Chapter 57

Tae entered the mansion and saw all the maids working in the kitchen. He walked in, and the maids bowed to him. He nodded and bowed back politely.

He went to the fridge, took a bottle of water, and drank from it. Turning to the maids, he asked, “Is Jungkook in his room?”

“Yes, sir,” one of the maids replied.

Tae hummed in acknowledgment and headed upstairs. He took a quick shower first, then went out and walked toward Jungkook’s room.

He knocked on the door but got no response. “Kook, I’m coming in,” Tae said, still hearing nothing. He opened the door slowly. The room was empty. He panicked a little, glanced at the bathroom, then finally spotted Jungkook sitting on the balcony, studying with his earphones in. Tae sighed in relief and approached him.

Jungkook noticed Tae and removed his earphones. “Studying?” Tae asked. “Hmm,” Jungkook hummed in response.

“Did you eat?” Tae asked again. “Yes,” Jungkook replied with a small nod. “How are your studies going? Are you able to understand everything here?” Tae asked.

“Yes, I do. Except for Korean,” Jungkook answered honestly looking at his books.

“Why though?” Tae asked, a bit surprised, giving all his attention to the younger.

“I can speak Korean but not write it well. Luckily, most of the subjects are taught in English, but Korean literature really sucks,” Jungkook said.

Tae chuckled. “It must be difficult for you. But don’t worry-if you have any doubts, you can ask me, Jin hyung, or anyone else here.”

Jungkook nodded. “You want a smoothie or anything?” Tae offered.

“No, I don’t want anything,” Jungkook replied.

“Alright, then. I’ll go to my workroom,” Tae said, standing up.

“Workroom?” Jungkook asked curiously.

“Yeah, I’m an architecture student, so I have one. You wanna come with me?” Tae offered.

Jungkook thought for a second, then nodded. Tae smiled.

“Come on, let’s go,” Tae said.

Jungkook got up and followed him. Tae led him to the second floor. Jungkook had only been to a few places in the mansion-his room, Jin’s room, the living room, dining area, and the kitchen. He had seen other rooms in passing but never really explored them. T

Tae opened a door to a spacious room. Jungkook’s eyes sparkled in awe as he saw the beautiful architectural models and sculptures displayed neatly around the room. He saw model buildings, beautiful structures, and intricate designs-he was completely wonderstruck.

“You did all these?” Jungkook asked, looking at Tae in awe.

“Hmm,” Tae hummed. “Is it good?”

“It’s more than good-it’s amazing, really amazing,” Jungkook said honestly, from the bottom of his heart.

Tae smiled at the sincere compliment.

“Feel free to explore,” Tae offered.

Jungkook nodded and began walking around the room. His eyes grew wider with every step, filled with amusement and admiration.

“You’re really talented,” Jungkook said casually, though it was clear it came from his heart.

Tae blushed slightly at the unexpected praise.

As Jungkook explored more, he noticed guitars, a piano, and a saxophone displayed near the side. His expression changed slightly. He quickly looked away, not wanting to linger on them.

“Feel free to come here anytime,” Tae said gently.

Jungkook nodded.

“Come with me, I want to show you something,” Tae said as he walked toward the corner of the room. There was a small pottery setup with a wheel and clays.

“You want to try it? It’ll be fun,” Tae offered.

Jungkook hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.

Tae smiled and grabbed two aprons, handing one to Jungkook. “Here, wear this.”

Jungkook took it and put it on. Tae then handed him a pair of gloves. Jungkook chose to wear the gloves over his sleeves, not wanting Tae to see the scars on his arms. Tae noticed but didn’t comment, respecting his silence.

“Here, first you need to place the clay right at the center,” Tae said.

Jungkook followed Tae’s instructions carefully.

“Now press it gently-like this. Hmm, yes, that’s it,” Tae guided, watching closely as Jungkook worked.

“Now shape it however you like,” Tae added.

Jungkook nodded and began molding the clay with his hands. But it turned out messy.

“Ahhh, this…” Jungkook groaned in frustration as the clay wobbled.

Tae chuckled softly at his reaction.

Jungkook kept trying, again and again, but each time the clay either collapsed or cracked apart.

“This is really pissing me off,” Jungkook huffed, scoffing at the mess.

