Secrets We Never Tell / Jin FF

4

Jin and Shay were both startled from their sleep by a high-pitched sound. They both turned their heads to see where the noise was coming from. "EOMMA!!! Wake up! We're making pancakes!" Shay launched herself from the bed. She was being incredibly thankful that she did what she was going to the night before. She had gotten up after a few hours and gotten herself cleaned up and dressed. She was also thankful that Jin had the blanket covering his body. But that didn't matter. There was still a man in her bed!

"Ok. I'll be out in a minute. Go ahead and get started." Shay ushered the little boy out of her room and promptly shut the door behind him. "You have to go!" she whispered shouted to Jin. She picked up his folded-up clothes from her chair and pushed them into his chest. Her cleaning up her apartment before she fell back asleep, was the other thing she was thankful for.

Jin stood there dazed and confused, but he could always follow orders even if he were half out of it. Jin began to put his clothes back on as he watched Shay run around her bedroom. She bolted into her closet and yanked a sweatshirt from the hanger before throwing it over her body, then went to the bathroom. She stood by the mirror as she splashed water on her face and tied her hair up, tucked into a flimsy half-bun.

Shay looked over at Jin when she was finished. Her eyes gave him a once-over when he finished putting on his white t-shirt. "Ok," she whispered, satisfied he was dressed. She grabbed his arm and shoved him out of the now-opened door, following directly behind him.

Shay and Jin walked hastily into the living room, bypassing everyone standing around her kitchen, not saying a word. "Don't we get a good morning?" the older woman called out from behind the kitchen counter in English with a spatula in hand while the little body stood beside her, covered in pancake batter and obviously on a step stool.

"Good morning," Shay called out behind her as she tried to zip Jin through the room.

"Stop right there, young lady! Come back here and introduce us to your friend," The older woman scolds.

"Mom, Dad. This is Jin. Jin, these are my parents," Shay says through grit teeth.

"Annyeonghaseyo!" Shay's mother says in broken Korean. Her father was glued to his phone, completely unaware of the chaos that was happening around him.

"Annyeonghaseyo," Jin repeats in a groggy voice and a slight bow.

"Would he like to stay for breakfast?

"No, Mom, Jin has to go. I'm sorry," Shay called out again when she turned her body back around, pushing Jin towards the door. Jin gave a little wave as Shay opened the door, picked up his shoes, and handed them to him. With a final shove, Jin was out of her apartment. The door slammed in his face.

Jin stood outside her door, stunned. He stayed that way when he entered his apartment across the hall. He dropped everything in his hands at the door and went into his bathroom to properly shower. Once dressed, Jin flopped on his bed, and his mind began to spin.

'Eomma. The little boy called her eomma. Shay has a son? How did I not know this?' Jin thought back to all of their interactions before this morning. Jin thought about the number of times he would ask to share a meal, and she would always politely turn him down. He thought about how last night was the first time he ever set foot inside her apartment. Shay had given Jin no hints about her having a son. 'Why wouldn't she tell me? Last night was our get-to-know-you date, and she failed to mention she had a child!' Jin rubbed his face in frustration. He wasn't going to get anywhere asking all these questions.

Jin scooted off of his bed and made his way over to the front door. He slipped on his shoes and opened the door. Jin could think of one man that might have the answers. Jin halted in his steps and looked at his door. A small piece of paper was taped to his door: