Chapter 4

"A protecting family"

Jimin's heart was beating way faster than it should and he stood frozen in his spot, watching Ha Na and some guy talking to each other in sign language. The guy still hadn't said a single word, maybe he was deaf too, thought Jimin.

Then suddenly, as Jimin was drowning in his own thoughts, the guy turned his eyes towards him again and looked at Jimin like he could see right into his soul.

"Are you Park Jimin?" said the guy in a deep firm voice. 

So he wasn't deaf, thought Jimin.

"Yes sir!" Jimin quickly answered and bowed.

"And why are you together with my little sister?" Jimin felt the sweat slide down his face as he heard the word "little sister" being said, and he now felt even more scared than before.

"Well I... I was walking her home from work-"

"And why would you do that? Does she not have legs of her own?"

"Well yes, of course she does, but the one who should have walked her home couldn't and she seemed a bit sad and-"

"And how did you know Hakyeon couldn't walk her home?" Jimin gulped again. There seemed to be no light at the end of this tunnel, only a racing heartbeat, sweat and maybe even death if this guy got any angrier.

"I accidentally saw the message on her phone-" Jimin stopped himself as he saw the guy's eyes turn even more red and he held his breath as he awaited his death.

Ha Na just stood beside them while her eyes moved back and forth between Jimin and Namjoon, as she was trying to get a grip of the conversation, but Namjoon spoke way too fast and Jimin kept stuttering and mumbling, so it was impossible to read their lips. And just as Ha Na was about to jump in, she saw a figure approaching giving her an immediate feel of relief.

"Good evening," said Eun Ji and signed so Ha Na could understand too. Jimin nearly had a heart attack as he hadn't seen Eun Ji coming from behind, "what is going on here?" continued she.

"I was just talking to this guy who was walking home with Ha Na?" said Namjoon.

"But why are you standing out here? And why aren't you using sign language while you are speaking, Namjoon? Ha Na is standing here looking really confused and uncomfortable!"

In the same moment Eun Ji felt a pair of arms wrapping around her and she looked down to see her daughter hugging her tight. Eun Ji laughed a bit and then patted Ha Na on her head. Jimin looked at Ha Na, a bit shocked by her deep affection for her mom, but he couldn't help but smile at her cute action. In the same second, he felt Namjoon's eyes glaring at him and he quickly looked away.

"Now please everyone, let us go inside and talk," said Eun Ji while signing. Ha Na eagerly nodded and waved her hand at Jimin, urging him to follow along. He looked at Namjoon who just sighed and followed behind his mother and sister.

Jimin looked around as he entered the house and he felt a sudden warmth spread inside his body.

"I am coming in," Jimin then said and bowed before taking of his shoes. He then followed Eun Ji to a cozy but modern kitchen. It had two windows facing the street, which let in all the bright sunlight. In the middle was a counter with a faucet and a sink. It was a long counter with plenty of room to prepare food and side dishes. At the other side of the counter was four stools and Eun Ji sent Jimin a smile while pointed at them.

"Please sit down," said Eun Ji, "would you like something to drink?"

"No ma'am... I mean, no thanks ma'am." Eun Ji just laughed again. She had this calming laugh and a smile that reminded him so much of Ha Na's. Ha Na walked up to the counter and was about to sit down on the stool next to Jimin, but Namjoon beat her to it and made sure to sit down before her. Ha Na just stuck out her tongue at her brother and sat on the stool next to him.

"So, what is your name, young man?" asked Eun Ji.

"Park Jimin, ma'am."

"And how do you know my daughter?" asked Eun Ji as she poured a cup of coffee for herself. Her voice seemed a bit more harsh this time, but Jimin tried not to read into it.

"I met her yesterday at the library and then again today. While we were talking, I found out she had to walk home alone. She seemed a bit down, so I thought I would offer to walk her home."

"That was very nice of you," said Eun Ji but her voice wasn't nice and calm anymore and she had stopped signing, so Ha Na looked very puzzled, "but explain to me Mr. Park, why you felt the need to walk home a young girl you didn't know, to a neighborhood you don't live in."

"I..." Jimin felt speechless when he noticed the cold gaze coming from both Namjoon and Eun Ji, while Ha Na just looked as puzzled as before. 

"I am sorry if what I did was wrong, I only wanted to help."

"As long as you can see you were in the wrong," said Eun Ji and was about to continue when Ha Na started pulling her sleeve. A few seconds ago she had gotten up from her stool, slowly feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere spread in the kitchen.

"What is wrong?" asked Eun Ji in sign language.

"Why did you stop signing? Don't you want me to know what you are talking to Jimin about?"

"Well of course, I just got emerged in the conversation and forgot to sign. I am sorry."

"Okay," said Ha Na, "why don't we invite Jimin to stay for dinner?"

"I am sorry honey, but Jimin said he has to leave now." Eun Ji made sure to use her voice this time while staring at Jimin. He quickly took the hint and got up from his stool while looking at Ha Na and Eun Ji.

"Thank you for having me here," said Jimin and tried smiling so he wouldn't make Ha Na uncomfortable. Then he hurried out of the kitchen and to the hall were he quickly tied his shoes. This family seriously gave him the chills and he wanted to leave as fast as possible before they regretted their decision to let him go and came back to cook him and eat him.

Then, just as Jimin was about to leave, someone pulled his sleeve. For a second he feared that they really had come back to cook him, but when he turned around he saw Ha Na standing behind him.

"What-"

Ha Na hurried and put her finger on his lips so he would stay quiet. Then she gave him a small piece of paper before she disappeared into the house again.

Jimin stepped out of the house and then looked at his watch. He sighed loudly when he saw how late it was. He needed to hurry and get home unless he wanted to study all night long. 

Jimin started walking but when he looked up, a very startled young girl stood in front of him. It seemed that she had been looking down at her phone and only just noticed Jimin in time not to bump into him. Jimin was relieved, he felt he had bumped into enough girls this week already.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," said Jimin.

"Oh it's okay," said the girl who now looked more curious than startled.

"Well then, goodbye." Jimin smiled at the girl and then walked away. 

"Goodbye," said the girl and watched as Jimin walked down the street and disappeared. Then quickly, the girl went into the house and straight to the kitchen.

"Where is Ha Na?"

"Good evening Jung Hwa, is this your way of greeting people now?" said Eun Ji and Jung Hwa gulped. She didn't know Eun ji would be home already.

"Of course not, I am sorry. It's nice to see you again Mrs. Kim."

"It's nice to see you too, Ha Na is upstairs in her room."

"Thank you! Oh and hi Namjoon Oppa!" yelled Jung Hwa before she ran up the stairs. Behind her she could hear Namjoon laugh in the background before he said "nice to see you too!"

Jung Hwa didn't have time for all these formalities, she had to find Ha Na quickly so she could get an explanation!

Ha Na!" Even though Ha Na wouldn't be able to hear, Jung Hwa still shouted and waved her hands in the air so Ha Na noticed her when she entered her bedroom.

"What is wrong, Unnie?" signed Ha Na, "you look like you have seen a ghost."

"I might as well have!" said Jung Hwa while signed, "I saw a guy leave your house just now, I have never seen another guy leave besides Namjoon and Hakyeon Oppa. Who was he?" Ha Na didn't answer but just smiled a bit nervously and looked down at her feet. Jung Hwa then waved her hands in front if Ha Na again so she would look up before she signed:

"What is wrong, did you break your hands? Tell me already!" Ha Na apologized and then answered her:

"Do you remember the boy I told you about, the one I talked to at the library?"

"Get out! That was him? How did you get to know such a hot guy?"

"Unnie, stop it!" signed Ha Na while looking at her with serious eyes.

"Sorry sorry," hurried Jung Hwa, "but seriously, you need to tell me everything that happened!"

Ha Na and Jung Hwa sat down on her bed and Ha Na excitedly started telling about her day with Jimin. While the two girls continued talking and laughing, Namjoon and Eun Ji still sat in the kitchen downstairs.

"I don't like this!" said Namjoon, "she never talks to strangers, why did she agree to let him walk her home so easily?"

"I don't know, I am a bit worried myself," said Eun Ji and sat down next to her son, "he didn't seem like a bad guy though."

"I don't trust him."

"I don't trust him either, you shouldn't trust anyone you just met. I guess we just have to see what happens. Who knows, maybe she will never meet him again after today."

"I don't think that will happen, they will meet again, I can feel it." Eun Ji looked at her cup that was now empty and she sighed.

"Let us not talk more about this before your father returns home," said Eun Ji and stood up, "I am going to start preparing dinner now."

