BABY MAMA | pjm

XCI

ACT XIX | SCENE XCI

❝SORRY❞

THE AIR WAS thick with awkwardness. it had been more than a minute, yet no one had said a word. jangmi's mind replayed the last time she had seen the woman, recalling the sting of the hyunjoo's palm against her cheek. the feeling of thinking rosalie was gone quickly followed. and suddenly, jangmi had an overwhelming urge to launch herself at the woman that sat across from her. barely holding herself back, she took in a deep breath.

next to her, jimin was compulsively toying with the rings that adorned his fingers, rolling the silver jewelleries up and down his digits. he wasn't sure what was going to happen but he was certain he had to be there to play meditator and prevent the possibility of a cat fight, no matter how uncomfortable he currently felt in the space.

hyunjoo pressed her lips together, feeling a mixture of guilt and chagrin as she stared at the younger woman. her pride kept her from saying the words she knew she needed to say to jangmi. it was difficult for her to let go of her superciliousness and apologise. after years of holding an unjustified grudge, she was uncertain about how to wipe this slate clean.

but she knew she had no choice, not if she wanted a chance at mending her relationship with her son. she was only now realising what she should have years ago. jimin's happiness was what mattered most, not what she thought would make him happy.

taking in a deep breath, she prepared her mind to speak. she tried to form the words she needed to say in her head, but everything jumbled up. maybe she could have written them down. "i'm sorry." she finally released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

jangmi's brows shot up. she wasn't sure what she had been expecting but those two words definitely took her by surprise. park hyunjoo just apologised to her. a woman who stood rigidly by her pride and what she thought was right just apologised.

it by no means atoned for everything that the older woman had done but that didn't make it any less shocking to hear. jangmi decided to remain quiet and let her do all the talking for the time being.

"it took me so long to realise how wrong i have been all those years ago and even now. you never did anything wrong but my actions towards you were always discourteous. i know you never did anything to deserve such a treatment from me." hyunjoo took in a deep breath, visibly struggling to go on. she shot a furtive glance her son's way to find his gaze casted downwards. noticing his arm move, she quickly discerned that he was reaching for jangmi's hand which she let him hold.

then it hit hyunjoo just how much jimin cared for and loved the woman beside him and she began to cry, shocking the two twenty-something-year-olds in front of her. jangmi's brows dipped together in a frown, while jimin's eyes widened in alarm, both confused.

"mum?" jimin called softly, leaning forward to see her face, only for the woman's wailing to get louder. jimin looked to jangmi for help but she simply shook her head, more confused than he was. so far, she hadn't been able to predict any of the things that had happened.

"i'm so sorry." hyunjoo sobbed, calling their attention back to her. "i've been a horrible mother and grandmother and just a terrible person in general." her words were barely audible over her loud crying. she sounded like a chastised child and it wasn't a pretty sight. jangmi was certain she was the sort of woman who would never let just anyone see her at her worst. and it made her realise that those were genuine tears.

"um, maybe i should go." she mumbled, feeling highly uncomfortable with a bawling, inconsolable hyunjoo in front of her. the woman began to shake her head frantically.

"no, no. i need you to know how sorry i am." hyunjoo wiped at her cheeks. she reached out only to stop midway, her hands hovering awkwardly in the air. "i'm not asking for forgiveness. i know i don't deserve it nor do i have the right to ask for that. i've subjected you to such cruelty when you never did anything to me except love my son. and i just want to apologise for everything."

jangmi pressed her lips together, staring at the woman whose eyes were red and swollen. teeth nibbling at her bottom lip, she glanced at jimin who seemed lost in thought. her lips parted but still no words came.

"i, uh... i accept your apology. that's all i can give you. for now at least. i know what they say about forgiving and forgetting but it's going to take me a while to forgive you and even longer to forget. because it really isn't that easy. words are simple to say but to me they are worthless if you don't mean them. and i can only honestly tell you that i'm happy that rosalie feels loved around you. for that, i'm grateful. so can you please stop crying now?"

jimin almost snorted at the last bit, sensing her discomfort. blinking, he glanced at his mother to see her reaction. her hands wiped at her face. "thank you." she smiled wanly.

jangmi looked away, eyes staring at the large window to her right. "if you want to see rosalie, she's with chairman park in the garden. i'm sure she'll be excited to see you." she muttered. "thank you." hyunjoo replied, getting on her feet and slowly leaving.

grinning, jimin reached for jangmi, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "thank you." his breath tickled her skin. his arms came up to wrap around her in a warm tight hug. "thank you."

☀️☀️☀️

i just realised there are now three whole ass beyonce songs from lemonade as chapter titles lmao and i didn't even do it on purpose.
anyway, i hope this wasn't disappointing. i didn't want to make it overly dramatic and drag it on longer than necessary.
i hope y'all are doing okay. how's life? school?