"Can you try to not like me? Maybe if you do, then I'll learn to not like you back."
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While having to protect himself from the demons of his past, Jin has a duty to protect Jungkook, the spoiled son of a billionaire business tycoon. His life is one...
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The house was noisy.
It wasn’t a loud ruckus or heavy voices speaking above each other, but it was the looks and the whisperings that stopped every time Jungkook stepped into a room with more than one maid in it. They were talking about the incident at Jeju. It was now a trending topic all over the world, bold headlines plastered across screens.
First Son of The Country harasses son of business mogul and billionaire, Anthony Jeon, at recent getaway in Jeju.
Hanuel, the son of the president, receives blow to the face after inappropriately touching Jeon Jungkook, only son of business tycoon, Anthony Jeon and former Supermodel, Jeon Jia.
Will Hanuel be sued for this assault?
Jungkook had been on his laptop, scrolling through news blogs, staring at his name printed in bold letters on every single outlet, because of that perverted son of a bitch. Bloggers and netizens had a lot to say about the ordeal.
Fortunately, many of them were against Hanuel calling him a pervert, a sex offender, a sexual harasser. The lot of them wished he’d be embarrassed so bad that he would never show his face on the media.
Some supported Jungkook for the wrong reasons, their anger towards Hanuel sprouting from the belief that a guy as good looking as Jungkook shouldn’t be harmed.
On the other hand, there were a bunch of people convinced that Jungkook had initiated the assault. They could point out parts of the video where Jungkook leaned against Hanuel. A commenter swore they saw when Jungkook stared longingly into Hanuel’s eyes.
He totally asked for it! Someone had written on one of the blogs.
Jungkook had slammed his laptop shut after reading that comment. He was angry, irritated, embarrassed and confused. He’d not asked for this life. He didn’t want it. The role he played, the wealth that came with it, the fame, the connection with both right and wrong people, the spotlight... He hated every single one of them.
A knock at the door reeled him out of his intrusive thoughts. He didn’t want to talk to or see anyone which was why he’d been in his room all day, his devices turned off because the buzzing sound that came with the notifications made him even more irritated.
The knocking got insistent. “Jeon Jungkook!” His father’s deep voice called out.
It took him a whole minute to walk to his large door and unlock it, stepping aside as his father stepped in, his narrowed blue eyes on Jungkook. Anthony shut the door behind him, carrying his heavy scent of musk and cigar with him.
“You locked yourself in your room,” Anthony stated.
Jungkook shrugged. “Am I not allowed to lock my door?”
“Not if you will starve yourself and not show your face for the entire day.”
“I just want to be alone,” Jungkook said.
Anthony frowned. One polished dark shoe after the other hitting the ground in slow steps towards Jungkook. “Trust me, you cannot be angrier than I am, right now. I completely understand how you feel.”
“So, I got assaulted and you’re the one who is more angry,” Jungkook said “Okay, dad.”
“Yes, I’m angry,” Anthony stated sternly. “You’re my son! My only child! He messed with you!”
“But you sent me there!”
“I trusted his intentions. Of course, I had no idea he had other motifs! And those incompetent fools who were supposed to guard you, I will deal with them so bad they will regret the day they came into this earth.”
“No! Liam and Chen did nothing.”
“Exactly! They did nothing and now my son is national news for the wrong reason!” Anthony yelled, veins popping on his neck.
Jungkook threw his hands in his hair, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. “It’s my fault, dad.”
“No, it is not. I’m not gonna let you stand there and take the blame for something that was out of your control.”
“It is my fault,” he said again, sighing in resolve. He looked back at his father whose forehead was creased from confusion. “I knew Hanuel was this kind of person. He’s done something like this before.”
“What are you talking about?”
Jungkook blinked away from his father’s hardened gaze. “At his birthday dinner a few months ago… he grabbed my thighs… under the table and told me to come up to his room. I didn’t think he would do it again.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” His father asked, his gaze unflinching. He looked confused, disappointed and shocked. “Why didn’t you say anything when I told you about his invitation to Jeju?!”
“Dad, I didn’t think he would-”
“You weren’t thinking at all, Jungkook! Do you have any idea what your silence has caused? You didn’t think he would try it?! He grabbed your legs in a room full of people! And you didn’t think he would try anything in his territory with less preying eyes and a dozen men answerable to him?!” Anthony snapped at him. “What is wrong with you?!”
“I admit that I should have said something this time, but when have you or mum ever cared about my opinion?! It's always, ‘Do this, Jungkook!’ You’re always telling me to do ridiculous, uncomfortable things and I just took this as one of them!"
"That is your excuse?!"
"Isn't it? Ever since I was a kid, none of you have ever asked for what I want, you’ve never respected my decision! I can’t drive myself! I can’t leave the house past 7pm unless I’m with either of you! I have to attend the annoying, fake ass charity events mom’s stuck up friends organize and I have to smile at people I don’t even like!”
His voice shook but he continued. “How many times did I tell you that I am not attracted to girls?! For your sake and mum's, I tried dating a girl a few years ago, but nothing changed, and I told you both. Yet, I’m paraded around on dates with yours and her friends’ kids, nieces, cousins! Did you respect that decision?! If I brought the guy that I actually have feelings for will you both accept him? Will you respect my decision?”
“I have never been in support of your mother’s silly play dates she sets you up on-”
“But you never stop her either.”
“This is different, Jungkook,” Anthony said in exasperation. “This is more serious. You can’t keep something like this from us.”
Jungkook nodded. “More serious,” he said, expelling a shaky breath. “You get to decide what is serious about my life and what isn’t. You filter the things that matter to me, and decide which is important to address and which isn’t. It’s always what you want. My opinion doesn’t matter to thw both of you.”
“Everything your mother and I are doing is for your own good. What we are today and everything we are working for is for you. You have no idea how much we love you, Jungkook."
“What if I don’t want it?” he asked, swallowing thickly. “All of it. What if I don’t want it?”
“You can’t be serious.”
Jungkook tore his eyes away, blinking back the tears threatening to fall. His lower lip shook between his teeth. “Does it matter if I am? Either way, you won’t care.”
"What does that mean?"
“It means you don’t care about what makes me happy, so why should I tell you about what displeases me and makes me uncomfortable?”
