A ROSE’S SEVEN THORNS

CHAPTER 16

“Surprise, Surprise”

Earlier

Lee gave a loud sigh and flopped down into his chair. He ran his hands down his face as he recalled everything that was just said. It seemed he had no choice – he was going back to Seoul. He sighed again before he glanced out the window.

Jangmi, Jangho…your father is coming home.

•••

It had been three weeks since the club. Jangmi had taken Namjoon’s advice and laid low, she told no one where she went that Friday. She shoved the red wig in her closet. Luckily, when she returned that night, her mother hadn’t seen her. So when her mother asked where they went, she simply said the theater.

Which was stupid because then she had to talk about a movie she knew nothing about. It was a conversation that went something like this.

{Flashback}

“What did you watch?”

“Uhhhh The Forest?” Jangmi replied, thinking of the first movie that popped in her head.

Mrs. Lee raised her eyebrows. She wondered why she answered as if it was a question. She left it alone – her daughter was always different. “Oh, how was it?”

“Good, lots of trees.”

“…”

{End of Flashback}

In the past three weeks, everything was normal. Jangmi went to work with one of the boys. The only difference was now that some of the boys would invite her out during the weekends – to their place to eat dinner or watch a movie, just to hang out. Of course she still had training with Jungkook.

She had become attached to them. Jangmi constantly saw them and was so used to seeing them. The more time she spent with them, the more she got to know them.

She was proud to say that she knew their hobbies, likes and dislikes. And as she knew them, they knew her. Bangtan grew close to her. Even Suga, who still found her annoying, didn't bat an eyelash when he saw her at their place.

Now it was Wednesday and she was at work. This time it was Jimin who accompanied her.

They had just returned from a delivery. Jangmi held the back door open for Jimin, who locked her bike up. Then they entered the pizzeria.

“That was quick,” Ahjumma noted as she saw them enter. When she caught sight of Jimin, she grinned wildly. “Jiminnie, how about an infamous eye smile before you leave?”

Jimin's cheeks darkened as he rubbed the back of his neck. But he was so flustered that he could not stop his lips from forming into a smile. Which then formed a smile with his eyes as he let out a breath of air and shrunk lower cutely.

“Aigoo, so cute,” Ahjumma cooed as she patted Jimin's cheek. Then she spun around when a customer called out. “Be safe going home, you two~”

Jangmi could only stare at the woman and frowned, “She didn't even talk to me. Like she said ‘you two’ but she stared at you the whole time.”

These damn boys had powers as well, it seemed.

Jimin giggled then he coughed and laughed in a deeper voice, making Jangmi smirk. “I guess ahjumma realizes beauty when she sees it.”

“Yah,” Jangmi said as she playfully nudged his arm. “Are you saying I'm not a beauty?”

“No,” He shook his head then he grinned. “I'm just more of a beauty than you are.” He ducked when her arm shot out at him.

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Whatever, Jiminnie~” He made a face as she started to coo. “I guess you're right. I can't compare to your giggles and aegyo.”

Jimin straightened and said in a deep voice, “I'm a man, a cool man.”

“Ah yes, well your manly aegyo is what gets the ladies,” She told him and moved back with a grin when he reached for her. Then she went and gathered her things. “Let's go?”

Jimin pointedly looked away from her. She groaned, “Jimin, I was just joking. Don't give me the silent treatment. You know I can't handle it.”

It was true. While she could give the silent treatment, she couldn't stand to be on the other side. It was just like fighting. When she was younger, she'd give Namjoon and him the silent treatment until she was ready to talk. But they could never give her it.

It's not that they didn't try. They did and it worked for maybe forty-five minutes, but she was just so damn annoying. They'd end up cracking just so she'd stop.

This was not the reason Jimin did it. Jimin didn't find her annoying; in fact, he liked it. He liked the attention he received from her.

With the guys, Jimin was teased a lot. When he gave them the silent treatment, they weren't bothered by it. In fact, they continued to . When Jimin found out that Jangmi didn't like the silent treatment, he used it to his advantage.

Besides, he was understanding why the guys . They said it was because of his reactions and he was starting to understand what they meant. Jimin found Jangmi's reactions amusing.

So instead of responding, he waved to ahjussi and walked to the back door. Of course, the whole way he had a huge grin on his face.

Jangmi frowned and went to follow him. Before she could move, she jumped at the voice that sounded near her ear. She spun her head and scrunched her nose.

Sehun made a tsk noise.

It seemed he had just arrived for his shift. He had entered just when Jangmi asked Jimin not to give her the silent treatment.

“He's doing it wrong,” He commented lightly as he stood next to her.

She didn't say anything, but she did raise her eyebrow. What was he getting at?

When he smirked, she realized she should've never gave him a reaction. She should've followed Jimin. “He should have made you give him the silent treatment. I mean can you imagine the brain cells he might've lost just listening to you.”

“Oh Sehun, get bent,” She hissed as she tried to hit him.

Unfortunately for her, he was expecting this reaction. He had already backed up with a huge smirk on his face. “Better run after him. If he's smart, he would've left you behind already.”

“Ahjumma, Sehun is being an as—”

“—ask me if you have any questions,” Ahjumma finished before she turned towards her cute little workers. “Do you want me to spank him, Jangmi-ah?”

Before the young girl could answer, ahjumma smacked Sehun hard on his backside. Sehun winced barely, determined to keep his straight face.

