Cold Hearts, Warmer Ties

The Truth Unveiled

⚠️ Mention of Abuse and Bullying

The air in the café was heavy with tension. Jongin sat across from Jungkook and Taehyun, his hands shaking as he fidgeted with the edges of his sleeves. His eyes darted nervously between the two men, clearly terrified of the weight of the story he was about to share.

“Take your time, Jongin,” Jungkook said, his voice calm but laced with a quiet intensity. “We’re here to listen.”

Jongin nodded, swallowing hard before taking a deep breath. “It started small… last year,” he began, his voice barely a whisper. “Beomgyu is one of the smartest kids in school. He’s amazing at the guitar, too. He’s been a solo musician for years, and everyone admires him. Last year, he even won the Student of the Year award.”

Jungkook nodded, knowing that Beomgyu’s achievements had always made Taehyung and his family so proud. But there was a shift in Jongin’s tone as he continued, his voice trembling with fear.

“But that award… it didn’t sit well with Kang Nara,” Jongin said, his face paling as he mentioned the name. “Nara is the son of one of Seoul’s richest supermarket chain owners. He has this… arrogance, this ego that’s bigger than anyone I’ve ever seen. He couldn’t handle not winning the award. He felt like it was his right to have it, and when Beomgyu got it instead, everything changed.”

Jongin’s hands clenched into fists as he spoke. “At first, it was just small stuff. They’d make snide comments or trip Beomgyu in the hallways. But then… it got worse. A lot worse. They started bullying him every day. Physically. Emotionally. They’d corner him, mock him, say terrible things about his parents…”

Jongin’s voice cracked as he spoke, and Jungkook’s fists tightened in his lap. “They told him no one cared about him. That if he disappeared, no one would even notice. It destroyed Beomgyu. He’s always been so quiet about his pain, never letting anyone see how much he was hurting. But they took advantage of that. They knew he wouldn’t tell anyone.”

Jungkook’s jaw clenched, anger simmering beneath the surface, but he forced himself to stay calm as Jongin continued.

“Then one day… Nara just stopped the bullying altogether. We thought it was over. But then, out of nowhere, he—he told Beomgyu he was in love with him. He proposed, saying he wanted Beomgyu to be his… his boyfriend.” Jongin’s voice wavered. “But it wasn’t love. It was control. He wanted to own Beomgyu, to make him his. Like some kind of trophy.”

Beomgyu’s brave refusal echoed in Jongin’s memory. “Beomgyu rejected him, of course. He’s strong, even if he doesn’t always show it. But Nara… Nara couldn’t handle the rejection. It made him furious. From that day on, things got worse. He started stalking Beomgyu, following him everywhere. He wanted to break him.”

Jongin’s hands were shaking now, the memory of the events still fresh in his mind. “And then… the day of the fight happened.”

Jungkook and Taehyun leaned in, their focus entirely on the trembling boy in front of them.

“We had just finished a basketball match,” Jongin said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Beomgyu and I went to the restroom, and it was empty. We thought we were safe. But then Nara and his gang showed up. They slapped me, pushed me into one of the stalls, and locked me inside. I tried to get out, but the door wouldn’t budge. I could only watch through the gap as they cornered Beomgyu.”

Jongin’s eyes filled with tears as he continued. “Nara… he tried to force himself on Beomgyu. He—he tried to kiss him, but Beomgyu fought back. He pushed Nara away, and Nara fell to the floor. That only made him angrier. He grabbed Beomgyu by the hair and punched him. Then he slammed his head into the washbasin. I—I saw it all. I begged them to stop, but they wouldn’t listen.”

Jongin’s voice broke completely now, his tears flowing freely. “Nara was screaming, asking Beomgyu why he wouldn’t just be his… his bitch. He kept kicking Beomgyu in the stomach while Beomgyu was already on the floor, bleeding. They only stopped when someone walked into the restroom. They left as if nothing happened, and I—I ran to Beomgyu’s side. He was so hurt…”

Jungkook’s blood boiled. His face was cold and expressionless, but Taehyun could see the rage simmering just beneath the surface. “And the Dean?” Jungkook asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Jongin wiped his tears. “The Dean… he knows Nara’s family. They’re influential. Powerful. He didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. He wanted to shift the blame onto Beomgyu. That’s when I asked one of the staff to call you. I knew Beomgyu needed help, and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Jungkook stood up abruptly, his fists clenched at his sides. “Thank you, Jongin,” he said, his voice calm but terrifying in its intensity. “You did the right thing.”

---

Back at the university, Jungkook, Taehyun, and Jongin walked straight into the security office. With the permissions Jungkook had secured earlier, they were granted access to the CCTV footage of the day of the attack.

The footage wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.

Jungkook’s eyes scanned the screen as the video played. It clearly showed Beomgyu and Jongin entering the restroom. Then, moments later, Nara and his gang followed. Though the camera didn’t capture what happened inside the restroom itself, muffled shouting and yells could be heard through the audio feed.

And then, the most damning piece of evidence: one of Nara’s gang members stepped out of the restroom briefly, and in the background, it was clear as day—Nara was kicking Beomgyu in the stomach.

Jungkook’s fury reached its peak. “I’m taking all of this,” he said coldly, downloading the footage onto a flash drive. “Nara and his friends are not getting away with this.”

He turned to Taehyun. “Call the ministers. I want everyone who can help to know about this.”

Taehyun nodded, his face pale but determined. “I’m on it.”

Jungkook’s next call was to Taehyung. “Bring Beomgyu to the university,” he said, his voice sharp. “This ends today.”

---

An hour later, Taehyung arrived with Beomgyu, who still looked weak and shaken. But there was a quiet strength in his eyes, a determination that had been ignited by the love and protection he had felt from Taehyung and Jungkook.

When they entered the university, it felt as though the very air had shifted. There was a storm brewing, and it was one that Kang Nara and his gang wouldn’t be able to escape.

Jungkook met them at the entrance, his face a mask of cold, calculated anger. “Let’s go,” he said quietly, his hand resting gently on Beomgyu’s shoulder.

Beomgyu nodded, and together, with Taehyung at their side, they walked toward the Dean’s office.

The reckoning had begun.