Veil of Vengeance | JUNGKOOK FF

Chapter 23

The sound of the front door closing softly marked the end of the grocery delivery. Y/N stood in the kitchen, surrounded by bags filled with fresh produce, snacks, and essentials. She had paid with her own card and instructed the delivery man to bring the package inside. Even though she and Jeongguk were now married, she found herself doing most of the tasks alone, a stark contrast to what she had once imagined.

With a quiet sigh, she began to neatly arrange the groceries, placing the vegetables in the fridge, the canned goods in the pantry, and the snacks on a shelf within easy reach. Every action was methodical, almost robotic. The kitchen, once a space she thought they'd share, now felt like her personal domain—cold and quiet, just like the rest of the house.

As she worked, her thoughts drifted to Jeongguk. He was likely still asleep in the master bedroom, showing no signs of waking up anytime soon. It hurt to think about how distant they had become, even though they had only just begun their life together. The excitement she had once felt about marriage now seemed like a distant memory, replaced by a heavy loneliness.

After everything was put away, Y/N wiped down the countertops and took one last look around the kitchen. There was nothing left to do, and the silence in the house was almost suffocating. With nothing else to occupy her mind, she decided to retreat to her room for a nap. It was still early in the afternoon, and dinner preparation could wait a little longer.

As she lay down, exhaustion, both emotional and physical, took over. She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would offer her a brief escape from the reality she was living in.

_

Jeongguk stirred in his sleep, slowly waking up to find the room bathed in the soft glow of late afternoon. His hand reached out automatically for his phone on the bedside table, and he squinted at the screen. It was already 4:15 PM. He sat up in bed with a heavy sigh, running a hand through his messy hair as he tried to shake off the lingering sleepiness.

The master bedroom was spacious and luxurious, but it felt empty, much like the rest of the house. Jeongguk dragged himself out of bed and headed to the attached bathroom, craving the comfort of a hot shower. As the water cascaded over him, his thoughts grew darker, clouded with the same anger and guilt that had haunted him for years.

He thought about Y/N, the girl who was now his wife. He couldn't deny how beautiful she had looked walking down the aisle, her eyes filled with hope and excitement. For a brief moment, he had felt something close to regret for how he was treating her. But that regret quickly gave way to the bitterness that had taken root in his heart. He was convinced that Y/N had a hand in Ji Eun's death, even though he had no concrete proof. It didn't matter to him that Y/N seemed to have no memory of the tragedy that had destroyed him—her apparent indifference only fueled his resentment.

As he finished his shower, Jeongguk's mind drifted to memories of his childhood, of the little girl nicknamed Lily who had once been his world. The guilt gnawed at him—he had been too young, too helpless to save her. And now, seeing Y/N every day, living a life she had no right to live, only made his anger fester. Even now, she probably didn't even remember Ji Eun, and that thought made his blood boil.

"This is just the beginning," he muttered to himself as he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel. "There's more to come. She deserves it."

After drying off and putting on a T-shirt and shorts, Jeongguk dropped the towel into the wash bucket and headed downstairs. He didn't want to see Y/N, didn't want to be reminded of the life they were supposed to be building together. But as he walked into the kitchen, the evidence of her presence was everywhere. The fridge was stocked with food, the counters were clean, and the groceries she had ordered were neatly arranged.

He opened the fridge and noticed a bowl of ramen sitting on the shelf. He rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut. "She must have ordered groceries online," he muttered, noticing the neatly arranged groceries on the countertop. "Not like she has any other way to get them."

Jeongguk walked over to the kitchen island, grabbed a glass, and filled it with water. He gulped it down in seconds, trying to ignore the gnawing hunger in his stomach. He knew Y/N had probably prepared something, but he didn't want to eat it. The thought of sharing a meal with her felt like a betrayal to the anger he clung to.

The cold liquid did nothing to quell the hunger gnawing at him, but he refused to touch the food Y/N had made. Without a second thought, he pulled out his phone and ordered fried chicken and beer, enough for himself.

Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Jeongguk collected his order without a word. He took the bag of food, along with three cans of beer, and headed back to his room. The house was still quiet, Y/N nowhere to be seen, and he preferred it that way. He closed the door behind him and sat on the bed, digging into his meal in silence.

As he ate, his mind continued to churn with dark thoughts, each bite of food doing little to satisfy the hunger that had nothing to do with his stomach. He knew that what he was doing to Y/N wasn't fair, but he couldn't stop himself. The pain of the past had twisted into something cruel and unrelenting, and Y/N was the target of his unresolved grief.

He downed another can of beer and leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. The life they were living was far from what anyone would consider normal, but Jeongguk had long since given up on the idea of normal. He was too far gone, too consumed by his anger and guilt to see anything else.

-

Y/N woke up from her nap, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt as though something terrible had just happened, but she couldn't remember what. The dream had been terrifying, and it took her a few moments to calm down. She sat up in bed, trying to gather her thoughts, but the details of the nightmare slipped away like sand through her fingers. All she knew was that it had been a bad dream, one that left her feeling unsettled and shaken.

After taking a few deep breaths, Y/N glanced at the bedside table, hoping to find some water to soothe her dry throat. But there was none. Reluctantly, she decided to get up and go to the kitchen to get a drink. Her legs felt heavy as she slowly climbed out of bed and made her way down the hallway.

As she reached the living room, Y/N was surprised to see Jeongguk sitting on the couch, his eyes glued to the television. He was watching a football match, his expression intense as he followed the game. She hadn't expected him to be there, and for a moment, she just stood there, watching him. She wanted to let him know she was awake and nearby, but she wasn't sure how.

Hoping to get his attention, Y/N purposely made her steps louder as she walked across the living room, her feet almost dragging against the floor. But Jeongguk didn't react. He didn't even look up from the screen, completely absorbed in the game. The realization that he didn't notice her presence at all made Y/N's heart sink a little. She had hoped for some acknowledgment, even a brief glance or a simple greeting, but it seemed that football was the only thing on his mind.

Feeling a pang of disappointment, Y/N turned away from Jeongguk and headed to the kitchen. She tried to shake off the sadness that crept over her, reminding herself that he was probably just really into the match. Still, it stung to be so easily overlooked. She reached for a glass, filled it with cold water from the fridge, and took a long sip, hoping the cool liquid would wash away the lingering unease from her dream.

As she stood in the kitchen, sipping her water, Y/N couldn't help but steal another glance toward the living room. Jeongguk was still sitting there, eyes fixed on the television, completely oblivious to her. She sighed softly, placing the glass down on the counter. Maybe she was overthinking it, letting her emotions get the best of her, but she couldn't deny the small ache in her chest. She had woken up feeling vulnerable and unsettled, and all she had wanted was a little comfort, a small sign that she wasn't alone. But instead, she felt even more isolated.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Y/N decided not to dwell on it any longer. She would let Jeongguk enjoy his game and try to shake off the strange feeling that had been following her since she woke up. She walked back to the bedroom, her steps quieter this time, as she tried to convince herself that everything was fine, even if it didn't quite feel that way.

_

2024.08.19