twenty-seven.

Seolmi shifts uncomfortably on her seat, her attention not focusing on the cartoon she is watching. Her body turns towards her uncle Jimin who was busy munching on the food Jin cooked for them.

"Uncle Chimchim..." she whispers while nudging Jimin. The latter stops on whatever he was doing and looks down at his niece.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why daddy and dada still not awake? It's 2 pm already," she mumbles. Jimin chuckles due to what she said and ruffles her hair in return.

"Do you want to check on them, sweetie?"

Seolmi nods her head aggressively, earning another laugh from her uncle. Jimin carried her upstairs and when they arrive in front of Taehyung's room, he lets Seolmi open the door.

The two almost cooed at the adorable sight  in front of them. The two are still wrapped around tightly underneath the blanket, legs entangled with each other.

"Outside, uncle Chimchim," Jimin smiles softly at her before closing the door gently. Once they get back in the living room, Seolmi settles herself on Jimin's lap, while she fidgets with her uncle's shirt.

"I'm happy," Seolmi tells him, making Jimin look at her adoringly.

"You are?"

"Yes. I'm happy just by seeing them together... they'll be back together, right?" Jimin feels pity for the little girl. Growing up with parents whose relationship is complicated can be too much to handle, but this little girl right here is handling it rather smoothly. Yes, Seolmi may still be struggling in doing her best to bring her parents together, but she still have the guts to be strong and to be optimistic enough.

"Uncle Chim? Can you tell me dada and daddy's story?"

Jimin kisses Seolmi's forehead and starts to tell whatever happened in the beginning. Seolmi listens attentively, looking at his uncle cutely whenever he mentions romantic parts about her parents.

"And that's why you exist in this world, baby. Because of the love your dada and daddy have for each other," Jimin ends the story with that sentence, stroking Seolmi's hair.

"If they love each other, why did they go far away?"

"There are things in life that's not meant to be permanent, Seolmi. Sometimes, two persons who are in love with each other, needs to be separated by fate in order for them to measure how strong their love can get. So when the time comes, they'll be back stronger than before," Jin says out of nowhere. The two looks at him, obviously shocked because of his presence.

"Then why did fate let them meet when it's also gonna separate them?"

"It's because fate is testing them if they're compatible or not, baby."

"Dada and daddy aren't compatible?"

"They are, baby. That's why they had you... but fate is just too cruel. It always finds a way to separate two people in the most uncertain and unexpected time."

"Baba Jinnie, dada loves daddy, right?"

"Yes, sweetie."

"Daddy still love dada, too?"

Jin and Jimin looks at each other before smiling and nodding in sync.

"Yes, sweetie. Daddy Gukkie still loves dada."

"And Lisa eonnie is not bad?"

"She isn't bad, sweetheart. She's a sweet girl just like you."

Seolmi beams in delight, her cute dimples showing, making Jin and Jimin's hearts swell with so much joy and love for the adorable kid in front of them.

It is in times like this that Jin and Jimin just wants to curse fate for being too heartless.

❄️