a/n- come on guys don't be a silent reader! pls vote and comment okay? ☹️

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"eat something." jiah hums faintly, motioning her hand for yoongi to just place whatever he has for her on the table and leave quietly. however, the man sighs qt her, taking the seat beside her and ruffles her hair, a soft chuckle leaving his lips. "you've been studying for three hours straight. you need a break, okay? just listen to me and eat something."

jiah hisses in annoyance, picking up a sandwich from the tray and takes a big bite, her eyes boring onto the text printed on the book. she mumbles some words to herself, averting her gaze only for a moment to make sure the information gets stored in her head. she nods slowly, returning back to reading and puts doen the sandwich, dusting off her hands before she picks up her pen, writing some points down on her notebook.

"it's like you're back in college." yoongi says, shaking his head as he takes it to himself to feed jiah, making her take a bite of the sandwich and waits for her to chew, so he can offer the juice next. the girl, just nods at his words, clearly not paying any attention, but opens her mouth again for him to feed her.

"just stop it if you're hungry, jiah. eat first and take a break for a while, then you can go back to studying, alright?"

"i'm busy..." she mumbles with a full mouth after taking a bite of the sandwich from his hand. she coughs on having a bit too much, dropping the pen from her hand, looking up for the first time in search for anything liquid. yoongi quickly brings the glass of juice closer to her lips, letting her take a sip and rubs her back.

"are you okay?"

"hm," jiah nods, clearing her throat.

"close your books for now. studying for that long without a break isn't so productive." he says, standing up from the seat and picks up a few napkins, placing them beside the tray of food and watches how jiah grins at him, "what?"

"nothing." she shakes her head, sipping the juice, failing miserably when she tries to hide her smile.

"okay?" yoongi arches up a brow, leaning down and asks, "what is it?"

"you still take care of me like you did when i was small. it's funny."

"what can i do? you never grew up." he flicks her forehead, which makes jiah wince, rubbing the spot, however she ends up laughing when she sees yoongi chuckle.

"isn't that a nice thing?"

"no. how are you gonne teach jihun to be responsible if you don't act mature?"

"i'm so mature, okay?" she huffs, "i feel like I'm eighty when i'm going up the stairs. or when jihun keeps asking me to play with him."

"you just lack stamina, brat." yoongi clicks.

"stamina, i see?" jiah nods, and yoongi chuckles, shaking his head at her. "oppa, i was thinking of starting to work out sometimes?"

"do you even have time?"

"uhm i can make some. like in the morning?"

"what about jihun?"

"exactly, that's what i'm worried about. actually that day, me and jungkook were just hanging out and he asked me how often i practice jiu jitsu. but i don't. i told him that, and he was like i should practice. he took me to his place and showed me his amazing gym! you won't believe it, oppa it's so big, and it's cool! i felt like i could live there!" jiah gushes out all in one breath, staring at the elder male with excited eyes and a wide smile, while yoongi frowns at her.

"you were with jungkook? even went to his place...?" he starts off, making jiah's smile drop gradually as she shuts her mouth. "what have i told you about all that? about guys?"

"no, it's not like that, oppa. we just wanted to hangout. and he said he could pick me up. we just went to eat after my interview and then i had some time before returning home, so he offered to take me home because of that practicing jiu jitsu thingy..."

yoongi takes a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose, taking a long pause before glancing back at her face, "wasn't he stalking you and being a creep? and if i remember correctly, you hated his guts, right?"

"oh yeah, but i guess he isn't that bad. in fact, he's quite fun to be around." jiah muses.

"jiah," yoongi gives her a look, making the girl whine as she looks up at him.

"we became friends! it's fine!"

"did he force you or anything? is he still following you around?"

"no no. he's actually a nice guy. at least he's a nice friend." jiah assures, "and please, don't worry too much. he's fine. i can deal with him if he's being a dick."

yoongi hisses at that, smacking her back, getting a glare which soon settles down on receiving a strict one from yoongi, "what will you do? fight that obviously bigger guy? look, whatever you do, just think before it. take a minute and ponder over your action before actually doing it. that's all i've to say. you know everything else."

