Forty Three
REDEMPTION![](https://photo.asianfanfics.com/story_cover/1281610_f615a7.gif)
"Unnie..." Joy gets down from the bed quickly.
"Ummm..." Irene diverts her eyes from the couple. Joy is dressed in an over-sized t-shirt and he is shirtless.
Namjoon stands up and walks into the bathroom, taking his towel.
"Why are you standing? Please have a seat!" Joy points at the couch politely.
"No! It is okay. I will wait downstairs. You get ready..." She leaves before the younger girl can call her.
Joy sighs slightly and checks on Deiji.
They come down after sometimes. Namjoon looks at the little girl, who is having a lively talk with her aunt, "Aera. Let us go and wait outside! We need to be good guests to Uncle Jimin and his family. Come on now! Let us not make them wait..."
"Oh! Yesh! I have to say Goood moning to them!!" She kisses the ladies and follows him out.
Joy looks at her sister-in-law and smiles, "Unnie, You are here? I mean you know the Parks?" She sits with Deiji on the couch infront of Irene.
"Yes. Uncle Park is actually an old friend of Appa. So they invited me and Jin. I thought it will be a good change even for 2 days." She shrugs, "The workload is..." She shudders slightly.
Joy nods, "Yes, you did a right thing." She looks at her nervously, "Is oppa...here?"
Irene shakes her head, "No. He has an iemportant meeting So I came today...but he will be here for the wedding. I asked him to be here. Cuz honestly, sometimes such formalities are important."
"Oh..." Joy sighs.
Deiji can understand her mother's sadness from the sound and tries to talk to her.
"Oh! Who is this??" Irene smiles and looks at her with interest. They both laugh.
"This? This is Kim Deiji..." She replies playfully.
"Can I...?"
"Oh! Sure!!"
Irene takes the baby from her, "Hello there..." Deiji smiles at her, "Awww...She is so cute!!!! She..." She looks at her closely, "She has Namjoon's dimples...and nose..."
"Yes. She does." Joy looks at her baby with immense affection.
"I wanted to visit! Trust me, I really wanted to!! But your oppa..." Irene looks down, "And then my own condition...In such situation having a baby around..." She chokes, "I am sorry..."
"No!! No!! NO!! Please Unnie!! Don't!!" Joy shakes her head vigorously. She can totally understand how awful and hellish everything had been for them. Especially for Irene, "Please don't apologize!!" She holds her hand softly.
"Thank you. But I got to know a lot from Aera." She meets the little girl at her pre-school to avoid visiting the mansion. "It is a delight to hear her talk, with such love and care about the baby..." She nudges Deiji softly with her chin, "Jin accompanies me sometimes, you know...I think...I think he may...I think everything will be all right, one day..."
Joy smiles at her assurance. She hopes it too. Eagerly. She looks at her sister-in-law, who is playing with her daughter. She looks less formal and uptight. Much healthier than she saw her last time at the hospital. They never had a conversation like this before, something heart to heart.
"So! Tell me about yourself! You are gonna complete your bachelors soon, right?" Irene tries to divert the topic.
Joy happily helps her to do so, "Yes! I will be done with it in some 6 months!"
"Heard about your results. You have quite improved..."
She laughs at her teasing, "I am just lucky! Way too lucky!! At first getting excused from attending regular classes and then writing tests or exams after their actual dates!!"
"Must have been really hard?" Irene pecks Deiji's bald head.
"Yes. But had such great helps!! Aunty Noel and Cheonsa, my new bff Yeri, Aera and...Namjoon..."
She looks up at the mention of his name, "You look different. And I am not talking about pregnancy and childbirth only. I...I noticed it much earlier. You look... light, more real. You look...happy."
Joy smiles brightly and puts her hand on Deiji's tiny head, " I am happy..."
Namjoon comes back unwillingly for his forgotten cellphone. He walks in to see them turn their head. He does not say anything and goes to their room.
