Author POV

           Seolhyun sat at the dressing table. She gazed herself into a makeup mirror. Her black eyes looked faded, her luscious red lips were dry, pale, flaky.

Is this how a pathetic woman looks?

She started touching her lips, her nose, her cheeks and her eyes. "Should I get plastic surgery? Lip lift? Smaller nose? Or is it that my eyes are the one that are not attractive?"

She recalled how y/n looked like. She put her head down on the table and sighed out. It was insecurity and hurting her inside. After battling with her insecurity, she lifted her head back and took the red color of lipstick and looking in the mirror, she applied it on. She spotted a smudge and wiped it off violently. Many things played in her mind! Still hurting, she threw everything she saw on the table to the floor and let out a scream. She breathed heavily while looking at herself in the mirror and slowly calmed down again.

"Mother...mother, mother". Eun Kyung came across her mind and she quickly looked for her phone on the bed.

She found it and quickly made a call to her mother in law. Her hand punched her number as fast as her trembling hand.

"Hello, Seolhyun. Why do you call me?"

Her voice soothed her heart. She quickly cleared her throat. "Hello, mother. Are you busy?"

"No, I'm not. I'm not doing anything. Why?".

"Can-can we meet?", stammered her.

"Of course. I miss you. You should not stutter so much to ask me out.. You're like my own daughter, honey".

She forced out a weak laugh. "I miss you too, mother. Very much. Let's meet at the usual cafe".

"Okay, see you there".

After that, Seolhyun quickly wiped off her makeup and applied new makeup.

               "Seolhyun, have I made you waiting for me for too long?", Eun Kyung asked and quickly took a seat in front of her.

She shook her head immediately, "No, mother".

"I am sorry, my daughter".

"No, mother. It is okay. I am fine".

Eun Kyung studied her face and noticed how different her voice was. "Why is your face swollen and why do you sound like this?"

"I caught a cold, mother", lied her

"Seolhyun-ah.. If I know you are sick, I would go to your house instead of letting you go out meeting me here".

"No, mother. I am fine".

"Do Jungkook take care of you properly?".

Her facial muscles were stiff when she heard Jungkook. She forced out a smile but her lips trembled as the muscle of her face strained under effort. "Yes, he takes care of me. Very well".

"Okay. What do you really wanna say to me, asking me to meet?", asked Eun Kyung.

"I just miss you. I wanna see you", Seolhyun said and held Eun Kyung's hands on the table.

"You're so sweet". She giggled at her compliment.

"Oh, what happens to your hand?", Eun Kyung noticed her hand was bandaged.

"I hurt myself when I was cooking"

"Be careful, Seolhyun-ah".

"Do not worry. It is not too deep", said her and then her eyes changed to serious.

"Mother, I have a friend. She ran a company with her friend. And her friend committed an embezzlement. Then, she asked me my opinion on what she should do because her friend is not only her friend but her childhood best friend. She also did a lot for the company".

"She is a fool if she doesn't send her friend to jail. A petty thief should be sent where they belong to, Seolhyun-ah. She is just her friend. And, even relatives, we should send them to jail".

Seolhyun's whole facial expression changed. She tried maintaining a smile but deep inside, she was hurting, bearing the pain alone. No one could hear her story unless the voice inside her head.

"Life should have less sympathy, that's how we survive in this world. I know it sounds cruel, but that is reality", continued Eun Kyung.

Seolhyun nodded. "That's what I think too".

"Good. That's why I like you. We are same. By the way, grandpa's birthday tomorrow. Have you prepared any presents for him?", asked Eun Kyung.

"Present..", she said weakly and her gaze changed.

"Em, Seolhyun?".

She was slightly startled and said, "Yes, I've prepared it".

"What is it?", she leaned forward, asking interestingly.

"It is a secret, mother", said Seolhyun and they laughed.

"Omo, I'm excited to know it tomorrow. I bet grandpa will like it. It is from his favorite girl, anyway".

               Jimin leaned in his chair, checking his phone. He stared at y/n's contact number. Then he fidgeted with his phone. Took a deep breath and decided to call her at last.

"Why do you call me? Do you wanna tell me to leave Jungkook again?", asked y/n as soon as she answered the call.

"If I do?"

"I will not leave him".

Jimin frowned at her answer. "Why?"

"Because I love him". y/n mustered the courage to say this. It was not easy for her too. She was determined to believe in Jungkook.

He frowned as her though her answer was shameless to him. Clenching his hand tightly, he almost lost his temper.

