8 Sips of Blood | Stray Kids Mafia FanFic

Jaejin's backstory part 1

17 years ago...

-Mom! Mom!

Little Kang Jaejin sprinted on the busy streets of Incheon with a bag in his hand.

-Oh, sorry! he apologized after he bumped into a woman, but never stopped running.

He climbed the iron gates of an apartment building and waited patiently for someone to exit it so he could sneak inside.

He went up the stairs and opened the apartment. He took his shoes off and ran to the bedroom where his mother was laying in bed, pale and weak.

-Mom! I've got some food for you. And I stole some medicine from the drugstore.

-Jaejin, I told you not to steal anything. I said I would take care of the money.

-How? You're sick. Let me help you, mom! I'll work and get the money for your treatment.

She smiled weakly and caressed his cheek with her thumb.

-I love you, kid! I'm sorry mommy is so weak.

-You're not weak! You'll get better, you'll see! Jaejin shouted from the top of his lungs. Can I... Can I stay with you tonight?

-I don't want you to get sick too, baby.

-But if I get sick, I can stay with you, right? I can go to heaven with you, Jaejin felt tears building up in his eyes.

-Putting yourself in danger is also a form of harm, Jaejin. You have to be careful with your health. When the time comes, mommy will be waiting for you in heaven. Alright?

-Ye-yes... Jaejin sniffed. I love you, mommy!

-I love you too, sweetheart! Would you call this number and ask the priest to come here tomorrow morning? I've already talked to him and he said he'd do it for free. I want to confess to my sins before I...

-Before you go to heaven.

-Before I go to heaven. From where I'll watch over you.

The next day

-How is she? Jaejin looked up at the priest with big glassy eyes.

-She redeemed herself before she died. God took her in her embrace.

Jaejin wanted to be happy. To be strong for her. But his eyes betrayed him in the most cruel way. He let his tears flow in sin and asked in an act of desperation for a miracle to bring his mother back to the dirty world that chained her in the first place.

-It's alright to cry, child.

-Can I see her?

-You can say goodbye, yes. After that you should pack your bags.

-Pack? he asked confused.

-Your mother arranged for you to live with me. The church has a foster house for kids like you. You'll be surrounded by children your age and learn about God. If you are good at heart, you'll see your mother in heaven.

Jaejin didn't bother to say anything. He walked inside his old bedroom and stared at his mother's lifeless body.

The place was a disaster. Mold and spider webs at every corner.

Broken toys and clothes tossed around. They weren't even theirs. They belonged to the family that abandoned the said apartment before Jaejin and his mother found it.

Jaejin refused to pick up a single toy since it didn't belong to him. He swore he only needed a bed to sleep in. Nothing more.

His mother was a former inmate that managed to get bailed out by her sister before the whole family turned their backs on her. She had killed her abusive husband by accident and she admitted to everything instantly.

Yes, she hated the man, but she cherished the only good thing she'd got from him: Jaejin.

She worked any kind of job to be able to feed her child and moved from city to city. She had the plan to see the whole world this way.

However, when life began to feel less harsh, she fell sick. She'd always had a weak health and one specific winter was the death of her.

Jaejin started stealing food to feed his mother and offered his help at local markets. just to have one more penny to save for his mother's medication.

But everything was in vain after all.

She died and he was all alone. With no purpose, with no love left in his life.

-Mom? Mom, why did you leave me? You told me we'd go together to see the world! Mom, I wanna come to you!

Jaejin fell on his knees next to the bed and bawled his eyes out. His mom looked so peaceful. Like she was in a deep sleep.

At least she wasn't in pain anymore...

2 years after Jaejin joined the church

-What's your name?

Jaejin looked to his right and spotted a dark haired boy with a crooked tooth in front and a purple eye.

-Jaejin.

The name felt so empty without his last name attached to it. But he didn't have the right to bear it anymore. He had no family left. He had no one.

-I'm Jaedo. Hey, we both have 'jae' in it! How cool! he laughed. For how long have you been here?

-I don't really remember, Jaejin let his head fall back.

He lost count after a few weeks. The more he counted the more he missed his mother. And it destroyed him inside.

-I'm new here. The priest said I will be safe here.

-Safe?

The boy nodded and pointed towards his bruised eye.

-This is dad. This is mom, he pointed to his teeth. And this is grandma, he pointed to 6 stitches in his head, close to the forehead.

Jaejij watched the scene in horror. Who could be so cruel to hit a kid like him?

-Grandma is the worst. She once broke a cane on my back. I still have a scar. Wanna see? he asked clueless like a kid showing his toy cars.

-Why did they do this to you?

-Because I wasn't perfect. I didn't have my back straight, I didn't smile when a guest came into our house, I didn't bow to grandpa and I didn't look the prime minister in the eyes. I learned my lesson, he shrugged.

-Those are not reasons for them to beat you!

-They are not bad people. They are important and need to act so. They love me, I know it.

-That's not love! Jaejin got up frustrated under Jaedo's shocked eyes. Love is gentle and pure and makes you want more. Do you want more pain?

-No.

-See? Love is hugs and kisses and pats and sweet words and sharing dreams. Love is... Love is what a person gives you without being asked. Without a reason. Just because it feels right.

-Can friendship be love? Jaedo asked amazed by the fire in Jaejin's eyes.

-Yes!

-I've never had one. I wasn't allowed to. Will you be my friend?

-Yeah... I'll be your friend, Jaedo felt a smile growing on his face.

After so long he managed to crack a smile. Maybe the priest was right. He was ready to heal.

____________________________________
Who is Jaejin?

How is Jaedo in this backstory too??? And how are they the same age?

How did Jaejin become an angel?

We'll see in the next chapter!

Thank you for reading!