"i know." jiah nods firmly, "punch, elbow, kick, balls."

before yoongi says anything, he's surprised with himself, how fast jiah's words made him snort in laughter. his head is thrown back, eyes shut and a big gummy smile on display, complimented with a contagious sound of laughter. jiah chuckles to herself, shifting her books to the side and picks up the second sandwich to eat.

her phone rings beside her, taking her attention away from food and yoongi, to the glowing screen, that makes her frown with hesitation. yet, she answers the call and sighs, "hello?"

"hey, jiah." it's taehyung with his signature voice. "are you free right now?"

"uh not really. what happened?" she takes another bite, looking up when yoongi taps on her shoulder, eyeing towards the phone, virtually asking who it was. "taehyung," she mumbles.

"are you with someone right now?" taehyung asks.

"what do you want?" jiah hisses. "i'm busy, if you don't have anything to say then just hang up and let me eat in peace."

"okay no, wait." he sighs, "actually, i had a shoot in early today and i'm free right now. so i was thinking of spending the rest of my day with you and jihun—"

"i told you, taehyung. not me. please keep me out of your amazing plans." she scoffs. "and about spending your day with jihun, what will you do?"

"can you talk normally?"

"i am."

"jiah," his voice is deeper, almost like he'd annoyed with the sass and attitude in her tone. he's probably trying his best not to say anything to hurt her right now, and that puts jiah off even more. "i'm sorry, okay? i shouldn't have said all that to you that day. it was very insensitive of me."

"no, mr kim—"

it's as if he can read her mind, how fast he cuts her off, catching her words right in time, making jiah frown with his next words. "don't." he's unhappy for sure. that dip in his voice and the single word to stop jiah, isn't too foreign as he did that sometimes when she wouldn't listen to him. although back then, there were no hard meanings, it was just jiah trying to play and piss him off deliberately unlike the present time.

she looks down at the table, shutting her mouth instinctively, taking in the rather authoritative tone, before she's ready to snap back. but again, taehyung knows her too much, "listen to me, baby. i'm sorry. i really am. i just wanna spend today with you and our son. he's gonna enjoy it, don't you think? it will be his  first day-out with both of his parents."

jiah gulps, hating the idea already and takes a deep breath, "no..."

"c'mon, angel. how long are you gonna stay mad at me? i apologised, didn't i? i— okay, fine. you tell me what should i do to make you forgive me?" he chuckles softly at the end of his words and jiah frowns at his duality. it's crazy how he knows exactly how to be sweet and spoil her with love and affection, after doing wrong.

"i told you, tae..." she hushes out.

"what? do you want to—"

"leave me," she says, "please."

jiah ignores yoongi's sympathetic gaze, resting her head in her arms on the table and sighs deeply against the silence on the phone. "don't say that, baby. i love you..." taehyung whispers. "i— i know i speak without thinking sometimes. but i swear nothing means more to me than you and our son. i wanna see you both, please let's meet up?"

"no—"

"please, jiah? i don't show up regularly because i know you won't like that. but at least once in a week, or two weeks at least? i deserve that much, if not more."

jiah takes a moment to think, reminding herself over and over again that she shouldn't give in to his mind games. but then she doesn't even want to leave jihun alone with him. it's frustrating how she can hear taehyung breathing on the line, waiting for her answer patiently, making her groan quietly to herself, "fine... only for jihun."

"thank you," the smile and a faint chuckle can be heard in taehyung's voice too, as he thanks her again, and jiah closes her eyes hating that she ever loved ghis man so much. "thanks a lot, jiah. i'll come get you and jihun in an hour okay? we'll visit his favourite places and do everything that you guys like. i'll make it the best day!"

instead of replying to him, jiah just hangs up the call, rolling her eyes and dusts off her hands, not eating the half left sandwich anymore. "what happened?" yoongi asks.

"taehyung wants to spend his day with jihun." jiah sighs, standing up from her place and stretches her back. "i'll go get him from jin oppa, so we can leave on time."

yoongi thinks for a moment, stopping her before she walks to the exit and hands her the last sandwich, "i know i don't really have a say in this. but, maybe you can just let him take jihun out for a while, if you don't wanna see him."

