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🤎 FINALE TIME  🤎
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As their car draws closer to the satnav's destination, Hoseok can't help but look out the window with a slacked jaw whilst slowly pulling up to the familiar building...

Vines and small cherry blossoms sprout between the earthy stone walls of the chapel, bringing a live Earthiness to its religious carvings. Despite the auburn grass field that surrounds the hill, a stone pathway trails to the rural structure like a yellow brick road.

It's the chapel we got married in.

"Stop here."

Still aligning a knife around his neck from the backseat, April grins when Hoseok parks the car. She then tosses a scrunched pile of brown fabric on his lap. He peers down at the nostalgic material with confusion.

"Put it on."

"You've lost it."

At that, April brings the knife closer to his skin, forcing his body to tense as she speaks through gritted teeth.

"PUT the suit on. Or do I have to dress you myself?" The corners of her lips lift. Hoseok returns his focus to the clothing on his lap with a sigh.

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➽───────❥───────➤
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With my breath pacing irregularly, I practically sprint across the road from April's house when a car's hood almost slams into my stomach. I ground my palms on the metallic hood with peddling feet when the driver pulls an abrupt stop. "—Woah!"

"May!" Dana hurries out of the diver's seat, skipping carefully in her pencil skirt and court heels. She immediately roams her hands around my shoulders to check for any injuries.

"Damn girl, I nearly hit you! What's going on?? You just ran out of work so I came to check on you—!"

Before she can even finish, I circle her and immediately enter the open door of her Kia.

"That bitch has my son. Call the police, tell them to go to the chapel in Adelaide Hills!"

Dana merely gawks at me with a loose jaw when I drive off in her car with a loud screech. After a few seconds of silence, the stranded psychologist mumbles to herself before unlocking her phone.

"So I come to check on her. The girl jacks my car. Why I oughta..."

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➽───────❥───────➤
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The chapel's interior is decorated exactly like it was on that faithful day two months ago. A refreshing pastoral vintageness warms the room while handcrafted illustrations of Jesus embellish the ceiling and natural sun rays penetrate the windows, creating a heaven-like glow behind Hoseok's silhouette. The sight would be impressive if there were guests, but of course, the only thing to accompany each oak bench are cobwebs.

Hoseok's attire is weaved with far less pride and euphoria this time. Instead, the 'soon to be wedded' husband impatiently waits at the altar in his mocha suit; accessorized by a white rose in his front pocket and a heavy steel ball chained to his right ankle.

"This is ridiculous..."

An elderly man now slowly makes his way to the altar, adorning a black suit and bowtie. Hoseok looks around before hissing desperately.

"Psst! Sir! We've gotta get out of here! This crazy woman kidnapped—"

"Hello? Who said that?" Upon facing him, Hoseok notices the priest's glassy, opaque eyes that roam around, reflecting the room with a murky coat. Safe to say that he hasn't seen much of anything in while...

"Great," Hoseok sighs at the ceiling, "This is crazier than the time I hid Taehyung and his girl from the cops for 5 months."

"Okay, I'm ready!"

Both men snap their attention towards April as she excitedly presses play on the speaker and strolls down the aisle. Hoseok's loose jaw and wide eyes stay fixated on her...

The dress looks... Ethereal. Simply because it's the same gown that was worn in this very room two months ago. The custom-made Italian piece sports subtle crystals along the lace; bringing a heavenly sparkle to the ivory mesh that curtains April's euphoric smile.

Her gown continues to trace the carpet until the song approaches its end and the hopeful bride is standing opposite her dream lover. With high hopes and a bouquet of flowers between her grip, April beams brightly at Hoseok despite his obvious displeasure.

"Uncle Fredwick. Care to do the honors?"

The old man clears his throat before speaking slowly and linking his arms behind his back.

"*Ahem* We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining lives of Hoseok and April. Are you both prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?"

"Hobi, you're not smiling." She whispers-growls.

"Where the hell is my son."

