once upon an us ↞ jenmin

NINE, moments of weakness.

2 weeks later, Wednesday:

"jennie you look exhausted. why don't you take a day off and relax?" madame gabrielle said when she came to pick her child up but jennie just smiled "i'm fine madame, dont worry" she picked up seo ha and said her byes quickly. the middle-aged lady didn't say anything, just hoping the young girl would be okay.

they both walked to chaeyoung's apartment, jennie listening to her son's excited chatter. she checked the time: 7.45. she had just enough time to cook dinner for all of them and freshen up, then leave for her next job.

she knocked on the door and jungkook opened it, wordlessly letting her in.

"kookie uncle!" seo ha yelled and reached to him, wanting him to lift him up. jennie chuckled as jungkook laughed and took him from her arms. "hey bud"

she had been staying at their house for the past one and a half weeks. it was already wednesday of the second week, and she was beginning to feel the extreme toll that sleep deprivation caused.

"where's chaeyoung?"

"work. late project or something"

she nodded and went to the kitchen. although they both talked to each other politely and cracked a few jokes here and there, they still weren't on entirely good terms.

she quickly prepared dinner, leaving chaeyoung's portion in the microwave and giving jungkook his. she fed seo ha patiently as he watched the cartoon on their TV, taking every opportunity to make him eat the broccoli.

"mommy i dont like" he frowned at her after she managed to finish all the broccoli.

"but its good for your health, hon. you dont want to get sick, right?"

seo ha shook his head sulkily, knowing his mother was right and jennie laughed, kissing him on the cheek "good boy. see? you finished all the broccoli. now, go play with uncle jungkook"

she knew jungkook wouldn't mind. although he never said it explicitly, she knew he adored her child.

she checked the time: it was nine o'clock. she wanted to snatch half an hour of sleep, but she probably couldn't. the place she worked at was quite a walk away and if she wanted to be on time, she needs to leave by 9.30

she quickly took a shower and put on a simple full-sleeved shirt. she hunted for pants and frowned when she realised both of her only pants needed to be washed.

she sighed, guess she's going to be freezing tonight. an almost knee length skirt would have to do.

she didn't even have a coat. only this one threadbare sweater. she sold her coat a year ago to buy a few toys for her child.

"bye seo ha, jungkook" she called about to leave when her child tugged her skirt "mommy leaving again?"

he looked sad. "but mommy will be back okay?"

"i want to play with mommy"

she bit her lip, recalling what madame gabrielle said. maybe she would take a day off tomorrow. it was exhausting to work all days and nights of the week anyway.

"tomorrow, i promise"

"pinky pwomise?"

jennie knelt down and intertwined her pinky finger with his tiny one. "i promise baby"

she kissed his forehead and quickly left, rushing for time. brisk walking, she reached the place she worked at, although a few minutes late.

"miss jennie, you're here. late, but nothing new, go do your job" her boss greeted her and she bit back a retort, meekly going in. once out of sight though, she rolled her eyes, grumbling. bitch should be glad i even came, i hate this crappy job.