Chapter 3

A Room Full of Memories

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, a black military hovercar stopped before the east wing of the Kim estate.

Jeon Jungkook stepped out, carrying nothing but a small hospital bag.

Commander Jeon had already left after exchanging a few formal words with General Kim. As for his cousin, Jeon Minjae, he had stormed off the moment they arrived, clearly unwilling to spend another second near Jungkook.

Jungkook didn't care.

The less he saw of Minjae, the better.

A middle-aged beta approached with a warm smile.

"Mr. Jeon, welcome. My name is Han Seung. I've served the Kim family for over thirty years."

Jungkook gave a polite nod.

"Thank you."

Han Seung led him through elegant hallways decorated with medals, framed photographs, and military honors. Unlike the luxurious homes Jungkook had imagined powerful families would own, the Kim estate felt... lived in.

There were flowers in the garden.

Books left open on tables.

A chessboard with an unfinished game.

It didn't feel like the home of strangers.

It felt like someone was expected to return.

"This will be your room," Han Seung said, opening a wooden door.

The room was spacious, with a large window overlooking the lake. Everything had already been prepared, from clothes to daily necessities.

"It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it."

Han Seung hesitated before speaking again.

"The room next door..."

Jungkook turned toward the closed door across the hallway.

"...belongs to Young Master Taehyung."

Silence settled between them.

"It has remained untouched for three months."

Jungkook looked at the polished wooden door.

For reasons he couldn't explain, it didn't feel like an empty room.

It felt... waiting.

Han Seung noticed his gaze.

"Would you like to see it?"

Jungkook blinked in surprise.

"I thought no one was allowed inside."

"The General believes Young Master Taehyung would have wanted someone to remember him as he truly was."

A small click echoed as the door opened.

The room was unexpectedly simple.

A neatly made bed.

Books stacked beside a desk.

Military strategy maps covered one wall.

On another shelf sat dozens of tiny spacecraft models arranged with almost childish care.

Jungkook couldn't help smiling.

"The empire's youngest Major General collected toys?"

Han Seung laughed softly.

"He always insisted they were scale models."

His eyes grew nostalgic.

"But yes... he loved them."

Jungkook walked farther inside.

There was no overwhelming scent, no luxurious decorations.

Only traces of a life interrupted.

His attention stopped on a framed photograph.

Kim Taehyung stood between a group of smiling soldiers, one arm casually thrown around a teammate's shoulders.

He wasn't wearing the cold expression shown in official portraits.

He was laughing.

Brightly.

Freely.

It was the kind of smile that made people forget he was the empire's strongest alpha.

"He looks happy," Jungkook murmured.

"He was."

Han Seung lowered his eyes.

"The estate hasn't felt the same since he left for his final mission."

Jungkook gently placed the photograph back where it belonged.

As he turned to leave, something glimmered beneath the desk.

He crouched down and found a silver military identification card.

The name engraved across its surface read:

Kim Taehyung

But beneath the name was something far more unusual.

Status: Active

Jungkook's heartbeat skipped.

Active?

That couldn't be right.

According to every official record in the empire...

Kim Taehyung had died three months ago.

Before Jungkook could examine the card any further, Han Seung called from the doorway.

"Mr. Jeon?"

Jungkook quickly slipped the card into his sleeve before standing.

"I'm coming."

But one question echoed through his mind.

If a dead soldier's military identification was still active...

Then who exactly is using it.

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