"Shh! Don't say hell at an altar! Yes we are, Uncle."

With that, the priest commences the ceremony by opening his bible.

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➽───────❥───────➤
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Despite my hair strands that stir messily in the wind, my eyes don't shift for a second. I've never driven so fast, but the big empty country road that lengthens endlessly has me speeding like a mad woman.

"Do you, Annika Sjöberg, take Hoseok Jung, to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

There's no telling what she could do to Jiho... Sick or not, nobody touches my child. I can't imagine how terrified he is right now...

"And do you, Hoseok Jung, take Annika Sjöberg, to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

What if he's crying... Screaming for me... What if he's experiencing everything I swore to protect him from? Have I failed as a mother?

"I... do."

A screech blares from my tires as I recklessly park on the greenery outside the church, causing a pile of autumn leaves to disperse and swarm across the front window. I instantly step out and hurry along the stone path leading to the door.

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband, and wife. You may kiss the—"

A loud thud ripples through the church when I slam the doors open, my chest and shoulders heaving slightly from the run. Hoseok and April stand there hand in hand, reminiscent of our holy day, only with their attention trained on my glare.

"May! I'm so happy you could make it to Hobi and I's wedding! But you kinda came at an awkward time..."

"I'm done with these games. Hoseok's not your husband, get it? I'm married to him. Not you."

"Oh May... I know this must be rough. Seeing the man you want to be with marrying another woman. Don't you know that May comes after April?"

"You need help, April... I saw the pills. And you know what? After everything you've done, I was ready to come here and offer you help. I was going to tell you that I sympathize with your situation. You got prescribed bad medication and stopped taking them because you were afraid to die. Your doctor failed you and from there, you spiraled... But then you went after Jiho."

April frowns at my change of aura.

"Messing with me is one thing, but touching my baby? No more chummy May, no more psychologist... If he's not in front of me in the next 10 seconds, I'm gonna fuck you up myself."

Her eyebrows raise, not expecting such words from my mouth.

"Well isn't that shocking to hear from your mouth? That car crash really did a number on you. It seems I've driven a psychologist insane..."

I follow her movements with scorned eyes as April laughs and inches closer, swinging her bouquet of flowers.

"Oh come on May, you're not acting like yourself. Maybe it's you who needs help. After all, you've been through a lot. I think it's time that you wake up and smell the roses—!"

April lunges her bouquet of Amaranths at my face before I quickly smack the cone away and swing a punch, fueling her to blindly claw a fist into my hair and pull, "Agh!"

She attempts to use my hair to throw me onto the floor but I'm quick to grab hers and in return, swing multiple blows to the head.

Hoseok struggles to get the chain off his ankle with gritted teeth as our aggressive groans play out in the background. April shoves me onto the end of a wooden bench and attempts to hit me until I kick her back, causing her to collapse and knock over a table of candle holders before fleeing to the spiral wooden staircase. I don't hesitate to chase after her.

*Smash!*

"Papaaa!"

The muffled echoey cry catches Hoseok's attention instantly. It's as if the smashing glass frightened the voice.

"Jiho? Jiho baby where are you??"

"I-I'm scared, Papa!"

Hoseok instantly lunges forward to take a step but is halted by the metal weight cuffing his ankle. It takes all his might to follow the voice, dragging the chain along the floorboards to create deep screeches. Each slow footstep is filled with agony as Jiho's cries grow louder and the strain in Hoseok's neck intensifies. But at last, he's lead to a small closet.

"Jiho?" He pats the door, "Talk to me son. Are you in there?"

"Papa I'm s-scared. April's hurting Mamma...!"

"No she's not. I-It's gonna be okay. I'm gonna get you out of there."

"Argh!" April's high heel stabs my shoulder when she kicks me down on the wooden steps, though that doesn't stop me from grabbing her veil and pulling, allowing her to trip on the stairs also. Meanwhile, Hoseok grabs a random wooden broom and arches his knee before snapping its wood across it.

