Episode 1

"Such a useless fool! Can't you do one thing properly? Do you have any idea how much money I've spent on you? And yet you can't even cook right! You are the very definition of useless. Let me teach you a lesson," Mrs. Jeon snapped, striking Jungkook with a stick.

"Aunty, I'll do better next time, I promise. Please forgive me... I swear I didn't put extra chili or salt in the curry. I don't know how it happened," Jungkook pleaded, trying to shield himself from the blows.

"Oh, so now you're talking back to me? Just wait until your father gets home. I'll tell him everything and then he'll throw you out of this house!" she shouted.

"No... no, Aunty, please don't tell him. He'll be so angry. Please give me one more chance. I'll do everything right this time," Jungkook begged, his voice trembling.

"Fine. I'm giving you one last chance. Go wash the laundry, water the plants, and go to the farm. Ji Yeun will want fruits in the evening. Finish everything before your father comes home. Now get out of my sight, you pathetic fool," she barked, tossing the stick aside and sitting down to eat.

Jungkook nodded silently and dragged himself toward the laundry area.

"Mom, the food tasted fine... why did you hit him?" Ji Yeun, Jungkook's stepsister, asked, confused.

"Keep quiet. It's been more than five days since I last disciplined him. That's enough. If I don't keep him under control, he'll stop listening to us. It's important he stays afraid. Otherwise, he'll stop doing the chores and he might even come between you and your father," Mrs. Jeon said casually, humming to herself as she continued eating.

"Okay, Mom. Now that old lady's gone, there's no one left to protect him," Ji Yeun said with a wicked grin.

"Exactly. She was a thorn in my side. I'm glad she's finally dead," Mrs. Jeon replied, laughing cruelly with her daughter.

"I'm going to make his life a living hell. Just wait and watch, darling," she added with a twisted smile.

That night, under the still black sky, while the rest of the Jeon household slept peacefully, someone sat wide awake, sobbing quietly beneath the stars.

It was Jungkook.

Just another normal day in his painful life.

"Why, Maa... why did you leave me here? They're so cruel to your Koo Koo. No one likes me. Appa hates me... Why, Eomma? Why did you take Grandma away too? She was the only one who cared about me. Now there's no one to protect me when Aunty beats me for no reason..."

A sad smile crept onto his face as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand, trying to stop the ache in his chest.

"I know no one loves me. Grandma was all I had... and now she's gone. Grandma, look what Stepmother did to me it hurts so much. Now that you're not here, who will put medicine on my bruises? Who will kiss the pain away? Tell me... You lied to me, just like Eomma did," Jungkook whispered into the night, speaking to the mother he never met and he will not be able to see his grandmother again.

He knew, deep down, that his broken cries would never receive a reply no matter how much he screamed or how many tears he shed.

"Maybe aunt was right... Maybe I really am useless. Maybe I don't deserve to live."

Jungkook had never felt this broken before. He cried himself to sleep on the cold, hard floor of his tiny room, surrounded by silence that screamed louder than any insult ever could.

That was Jungkook's life.

When his grandmother was alive, things weren't perfect, but at least there was someone who truly loved him. Someone who stood up for him. Just a few days ago, that kind old woman had finally lost her long battle with illness. Since then, the light in Jungkook's world had vanished, leaving nothing but darkness behind.

A broken soul Jeon Jungkook.

----

In another part of the Kim mansion, someone sat hunched over his laptop, typing furiously as if his life depended on it. His fingers moved nonstop until a sudden ache in his hand forced him to pause. He looked up, only to find his mother, no, the boss of the KIM household.... standing with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at him.

"Taehyung, how many times do I have to tell you not to overwork yourself? Look at the time it's nearly 3:30 AM, and you're still not in bed. You've been working since 9:00 AM yesterday. That's enough now," Jin said, his voice laced with concern.

"Mom, why are you still awake? You know I'll sleep once I finish this," Taehyung replied, trying to smile. "Please take care of your health too or you'll end up with low blood pressure tomorrow."

"Don't lecture me on how to take care of myself, Taehyung," Jin said firmly, narrowing his eyes.

"How can a mother sleep peacefully when one of his children is still up at 3:00 am, working himself to exhaustion over some ridiculous office project?" Jin muttered, his tone softening as he approached Taehyung.

"Mom, listen to me, I" Taehyung started, but Jin cut him off and walked over to his bed.

"Go to sleep now, or I'll sit here until you do," Jin warned, leaving no room for argument.

With a resigned sigh, Taehyung closed his laptop and lay down. Jin gently pulled the blanket over him and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Sleep well, my little Taehyungie."

"I'm a 28-year-old man, Mom," Taehyung replied, his face expressionless.

"Shhh... No matter how old you get, Taehyung-ah, you'll always be the baby I gave birth to. Sleep tight, my child," Jin whispered, placing another kiss on his forehead and smiling as he watched Taehyung fall asleep within minutes, still holding his hand.

"And he says he's all grown up," Jin murmured with a fond smile. He gently slipped his hand out of Taehyung's grip, tucked it under the blanket, then turned off the table lamp and quietly left the room, making sure his son was resting peacefully.

"He was working until now?" Namjoon asked softly when he felt Jin wrap his arms around him.

"Yes," Jin confirmed with a sigh.

"Again this late?" Namjoon asked, concern creeping into his voice.

"He's your son exactly like you," Jin replied.

"I know. I used to be the same way... until I met you. Back then, work was the only way I knew how to survive," Namjoon said, reflecting on his younger self.

"Nam, I'm really worried about him. This isn't healthy. You and we got married when you were 24 and I was 23, after two years of dating. And now look at your son, he's already 28, turning 29 this year," Jin said, holding Namjoon tightly.

"Even Yoongi got married to Jimin when he was 24, just like us. You know how Taehyung is. I worry about his future so much," Jin continued, his voice trembling slightly.

"He'll find someone. Just give him time," Namjoon reassured, pulling Jin closer.

"But when, Nam? When will someone approach him or when will he finally let someone in?" Jin asked, his eyes searching Namjoon's face. "I'm scared for him. What if something happens to us? Who will take care of him then? Sure, Yoongi and Jimin love him like their own, but it's not fair to burden them."

"I understand, Jin. We'll talk to him. You're right it's time we help him find someone who can care for him, someone who can pull him out of his shell. I miss our bright, bubbly son so much," Namjoon said gently, pressing a kiss to Jin's palm.

"I'm with you. We'll do it together," Jin whispered, kissing Namjoon's cheek before finally falling asleep.

Namjoon watched his sleeping husband for a while, then turned his gaze to the family photo on the nightstand. Everyone was smiling in the picture except Taehyung. Though his face showed no expression, his eyes gave him away. There was happiness in them, the kind shared only during family moments. After all, Taehyung had learned from Namjoon how to mask his emotions and had mastered it completely.

"I'll find someone who will bring that light back into your eyes. I promise, my son," Namjoon whispered with determination, his eyes still on the photograph.

He pulled Jin closer and finally drifted off to sleep, holding his family close in his heart.

(Hope you like my first update of this book and support me.💜)

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