I love how humble you and the other members are, despite how big you've become globally over the years."
"Hmmm, I suppose that will do...," my father concedes. "You said you are a performer?"
"Yes, sir. A singer and a dancer." I shake my head.
"You're much more than that, Jimin. You all are." I turn to my parents. "Father, his group has sold out stadium concerts every time they perform. They've spoken at the United Nations, been to the White House, donated money to different causes. They aren't just performers. They make a difference in the world, not just in Korea. And they have millions of followers." I turn back to Jimin, my face twisting up. "Wow, am I bragging about you?? I sound just like a little fangirl!"
He chuckles at me, the smile getting wider at my words. "NaeYeong, didn't you tell me you've been ARMY since we debuted? Is that not being a fangirl?"
It's his wink and teasing tone that make my heartbeat faster in my chest. Jimin's phone rings in the background, and I see him turn around then look at me with an apologetic gaze.
"That's my parent's ring tone. I need to get that." He turns to my parents, bows again. "It was nice to meet you both and I look forward to meeting you in person."
As soon as my parents nod their heads in acknowledgement, he quickly gets up and answers his phone, moving over near the door. I can hear him answering in the background as my parents watch me listening to his voice.
"You love him, don't you, NaeYeong?" my mother asks quietly. I can only nod in response as a smile starts to creep across my face.
"Yes, Mother, I do. We've been through so much already, and he's been steadfast through it all. It was a bit rocky to start, but he's shown me so much of himself, and the members have already made me part of their family. And his CEO, Mr. Bang, has been amazing. He's the one who started the ball rolling with my company to allow me to move to Seoul to be a consulting liaison between my company and his."
"Do you have a place to live when you get there?" my father asks.
"Yes, Father. I know you won't like this, but I'll be moving in with Jimin at his home." I see him opening his mouth to protest. "Before you say anything Father, yes, I will have my own room, my own space. However, we do plan on getting married sooner rather than later. He's asked me to go home with him to Seoul in a few days before we come back to New York. I will be seeing his home and my new office, so I can decide what I should bring back with me or leave there."
"And what about Leeza and your trip with her?" My mother has a perplexed look on her face. "What does she say or think about this?"
I frown when I think about Leeza and shake my head.
"I haven't told her anything. In fact, I've barely talked with her this whole time. She's been very busy doing whatever it is she does, probably clubbing all night, then when she's not doing that or sleeping, she's chasing the members around like the paparazzi, and you know how I feel about that kind of behavior."
My mother nods her head slowly to that, and I see the emotions cross her face as she remembers what happened to me.
"Does he know about your history with the ballet and paparazzi?"
"Yes, I told him. I've told him everything, which he understands and supports me about." My mother nods her head again. "In fact, when I've gone to the rehearsals leading up to last night's concert, I've been posing as staff in order to maintain their images. Nobody, and I mean this, nobody should know about the nature of our relationship until we're ready and know it will not affect the group negatively. And that's just one of many reasons why I haven't said anything to Leeza. Since the day we arrived and went to MAGNATE, I've seen a whole new side of her that I don't like nor want to be involved with. I've always known never to tell her anything that I didn't want spread around, but she's shown an unwavering rudeness and obsession when it comes to certain things."
"I'm sorry, my daughter," my mother has tears in her eyes as she says that. I know she heard the pain in my voice as I explained my feelings about Leeza.
"It's hard to lose a friend but with the way my life is going to be now, it's better if I keep her at arm's length or let her go. It's not easy, but it is for the best." I look down at my lap as I fight the tears filling my own eyes. I feel Jimin's hand on my shoulder, and I turn my head to look at him with a sad smile. He crouches down next to my chair, wiping the tears threatening to fall.
"It's alright, Baby, we'll get through this together," he says softly as he cups my face carefully. I hear my mother's gasp and I turn to look at her.
"What happened to your face??" I touch the cuts gingerly, having forgotten they were there.
"Nothing really. Just a misunderstanding with a staff member yesterday." I shake my head. Jimin searches my eyes before turning to look at my parents.
"No one knew this staff member had a delusional fantasy about having a relationship with me and was angry when she found out that NaeYeong and I had the relationship she desired. The staff attacked Nae while being questioned about a situation she instigated. Nae defended herself and the staff member was arrested by local authorities." His face hardens as he states quietly, "She will be held accountable for her actions one way or another."
He turns back to me, his gaze softening again when he sees the sadness on my face as I stare at the hands laying in my lap. He lifts my face by the chin, so my eyes meet his. "You shouldn't feel sad about defending yourself, Nae. Ms. Kang chose to go down that path of destruction when she attacked you, rational or not. It's not easy to deal with, I understand that, but you are strong and compassionate, and I'm proud of the person you are. You are my other half, the best half! And each time you question yourself, I will be right behind you reminding you of who you really are."
"With ARMY right behind you?" I quote, a small smile gracing my lips.
"I'm your ARMY at all times, Nae, and I'll always be right behind you, supporting you in everything."
I lean forward to place my forehead against his, closing my eyes. After a few moments we hear my father clearing his throat to get our attention, and I blush a bit as I had forgotten we were still on a video call with them.
"NaeYeong, your mother and I will let you go. I hope you will feel comfortable enough to tell us more about what has happened while you've been in Busan. We hope you both will." I see him looking between us both, acceptance showing on his face while my mother has tears in her eyes again as she nods next to him. "We love you, daughter, and Mr. Park...Jimin, son, I look forward to meeting you in person next week. Please let us know your travel itinerary. We would like to meet you at the airport and have you join us at our home once you arrive. We'll make sure your brothers know, and you can see your nieces and nephew."
"Thank you, Father, Mother. I'll let you know when we have everything set. I love you as well," I give a sad smile, the remnants of the Ms. Kang situation still in my mind.
"It was nice to meet you both," Jimin says, bowing again. "I look forward to getting to know you both more."
"As are we, son," my mother smiles in his direction. "Now, enjoy your time with your family. There is nothing more important than that."
"Good night," I blow them a kiss as they disconnect the call. I sit there for a moment until Jimin crouches back down next to me.
"Are you alright, Nae?" the worry in his voice shaking me out of my melancholy. I look at him again, giving him a small, one-sided smile.
"Yes, I will be. Just being reminded of Ms. Kang has me feeling sad."
"That's understandable. It's a fresh memory that you are still trying to process. But you also need to remember that it was not your fault. You've done nothing wrong. Nothing!"
He reaches up to press his lips gently to mine in a reassuring kiss before pulling back.
"Do you want to take a shower? My parents would like to meet with us at their home early this afternoon. I also received a text from Mr. Lee. He has some ideas to get your things from Leeza's room. We should meet with him to plan how to do it. I'm sure you would like your things sooner rather than later?"
"Yes, I would." I move to stand up and he gets to his own feet, holding out a hand for me. As I place my hand in his, I ask, "Join me? I feel a need to have you near me..."
He pulls me into his arms and wraps me in a tight embrace, resting his head on mine and says, "I want nothing more right now."