CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

Minhee awoke to the feeling of her child kicking her belly, she winced in pain but happiness engulfed her as she was able to finally feel her child. After all the stressors she'd been through, she's happy that there was a sign her baby was okay. She just really wished that Jimin was here to be able to feel it.

She decided to give him a call.

"Babe!" She heard that familiar warm tone over the phone, her heart sighed with relief.          
"Jimin! I just felt our baby kick" tears started forming in her eye ducts as she rubbed her belly.
"Are you, are you serious?" He exclaimed over the phone.
"Yeah.." She replied as her voice trailed off. Only God knows how much she longed for Jimin, her silenced cries becoming more noticeable.
"My love?" He gently said. "Please don't cry" his voice replied in a desperate attempt to keep himself from crying.
"why? Why is it so impossible for us to be together? Why is my father so...so evil" She cried. "I'm so afraid, so afraid something will happen to our baby because I'm just so damn stressed all the time! I can't sleep, I barely want to eat, I just feel sick all the time, I'm experiencing separation anxiety from my sister, and constantly fighting against Jungkook isn't helping either. I just want peace, I want to rest, and most of all I want you"
"What do you mean fighting with Jungkook? He isn't hitting you is he?" He asked. Minhee stayed quiet. "Minhee?" He continued, she could feel his anger through the phone. 
"He...he doesn't hit me, he-" Her voice trailed off.
"He what?" His tone becoming more firm.
"He just...forces me to kiss and be affectionate with him when I don't want to be" Minhee felt ashamed, the flashbacks of what she had to go through with Jungkook on their so-called "honeymoon"
"I'm gonna ing kill him!" Jimin's tone frightened Minhee, she had never heard such rage.
"Babe, please. Don't do anything irrational! You know how powerful my father is, I don't want him to hurt you!" Minhee pleaded to try and calm him down.
Jimin knew that Minhee was right. As angry as he was, he was powerless against her father, and the last thing he wanted was to never see Minhee or his unborn child again, he took a few deep breaths and came back to reality "I hate that I'm powerless in this situation! I hate that I can't be with you, I hate that we can only secretly call on the phone! I hate it!" His frustrations brought Minhee to the brink of tears because she too was powerless. 
"Well, actually I have some positive news! I have an ultrasound next Tuesday and I want you and my sister to come with me. This one we get to find out if it's a boy or a girl" She smiled while rubbing her belly.
"Is it that time already? Of course my love! Just let-" his voice trailed off as he was interrupted by a woman in the background, it sent shivers down her spine as if she'd ever been able to forget the voice of that wretched woman Ivy. "Babe I'm at work right now, I'll call you back later okay? I love you" and with that, he hung up. What is he doing at work with Ivy? She trusted Jimin, but she couldn't help but wonder why they were together at all. 

"Madame Minhee, we have prepared your breakfast for you" One of the maids knocked on the door. 
"You may come in" She replied as she pulled her sheets up. They brought her breakfast on a silver platter and placed a bed table in front of her, and got everything ready. Her phone suddenly started to ring, it was the doctor. 
"Dr. Yang! Hello," Minhee smiled. 
"Minhee, how are you doing my dear?" Dr. Yang asked. 
"Well, I just felt my baby kick this morning!" She exclaimed gleefully. 
"Already? It's pretty early to feel the baby kick at just 15 weeks, but that's incredible! I'm glad to hear it. I just wanted to call and see if we were still good for our ultrasound appointment next Tuesday?" 
"Yes, I can't wait, hopefully, my boyfriend will be able to come as well" She replied. Jungkook stood outside her door, heartbroken that she didn't tell him about any ultrasound. 

 Jungmee arose from her bed after sleeping due to the loud yelling happening outside her door. She rolled her eyes as her phone suddenly buzzed, she checked it to see that Taehyung had texted her, she eagerly opened it

"Hey, are you busy right now?" He texted. 
"Nah, just laying in bed" She replied. 
"Okay, get ready! I'll be there in 30 minutes" She excitedly got out of bed and ran to get dressed. She examined her outfits and carefully picked a few items out, she couldn't decide what to wear, so she face-timed her sister. 
"Sister!"  Minhee smiled. 
"I need your help, I'm going out with Taehyung, and I need help with an outfit" Jungmee panicked. 
"Oooh, what outfits did you pick out?" Minhee replied. 
"Okay so I was thinking casual, but like casual in a way where it says I didn't try too hard, but also not under-dressing but also representing me" She hoped she was making sense. 
"Hm, okay just change out your orange top for that white graphic tee of that band you have, and wear your forest green jacket on the outside. Your hair looks good no matter what it's in and then wear your white high tops. I feel like it's not too overdressed, or underdressed and is a perfect medium for the "I woke up like this" type of look, plus I'm sure Taehyung will think you look beautiful no matter what" Minhee winked. 

