Chapter 56

With Jungkook

It was gym class. Jungkook was still in his uniform, as he didn’t like to play. Since it was compulsory to attend, he stepped out and decided to just watch others play. He heard applause coming from the basketball court. He bit his lips, debating whether to go or not. It had been years since he last watched a basketball game—ever since he was forced to quit his dream.

“Hey, Jungkook!” Taehoon (He is eunwoo’s friend) called him. Jungkook looked at his direction.

“Come on, let’s play,” Taehoon said cheerfully.

Jungkook shook his head. “No, I’m not interested,” he replied and turned to leave.

But he stopped when Taehoon added, “At least come and watch us play. You’ll get bored alone.”

Jungkook hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. He followed Taehoon to the basketball court.

As he entered, his eyes instinctively followed the movement of the players. The familiar sound of sneakers squeaking on the court, the bounce of the ball, and the echo of cheers brought back memories he had long buried. His gaze landed on Eunwoo, who was on the court, playing with energy and focus.

Jungkook walked over and sat down at the side, quietly watching the match. He was so absorbed that he didn’t notice someone sitting beside him—until she suddenly yelled.

“Yahhhhh Eunwoo-yah! If you lose, you better go to hell!” Chaeyoung screamed, her voice loud and sharp.

Startled, Jungkook turned to look at her, his eyes wide in surprise.

“What?” Chaeyoung asked casually, catching his expression.

Jungkook quickly shook his head. “Nothing,” he mumbled and turned away, his focus shifting back to the game.

He watched as Eunwoo scored goal after goal, landing shot after shot in the basket. Every time Eunwoo made a clean shot, Jungkook’s eyes lit up with excitement. He clenched his fists, holding back his urge to cheer out loud.

“Come on, come on, you can do this,” Jungkook mumbled softly under his breath, eyes glued to the court.

Chaeyoung, sitting beside him, noticed his subtle enthusiasm. Then, when Eunwoo landed another perfect shot, Jungkook couldn’t hold it in anymore. He jumped up from his seat and shouted, “Bravo!!” with a wide smile on his face, like he had made the shot himself.

Eunwoo, hearing the sudden cheer, glanced toward the stands in confusion, only to find Jungkook on his feet. Why is he here? he wondered, his brows furrowing slightly.

Jungkook sat back down quickly when he saw eunwoo saw him, brushing his hair out of his face. “Bravo,” he muttered again, trying to play it cool, though his heart was still racing.

Meanwhile, Chaeyoung stared at Jungkook in surprise. So he does get excited too?

Eventually, the game ended. Junwoo’s team lost, while Eunwoo’s team celebrated their victory. Junwoo rolled his eyes in annoyance as he saw everyone crowding around Eunwoo, patting his back and cheering.

From the side, Eunwoo spotted Jungkook getting up to leave. His eyes followed him with a hint of curiosity and something unspoken.

“Yah! Kim Jungkook!” a voice rang out across the court.

Jungkook froze mid-step, turning his head toward the sound. It was Junwoo, smirking at him from the center of the court.

“Mwo?” Jungkook replied, his voice cold, eyes narrowing slightly. Now, everyone’s attention turned to them.

“Come on, let’s do a match,” Junwoo said with a cocky grin.

Jungkook clenched his jaw. “No. I can’t.”

Junwoo approached him, clicking his tongue and smirking. “What? Are you scared you’ll lose?” he teased, his voice loud enough for the crowd to hear.

Just then, a burst of laughter echoed through the court—it was Eunwoo. Junwoo turned and gave him a confused look.

Eunwoo quickly tried to suppress his laughter and went back to sit among his friends in the audience. Junwoo scoffed and turned back to Jungkook.

“You really think I’m scared, huh?” Jungkook asked bitterly, his voice low but sharp. “I just don’t want to waste my time playing with you.”

He was about to walk away when Junwoo’s voice rang out again.

“Wow. A Kim… scared of playing against me?” he taunted, loud and smug. “Is the fear of losing really that deep?”

Jungkook stopped again. He scoffed under his breath, shaking his head. Another round of laughter erupted—from Eunwoo again. Jungkook closed his eyes briefly and rubbed his temples in frustration.

“Yah! Moron! Why the hell are you laughing?!” Junwoo shouted at Eunwoo.

