BABY MAMA | pjm

LXXIII

ACT XV | SCENE LXXIII

❝MUM❞

THE LOUD YELL made both jangmi and nari look up from their held hands. they glanced at each other before looking in the direction of the front door. "i want to see my daughter! she needs me." jangmi's eyes widened when she heard the familiar voice. letting go of nari's hand, she shot to her feet and ran towards the door.

she yanked the door open and saw the older woman arguing with one of the protective details stationed outside the house. "mother?" her cracked voice was barely above a whisper. the woman whirled around and jangmi was met with the smiling face of jung sooyoung. "my child," her usually cheerful demeanor was gone as a sad smile made its way to her beautiful face. she hurried towards jangmi, walking around the man who had been blocking her path earlier. "mother," jangmi repeated as she was pulled into a warm comforting hug.

"everything is going to be okay, hm?" sooyoung assured, rubbing a small hand up the back of the woman she considered a daughter. jangmi nodded in her hold. "why didn't you tell me? i had to hear it from hoseok." sooyoung queried once they were inside and the door shut behind them. "i didn't want you to worry." jangmi answered softly. the older woman gave her a look. "i'm a mother, it is my job to worry." she replied as they walked into the living room.

nari was on her feet and bowed the moment she saw her. "is this your friend?" sooyoung asked. jangmi opened her mouth and shut it again, not sure how to answer the question. "i...uh, she's jeon nari. she's jimin's...girlfriend." she finally said after a moment's silence. "oh." sooyoung blinked. "it's nice to meet you. thank you for keeping my jangmi calm." she added with a smile. "it was nothing." nari dipped her head in small bow.

sooyoung turned back to jangmi. "any news?" she questioned. "actually, nari here brought us a possible lead and that's where jimin went." jangmi answered softly, running a hand over her hair, pulling out the hairtie that held her ponytail in place. her phone buzzed then and she reached for it quickly. "jangmi, it's sora. i'm on my way to your place. how are things? have they found anything?" the sound of traffic could be heard in the background, as well as heejun's voice. "um, yeah. the police have got a lead. i'll tell you when you get here." jangmi nodded. "oh, thank goodness. see you soon. stay strong." sora let out a small sigh. "okay, see you soon."

"hoseokie asked me to call him when i'm with you." sooyoung informed as she sat down on the couch. "he worries too much." jangmi smiled wanly, allowing the woman to take her hand in a comforting hold. "of course he does. he's so used to always being there for you, it's hard for him to be over there while you're here without him." sooyoung answered. nari sat on the opposite couch, feeling uncomfortable in the space. she glanced up at the ceiling and back down at her fidgeting hands, waiting, hoping jimin would return soon and with little rosalie no less. "mother, i have you and my friends. there's no need for him to worry."

"there you go again. i've told you countless times, call me mum." she squeezed lightly. jangmi only smiled tightly in reply. "fine, mum." she let out slowly. she watched how the older woman's beautiful happy face brighten like the sun peeking out behind a cloud on a warm summer's day. "we should call hobi." she added and reached for her phone, finger swiping over the screen as she found his name in her contact list.

she dialed his number and pressed the phone to her ear, listening as the phone rang only twice before he answered. "mimi, have they found her?" the nervous anticipation he was feeling seeped into his voice. she shook her head slowly, although he couldn't see her. "no, not yet. but they might be close." she traced a circle on her jean clad thigh. she heard him sigh heavily. "mum is here by the way." she put in, eyes moving up to look at the woman who gave her a smile that mirrored her son's. "i'll take care of her, hoseok, don't you worry." she leaned in to jangmi, speaking into the phone that was still pressed to her ear. "i love you, mum!" he called out and she smiled. "like you have any other choice." sooyoung mumbled, straightening once more.

hoseok let out a heavy sigh and jangmi guessed he was most likely shaking his head. "so what have they found?" he returned his attention the issue at hand. "they caught the suspect on a cctv camera buying apple jacks and milk at some convenience store."

"that's rosie's favourite cereal! so it's really the guy?" his tone carried a note of hope. "most likely, yeah." she bobbed her head in a nod. "well, that means they'll catch him soon. if he visited that store, then he's probably in that area. they just need to search a specific perimeter. this narrows the search a whole lot." he was sounding more and more excited with every word. "yeah, that's what we're hoping for. i just hope they can get her back today. i don't want her spending another night alone without me." she sighed.

the sound of the key code being punched jolted jangmi and the gazes of the three women in the room shot to the arched entryway as they listened to the door being opened. jangmi's eyes were wide and unblinking as she slowly got to her feet, voice soft and barely above a whisper when she spoke into the phone. "hobi, i need to go now. i'll call you back."

☀️☀️☀️

okay, first thanks for 63k reads and 4k votes! you guys are the best, i feel like it was just yesterday when i was saying thank you for half of that amount. also i hit 1k followers which honestly still feels like a prank? i'm truly grateful for everything and i want to do something special like an instagram live where you guys can ask me questions on any topic but i'm not sure. any suggestions?
secondly, someone new is coming in in the next chapter! guess who
also the comeback?? is?? the?? best?? one?? yet??! the album is truly magnificent and i absolutely love the sound! which song is your favourite?