Words- 3345
Vmin in the first part of this chapter 👆
"Do it slowly Taehyung, keep your hands still." A middle aged man was instructing a young man making a muddy vase on a wooden wheel. His name was Park Jihoon, owner of a small pottery shop in a busy street of Gangnam. The boy, who was sitting on a short stool was following his instructions with obedience. The potter spoke again, "Yes, now dig your one finger in and make a hole in the middle."
Another boy, shorter than the first one, came silently from behind and covered the sitting boy's glasses with his palm.
"Jimin, don't." The first boy spoke with annoyance as his hand trembled and the shape of the raw vase bented down.
"Ah! you again, if you don't want to help, then just go away. Let him learn. I don't know why you have no interest in learning our traditional art." Jihoon grunted.
"It's boring dad." Jimin casually said, uncovered his friend Taehyung's eyes and placed himself on an empty wooden stool beside him.
"No it's not ahjussi. It's quite fun." Taehyung defended his friend, seeing the older man's stiff expression but Jimin wasn't planning to back off this soon.
"Hold on bro, you're saying that making these muddy utensils in this ceramic era is fun?" Jimin frowned and threw a question to his father, "I mean how much do you earn with this?"
"Enough to serve you three meals a day." His father rolled his eyes.
"Huh! That's your duty to feed me well, what else old man?"
"You brat, just come here, you need to learn a lesson." Jimin's father took one of his sleepers in his hand and chased to beat his son.
Making Taehyung his shield, Jimin pulled out his tongue to tease his father, which earned him a curse word.
"Calm down ahjussi, it's not good for your blood pressure. Let me speak with him." Taehyung wanted to stop the drama but he couldn't do much since his hands were coated with wet clay.
Jihoon slammed down his sleeper on the floor, angrily and roared looking at his son, "Just see him and learn. He is the same age as you but he knows how to respect elders."
Jimin twisted his mouth and poked Taehyung's waist from behind, he wanted to get out of there, Taehyung got his friend's intention as he knew him very well.
"Ahjussi, it's already eleven. I have to go back home."
"Oh yes Taehyung-ah, you should go home now. We can continue tomorrow."
"Yeah, this will be good. Jimin, let's go." Taehyung said after washing his hands, but Jihoon huffed in response.
"Why are you taking this brat with you? Taehyung-ah my good child, if you keep him in your company, you'll also become like him, rude and hopeless."
"I can't believe you're my dad." Jimin's eyes got bigger, sulking in irritation.
"Well our belief is mutual. I can't believe you're my son either." Jihoon snapped comically which made Taehyung giggle.
"Stop laughing, you're on my side, not his." Jimin stomped his feet on the wooden floor and looked away, crossing his arms on his chest, pouting.
"Aww my friend gets so cute when he sulk." Taehyung tried to cheer him up, hugging tightly from his back and this plan worked, Jimin smiled.
"Taehyung-ah, you grow up so well. My friend is lucky." Jihoon was watching their cuteness with heart eyes, "I just want you to settle in your life and marry a good girl."
"Girl!" This time Jimin busted out laughing, clutching his belly.
"Shhhh" Taehyung panicked, he hurriedly dragged his friend out of the shop and put on his shoes, then said from the doorway with an awkward smile, "Yeah ahjussi, jimin is going to stay with me tonight, so have a good night."
"Yeah, yeah, just take this brat away from my sight, he's nothing but a pain in my ass." Jihoon tsked, shaking his head and got busy with his work again.
"I can't with this old man, how can anyone hate his own son?" Jimin kicked a lone pebble a little too aggressively on his way to his friend's house.
"It's because of your weird ass." Taehyung replied instantly.
"I'm damn sure he is going to hate me more if he ever finds out about my sexuality."
"But you can't hide it forever."
"Yeah." Jimin sighed looking down, when he looked up to say something, his pupils enlarged, seeing a large advertising holding at the corner of the street, he excitedly pointed at the picture and said, "Tae look, they put a new ad of Jyundai cars. And just-look-at-my-bae Yoongi, stylish and sophisticated, uwu! Why on earth he's so handsome! Just look at his lips, so kissable." He paused to coo at the young model.