“It’s okay, Kook, you’re almost there,” Tae encouraged him, still chuckling.

Jungkook nodded, now more determined. He focused completely, his brows furrowed in concentration.

“That’s it, Kook! That’s it! You can do it.” Tae cheered.

Jungkook finally managed to mold it into a proper shape. He stood up and jumped slightly in excitement-but in doing so, he accidentally knocked over the finished pot.

His bright smile faded immediately, replaced by a blank, done expression.

Tae tried hard to contain his laughter but failed.

“Ahhh, you’re really funny, Kook!” Tae said between fits of laughter.

Jungkook huffed and sat down, crossing his arms. He looked away, pretending not to care.

Still chuckling, Tae reset the wheel with fresh clay. “Come here, let’s do it one more time. Follow my lead.”

“Last try. If it messes up again, I’m done,” Jungkook warned.

“Okay, okay, come on,” Tae said, still smiling.

Step by step, Tae guided him, even helping mold parts with his own hands. With patience and teamwork, they shaped a new pot.

“You like it?” Tae asked softly.

Jungkook looked at the finished piece and nodded, a soft smile spreading on his lips.

Tae smiled too-watching Jungkook’s face light up was worth more than the pot itself.

But Jungkook’s smile slowly faded as he realized he was smiling.

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Only Tae and Jungkook were seated at the dinner table.

“Umm… Tae-ssi, where is Jin-ssi?” Jungkook asked hesitantly, curiosity tugging at his voice.

Tae looked at him and replied with a warm smile, “He had some work to finish. He’ll be back in a few hours.” Tae had just received a message from Jin confirming the same. Jin will inform things but tae won’t reply or anything.

Jungkook nodded quietly.

Tae brightened the mood with a cheerful tone, “Hmm, tomorrow is the weekend! Let’s go somewhere anywhere you want. What do you say?”

Jungkook looked at Tae while chewing his food. After swallowing, he shook his head and said, “I have a check-up tomorrow.”

Tae’s cheerful expression quickly shifted to concern. “Check-up? Which hospital? Is hyung going with you?” he asked, his voice laced with worry.

“SKB Hospital. And no, Jin-ssi won’t be coming. Hyunwoo-ssi will go with me,” Jungkook answered calmly.

“Can I come too? You’ll be alone otherwise. And you’ve always been afraid of hospital” Tae asked, clearly worried.

“Ani, I’m not afraid of hospitals,” Jungkook said quickly. “And I’ll be fine with Hyunwoo-ssi. Besides, who said I’m scared of hospitals?” he added firmly.

“You’re not afraid? That’s a surprise,” Tae said, chuckling softly. “You used to be such a crybaby when you were younger. You’d throw tantrums over the smallest check-up. Appa had to convince you with your favorite chocolates, and then appa and hyungie would buy you so many toys and sweets just to get you through the hospital doors. Eomma would end up scolding both of them every time.”

Jungkook’s expression shifted. The silence that followed was deafening.

He didn’t respond-just nodded slowly, his eyes downcast.

Tae immediately noticed the change in mood. He mentally cursed himself for bringing up the past.

“What happened, Kook?” Tae asked gently.

“Ani… nothing,” Jungkook replied, forcing himself to eat again.

Tae bit his lower lip, regret evident on his face.

“When are you leaving tomorrow?” he asked quietly.

“Around 9 in the morning,” Jungkook replied, still avoiding eye contact.

Tae simply hummed in response, unsure how to fix what he just broke with a memory.

Jk finished his food and left to his room without a word. Tae sighed and continued to eat.

Next day

“Kook, ready?” Hyunwoo asked as he saw Jungkook coming downstairs.
Jungkook nodded.

“Samchoon, his reports?” Jin asked.

“Hmm, I took them. Don’t worry,” Hyunwoo said, patting Jin’s shoulder.
Jin gave a small smile.

Jin nodded, then looked at Jungkook and gently patted his shoulder.
“Take care, hmm?” he said, softly brushing Jungkook’s hair.
Jungkook just gave a quiet nod.

Tae, who had been silently standing nearby, got up.

“Take care, Kook. And Samchoon, if anything happens, call me-I’ll come right away,” Tae said sincerely.
Hyunwoo smiled and nodded at Tae.

