In Her Wake || Jeon Jungkook FF

11. Naturalist at Heart

Both Jungkook and Jimin looked at the woman in front of them, Lee Da-hee. She appeared more tired compared to Min-ho and Felix, with dark circles under her eyes showing the sleepless nights. But despite her disheveled appearance, she stood tall with her head held high, exuding strength. A woman with a strong personality, a mother.

Looking at the woman in front of him, Jungkook understood where Y/N got her courage and unwavering personality.

Jungkook said, "We are doing our job, and I'm not degrading Y/N's character. I'm sorry if you felt offended." He continued, "What we have discovered from our investigation is that Y/N did spend time with an older guy. A few students mentioned seeing Y/N leaving with this guy some days after college, before the study holidays started. However, no one at her college seems to know who this guy is."

"I don't remember Y/N mentioning this guy. Maybe Jennie knows," Mrs. Lee said.

"I have talked with Jennie; she didn't mention this guy. Does Y/N have any other close friend besides Jennie who she might have talked to about him?" Jungkook asked.

"Kai hyung and Kang hyung are Noona's best friends. All of them, including Jennie Noona, have been friends since school. They've been together since then; they might know about the guy," Felix added.

Jungkook nodded his head and asked, "Okay, but I've never seen them here."

"They are currently not in the country," Felix said, then continued, "Jennie Noona probably knows where they are."

Jungkook nodded in acknowledgment.

Jimin, who had been silent all this time, observed everything and finally spoke up. "We need to search the Y/N's room for any clues."

"Sure, Felix, you go with them and show them the house," Minho added, nodding in agreement.

"Okay, just call me if anything is needed. I'll pick Hyein up from school too," Felix added.

The three of them left, guided by Felix to the their house, while Min-Ho and Da-Hee headed to the ICU.

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Jungkook pov

"The house is a little messy, no one is staying here as everyone is in the hospital; just come and go if needed," Felix said as we entered his living room. I looked around, but suddenly my eyes were drawn to the pictures on the walls-her pictures. She looked so happy in these pictures, surrounded by all the people with her, who also seemed really happy.

"She loves taking pictures, always says that memories are going to fade, but with the right pictures, we could cherish those memories longer," Felix said when he noticed me staring at his sister's photo.

"Is that Y/N in the pictures?" Jim in hyung said, looking at another photo while pointing at it. Lee Minho and Lee Da-Hee are in that photo. They look so young, and they are wearing wedding attire. But the most striking part is that there is a child in their wedding photo, who looks exactly like Y/N.

"It is Noona," Felix said. I looked at him, confused.

"Okay," Jimin hyung said, with the same confused expression as me.

Feeling our confusion, Felix continued, "Mom and dad were 16 when they had Noona, and they got married when she was 4 years old. Well, they wanted to marry before that, but both their parents didn't allow them to marry. And they literally couldn't marry without their parents' consent before turning 20. So they waited for them to turn 20 and lived in their parents' house."

"So, was Y/N with Mrs. Lee until they turned 20?" I asked Felix, my voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of empathy, trying to understand the dynamics of their family history.

"No, actually, Mom and Dad's parents never wanted them to have Noona, so they tried to force Mom to have an abortion," I could sense the anger in Felix as he took a deep breath before continuing, "But Mom and Dad didn't let it happen. They sought legal help, and despite the strong opposition from their wealthy parents, they fought for Noona. The case was difficult, as our grandparents argued that Mom and Dad couldn't take care of Noona, but Mom and Dad were no less determined. Even though they didn't have much money, they never lost their courage. They fought for Noona, but the court ruled that Noona should be put in child welfare services. However, Mom and Dad still had the right to visit Noona whenever they wanted. When they turned 19, they filed again for custody of Noona. They eventually succeeded, and when they turned 20, they got married with Noona by their side," Felix explained, his emotions evident in his words as he recounted their family's tumultuous history.

"So what about your grandparents, did they give their consent?" Jimin hyung asked Felix.

"No, they never did, and they don't deserve to be called grandparents. They were never there for us, not even today," Felix sighed. I looked at him, and suddenly a small smile appeared on his face as he thought about something.

"Nothing was easy for Mom and Dad, taking care of a kid when they were barely adults. But Noona made things easier for them," Felix continued. "Dad always says that because of Noona, they became what they are today. She is the one who took care of me and Hyein while Mom and Dad were studying and working part-time jobs."

"It must have been really hard on her too," I thought to myself as I absorbed all the information. But I scoffed at the thought of her being a fearless leader. Bullshit. She should have been selfish. Then she might have at least been safe.

"I will show you her room," said Felix behind me, which made me turn to look at him. I nodded my head in acknowledgment.

And he walked through to the stairs as we followed him. When the steps came to an end, he turned to the left and walked to a stop at the first room. I looked at the door; there was a drawing with mixed colors, vibrant and full of life.

As I watched Felix unlocking the door, he turned to us and gestured for us to enter.

First, Jimin hyung entered, and I followed. As I stepped into the room, a wave of awe washed over me. Wow, that's what I thought after entering the room. The fresh smell felt like heaven, instantly lifting my spirits. There were numerous indoor plants and flowers scattered around, infusing the space with life and vibrancy. It looked so lively, so full of her essence. I couldn't help but admire her love for nature, evident in every corner of the room. So she is a naturalist too, not just helping humans, but caring for other living things as well.

Suddenly, a call interrupted my thoughts. "Hello, Dad," Felix said, his voice filled with concern. After a moment of listening, he replied, "Okay, Dad, I will pick her up, don't worry." Felix then looked at us and said, "So, you can check this room. Will you guys be okay if I go to pick up my sister from school? It's urgent, that's why I'm asking. I'll come back within 30 minutes," he said, his tone nervous and hurried.

"Okay, you go. It will take time for us to check here," I said. As he was about to exit the room, I noticed the computer. "Felix," I called out. He turned to me and said, "Yes, Officer Jeon." I pointed to the system. "Do you know her password?"

"No, that's the only thing she always kept hidden. I even know her mobile password, but this one I don't know," Felix replied to me. I nodded my head in understanding as he left immediately. Turning to Jimin hyung, I said, "Hyung, can you crack the password? In the meantime, I'll check for other details. We need to find everything that's going to lead us to the culprits." Hyung nodded in agreement as soon as I said this, ready to assist in any way possible. But I could sense his displeasure. I knew what he was feeling; he didn't want me to do what I'm going to do. But I didn't care about anything until I got what I wanted.