ANGEL POV
'You ready?' Jimin was holding my shaky hand firmly in his, carresing my knuckles to calm me down as we stood in front of my house. I just couldn't bring myself to go inside.
'No. But it needs doing. Not much choice.' I took a deep breath, holding onto his hand tightly
'I'm right here. I'm not letting go. Promise.' He bright my hand to his lips, pressing them to the back of my hand
'Thank you.'
He can calm me down on the worst of times. Like now. I feel a bit more ready.
I pushed the key into the lock and turned it, only to find it unlocked. I guess she's home.
I walked in and instantly heard footsteps coming my way, so I froze in spot, feeling Jimin walk up a bit closer to me, stuck right to my back.
'You're going to be okay.' He whispered, squeezing my hand a bit
'Honey, you're back.' My mom sounded so relieved to see me, trying to come close to me, but I only took a step back, walking right into Jimin, and she paused right away. I guess she only noticed him now.
'Jimin... thank you.' She bowed to him. 'I'm sorry for any inconvenience. This is my fault.'
'It's quite alright. She is always more than welcome in my home, so there is no need to thank me.' He was as calm as he could be, replying to her with a smile
'I should probably explain as to why she-'
'He knows.' I cut her off sharply, feeling him squeeze my hand to calm me down before I start a fight. 'He knows everything. There's no need to explain it all. But you have quite a bit of explaining to do to me.'
I assume she was quite embarrassed by the fact that Jimin knows it all and turned a bit red, but I also think that wasn't her issue at the moment.
'You are right. I have a lot to tell you. If you are willing to listen.'
'It's not a choice. You have to. I deserve to know.' I'm gonna try and stay as calm as I can. I don't wanna make this worse.
'You do.' She nodded. 'Would you be okay to sit down with me... and Michael?'
'He's - he's here?!' I raised my voice a bit
'He stayed in the guest room. We were both waiting for you, but I kind of figured you'd be with Jimin, so I didn't try to call.' She mumbles again
'Fine. Let's do this.' I sigh, turning to Jimin. 'Can you stay? Please?'
'If that's what you want.' He smiles. 'I'm here.'
I don't deserve him. He is beyond perfect.
It's like I had a completely new shock seeing that man again. He was sitting but stood up as soon as he saw us walk into the living room, his eyes darting between me and Jimin, then looking at our hands.
'Hello.' He bowed. 'I believe we haven't met just yet. I'm Michael Maddox. I'm Angel's dad. You're Jimin, if I'm not wrong?' He offered his hand to Jimin, waking a bit closer
'Nice to meet you, sir. And, yes. Jimin Park. I'm Angel's boyfriend.' He sounded so proud, but the word boyfriend made my heart race a bit, even in a situation like this
'Apologies for meeting in such circumstances, but I can only assume you know what is going on, seeing how you're here.' My dad kept smiling at Jimin
'That would be correct, sir. But I'm just here for her, nothing else. So, just pretend I'm not here, honestly.'
'Not at all. You're as much a part of this as anyone, Jimin. Somehow, I think she values you more than either of us.' My mom says to Jimin
'And you would be right.' I answer for him. 'But can we get on this? I have a million questions.'
'Y-yeah.' She stuttered. 'Let's all have a seat.'
I sat down on the sofa, with Jimin sitting down next to me, while my mom and dad sat in the chairs opposite of us.
'Right. Start from the beginning. And don't even think to lie. I heard enough of that.' I warn her
'We met when I was in Korea for a holiday, about 25 years ago.' My dad started talking, seeing how she was too nervous. 'I was only here for a few weeks, but we got close, and we stayed in contact. About a year and a half of us talking, she decided to come visit me. And she never came back.'
'That is why my parents renounced me. That's why they blame him. Because I left for a holiday and I decided not to come back. In their words, he kept me away, which I tried to explain was not the case at all, but they wouldn't listen. I tried to get them to at least meet you, but they refused. They...' she kind of stopped herself
'They what?' I push her
'They don't consider you to be Korean.' She finally got it out
'I see. I can't say I'm surprised. They're not the only people that ever thought that of me, so I'm not too bothered, honestly.' I reply
'What do you mean? Who else said that to you?' She asks, looking a bit surprised
I scoffed a little, not believing this shit. The fact that she never cared before... 'I know you were not particularly interested in my life so far, but it was not sunshine and rainbows. Most of my life, ever since I first started school here, I've been shoved away for being half American. It's not exactly a new thing to me. People have been saying all sorts of things and treating me like shit.'
