Only You✔️

Chapter 4: Stronger

"Come on in and make yourself at home. " Li says as she opens the door and moves aside for Jimin to come in.
"Thank you.. " he says with a smile as he removes his shoes and puts on the house slippers beside the door.
He walked into the front living room, and smiled at all the pictures on the wall. A cute young and chubby Li standing at the beach, her eyes squinted to keep the sun from shinning in them as gave the camera a toothy grin.
"I'll just make some tea real quick. " she says as she walks into the kitchen. Leaving Jimin behind to look at the pictures in the living room.
But a picture in particular caught his eyes and he walked over to it and and lifted it from the mantle.
It was Yoongi. A very rare photo of him smiling. Jimin couldn't help but feel his throat constrict as tears formed in his eyes.
"I miss you my friend... " he whispers as he sits the picture back on the mantle.
And then another picture catches his eyes. It was a picture of Li, Mina and Yoongi together at one of the school events.
Li's smiles in these pictures were different than her smiles now.
These smiles were happy smiles. She was full of life. Yoongi in all his stubbornness and bad boy exterior, he had made Li happy.  Jimin wondered to himself if he could ever make her that happy again.
She truly deserved it.
Suddenly the kettle in the kitchen breaks him from his thoughts and he walks in to see Li making herself busy to make the tea.
"Anything in particular you'd like with the tea? " she asks looking up to him. She smiled a small smile at him and he smiled back at her.
He couldn't understand how someone went through something so traumatic as she did, could still be as loving and caring as she was. She was truly a beautiful person.
"Just a splash of cream will do it. " he says. "May I sit down? " he asks politely.
"Of course. " she says as she pours the cream into his tea.
As he's sitting down, she carefully brings over a tray with the tea cups and some fruit.
"I'm not sure what you like... " she says sitting down across from him and handing him his tea. "But I like fruit with my tea, so I figured you'd might like some. "
"Thank you, Li. " he says taking a sip of his tea.
"Jimin...? "
"Mmm" he responds as he sips more on the tea.
"I was wondering. I mean well I was thinking. If I do go to Taehyungs parole hearing, could you come with me? " she asks looking down.
"Of course I will. " he says, scooting closer to her. "Of course. " he smiles and pats her shoulder.
"Can I ask something else? "
"Yes."
"Can our station not cover the hearing? Please.. "
"Consider it done. " he smiles.
He notices that she's trembling now and nervously picking at her finger nails.
"Hey... " he says putting his hands on hers. "Don't worry too much, okay. You are much stronger and braver than you think. And I'll be right here by your side to help you you through. " he squeezes her hands gently.
"Thank you Jimin. " she says through a sigh.
Jimin nods and smiles. He then moves closer to her and leans in. His face moving slowly to hers.
Li's heart begin to beat wildly behind her chest as she leaned in too.
"Jimin... " she whispers in a protest.
"Shhh.... " he says softly and grabs her face within both his hands and gently kisses her. His lips moving softly and gently against hers.
She allowed herself to get swept away in the kiss. She hadnt felt this feeling since Yoongi was alive and she missed it.
Jimin pulled her gently closer to him as he deepened the kiss.
"Li! Min! Is anyone here? I have returned home! " Li's father called from the living room.
Li pulls away from the kiss and away from Jimin.
"In here papa! " she calls out to him. "Having tea with Jimin, come in here I'll get you some! " she then stands up and goes to the cabinets to get her father a cup. Her cheeks flushed a bright red. She felt like a teenager again. The feeling gave her butterflies in her stomach.
"Oooo Jimin is here, aye? " his voice says happily as he enters the kitchen.
"Hello, sir. " Jimin says and bows respectfully.
"Hi Jimin. " he winks as he sits down.
Li grabs the tea kettle and makes the tea the way her father likes it and sits back down.
"What are you guys doing? " he asks curiously, looking between the two of them.
"Just discussing work things. " she says quickly, shooting a glance at her father. "By the way papa, I heard Taehyung is getting a parole hearing? "
Her father let's out a very long sigh and looks worridly at his daughter.
"Yes. He is. It's next month. "
"Next month? " Li and Jimin say in unison.
"Why so soon? " Li asks nervously.
"Apparently he's been on the ball about this the last few years. He's been psych evaluated, a model citizen in the prison, and he's hired the best lawyers this town has to offer and they've apparently pushed it enough to finally have a hearing. " Choi Ran explains, running his finger tips up the bridge of his nose.
"And I've been asked if you will testify again...."
Li looks over to Jimin who nods to her and then she looked over to her father.
She hought of Min and how he was still so young. She couldn't let Taehyung have parole. It would undo everything she worked years to keep intact.
"I'll do it. " she says. "I'll testify against him. "