FLOWERS AFTER WINTER
Winter
The Jeon mansion was brighter than usual.
Crystal chandeliers illuminated every corner of the house while servants moved back and forth carrying gifts, flower arrangements, and expensive boxes.
Laughter echoed throughout the halls.
Everyone seemed happy.
Everyone except Jeon Jungkook.
Jungkook stood quietly at the top of the staircase, watching the scene below.
Today was his birthday.
His twenty-first birthday.
And nobody remembered.
Not his father.
Not his stepmother.
Not even his sister.
A small smile appeared on Jungkook's lips.
Not because he was happy.
Because he was used to it.
Downstairs, Jennie sat beside their father while trying on different pieces of jewelry.
Jennie(MC Sister)
"Father, this one is prettier, right?
Mr Jeon
"Of course. Everything looks beautiful on you."
Jungkook lowered his gaze.
Everything looked beautiful on Jennie.
Everything sounded wonderful when Jennie spoke.
Everything became important when Jennie wanted it.
That was how things had always been.
The beloved daughter.
The forgotten son.
Nobody noticed as Jungkook quietly walked past them.
Nobody greeted him.
Nobody wished him a happy birthday.
Nothing.
A servant suddenly approached him.
Jungkook stopped.
The older woman smiled kindly.
She had worked in the mansion for years.
Long enough to notice the things everyone else ignored.
Jungkook froze.
For a second, he couldn't speak.
Then he smiled.
A genuine smile.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"Thank you."
The woman handed him a small paper bag.
Inside was a tiny cupcake decorated with white frosting.
Jungkook stared at it.
His chest tightened.
It wasn't expensive.
It wasn't grand.
Yet somehow it meant more than all the gifts downstairs.
Because someone remembered.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"Thank you,"
The servant gently patted his shoulder before leaving.
Jungkook carried the cupcake outside into the winter garden.
The cold air brushed against his skin.
He sat beneath his favorite tree and carefully placed the cupcake beside him.
Then he lit the small candle.
The tiny flame flickered against the winter breeze.
Jungkook stared at it.
Nobody sang.
Nobody celebrated.
Nobody gathered around him.
It was just him.
Like always.
Still...
He closed his eyes.
And made a wish.
A foolish wish.
The same wish he had been making for years.
(I wish someone would choose me.)
When he opened his eyes again, a butterfly landed on the nearby flowers.
Jungkook smiled softly.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"There you are."
The butterfly fluttered around him.
Free.
Beautiful.
Untouched by loneliness.
Jungkook watched it disappear into the sky.
Then his thoughts wandered somewhere they shouldn't.
jennie's fiancé.
The man everyone admired.
The man Jennie claimed to love.
The man Jungkook could never have.
Not that he wanted him.
At least that was what he kept telling himself.
Yet every time Taehyung visited, Jungkook's eyes unconsciously followed him.
Because Taehyung did something no one else did.
He acknowledged Jungkook's existence.
"Have you eaten?"
"How are your studies?"
"Good afternoon, Jungkook."
Small things.
Normal things.
But when someone spends their whole life invisible, normal kindness feels extraordinary.
A voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
Jungkook turned.
One of the servants was running toward him.
"Master is calling everyone to the living room."
Jungkook frowned.
Everyone?
Something felt wrong.
The servant looked nervous.
Very nervous.
Jungkook stood and brushed the dirt from his clothes.
His untouched cupcake remained on the bench.
The candle had already gone out.
The atmosphere inside the mansion had completely changed.
The laughter was gone.
The smiles had disappeared.
Everyone sat in silence.
Jennie was crying.
Her makeup was ruined.
Her stepmother was trying to comfort her.
Their father looked furious.
Jungkook's stomach dropped.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"What happened?"
No one answered.
Then Jennie suddenly stood.
Jennie(MC Sister)
"I can't do it!"
Fresh tears streamed down her face.
Jennie(MC Sister)
"I can't throw away my future for a marriage
Jungkook blinked.
Marriage?
Future?
What was happening?
Their father slammed his hand against the table.
Mr Jeon
"You've already been engaged for two years!"
Jennie(MC Sister)
"I know!
Jennie(MC Sister)
"But this is my dream! The company chose me! Do you know how rare this opportunity is?"
Jungkook's eyes widened.
Abroad.
Jennie wanted to go abroad.
Their father looked exhausted.
Mr Jeon
"As soon as you leave, the engagement is finished."
Jennie lowered her head.
But she didn't change her mind.
That was when Jungkook understood.
She had chosen her career.
And abandoned the engagement.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then slowly...
His father turned toward him.
For the first time all day.
For the first time in weeks.
Maybe months.
His father looked directly at him.
Jungkook suddenly had a very bad feeling.
Mr Jeon
"Taehyung's family will not tolerate public embarrassment."
Jungkook didn't understand.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"What does that have to do with me?"
His father's next words changed everything.
Mr Jeon
"You're going to marry Taehyung instead."
Jungkook froze.
The room spun.
His heartbeat stopped.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
"What...?"
Nobody spoke.
Nobody objected.
Nobody asked what he wanted.
Because his opinion had never mattered before.
Why would it matter now?
His father stood.
Mr Jeon
"The matter is settled."
Jungkook stared at the people around him.
At Jennie.
At his stepmother.
At his father.
Nobody looked guilty.
Nobody looked sorry.
To them, he wasn't a son.
He was simply the replacement.
And for the first time in his life...
Jungkook realized that even his future could be given away without anyone asking him first.
Ppy(Author)
Guess who wrote a new story while hasn't finished other stories...
