Crushed And Bond

Chapter 19: Another Encounter

Lalisa sat in her office, surrounded by the usual bustle of paperwork and medical records. The room was filled with the soft hum of computers and the occasional sound of footsteps echoing down the hallway. She meticulously sorted through the documents, each one representing a Jung Yusung's journey through illness. His medial history, the x-rays, CT scans, lab tests, literally everything.

Among the stack of files, Lalisa noticed one with her name on it, which immediately caught her attention. She furrowed her brow in confusion as she pulled it out from the pile. It was her own medical history and pregnancy overview. How did this end up in here?

Curiosity piqued, Lalisa flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning over the details of her past medical appointments and pregnancies. Memories flooded back as she recalled the moments she had shared with her daughter Jiyeon, from the excitement of discovering she was pregnant to the joy of holding her newborn in her arms.

And also the pain, the misery and the sorow of she growing up without a father, Lalisa clutched the file in her hands on remembering those painful memories. She gently sighed. Lalisa returned the file to the drawer. drawer.

Bambam must have mixed up her medical file among Jung Yusung's. She made a mental note to remind him to be more careful next time.

Glancing at the clock, Lalisa realized she needed to meet up with Jennie later in the day. She reached for her phone to call Bambam, intending to ask him to pick up Jiyeon from school while she was out.

Just as she unlocked her phone, the door to her office swung open, and Bambam walked in with a warm smile, holding two cups of coffee.

"Lali!" he greeted, handing her one of the cups. "I brought you your favorite."

Lalisa smiled gratefully and accepted the coffee. "Thanks, Bambam. You read my mind."

They settled into their seats, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air as they caught up on each other's day. Bambam talked about how he just wants to return to Thailand since he just miseed Mina so much, while Lalisa shared some updates on her case.

In between sips of coffee, Lalisa broached the subject of Jiyeon. "Hey, Bammie, would you mind picking up Jiyeon from school for me today? I have to meet Jennie later."

Bambam's face lit up with a smile. "Of course, Lali! I'd be happy to. I've missed spending time with Yeonie."

Lalisa smiled back, relieved that Bambam was willing to help. "Thanks, Bambam. She'll be thrilled to see you."

With their plans set, they continued their conversation, delving into topics ranging from work to personal life. Lalisa couldn't help but feel grateful for Bambam's presence, his easygoing nature always bringing a sense of comfort and familiarity.

As they finished their coffee and prepared to part ways, Lalisa felt a sense of relief knowing that Jiyeon would be in good hands with Bambam. And as she headed off to meet Jennie, her heart clenched and curiosity piqued on what would happen next in this case that never seems to get solved.

______

As the school day drew to a close, the sun cast its golden glow upon the tranquil schoolyard, a tableau of innocence and camaraderie unfolding beneath the sprawling branches of the ancient oak tree. Bambam, approached the familiar bench with a sense of anticipation, his eyes alight with the prospect of reuniting with Jiyeon.

Sure enough, amidst the bustling throng of children, Bambam spotted Jiyeon seated beside a handsome young boy, Minhyuk. She heard about this boy from Lalisa. She said he was a good friend of her daughter.

With a happy smile dancing upon his lips, Bambam made his way towards them, his heart brimming with warmth at the sight of Jiyeon's laughter ringing through the air.

Jiyeon, engrossed in animated conversation with Minhyuk about her favorite cartoon, looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, her face lighting up with recognition.

With an exuberant cry, she darted towards Bambam, her small figure enveloped in his embrace as he lifted her off the ground, laughter bubbling forth from their shared joy.

Minhyuk, observing the tender exchange between Jiyeon and the unfamiliar figure, stood up from the bench, his curiosity piqued by the scene unfolding before him. In his young mind, he surmised that this must be Jiyeon's father, a notion bolstered by Jiyeon's evident affection towards the newcomer.

Breaking free from the embrace, Jiyeon beamed up at Bambam, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Uncle Bambam, I missed you!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine warmth. Bambam returned her smile, his heart swelling with paternal affection. "I missed you too, little one," he replied, ruffling her hair affectionately.

Inquisitive as ever, Jiyeon questioned Bambam about his return, her curiosity undimmed by the passage of time. Bambam slowly expalined to her.

"I came here two days ago, Lali had asked me to deliver her some files from Thailand."

"And you are meeting me only now?" Jiyeon pouted at him.

Heart melted by Jiyeon's cuteness, Bambam laughed.

"Sorry, I was a little busy but I came to meet you today, didn't I? Bambam pinched Jiyeon's soft cheeks.

"You have to buy me ice cream on the way home." Jiyeon took out her pinky finger to make a promise to which Bambam readily obliged.

"Okay now let's go then."

With a sense of purpose, Bambam scooped Jiyeon into his arms, her laughter echoing through the schoolyard.

Suddenly remembering her friend, Jiyeon turned her  head from Bambam's embrace to look at Minhyuk and slowly waved at him to indicate she was leaving.

Minhyuk waved back bye at her from his spot with a frown.

After bidding farewell to Minhyuk, Bambam started walking forward to the exit with Jiyeon telling her endless tales.

Little did they know someone was watching them yet again from the back.

______

As Jungkook approached the familiar bench, his footsteps slowed, his thoughts still tangled in the enigmatic scene he had witnessed earlier that morning. Lalisa and Jiyeon's tender interaction lingered in the recesses of his mind, a persistent thread weaving through the fabric of his thoughts, even intruding upon the confines of his office.

Shaking his head in an attempt to dispel the lingering unease, Jungkook's lips curved into a gentle smile at the prospect of reuniting with Minhyuk and Jiyeon. However, as he drew closer to the bench, his gaze fell upon a solitary figure standing before him, Minhyuk's back turned towards him, his attention fixated on something—or someone—beyond Jungkook's line of sight.Curiosity piqued, Jungkook followed Minhyuk's gaze, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes alighted upon the unexpected tableau unfolding before him. 

There, in the embrace of a man Jungkook recognized as Bambam, stood Jiyeon, her laughter tinkling through the air like a melody.A maelstrom of emotions surged within Jungkook, his mind awash with questions that clamored for answers. What was Bambam doing here, embracing Jiyeon? Who was he to Lalisa, and more importantly, who was he to Jiyeon?

Jungkook's brow furrowed in consternation as he stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide with disbelief, his brain abuzz with a whirlwind of unanswered questions.In that fleeting moment, the threads of uncertainty wove themselves into the fabric of Jungkook's reality, casting a shadow over the familiar landscape of his thoughts. With each passing second, the mystery surrounding Lalisa, Jiyeon, and the enigmatic presence of Bambam deepened.

Jiyeon and Lalisa, Jiyeon and Bambam, what was going on?

"I have to find the answer to this..."

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{ a/n: I feel happy today.}