Chapter 4

Jungkook pressed one hand against his ear, trying to block out the frightening noise that was making him panic. His other hand was still holding onto his shirt for comfort. While he stood there frozen, a Mercedes came speeding toward him. Jungkook’s eyes went wide with terror as the car headed straight for him.

...

...

.The car reached Jungkook and screeched to a halt, the brakes making a loud, piercing noise. Jungkook was still frozen in the same position, paralyzed by fear.

A young man jumped out of the car, looking furious. He marched toward Jungkook and shouted, "Are you crazy? Do you want to die?"

But Jungkook didn't move. He stood there like a statue, lost in his own terror.

The man grabbed Jungkook’s arm and shook him hard. "Can you even hear me? You idiot!" he yelled.

The moment the man’s hand touched his arm, Jungkook felt a sharp jolt, like a massive 440-volt electric shock. He jumped back instantly, pulling himself away. Standing a short distance away, Jungkook stared at the man with his large, bunny-like grey eyes, his expression a mix of absolute shock and pure terror.

.

.

"You fucking bastard!" the boy shouted, cursing at Jungkook in anger.

He took a moment to look at Jungkook from head to toe. Jungkook was wearing a dirty, oversized vest and loose trousers. His feet, white as milk, were now covered in dust because he was barefoot. Then, the boy looked at Jungkook’s face. His skin was pale and flawless, and his beautiful grey eyes were filled with a captivating mix of fear and innocence. His hair looked soft and silky.

For a split second, the boy was lost in Jungkook's beauty. But as soon as his eyes fell back on the dirty clothes, he snapped back to reality with a look of disgust. He realized he had touched Jungkook's dirty shirt and felt grossed out. He quickly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his hand as if he had touched something filthy.

He turned his attention back to Jungkook. "Hey, silly boy! If you want to die so badly, go jump under some other car, not mine! And why are you staring at me with those button eyes? Get lost, you crazy boy!"

But Jungkook just stood there, staring at him blankly.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I’m going to go crazy! Do I really have to touch this dirty boy again? This is disgusting!" he muttered to himself. "But I have to... I'm already late."

Using his handkerchief to avoid direct contact, he grabbed Jungkook’s arm and led him away from the road to the sidewalk.

"Listen, boy," he said, pointing toward the busy street. "That place is not for walking. This is where you belong," he pointed to the footpath. "Don’t ever go back there by mistake, okay?" Surprisingly, his voice had softened, and he was explaining it almost gently.

(Wow, he was actually being kind for a moment!)

Jungkook blinked, watching him with pure wonder. It was probably the first time he had ever heard someone outside his family talk to him like this. He was completely mesmerized.

"Argh, why is he looking at me like that?" the boy complained to himself. "Hey boy, go home now. Straight home, okay?"

Jungkook pouted and shook his head 'no'.

"You don't want to go home?"

Jungkook shook his head again.

"Then where do you want to go?"

Jungkook remained silent.

"Say something! Are you mute?" the boy asked, getting annoyed again.

Jungkook didn't utter a word. The boy was so frustrated he felt like pulling his own hair. Just then, his phone started ringing. He glanced at the screen and then looked back at Jungkook.

"Fine! Go home or don't, go to hell for all I care! But just... stay off the road, okay?"

He gave his final instruction, hopped back into his car, and drove away. Jungkook stood there for a long time, his eyes fixed on the car until it disappeared from sight.

...****************...

Other side_____

Jungkook's grandmother entered the house with Abeeha, her eyes immediately searching for her grandson.

"Kooki, look! Grandma is home!" she called out loudly from downstairs.

But Jungkook didn’t appear.

She called out to him three or four times, but he did not come down from upstairs.

A flicker of worry crossed his grandmother's face. Usually, no matter where he was in the house, he would come running at the very first sound of her voice.

Seeing her distress, Abeeha tried to comfort her. "Grandma, please don’t worry. I’ll go upstairs and check; maybe he fell asleep. Why don’t you go to Mom’s room and rest?"

"No, child. I’ll sit right here on this swing in the lounge," she replied firmly, her heart heavy with restlessness. "I won't find peace until I see him with my own eyes."

As his grandmother sat down on the swing, Abeeha hurried upstairs.

A few minutes later, Abeeha came back down, her face pale with anxiety. "Grandma... Kooki isn’t upstairs."

"What are you saying?" The grandmother stood up abruptly, her voice trembling with disbelief.

"Yes, Grandma. I searched the entire upper floor. He’s nowhere to be found."

Stunned by the shock, the grandmother sank back onto the swing. "Seema! Oh, Seema! Lucy! Where have you all gone?" she cried out, desperately calling for her daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

..

..

From the inner rooms.

"Amma, is everything alright?" Seema asked, her voice laced with worry at her mother-in-law's frantic tone.

Meanwhile, Lucy stood there, nervously wringing her fingers. A look of guilt flickered in her eyes; she seemed to know exactly why Grandma was so upset.