Ppy(Author)
Yeah, this is my fourth story so far,,
Ppy(Author)
And this it's a heartbreaking story😭😭,
Ppy(Author)
The title itself tells,
Ppy(Author)
So hope you gonna like it too 🥺🥺🥺.
Ppy(Author)
SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, VOTE, GIFT, COMMENT, FOLLOW FOR MORE 😊😊.
Replacement
Jungkook stood in the middle of the hallway long after the announcement had ended.
His ears still rang with the words.
The marriage will proceed.
But not with Jennie.
With him.
His fingers curled slowly at his sides as he turned toward the living room where his parents were still speaking quietly, as if nothing life-altering had just been decided.
He walked closer.
And for the first time, he didn’t lower his head immediately.
His voice was soft—but it carried something strained underneath.
His father looked up first, surprised by the tone.
Jungkook interrupted gently.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“Just… tell me.”
His gaze shifted between them.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“You both know Mr Kim loves Jennie.”
Silence.
That silence answered more than words ever could.
Jungkook’s throat tightened.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“So why am I the one replacing her?”
The word replacing felt wrong on his tongue. Like something broken that shouldn’t be spoken aloud.
His mother sighed softly, as if trying to choose careful words.
Mrs Jeon
“It’s not like that.”
Jungkook let out a faint, humorless breath.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“It is exactly like that.”
His hands trembled slightly, but he didn’t hide them.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m not Jennie,”
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m not even part of that agreement.”
His father’s expression hardened a little.
Mr Jeon
“This is about the family, Jungkook.”
That sentence always meant the same thing.
Not about you.
Jungkook looked down for a moment, swallowing the emotion rising in his chest.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“So I’m just… the next option?”
Mrs Jeon
“No one is saying that"
his mother replied quickly.
But she didn’t deny it either.
That was the worst part.
Jungkook’s voice dropped lower.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“Does Mr Kim even know this?”
Another silence.
He already understood.
They hadn’t told him.
Or worse—they had, and they didn’t care what the answer would be.
Jungkook’s chest tightened painfully.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“If he finds out,”
he said slowly,almost to himself,
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“he’ll hate me.”
His father finally spoke, firm now.
Mr Jeon
“This marriage is necessary. The Jeon name cannot step back now.”
Jungkook looked at him then.
Really looked.
Not as a son.
But as someone being placed into a decision already made.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“And what about me?”
No one answered.
Not immediately.
Not properly.
Just silence again.
Jungkook’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Because there was nothing left to argue against.
Only acceptance waiting to happen.
And somewhere deep inside—
a quiet, painful truth he refused to fully touch:
He hadn’t just been chosen.
He had been used as a replacement.
Ppy(Author)
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Refusal
Jungkook stood still in the center of the room.
His heartbeat felt too loud in his chest.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I can’t do this,”
he said again, voice shaking now.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I won’t marry him.”
The words landed in the room like something unacceptable.
His mother’s face tightened immediately. His father didn’t even hesitate.
his father said coldly.
Jungkook swallowed, but this time he didn’t back down.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I said I won’t.”
A sharp silence followed.
Then—
The sound of a hand cutting through the air.
The slap came fast.
Not enough to knock him down, but enough to force his head to turn and his breath to break mid-sentence.
Jungkook blinked slowly, stunned more by the fact that it happened than the pain itself.
His cheek burned faintly.
His father’s voice was harsh.
Jungkook’s lips trembled.
Mr Jeon
“Do you think this is only about you? Do you think Jennie’s success, this family’s position, survives because of refusal?”
Jungkook’s eyes widened slightly.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“That’s not what I meant—”
Mr Jeon
“You are rejecting everything we built,”
Mr Jeon
“Because of your feelings.”
Jungkook shook his head quickly, tears already gathering without permission.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“No… I just—Mr Kim loves Jennie. He doesn’t even know me. This isn’t fair to him or to me—”
But his words didn’t matter.
His voice was too small against the decision already made.
His mother looked away.
Not angry.
Just distant.
Like she couldn’t afford to feel anything right now.
And that hurt more.
Jungkook’s breath started to break.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m not a replacement,”
he whispered, almost desperately.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m not Jennie.”
His father stepped closer, voice lower now.
Mr Jeon
“You will do what is required.”
Jungkook’s vision blurred.
Tears slipped down before he could stop them.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I can’t,”
he said, voice cracking completely now.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“Please… I can’t marry someone who already loves someone else.”
For a moment, there was silence again.
Then his father spoke—final, unmoved.
Mr Jeon
“Take him upstairs.”
Two staff members stepped forward.
His eyes widened in panic.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“No—wait—please don’t—”
His voice broke as he stepped back.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m scared of darkness —please, don’t lock me—please—”
But no one stopped.
No one softened.
No one asked again.
His mother’s lips parted slightly, as if she might say something—but nothing came out.
And that silence was the last answer.
Jungkook was gently but firmly guided away, his resistance fading into shaking breaths.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I didn’t choose this,”
he whispered again, voice barely holding together.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“Please… I didn’t choose this…”
The door closed behind him.
And the lock clicked.
Inside the room, there was no light.
Only darkness.
Jungkook pressed himself against the door immediately, hands shaking as he knocked weakly at first.
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“Please… open it…”
Jungkook(Ore)MC
“I’m scared…”
Silence answered him.
Outside, footsteps moved away.
Busy.
Unbothered.
Somewhere in the house, Jennie’s name was still being spoken like she mattered more than everything else.
And Jungkook slowly slid down to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest as the darkness swallowed the edges of his breathing.
He didn’t cry loudly anymore.
Just quietly.
Like someone who had learned that no one comes when you call.
Ppy(Author)
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