Jungmee blushed at the thought. She put the outfit on and then walked over to her full body mirror "It's perfect, it's me!" Jungmee smiled. "You're the best, my sweet sister! Thank you. Tell my niece or nephew that I love them, and I love you!" She said as she quickly hung up, she threw her hair up in a quick ponytail and then headed out because he texted that he was outside. Jungmee was caught in a smoke cloud and inhaled a bit too much causing her to cough "what the hell" she complained as she tried to swipe the clouds away. 

"Where are you going?" Jinhwan asked as he blew out a vape puff towards her. 

"None of your business" Jungmee replied annoyed. 

"Aw someones in a bad mood, was us having too much fun last night bothering you?" His little girlfriend mocked. 

"Tell me, is your idea of fun silence in the bedroom? Guess his little pencil tip just wasn't cutting it huh? I'd break up with him immediately if I were you sis" Jungmee laughed. The look of shock across their faces was priceless. She quickly left and hopped in his car. 

"You look amazing" Taehyung smiled. 
"You don't look too bad yourself cool guy" Jungmee smiled back. "So where are we headed?" 
"Well, I was thinking we could do something we've both never done, so I got us tickets to ride in a hot air balloon, with dinner in the sky" He replied. Jungmee was super excited. After a few more minutes of driving, they had arrived and walked up to the ticket booth. 
"What a beautiful couple" The ticket person smiled as Taehyung handed over the tickets. "The deluxe ticket, excellent choice sir, the waiter will give you the menu before you are lifted into the air, please enjoy your ride"

Taehyung grabbed firmly onto Jungmee's hand as they walked towards their assigned hot air balloon. "My lady," He said as he helped her onto the balloon first. The setup was beautiful, the floor and the sides of the basket were covered in a beautiful floral lavender-colored cloth, which was outlined with small lights. Atop sat a table for two, with lanterns sitting on top, with a cute jar in the center containing a single white rose inside. 

"This is absolutely beautiful" Jungmee was touched. 
"I really hope you enjoy this, I wanted our first date when I got out to be a special one" He shyly rubbed the back of his neck. A waiter came over and handed them their menus, so they ordered their food and finally, they were lifted into the air.

As their balloon was rising, Jungmee felt her body become lighter somehow, she stood up and watched as the people below started to shrink and the land below become a beautiful palette of combined colors on earth's canvas. "I feel so free," Jungmee said as she lifted her arms in the air, she loved the feeling of the gentle breeze flowing through her hair, and breathing in the air at this level just felt crisper. 

"I feel free just being with you. I can never thank you enough for continuing to believe in my innocence and for not-" his words trailed off, he was caught up with his tears "for not running away from me when you found out what I did" He walked towards the woman he loved and gently cupped her cheeks and fixed her gaze towards his. He still had that effect on her, her heart was beating louder than ever, but slowly matched the rhythm of his. Her cheeks flushed a gentle pink as her hands were automatically placed upon his arms, helping to support. His eyes focusing on her delicious pink lips as he slowly started to lean in. 

Jungmee slowly closed her eyes "I love you, Lee Jungmee" He whispered as their lips finally connected with one another. His cologne filled her nostrils and soon she could only focus on how soft he felt against her lips. She felt her toes curl up as they kissed with desperation to fill the gap of time that was taken from them when they were apart. It sent tingles down her spine, and she didn't realize how much she missed the warmth of Taehyung, how much she longed for his embrace, and just how hollow her heart had become until they reunited. She needed Taehyung in her life, she just didn't realize how much.

Soon the brightness of the day quickly shifted into the darkness of night, and lanterns from the other balloons filled the shimmering night sky. "Make a wish, and then set your lantern free," Taehyung said. 

"But what if, I already have all that I wish for?" Jungmee smiled from ear to ear.
"Other than me, there's gotta be more you wish for?" He teased and chuckled. Jungmee joined him in laughter. "I-" her voice faded as she thought about her sister and her mother. No wish in the world could ever bring her precious mother back or reverse the situation their father had placed both her and her sister in, but she definitely thought of something. "Okay, I made a wish" She smiled as she lit the inside of her lantern, and set it free. She felt safe with Taehyung, in a way she hadn't felt for a very long time. 

Minhee sat up and decided she wanted to go over to the house to be with her brothers especially since she and Jungmee had come up with an idea that everyone should take a trip together as that was one of Jin's last wishes. So she got up and got dressed, Jungkook was just sitting in the living room watching TV "where are you going?" He asked as he was browsing through channels. 

"I'll be at my home, just wanted to talk to my siblings about something" She replied as she headed towards the front door. 
"Be safe. Also, I'm coming with you to your ultrasound whether you like it or not" He said. 
"I'm not debating this with you. I don't have to tell you for you to know who I was talking about since you like eavesdropping so much" Minhee said with a stoic expression, there was always something to argue about every day, she was just tired of wasting her energy when he wouldn't listen anyway. And with that, she left.

Her father had met her in the parking lot, as he was headed over to check on her "And where might you be going?" He asked. 

"Back home" She answered short. 
"For what? Shouldn't you be at home being a housewife for your husband?" He said, she could sense he was about to lose his temper. 
"And