"Jimin don't start again, you're acting like a little hoe." Taehyung chuckled, he was aware of his friend's obsession with this supermodel Min Yoongi, Jimin even had put his postar inside his bathroom's door, so every time he heard this name, he didn't waste any chance to tease him.
"You're blind Tae, your four eyes can't see past that topper boy Minjae and that moron doesn't even consider you as his friend."
"My eye-sight is poor, that's why. Nobody likes men in glasses." Taehyung said with a pout. He was in love with their university topper Minjae for four years but couldn't gather courage to tell him.
"Aww! You'll forever be my squishy baby, even in these glasses." Jimin pulled him in his embrace and left a light smooch on his cheek.
Taehyung irked, "Jimin, stop. Save your kisses for Min Yoongi."
Jimin just giggled in response but as soon as they came near Taehyung's house, his smile dropped. "Hey Tae, there's a police car in front of your house, what happened?"
"I have no idea." Taehyung's heart started beating rapidly, an unknown fear was building inside of his body. He ran without wasting any second.
"Yeh, wait for me." Jimin followed him.
Taehyung paused on the doorway, the first thing he saw was his mother on the floor, crying, clutching her heart with wrinkly clothes and disheveled hair. His sister was trying to stop her where she was also a sobbing mess, his brother was sitting in a corner, hugging his folded knees, without showing any expression, which made Taehyung stop thinking for a while. Meanwhile two police officers approached him, when he entered with a frown. One of them said,
"Are you Mr Kim Minsoo's son?"
Taehyung remained silent, witnessing so many unexpected things at once, he didn't even hear what the officer said but when Jimin tapped on his shoulder, he finally came back to his senses. "Yes, what happened, can anyone tell me?"
"We're sorry for the loss but you have to come with us, identify his body in the hospital."
"B-body!" Taehyung felt so nervous, weak on his knees, the biggest fear of his life had come true, he already could guess the worst scenario but his heart denied the truth.
"Yes, a road accident happened two hours ago. A Mercedes Benz approximately 80kmph, lost control and hit by a truck coming from the opposite direction. Three people inside the car died on the spot and one of them was Mr Kim Minsoo, he was in the driving seat." The other police officer explained robotically, it seemed like he had repeated the same sentence before, to his family.
"Oppa! Our dad-" Taehyung's sister Dahyun left her mom and came near him, hugging him tightly, uttering all her pain out on her brother's shoulder. "Oppa, the cops are saying he is no more."
"This can't be true." Taehyung murmured breathily, to console her or himself, this he didn't know. Tears were forming in his eyes but he blinked it away.
"Hyung, dad told me he'll bring my new bicycle today and look, what happened." Sunoo spoke coldly from the corner, without crying, as the youngest one was the only person in this family anticipating the situation maturely.
"Mr Kim, we can't wait here any longer, you have to come with us now." The officer said impatiently.
"I'll go with him." Jimin took his friend's hand into his and pressed lightly, which made Taehyung gain some willpower, as he was waiting for this warm touch. He slowly lifted his gaze to his crying mother, and said,
"Dahyun-ah, you take care of Sunoo and mom, I will come back soon, with dad. Ok?" And he left with Jimin.
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Two days later,
Jungkook shoved through the door to the biggest church in Seoul, his heart in his throat, eyes glittering with tears and visions unfocused. He ignored the media and cameras, went straight to the coffins, placed in front of the Almighty.
Everyone inside were waiting for the only heir of one of the top five companies of South Korea, Jeon Automobiles. As the very moment he came, the priest started doing the rituals.
Jungkook's movements retarded, he sat on his knees in front of his parents, eyes dyed due to the lack of tears and sleep. He then wept and mourned, exclaiming that Heaven had destroyed him. "Why! God why, I never believe you but my mom, that poor soul always visited you every Sunday, praying for her family's fortune, why did you deceive her… Why?"
Everyone around him was watching him but nobody talked, nobody came to console the crying figure. It broke the hearts of the very few people who knew and cared for Jungkook. They were used to seeing the cold and cocky side of him, so witnessing his voice broken with emotions, in front of so many people, made them emotional too.