Wielding the broom over his shoulder, he re-approaches the closet door and exclaims;

"Jiho, cover your ears!"

*Crack! Thud! Thud!*

Hoseok thrusts the broom's now spiky, spear-like tip into the door repeatedly, casting loud thuds that echoes through the wood. The intense pounding of the door mixed with April and I's distant but violent fight only fuels Jiho to loudly cry within the darkness.

April abandons the veil I had latched onto and desperately flees upstairs to the church's attic. The harsh fall causes a paralyzing pain to swell within my knee as well as blood to leave my nostril, but nevertheless, I get up and hold my knee whilst chasing after her.

The attic barely looks stable. Just a bunch of Oak wood pillars that build the structure's arch as well as creates a bridge that canopies over the church's interior. But bringing a heavenly light to the room, stands a tall stained glass window on the other end.

April's heels clack along the wooden bridge, but stop abruptly when she realizes that there's no exit.

"Enough is enough, April. This ends here."

"Uargghh you are RUINING my big moment!" April stomps, "I mean why does it get to be YOU, huh?! I-I deserved this life but instead I ended up with nothing! Oh but Mayana Jung is soooo perfect that she tried to repair a poor fucked up soul like mine!"

More blood trickles my nostril l when I scoff.

"Oh, I think we're way past that."

*Crack!*

Each thud builds to Hoseok's sore arms and sweat. It takes many strong-willed attempts, each one laced with guilt from Jiho's cries. But at last, Hoseok snaps the hinges of the door and kicks it to reveal his shaking son, sitting in the corner with his little arms wrapped around his legs and a bright red kiss mark stamped on his forehead.

Hoseok kneels on one knee and opens his arms, urging the child to run into his embrace and weep into his shirt. Gently running his fingers through his hair, Hoseok can feels Jiho's little tummy heaving against his with panic.

"It's okay, Papa's got you." His hug tightens.

"M-M-Momma—"

"Momma's just fine. I need you to do me a favor Jiho. Will you help me count to 10?"

Jiho nods with a pout, knowing the routine of this question. In an aim to calm down his panicked son, Hoseok counts slowly to bring down the pace of Jiho's rapid breaths...

Meanwhile, April and I face off on the narrow wooden bridge of the attic, careful to not get our heels caught in its cracks. April picks up a loose plank wood and swings it at my spine, hard enough to hit my stomach against the railing, "Oof!"

"Homewrecking bitch—!" She gets up behind me and captures me in a chokehold. Her inner elbow digs into my neck enough to narrow my breathing and swell my face with pressure... So I peddle back and thrust her spine into the other wooden railing.

We both dangerously tilt back with shaky balance, so I use my heel stomp on April's foot and get her off of my neck. Catching my breath, I then push her away and hold my throat whilst choking.

But April doesn't back down yet. Instead, the deranged nanny hobbles in front of the stained glass window with little room left to flee. I guess the push into the candle holders hurt, because a splotch of red blood now stains the waist of my wedding gown.

We now stare at each other with breathless shoulders and bloody cuts littering our faces.

"You've had you turn May. Now there can only be one of us..."

April pries to glass shard from her own waist and holds it with a wide smile.

"And it's gonna be ME."

"Do your worst, bitch."

That's all the fuel April needs to run at me with her weapon hoisted high and tight, so tight that blood draws from her own palm. I'm quick to grab her wrist and before you know it, we're wrestling in rotation.

"Arh!!!"

*SMASH!*

*Thud!* My stomach hits the floorboards harshly while gushes of wind now tug my skin. A massive hole hollows the stained glass window's illustrations when my arm extends to grip April's. She know dangles from the height of the attic with nothing below her feet but the outside stone and field. The red and white fabric of her dress blows in the wind while she peers down with shaky breath and tightens her grip on my arm.

"M-May!"

Her voice is laced with a worry I'm not familiar with. And her eyes... They look terrified.

I'm resentful... But not heartless.

My face strains when I attempt to pull her up with my right hand, keeping the other grounded on the wood. "Hang on!"