My mom's eyes filled with tears, and her bottom lip was trembling as she was trying not to cry. 'Why didn't you say anything to me?'
'You? You treated me worse than anyone. What point would there be?'
The way my dad glared at her, it looked like he was just about ready to throw her out the window.
'But move on from that. Keep talking. Either of you.' I jump over it, not wanting to talk about her idiocy.
My dad started talking first again.
'We got married only a few months after your mother came to America. She needed a visa, and we were in love, so it wasn't a problem. We both wanted it anyway. And then, a few years down the line, you came along.'
'It was probably the happiest we've ever been.' He was kind of smiling, looking at my mom, who was smiling back at him, her eyes still glossy from the tears.
'I love the love story, but how the hell did it end up like this?' I ask
'It was my fault.' She sniffled. 'I tried to reach out to my parents so many times, but they just wouldn't accept it. They blamed him and called him all sorts of names. With time, I couldn't deal with being rejected by my own mother and father, and I developed a bad habit.' Her voice got a bit lower, mostly in shame as she was looking down
'It wasn't so bad in the start. It would be a bit here and there, but by the time you were 3, it became unbearable. I tried talking to her so many times, but nothing ever stuck, no matter what she said. I loved her, but I just couldn't deal with the arguments and her behaviour anymore, and suggested we split.' He added to her story
'He offered to get a place for me on my own. He wanted to keep you with him until I get better, but... I took you and went back to Korea while he was at work.' She admitted
'You- you kidnapped me?!' I almost yelled at her
'Not... not exactly.' She sniffles. 'I called him as soon as we got here...' she stopped again, and he continued her words
'She called and told me how much you cried about wanting your mom and that you hated dad.' His voice was quite choked up. 'I couldn't be home as much as I wanted with all the work, so you were with a nanny quite a bit. I thought I'd give you some time with your mom, but when I wanted to come, she told me that you didn't want to see me.'
'You kept telling me my dad doesn't want me.' I felt a few tears roll down my cheek. 'I grew up thinking he wanted nothing to do with me. Why would you do that?!'
'I was afraid!' She yelled in frustration. 'I had no one but you. If I lost you, I would have been completely alone. I was afraid of being alone.'
'You had. No right. To do this to me. Or him.'
'Believe me, I know.' She cried
'Do you?' I grit my teeth. 'Not only did you pull me away from my father, but you put me through hell. In the last 13 years, you've been sober maybe 6 months. All together. Including these last 2 months that you've been actually clean. You did nothing but drink and attack me. How many damn times did you attack me? I still have the scar from the last time you cut me up!'
My dad opened his eyes in shock, sitting up straight and staring at her in disbelief at my words.
'And do you know who helped patch me up? Him!' I point at Jimin, who was just looking down, trying not to get involved. 'He's the one who's been keeping me safe and happy. Not you. He did more for me in the last few months than you did in my entire life. That should say a lot.'
'What. Did you. Do?!' He suddenly yelled at her, making her and both of us flinch. 'What did you do to my daughter?!'
'You left her because she was drinking, and you never thought this could happen?' I ask him, pulling his attention to me. 'You knew where we were. Why didn't you try coming to me before?'
'I told you. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.' He sniffles
'Then how come you came now if you still thought that? What was so different now from any other time?' I cry out
'Because she called me.' He looks at my mom
'What?' I'm gonna have a stroke. This is too much for me. There are so many things going on.
'With getting clean, a lot of things became a lot clearer to me. I understand what I've done, and I wanted to make it better if I could. I knew how this could end, but I couldn't go on lying. You both deserve to be with each other. He is your parent as much as I am. He has the right to see you.' She kept explaining while wiping her face from all the tears
'That's sorted then. A mother in rehab, an estranged father, and a fucked up kid. One big happy family.' I say in the most sarcastic manner
'Angel.' Jimin called my name, making me look at him. 'Not now.' He squeezed my hand, trying to get me to calm down before I make the situation worse in any way. I know he's right, otherwise he wouldn't say a thing
I just nodded a little, sniffling before wiping my eyes.
