Chapter 4
A Good PersonI hope the chapter is good. It might be a little boring though as nothing much happened. But it is like an introduction to the further story. Please, enjoy!
Jihyo wasn't sure what do to in the situation she found herself. She was angry with their father. He admitted to having an affair just two days ago. But it wasn't what Jihyo was the most furious about. She was sitting on her bed with little Dahyun in her arms. She tried to feed her with the baby food but the one-year-old lost her appetite. Jihyo couldn't blame her. Their mother just left that morning. Like that she dressed and left. Not even telling Jihyo she wouldn't be there. Jihyo was met with a heartbreaking scene when she came back home from the University. Dahyun was crying on the top of her lungs on the floor. Jihyo's heart stopped and she ran as fast as she could to pick up the toddler and tried to calm her crying. She walked around their apartment looking for their mother but couldn't find her anywhere. She couldn't reach her over the phone either. What was Jihyo suppose to do? She called her best friend Jeongyeon.
„Did she take anything?” Jeongyeon asked as she was walking through the hallway to reach her friend. Jihyo just shook her head. She was still holding now calm Dahyun in her arms.
„I was more focused on taking care of Dahyun.” Jeongyeon sat next to Jihyo and put her arm around her shoulders.
„She will be back. It's just 4 p.m. I am sure she just left for a few hours.” Jihyo wanted to believe Jeongyeon. She wanted to trust her mother. That she would be back by the evening. Albeit she felt in her gut that she wouldn't see her mother soon. She remembered how her mother acted the previous day. She was just lying in bed with a bottle of alcohol in her hand. Jihyo understood that her mother was hurt. She was as well but if she really left them.
„Could you cook something?” Jeongyeon didn't need to be begged more. She went to the kitchen immediately and left Jihyo in the room. Dahyun was playing with her sister's necklace. Jihyo observed the toddler. She was afraid that they would be alone since then. That she would have to raise Dahyun. That, in a sense she would have to be her mother. She shook those thoughts away though. Their mother would be back. She would be there with them and they would go through the obstacles together.
Now Jihyo mocks herself for being that naive. She should have listened to her gut from the beginning. Their mother came back a week later. To get money from Jihyo. As if Jihyo actually had any money. She didn't work then because their mother had a well-paying job. Then she learned that not anymore. Their mother stopped coming to work the same day she left their home. Since then Jeongyeon was the biggest help to them. She supported them financially when Jihyo was still looking for a job. She looked after Dahyun together with Chaeyoung when Jihyo had to stay late at work. They wouldn't make it if it wasn't for Jeongyeon. She was a good person they needed.
„Jihyo.” Dahyun approached Jihyo after it was just them and Chaeyoung in the kindergarten. Chaeyoung was drawing on a piece of paper and Dahyun used this occasion to talk with Jihyo about something. Jihyo looked up from the papers she was filing in and waited for the little girl to talk.
„Can I stay at home today?” Jihyo was a little concerned. Dahyun talked about the sleepover with Chaeyoung since last week. The two girls were excited to spend the day and then come to the kindergarten together.
„Did something happened? Are you not feeling well?” Dahyun couldn't lie to her sister. But she wished she could do it just that time. Though Jihyo would check if she really felt unwell.
„No, I'm fine.” Jihyo sighed in relief and smiled at her sister.
„Then why don't you want to go? You and Chaeyoung were very excited about this sleepover.” It was obvious to Jihyo that Dahyun was trying her hardest not to tell her sister the truth. But Jihyo didn't push her. She glanced at Chaeyoung and saw the girl roar and then go back to drawing. That girl was endearing indeed.
„I just want to stay home. Chaeyoung doesn't mind. I told her.” Dahyun finally gained the courage to speak. She looked into Jihyo's eyes and didn't like the frown that appeared on her sister's face.
„Is this about what happened yesterday?” Dahyun lowered her head when Jihyo saw right through her. „Dahyun, it's fine. You can go to the sleepover. What happened doesn't affect anything.” Jihyo finished and looked back at her papers. She thought that Dahyun would drop it after that.
