"I have your son. If you expect to get him back, then I suggest you meet our demands."
Jeon Jungkook didn't ask for this life. He didn't ask to be the mayor's son or for the expectations of joining the police force by the age of twenty-one. And he s...
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Jungkook
"Happy birthday, little bro. I can't believe you're finally twenty-one." My big brother ruffles my hair and I chuckle.
"Thanks, bro." I smile and hand him his coffee so he can get to class at med school. "Drive safe, Namjoon."
Dimples make their appearance. "Always do."
Once he leaves, I exhale, resting my head on the bar counter.
"Sure took him long enough." José snickers as he descends the stairs with two of my other friends. "I didn't think he'd ever leave."
I roll my eyes. "He doesn't even live here most of the time. I'd appreciate you not rush him when his life is fast enough."
Deshaun holds himself as José jumps onto the counter in one swift movement. "I don't think this is the best idea, everyone."
Maria rolls her eyes, speaking around the lollipop situated in her right cheek lazily. "I think it's the best idea, DJ. Jungkook deserves to have a big ass party. You only turn twenty-one once."
José nods in agreement. "Homeboy deserves to get his dick wet. We're going all out. Strippers, deejays, alcohol."
DJ scoffs. "So we're turning his dad's house into a shitty club."
Maria wiggles her eyebrows, light brown eyes gleaming mischievously. "Hell yeah. Sounds fun, does it not?"
"DJ has a point, this is my dad's house at the end of the day. He has a reputation to upkeep. I can't go and ruin that because I wanted to party for my birthday."
José pokes my chest. "Still obsessed with being Daddy's little angel, hmm? Wanna be the perfect little Kim, huh? Newsflash, you're a Jeon at the end of the day. You're not some sort of social asset that exists only to further Mayor Kim's status. You're a living, breathing human. Just because he adopted you doesn't mean you owe him shit. You're his little puppet. It's fucking sad, man."
I frown and look at my fingers as I fiddle with them. "I owe him a lot."
"What? You pretending to be straight because this is Texas and your father is a conservative piece of shit—" He pauses as he sees my glare "—politics-wise. This place is pretty much fucking Gotham or some shit. The wealth gap is fucking huge. Nobody fucking cares about the homeless population, but since they're all shoved into one fucking place, it's out of sight, out of mind, huh? This place is corrupt. Publicists make it look like a model city when it's not. You're like a miniature model of the city. From the outside, you look happy and perfect, but inside, you're in disarray. Everything is fucking handed to you, and not in a way of being spoiled. Remember when you were fucking grounded for simply dying your hair red?"
"Well, I didn't ask permission—"
"You were fucking eighteen, Kook." Maria scoffs. "What happened to body autonomy? The only color you're allowed to dye your hair is black or certain browns depending on his permission. It's your choice if you want to stay in this city and let him continue to choose who you can date, hangout with, and be around. You can let him continue to control how you present yourself. We only want you to be happy, Jungkook. All of us." She wraps an arm around DJ and rests her head on his shoulder. "We just want to let you have one little taste of freedom before you fully sign your freedom away."
