Chapter 54

Jungkook was standing in front of the mirror, fixing his hair for the tenth time, fully dressed and ready for college. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted his collar, trying to suppress the tightness building in his chest.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, he mumbled to himself, “Come on, Jungkook… don’t be nervous. You can do this. It’s just college. Act normal. Just… breathe, smile, and play along.”

But the moment the words left his mouth, his forced calm shattered.

“Who the fuck am I kidding?” he snapped under his breath, his voice sharp and bitter. “This is fucking impossible. I can’t do this. I don’t want to do this! Why the hell do I have to act like some perfect, happy puppet? Why the hell is it always me? Why do I have to pretend in front of the whole damn fucking world while rotting inside?”

His fingers gripped the edge of the dresser, knuckles turning white. He let out a hollow, frustrated laugh and muttered through gritted teeth,
“Cazzo… porca puttana… merda.”
The Italian curses rolled off his tongue like second nature – sharp, angry, and drenched in helplessness.

He looked at his own reflection, his eyes cold and distant. “This isn’t me. I don’t even fucking know who I’m supposed to be anymore. Being popular? Acting flawless? I’ve been through it before… but this – this is suffocating. This isn’t fame, it’s a goddamn performance.”

Jungkook used be popular in his Italian school for his talent but this flwas a forced popularilty which he never wanted to have.

Jungkook lowered his head, shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to push back the wave of anxiety. His heart felt heavy, his mind a mess, but he had no choice – like always.

Jungkook finally gathered the courage to head downstairs. The moment he opened his door, a sharp voice echoed through the hallway – loud, trembling, and filled with emotion.

“Then why the hell did you all lie to me? Was it just to hide your damn mistakes from me? You saw it, right? Not even an hour passed – and without any warning, they came. You promised me, hyung! You all did. And like a fool, I believed you! Even after al? After Aunt’s death? Even after hyungie left us?… you dared to be part of it?” Taehyung’s voice cracked, his words laced with hurt, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. His voice was raised, but underneath the anger, there was a deep, raw sense of betrayal.

Jin stood there, his heart heavy, struggling to stay calm as he faced his broken younger brother. His voice, although soft, trembled slightly.

“Tae… Bear, please. We’re sorry, okay? I know we hurt you, but we never wanted this.” Though he is not in mafia but in agency, he didn’t want tae to know about that.

But Taehyung’s eyes were sharp, glassy with tears, his voice shaking as much as it was bitter. “Sorry? You expect me to trust that word now? Hyung… I trusted you more than anyone, and you all betrayed me. Again.”

Jin felt his own patience slipping, his chest tightening at Taehyung’s words. He clenched his fists but still tried to hold on to his calm.

“Tae… I told you. There are things you don’t understand yet. I had my reasons – and without knowing the full story, you can’t just throw around words like that.” Jin said

But Taehyung let out a dry, humorless laugh, the kind that spoke more of pain than amusement. “Of course. I don’t know anything, do I? I’m always the last one to know, always left out, always just a fucking doll you all protect. If you really saw me as your brother – as someone you trust – you’d have told me the truth. But no. You locked it all away in your damn heart. I hate this, hyung. I hate this so much.”

That was the final thread for Jin. His voice dropped, low but sharp with exhaustion and suppressed anger.
“Kim Taehyung, enough. I’ve told you – you don’t need to know everything. I can handle it. I’m doing everything I can to protect all of you, including you.”

Just as Taehyung was about to say something , his gaze shifted – and there, at the foot of the stairs, stood Jungkook. The youngest was frozen, his wide, innocent eyes flicking back and forth between the two brothers. His school bag hung loosely over one shoulder, his expression unreadable – a mix of quiet confusion and worry.

Taehyung swallowed hard, holding back whatever words were left. Without another glance, he grabbed his own bag and stormed out of the house. Jin also noticed jungkook.

Jin’s eyes followed Taehyung until the door closed, and then he dropped onto the couch, burying his face in his hands, raking his fingers through his hair in sheer frustration and exhaustion.

Jungkook stood there silently, watching Jin, he saw jin and tae being angry for the first time. And just by seeing their fight he became frighten. And his mind running wild.

Why… are they fighting like this? Do brothers fight like this too? Was it because of me? Am I the reason for this mess?

He quietly placed his bag on the other couch, glancing at Jin, who looked like the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulders.

The room was thick with unspoken words and heavy hearts.