“Nothing, bro,” Eunwoo replied with a smirk, still chuckling.

“Okay, I’m in,” Jungkook said, his voice low but steady. Murmurs ran through the crowd.

“Woah, really?” Junwoo raised a brow. “Alright then, let’s toss. Four boys, join him!” he called out, and immediately, four students from the audience stepped onto the court to side with Jungkook.

From the stands, Eunwoo saw Chaeyoung looking puzzled. He walked over and sat beside her, stretching his arms lazily. “It’s time for the show,” he said with a confident smirk.

“Huh?” Chaeyoung blinked, confused.

Jungkook, still in his school uniform, stepped onto the court. The game began.

It had been years since Jungkook had played, yet his body remembered the rhythm. As soon as Junwoo charged at him, Jungkook stole the ball with sharp reflexes and, without hesitation, shot from his standing position. The ball flew cleanly into the basket.

The crowd roared in surprise and awe.

Jungkook smirked, locking eyes with Junwoo who stood frozen, visibly shocked. The game carried on. Jungkook moved swiftly, collecting passes, dodging with grace, and scoring again and again—each goal followed by rising cheers from the students.

Jungkook’s team reached 14 points, while Junwoo’s trailed behind at 9.

Now, only one point was needed to seal the victory.

His team member passed the ball to him. Jungkook stood at a distance, eyes narrowed in focus. He jumped, shot cleanly. And he got the final point.

The court erupted in cheers and applause.

When jungkook put the last shot, eunwoo mumbled softly “bravo!!”

Chaeyoung stared at him, her jaw slightly dropped. “Are you two twins or something?” she asked, clearly confused.

Eunwoo turned to her, still watching Jungkook, and said casually, “No we are not. But… We’re rivals. I hate him to the core.”

“Mwooo?” Chaeyoung blinked, even more confused.

“I mean, he hates me just as much I hate him,” Eunwoo continued, a bitter smile forming on his lips. “He really hates me a lot and me too. Funny, right?”

With a quiet chuckle, Eunwoo stood up and walked away, leaving Chaeyoung sitting there, stunned and trying to piece everything together.

Meanwhile, Jungkook stood on the court, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His teammates surrounded him, cheering and patting his back—but he stayed quiet, eyes distant.

He had won the match.

But to Jungkook, it felt like just another task completed. No celebration, no joy.

He simply picked up his bag and headed off toward the hallway, as if nothing had happened.

While wiping the sweat off his face, Jungkook suddenly felt that familiar stinging pain in his chest again. He clutched the side of his ribs, his breath hitching.

“Aish… this again? Can’t you just leave me alone?” he muttered under his breath, voice tinged with frustration.

The pain intensified, and a shallow whimper escaped his lips as he leaned forward slightly, trying to breathe through it. After a few moments, the pain slowly dulled—but just as he began to recover, he felt something warm tickle down from his nose.

He touched his nostrils, then glanced at his fingers—blood.

A tired sigh left him. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

The blood didn’t stop. Instead, it trickled continuously.

“Ahhh!” Jungkook groaned, slamming a fist lightly against the wall in frustration. Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the restroom. Pushing the door open, he stood before the mirror, one hand gripping the edge of the sink, the other trying to hold the blood back.

His reflection stared back at him—sweaty, pale, with a red streak down his upper lip. Drops of blood hit the white sink, staining it.

Suddenly, the restroom door creaked open. Startled, Jungkook turned around while still pressing his hand to his nose.

It was Eunwoo.

Their eyes met.

Jungkook quickly looked away, annoyed. He turned back to the mirror and began washing the blood off. “Tch,” he muttered in frustration, trying to control the bleeding but failing.

Eunwoo’s eyes widened in shock. His chest tightened at the sight. “Y-Yah… is that—blood?” he asked, clearly panicked.

“It’s none of your business,” Jungkook snapped, voice cold as ever.

Eunwoo stepped closer despite the attitude. He watched as Jungkook struggled, muttering to himself.
“Stop… stop… just stop…”
His voice cracked with desperation.
“AHH I SAID FUCKING STOP!”

Eunwoo’s eyes clamed or should I say overwhelmed? He started washing his hand.

“It won’t stop just because you scream at it,” Eunwoo said calmly but didn’t look directly at Jungkook. “Keep your head tilted up. Take deep breaths.”