The blood and sweat from April's palm creates a slippery coat between our skin... Until ultimately, she falls.

"NO!"

I can barely watch. Her pleading eyes reflect my scream until I pinch my lids shut, letting the disturbing thud tell me all I need to know. My hair strands blow across my mouth as police sirens draw nearer from the distance, leading me to retract my arm and run downstairs with pacing breath.

"Mommaaa!"

"Jiho!" My son instantly turns away from his father when I run towards him and pull him into my embrace.

"You're okay. Thank God. Oh thank God." I pull away to roam my hand around his teary face before licking my sleeve and rubbing the lipstick stain from his forehead. Jiho's eyebrows slant at the blood and cuts that trickles my face, not recognizing such a concept.

He looks... Afraid.

"Momma's hurt?"

"No baby Momma's not..."

But my words fizzle out the longer I look into his worried eyes.

"You know what, yes. I-I got hurt. The truth is, Momma's human. She's not always perfect like she says. Sometimes she gets sad and sometimes she gets angry... But that's normal. It's not right to tell you that everything in this world is perfect because it's not. But what matters is that we try. I'm trying. I'm so sorry I haven't been honest, baby. But no matter what, I'll do anything to protect you. Okay? You never have to be afraid for me. I promise."

Tears swell up in his eyes as he delivers a gradual nod. With that, I wrap my arms around Jiho once more while Hoseok smiles down at us and police officers invade the church with raised guns.

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➽──THE NEXT DAY───➤
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Yesterday's mayhem certainly left an impact on all of us. Now when I think of that church, I don't know what comes to mind first. The best day of my life, or the craziest.

Hoseok, Jiho and I each had to take turns giving police reports whilst receiving first aid for our injuries. Though luckily Jiho wasn't hurt. Physically, anyway.

"Thank you for all the evidence you've provided to us, Dr. Jung. It makes the investigation a whole lot smoother. We're sorry for everything you've been through. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Just saddened for Jiho. I know it was a lot for him."

"I understand. He did seem a little shaken up after yesterday's events."

"I feel awful... This all started because of me. I could've prevented all of this. If I had just been more careful—"

"Now now. As a fellow doctor, I'm sure you know that it's not healthy to blame ourselves for these sorts of instances. You always had his best interest at heart. My recommendation would be to make sure he receives some sort of counseling, and to move out of Toorak Gardens. I know you just settled in, but she knows you live on Alexandra avenue. It may not be safe for when she wakes up."

"...And how long will she be in a coma?"

The doctor shrugs. "Could be months. Could be years. It's too early to determine. A further investigation will be carried out while we contain her but I'm sure that with the right prescriptions this time, we can help her. There's still hope."

With the lick of my lips, I look down and nod. She's right. April deserved a better chance at mental health and was failed. That will never excuse abducting Jiho, but I can at least acknowledge that.

Sensing my guilt, the doctor lowers her head.
"Would you like to see her one more time?"

See her? After yesterday? I don't know if I can look at her face again. It's all too soon. But then again... I have something to say to her. And I'll never get this chance again.

So ultimately, I nod.

The doctor stands with a sympathetic smile and guides me to a separate room where April's being contained. There she is, only much less of a threat than before. The ex-nanny now lays in a hospital bed looking as harmless as ever thanks to her multiple facial stitch's, nasal cannulas and the drip hooked into her hand.

"There she is. Probably different to how you remember her."

"Yeah," I chuckle sheepishly. The doctor stands by as I slowly enter the room and lay a hand on her wrist.

"April... Or whatever your name is... You have so much more potential than this. Things didn't have to turn out this way because deep down, I know that you're just lost. You've never experienced love therefore you never learned to love yourself. I hope that one day, you can be satisfied in your own body and find that self-love."

I gently lift my hand from her wrist while the doctor sends us a sincere smile from the door. I almost walk away... But pause before circling back to April's bed and leaning in close.

