SMALL DOSES || JIKOOK✅

13

JIMIN POV

Two Weeks Later

"Good morning, darling."

My aunt Nadi pecked me on
the cheek, then handed me a satchel as well as the tray of
two coffees she carried.

She always selected a few
pieces from upcoming exhibits
to add to the club's collection
and this time it was no different.

What was unusual was that she was wearing a frown on a day that had always brought her an immense amount of happiness.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. Well, no, not really."

"We need to talk."

She breezed by me, aqua
kaftan billowing behind her
and made her way to the bar.

I followed, setting down the satchel and drinks on the bar
top before I took a seat at one
of the stools.

She also sat, then picked up
her coffee and took a small sip before gulping it down, eyeing me the whole time.

Far from level-headed as the woman was, I'd never seen
her quite this flustered.

"Tell me what's going on."

She hesitated as she set down her empty cup, the worry in
her eyes only growing.

I placed a gentle hand on hers and squeezed and she gave me
a tentative smile.

"I just spoke to Lisa and she
had some news."

My heart began to thunder at
the mention of my mother's name.

As far as I knew, Nadi hadn't kept in touch with her sibling since I'd left home.

I pulled my hand away, shock zipping through me like a livewire.

"What happened? Did she
break a nail or something?"

"Not exactly."

"She's getting a divorce."

"Come again?" I couldn't have heard that right.

She repeated what she'd just said and on the verge of choking on my own spit, I gasped.

I never thought I'd see the day.

It was Nadi's turn to take
my hand.

"There's more."

"she told me she only stayed with Jungmin for as long as
she did out of fear."

"He'd always been demanding
but after you left, he began to get angry over every little thing."

"Then, he was diagnosed with heart disease and had a quadruple bypass."

"Since he was so unwell, she hoped he'd change his behavior, maybe want to reconnect with you. Instead whenever your mom tried, he warned her
that he'd ruin your life if she tried to contact you or anyone else in the family."

"It was only after she sought counseling to help deal with everything going on that she found out what he was doing
was wrong."

"He did what?" I was seething, all the anger and hurt he'd caused rising to the surface
like a volcano.

I didn't care if he was ill.

In fact, I couldn't have cared
less if he hadn't survived the surgery.

Nobody had the right to treat others the way he had.

Nadi stood and brought me to my feet, drawing me into a
tight hug.