Jin finally looked up at Jungkook, who had quietly placed his bag on the other couch. Letting out a long, tired sigh, Jin stood up and softened his voice.

“Come on, Kook. Let’s eat.”

Jungkook nodded silently and followed him to the dining table.

As they sat, the room was heavy with silence, but neither of them seemed eager to break it. Jin carefully reached for the serving bowl and placed an extra portion of vegetables onto Jungkook’s plate. Jungkook paused, glancing at him questioningly.

Jin caught his look and spoke softly, his calm tone holding a quiet firmness. “Eat properly, Kook. You have to finish this, okay? Don’t skip the veggies.”

Jungkook gave a small nod and started eating without a word, silently following along. He couldn’t help but notice how Jin, even without raising his voice, still managed to seem intimidating when he was calm – like his silence held more weight than his anger. Jungkook decided not to test it, keeping his head down as he ate.

A moment later, Jin’s voice softened further, genuine care lacing his words. “You really want to go to university today? You can take the day off if you want. Rest at home. Your health matters more.”

Jungkook gulped the bite before answering. “I’ll go. It’ll be boring here… and I’ve already skipped too many classes.”

Jin gave a faint hum, his worry still visible but he didn’t push. “Alright… but stay mindful of your health, okay? Eat your lunch on time. Take your medicine without skipping, hmm?”

Jungkook nodded again, quietly listening to the warmth in Jin’s voice.

Jin leaned back a little, observing him. His lips twitched into the barest smile.
“You must be the talk of your university by now. All this attention, I’m sure it feels heavy. But don’t let it change you, Kook. You don’t have to do anything… just be yourself. That’s enough.”

For a second, Jungkook’s heart softened, feeling the unfamiliar comfort wrap around him – something he never expected in this house.

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Jungkook sat quietly beside Jin in the car, his hands fidgeting on his lap, nerves twisting in his chest. His anxiety was so visible it almost felt like the air around him was heavy. Jin, noticing how tense Jungkook was, reached out and gently held his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“Hey… be calm, hmm? Don’t panic. I’m right here, Kook. You don’t need to be nervous,” Jin said softly, his voice calm and steady, trying to ease the storm inside Jungkook.

But Jungkook couldn’t help it. His chest felt tight, his thoughts a mess. This day wasn’t like any other – the weight of his new identity, – it was suffocating.

Jin glanced at him, heart sinking at the sight. Without letting go of his hand, Jin picked up his phone and called someone. His tone shifted, sharp and authoritative. “Clear the area. Check the security. I want the place to be cleared before we step out,” he ordered.

Jungkook turned his head to the window, watching as security guards moved quickly, parting the crowd that had gathered at the university gates – fans, curious eyes, people trying to catch even a glimpse of Jin and the newly revealed Kim Jungkook.

Jin followed his gaze and his heart clenched. The sight of Jungkook pulling down his mask and adjusting his bucket hat to hide himself struck a deep nerve.

“I’ll never forgive you, Kim,” Jin thought bitterly, cursing their father. “Because of you, his freedom was stolen. You turned his whole world into a stage.”

Once the crowd was cleared, Jin and Jungkook stepped out of the car. Jungkook kept his head low, face covered, shrinking into himself. Jin stayed close, always on alert.

They headed straight to the principal’s office. As soon as they entered, the principal stood up, bowing deeply, his voice full of respect. “Omo! Jin-ssi, welcome, sir!” he greeted, bowing several more times.

Jin nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Jungkook also bowed politely, though he stayed quiet, still feeling the weight of unfamiliar attention.

The principal eagerly offered them seats. Jin sat first, then gestured for Jungkook and the principal to sit as well. Once they were settled, Jin’s voice shifted back to its calm but commanding tone.

“I’ll be clear about why I’m here,” Jin began. “My brother is a student here, and I don’t want him treated any differently because of his surname, or this sudden… exposure. I don’t want anyone making him uncomfortable, no special treatment, and definitely no crowding or disturbance for my brother. Understood?”

The principal nodded quickly, bowing again. “Of course, sir. I assure you, Jungkook-ssi will be safe and comfortable here. We will handle everything.”

Jin’s gaze hardened. “See that you do.”

He stood up, adjusting his coat. Jungkook stood too, but something about hearing Jin call him “my brother” echoed in his mind. That one simple word, brother – it tugged at something inside him, something fragile. His chest ached, but it wasn’t anxiety this time. It was… warmth, protectiveness.