Then ahjumma pointed a stern finger at him before strolling off. She went to get the table their drinks as if she didn't just spank a 21-year-old.

“She…” Jangmi started as she stared after the older woman. “…enjoys that way too much.”

“Never speak of this,” Sehun told her.

“And waste precious blackmail of you?” She scoffed as she began to head out the back door. “No way. Now be a good boy, Sehunnie, or else you'll get spanked again.”

She enjoyed the sneer he gave her. This round was neither hers nor Sehun's, but ahjumma’s. If it hadn't been for her, Jangmi might've lost. And even though she didn't win, she felt satisfied.

When she pulled the door open, she was met with a surprised Jimin with his hand out. It seemed like he was about to open the door before she came out.

“Finally,” Jimin told her, his voice turning into a slight whine at the end. “You took forever.”

Then she grinned, “You broke the silence. Does that mean you forgive me?”

His eyes widened slightly. He planned for this to go on for a while, but she took so long. “Aw man!”

“It's okay, Jimin,” She patted his shoulder before flipping her hair. “No one can stay angry at me. It's a talent.”

“Joon-hyung says it’s because you're too annoying,” He said with a smile, knowing she would get bothered.

And he was right.

He was rewarded with her left eye slightly twitching in annoyance. She brought her hand into a fist and said darkly, “That Rap Loser, I'll get him.”

Jimin laughed and grabbed her bike. “Come on, Jangmi.”

She blinked before she followed him. On the way there, they chatted about whatever came to mind. After a while, she discovered Jimin was easy to talk to. Unlike J-Hope, who was just so friendly at the first meet.

All too soon, they reached her house. As she talked to Jimin, she didn't pay attention to a car parked close to her house.

Jimin grinned as he waved at her. She waved back and pulled her bike in. Then she placed it away and entered the house.

She slipped off her shoes and stretched. That's when she noticed three pairs of shoes at the door. Jangmi tilted her head.

She easily recognized two pairs of shoes. The closest pair to hers was Jangho's. Beside those were her mother’s, which she found strange. Why was her mother home so early?

But her mind didn't stay focused on that for very long as she stared at the large pair of shoes next to her mother’s. Just whose were these? Did they have a guest?

“Umma?” Jangmi questioned as she walked towards the kitchen. All the while, she kept staring at the shoes. Perhaps if she stared long enough, she'd figure it out. “Who's here?”

She now stood in the entryway of the kitchen. When her mother cleared , she glanced in. At first, she focused on her mother.

There was something off.

Her mother looked pale. Jangmi knew she wasn't sick, but she looked like it. Then Jangmi turned her attention to her brother. She was confused and concerned even more.

Jangho didn't glance up to meet her gaze. In fact, his eyes stayed glued to the table.

Then Jangmi noticed another presence in the room. She turned slightly to them and everything seemed to make sense.

The extra pair of shoes at the doorway, why her mother was home early, the way she looked sick, how Jangho didn't speak or look at anyone.

Standing in the corner of the kitchen, his back lightly pressed to the counter, was her father.

Jangmi's stomach dropped.

She could only stare at the man as he straightened and tried to smile at her. Her breathing seemed to stop as she stood there, her thoughts halting as well.

“Jangmi…” Her father said softly as he moved towards her.

That woke her up.

She stepped back and he stopped. He didn't say anything then. That was when her mother cleared again. Jangmi's eyes flickered towards her before falling back to the man that stood before her.

“Jangmi, your father has come to visit,” Her mother said, her voice cracking slightly.

At first, she didn't say anything. She was still reeling in shock. Then after a moment, she processed her mother’s words.

The young girl tilted her head as she let out a scoff. “You're four years late.”

Jangho shrunk into his seat more.

Mr. Lee didn't say anything. It had been four years since he had seen his children, his family. He used to visit every chance he got since he was transferred to Los Angeles. He did so for two years then he just stopped.

Now four years had passed and he was here. And he couldn't even be offended at the cold and tense welcoming. He deserved it – after all, he was only here because of his transfer.

As the silence droned on, Jangmi spoke, “Well you saw us. You can go now.”

“Jangmi,” Her mother scolded. Instead of her usual stern tone, this came out as meek.

Jangmi felt her bitterness grow even more. Her mother wasn't like this. She was strong, but then he showed up. She hated to see her mother like this.

“I wanted to see you, to talk,” Her father said quietly, putting a hand out.

Jangho left the room then and no one stopped him. Mrs. Lee’s eyes closed tightly as she let out a shaky breath.

The bitterness grew stronger within Jangmi. What gave him the right after all this time? He didn't get to pop in whenever after four years and expect everything to be okay.

“That's what we wanted all those years,” Jangmi told him with dark eyes, making his hand fall to his side. “But we didn't get that. Excuse me.” With that, she quickly exited the kitchen.

“Jangmi,” Her mother called out.

Mr. Lee shook his head, “Let her go.”

The young girl made her way towards the door and slipped her shoes back on. Just as she opened the door, she stopped.

She glanced towards the living room. Then she walked over and saw her brother sitting on the couch. He looked at her and she gestured for him.

Without a word, he stood and followed her. He put his shoes on and they left.

Jangmi sent a quick message to her mother, saying she and Jangho were going to see Namjoon. That she was sorry to leave her alone, but she couldn't stand to see that man.

“You alright?” She asked her younger br