ACT II | SCENE VII

❝COLD RICE❞

CUTLERY CLACKING AGAINST china filled the dining room of the parks'. no one was speaking at all which jimin was used to. they hardly ever spoke at the table except on rare occasions.

"jimin, is something wrong?" jimin's older sister, bora, fixed him with a concerned stare, eyes trailing to his plate where he had absentmindedly pushed his food around. two more pairs of eyes were now on him, watching his pensive movements.

he placed his fork down carefully. "no, i'm just thinking." he forced on a smile. he wasn't sure announcing his recently discovered fatherhood at dinner was the smartest idea. "you've barely touched your food, honey. something is bothering you. tell us what it is." his mother urged. his father said nothing and instead just observed.

jimin shook his head trying to keep the pained expression off his face. his right leg twitched underneath the table. he wasn't ready for this. he had not prepared anything yet. and he couldn't think of anything to say to allay them for the time being.

"speak up, son, you've got everyone curious now. time is money." his father spoke up. jimin looked at the man and took a deep breath. tongue swirling over his bottom lip quickly, he smiled again. "there's really nothing to be bothered about. i'm just thinking about the presentation i'll have to make to the board soon."

yes, jimin nodded internally, that was a reasonable enough excuse. it was a half truth after all. he was worried about the fact that he would be forced to prove to an entire board that he was in fact capable of running a conglomerate. it just wasn't the issue currently eating away at his mind.

"don't sell me bull because i'm not buying it, son." his father stated calmly. of course the older man had seen through him. he was a businessman after all. and jimin remembered he had told him a few times when he was younger that running a business was like playing poker; you had to know how to bluff and when your opponent was bluffing. clearly, jimin's bluffing needed a lot of improvement.

no one was eating anymore and all the attention had focused on him. the twitching in his leg increased and his fingers began to drum against his knees. again, jimin found himself being taken aback by a situation he hadn't foreseen. it seemed like he'd have to go off half cocked. clearing his throat, he looked at his mother. her expression was the mirror of worry. pursing his lips, he spoke again. "mother, you know how you've been saying i should get married and bear you grandkids?"

"yes..." his mother nodded before her face took on an excited look. "did you like one of the girls? was it jeon nari? i knew you'd like her, she's a sweet girl." his mother went off on a tangent. "um, no." jimin cleared his throat again but the bubble of nerves that had lodged itself in his throat did not budge. "it's not nari? then who?" she asked. "none of them." he answered quietly. confusion found its way to his mother's face. "you found someone else?" the question left bora's lips. jimin shook his head. "not exactly." he replied.

"it's more like the second half of mother's pleas." he ventured, waiting for them to realise the implication of his words. his family was the exemplary image of flummoxed. his father was the first to catch on. "what!" the yell left his lips on a choke. his face began to turn red like he had held his breath too long. bora's face scrunched up further. "i don't underst-"

"you got someone pregnant?!" park myungsoo cut his daughter short. "what?" jimin's mother and sister chorused. "is this true?" his mother's now wide, wild eyes pinned jimin to his seat.

"um, actually... she um..." he stuttered out. "stop sputtering like a dying engine and answer your mother!" his father yelled. the boy jumped a little in his chair, feeling like he was being accosted on all sides. "she already had the child..." he mumbled out. his father got on his feet, the dining chair scraping loudly against the floor in an ear grating sound. "what did you say?!" his hands slammed against the table causing jimin to flinch.

his mother looked like she was going to pass out there and then whilst bora's mouth hung open in shock. jimin's shoulders slacked, head bowing. "dad, calm down please. you don't want to get sick." bora urged and shot her brother a sympathetic look. sighing, his father sat back down. "where is the mother?" he asked. "she's here in seoul."

the colour had washed off park hyunjoo's face and she looked sick as she fanned her face, leaning against her daughter. bora wrapped one arm around her comfortingly, her emerald studded engagement band glinting in the light.

all thoughts of dinner had evaporated from everyone's minds. the rice in front of jimin had long gone cold. he stared at it, unable to meet the gazes of his family. "so how long were you going to keep this from us? till the child turned five?" his father's voice was stern. "actually, she's turning four." jimin rubbed the back of his neck, shifting away from his father in case the man was vexed enough to try and hit him.

there was some commotion as chair scraped against marbled floor and a scream erupted from bora. jimin and his father turned their eyes to find that hyunjoo had lost consciousness.

☀☀☀

lmao not the smoothest move but there's really no smooth way that could've gone.