Apple Blossoms | Yoonmin

Chapter Six

"Jiminie?  Are you home?" 

Jimin startled at the sudden sound of his mother's voice, but recovered quickly, removing one of his earbuds and yelling back to her.  "I'm in my room!"

He heard a rustling, like plastic bags being set down, in the other room, then a soft knock on his door.   He took a deep breath, putting a smile on his face as his mother peeped around the door.  

"Am I allowed to come in?"

Jimin smiled wider.  "Yep."

"Good."  Mrs. Park walked in, stepping gingerly over the blankets strewn across the small room to join him in sitting on his bed.  "How was school?  Did you learn anything new?"

"It was okay," he replied.  "And not really."  

"Just okay?" she said teasingly, leaning in to give him an affectionate shoulder bump.  

Jimin flinched.  He tried to cover it up with another smile, but he saw his mother grow a look of concern.  

"Sweetpea, did something happen today?" she asked more quietly.

He shook his head.  "No."  He tried to make it sound more convincing by emphasizing it with a more genuine smile this time, and luckily, it seemed to work.

Mrs. Park nodded to herself, then stood up again.  "Well, I have to get going on dinner.  Your father's going to be home in a few minutes."

With that, she leaned in and kissed Jimin on the forehead.  "Love you, sweetpea," she murmured, then exited.

~~~~~

After dinner, Jimin paused in the living room before heading back to his room.  His mother had gotten a fresh bouquet of flowers for the coffee table.  Soft pink roses, white apple blossoms, and vibrant greenery splayed out from the vase in a beautiful display.

He looked around furtively to make sure that neither of his parents were near, then approached the flowers cautiously.

He stared them down, as if that would somehow make them bend to his will.  

He braced himself, then leaned down, heart fluttering with hope, and inhaled deeply.

...

Nothing.

He still couldn't smell them.

He straightened abruptly, eyes hooded, and went to his room, immediately collapsing on the bed and falling into a depressed sleep.