Jungkook stared at him in disbelief for a moment, confused. But he did as instructed—tilted his head back and inhaled shakily. He didn’t say thank you. Eunwoo didn’t wait for one either.

Without another word, Eunwoo turned and walked out, his steps quick.

Back in the hallway, he blinked rapidly, eyes were glossy. “So… he’s still suffering?” the thought hit him like a punch. He clenched his jaw, fists tightening at his sides. His heart ached.
He sighed and walked off, the image of Jungkook’s trembling figure etched into his mind.

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“Nae hyung, we’re still working on the documents. And Project 8 is almost done! Once we wrap everything and plan, we’ll start immediately,” Hobi reported.

Jin nodded, flipping through the file in his hand. “Hmm, good lead. Then let’s arrange the meeting for the day after tomorrow.”

“Sure, hyung,” Hobi said, taking the file with him. “By the way, hyung, when is Joonie coming back?”

“He said once the lawsuit is settled, he’ll head back. Maybe within an hour,” Hobi replied.

Jin nodded again, leaning back in his chair.

“Noona, do you want anything? I’m heading out for coffee,” Hobi offered.

“Hmm, one cold coffee,” Haein replied.

“Sure,” Hobi smiled and left.

“Ahhh, I’m so tired,” Yoongi groaned, slumping onto the couch and rubbing his burning eyes. Jin chuckled at his whine.

“You really are a grandpa,” Jin teased, shaking his head with a soft smile.

Just then, a phone rang. It was Haein’s. She glanced at the caller ID—Eunwoo.

“Nae, Eun?” she answered.

“Noona, where are you?” came Eunwoo’s calm voice on the other end.

“I’m at work, Eun. Wae?” Haein asked, her full attention shifting to the call.

“Nothing much. Just thought I’d go for a bike ride,” he said.

“Hmm. Go safely, okay? No speeding. And did you eat?” she asked, concern creeping into her voice.

“Hmm,” Eunwoo hummed in response.

Haein narrowed her eyes. Something felt off. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

“Ani, just bored,” he replied quickly.

“Really?” she asked again, not convinced.

“Nae, really,” Eunwoo insisted.

“Okay then, take care hmm?”

“Nae. Bye,” Eunwoo said and hung up.

Haein slowly lowered her phone, her brows slightly furrowed. “Something is definitely off…” she thought.

“Your brother, noona?” Yoongi asked gently.

“Nae,” she said, still distracted.

“What’s he doing now?” he asked casually.

“He’s studying. First year at university,” Haein replied.

“Woah, hyung—same year as our Kook,” Yoongi said, glancing at Jin, who gave a small nod.

Jin leaned forward, resting his head on the table. His body language screamed exhaustion—but it was his eyes that caught Haein’s attention. They looked… tired. Not just physically, but emotionally drained. Hollow.

Soon, Hobi walked back in, handing out the coffees.

All of them took their drinks and leaned back, briefly soaking in the quiet.

Then Yoongi spoke again.

“Hyung… is Tae still not speaking to you?”

Jin let out a slow, weary sigh. “Ani… he’s not. He leaves early in the morning and comes home late. He doesn’t even look at me properly… he’s really angry with me.”

His voice cracked ever so slightly toward the end, and the others noticed. Yoongi looked down, unsure what to say.

Haein watched Jin quietly. She didn’t know why… but seeing him like this—it stirred something in her. Even after everything, part of her heart ached for him.

Jin’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen—Hyunwoo Samchoon.

He quickly answered, “Nae, Samchoon?”

“Jin, I’ll pick up Jungkook today,” Hyunwoo said on the other end. “Jimin told me he and Tae have work at the university.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I’ll  him samchoon,” Jin offered.

“Ani. I’m already at the gate,” Hyunwoo replied firmly. Then he said, “And tell that grandpa next to you to turn on his phone. I’ve been calling him since morning.”

Jin chuckled softly. “Nae, Samchoon.”

There was a brief pause, then Hyunwoo said, “Also, Jungkook has his check-up tomorrow morning. I’ll come pick him up, and make sure he doesn’t eat anything after midnight.”

Jin blinked, sitting up straighter. “Check-up? Which hospital? Should I come too?”

“His personal doctor will handle it. It’s at SKB Hospital,” Hyunwoo explained. “And ani, you don’t need to come. I’ll take care of everything.”

