So, one week we'll be having the anniversary of our blue eyed king's death and the next one we will be saying goodbye to jujutsu kaisen forever? How many more can i mourn gege? That timing is evil king. Septembers are for pain i guess
KATIE !! chapter 35 literally brought me to tears like, i seriously doubt you know or understand just how much i love this story but it’s by far my favorite fanfic ive ever read and with each chapter i love it more and more. you’re amazing + i can’t wait for ch 36 !!! 💕💕💕
feli. what in the? what?? i’m. what????
you’re gonna hate the end of it. i know you are. i’m apologizing in advance bc i know you’re gonna be like ‘welp, i take it back. i hate this fic and i hate this girl too.’ i seriously can’t even comprehend what you said bc it’s making me super emo right now.
In-Hye sat at her desk and tried to process the abrupt change of plans. Of course her men refused to let her parents inside her house. Of course they locked the door before they warned her. Of course they didn't chide her for forgetting.
She felt so silly and brainless. She meant to email her mother back months ago but...
And it was Mother-Daughter Night. Once a month she insisted of having just time for her and Su-Jin to play together without the fathers around. It was a tradition she kept from her own mother. It was something wonderful and magical and they didn't get to do it when Su-Jin was sick.
"After I turn in my tools--"
"You have to go to those final classes. They are important. We aren't going to let them disrupt important steps just because their arrival was unplanned and inconvenient. I waited years for them to acknowledge Su-Jin. They can wait a few hours or a few days." Her voice caught and she closed her eyes. "They refused to test to see if they could be donors."
"I didn't know that." Tae-San's voice trembled and she knew he was about to start crying. "In-Hye, how did you forgive me?"
"Everything you did, from the moment you found out she was alive, to today, and through all the tomorrows, has been for Su-Jin's future. That's how I forgave you. I love you and I wanted to forgive you." She didn't even have to wipe her eyes or clear her throat. There was no pain lingering in her heart as she said, "There is a difference between protecting my life from a clear and present threat and leaving me to suffer the consequences of making love before I was married all alone."
"It was a stupid decision. I should've talked to you. I was a coward." He was so hard on himself for that. She carried that bitterness for eight years. She didn't need it anymore.
"You aren't anymore. Su-Jin's Appa." She needed a deep breath and a good swallow so she took both. She knew how much that title meant to him. She felt he earned it. She would take all of his apologies but she no longer needed to punish him. "How is Su-Jin's Abeoji?"
"Trying to kill us with his driving. I will laugh if he gets pulled over. Text me what you and Su-Jin decide to do. I'll pick you up when you're finished and come home with you." He took a deep breath and sounded uncertain. "They know you are living with both of us. They know we blended our family."
She was smiling before she realized it. She relaxed her hands and shoulders. "Good. That was the right thing. I will try to figure out what I want to do. I should've done it months ago but I forgot."
"It's okay if you don't want to do anything. We can encourage them to leave you alone if that's what you decide. We can...we can protect you."
"I know. I might say yes. But they are my parents and I have...I should...with Seung-Woo's family...and..." She sighed and closed her eyes. "I was prepared to have to justify keeping our baby as ours and not let his parents interfere in any way. I wasn't prepared for this."
"It will be okay. Three is better than two. I promise."
"I believe you." There was a quiet knock on her door and she straightened in her chair. Her assistant mouthed that the test presentation was ready for observation and she nodded. "I have to go. I will see you later tonight. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Tae-Sang hung up and In-Hye grabbed her purse and phone so she could be ready to pick up Su-Jin after this brief inspection. They would be presenting the new menu to the different stores and doing training on the new items in a few weeks. Right now they needed to make sure the recipes and instruction manuals were clear enough to implement.
It meant testing on people who weren't necessarily good cooks. A little competition amongst the managers emerged over the last few days. Even the president wanted to take a try in the development team's kitchen. In-Hye had been so relieved that his box was indistinguishable from some of the better attempts.
She just really loved the atmosphere here. The vice president had been talking about opening a daycare for the employees with young children. It was part of the reason In-Hye brought up having another baby. She knew she worked for a good company that cared about its female employees.
