BABY MAMA | pjm

LVI

ACT XII | SCENE LVI

❝DYING❞

JIMIN RESTED HIS head on his arms which were laying on his knees, eyes on his feet. he had been quiet for a while. jangmi had lost track of how long they'd been talking about the past. the sleepiness had long disappeared from her system but she remained calm and quiet. she stared at him, watching the way the bright moon peeking through the curtains casted a silver halo on his hair.

"jimin?" she finally called, voice soft. he lifted his head, gaze meeting hers. his eyes were incredibly sad and it took her slightly aback. "i didn't know." he murmured. her brows creased together. "didn't know what?" she leaned forward on the couch, looking down at him. "i didn't know you came to see me on your birthday. no one told me anything." his voice was quiet. "i know." she replied with a small smile. "it was the anniversary of your parents' death. i would never." he wrapped his hands around hers which were resting on her knees. her eyes darted to his warm hands on hers and felt the all too familiar tingly feeling that shot through her.

"i believe you. i just...i can't help but wonder why that guard would've lied. he looked at me with pity, so why?" she kept her gaze fixed on their hands. he was silent for a few seconds. "my mother." his voice was breathy. his eyes shut briefly, a breath leaving his lips. "of course." he let out a scoff. "how are you so sure? it could have been your father." she moved her gaze from their held hands to his eyes.

"i remember it was a sunday. my dad had some impromptu meeting and we had an argument about it because i refused to go with him. i was too occupied with wallowing in the disappointment of not being able to spend your day with you to care about some shitty meeting on a weekend. bora spent the whole day locked in her room going over the manifest of incoming artworks. i remember because i was pissed that all everyone was thinking about was work. except my mother of course. she was the only one who was available and moving about. i spent the whole day in my room and no one ever told me a damn thing about having any visitors." he unconsciously ran his thumbs over the back of her hands as he spoke, a gesture jangmi found soothing.

"you were really sulking in your bedroom the whole time?" there was a playful glint in her eyes. he chuckled, shaking his ducked head. "is that all you got from that?" he looked at her again, enjoying the amiable air. "it's a question!" she grinned, finally curling her fingers around his hands. "i was. i had this whole thing planned months before and i didn't get to do it. and i just..." he stopped himself. "what did you plan?" her voice was full of curiosity. "i'm not telling you. it all went to shit anyway." he smiled, mind on the fact that they were holding hands.

"not fair." she pouted her lips, reminding him of rosalie. "but you know what i can't believe?" she leaned closer, smiling at him. "what?" he asked, head cocking to the side. he watched the expressions that passed across her face. "that you cried when you found out i left." she poked out her tongue cutely. he snatched his hands away, a frown marring his face. "i shouldn't have mentioned anything about that." he muttered in an annoyed tone. she just laughed. "real men aren't afraid to cry." he defended, arms draping over his knees. "i didn't say that they are." she laughed, leaning back into the couch.

"has any other man ever cried for you, hm?" he jutted his chin out cutely, making her chuckle, wanting to muss his hair. "yes, actually." she replied, catching the surprise that flashed in his eyes. "who? when? where? why?" his voice was filled with curiosity and something else. jealousy? her lips curled up slowly, eyes taking in the look on his face. "who? hoseok. when? while i was pregnant. where? hm, in france. why? because he thought i was dying." she laughed at the last bit.

jimin didn't find the same amusement in her words. "why did he think you were dying?" his voice was soft and low, serious brown eyes meeting hers. "i passed out from dehydration. i kept getting really nauseous and throwing up a lot and i wasn't eating or drinking enough to make up for what i lost." she answered almost nonchalantly. "and you were throwing up, why?" his eyes narrowed and she could tell he wasn't going to let it go.

"that's something that happens when you're pregnant." she replied, tone slightly sarcastic. "yes, but you said you were throwing up a lot, so why?" the serious expression did not leave his face. "some pregnancy complication that made me super nauseous. hyper...something, i can't remember the name. hoseok was just really surprised when i blacked out on him at brigitte's patisserie. i got admitted into the hospital but it wasn't really that big of a deal." she added the last part quickly.

"why didn't you tell me?" he frowned, lacing his fingers together as he stared up at her. "i'm sorry. i didn't think it was that big a deal." she smiled apologetically. "is there anything else i should know?" he pinned her with a suspicious look. "nothing." she pressed her lips together, scratching beneath her ear. his eyes narrowed again and she had to laugh at how funny he looked. "i'm serious. there's nothing else." she chuckled out. "i'll believe you." his voice was gritty as he lifted himself up on his feet, shaking one leg then the other.

"it's late." her gaze shifted to the red starburst clock on the wall. half past one in the morning. "wow, time flies." his eyes followed hers. the sound of her phone pierced the near silence of her living room. "bora." she informed him before picking up. "hey," a smile formed on her lips. "yeah, he is." she chuckled. jimin listened to her half of the conversation. "mhm, he'll be home soon and whole." jangmi nodded, making him roll his eyes. "goodnight."

"it's like having another mother." he remarked, settling down next to her. "i think it's nice. i wish i had an older sister." she mused, tucking her hair behind her ear. "so..." he began slowly, fingers pulling at one of his rings. "are we...?" his voice tapered off, unable to finish his question. she twisted around, dropping one leg to the floor, eyes on him, hands grabbing one of his to stop his compulsive ring twisting. "we're good. we're not just friends now, we're friends without any past issues." she said lowly. jimin felt his heart drop into his stomach but a smile pulled up his lips anyway. "friends." he mumbled. "i'm glad." it was the truth. just not the whole truth.