"leave my toddler alone with that man?" jiah hisses, "seriously?"

"that man is his father, jiah." yoongi sighs, "see, i'm not saying that you should let him take jihun out with him or whatever. but you know it too, from everything that you've told me about taehyung— about how he genuinely likes to be jihun's father— i guess taehyung will be responsible with his son."

jiah looks away, unable to deny it but she can't completely shrug off the uneasy feeling at the mere thought of letting her baby go with someone who's not her. yes, taehyung might be a good father now that he's taking up the role, but that doesn't cover up for him being a jerk to jiah. she looks down at her watch, taking a deep breath as she just shakes her head, "i'm not leaving him alone..." she gulps, finding it hard to even confess the unsettling phobia of losing her child forever if he grows too attached to taehyung.

she doesn't have the energy or interest in living with taehyung and trying to save a relationship that's not even there. but if taehyung gets jihun to love him and get used to him, she might have to consider the idea, or let jihun go entirely if taehyung decides to take this up legally. there's no way on earth, jiah would ever let that happen. although, knowing taehyung so far since he returned, she's uncertain of what he's capable of doing to her and her child.

she might be strong, but not enough to drag herself against all the money and power kim taehyung has. she knows that he realises the  choke hold he can have on her, and if he's not doing it yet, it's probably because he's waiting for her to take a wrong step. so, with a heavy heart, she heads out of yoongi's restaurant, praying that the fears only remain abstract, and taehyung for once actually thinks about her.

•••

"mamma!" jihun runs up to her with open arms, grinning happily as jiah picks him up and returns the tight hug. "ji mishin' mamma!"

"really? mamma jihun too." she cooes, kissing his cheek a few times, before turning to seokjin and smiles at him, "thank you, oppa. and sorry i still bother you—"

"hey, it's fine. it's my job to look after kids, jiah." he laughs, "it's a not a bother. i love jihun, he's such a good kid."

"ji' sho good." jihun nods, clapping for himself and jiah chuckles, thanking seokjin once again and takes her leave. she holds her bag, along with jihun's tiny one that's basically empty. he just wanted to feel like a big boy going to school, and threw a fit on seeing a cute, little tiger bagpack. jiah had to get it for him, a matching lunch box and a water bottle too, since she felt like he could already start getting used to it, because in a few months, when he turns three, he'll have to go to school anyway.

"an—an' ji playin' wid fwends. chinnie uncle give ji' car!"

"that's nice. jinnie uncle is such a good person, isn't he?"

"good," jihun hums, nodding his head at his mothers words, while his eyes are busy looking around as jiah walks on the pedestrian. he wriggles in her arms, pointing at the ground, making her sigh as she lets him down and holds his hand. "mamma dere..." he points at a toy store across the street, which is when jiah realises why he suddenly felt like walking.

"no, we're going somewhere else right now." jiah tells him.

"teddy..." he pouts.

"you have a lot of teddies at home, jihun. we're not going there, okay?" she says softly, stroking his head. the toddler feels more upset, walking slowly beside his mother, his eyes going back to the store until he stops walking and pulls her hand, pointing in the direction with a whine.

"no, baby." jiah carries him up, hugging her close to her chest and kisses the side of his head, "shh, don't cry or everyone's gonna think that jihun is a bad boy."

"mamma is bad!" he smacks her shoulder, getting a hiss from jiah, which just encourages him to protest more.

"i swear to god—"

"tedddyyyy!"

"no." she tells him firmly, making him quiet down and stare at her with yeary eyes, lower lip puckered into an intense pout. jiah knows he's about to yell and cry, but she keeps walking, rubbing his back and whispering other things to divert his attention. "do you want ice cream, ji? should we go and—"

"teddy!"

"you and your teddy." she mutters, smacking him on the butt lightly, "how many teddies do you want huh?"

"so many teddy..."

jiah finds herself about to smile at that answer, but she shakes her head, sighing softly, "okay, we'll go there later?"