"Jungkook is not in the house! Where on earth were all of you?" Grandma snapped, her voice trembling with anger.

"Amma, what are you saying?" Seema replied in disbelief. "He has been in his room since morning. I saw him myself—he was sleeping! How is it possible? He must be up there."

"Amma, he isn't upstairs," Abeeha added, her voice shaking with anxiety. "If he’s not upstairs, he must have come down

...

...

No, he didn't come down while I was here. And besides, when does he ever come downstairs on his own?" Seema replied instantly to Abeeha’s suggestion.

"What do you mean, 'while you were here'?" Grandma asked, her voice a mix of bewilderment and rising anger. "Where... where did you go?"

"I went to the market to pick up some things, but Lucy was home," Seema said, glancing nervously at her daughter. "Lucy, you were here. Did he come down? Did you see him?"

Lucy swallowed hard, trying to keep her composure. "No, Mom. He didn't come down while I was around. After that, I went to the bathroom to take a shower." She lied smoothly, her face a mask of innocence.

Grandma was now truly terrified. "How could this happen? I left for a little while and you people couldn't even look after one child? Where is my darling boy? How is he?" Her voice broke as she stood up, trembling. "No... nothing will happen to him. I have to find him!"

Seema quickly grabbed her mother-in-law’s arm. "Amma, you just got back. You can't go out like this. He’ll come back; he’s wandered off before."

Grandma jerked her arm away with a sharp glare. "Do you remember where we found him last time? If the police hadn't reached him first, I would have been looking at my grandson’s corpse today! Every time I leave him in your care, he either falls sick or ends up lost in the streets!"

Seema felt a sting of resentment. To her, her mother-in-law’s obsession with the boy was like poison. "Amma, he runs away on his own! We can’t be expected to watch him every second. We have our own lives; we can’t spend every waking moment babysitting that insane boy!"

"Seema! Watch your tongue!" Grandma screamed.

"Why should I? Because of that 'madman,' the entire atmosphere of this house is ruined! My daughters have been robbed of their rights, their love, everything!"

"

Have been robbed of their rights, their love, everything!"

"Mom, please!" Abeeha tried to intervene.

"You stay out of this!" Seema turned on her daughter. "Do you realize you aren't getting married because of him? Every time a proposal comes, he appears, and because of your dark complexion, they end up asking for that 'mad' boy's hand instead! They only care about his beauty, not his mind. It’s good that he’s gone. Honestly, I hope he never comes back!"

The years of suppressed jealousy and hatred poured out of Seema in a toxic flood. She had said too much—far too much.

Slap!

The sound echoed through the lounge. Grandma had struck Seema across the face.

Seema gasped, clutching her stinging cheek, staring at her mother-in-law in pure shock.

"How dare you?" Grandma hissed, her voice shaking with rage. "How dare you speak about my grandson like that?"

"Why not? What did I say that was wrong?" Seema screamed back, the last of her respect vanishing. "My daughter's youth is wasting away because of that jinx! You put 80% of the property in his name and left my girls with a measly 20%, even though my husband is the one working his life away in the shop!"

"Yes, I did! Because that shop and this house were built by his late father’s hard work and money! Your husband didn't contribute a single penny to it!"

"Fine! But after his father died, my husband is the one paying for his expenses! Even the doctors said he should be sent to an asylum—that he’s mentally ill, a psychiatric patient! But no, you forced him onto us. I have two grown daughters and a son, but you don't care about their rights. You only care about that cursed boy! It’s better if he dies. At least I won't have to look at the boy who killed his mother the moment he was born, shamed his father, and is now a shadow over my daughter's life!"

"Seema!" Grandma raised her hand again.

But this time, Seema caught her wrist mid-air. "Enough, Amma Ji! I’ve said nothing but the truth. He is a curse, and he always will be. If you’re so worried about him, go find him yourself. We aren't going. Not me, and not my children!"

She flung her mother-in-law’s hand back and grabbed Lucy and Abeeha by their arms.

"Mom, let go! I’m going with Grandma!" Abeeha cried, struggling to break free.

"Shut up! Not another word of sympathy for him. You’re coming with me!"

"But Mom—" Abeeha’s words were cut short as she was dragged away.

Grandma straightened her back, her eyes cold and hard. "Go, Abeeha. I still have enough strength to find him myself. I don't need anyone's help." With that, she turned and walked toward the gate.

Abeeha watched her grandmother's retreating figure with a sense of utter helplessness. This was the fourth time Jungkook had gone missing, and every time, a storm broke out in the house. But never before had Grandma raised her hand, and never had her mother spewed such venom.

Tears blurred Abeeha’s vision. Her heart ached for her brother. As she was forced inside like a kite being pulled by a string, she kept looking back at the empty gate, praying for the two souls now lost to the outside world.

...

...

...

...

to be continued_________

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***