Here's To A New Life-A Park Jimin Love Story

Chapter 2

Recap: The air gets tense and my mother turns to me with a serious look. "Gayoon, we need to tell you something," she says and my father straightens up, but avoids eye contact with me. Everyone is strangely silent and I begin to feel uneasy. "What is it Eomma?" I ask, gulping slightly as she takes a deep breath. "I'm not your real mother." And just like that, my whole world comes crashing down on top of me.

Gayoon's POV

"Gayoon? Sweetie can you hear me?" I let out a groan as I slowly open my eyes, only to be blinded by a bright light. "Gayoon, gwenchana?" I squint, trying to see who is speaking to me. My mother's worried face comes into focus. That's when I remember everything. I quickly sit up and push away from her.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Are you hurt anywhere? Do you need-"

"I said I was fine!" I snap, glaring at her. Her face morphs into a look of hurt, but that doesn't do much to lessen my anger.

"Gayoon-"

"How could you?" I interrupt her, pulling myself to my feet.

"What?"

"How could you lie to me for 16 years! Why did you do it?"

"We didn't want to give you up sweetie," Mrs. Kim speaks up. So that's why they came here tonight. They're my real family. I shudder at the thought. They're not bad people, but it's weird calling them my family and not the people who I've been with for my whole life.

"Then why did you?" I snap.

"We had no choice," Mr. Kim says and I scoff.

"Enlighten me please on why you had 'no choice'," I snap and my 'father' narrows his eyes at me, but doesn't say anything.

"We had no money. Right after you and Taehyung were born, I lost my job and your mother hadn't been working. We couldn't afford to feed both of you. Junghwa had been pregnant, but she lost the baby. She offered to raise you until we got enough money to care for you. We've finally landed on our feet and came to get you. It broke our hearts to see you go, but we had no choice. It was either do that, or watch you both starve," Mr. Kim explains and I narrow my eyes at Taehyung.

"Why did you give up me?" Mr. and Mrs. Kim look taken aback.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said, why did you give up me? Why didn't you give up him?" I raise my voice, swallowing hard at the lump rising in my throat to hold back my tears.

"The baby Junghwa had lost was a girl, so she offered to take you. She felt closer to you than Taehyung. If we had the choice, believe me, we wouldn't have given either of you up," Mr. Kim says and I feel my lower lip tremble.

"So not only did you give me up, but I was only a replacement for a lost baby?" Everyone's face falls and Mrs. Kim takes a step towards me, as does my 'mother'.

"No that's not it at all Gayoon," my 'mother', I mean Mrs. Kagome says and I glare at her.

"Then what is it? He just said it all! I understood clearly! You lost a baby girl, they couldn't keep me, so you took me to fill the void your daughter left! I was just a replacement!" I shout and Mrs. Kagome's face morphs into a hurt expression.

"You were never a replacement. I may not have given birth to you, but you're still my daughter. I raised you like you were my own. I love you-"

"Stop it. You don't get to say that. You're not my mother. You never were," I whisper, my vision blurring over. I turn to Mrs. Kim who already has tears running down her cheeks. "Neither of you are," I say, before I turn and run out of the room, ignoring the sob that Mrs. Kim let out. I lock myself in my room and throw myself onto my bed, sobbing. How could they do that to me? How could they think after 16 years of lying to me, I wouldn't be hurt? Did they think I would run into their arms and welcome them into my life. Did they they think that this wouldn't mess up my life? Someone knocks softly on the door and I ignore it. It's probably just Mrs. Kagome or Mrs. Kim and they're the last people I want to see right now. The person continues to knock, annoying me.

"Go away!" I shout, my voice cracking from the tears. The person stays, and knocks once more. I sigh, stomping over to the door, yanking it open, slightly surprised to see Taehyung standing before me. He's the last person I would've expected to be here.

"May I come in?" I stand their for a moment, before glancing away, contemplating. As much as I want to hate him for getting to stay with our parents, I can't. It's not his fault, he was just a baby as well. He's as innocent as I am. I finally nod, and step aside, letting him into my room. He smiles softly at me and walks in, making his way to my bed. He plops down and pats the space beside him, silently telling me to sit with him. I shut the door and make my way over to him sitting criss cross beside him on the bed. It's silent for a little while, before he finally speaks. "So, this sucks right?" I chuckle bitterly, wiping at my damp cheeks.

"You can say that again," I reply and he smiles.

"Listen, I know that this isn't the best situation- Just hear me out," he says when I open my mouth to argue with him. "I'm not going to tell you to accept our parents and be happy and act like you're not hurting because that would be impossible. I don't know if you'll ever accept them, but just know that they honestly did not intend to hurt you by doing this," he says and I cut him off before he can say anything more.

"How did they expect me to feel? They gave me up, and now they're here to 'take me back'? I don't even know them! I've never even seen them, or you for that matter, before in my life, and now I'm supposed to live with you and call you my family?" I exclaim, getting worked up again.

"It's fucked up isn't it?" he says, staring at the wall and I sigh, slowly calming down.

"Yeah."

"I know you don't want to go, but they're going to take you back to Korea anyway," he says and I scoff.

"Oh that's a great way to earn my trust and acceptance, take me somewhere against my will," I mutter sarcastically and he cracks a humorless smile.

"I'm not telling you to accept them, or me. All I'm saying, is to tolerate us. Whether you chose to believe it or not, we are your family," he says and I feel my eyes burn as more tears push themselves to the surface.

"I don't know if I can do that," I whisper, and he turns to me, his eyes widening in panic.

"Oh shit! No don't cry! Please don't cry!" A small sob escapes my lips and I cover my mouth with my hand as my body shakes with uncontrollable cries. Suddenly, I find myself in Taehyung's arms, my face pressed into his chest. "Shh, it's ok. Just let it out. I'm right here." Suddenly, I feel like a child again and I weave my arms tightly around his torso, sobbing loudly into his chest.

"It's not fair!" I wail, and he tenses up. "Why did this have to happen to me? My life was finally working out and everything seemed to make sense, but now I'm so confused!" I cry into his chest and he rubs my back soothingly, whispering soothing words to me until I finally calm down. I pull away, slightly embarrassed, and dry my face. "I'm sorry I ruined your shirt," I whisper and he smiles warmly.

"It's ok. You're my sister," he says and I find myself smiling slightly. Maybe moving to Korea won't be a complete nightmare. At least I have Taehyung.

"Thank you," I whisper and he rises, tucking me under the blankets.

"Get some sleep. We have to leave tomorrow." I sigh, but nod anyway and turn away from him, closing my eyes and trying to fall asleep.