POISONED YOUTH: TWISTED

CHAPTER 60

The afternoon sun stretched gently across the grassy fields, painting everything in warm gold as Jaemin walked through the tall grass with a basket of sunflowers hanging from one hand. The breeze carried the scent of flowers around him, while the little girl hanging comfortably on his back held onto his shoulders, her tiny fingers gripping his shirt as she looked around curiously.

"What did you say again?" Jaemin asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"You're doomed."

The five-year-old answered with complete confidence, making Jaemin laugh. He turned his head and nuzzled his cheek against hers, earning a small giggle from the child before she settled against him again.

"No. Your mom will be proud of me, Jani."

"No! Mom said you should bring her if you're going to visit them!"

Jaemin only smiled, choosing not to argue with her. His eyes dropped to the basket of sunflowers in his hand, and for a moment, his expression softened.

He knew exactly who she meant.

As they reached the hill where the grass grew shorter, Jaemin stopped in front of two simple engraved stones. The flowers in the basket suddenly felt heavier than they had a moment ago.

Jani slid down from his back and walked closer, her eyes scanning the names engraved into the stone.

"Lee Donghyuck... Na Yeoreum," she read slowly before looking up at her father. "Daddy, what do they look like?"

Jaemin froze. For a few seconds, he simply stared at the names, his lips parting without a single word coming out.

Seven years had passed, yet sometimes all it took was seeing their names to make everything feel painfully recent.

"W-well..." he finally managed.

"Oh boy," Jani muttered when she noticed the tears gathering in his eyes.

She immediately ran back to him and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist.

"It's okay, Daddy. You don't have to."

"No, baby, it's fine." Jaemin crouched down and gently held her. "I'm sorry. I'm just..."

He looked back at the two names.

"I just missed them."

Jani nodded quietly before reaching up and brushing the tears from his cheeks with her little hands.

Jaemin smiled at the familiar gesture.

It reminded him of Yeoreum.

His little sister used to do the same thing whenever he cried, whenever he got sick, or whenever he somehow managed to throw up after eating something he shouldn't have. She would always fuss over him despite being younger, wiping his face with those careful hands as if she could fix everything just by touching him.

He missed that. More than he could ever explain.

"Your Aunt Yeoreum was the cutest bean I ever saw," Jaemin said, picking Jani up and settling her onto his lap as they sat beneath the shade of a nearby tree. "She was also really short."