“But Samchoon—” Jin started again, clearly uneasy.

“Jin,” Hyunwoo cut in gently, but firmly, “you’ve got plenty on your plate already. I’ll handle this, hmm? Besides, Jungkook’s still a bit shy around you. He might be more uncomfortable with you hmm? You need not to worry, I’ll handle it there.”

Jin’s shoulders slumped slightly as he exhaled. “Hmm… okay.”

“Good. I’ll hang up then. Take care,” Hyunwoo said and ended the call.

Jin stared at his screen for a second, then placed the phone down on the table.

“Check-up for whom, hyung?” Yoongi asked, sensing the tension.

“For Kook. Samchoon’s taking him to SKB Hospital tomorrow,” Jin replied, still looking slightly worried. “His personal doctor’s handling it.”

“Hmm… don’t worry, hyung. Everything will go smoothly,” Hobi said, trying to reassure him.

“Hope so… and yoongs turn on your phone” Jin said. Yoongi nodded.

Haein, who had been quietly sipping her coffee, looked at the three men. She felt the heavy shift in the atmosphere—subtle, but clear. Jin’s concern was written all over his face. She hoped the check-up would bring peace instead of more tension.

She glanced out the window, thinking, “Please let everything be fine.”

With Jungkook

Jungkook stood outside the university gates, waiting quietly as usual. His eyes scanned the line of cars—until he spotted a familiar figure waving at him. It was Hyunwoo.

Confused, Jungkook walked up to the car. “Why are you here?” he asked, brows slightly furrowed.

“I came to pick you up,” Hyunwoo replied casually, opening the door for him. “Come on, get in.”

Jungkook nodded wordlessly and got in. Hyunwoo followed, shutting the door and starting the engine.

“Tae had some work at the university, so he couldn’t come,” Hyunwoo explained, eyes on the road.

“Hmmm,” Jungkook simply hummed, resting his head against the cool window.

After a few minutes of quiet driving, Hyunwoo reached into the dashboard, pulled out a banana milkshake, and handed it to him.

Jungkook glanced at it, took it without a word, and began sipping. The silence returned—comfortable, but heavy.

Then, Hyunwoo spoke again. “Umm… tomorrow, we’re going for your check-up.”

“Huh?” Jungkook turned to him, startled. His brows lifted in surprise. “Why… suddenly?”

“Don’t you remember the fever you had??” Hyunwoo asked calmly.

Jungkook let out a low sigh and looked away, avoiding his gaze.

“Be ready by 9. I’ll come pick you up,” Hyunwoo added. “And… I hope you’ve been taking your medicine properly this time.”

Jungkook froze mid-sip.

His eyes widened slightly at the word medicine. He hadn’t been taking it—not regularly at least. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at those pills.

Instead of replying, he simply took another sip of his milkshake, as if that would wash away the nervousness forming in his throat.

Hyunwoo glanced at him, his gaze lingering for a moment. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t push.

“And this check-up’s going to include scans too, so it’ll take more than six hours,” Hyunwoo added, eyes still on the road.

Jungkook groaned, leaning back against the seat. “Why do I need scans? I’m fine.”

“Aish, it’s necessary, Kook,” Hyunwoo said with a soft sigh, already sensing the resistance coming. “And do you have headaches still?” Hyunwoo asked.

“I don’t have headaches anymore. Don’t treat me like I’m some weak patient,” Jungkook muttered, his tone cold, defensive. He hated this—being hovered over, checked, questioned.

Hyunwoo let out a dry, almost sad chuckle. But as his eyes flicked toward Jungkook again, they narrowed.

His breath caught.

There…on Jungkook’s white sleeve, there was a faint but noticeable blood stain.

“Jungkook…” he called, pulling the car to the side of the road abruptly. Jungkook blinked, confused, as the car came to a halt.

“What—?”

Hyunwoo reached over, gently but firmly taking Jungkook’s arm and turning it to examine the sleeve. The crimson stain was smeared near the cuff.

“Ya… what is this, huh?” Hyunwoo asked, his voice low but tense with concern.

Jungkook pulled his arm back quickly, as if caught. “It’s nothing,” he said too fast.