At the hospital

Jungkook was sitting quietly in the VIP room, his eyes blank, staring at nothing.

Hyunwoo stood near the window, talking on the phone.
“Yes, arrange all those for the given dates and send me the files and PDFs-I’ll go through them,” Hyunwoo said, ending the call.

Just then, the door opened to reveal Dr. Hwang-(the same doctor who had treated Jungkook in Italy).

Jungkook stood and gave a small bow.
Hyunwoo smiled, greeted the doctor with a bow, the doctor bowed to hyunwoo sincerely too.

Both took their seats when the doctor gestured.

“Hey Jungkook, how are you doing?” Dr. Hwang asked gently.

If Hyunwoo was the one who knew Jungkook’s all sufferings, Dr. Hwang was the one who knew his physical and mental struggles inside out.

“I’m fine,” Jungkook replied curtly, keeping his eyes down.

Dr. Hwang studied him for a moment. “Are you ready for your check-up?”

Jungkook nodded.

The doctor offered a soft smile. “Okay, let’s start with a few questions.”

Jungkook nodded again.

“Alright,” Dr. Hwang replied with a small nod. “Are you taking your meals on time?”

Jungkook bit his lower lip, hesitating. He didn’t want to lie-he knew Dr. Hwang would see right through him.

“Only if you answer properly i could treat you properly so no lies or hides hmm?” The doctor said gently, Jungkook nodded.

“Tell me are you taking the meals properly?” The doctor asked again. Hyunwoo was focused on jungkook. H
Jungkook slowly shook his head.

The doctor sighed quietly. “Why not? I told you clearly last time, no skipping meals. Is it loss of appetite?”

Jungkook nodded slightly. “Even if I eat just a few spoons, I feel full already. Sometimes, I even feel nauseous after eating. And yeah… sometimes I just don’t feel hungry at all.”

Dr. Hwang noted it down. “It’s probably because of how irregular your meals have become. You need to start eating at least three proper cups of food per day-even if it’s slowly, okay?” the doctor himself knew that it was his nth time to repeat this dialogue. Everytime he treats Jungkook he would say this just repeat it again.

Jungkook nodded again.

“Are you taking your medication on time?” the doctor asked, more serious now.

Jungkook stayed silent, his head dropping lower. That was answer enough.

“Don’t tell me you’re skipping that too,” Hyunwoo said sharply.

Jungkook stayed sile t but flinched when hyunwoo yelled at him.

“Yah! Are you kidding me?” Hyunwoo snapped, voice rising. “How many times do I have to say it? Are you even serious about your health anymore? Just… do whatever you want,” he said, clearly frustrated, and looked away.

Dr. Hwang calmly stepped in to move things forward. “I heard you’ve been having headaches and nosebleeds. How long has that been happening?”

“More than a month,” Jungkook replied softly.

Dr. Hwang nodded and jotted it down. “Any chest pain? Breathing problems? Any sense of tightness?”

Jungkook nodded. “Yeah… sometimes.”

“When do you feel the pain? Does it come on suddenly or gradually?”

“Both. Sometimes it hits suddenly… other times it starts slow.”

Dr. Hwang continued making notes, his face serious.

“So when the pain came, did you take painkillers?” the doctor asked.
Jungkook nodded hesitantly.

“Jungkook, why aren’t you serious about your health? It’s really important. Skipping meals and skipping medicines is not good. You already know your condition- even the slightest mistakes can make things worse. So please, be more conscious from now on,” the doctor advised gently.

Jungkook nodded absentmindedly.

“Okay, can we start? Let’s do the basic tests first, hmm?” the doctor said.
Jungkook nodded. He glanced at Hyunwoo, who was looking away, clearly disappointed.

“Sir?” the doctor called.
Hyunwoo looked at him and replied, “Hmm?”
The doctor gestured for him to come out.

“Okay Jungkook, wait here. We’ll be back,” Hyunwoo said, getting up and leaving the room with the doctor.

Jungkook sighed and looked down, fidgeting with his hands.

“Will skipping the medicines cause anything serious?” Hyunwoo asked worriedly.
“Sometimes. Let’s wait and see what the reports say. As for his frequent headaches and chest pains, we’ll do the scans I mentioned yesterday. If the results are clear, that’s good. But if not, he really needs to start taking care of himself,” the doctor warned.

