Chapter 53

With Jin

Jin entered the mansion and saw Taehyung sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. Jin sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. Taehyung noticed him but didn’t react; instead, he remained focused on his phone, lost in thought.

Jin walked toward him and sat beside him, watching him for a moment. However, Taehyung still didn’t acknowledge his presence.

“Tae… Bear, I’m sorry,” Jin said softly, but Taehyung didn’t respond. He simply ignored Jin, keeping his eyes on his phone.

Jin sighed, leaning his head back against the sofa. He waited, hoping Taehyung would say something, but the younger man remained silent. Giving up for now, Jin stood up and decided to check on Jungkook.

As he reached Jungkook’s room, he noticed the door was open. Confused, he stepped inside, only to find it empty. Panic started creeping in as he checked the bathroom and balcony, but Jungkook was nowhere to be found.

Feeling a surge of fear, he quickly rushed out. “Tae, where is Kook?” Jin asked, his voice laced with concern.

“In the terrace,” Taehyung replied flatly.

He was already panicking just to not find Jungkook in his room… He want to panic for all things hereafter???

Jin sighed in relief and immediately made his way to the terrace.

There, under the moonlight, he saw Jungkook sitting on the swing, gazing up at the sky with his earphones in, listening to music. Jin took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and approached him. He sat down beside Jungkook, maintaining a bit of distance.

Jungkook glanced at Jin briefly before lowering his gaze, biting his lip.

“How are you feeling now, Kook?” Jin asked gently.

“I-I’m feeling good,” Jungkook replied hesitantly while removing the earphones

Jin smiled in relief. “Why are you sitting here alone?” he asked.

“I was bored in my room, so I came here,” Jungkook answered.

“Hmm,” Jin hummed in response.

Silence fell between them. Neither of them spoke, simply sitting together under the night sky.

“Umm… J-Jin-ssi,” Jungkook called out hesitantly, his voice barely above a whisper, breaking the silence.

Jin turned to him, his gaze soft. “Nae, Kook?”

“I… I  apologize for my behavior this morning,” Jungkook said quietly, lowering his head and bowing slightly in guilt.

Jin blinked, surprised by the formality in Jungkook’s voice. His heart ached.

“Ani… don’t apologize, please,” Jin said gently. “We’re the ones who should be saying sorry. None of this is your fault. Honestly… we didn’t even know about your reveal, Jungkook. It was kept from us too. I—I’ve asked Dad several times about you… asked  for answers, and every single time he lied. And I… I can’t forgive him for that.”

Jin leaned in closer, his voice trembling with conviction. “But you… Jungkook, please listen to me carefully. Not even for a second—not even a second— we have ever hated you. I don’t know what made you believe we did, but I swear on everything I have, you’ve always been precious to us. Always.”

He reached out, placing a gentle hand on Jungkook’s shoulder, his voice steady but thick with emotion. “Even if you hate us, that’s okay. Even if you push us away, we’ll still be here. Because what we care about is your happiness and you being comfortable with us. We just want you to be safe, and loved, and never alone again.”

Jin’s voice dropped, full of warmth and promise. “We weren’t there for your childhood, due to your health. But from now on, we’re not letting go. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you, Jungkook. We all will. You don’t need to trust our words right now—but one day, I hope you’ll feel it in our actions.”

“We’ll give you the all love and care you missed in the childhood from us. I promise that. We’ve waited for 12 years to see you happy with us and comfortable with us so we can shower you with our all might of love and care.” Jin said his voice had pure love and care.

Jungkook stared into Jin’s eyes, overwhelmed. The sincerity… the protectiveness… it wrapped around him like a blanket. All he could do was nod, his throat too tight to speak.

After a long silence jin spoke as he got no emotion or reply form Jungkook as he was just staring at his lap, “Come inside,” Jin said softly, standing up. “It’s cold out here.”

Jungkook nodded  and followed him. As they entered the living room, Jin whispered, “Go sit down, I’ll freshen up and join you.”

Jungkook made his way in and saw Taehyung sitting on the couch. Their eyes met. Taehyung gave him a soft smile—gentle, understanding.

Jungkook sat beside him silently, the guilt weighing on his chest. I hurt them… and they’re still here. Still smiling… still trying.

He felt something shift in him.

For the first time in a long while, Jungkook didn’t feel completely alone.

He was feeling far too guilty—guilt that crept in slowly, clawing at his chest, suffocating him.