'Okay. So what do we do now. What we the grand plan?' I ask the two of them
'It is completely up to you. I'm going to be here for a while. A few months. I would like to get to know you, but I won't blame you if you don't want to do that.' My dad kept a slight smile on his face
'And I'm going to keep out of it. All of this... it's all my fault anyway. If I can help, I will, but I'm not going to tell you what to do, honey. But... he is a good man. Always had been.' She sniffles, looking at me with eyes full of tears
'I need time to think about this.' I tell him
'That is more than okay. I will not pressure you into anything. When you're ready, call me. I'll leave you my number.' He smiles
I just nodded, agreeing. This is such a mess.
'Are- are you staying home tonight or-' My mom cut herself off, glancing at Jimin
'If it's okay, could she stay with me for the next few days?' Jimin spoke up before I got to, surprising me a little. But it's a good thing he did. I really don't want to be home right now.
'Y-yeah. Of course.' She stammered a little, but she agreed
'I'm only minutes away, so she's not going far. I'll take care of her. I promise.' He bows a little
'Please don't- don't bow. I should be bowing to you, not the other way around. It seems you are truly taking care of her better than I ever did.' She sniffles. 'Thank you.'
'Nothing to thank me for.' Jimin smiles. 'Do you want to take what you need? I'll wait here for you.' He asks me, gently rubbing the back of my hand
'Mhm.' I nod. 'I'll be back in a minute.'
JIMIN POV
Hearing all of this, even I wouldn't be able to stay here, let alone her. I could see on her that it was too much and that she's ready to run. It was awful to even listen. So much happened in such a short span of time.
She almost ran to her room to get her things, and I know I said I'd wait for her, but now it's just awkward.
'Apologies, Jimin.' Her father spoke up, surprising me a bit. 'This is way too much to listen to. We are most likely the most awful parents you could imagine. But, thank you, for taking care of her.'
They look so much alike. She looks more like him than her mother. It's like I'm looking into her eyes, apart from the fact that hers are a bit more catlike. But the same colour. Hair as well. Same shade of blonde.
'Not at all. And I've seen and heard a lot worse. She just needs some time to process. She is going to be okay. She's strong.' I don't know why I'm comforting them. Especially her mother. She did a number on all of them. And she knows it. She barely looked up the entire time, most likely feeling ashamed. As she should.
'You are quite mature and calm for your age. When I was 18, all I could think about was going out and skipping school with my girlfriend.' He turned a bit into joking, making me chuckle a bit
'Well, considering we're in the same class there's no need to skip.' I chuckle. 'As for being mature, I'm really not. I'm just acting like it because I am taking care of my younger brother. I can't act like an idiot around him otherwise he'll pick up on it.' That kid is like a sponge
'No.' He shakes his head, smiling at me. 'I barely even met you, and I can clearly tell that you're beyond your years. I could barely listen to us, and I'm 45.'
I can't bring my father up now. It would look like I'm rubbing the salt in her mom's wound, and that's the last thing needed right now.
'I'm ready.' Angel came down with a gym bag over her shoulder, waiting for me
'Got everything you need?' I ask
'Mhm.' She nodded, then turned to her parents. 'I just need to clear my thoughts a bit. I'll come back when I'm ready to talk. Don't call me. Please.'
'Okay, honey.' Her mom's voice was cracking
'Here.' Her father gives her some card. 'Call me whenever. Even if it's 3 in the morning. I'll be here.'
'Okay.' She nodded, putting the card in her pocket. 'Can we go?' She looked at me
'Course. Whatever you want.' I walked over to get and she laced her hand with mine, holding me tight. 'Thank you for letting her go with me. I'll keep her safe.'
They both bowed at me, thanking me for doing so, and then she pulled me out with her.
As soon as we got out, she took the deepest breath possible.
'Are you okay?'
Instead of answering, she surprised me by grabbing the collar of my shirt and pulling me down, pressing her lips on mine almost desperately.
She took me by surprise, but if this is what she wants...
I pulled her closer, lacing my fingers into her hair to keep her where she is. I swear, it's like she's melting in my arms. Not that I feel different. Every time she touches me, my knees almost give out on me.
'What was that?' I could barely breathe once she pulled away
'Thank you. For coming with me. For not letting go. For loving me. Thank you.' She kissed me again, tugging at my hair lightly as her tongue slipped between my lips, glazing over them
She is taking my breath away. Literally.
'How about we go home and then you can kiss me all you want?' I barely pulled away. She wouldn't let me.
She nodded, catching her own breath.
'Please.'