LITTLE ONES || NA JAEMIN

*CHAPTER 19

"They are not dead."

Jia glanced downward with her lips pursed tight. Her eyes transfixed on the boy in her arms as she looked at him in confusion. She blinked rapidly, trying to refocus on his words but failed terribly. Not dead?

"W-What?" She asked with skepticism.

"Renjun, Donghyuck, and Jisung's mother. She is alive."

"What?" Her voice came out louder than she had intended. She sat slumped, her brows creased, and face laced with bewilderment.

"I am sorry. I am sorry that I lied about them being dead. I just didn't want any sympathy."

"Hey," Jia crooned. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize for that."

Jaemin leaned back and looked at her with his red, puffy eyes. He was a picture of grief, loss, and devastation. He looked like a person who had suffered before and wouldn't be able to again. And his state broke her heart.

"My sister, their own mother, doesn't want them in her life anymore." He closed his eyes and sighed harshly, trying to gather his thoughts.

"It wasn't like that always. After our parents' death, we were each other's everything. So when Hyung came into our lives, we were more than thrilled. Noona and Hyung were high school sweethearts. They were so in love, always together. Technically, he was my brother-in-law, but he was like a real brother to me. He always had me covered. He even helped me out when I messed up in school and got suspended. So when they got married, I was the happiest." His lips upturned into a small smile while remembering the past. But it didn't quite reach his beautiful eyes. There was sadness in his smile, and it made her heart heavy.

Jia nodded her head, letting him know that she was listening.

"After a year of marriage, the twins were born. It was the happiest day of our lives." Jaemin paused to recover his breath. "Soon, Jisung was born, and we were more than happy. We were one happy family. That's when I moved out and got my own apartment, started my own business."

"But everything changed after a year of Jisung's birth. My sister was never home, and when she did come back home, she was mostly drunk. She stopped caring about her kids and her husband. But Hyung never complained. He thought that it was a phase that would soon pass, that she would come back to him. But she didn't." Jaemin bit his lips hard, trying to contain tears.

Jia noticed it and held his hand in hers, giving it a tight squeeze. "You don't have a force yourself to tell me."

"No, it's okay," Jaemin assured. "You need to know this."

"Hyung found out that she was cheating on him with some guy she met in the club. The guy was rich and gave her expensive gifts. So she left Hyung and the kids for that guy. H-Hyung couldn't take it and s-so..." He stuttered as his eyes brimmed with tears, threatening to fall. "H-He..."

Jia pulled him closer and wrapped him in a tight hug. Jaemin rested his head on her shoulder as she softly stroked his hair. As much as he tried to hold in his tears, he couldn't. The pain was too much to handle, coming out from within him like a silent scream.

Jaemin took a deep breath as he continued on his sorrowful past. "He killed himself, Jia. H-He killed himself. But you know what was worse? That woman, she didn't even care. She was, in fact, happy that he was dead." Jaemin's grip on her tightened, hot burning anger swirling through his veins.

"After Hyung's death, she treated the kids like dirt on her shoes. She treated them like rats and left them rotting in the gutter. How could she do that? She is their fucking mother, Jia. How can a mother be so heartless?" Rage built in him like deep water currents. Jia could practically see the flames roaring inside him.

"A month after Hyung's death, she decided to get married again, to that fucker. She dumped the kids on Hyung's mother like garbage and left. Hyung's mother hated her for driving her son to death, so she took out her anger on the kids. I-I....I..."

"Sushhh! It's okay, Jaem. It's okay. They are safe now." Jia swallowed the anger that bubbled inside her. She gritted her teeth in an attempt to suppress her fury. "No one can hurt them now, Jaem. No one. They are safe now."

Jaemin melted in her hold. In her embrace was nothing but pure bliss. Jia cradled him like a cherished child, and he felt the world stop on its axis. In that embrace, he felt his worries fly away, his optimism rise.

"Jaemin, I know you and the kids have gone through a lot in the past. I don't know what the future holds for you. But, I promise that you won't have to face the same ever again. And.." She pulled herself from the hug and cupped his face as she looked at him in the eye, a gentle smile plastered on her face. "Stop doubting yourself. You have no reason to. You're doing great, babe."

Jaemin's lips lifted upward, and a small smile made its way. Jia swore she could see the stars glimmering in his glossy orbs. And she found herself entering the depths of his eyes, falling deeper every second.