Hyunwoo nodded.

“Is he still getting nightmares or panic attacks?” the doctor asked.
“I don’t know. He doesn’t tell me anything,” Hyunwoo replied.

“Let’s ask him later, anyway. Okay, let’s go.”

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“Let’s check your heartbeat first,” Dr. Hwang said gently.

Jungkook nodded, and Hyunwoo stood beside him protectively. The doctor took his stethoscope and placed it on Jungkook’s chest.

“Take a deep breath,” he instructed.

Jungkook obeyed, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. After a few moments, the doctor removed the stethoscope and set it aside. “It’s all good” the doctor said with a smile.

“The nurse will take your blood test now,” he informed.

Jungkook nodded nonchalantly.

“Are you still getting nightmares?” the doctor asked.

Jungkook bit his lips, unable to find the words. After a long pause, he gave a small nod.

“Aish, Jungkook, why don’t you tell me anything?” Hyunwoo said, clearly both disappointed and concerned.

“I don’t want you to worry. I’m doing fine, really. It’s not that serious,” Jungkook replied.

“Not serious?” the doctor repeated, tone calm yet firm. “It could become serious in the future. You already know what you’ve been through, so it’s better to tell us right away, hmm?”

Jungkook gulped and nodded slowly.

Just then, the nurse entered with a tray of equipment. She bowed respectfully to both the doctor and Hyunwoo before walking up to Jungkook.

“Please take a blood sample, check his blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature,” the doctor instructed.

“Sure , sir,” the nurse replied politely.

The doctor turned to hyunwoo. “After these tests, he can drink some fresh juice. Then we’ll proceed with the scans.”

Hyunwoo nodded in agreement while Jungkook looked at them with innocent bambi eyes like a curious little deer.

“I have some work to attend to. I’ll be back in an hour,” the doctor added.

“Sure,” Hyunwoo said. The doctor bowed slightly and left the room.

The nurse stepped closer to Jungkook. “Sir, could you roll up your left sleeve to your upper arm?” she asked gently.

Jungkook blinked and looked at Hyunwoo, who gave him an assuring nod. Biting his lower lip, Jungkook slowly rolled up his sleeve.

Faint scars became visible-burn marks and a few healed cuts above his wrist. The nurse’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she said nothing, remaining professional. She gently cleaned the area with alcohol.

“I’m starting,” she said softly.

Jungkook nodded. She inserted the needle with precision, but he didn’t even flinch. After collecting the blood, she removed the needle and applied a cotton swab over the spot.

Next, she pulled out a small digital device and clipped it onto Jungkook’s index finger. Jungkook was looking at it with innocent eyes asusual.

“This is to check your oxygen saturation, please stay still” she said and jungkook nodded just looking away.

A few seconds later, she read the results and noted them down on her chart.

Then she wrapped a cuff around Jungkook’s arm.

“Now your blood pressure.”. Jungkook say like a doll, letting the nurse to do the things.

The cuff tightened around his arm as the machine beeped softly. She recorded the numbers. Meanwhile hyunwoo was focused on jungkook. His eyes showed the protectiveness, worry and his concern.

Lastly, she took a digital thermometer, “open your mouth ” she said, Jungkook did as she said, she placed it under Jungkook’s tongue for a moment, then read it.

“All done,” she said with a kind smile. “You may have some juice now while we prepare for your scans.”

Jungkook nodded silently, lowering his sleeve again as he glanced at Hyunwoo, who gave him an encouraging smile.

Hey guys how was the chapter??

Are you excited for upcoming chapters?

Do you want tae and Jin to reconcile???

And yeah drop your thoughts and requests.

What you think about jungkook’s health?? Both mentally and physically?

And in upcoming chapters Jungkook will start doing the mafia things. Hehe, can’t control myself from giving the spoiler. As i gave one now leave your thoughts on it.

And tell me what you want to see in mafia JJK? I’ll do it for sure. I am so excited to write it but… My brain is not giving proper ideas… So pleaseeee. Even if it is one I’ll do it, if it is upto the story.

So please drop your thoughts and requests on comments.

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