Hyunwoo stared at him. “Nothing?” he repeated, his voice rising. “I’m asking about the blood on your shirt, Jungkook. What happened? Did someone hurt you? Did you get into a fight?”

Jungkook shook his head. “Ani ani,” he said quickly. But his hesitation gave him away.

Hyunwoo’s eyes darkened. “Then what the hell is that?” His tone dropped. “Is that… is it a nosebleed?”

“…N-nae,” Jungkook finally admitted, barely audible.

Hyunwoo’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “What?” His jaw clenched. “Why didn’t you tell me, huh? And how long has this been happening?”

Jungkook looked away. “…More than a month.”

Silence.

Hyunwoo’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel as he struggled to keep his temper in check. His chest rose and fell heavily.

“Just… do whatever you want,” he said finally, his voice low and sharp. Disappointed. Angry. “You always do anyway.”

He started the engine and began to drive again, eyes cold, lips pressed in a hard line.

Jungkook sat quietly, his fingers tightening around the bottle of banana milk in his lap.

Neither of them spoke.

But the air in the car was thick—with guilt, frustration, and the heavy silence of unspoken pain.

Jungkook bit his lip, voice strained, trying to make it sound smaller than it was. “It’s nothing serious… It’s com—”

“Can you just shut up for once?” Hyunwoo suddenly yelled, his voice sharp, shaking the air in the car.

Jungkook froze.

“Can’t you just tell me what’s happening inside you, huh? You never say a thing!” Hyunwoo’s voice cracked, frustrated and heartbroken. “You just bottle everything up. You drown yourself in pain like it’s what you want. Is that it? You think you deserve to suffer?”

His voice dropped, softer but more intense.

“You don’t deserve this, Jungkook. You don’t deserve any of it. Not even a fraction of this pain.”

But before Hyunwoo could go on, Jungkook turned to him, eyes brimming with tears and rage.

“Yes, I do!” he snapped, his voice loud and trembling. “How can you say I don’t?”

Hyunwoo went still.

“I do deserve it. I deserve more than this. I hate this world, I hate myself. I can’t even breathe without guilt crushing my chest every day.” His voice cracked as his breathing quickened. “I killed Suho hyungie with my own hands… I made everything worse… for everyone…”

He broke off, a sharp pain shooting through his chest. Jungkook clutched his ribs, breathing unevenly and shallow. His face twisted as he struggled to calm down, his skin pale.

Hyunwoo’s panic returned instantly. He pulled over without a word, grabbed the water bottle from the dashboard, and twisted the cap off with shaky hands.

“Here—here, drink this. Slowly.” His voice was gentler but urgent.

Jungkook obeyed, sipping the water slowly while staring out the window, avoiding Hyunwoo’s gaze. His fingers trembled around the bottle.

“You okay?” Hyunwoo asked quietly, his voice softer now.

A small nod. “Hmm.”

Hyunwoo exhaled. “Samchoon is sorry… okay? I didn’t mean to yell like that.”

Still, Jungkook didn’t answer. But his eyes glistened, lips pressed in a tight line. Silence stretched between them—but not the cold kind. It was heavy, full of pain, but also unspoken understanding.

Hyunwoo looked ahead, starting the car again.

“I am sorry” jungkook thought.

He didn’t say it aloud—but in his heart, he knew.

Jungkook knew Hyunwoo is the only person who knows everything about him. He knew ho he cares fo him like he do for his own sons. Though jungkook acts cold, distant, and rude with Hyunwoo he was so grateful to have Hyunwoo beside him.

If Jungkook hadn’t had him… the boy might not still be breathing.

“Can we go?” Hyunwoo asked. Jungkook nodded. Hyunwoo started driving the car while jungkook just looked out all the time. Hyunwoo kept glancing at him. He saw the sadness in his eyes. He gently caressed jungkook’s hair, silently showing his care and also jungkook didn’t say anything.

Hey guys!! How was the chapter?? I hope you’d like it.

I added some Eunkook moments too. What you think?

Any guesses or requests?

And guys!!! In next chapter I am going to involve some medical sceans… Are you all okay with it? And if any madical students or anyone who knew medical things can you share your thought?

It’s a pretty long chapter though! I wrote like 3660 words

And guys please do comment.

I want you comments. please…..

15+ comments for next chapter. I hope yoo all will comment a lot. Don’t leave hoping always please.