"Hello unnie!"
Jimin smiled softly, seeing how her junior, Danielle, greeted her more than cheerfully. That girl always had a smile on her lips, and it made Jimin so happy. It made her remember how she, herself, used to be in the past. That Jimin she used to be, the fearless Jimin. The one that lived happily each day that went by, always smiling at the tiniest details. The Jimin that envisioned a perfect future for her, and the future family she would eventually have.
The Jimin was a rebel, and broke her father's rules. The Jimin that was helplessly in love with whom she shouldn't. That Jimin, who felt so loved everyday by everyone.
She knew that, somewhere inside of her, that Jimin was still there.
But she was just so immersed in sadness, that she almost didn't even remember what true happiness was anymore.
"Hey Danielle. How's work going today?"
"Everything's going well, unnie," She said, smiling broadly at the older woman.
Jimin nodded silently, pausing her things above the table. Danielle suddenly remembered something and gasped, approaching the older as Jimin looked back at Danielle curiously.
"You know what, today there's a group of kids coming over to the aquarium to see the animals. I thought it would be a good idea if you came and explained to them some curiosities about animals and how they live here and in their natural environment, since you're the main biologist."
Danielle knew that Jimin avoided going around young kids most of the time, but no one ever told her the true reason behind that discomfort that she had with children, which seemed quite absurd to the younger as the oldest was pregnant. So, to see if she could change her senior's mind, she was trying to convince her to help her guide a group of kids.
Jimin blinked a couple times, trying to think clearly, and really wanting to confirm, inside of her mind, that the younger had actually said what she thought the younger had said.
Jimin gave her a glance, but Danielle looked at her pleadingly. She really wanted her senior to give the experience a try.
"Please unnie...it will only make you feel better!"
Jimin was internally screaming 'No, it won't make me feel any better', because she knew that, probably, it would make her feel even worse. Going around kids was already nerve-wracking to her and, now, having to do so on Jeongwoo's birthday...It just set her in panic.
But, at the same time, seeing the pleading look in the younger's eyes...It was really making her re-consider. At the very beginning, she was doubting on what her final decision would be; but now, she really wanted to help her junior out. And maybe, who knew, it could also help her to heal her heart, in some way.
She was still doubting her decision, but she just decided she should give it a try.
"Alright."
Danielle clapped excitedly and hugged the other excitingly, showing her appreciation for Jimin's decision,
"Thank you so much, unnie! I swear you'll love it, those kids are so cute!"
_____________________________________________________________________
Jimin nervously walked inside of the room, seeing as the kids chatted with each other happily. They were sitting in various rows of chairs, with a tank full of colorful fish just behind them, giving a special aura to the room.
Somehow, knowing those kids were the same age as her son...only made her even more nervous than what she already was.
"Hello~"
She smiled widely as soon as the little children welcomed her at the same time, cute smiles on their faces.
She didn't know why, but she just felt at peace and welcomed. Those children probably didn't even know who she was...And that feeling, 'feeling loved' by someone who didn't even know who she was or what she had gone through, not knowing how wealthy she was or what family she came from...It was just so blissful. It made her, somehow, feel the way she felt with Minjeong.
"Hello, welcome to COEX Aquarium. Did you like the tour?"
"Yeah~"
She giggled, standing in front of them, in front of some small aquariums with small fish and sea stars, facing the curious and overly-excited children.
"My name is Yu Jimin and I'm the main marine biologist here at the aquarium. Do you know what a marine biologist is?"
Her eyes diverted to the side, spotting a young boy with black hair and chocolate brown eyes holding his hand up. Jimin smiled.
"You know it?"
He nodded, lowering down his arm, "Eomma told me that a biologist is someone who studies animals and plants, so a marine biologist is someone who studies animals and plants that live in the sea."
"Very well," Jimin said, smiling, looking at the other students, "Today I'm going to talk about dolphins. Does anyone here know anything about dolphins?"
"They're not fish," A little girl said, blinking her eyes cutely.
"What are they then?"
"...Mammals."
Jimin looked to the side, seeing the same boy from before as his classmates stared at him. This time she stared at him longer, feeling a familiar feeling stirring on her chest. The more she looked into his eyes, the more she recognized them. And the way her heart started beating...It almost felt like it was pounding and ripped apart from her chest.
"...Yes," Jimin said, nodding, breathing out a soft smile, "You're right."
"I heard they're very smart," Another boy added, grabbing her attention right away.
Still, that feeling wouldn't go away.
"Dolphins are very intelligent and have an excellent memory. The most commonly trained dolphins actually are bottlenose dolphins. Dolphins are very sociable animals as well."
"They're cute," A girl said, making Jimin laugh and nod.
"They're very cute, I do agree," Jimin smiled, "So well, what do you know about mammals, in general?"
"They're warm-blooded."
"Good," Jimin said smiling, "And how do they have babies?"
"They get pregnant and then have the baby like my eomma," A little girl answered cheerfully, making Jimin laugh softly and nod effusively.
"Not all mammals, but most of them. You're right. Us humans are also mammals."
She took in a deep breath and leaned down, grabbing a small file, "Well, here you have a file with some basic facts about dolphins and their body parts. What I want you to do is draw a dolphin, each one of you. Then, we'll write their body parts together, okay?"