During the funeral, Namjoon and Seokjin stayed by his side. Kim Namjoon was the most trusted man of his father. This skillful man had helped his father several times when the company was going through a crisis, he became one of the most important figures of the company and also their family. Where Kim Seokjin was their family friend's son. His father bought 25 percent shares from Jungkook's father in the beginning days, he trusted Mr Jeon when nobody in the business industry trusted a newcomer. After his father's death, Seokjin took his father's position in the company and became one of the board of directors.
When the guests left, Jungkook finally spoke, "Namjoon hyung, tell me the details of this accident."
"Jungkook, let's go to the house first, you came here straight from the airport, I will tell you everything later, let's just go from here, ok?"
"Hyung I asked you something. Don't act like my mom, just tell me the details for God's sake." Jungkook squawked and slammed his fist on the table.
"Jungkook, please calm down." Seokjin lightly put his hand on the younger's shoulder but Jungkook removed it, looking into the older's eyes he said,
"How can I calm down Jin Hyung, when my heart is burning? Do you have any idea how my whole world has crashed before my eyes? I was just talking to them, mom, dad was so happy that time but suddenly out of the blue they were gone. They died hyung, everything is finished." Jungkook shaked his head away, a single tear released from his eye in agony.
"Jungkook please sit here. Someone bring some water please." Seokjin slowly made him sit on a chair. Namjoon hurriedly walked towards his car for a water bottle. Jungkook took some time to compose himself then said in a deep voice,
Hyung, call the police, I have a statement to give."
"What kind of statement?“
"I want that driver to be in jail, I heard all of their last conversations. That person took a wrong turn and this accident happened. I want to punish him, he killed my mom and dad."
"He died too in this accident. You can't file a complaint against a dead man."
"But he killed my family, how can I ever forgive him?"
"Jungkook, he was an asthma patient,maybe he got an attack, it was their fate, you can't blame anyone."
Jungkook frowned in disbelief at the last sentence, his expression stiffened as he spoke, "I can't believe it. Dad hired him knowing his health conditions and what that man did? He just broke his trust like that. He didn't stop the car even dad requested him to. He's a murderer hyung, I can't let this go."
"The police had given his dead body to his family and I think they are already preparing his funeral feast after the burial, so there's no point left to bring that man right now." Seokjin was slowly giving light pats on the younger's back to console him, though he knew very well the younger was not a person to obliviate this easily.
"Here drink some water first." Namjoon opened the cap of the bottle and handed it to him. Jungkook gulped down some and sighed.
"That man doesn't deserve a funeral."
Namjoon and Seokjin could sense the firmness behind those words, they didn't say anything but exchanged a knowing glance.
Jungkook stood up, paused for a moment, then walked fast towards his car.
"Jungkook where are you going?" Namjoon asked, panicking.
"I want to go there now, just send me the address hyung."
"What? Jungkook, wait-" Seokjin came running after him but Jungkook was already in the driving seat. "Go with him, Namjoon, I don't think he's in his right mind."
"Yes sir." Namjoon didn't waste any second to place himself on the passenger seat. Jungkook accelerated before he could fasten his seatbelt and drove fast.
"Haesook, drink this milk. It's been two days, you haven't eaten anything." Jimin's father Jihoon said, sitting on the floor beside his friend's widow, holding a glass of lukewarm milk. He tried to give her the glass but she refused by turning her sad face away.
"I can't Jihoon-ssi, he left me when I needed him the most, our kids needed him now. They are so young, now what should I do?"
"Haesook-ssi, you'll get enough time to mourn but think about these kids first, they need their mother more than you need your husband right now. Please drink this milk. He was also my good friend. We used to share our struggling days together, drinking our pains out under the stars. I can't believe that I've to bid him goodbye this soon.
Haesook pressed her lips together, the unbearable pain in her chest was making her hard to breathe but seeing her three kids in front of her eyes, gave her some strength to compose herself.
Her first son Taehyung was outside, serving the the post-funeral meal to the guests, her daughter Dahyun was attending their relatives and the youngest Sunoo was sitting on the corner, silently watching his father's enlarged picture and sometimes the fumes of the Incense sticks in front of the portrait.
Haesook slowly moved her weak hands towards the glass, which Jihoon was holding but halted when her gaze shifted to the doorway, where two unknown men wearing black suits entered the room in a rush.
