Amber's POV:
The person I so rudely addressed in my rage was none other than Jungkook's father, aka the mafia boss himself. Never in my life did I think that I would encounter mafias. He was a tall man with handsome features, exuding an air of authority and power. Now I know where Jungkook got his charisma from. In one hand, he twirled a revolver like a toy while slowly stepping towards us, or more precisely, towards me. I think this is it for me. Dad and Mom, I love you. I should have just stayed home. God, forgive me for any sins I have committed.
He was now standing just an arm's length from me. He stopped twirling his gun and pointed it towards me. I closed my eyes, startled, and waited for the impact which never came. I opened my eyes slowly to see him handing his revolver to his man standing behind me. I sighed heavily with relief. Couldn't he have given it to him normally?
"I never knew you would be living with your girlfriend," he said, making Jungkook and me widen our eyes.
"No, Appa, she's not my girlfriend. Amber is a good friend and my roommate," Jungkook hastily clarified.
Hearing that, his dad sharply turned towards him and said, "Then you mean to say that you're living with your boyfriend?"
"What? No way, I'm not his boyfriend," Jimin countered immediately, somewhat irritated. But then realizing who he was standing against, he broke into an awkward smile and continued, "I mean, I'm also his friend and roommate."
"Whatever, you're coming with us," he declared, turning to leave but stopped when Jungkook said, "I won't go."
"JUNGKOOK, IT'S AN ORDER!" he spoke sternly. Jimin and I stood beside each other, flinching at the sudden loud voice.
"AND I SAID I WON'T GO!" Jungkook shouted back, making us flinch again. It was my first time hearing Jungkook shout. I looked at Jimin, seeing his jaw dropped; I think it was also a first time for him.
"How dare you argue back and shout? Did that girl teach you to argue like this?" his father said, pointing at me. Me? Wow, I feel offended. I heard Jimin snicker behind me.
"Or did that boy teach you?" Now it was my turn to laugh.
"Don't drag them into this. No, actually yes, Amber taught me," Jungkook said. Why, Jungkook? I looked at his dad slightly shaking my head as a no. I started to cry internally then stopped after hearing what he said next.
"All of my friends taught me one thing or another, but Amber taught me to take a stand for myself. She stood up to the landlady over the wrong room assignment, even though she was new here. She stood up to her parents to fulfill her dreams. She even stood tall before Seokjin hyung and spoke for herself. She has always stood up for what she believes is right. Even now she scolded your gang for hogging our apartment, even though she knew how dangerous they can be. So now I'm standing up for myself."
Jungkook's words made me emotional. I never knew that I could influence someone, especially someone like him who has always been an inspiration for me. Just as he said, everyone has taught me something or the other too.
"So what do you mean to say?" his father asked sternly.
"I mean to say that I won't go. I want to continue to live here for my college life and find where I actually belong. I don't want to be in the mafia and lose the only place where I feel belonged and loved. They are my home," Jungkook turned towards us and spoke the last sentence.
"All of you, dismissed," Jungkook's father ordered his men, and they started to saunter out of the room. Jimin and I also started to go but were stopped by his father. "You two, stay here." We stopped where we were standing.
"So you mean to say that you don't feel at home there or loved?" his father asked, still with that stern voice but softer.
"Yes, I don't. I was trying to deny those feelings up until now, but today when I opened myself up to them, it started to make sense," tears could be seen in Jungkook's eyes now. "Mom left because you couldn't keep your promise to Her and took hyung with her when I was still young. Even though she used to pay regular visits, I didn't feel the same as before. I used to crave her embrace at night when it was hard to sleep due to nightmares, even yours, but you were never there. You people were physically present, but no one was actually there for me. I felt alone. Then in high school, I found them," he said, pointing to Jimin. "At that time, school was the only place where I felt comfortable, but when I used return back home, it was empty."
"I tried giving you hints that I didn't want all this, but you were too busy to notice. Then after high school, you forced me to take over the position, and when I got the courage to refuse, you presented me with that deal," he wiped a lone tear while speaking, even I did not realize that I was also crying. He had been keeping all this pain to himself all along. He is looking so vulnerable right now. "College started, and then Amber entered our life; we started to live together, and before realizing it, I started feeling alive again. I felt happy knowing that there will be at least one person waiting for me at the apartment. We ate together, played together, studied together, and laughed together. All of them made me feel a sense of belonging. They loved me unconditional ly without expecting anything from me. Which you people didn't. But I guess you want to steal even that from me? I used to think that you loved me, but was I wrong? Perhaps I was," he scoffed while wiping more tears.