"Yeah~"
Jimin sighed and breathed out a smile, blinking her eyes a little. Her eyes inwardly diverted towards the black haired boy from earlier, the same that had answered several of her questions correctly. She pursed her lips and approached him, stopping by his side as he drew a dolphin, obviously concentrating on what he was doing.
"...You're very smart," Jimin muttered, leaning down and pausing her hands on her knees as she looked intently at him with a smile. The little boy turned his head at her, staring at the older female attently.
"Thank you, Miss Yu."
Jimin breathed out a smile,
"What's your name?"
"Mi Joon."
Jimin bit her lip, wondering.
"Are you parents, perhaps, Kazuha and Yunjin?"
He nodded, making her gasp.
"Happy birthday, then. I'm Minjeong's girlfriend. I'm sorry I can't go to your party."
"It's okay," The little boy said, smiling back.
Jimin nodded and leaned up, patting his shoulder softly; just before she looked around at the other kids.
"Alright, as soon as you've drawn your dolphin, tell me, alright?"
"Yeah~!"
_____________________________________________________________________
"I bought him this book about marine life. It has drawings and stuff he can understand," Jimin nodded, "That kid is really smart. He answered really well for a kid his age."
Minjeong chuckled, "Kazuha and Yunjin put him in a good school. He's lucky."
Jimin smiled and crossed her arms around Minjeong's neck, smiling softly and pecking her lips.
"Again, thank you for the bibimbap."
Jimin had been expecting her since early morning, as she had promised her she would stop by the aquarium so that she could actually give Minjeong her present for Kazuha's and Yunjin's adopted son, as it was his birthday that day and both of them had been invited to his birthday party.
But what Jimin wasn't expecting at all, was that she would actually take some of her time to cook something for lunch. She was just planning to go to the ahjumma's stall where she used to go nearby; but Minjeong had surprised her well as she brought her some bibimbap, made by Minjeong herself. It wasn't a surprise for her that she was a good cook; back when they lived in Switzerland, Minjeong was the one out of both of them who cooked most times, and she actually taught her how to cook some dishes.
"I'll cook for you more from now on if you like it."
"Of course I like it, you always cooked way better than what I did."
Minjeong sighed, "But I learned to cook because I needed to feed myself. You learnt to cook because you were curious and not because you needed it. That's different."
Jimin nodded, "I know. And that's why you cook so well."
Minjeong sighed and breathed out a smile as Jimin pulled her down slightly, kissing her cheek, "Alright, alright. Enough with the complimenting Yu Jimin."
"That's just because I love you so much~"
Minjeong sighed, hugging her back.
"I love you too," She muttered, kissing her temple, "I need to go now. See you at home?"
"Yep."
_____________________________________________________________________
Minjeong closed the door after coming back from Mi Joon's birthday party. She was also supposed to have one at home, but unfortunately her son Jeongwoo was nowhere to be seen.
This was supposed to be such a happy day for her and Jimin, but it was filled with bitterness now.
"...Jimin?"
She called out for her lover, entering the kitchen. She leaned against the doorframe, watching as Jimin lit up six small candles on a cake she had, probably, bought after getting out from work.
This was a different Jimin from the Jimin she had woken up next to that morning.
She looked at Minjeong and gave her a look she knew very well. Minjeong switched off the lights and slowly walked towards her, standing next to her, hugging her Jimin from the back as the candles lit up the kitchen.
Jimin closed her eyes as she felt Minjeong's arms enveloping her tightly, Minjeong's head resting on her shoulder. She took in a shaky breath, feeling Minjeong kissing her cheek, as if she was trying to, somehow, calm her down.
They stood in silence for long seconds, staring at the cake. Jimin couldn't help herself and a teardrop fell above Minjeong's hand. Minjeong noticed it and kissed her head's temple, closing her eyes at the thought.
"Make a wish," Minjeong whispered, caressing her hand softly. She nodded and closed her eyes, making the same wish she made year after year.
God, please just give me my son back...
Her eyes slowly opened and she turned her head a bit, looking up to Minjeong. Minjeong kissed her forehead and smiled lightly.
"We'll find him someday Rina...you'll see."
"I know..." She whispered and glanced back at the cake, smiling bitterly.
"...Let's just blow off the candles and eat it."
Both leaned down carefully, with Minjeong blowing first and Jimin finally managing to blow off the candles. They leaned up again and Jimin gulped down, quickly turning around and hugging her tighter.
Minjeong didn't even dare to say a single word, and just hugged Jimin in the midst of the kitchen's darkness, both engulfed in silence. She was finally fully understanding what Jimin had been enduring, completely alone, for those past six years. And she had to admit that it was an unbearable pain.
"...Baby's kicking."
Minjeong broke the hug and Jimin quickly took her hand in her own, putting it under her clothes so that she could feel it. Minjeong breathed out a smile as she felt their baby kicking, and Jimin started laughing in the midst of her tears, taking in a shaky breath in between.
"Oh!"
Jimin gasped softly in surprise, feeling her daughter kicking strongly. She chuckled and then laughed, somewhat feeling blessed and glad that, despite her being in a bad condition, their baby was healthy and doing fine.
Minjeong leaned down quickly and captured her lips, kissing Jimin deeply; absolutely catching her off-guard. She closed her eyes and reciprocated, both drowning in what they felt for each other.