„You always say that. But then you cry the whole night and I can't do anything about that.” Dahyun's answer froze Jihyo. She didn't expect that. She was sure she always closed the door when she was crying. She was sure that Dahyun was always sleeping then. Dahyun didn't wait for an answer. She went back to Chaeyoung and started drawing with her. Jihyo was just sitting behind the desk and tried to keep calm. She couldn't forgive herself that she let Dahyun witness that. She wasn't supposed to know. Dahyun was supposed to be happy. Jeongyeon knew that something was off. When she came to pick the two girls up she noticed the way Jihyo was just sitting with her head in her hands. But she couldn't get an answer from her. Jihyo just told her to take the girls and wished them great fun. Jihyo only kissed the little girls' heads as a goodbye and sat back. Jeongyeon left with the girls reluctantly. But she made sure that she wouldn't let Dahyun and Chaeyoung know that something was wrong. Though the fact that Dahyun was unusually quiet convinced her that she was aware of the situation. Jeongyeon hoped that Jihyo would pick up her phone when she would call later.
„Do I look like I am worth sinning?”Jisoo looked up at Nayeon from the laptop she was working on only for a split of a second. Nayeon was standing in a ridiculous pose in her black dress that they picked for the interview.
„Whatever you say.” Nayeon rolled her eyes. She wasn't asking for much. So why was Jisoo dismissing her like that?
„You are my biggest anti. You are lucky I love you.”Jisoo shook her head but didn't say anything. Nayeon flopped on the chair and sighed dramatically. Once, twice. After the third time, Jisoo closed the laptop and gave her whole attention to Nayeon.
„What's wrong?” Nayeon looked at her with puppy eyes. She seemed upset about something.
„I can't meet Momo and Tzuyu today.” Jisoo should have expected that. She still couldn't decide if this new friendship Nayeon is getting herself into. Well, Nayeon is getting them both into. But she couldn't deny that she liked Momo and Tzuyu as well.
„It's just one day. You'll live. Besides, you can always text her.” Nayeon burst out laughing at that. Jisoo was hilarious sometimes.
„Very funny. Text her? Good one.” Nayeon glanced at Jisoo that looked completely serious and got nervous. She couldn't just text Momo. Was there any good reason to just text her out of nowhere. Momo might get the wrong idea. But what wrong idea Nayeon wasn't sure. She just didn't know what she was nervous about.
„Call Jinyoung. He texted you.” Jisoo decided to drop the subject after seeing the state Nayeon was in. Nayeon was grateful for that. She needed a little distraction. Jinyoung might provide it. She took her phone from Jisoo's hand and dialed his number.
Mina didn't like coming home after 9 p.m. Especially, in winter. She knew she shouldn't cling to that memory but she couldn't let go of it. It was the only memory that she had with her biological parents. It didn't matter that it was the memory of them driving her to the foster house. The memory was vague after so many years but it didn't make it better. Mina was waiting for the green light and something caught her attention from the sidewalk. She tried to take a better look at it. After a few seconds of observing the figure started looking like a human. It was freezing outside and that person was just sitting on the sidewalk. She took advantage of the free space and pulled over to the sidewalk. Without much thinking, she left her car and approached the person. Mina was being careful. She didn't want Sana and Momo to pick her up from the hospital or worse. But she really wanted to help that person. This part of the sidewalk wasn't well lightened albeit she could tell it was a woman. Mina couldn't see her face though. What caught her attention was the hat on the woman's head. A hat that she had knitted herself.
„Oh my God. Jihyo. What happened?” Mina kneeled next to Jihyo and put her arm around her. She immediately felt how hard Jihyo was trembling. Mina shook off her coat and took off her scarf to put them on the freezing woman. Jihyo tried to stop her from doing that though.
„Mina. What are you doing.” She wasn't strong enough to stop Mina from wrapping her in the coat and the scarf. Mina looked around in search of Dahyun. She hoped that the little girl was with Jeongyeon right then.