"Oh, and one more thing... Metti di nuovo una mano su mio figlio e ti sventrerò come un pesce."

I rotate and reflect the doctor's smile when leaving the room. Waiting in the hallway for me, stands Hoseok with Jiho on his hip as he obliviously plays with his stuffed Sloth.

"See, there's Mamma. Told you she didn't go far."

"Yep, I'm right here baby." I take Jiho into my arms, much to his excitement. I can't resist bombarding his face with kisses and snuggling his cheek against mine. "Oof, someone's becoming a big boy. But I don't mind."

"Wuv you Momma."

"Aww love you too, baby. Let's get out of here."

"I'll drive." Hoseok sends his signature sunny smile. I close my eyes and allow his soft lips to press my forehead before he wraps an arm around me and the three of us exit the hospital...

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➽──ONE YEAR LATER──➤
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On a peaceful beach in Canada, Taehyung, Lilo, Jungkook, Winter, Jimin, Chrys, Hoseok and I all sit comfortably amongst heated white sand. It's been a while since I've seen Hoseok's friends, what with everything going on, but these guys are characters for sure. I'm glad Hoseok introduced me to them.

Winter looks like a supermodel as always, laying on her stomach in a black two-piece bikini while Chrys sunbathes in a Chanel one-piece and sunhat. Jungkook smacks his wife's ass and chuckles at Jimin, who remains seated on the sand with his arm around his Hawaiin fiancée, Kiko, as the wind flows through their hair. And finally, Taehyung and Lilo rest on the beach beds beside us, admiring the ocean's horizon with fashionable sunglasses.

"So wait, let me get this straight." Lilo sits up, "You guys hired a babysitter, she got obsessed and started copying you, stalked you and flashed Hoseok, kidnapped Jiho, recreated your wedding, and now you guys moved here to Canada while she's in a coma?"

"Pretty much," I nod.

Taehyung blows air from his cheeks. "That might just top everything that happened to us. But at least we can all hang out now."

"What did we tell you about moving to Australia Bro?" Jungkook swats Hoseok's leg, "This is exactly why I don't step foot in that place! The giant spiders and lizards were the first red flag."

"You are not one to speak about red flags." Chrys replies, keeping her eyes closed and chin raised at the sun above her silver tanning tray.

"So how is everything for you guys now?" Jimin asks, leading me to grin.

"Really good, actually. April's off our backs and Jiho gets to spend time with the kids. I mean look at how much fun he's having."

I let my gaze fall upon the kids' silhouettes as they play by the ocean. Taesun and Taesoo excitedly collect sea shells while Snow crouches down to help Jiho build a sand castle. And despite being teenagers now, Teddy's brothers run around in circles, splashing each other with water guns and euphoric giggles.

I'm so proud of him. I never thought he'd recover from everything so well. I guess he's stronger than we thought.

Winter eventually stands up and dusts the sand from her toned stomach before, "I'm gonna see if the kids need anything."

"I-I'll come too!" Jungkook follows, paranoid about all the men that might approach his wife. Jimin and Kiko chuckle before standing also.

"Anyone else hungry? We're thinking about grabbing some burgers for everyone."

"Sure, we'll help you guys carry everything." Taehyung and Hoseok get up too. Before I know it, the group's walking away until it's just Lilo and I, resting on corresponding beach beds.

With our sunglasses and drinks in hand, our classes clink.

Cheers to a stress-free life.

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➽───BONUS SCENE───➤
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In the cold atmosphere of a court house, a woman in formal attire looks up from her papers to grin at the woman sitting just across her desk.

"Well, that seems to be the last of the paperwork. Your name has officially been changed in the eyes of the law. Welcome to Canada, May Jung."

"Thank you." April, now healed and dressed in preppy attire, accepts the paperwork that reads a name different from her own...

༻ THE END.༺

Goodbye and thank you for reading
APRIL'S AFTER MAY | JHS ☕️ !!!!!!!
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Start date: Sun 29th Jan 2023
End date: Thurs 16th March 2023