"Bound by Love: The Seven Kims". (Jk Centric)

**Chapter 4: The Principal's Concern**

It was a quiet afternoon at Seoul International College. The halls were filled with the faint hum of students discussing their assignments, the rustle of pages being turned in the library, and the soft click of keyboards as papers were typed out. In the midst of all this, Kim Namjoon sat in his office, reviewing the latest reports from the college board. As the principal, Namjoon was known for his strict discipline and dedication to academic excellence, both for his students and his brothers.

Namjoon adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the document in front of him. He was deep in thought when a soft knock on his door interrupted his focus.

“Come in,” Namjoon called out, setting the papers aside.

The door opened, revealing Jimin, who peeked inside with a sheepish smile. “Joon hyung, do you have a minute?”

Namjoon leaned back in his chair, a small smile tugging at his lips. “For you, Chim? Always. Come on in.”

Jimin entered the office, closing the door behind him before taking a seat across from Namjoon. There was a noticeable tension in his posture, something that Namjoon immediately picked up on.

“What’s on your mind, Jimin?” Namjoon asked, his voice calm and reassuring.

Jimin hesitated, glancing down at his hands before finally meeting Namjoon’s gaze. “It’s about Jungkook. I… I think something’s wrong, hyung.”

Namjoon’s expression grew serious. “What do you mean? Is something happening at home?”

Jimin shook his head. “No, not at home. It’s here, at the college. I’ve noticed he’s been acting different lately—quieter, more withdrawn. And today, when I was passing by the courtyard, I saw him with some other students. They were… they were being rough with him, hyung.”

Namjoon’s brow furrowed, a wave of concern washing over him. “What do you mean, rough? Were they bullying him?”

Jimin nodded slowly, his voice dropping to a whisper. “It looked like it. They were pushing him around, and I think I heard them saying some pretty nasty things. But when I tried to approach them, they all scattered, and Jungkook just… he just walked away like nothing happened.”

Namjoon felt a knot form in his stomach. “Why didn’t he come to me? Or to any of us?”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Jimin admitted. “Jungkook’s always been the type to keep things to himself, especially when he thinks it’ll cause us trouble. But this… this feels different. I’m scared, hyung. I’m scared he’s going through something really bad, and he’s not telling us because he doesn’t want us to worry.”

Namjoon took a deep breath, his mind racing. Jungkook had always been the baby of the family, and all of them had done their best to protect him from the harshness of the world. But hearing that Jungkook was being bullied, right under his nose, made Namjoon’s chest tighten with a mixture of anger and guilt.

“Thank you for telling me, Jimin,” Namjoon said after a moment, his voice steady. “We need to talk to Jungkook, but we have to be careful. If we confront him too directly, he might shut down or try to deny it.”

Jimin nodded, his worry evident in his eyes. “What should we do, hyung?”

“I’ll talk to him,” Namjoon decided. “I’ll bring it up in a way that doesn’t make him feel cornered. Maybe I’ll ask him about how things are going at school, see if he opens up. But I think it’s important that we all keep an eye on him, especially while he’s here at the college.”

“Do you think we should tell the others?” Jimin asked, his tone uncertain.

Namjoon considered this for a moment. “Let’s keep it between us for now. I don’t want to worry everyone else unless we have to. But if this gets worse, we’ll have no choice but to tell them.”