Spitting Image | Jeong Jaehyun

59

kiirali00's story

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"What are you doing out here in the cold?" The voice of her mother could be heard from behind her as Kira sat on the steps of the backyard, distancing herself from the rest of the family who was conversing after Christmas dinner.

"Just needed some fresh air" She mumbled, not bothering to turn around to face her mother. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts for a bit. There was a feeling of betrayal that she tried to hide within herself that just wouldn't go away.

The thought of Jaehyun blocking her was crushing her. She told herself it could've been the managers who found out about the texts, and that she didn't do anything directly to cause it, but the oblivion still haunted her.

"Here" her mum said, holding out a cigarette between her fingers for her to take

"I quit." She mumbled with a sigh and her mother chuckled

"Oh come on, you're an artist aren't you? It'll warm you up" her mother joked, and although it didn't mean much, Kira's heart wrenched at the sound of her mother even referring to her as an artist.

Her cold fingers reached for the cigarette, thumb flicking against the filter as she thought back to the last time she had held a cigarette between her fingers, thrashed against her ex boyfriend's couch as they watched some shitty comedy movie, barely even paying attention to each other or the TV. Just fully submerged in their own thoughts, trying to free themselves from the stress and panic of their college and work schedules.

"So you and a pilot..." her mother started, lighting up her cigarette, and she clenched her jaw tight with the thought of slapping Kai out of this planet on her mind

"And his...kid" she added, taking in a long puff, soon releasing a white toxic cloud into the air

"Is that a problem?" Kira asked, shaking her head as she knew her mother's...well...mother-ness wasn't going to last very long.

"Not at all. Not for me anyway. You know your dad and I would never get inbetween someone you're messing around with. You're in your twent-"

"We're not just messing around mum...we're serious" Kira said defensively

"Serious? With a man that has a child? Kira you've got to be kidding me" her mother retorted

"What's wrong with that? Yeah he has a kid but...you know what...I don't even know why I have to explain this to you" She shook her head and passed the unlit cigarette back to her mother, not wanting to spend another second longer with her

"You're right. Get with whoever you want, that's up to you. But a broken family will remain broken." Her mother warned, as she stood to her feet

"What are you saying?" She asked with a scoff

"You'll never be his priority. His family is as he knows it, him and his daughter. You're just a third party, always will be. The second anything happens, he wont hesitate to save his daughter first..."

"Well she's not exactly wrong" Kai said as Kira relayed the words of their mother back to him, both in their pyjamas as they sat on his bed with Kelsey who was now fully filled in on the fact that he was an idol.

"Oh come on Kai, you met Jae-"

"And he's a nice guy...but like, a kid is going to change your life around Kira. As long as you know the seriousness of it then there's no issue" Kai reasoned and she sighed

"I do...and I really like him, and Jihye. I always wanted this guys...you know that" she sighed, wiping the tear that fell from her eye with the back of her hand

"I know...if it makes you happy you should go after it. Regardless of how hard it gets. You're not just some third party Kira, he likes you enough to be serious regardless of his career and wants you to be a really big part of his daughters life. You wouldn't do that for a third party, you'd do that for family" Kelsey smiled, finally warming up to the idea of Jaehyun even though she was the first one of them all to strike him down.

"Yeah well...I guess mum was right, I've been blocked" Kira giggled regardless of her tears as she took another sip from her champagne glass.

"Don't worry...I'm sure there's an explanation for this. We'll go visit him as soon as we're back and—"

"I've lost all contact with him...I can't just show up at his house" Kira sighed

"You can, and you will" Kai said, getting into his covers and she looked at Kelsey with a smirk

"How about we dance around the room in a circle and try to find a secret passa-"

"Leave me alone" Kai hissed under the covers and the girls giggled.

"But seriously Kira, don't worry. It's not like he's just going to leave you high and dry, he probably will contact you" Kelsey said to comfort her.

Yet he didn't.

And for the next three days Kira didn't hear a word from the man or any of his friends, and she worried that for once, her mother might just be right.