“Care to tell me why I’m being banished?”

“Hello, nurse Park. Good day to you as well, I’m great, thanks for asking. Why don’t you have a seat, want some water? Juice?”

“Cut it Hyejeong. Why am I being put on leave?”

Shin Hyejeong, the head nurse for the hospital, the one in charge. The one who would handle the HR and paperwork for all their nurses, and had decided, not finding any resistance from the higher ups when she brought it up to them, that Jihyo was going to be put on paid leave during her pregnancy. She was four months along and nobody wanted anything like last time happening again, and they would fire her if that was what they needed to do to keep the woman resting.

“Jihyo, would it kill you to treat me as your superior? Cause, you know, that’s what I am.”

“Oh, like I haven’t known you since you were that lanky freshman with bushy hair and clearly lost on campus.”

“And what did I do to get this kind of treatment?”

“You are punishing me without reason.”

“We, yes, we don’t give me that look. The director agreed to it as well.” The woman clarifies before continuing. “We don’t want you overworking yourself again, and seeing last time was enough for us all to learn, you are staying home until that girl is born and there is nothing you can do about it.”

“I need the hours, general.”

“And you will get them. You are on paid leave until you give birth, then you are on maternity leave.”

Jihyo merely smiles, she knows that if the directors have personally approved there was absolutely nothing she could do. 

“And we agreed that general Hyejeong had died in graduation.”

“No, I recall clearly that you begged us to let general Hyejeong go but nobody really agreed to it. Maybe Minnie did, but I don’t really think it had anything to do with her having a good heart.”

“You will not be talking about my baby like that, remember I can get my revenge easily.”

“I know, but you won’t. Don’t worry, though, I love Minnie….. You two should come by for dinner! It’s been too long and even Jae asked how you were doing.”

“We will. Not that you have the time, treat sus well, sunbae-nim.” Both women laugh. “Seriously, though. Go home and take care of that little girl, I want to be a godmother and neither Minnie or I will be allowing the Hirais to take the two of them.”

“You do remember Momo is a blackbelt, knows how to fake an accident and will not hesitate to murder for the godmother position, right?”

“I also know Chae is the clumsiest and sloppiest threatener that has ever roamed this earth and will ruin her plans without me having to move a single muscle.”

“Can’t argue with facts.” Jihyo laughs and stands to leave, might as well head home and catch some more sleep. “I’ll be waiting for that phone call, general Hyejeong.”

“It will come, but I’ll give you a couple of days to rest first. Go home, Ji, take care of the little one for all of us.”

They hug each other like long lost friends, which wasn’t really that far from the truth, and Jihyo goes back home. She was happy that her old friend was looking after her, and made the effort to take care of her despite being constantly swarmed with work, Minnie called complaining every once in a while, the calls had been more frequent lately. Jihyo promised herself she would get Chaeyoung to hand over one of her experiments for the dinner, the Hirais were going to be at the dinner anyways.

The small nurse set out to find Momo and bid the woman goodbye, who she found smuggling some snacks by the stairs, don’t ask. Soon enough, Jihyo was at the locker and decided to send out a chat message telling everyone she was put on leave, better let everyone know already. Said group chat now included a certain Im couple, Jackson had already been included months before, and was titled The Parks & co.

Dahyun laughed, they all knew Jihyo was a workaholic, the victim of her jokes just reminded her she was Gucci’s priestess and the pale woman decided that being silent was her best choice. Chaeyoung was happy to have someone she could bug about her meats, she had been really into experimenting with them and nobody had been as enthusiastic, Momo was supportive, from a distance that is. Nayeon just sent a thumbs up, but she had been swamped with making the Parks legal heirs and gaslighting her mother so she could get everything done before the woman could act.

Jackson never really checked his personal phone before he was done with whatever he had to do for the day, nobody really knew, and nobody really asked. So no real answer was being expected there. Youngjae said he would tell Jaebum, who was busy and very greasy at the moment, something about a malfunction none really wanted to know about. Jihyo laughed a little and finished getting changed so she could head home already.

The house was empty, as it would be at this time of the day. Tzuyu and Gucci had been gone for a while now, Jihyo could still feel their presence, they all could, Elkie had explained it was the gods blessings upon them all and they had been given some devine gifts, and would never be as normal humans again. The deities had promised they would return when the baby was born, but she couldn’t help but miss them. Gucci’s mood swings, Tzuyu’s adolescent crisis, the clumsiness both had towards anything that involved paying attention and the way both would brighten up their house just by being there.

