Bound by Fate

Chapter 55: Tangled Hearts

As time went on, Jin's determination to avoid Namjoon deepened. He built a wall around his heart, refusing to let Namjoon in again. No matter how many times Namjoon tried to speak to him, tried to make amends, Jin remained cold and distant. There were moments when Namjoon's eyes softened, filled with regret and longing, but Jin couldn't let himself be vulnerable again. His heart was still shattered, the wounds of the past too raw.

Jaemin, their child, grew quickly. Jin poured all his love into raising him, though it often left him conflicted. Jaemin was both his source of strength and a painful reminder of that night. As Jaemin started walking and speaking, Jin began noticing something strange-an energy surrounding his son, something powerful. At first, he dismissed it as his imagination, but with each passing day, Jaemin's presence began to affect him more.

One day, as Jin was playing with Jaemin in their room, he suddenly felt an overpowering surge of energy radiating from his child. The air grew heavy, and a faint shimmering light surrounded Jaemin's small body. Jin's eyes widened in shock, his heart skipping a beat as the sensation washed over him. He had felt this kind of energy before, long ago, but the intensity now seemed overwhelming.

Jin knelt down beside Jaemin, watching his child giggle innocently, unaware of the power he was emitting. Tears welled up in Jin's eyes as the memories came rushing back-the night he had tried so hard to forget. The night that had changed everything. The night that had given him Jaemin.

His breath caught in his throat as he recalled the moment he had realized he was pregnant. The shock, the disbelief, the mixture of emotions that had consumed him. He had been terrified, confused, and yet, somehow, a small part of him had felt a strange sense of joy. It wasn't until much later that he had fully grasped the reality-Jaemin was his and Namjoon's child, the fruit of that night.

Tears streamed down Jin's face as he held Jaemin close to his chest. All the feelings he had buried, all the pain he had endured in silence, resurfaced with full force. He had carried Jaemin in his womb, nurtured him, and yet had been unable to face the truth. Now, holding his son, his own flesh and blood, Jin felt a deep, aching sorrow. He had missed so much, had been too consumed by his own hurt to fully embrace the life he had brought into the world.

Jaemin, sensing his father's distress, whimpered and began to cry as well. His tiny hands clutched at Jin's shirt, his wide eyes filled with confusion. "Mama," he babbled, his voice quivering.

Jin's heart broke even more. He sobbed uncontrollably, cradling Jaemin to his chest, rocking him gently in an attempt to calm both his son and himself. His whole body shook with the force of his emotions, and for the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to fully break down.

The door to his room creaked open, and Jin's mother appeared, her face filled with concern. She had heard the crying from outside and rushed in, her heart heavy with worry. Seeing Jin and Jaemin both in tears, she hurried to her son's side.

"What's going on, Jin? Why are you both crying?" she asked gently, kneeling beside them. She placed a comforting hand on Jin's back, her voice soft and soothing.

Jin, still clutching Jaemin, shook his head, unable to form the words to explain the storm of emotions raging inside him. "It's nothing, Mom," he choked out between sobs. "Just... I had a fight with Namjoon. Please, don't tell anyone. I... I'll handle this on my own."

His mother frowned, clearly unconvinced. "Jin, you don't have to carry everything on your shoulders. You've been through so much... It's okay to let others help. Whatever's going on between you and Namjoon, it can be fixed. You just need to talk to each other."

But Jin shook his head again, his eyes filled with pain. "I can't, Mom. There are things... things I can't tell you. Things I can't tell anyone. Please, just leave it."