„Is Dahyun with Jeongyeon?” Jihyo nodded her head slowly and Mina sighed in relief. She then got up and went back to her car. She opened the back door and came back to Jihyo. Perhaps Mina was a little overreacting but to her it was reasonable. She picked up Jihyo the bridal style and carried her to the car. Jihyo felt the warm rush to her cheeks. She was glad it was dark and that no one else was walking down that street. Mina put her gently on the backseat and wrapped Jihyo with the clothing tighter. Jihyo could only stare at Mina. She at a loss for words. When Mina was satisfied she put a belt over Jihyo and closed the door. She got in behind the wheel and started driving to her home. She didn't want to leave Jihyo alone in the apartment in that state. She turned the heating higher and hoped that Jihyo would warm up before they get to the house.
"Come on, Jihyo. Pick up." Jeongyeon was talking to herself while she was waiting for Jihyo to answer. She was sure her friend was already at home. She glanced at her sister and Dahyun. The two girls were watching The Loin King. Jeongyeon could tell that Chaeyoung also noticed something was off. The little girl was hugging Dahyun the whole time and wouldn't let go even when one needed to go to the bathroom. Jeongyeon swore it was all because of the previous day. Mrs. Park really had to be like that. Jeongyeon wouldn't care if she targeted Jihyo and Dahyun's father. He kinda deserved it. But Jihyo and Dahyun never deserved that. They were good people. They were both so strong and caring. So where was the fairness in that?
"Jeongyeon. The movie's over." Chaeyoung's voice got Jeongyeon's attention and she dropped her phone on the table. She moved to the TV and rewind the movie.
"Are you really going to watch The Lion King the whole evening?" The two little girls nodded their heads in perfect synchronization. Jeongyeon could already quote the entire movie by heart. That's how many times Dahyun and Chaeyoung watched it.
"Okay. But first, let's change into PJs. It's going to be more comfortable that way." The two little girls obeyed the woman and walked to Chaeyoung's room. Dahyun of course, still had Chaeyoung glued to her side.
"Dahyun, Jihyo loves you. I and Jeongyeon love you as well. So don't be sad." Chaeyoung said when Jeongyeon left for a moment. Dahyun felt a little bit better after that. But she was still worried about Jihyo. She wished that Jeongyeon would be able to call Jihyo and her sister would pick up. So that they all could stop worrying so much.
The chatter was coming through the opened balcony door into the room. Nayeon decided to take some fresh air after spending most of the day inside. She was observing the big city from the chair wrapped in her duvet. She was still contemplating texting Momo. Then she realized it was late. But then she thought she could leave a goodnight message to her. Or maybe that would be too much.
"Just do it. You are annoying." Jisoo spoke from her seat. She was reading a book wrapped in her blanket. Nayeon knew that her manager was right.
"What should I write?" Nayeon looked hopefully at Jisoo. The manager felt as if she was a nanny sometimes. Nonetheless, she loved Nayeon and she wanted to help.
"Something like, hey, how was your day? Mine was okay, though it would've been better with you in it. Dream of me, kisses." Nayeon smashed one of the pillows on Jisoo's head but the manager just laughed.
"Stop being my anti." Jisoo watched Nayeon cover her head with the duvet. She could tell her friend was sulking under it. So she took a pitty at Nayeon.
"Just ask her about her day and wish her goodnight. Even if she won't answer tonight, she would tomorrow. And that way you would start a whole conversation with her." Nayeon contemplated the idea for a minute. She finally took her phone and opened a conversation with Momo. She typed with shaking hands. Why was she so nervous? Nayeon wrote what Jisoo said and hoped that Momo would reply in the morning. So that they could have an opportunity to talk more. Somehow, Nayeon wanted just that.
"Mina, I can walk." Jihyo said before Mina could put her arms under her. Mina froze for a second but didn't back out.