With nothing to do, Jihyo slipped into her pajamas, closed her bedroom’s courtains, set and alarm so she could wake up to get Sana, and got herself comfortable for a good day’s sleep. She wasn’t really looking to have lunch, opting to catch up to those lacking hours of sleep instead of bothering with food, don’t worry, she ate when she arrived from the hospital, no need to wake up for that. 

Nayeon, Dahyun and Jackson had been busy, too busy. Dahyun took care of Kim co. and Nayeon was in charge of Im co. Jackson did what he did, and was under both companies. Sure, it was settled for both companies to merge in the future, but the young man had already said he wasn’t intending to take over, and had been working on his own company that was very successful, in fact. He had a high-profile security company, dealt with the rich among the rich who required a special and completely discreet type of protection.

Needless to say, having Kim-Im as his last names opened a lot of doors that would have remained closed otherwise, but he did make a name for himself and was beginning to get the recognition and respect he worked hard for. So, it was to fall upon Mina to handle things, but she would have two cousins to help her through it all, they all knew Sana wasn’t ever letting the girl go, and were certain both would take such great care of the little one (yes, she had a name, but Jaebum was refusing to tell anyone until the baby was registered), that the girl would follow them anywhere.

“Ma, I think we should make some more decisive moves about the old lady.”

“Jack-Jack! What happened?” Dahyun greets, immediately stopping all activities to tend to her son.

“She just hired some serious muscle to handle uncle Jae and aunt Hyo.”

“And how serious are we talking about here?”

“Serious like we don’t mess with them, they don’t mess with us, and we all pretend each other doesn’t exist to avoid a civil war.”

“That sounds very serious indeed. I’ll call Yeonnie over, we should talk to her about this as well.”

“Sure, ma. I’ll get us all some coffee and donuts, we’ll need them.”

While Jackson was at the family’s favorite coffee shop, a small shop, about three blocks away from the company, they loved the donuts there and the owners were so nice, they took their suggestions about which coffee blends to invest on to heart, and actually made one called The Ims. Jackson always loved being there and just basking in everything the shop offered, the smell of coffee, freshly baked goods that were eye-candy and smelled amazing, the homey atmosphere and sense of privacy the tinted windows and decor created. He took his time to get his mothers’ favorites pastries, three big The Ims and make sure he wasn’t going to lose sense of time in there, as it usually happened.

Coming back, Nayeon was already there and waiting, his mothers had made their way to the couches and sat looking very grimm waiting for the young man to return. Jackson understood, he was on edge himself and the women didn’t even know everything he knew yet. This sure was going to be a long week, and it was just wednesday morning.

“So, lay it on me and don’t hold back.” Nayeon mostly demands once they settle. “If it’s time to move, we’ll move without hesitation. I’m not letting them get hurt ever again.”

“Calm down, mom. Old lady is talking to the Thai. I think it was the Buramuk, if my sources are right. There isn’t much information yet, she has been seen with quite a few people, looks like the Thai finally accepted.”

Dahyun whistles and Nayeon looks completely unbelieving. Sure, old lady Im was desperate at this point, but none had expected the woman to stoop this low, there were some people they had agreed to steer clear from, and had agreed to the same in turn, all business, no heart feelings, no attachments, and absolutely no mingling. Much like her father, Nayeon, Dahyun and Jackson had official meetings with certain people to settle these rules, and old lady Im must have snooped out a few names from her husband’s office. The three had refused any involvement with those people, but old man Im had indulged them for a while.

“That calls for some more serious measures. I think it’s time for us to meet the Thai.” Nayeon decides and gets surprised and worried looks in return. “No, I’m not about to out deal my mother. I’m just being civil and giving them a heads-up about our moves regarding this situation. We all know we agreed to not mingle, but if they interfere, we are swinging back full force, and their boss should be warned about it.”

“You do have a point there, and I don’t have any info on high ranks meeting with the old lady.” Jackson ponders. “Maybe they don’t know themselves.”

“I doubt it. Thamuk is too strict to let anything happen without his knowledge.” Dahyun denies. “Then again, if they are sneaking around, maybe they think we are all blind to this. I’ll call, just give me a second.”

And the pale woman stands up to go retrieve her phone on her desk, Nayeon and Jackson just sit closer to each other and snuggle while waiting for the meeting to be set. Unexpectedly, they are told it would take place over dinner that day, and the man was on his way to talk to them himself, being very pleased about the call and the respect being shown.