Jennie's POV

"You okay, Jendeuk-ah?" Jisoo asked anxiously as we settled in our seats for the long haul flight.

"Mmm," I said, sitting back. I played with my daughter's black downy hair who was sleeping in Jisoo's lap. She sneezed in her sleep and Jisoo cooed at her.

It's been exactly three months since that scumbag was thrown in prison, without bail or even parole. He tried to plead insanity, but the judge was having none of it. I wanted to jump over and just crush that Judge in a hug when he handed out the sentence.

And without his precious elixir he was ranting about, Jin would die soon--a broken, reprehensible creature.

I did not feel any pity at all.

Seokjin confessed to all his evil doings and I could at last insult him to his face as he was escorted out of the courtroom. I was almost thrown out as well but I couldn't care less.

Closure and justice. Now I can finally move on.

Jisoo had stayed for a few days in hospital until they checked out her forearm because some nerves had been severed, but thankfully not entirely. She had to have physiotherapy sessions for her hands--they would clench up into a fist and nothing could pry her fingers apart.

My Joohyun...I worried she might be traumatised by the whole ordeal. I cuddled her close at every opportunity, and let her sleep in my bed at night. I bought her ice cream whenever we passed the ice cream truck. I also let her stay up and play for an extra hour before bedtime.

Jisoo approved, saying the poor girl deserved it after her harrowing ordeal. She said even grown ups would have PTSD from such a horrible experience, let alone children.

I sometimes wonder if Jisoo is truly okay after Jin revealed everything, after all he did to her. Sometimes at night, I peek into her room and I hear quiet sniffles, or distressed whimpers as she talked in her sleep.

I made sure to spoil her as well, because she has definitely changed. Her voice, usually clipped and sarcastic, was softer and more kind now. She had taken to calling me Jendeukie, like back when we were kids. I also caught her staring in the mirror, her face blank.

She was uncertain about her future. When I asked her if she was moving back to Korea she said: "But I can't leave you now."

"Well, if I went back to Korea, will you come with me?"

She had smiled so brightly, her eye-smile showing as well. I had missed that. She simply hugged me and said "Yes."

And so I arranged my assets and estates and booked us tickets for Seoul. I guess it was a good move for Joohyun too, a fresh start to leave any potential bad memories behind. Although I'm aware there may be some initial problems about making friends.

"She won't have problems," Jisoo laughed, pretending to munch on Joohyun's cheeks as the girl laughed hilariously and clapped.

I stared at them now, watching Jisoo curled up with my daughter snuggled up against the crook of her neck. They looked adorable and I couldn't resist to take a picture.

They had bonded well after the incident. Jisoo marvelled how I had managed to lead the police there just in time.

The reason was simple: Joohyun had been recording everything. Unknowingly, of course.

New York isn't renowned for being kid-friendly. I used to get antsy while waiting in the playground for my girl when school finished and she came running out the last of the kids. A million and one conspiracy theories would run through my mind until she emerged from the school building.

So when Jisoo showed up with those nifty little mics and cameras, I decided to hook one inside Joohyun's clothes. It became a habit everyday. And after Joohyun went missing, I could tell exactly where she is. By the time Jisoo made the phone call, the SWAT team had already been deployed and I had insisted on going with them. I even dressed up like them and they gave me a bulletproof vest, which was cool.

"Yah, Chu, do you think Joohyun will ever call me 'eomma'?" I wondered out loud. I would love to hear her call me that in her chirpy voice but I'm afraid this trauma might affect her more deeply than we can imagine.

A tiny snore was the response I got.

Shaking my head, I covered the sleeping girls with the blanket and went back to my book. Well, technically it belonged to Namjoon, one of his favourites, Kafka on the Shore. Sometimes I read his old books to feel closer to him.

After a few pages, I felt the blanket slide on my knees.

"Cuddle up with us" Jisoo yawned, eyes half-shut. "I'm going to order some steak later after I wake up."

I grinned as I tilted my chair level with theirs and snuggled closer under the cover. "I'm not hungry enough to think of food yet."

We stayed quiet for a while and I thought she had fallen asleep.

"Chu?" I whispered tentatively. She grunted.

"I'm really glad you didn't die."

"I'm really glad I didn't die as well" she smirked. I batted her shoulder.

"Sshh shsh you'll wake her." She paused. "But I'm serious--if Jin had killed me, I wouldn't have gotten to say sorry to you and eomma, and I would have died with that regret."

I heard from my eomma that Jisoo and her mother (Jisoo insists with everyone that 'she's my mother not stepmother') have reconciled. Jisoo mentioned how her eomma cried when she heard what happened to Jin.

She wasn't the only one.

When I told my eomma that we're flying back to Korea, she was ecstatic to meet her joka for the first time. But once her excitement subsided, she soberly told me that she had always thought Seokjin was a good boy.

Yeah, people change I guess.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't die because then I'd have lost my last best friend. And I'd regret getting you involved in the mess we made."

"I told you, the only thing I regret is not fighting to come over sooner. I might have been able to save Chaeyoung and Lalisa....." she trailed off. "Do you think they have forgiven me?"

"I'm positive," I told her confidently, "the maknaes adored you Chu, they had the biggest hearts. And I'm sure the boys are proud of you too."

"Of us," she corrected."Proud of us."

I swallowed. "Of us, yes of course."

"We should go visit their graves when we get home," Jisoo mumbled.

Home.

I haven't felt at home for a long time. The feeling of detachment just grew when Chaeyoung and Lisa were killed. I was left alone and alienated even in my own house, as if I were overstaying my welcome at a stranger's place.

But now, seeing the two most important people in the world tucked next to me, safe and warm, my heart was at peace.

Joon, I think I found my new home.

I took Jisoo's hand beneath the covers and squeezed it.

"Yes, let's," I smiled.
 

                                                                                                  THE END