He questioned himself, Why am I feeling this way? Why do I feel guilty for hurting someone? It wasn’t new for him.

He had hurt people before. Pushed them away. Ignored their concern. Shut the door on hands that tried to reach him.

Being himself always felt like a burden… a curse wrapped in a quiet, shattered soul.

But still… this guilt? It wasn’t unfamiliar. It was just buried—buried beneath layers of pain, defense, and mistrust.

He clenched his fists.

“Why am I feeling guilty now?”

He used to think he didn’t give a damn. About what others thought. About who he hurt.

But the truth? He did. He always did.

He just buried it so deep, he convinced himself that he didn’t care.

But deep down… he knew.

He knew he was hurting others on purpose—driving them away before they could leave him first.

He thought if he showed them the worst parts of himself, they’d give up. He wanted them to. Because being left without warning… that broke him. It shattered him in silence.

So instead… he broke them.

He hurt them.

Not because he didn’t love them.

But because he loved them too much… and he was terrified they would be in a curse because of him .

So he chose distance.

He chose silence.

And now?

He was watching the very people he tried to push away… still trying. Still standing beside him. And the person whom he thought they are hating him isn’t hating but loving him unconditionally.

He realised that. But he didn’t think to be comfortable with them but to be distant with them for their happiness.

(Little did he knew he is their happiness?? 👀)

And that? That made the guilt hit harder than ever.

He wasn’t sure if he deserved it.

The things he experienced in his childhood made him like this. So tell me who is at fault he or the people around him?

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Right now, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jin were sitting at the table for dinner. Jin was serving them.

“Kook, eat this, okay? Don’t skip it, hmm? And don’t leave the veggies either, alright?” Jin said softly.

Jungkook sighed, nodded, and quietly started eating. Jin smiled faintly and began eating too. Taehyung, on the other hand, was completely silent.

Jin kept glancing at both of them from time to time. Jungkook, unaware of the tension around him, simply focused on his food.

“Taehyung, eat the peas too,” Jin said gently.

Taehyung didn’t respond. He ignored Jin and pushed the peas aside again.

“Taehyung, I said something,” Jin repeated, his voice firmer now.

This caught Jungkook’s attention too. While chewing, he looked over at Taehyung and noticed him quietly eating the peas after Jin’s comment. Then, Jungkook looked at Jin—his expression calm, but his eyes… they were tired. Sad. Heavy.

Jungkook gulped down his food as he observed the two. He glanced back at Taehyung, who was now eating the peas silently. While chewing he looked at Jin simply.

“Taehyung… I’m sorry, bear…” Jin said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. Jin tried again.

Still, Taehyung didn’t say a word.

Jin sighed, defeated, and continued eating in silence.

Jungkook looked between the two, confused and unsure. He wanted to understand, but the heaviness in the room made him quietly return to his food—shrugging the tension off, even though it settled somewhere deep inside him.

Jungkook sighed softly, pushing the food around his plate. He couldn’t eat anymore. His stomach already felt too full. He glanced at Jin and Taehyung, who were quietly eating.

Taehyung looked up at Jungkook, tilting his head slightly as if to ask, What is it?
Jungkook shook his head gently and looked down again.

Jin noticed Jungkook playing with his food. “Kook, eat,” he said, his voice soft but firm.

Jungkook let out a quiet sigh. He hesitated before speaking, “J-Jin-ssi… I’m full.”

Jin looked at him with questioning eyes. “Mister Kim Jungkook,” he said, using a teasing tone to mask his concern, “I gave you just one cup of soup. That too, a small one. And only a few vegetables. How can you say you’re full already?”

Jin leaned a little closer. “Come on, there’s still a bit left. Finish it, hmm?” His voice was gentle, but his words carried a certain seriousness.

Jungkook hesitated again, then slowly took another bite. He felt bloated—though he hadn’t eaten much by anyone else’s standard, for him, it was too much. His body wasn’t used to it. He barely had one full meal a day until now… and today, he’d eaten all three.

His chest tightened, not from pain, but from a strange feeling of being cared for—something he didn’t know how to react to. Still, he obeyed. He didn’t want Jin or tae to worry. Not again

Jungkook tried to eat normally, though slowly. Jin noticed how Jungkook was forcing himself to eat even though he clearly didn’t want to. Jin sighed softly and said,

“Kook… if you don’t feel like eating, just drink some milk and take your medicine, hmm?”