In-Hye looked over the three new entrees and did a quick taste test. Two of the three were good. One was not and she tried not to let her parents' surprise visit distract her from what was important. She needed this project to be a success so she could go on maternity leave without...guilt.
It wasn't fair but she'd just received a raise from the company president. She was new in this position. She needed to be well liked and supported. With each day she had less and less worry about stepping away in close to a year.
In-Hye gave her notes to her assistant and scheduled another test for tomorrow before rushing off to pick up Su-Jin. She came to the school just in time to see Su-Jin score a goal. It must have been the winning shot to the game because there were several other parents watching the playful match.
Su-Jin gave a happy little dance and hugged every member of the opposite team. In-Hye admired her little pigtails sticking out behind her ears. Tae-San had been in charge of getting her ready this morning. Her hair still wasn't long enough for braids but it was getting there. It was almost a year since she was saved.
All of her tests said the cancer was in remission. In-Hye framed them and stuck them on the mantle in the living room. Su-Jin said she was weird but her men didn't dare tease her about it. Sometimes she caught Tae-San staring at them with tears in his eyes.
"Omma! Did you see?" Su-Jin came running up to her with so much energy.
"I did! It was an excellent shot. Where's your bag?"
"Over there!" She pointed to the tables near the playground. Su-Jin took her hand and they began walking over to get her bag. "I am still number five in the class. Eun-Mi is number three. She's very smart."
"I am glad for my Su-Jin." In-Hye kissed the top of her head. "We can't have dinner at home tonight. We got a surprise visit from my parents and your daddies want me to wait. Do you want to go see a movie until Appa is done with school?"
Su-Jin nodded as they started walking to the bus stop. She held onto In-Hye's hand and got one of her quiet, thoughtful looks that meant hard questions were about to come. In-Hye let Su-Jin pick the restaurant for dinner and she laughed when her little girl just wanted black bean noodles. She made sure to take some cute selcas with their unavoidably messy faces and sent them to both fathers.
"Omma, I have a question."
"I hope I have an answer, Su-Jin." In-Hye tried not to steel herself for what was coming.
"Are you scared Appa and Abeoji will leave again?"
It wasn't what she expected. She considered Su-Jin's earnest eyes and smiled easily. She shook her head. "No. I'm not scared about that. That's why we're going to try to make a baby."
"That's what I thought." She looked so relieved and her little shoulders slumped. "I like living together like this. I like having two daddies. I'm glad you're my omma."
"I'm glad you're my daughter, too." In-Hye reached over and pulled a piece of grass out of her hair. Su-Jin still looked thoughtful and so In-Hye waited for the next question.
"I have another question."
"Okay. I have another answer." Su-Jin giggled at the playfulness of their conversation but sobered quickly.
"Appa and Abeoji are taking responsibility for us now. They love us and they love each other. I know because they kiss all the time and have sleepovers in the living room."
"Yes, they do," In-Hye agreed. "That isn't a question."
Su-Jin nodded and tilted her head. "If you aren't scared they will leave, then why are you scared to meet with...your parents. I don't like them. I know they said mean things to you because of me. I know you love me so I know they were wrong to say those things. But, Omma...you looked scared when you told me. Are you scared?"
"Yes. I'm scared." In-Hye tried her hardest to be honest with Su-Jin. She didn't want secret pictures or terrified tears ever again. She didn't want to have to hold her little girl while she cried about death or afraid that In-Hye would be mad at her for having questions. "Remember how I said having two boyfriends just wasn't done?"
Su-Jin nodded and drank all of her water. "You must have been mistaken because you have two boyfriends now."
"I was. It took some courage and some guts to do it. Most people aren't going to accept our family. I don't want my parents to say bad things to you or your fathers. I can't stand it when you're hurt."
Su-Jin came around to her side of the table. She climbed into In-Hye's lap and gave her a very tight hug. In-Hye wrapped her arms around her and held her close. "I have one more question," Su-Jin whispered as she laid her head on In-Hye's shoulder. Her little girl wasn't so little anymore and it was fantastic.