"But you are weak. I can't let you strain yourself even more." And so Jihyo was picked up again. She felt her cheeks warm up again and she hid her face in Mina's shoulder. She caught a man walking a dog before she hid her face. Great. That's what she needed. Mina walked up to the door and only then realized that she couldn't ring the bell or knock. Jihyo figured it out though and used one of her hands to knock on the door. Mina laughed awkwardly and thanked Jihyo softly. Jihyo had to admit that she never thought Mina was that strong. Which was impressive. Fortunately, the two didn't have to wait for long. Soon Sana opened the door and was ready to throw herself at Mina. She nearly tripped when she noticed that Mina was carrying someone last minute.
"It's Jihyo." Mina said while passing Sana. She went straight to the living room. Sana followed right after her. She was worried about Jihyo considering the circumstances. Mina put Jihyo gently on the sofa and took the coat and scarf off her.
"You were without a coat the whole time?" Sana looked at Mina with disbelief. Sure, Mina only felt cold when she left the car in their driveway but it was a short walk.
"She wouldn't listen to me." Jihyo informed and Sana wasn't surprised. Her girlfriend might've as well been a reincarnation of Jesus. Never thinking about herself.
"You needed it. You were trembling so hard. I needed to warm you up." Mina argued with the two women. She did what she needed to do. She didn't care if she caught a cold from it. Sana sighed heavily and massaged her temples.
"I will prepare tea for you. Change into pajamas and get under the blankets." Sana left the room and headed for the kitchen. Mina turned to Jihyo and met an extended hand.
"Don't try to pick me up again." Mina giggled at that. That made Jihyo smile. For the first time since the previous day.
"I will bring everything here. Can I give you my pajama?" Jihyo nodded and Mina left her. Jihyo looked around the room. There were a lot of photos. From every corner, you could see Momo, Mina, Sana, and Tzuyu smile at you brightly. There were also photos of Momo and Mina's parents. Jihyo didn't know what happened to them. She just knew they weren't there anymore. Sana was the first one to come back into the room. She put the mugs on the table and sat next to Jihyo. Sana put her hand on Jihyo's forehead to check if there were any signs of a fever. She wasn't sure though.
"Are you okay?" Jihyo didn't know how to answer. She was okay physically. But emotionally, definitely not. But she didn't want to burden Sana and Mina with her problems.
"Yes. I might just get a cold from this. But I am fine. I would be more worried about Mina's back." Sana smiled at the response. Though she was worried Mina might be waking up with aching back.
"I tried to get the warmest for you." Mina appeared in the room with clothes and blankets. She put everything on the sofa and then grasped Jihyo's hands. "I won't pick you up." Jihyo shook her head and let Mina pull her up. Once she was standing she grabbed the pajama and followed Mina to the bathroom. Once there, Mina told her to take a shower and that they would be waiting in the living room. Jihyo nodded and waited for Mina to close the door before she started undressing.
Mina came back to the living room and took her pajama.
"Do you know what happened?" Sana's voice was quiet. She hoped that it was nothing serious. Albeit Mina couldn't give her an answer.
"I found her sitting on the sidewalk. She didn't tell me what happened. I only know that Dahyun is with Jeongyeon." At least one thing calmed Sana a bit.
"Do you think she would tell us? We aren't that close." Mina thought about that as well. She wasn't sure if Jihyo would tell them anything but she still wanted to try. She wouldn't forgive herself if something bad happened to Jihyo.
"Let's hope she would tell us something. Even just one thing." Sana nodded and stood up. She embraced Mina tightly and held her for a moment. "Momo is already sleeping. Should we wake her up?" Mina considered the options for a while and got to one conclusion. Would they even be able to wake Momo up? They would just tell her everything in the morning.
"We tell her tomorrow. She should rest." Sana nodded into Mina's shoulder. She didn't want to jinx anything. But she was afraid Mina would get invested into Jihyo's problems. To the point that it could hurt her. Sana also wanted to help Jihyo albeit she knew that sometimes they couldn't do anything to help. Mina couldn't comprehend that. She wanted to help everyone that needed it. Even if it was destroying her.
"Mitang, promise me you will take care of yourself." Mina found that request silly. She was always taking care of them and herself. Nonetheless, she answered.
"I will take care of you all and myself." Sana just had to settle on that. At least Mina wasn't being defensive.
"Thank you."
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