"Do you need any help?" Eun Ji lifted her eyebrow at her son and he just threw his hands in the air, "Fine! All I want is to help, but it seems like I am not wanted. I am going over to see if Hakyeon returned home."

"Alright. Make sure to be home for dinner."

"I will!"

***

Jimin was completely lost in his school work and didn't even hear his roommates returned home until Taehyung was practically shouting in his ear.

"PARK JIMIN!" Jimin jumped up from his chair and Taehyung couldn't hold back his laughter when he saw the startled look on his face. Jungkook was also laughing in the background and Jimin just rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for your pranks, I need to study."

"You are still studying?" said Jungkook, "but it is already late."

"Yeah but I came home pretty late," answered Jimin.

"Wait, didn't you say you couldn't join us because you had to go home early to study?" said Taehyung with a little disappointment in his voice.

"Something came up."

"Like what?" said Jungkook.

"Seriously guys, I don't have time for this, I need to study," Jimin said annoyed.

"No you have to tell us! Otherwise it seems like you blew us off for no reason!" Jimin sighed and put down his book and then turned his chair around to face his two roommates.

"I had to walk home a friend."

"Who?" asked Taehyung.

"You don't know her."

"Oh so it is a girl!" said Jungkook and his face lit up completely!

"So you blew us off to spend time with some girl?" added Taehyung.

"It is not like that, seriously how can I explain this so you will understand?"

"Hey don't talk like we are stupid!" Taehyung pouted.

"Alright, I will tell you everything," said Jimin in the end, "It began yesterday when I first went to the library..."

Once Jimin had told the whole story of how he first met Ha Na on the street and how he ended up walking her home and got interrogated by her mother and brother, Taehyung and Jungkook just looked at him. After a little while Taehyung was the first to speak up.

"So this girl, she is completely deaf?"

"Yes."

"And she doesn't seem to have a lot of friends, probably because of her overprotecting family?"

"Probably."

"But you like her"

"Li- I never said I liked her, come on I just met her yesterday."

"Alright alright," continued Taehyung while Jungkook just sat back and listened, "but you want to meet her again."

"I think so, even though her family did scare me a little bit."

"Hmm..." Taehyung kept quiet and looked like he was thinking way too hard for his head to handle.

"Do you know her phone number, Hyung?" asked Jungkook after a while of silence.

"No I..." Jimin stopped himself as he suddenly remembered the note Ha Na gave him before he left. He got so startled by the girl outside that he completely forgot about it.

"What?" said Taehyung, but Jimin didn't answer, he just reached into his pocket and took out the small piece of paper.

"What is that?" asked Jungkook.

"I don't know, Ha Na gave it to me when her family wasn't looking."

"What are you waiting for then? Open it!" said Taehyung eagerly. Jimin nodded and opened then note.

Thanks for walking me home

I'm sorry for my family's behavior, they're not good with strangers.

Get home safe

"Phone number"

Taehyung and Jungkook just looked at Jimin who was still staring at the paper, waiting for him to explain.

"What did it say?" asked Taehyung.

"She gave me her phone number," was all Jimin said.

"There you go!" yelled Jungkook and jumped up in happiness, "Ha Na must like you too."

"Stop saying we like each other, we don't even know each other yet."

"Yes yes," said Jungkook and giggled. Jimin just sighed and turned around to bury his face in his books once again.

"Now I really need to study, so stop bothering me!"

"Alright, come on Jungkook, let's play a game!"

"Sure!"

The evening came to an end and the night slowly came creeping in. Soon Jimin found himself yawning every second minute and he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. He closed his book and washed up before going to bed. The dorm room had a bunk bed and a single bed. Jungkook slept at the top bunk and Taehyung slept at the bunk underneath, so Jimin had the single bed for himself. The two others were already sleeping soundly, so he walked across the room as quietly as possible, making sure not the wake them up.

Before closing his eyes, Jimin looked at the paper one more time and he felt a funny sensation in his chest. He didn't know what the feeling meant, but he knew he had never felt that way before. All he knew was on thing; he wanted to meet her again, and he wanted it to happen soon.

Hello everyone!

We are back to the main story and I hope you are still intrigued and like how the story is progressing. Please don't feel shy and remember to leave a comment down below.

Take care and stay safe!

Love, Annalise~