"If you're going to humiliate me, I am already used to it. So it will be useless", continued her.

He slowly loosened his curling fingers, controlling his anger inside. "It is not about that. Don't you remember you still owe me a three Gucci shirt?"

"I said I will pay you. I will do it. I'm not a scammer. You are so petty rich man". She could not believe a rich man like Jimin still talked about it. It was not like he was really in need. But still, he was right, she owed him.

"Forget it. Let me visit your mother. Where is your mother transferred? Last time I went to visit her, the nurse said she had transferred to another hospital and she could not tell me to where because it is confidential"

Y/n's heart touched when she heard that. He cared about her mother. She knew he was kind but how could he be kind to a person like her. To be honest she knew that she did not deserve his kindness and she deserved all the humiliation he had thrown at her before this. "Why do you care about my mother?"

"I care? I just visited her for once. I want to see how her health improves now".

"She's getting better. The doctor says she will wake up soon. Do not worry".

He sighed out and said, "Just let me see your mother. Where is she transferred to? It is not like I am going to choke her or suffocate her with the pillow like you see in the thriller drama".

She scoffed out of laughter. "Fine, I am about to visit my mother too".

"Let's go together", said him.

"No. Let's go there in your way. I'll see you there. It is ZZZ Medical Center".

It was a top private hospital in Seoul. Jungkook must have paid it.

"Where is that? It must be a private hospital. I don't know where it is. Just let's go together, y/n-ah". He lied. He had been there many times".

"It is, it is at..."

"I don't know", he cut her short.

"Fine. Where can I pick you up?".

"You can drive?"

"Why can't I?"

                 Jimin waited for y/n in front of Jeon Building. A car stopped in front of him and a window lowered down, revealing her face. He got into the car and she quickly drove away without greeting him. She looked nervous and like she wanted to make it real quick. Jimin noticed it and he bet she was afraid if Jungkook knew about this. And what that was he about to do but it was too early now.

"Y/n-ah. You're really cool when you drive".

"Stop fooling around".

"Mom... I'm here", y/n said while pressing her mother's hand under her cheek.

Jimin stood, watching her from behind. There something in his heart felt hurt like there was still a small room in his heart to sympathize with her.

He went to her and said, "Excuse me, I need to make a call".

She nodded and he went out of the ward room. Then, she wiped her mother's body.

               After that, Y/n and Jimin went to the nurses' counter. The nurse made eye contact with Jimin and recognized him. When she was about to open her mouth, he shook his eyes and signed her to shut up. She quickly closed her mouth and looked awkward.

"How is my mom?"

"The doctor says, she will wake up in 1-2 weeks", said the nurse.

"Really? Oh Lord. Thanks my Lord", said y/n.

Then, they went back to the carpark. Suddenly, a man ran in her direction and snatched her sling bag. She was shocked and nervously looked at Jimin, "My bag! Jimin-ah, my bag!".

Jimin quickly sprinted to catch the thief. And then both of them slowed to a walk and stopped at a spot. Jimin was breathing heavily, turned to look at his back, no one was there. His eyes lingered around looking for CCTV and there was none too. He outstretched his hand at the thief, "Give me the bag".

The thief handed him the bag. Jimin took out his wallet, counting for some notes and handed it to him. "Thank you", the thief took it and quickly walked away.

"Wait", Jimin stopped him. He turned at him. "You forget the knife that I've asked", said Jimin.

"Ah, I'm sorry". He gave him the pocket knife and flew off.

Jimin brought the knife to his palm and made a cut in his own palm, slashing a cut across the flesh. Blood came to the surface and dripped out of the cut. He groaned and hissed.

Jimin came back to y/n with her sling bag. She looked at him and then her eyes slipped at his hand. Her bag was in his hand but there was also blood dripping down from his hand. She gasped and covered her mouth with both of her hands.

"Jimin-ah, are you okay?"

"Em?"

She quickly went to grab his hand and examined it worriedly, "Are you okay????", asked her again.

"I did not realise it. Sorry, it had dirt on your bag". His blood was all over her sling bag.

"No! It is not important. I should not have let you chase him. I am so sorry", said y/n and looked at him seriously.

"No, it is okay. Why do you exaggerate about it? It's just a little scratch", said him.

"It is just a little scratch, you say??? You could die of infection! Let's go back to the hospital and get your wound dressed", she said and pulled his arm to make him walk with her.

Jimin looked at her. Her eyes were worried.

This woman is worried over a little scratch but dares to leave a deep cut in my noona's heart! She could die of heartbreak!

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