Jungkook looked at Jin and nodded slightly. After that, he quietly gathered the dishes, walked to the sink, and began washing them.

“Sir, there’s no need to wash these — we’ll handle it,” one of the maids said politely.

“It’s okay,” Jungkook replied and continued washing them himself.

Meanwhile, Jin and Taehyung watched the whole scene unfold in silence. Jin’s heart felt heavy as he watched Jungkook’s quiet, mature gestures.

“He’s really so mature… is it because he lived by himself, all alone?” Jin thought to himself, the guilt tightening in his chest.

For the first time, Jin truly started to wonder how lonely Jungkook must have been all those years in Italy, with no one by his side except Kim.

Once Jungkook was done, he walked back to the living room with a glass of milk. He sat there, sipping it quietly while watching TV, the room dimly lit and peaceful.

After Jin and Taehyung finished their meal, Jin stood up and went to grab Jungkook’s medicine. While tae directly went to his room.

Jin walking over, he handed it to him gently.

“Kook,” Jin called softly as he held out the medicine.

Jungkook took it without a word and swallowed it with the last sip of his milk.

Just then, they heard Kim’s voice approaching. Jin’s expression darkened as he gritted his teeth the moment Kim entered the room.

Jungkook immediately stood up and bowed slightly, showing his usual polite respect, even if his heart wasn’t in it — it was something he had to do, just to avoid punishment.

Kim was on a call, barely sparing a glance at the boys. While still on the phone, he gestured to Jungkook, signaling him to come to his room. Jungkook nodded without a word.

After placing his empty glass in the sink, he quietly walked toward Kim’s room, disappearing behind the door.

Jin sat back on the sofa, his chest aching slightly as he watched Jungkook leave — that same quiet, polite, and distant look on his face.

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair, the weight of it all slowly sinking in.

With Kim and Jungkook

Jungkook entered the room, his eyes falling on Kim, who sat on the couch like a king on his throne — cold, composed, and cruelly calm.

Jungkook bowed slightly and stood quietly in front of him, his posture stiff but obedient.

Kim lazily picked up his cigarette and lit it, taking a slow drag before exhaling the smoke into the air. Jungkook instinctively stepped back, his fists curling tightly at his sides, fighting the urge to react.

“Jungkook… tell me, who are you to me?” Kim asked, his voice sharp but eerily calm.

Jungkook looked straight ahead, his expression blank as he replied,
“A worker… or should I say, a slave.”

Kim let out a dry chuckle, clearly amused by the blunt answer.
“Correct. A slave — the one I don’t even need to pay. My blood.” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jungkook gritted his teeth, swallowing the bitter lump forming in his throat.

Kim leaned back, locking eyes with him.

“Tell me… do you believe your hyungs?” he asked, watching Jungkook closely.

Jungkook met his gaze, his voice flat but firm. “I don’t. I assume they’re just like you.”

Even though deep down, he knew they weren’t — he couldn’t bring himself to trust them fully, not yet. His heart was still trapped between fear and hope.

Kim smirked, pleased by the answer.
“Exactly. They’re no different from me.” Then his tone darkened, laced with a cruel warning. “Don’t get close to them. I’m not telling you this for your safety — I’m telling you for theirs. Understand?”

Jungkook clenched his jaw, forcing the word out between his teeth.
“Nae.”

Kim flicked the ash from his cigarette before finally getting to the point.
“Now, listen carefully. You’ve become so famous that half the city probably knows your name by now. So, behave. Smile in front of the cameras, act like the perfect son of Kim Yoonseong. I don’t care how dead you feel inside, or how cold you are in this house, but outside — you’ll be flawless.”

He paused for a moment before adding coldly, “I don’t want you making friends. Be polite, wear that mask. If you disobey… you already know what the consequences will be.” His voice was sharp, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

“Tomorrow, Jin will drop you at school. He’ll also instruct the staff about your security arrangements. So get used to it.” Kim said crushing the cigarette.

Jungkook lowered his head, his heart sinking as he listened to every word — like shackles tightening around his body. He had no choice. He couldn’t show his real self. He couldn’t breathe freely.

The world outside might see Kim Jungkook — the polite, perfect son. But inside, he was still just a puppet. A prisoner.

Like always.

Hey guys!!! I am back

I recovered days ago but got stuck in my personal problems….

I’ll try to update daily likye again.

I am sorry for the break… I really had to take that…

Anyway leave your thoughts.

Pls do comment. I am feeling so demotivated and lost.

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