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𝙍𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙒𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙔 𝙏𝙒𝙊: 𝘾𝙊𝙎𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙎𝙐𝘾𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙎
JUNGKOOK WASN'T RELIGIOUS OR SPIRITUAL BY ANY MEANS. It never appealed to him in the way it seems to take hold of others and completely change their lives. There was nothing about it worth investing in to him. That was time and dedication he didn't have. He had one thing on his mind, maybe at all times, and that was boxing. His father could respect that but insisted faith was just as important. It offers respite for the unknown, offers something for you to rely on, to believe in.
In all reality, Jungkook just believed he continued to go to their local temple in Chicago's makeshift Koreatown where he grew up because his mother believed in those obscure, elusive higher powers people loved to place their unmatched faith in. Apparently, she went every Saturday to pray to their ancestors, especially while she was pregnant with him, asking them to watch over him and ensure his safety and success.
Jungkook supposed the cost for his safety and success was his mother's life. September 1st, 1997 is Jungkook's birthday. It also happened to be the date etched into his mother's urn which sits in his living room as her day of passing. And just beside her was his late father. They left him far too young. Jungkook was only just beginning to climb in his career when his father fell ill, freshly turned 22. Brain cancer caught far too late, leaving him bedridden and inexplicably, incessantly nauseous.
He fought to honor his father and any scrap of money he received went into taking care of him. Food, medical bills, and cancer treatment, all on top of paying for basic necessities for himself. People in the community pitched in to help with treatment and medical bills but it was all in vain because while watching Jungkook fight, live on TV for the middleweight title, he suffered from a stroke.
The cost of success.
Jungkook had created an altar for his parents a while ago, placing their urns side by side surrounded by flowers, unscented candles, incense, and pictures of them together. They were happy, smiling, and unquestionably in love with a baby on the way. Their future together seemed bright and happy.
Despite not being particularly spiritual or believing in ghosts and such, Jungkook often found himself kneeling before their altar, seeking guidance from his parents. He supposes it's simply a force of habit from his childhood with his father encouraging him to speak to his mother even if she wasn't physically there.
Jungkook walks with Andrea back to his apartment. They don't even try to jog. They just walk together, fingers brushing softly against each other until they latch on to each other. Neither choose to give any attention to it, like it wasn't happening in the first place. They were good at that, ignoring and avoiding. Plus, it was rather innocent. They were mere children, scared to hold each other's hands so they simply hook their index fingers.
They watch the sunset together, listening to the L screech by overhead as it drops off tired workers of the day so they can trade caps with those of the night. The sweet arms of dawn stretch out across the sky to hug everyone goodnight before retreating to greet another part of the world with a good morning.