"noooo!" he whines more, breaking into a sob, wriggling in her arms, which makes her gasp for he never really behaves like that. jiah crouches down at one side, making the toddler stand between her arms, stomping on the ground and crying.

"hey, please don't cry, jihun." she looks at him with worried eyes, cupping his face and pulls him closer, "shh, jihun is mamma's good boy, isn't he? he'll listen to mamma an—"

"teddyyy!"

jiah takes a deep breath, trying her best not to lose temper, because it's funny how jihun knows she wouldn't scold him when yoongi's not there for the rescue. she massages her temples, averting her eyes for a mere second, which is enough for jihun to take the matter in his hands. he turns around, running straight in the direction of the store, full aware that his mamma will folow and then she might end up getting him a teddy bear.

"jihun!" jiah gasps, reaching forward as fast she could. with her eyes wide in fear, she fortunately grabs his t-shirt, pulling him back from the busy street where vehicles are still coming and going.

"jihun!" it's another voice, however jiah doesn't react to it, and releases a breath of relief on having her son safe. she kneels down on the ground, about to pull jihun in a hug, when a pair of arms block her in the middle and carry jihun up, apparantly more worried than jiah herself.

she looks up, gulping on seeing taehyung there. he's frowning with concern, eyes carefully checking the toddler for any injury until he's satisfied that there are none. he hugs jihun tightly, kissing his forehead a couple times, "thank god you're fine." he whispers to the little boy, who still has tears in his eyes, sobbing more at the sight of his father who has been bonding with him a lot lately.

"daddy..." jihun mumbles, glancing back at the store, "mamma no— no' gettin' ji teddy..."

taehyung turns to jiah finally, and the soft gaze for his son turns into a glare. jiah stands up, ignoring whatever he had to say and reaches out for jihun, "are you okay?" she asks the toddler, holding his hand, "you should never run on the stre—"

"how can you be so careless?" taehyung grits out, breathing heavy with anger. "he's two, jiah. he doesn't know all that! it's you, his mother as you keep saying, who has to look after him. what were you even doing that he was about to get on the street by himself? you always say you don't need anyone, but then you act like this." he shakes his head.

jiah says nothing against the deep eyes and many other stares watching her getting scolded by her son's father for being a careless mother. her hold on jihun's hand tightens a little, wanting him back in her arms for tears have started to blur her eyes, seeing the probability of something very bad happening to jihun of she didn't stop him in time.

"god forbid, what if something happened to my son?"

for a second that's all jiah hears, frowning up at taehyung, "your son...?" she repeats, giving him a reason to scoff.

"now don't you put stupid meanings to that. you know what i'm saying."

"no, i don't." jiah glares at him, "what do you mean your son? he's mine! i gave birth to him! you didn't even know he—"

"the same old thing, jiah. you keep going back and digging up old shit when you have nothing else to defend yourself." taehyung says, closing his eyes for a moment and shakes his head. she's about to cry with the layer of tears in her eyes and the angry glares she's throwing at him. but taehyung speaks first again, "go home. i think you should go and get some rest. i'll take jihun with me for a while, show him around a bit."

"no—"

"relax," taehyung cups her face, wiping off the tear that just left her eye, "i'll bring him back before seven."

"no, please don't—"

taehyung chuckles at that softly as he leans down, confirming her fear and pecks her lips, "go home, jiah. i promise jihun will be safe with me, and i'll bring him back home to you before seven."

jiah stares at him walking away, getting in his car that has been waiting round the corner, leaving her alone. she touches her lips, hating how familiar taehyung feels, yet so different. she rubs her eyes, trying not to break into a sob as she turns away too, picking up her and jihun's bag. she's taking small steps back to her apartment, looking back once in a while in the hope to see jihun running back to her because he didn't like going out without her. however, when his tiny figure isn't seen, jiah accepts the reality, sniffling quietly to herself.

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a/n- heyyy! did you like the chapter? please vote and comment if you did. also, share the book with your friends so they can read it too. follow me for more updates and interact with me like a many of my readers <3333

*jiah's shorter than him. and this is how he looks her when he's trying to manipulate her*