While putting the phone in his pocket, he recalls what he has just heard. He snorts at the irony of the whole situation. Where he had planned to make Park Sooyoung fall in love, marry him, and make her life miserable. With emotional and mental turmoils. He knew he had been successful for the first few months. He still remembers the hollowness in her eyes, reflecting the agony of her soul. Dramatic much? Yes, but this is exactly how it was. Then gradually things changed.
He notices the tiny blanket inside the cot. He smiles slightly and touches it. The change began with her...
"Namjoon?"
He turns around, "Yeah?"
"Aunty is calling us is calling us for the brunch." Joy checks the watch, "Let's go."
He nods and they leave the lodge together. He is a bit relieved not to find Irene waiting for them. They are about to enter the outdoor dining area when Namjoon holds her wrist.
She stops and gives him a questioning look.
He puts his arm around her shoulders awkwardly and gives her a little squeeze. A short side-hug. He lets her go and takes Deiji from her hands. Joy gaps slightly at this. She looks around to see if anyone is there. No, there is no one. So he did not do it for good impressions. A bright smile appears on her lips. Still slightly dazed she quickly joins her family.
" SOOO PEETYY!!" Aera jumps around the valley. Joy agrees with the toddler. Such beauty and tranquility...one does not want leave, ever. They had an hearty brunch with more pleasant interactions. The ladies went to check on the final dress fittings and the men had their own leissure and conversations. After that Mina takes them to the valley where they will exchange vows. The aisle and chairs are all placed as planned. Now they only have to get married there.
"It is so..." Joy looks around and smiles.
"Yup! They always come here at least once a year! I saw their family holiday pics and immediately decided to have the ceremony here!! My mom-in-law's got extra pleased so that is some brownie point..." Mina winks playfully.
They laugh and walk around. It is late spring and a great time to be there. Flowers of different colours bloom everywhere and the air is filled with their fragrance. It is a sunny day but not humid.
The older ladies sit together under a canopy and the youngers ones are sitting under another. They are relaxing when the men join them.
"Hi! Did you have a good time?" Mina asks when Jimin and Namjoon joins them.
Jimin kisses his fiance's cheek and sits down, "Yep! It was really 'enlightening'..." He chuckles and Namjoon snorts knowingly.
"What...?" They look at them, confused.
"Well, you see my 'awesome' grand uncle thought it was his duty to 'teach' young men like me and..." He points at Namjoon, "...Mr. Kim how to be a 'husband and father'..."
"So?? That is good! He is an elderly person and he is experienced and giving advice...what? What so funny?" Joy looks between the men. Jimin is laughing out loud and Namjoon has a playful smile on his lips.
"Yeah!! What is so funny??" Mina asks as well.
"My dear Mina, he was talking about the...process." He wipes the tears that formed due to laughing.
"Oh..." Mina grins sheepishly and the other ladies laugh.
Deiji begins to squirm and whines.
"What is it, baby?" Joy looks down at her. Deiji looks at her mother and babbles a little. She is fed, burped and changed.
"Is she okay?" Namjoon asks, "Let me hold her..." He stands infront of her and calls, "Ahjusshi..."
Deiji raises her arms to be lifted and he quickly takes her, "I should go and stroll with her." He nods at everyone politely and walks around.
"Unkeel!! Look!! But-erfalay!!" Aera squeals when she sees Namjoon coming towards her.
"Wow! This is actually heavenly..." He looks around.
He takes out his phone takes some pictures. He sits down and captures Aera's first meeting with nature and beauty. He realizes that Deiji has been quiet this whole time. He has lied her on the mat beside him. She usually gets all excited seeing Aera play. turns his head to check on her and laughs slighly. A beautiful blue and black butterfly is sitting on Deiji's little head. It must have mistaken the big flower on the head- band. And his ahjusshi...she looks shocked. He grasps the moments and laughs when the butterfly has moved on her nose. After taking some hundreds of snaps, they return for some snacks.
Irene has been obeserving Joy for a long time. She is a matured and respectable woman now...She has changed...
She watches Namjoon return with the girls. Joy is helping Aera to wash up and Namjoon, he pecks the baby's head and hums to her. And so has he...
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