Jin turned to him before leaving, resting a hand lightly on Jungkook’s shoulder. “Be yourself, okay? If anything happens – anything at all – call me or Tae immediately. Understand?”

Jungkook met his eyes and nodded, his voice soft but steady.
“Nae.”

Jin gave a small smile, lingering for just a second, before turning toward the principal with one last sharp glance, silently delivering a warning.

The principal bowed deeply as Jin walked out of the room.

“Jungkook-ssi, come with me. I’ll introduce you to your class and explain the situation.” the principal said gently.

Jungkook nodded, adjusting his cap once more, silently preparing himself for the day ahead.

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The break bell had rung, but Jungkook remained at his desk, quietly finishing up the notes he’d started before class. From the moment he’d stepped into the room that morning, all eyes had been on him. The stares. The whispers. The fake curiosity dressed as admiration. It felt suffocating, as if the air had grown too heavy to breathe.

No matter how much he tried to focus on his work, he could still feel their eyes staring through him.

Finally, when the last of his notes were done, Jungkook placed his pen down and stretched his arms, easing the tension in his stiff shoulders. His gaze flicked around the room – the same whispers, the same glances, the same judging stares followed him.

Everyone still hadn’t stopped talking, hadn’t stopped observing him like he was some rare exhibit at a museum.

His eyes unintentionally landed on Eunwoo, sitting a few desks away. Eunwoo was staring at Jungkook. The boy’s face was unreadable, cold and distant, and when their eyes met for a brief second, Eunwoo immediately looked away.

Jungkook sighed and reached for his phone, hoping the glow of the screen would distract him, even for a moment. But the second he unlocked it, his stomach twitched.

His social media feed was flooded with pictures of him, sitting in this very classroom, had already gone viral. Random angles. Blurred shots. Close-ups. His name was everywhere.

#KimJungkook – the second highest trending tag. Right beneath #Bangtan.

He swallowed hard, his thumb frozen on the screen. The fame he never asked for, the attention he never wanted.

He was a nameless student in this same room, invisible to all. And now… this. His face, his name, his identity exposed, plastered all over the internet like a label he couldn’t peel off.

“Why me? Why now? I didn’t even ask for this… I don’t even belong in this world of theirs,” Jungkook thought bitterly, leaning back in his seat. A soft, dry chuckle left his lips – but it wasn’t amusement. It was disbelief.

“I don’t even know who I am anymore. Son of Kim Yoon-seong, brother of Jin and Tae and maknae of bangtan. The world thinks I’m lucky. Rich. Perfect. Born with a silver spoon. But what do they know? I’m just… a puppet.”

Letting out another long sigh, Jungkook picked up his banana milk and took slow sips, scrolling through reels to numb his thoughts, until a shadow suddenly fell over his desk.

He looked up, met by the smirking face of Junwoo and his group standing in front of him. (If you don’t remember junwoo check chapter 10)

“Well, well… look at you, Mr. Celebrity. Must feel great, huh?” Junwoo sneered. “Born with a silver spoon shoved right in your mouth, huh? You’ve got it all, don’t you? Must be nice being a rich ass.”

Jungkook didn’t bother replying. He’d heard words like this before – and worse. He lowered his gaze, choosing silence over confrontation.

But Junwoo wasn’t done. His voice dropped, laced with bitterness.
“Ah, what a fucking bastard. Manners must’ve skipped your DNA, huh? Or maybe your precious family never taught you anything-“

But before he could spit out another word, his sentence froze. Junwoo’s gaze shifted, locking onto Eunwoo, who was glaring at him from across the room – sharp, cold, and dangerous. The silent warning in Eunwoo’s eyes made Junwoo falter.

With a frustrated scoff, Junwoo clicked his tongue. “Tch, whatever. Let’s go.” and with that, he walked off, his gang trailing behind him, muttering under their breath.

Jungkook sat there, unmoved, lost in his thoughts.

“Is this what it means to be known? To be popular? I’d rather be invisible. At least when I was invisible… I could pretend I wasn’t part of this mess.”

Eunwoo, now lying on his desk, turned his head slightly and glanced at Jungkook once more before looking away again – but Jungkook didn’t notice. He was still staring blankly at his half-finished milk, trapped in the same loop of thoughts.

Hey guys!!!! How was the chapter??

So what do you think about jin and tae’ fight? Who is at fault?

What do you think about jungkook’s popularity?

What you wanna see in upcoming chapters?

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Anyway 20+ comments for next chapter. I am stubborn too…

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