𝓑𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮 (𝓙𝓲𝓴𝓸𝓸𝓴)

chapter 8

Jimin's POV

I rushed home from school, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't wait to get to the hospital and see appa. The thought of him lying in a hospital bed still felt unreal, even though they said he was out of danger. I wouldn't be able to relax until I saw him up and well again.

"I'm home!" I called out as soon as I stepped through the door, kicking off my shoes.

"Jimin-ah, come here, baby!" I heard mom call from the living room. I dashed towards her voice, my schoolbag still hanging from my shoulder.

"Mom, let's go! I haven't even sweated much, so we don't have to waste time on a shower," I said quickly, tossing my bag on the table, hurriedly fixing my hair. But then I paused. Something felt off. Mom and dad were both staring at me, their eyes filled with a strange, intense emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Papa, mom, what's going on?" I asked, suddenly feeling uneasy. Their expressions were making me nervous.

"Jimin-ah, sweetheart," dad began, his voice soft but serious. "Papa needs to ask you something very important. But you need to be completely honest, okay?"

"And remember, baby," mom added quickly, "whatever your answer is, we'll support you. No one's pressuring you to say yes. Just speak from your heart, alright?"

Now I was really worried. What could possibly be so serious? My stomach twisted with anxiety. "Is it about Gong Yoo appa? Is he okay?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Mom shook her head gently, her eyes softening. "No, sweetheart, don't worry. Gong Yoo is stable now. This is about something else."

I looked between them, confused, waiting for the question. The silence stretched on, thick with tension, and then dad spoke again.

"Jimin-ah, what do you think about Jungkook?"

I blinked at him, puzzled. "Kookie hyung? He's... good?" I answered hesitantly, still unsure where this was going.

"No, baby," dad continued, his eyes searching mine. "I mean, do you love Jungkook?"

"Of course I love Kookie hyung!" I said, surprised by the question. "You guys know that! You all saw how sad I was when he went to Canada!"

Mom exchanged a glance with dad before she spoke. "Ignore your papa's roundabout way of asking. I'll get straight to the point." She took a deep breath. "Jimin, do you want to marry Jungkook? You understand what marriage means, don't you?"

I stood frozen, my mind blank. Marry Jungkook? I had never thought about it in that way. Sure, I couldn't imagine my life without him-he was my best friend, my safe place-but marriage? I wasn't prepared for this. But... did I really want to live apart from him? NO. Jungkook had become such an important part of my life, my heart. And the thought of being with him forever, by his side, made something warm bloom in my chest.

"You can take your time, sweetheart," mom said softly, sensing my hesitation. "No one's rushing you."

A slow smile spread across my lips. The more I thought about it, the more the idea didn't scare me-it excited me. The thought of being with Kookie hyung, always by his side, sharing our lives... "I'm okay with it, mom," I said, feeling a sudden surge of excitement. "I love Kookie hyung so much, and if we get married, we'll be together all the time, right? I want that!"

"Jimin," dad interjected gently, "marriage isn't just about being together. It's a big responsibility."

"I know, papa," I said, meeting his eyes. "I'm not a baby anymore. I know what I'm saying. Kookie hyung will take good care of me, and I want to marry him. I'm ready for this."