ACT XVI | SCENE LXXVI

❝SEVEN TRIMMED ROSES❞

ROSALIE SAT ON jangmi's lap, swinging her legs as she stared at the laptop screen with a big grin on her face. jimin sat next to her mother, staring at the screen just as the two were doing, blanche at his feet. hoseok sported a grin as wide as rosalie's as he stared at the screen of his laptop where he could see the faces of the parents and their child.

"really?" rosalie leaned forward. hoseok bobbed his head in a cute nod. "uncle hobi's heart was even hurting from missing you so much." he responded, hand over his chest. "i even cried." he made a show of wiping imaginary tears off his face. rosalie pouted even as her lips curled upwards. "i don't like when you're sad, it makes me sad too." she let out honestly. hoseok smiled warmly at that, feeling his heart soften even more for the beautiful child. "i'm the luckiest uncle in the whole wide world. i won't be sad anymore." he chimed sweetly, loving the way her dimple popped with how big she was smiling.

"so tell me, what did you do while uncle hobi was missing you?" he changed the subject, carefully asking about the period she had been taken. he saw how the little girl's eyes lit up. "mamie joo buyed me ice cream! it was chocolate and strawberry. and she gived me sweet rice cakes too." rosalie's bright smile turned into a slight pout. "but she wanted to bring me home after. i telled her i wanted to play with her. i even fake cried so she let me stay." she whispered the last bit, placing her index fingers against her lips.

hoseok chuckled, mimicking her actions. he glanced at the faces of her father and mother, trying to gauge their reactions. they were silent and their smiles had fallen. he could see the conflict they were feeling on their faces. jimin's gaze was down, staring at his hands as he moved his rings around his fingers. jangmi kept her gaze on her daughter's profile, watching all the excited expressions that passed across the girl's face as she spoke.

"we watched mulan together and i maked her sing all the songs with me and i drawed a flower for her and she promised to bring me..." rosalie paused to count on her fingers, face scrunching together in thought, then brightening as she remembered what she wanted to say. "-seven red roses because my name means rose." she beamed.

jimin's eyes widened in realisation, recalling that when he'd walked in on his mother, she had been trimming roses. so those seven trimmed roses had been for rosalie. his mind was whirling. a frown made its way to a confused jangmi's face. "why seven?" she asked although she had other questions plaguing her mind. "because there are seven letters in my name." rosalie turned to look at her, a smile pulling her lips up but she frowned again. "mamie joo promised to eat breakfast. i ate applejacks with her. she said she will bring them and bring me back home but she didn't come. only the man that smiles pretty came to pick me."

hoseok looked up at the two adults, not sure how to take in all this information. "so you had fun with your new mamie?" he smiled cutely as he turned his attention back to the girl. her hair bounced around as she nodded. "yes! i want to play with her again." she answered. jimin and jangmi shared a look at that. hoseok sent them both a look of his own. "that's nice, rolly polly." he fixed his gaze on the girl. "now uncle hobi has to go to work, okay?" he glanced at his watch, shaking his head at the sight of the rosalie's frown. "okay, one, it's your bedtime. and two, i'm coming home soon so i can give you a big hug when i see you!"

rosalie giggled with a loud squeal, clapping her hands in excitement. hoseok laughed at her reaction. "so for now, just manage mummy and papa's hugs. i'll give you better, warmer ones when i come back." he said mischievously. "hey!" jangmi and jimin yelled in unison, scowling at him. hoseok only laughed more, thoroughly amused by their similar reactions but making no comments on it.

"i love you, rolly polly." he waved. "i love you, uncle hobi!" rosalie squealed in response. he smiled softly. "love you, mimi." he looked at the woman he regarded as a sister, beaming brightly. "love you too, hobi wan." she grinned playfully. "han jangmi!" he yelled in annoyance and she chortled. he sighed, shaking his head at her. "jimin." he turned to the man who sat next her. "hoseok." jimin nodded in reply just before the screen went off.

"okay, rosie. let's get you in bed." jangmi lifted the girl in her arms, getting on her feet. "but i want to play more." the four-year-old whined in her mother's arms. "you can play tomorrow." jimin replied, walking next to jangmi who nodded, "yes, for now, sleep."

she glanced at him to see he was already looking at her. it seemed like the both of them wouldn't get any sleep tonight either.

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thank you 86k reads and 5k votes! i love you guys 💛💛

but this is going to be the last update for a while :(