Jihoon got up from the floor facing Jungkook, frowned when he couldn't recognize him. "Who are you?" He asked but didn't get any answer.
Jungkook ignored the older man. His chagrined gaze immediately turned towards the photograph, which was decorated with flowers and the ritual offerings. He stared at that dead man's smiling face for a couple of seconds, his eyes burned, nose flared as the breathing became deeper. Her mother's scream-father's pleading words to stop the car, only those things were spinning through his brain like a ferris wheel. He couldn't wait to snach away that smile from that murder's face so he moved, like a robot and without listening to anyone, he forcefully slammed the photograph on the cement floor.
"Noo!" Haesook cried out in incredulity. "Who are you? Don't do this." She couldn’t breathe. A cold pressure squeezed in around her, holding her down while she was powerless to prevent it.
"Mom!" Sunoo came forward and caught her in his arms as she was falling on the ground. Dahyun and some guests outside came after hearing the glass braking noise.
"Jungkook, I think we should go now. Look, his families are also suffering." Namjoon pulled his boss's son towards the door but Jungkook protested,
"No hyung, he was a murderer, and a murderer's family meant to suffer." Jungkook raged out a little louder than his usual tone.
"Mom, Sunoo, what happened here?" Taehyung, who was unaware of the whole situation, came sharply as Jimin informed him that there was something happening inside. Seeing his mother on the floor, weak and weeping, he frowned and sat on his knees near her, "Mom, please tell me what happened."
"I'm telling you what happened." Jungkook answered, coldly, slowly coming towards him. When he grabbed the other boy's attention, he continued, "His husband was a murderer, he killed my parents two days ago and he doesn't deserve a funeral."
"He's lying, my friend couldn't even kill an insect. Taehyung-ah, that boy broke your dad's picture and because of him your mother got a panic attack." Jihoon said pointing at Jungkook.
"You bitch!" Taehyung got up on his feet and before the other boy could realise anything, he punched him as hard as he could in the nose.
The crowd around them stopped talking at once.
"How dare you!" Jungkook snapped his head back on him with a bleeding nose. He fisted his palm to return back the punch but Namjoon held his waist tightly from his behind, Jungkook grunted angrily, "leave me hyung."
Namjoon faced a hard time controlling the angry beast, as Jungkook was much stronger than him but he still managed to whisper some words in his ears, "Jungkook, people are watching, some of them are recording in their mobile phones, if this incident leaks somehow, we can't stop the media.
"But he-" Jungkook twisted his arms, tried to free himself from Namjoon's grip.
"This is his house, these are his people, they won't go against him but think about your dad's reputation, his dream, making the company on the top, it can harm the company if you don't control yourself." Namjoon somehow managed to stop him but Jungkook didn't leave the place, instead he moved towards Taehyung, maintaining eye contact.
Taehyung loosened his fist, wasn't sure what he was doing and who these people were but that boy hurt his family, his mother's emotion, that made him take this violent step. Jungkook stopped before him, looking without blinking, cocked his neck and said,
"You have no idea what trouble you are going to get into."
"I don't care but if you ever try to hurt my family, I'll break your teeth." Taehyung muttered, clinging his jaws.
Jungkook huffed, "What! Are you challenging me? You're nothing but a cockroach compared to me."
"You're a moron, only know how to babble."
"I see. Like father-like son. Bloody murderers." Jungkook gritted his teeth, eyes were red, matching his blood coated mouth.
"You-" Taehyung again fisted his hand for the second punch but Jimin stopped him.
"Tae, leave him." Jimin came behind his friend, held his shoulder, which made Taehyung release a deep sigh.
Jungkook came a little bit closer to Taehyung, almost touching his toes, black eyes on his brown ones and spoke with a low tone, "I'm not going to let this go easily. Just wait and watch, how I'm going to destroy you...Kim!" He rolled his tongue to pronounce his surname and smirked.
“Fuck you,” Taehyung rasped.
"Let's see." Something flickered in his gaze, which made Taehyung bite his lower lip, panicking internally. Jungkook stared at him for a couple of seconds then shooted out of there. Namjoon followed him soon after and the room became chattery again.
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