I looked at Jungkook, then at his father. His father was facing the other way, so I couldn't decipher his expressions. After a long silence, he spoke.
"Do you-do you resent me?" he asked carefully.
"Resent? No, I don't, because we only resent people we loved, but I guess I lost all my love for you, for Mom, and for Hyung. So no, I don't resent you. I don't feel anything." Jungkook said with a sad smile.
I could imagine the feelings his father must be going through as he slightly lowered his head. No parent would like to hear their children declare that they don't love them or hate them. Because even hate is a feeling, but nothingness-a void-is worse than hate.
I remembered when I was very young; I said to my father that I hated him for forgetting to buy me new shoes. I said that in a child's rage and even forgot about it minutes later, but when I realized how much it had hurt him, I cried a river with him. I swore never to say those words again. And here, his son just said that he doesn't feel anything for him. But didn't he brought this on himself? There was a long silence, and then his father signed heavily and spoke.
"You are right; I was never there for you. I never tried to know your feelings-when your mom left, or when you entered high school, or when you started training with me-never. I...failed as a dad. I guess even a sorry won't be enough now. It will be just like an excuse. Still, I would like to apologize, my son. I was wrong. To be honest, I always regretted that I couldn't fulfill the promise given to your mom. I always think that it was perhaps the best time to leave all of this behind, but I didn't, and after that, I was too deep into this that it felt difficult to come out of it."
"And decided to put even your son into that darkness, huh?" I didn't even realize that I spoke loudly. Jimin nudged me, and I looked at Jungkook's father.
"Yes, you are right. I tried to do exactly that without taking his views into consideration." Surprisingly, he agreed with me. It gave me more courage to speak further.
"So what do you think you should be doing now to undo all that? You still have time."
"You are becoming bolder," he said, making me suck in a breath, but he surprised us by giving me a soft smile.
He said, "Right, I wouldn't waste this opportunity." He turned towards Jungkook, "I think if you hadn't come out with your feelings like this, I wouldn't have been able to understand. I also think that if you have poured out your emotions before, I wouldn't have listened to you and reflected. But because you are being backed up by such friends, I can't help but feel obligated to listen and reflect." He straightened himself up and said, "Go find yourself and do what you like. I won't stop you anymore now. I followed the tradition because I wanted my father's approval and fulfil his expectations and wanted you to do the same too. But you challenged those traditions and have come victorious. You won, and I lose."
Jungkook finally let all his tears flow and hugged his dad tightly. His dad returned the gesture.
"You can hate me all you want, but please don't feel nothing for me," his father said.
"I think it will be possible if you keep your promise this time," Jungkook said, breaking the hug.
"I will, definitely this time. And I will also try to win your mother back." They both chuckled lightly.
"I will fix everything up," his father said, wiping some tears too. Oh god! This day is filled with tears today, I thought, wiping my own.
"And you two!" he said, making Jimin and me stand straight, "take care of my son."
We nodded, smiling, and saw him going towards the door. Just then Jungkook spoke, stopping him, "What about you?"
His father half-turned and said, "Hmm, I think it's time for my retirement." With that, he disappeared behind the door.
Jimin and I released a breath that we didn't know we were holding and plopped down on the couch, Jungkook joining us. Jimin ruffled his hair, making him smile.
"Way to go, young man," Jimin said.
"It wouldn't have been possible without you guys," Jungkook said.
"We didn't do anything. It was solely you," I said.
"Right, we were too busy shivering with fear, actually," Jimin said, making us chuckle.
"No, I wouldn't have been able to do it alone. So thank you guys for everything," Jungkook said sincerely.
"Don't make me cry again, will you? Come on, a group hug." I got up from the couch and spread my arms. They joined me, and we hugged each other tightly.
Narrator's POV:
All three of them were embracing each other when they heard the doorbell ring.
"What? Did your dad change his mind?" Jimin asked skeptically.
"I'll get it," Amber rolled her eyes and went to open the door.
"It's movie night tonight!" Taehyung stood at the door with party glasses and a carton of juice in one hand.
"Stop shouting, idiot!" Yoonji stood behind him with a basket filled with snacks. They both entered the apartment.
"What is this now?" Jimin asked them.
"As you heard, it's movie night. And he tricked me again," Yoonji sharply scolded him.
"He had plans again," Taehyung put up his hands in surrender.
"More than that, I think we have a more interesting story to delve into. Don't we, Jungkook?" Amber turned to Jungkook.
Jungkook looked down shyly while rubbing his neck and said, "Right!"
"It's going to be a long and interesting night," Jimin said while munching on some chips.
A/n: how was this chapter? Next it will be Yoonji 🤭 be prepared for it.
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