[UNBREAKABLE BONDS] (Yeonjun X Beomgyu)

Chapter 7: The forgotten son

Yeonjun sat by the window in his room, his gaze distant as he stared out into the night sky. Today was his birthday, but instead of excitement or happiness, there was a heavy weight in his chest, a burden that had lingered with him for years. The memories flooded back, uninvited and unwelcome, dragging him to a place he had buried deep inside.

It was the day his life had changed forever. He could still remember it so vividly—the day his dad took him out to a restaurant, just a month after his parents’ divorce. Yeonjun had only been a boy back then, confused and heartbroken from seeing his family fall apart. His mother had left, and he had been left alone with his father, the one person who had always been his anchor.

They had sat in the dimly lit restaurant, Yeonjun staring at his plate while his father talked about something important. Yeonjun hadn’t fully understood what his dad was saying at the time, but then, a woman had walked in, and beside her was a little boy—Beomgyu. Yeonjun’s father had introduced them with a smile, calling the woman his future wife and the boy his new son.

Yeonjun had felt like his world was crumbling right there in that restaurant. It was supposed to be his birthday, a day for celebration, but instead, it became a day of introductions to a new family—a family Yeonjun had never asked for. He remembered feeling sick, angry, and betrayed, but he hadn’t said a word. Not then.

And then Beomgyu had come into his life. At first, Yeonjun had tried to be civil, even though he hated everything about the situation. But as time passed, it became clear that his father’s attention, his love, his affection—all of it—was slowly shifting toward Beomgyu.

Yeonjun clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white as the bitterness surged within him. His father had once adored him. Yeonjun had been his pride and joy, showered with love, gifts, and praise. But ever since Beomgyu entered the picture, it felt like he had been replaced. His father had become distant, always focused on Beomgyu, always talking about how proud he was of his "new" son.

A sharp pang hit Yeonjun's chest as he remembered all the birthdays that had come and gone after that first one—the ones where his father seemed more interested in celebrating Beomgyu’s achievements than Yeonjun’s. No matter what Yeonjun did, it was never enough. Beomgyu was always the one who mattered most.

And that’s when Yeonjun had started to hate him.

He hated how Beomgyu had come in and stolen his father’s love, how he had ruined everything. Yeonjun’s life had been fine before—perfect, even—and then Beomgyu showed up, taking it all away from him. That’s what Yeonjun believed, and that belief had festered, turning into a deep, burning resentment over the years.

But despite everything, there was one person who had made things bearable—Beomgyu’s mom. She had treated Yeonjun with kindness, loving him as if he were her own son. Even though he resented Beomgyu, he couldn’t bring himself to hate her. She had filled a void left by his own mother’s departure, and for that, Yeonjun was grateful. She had become a source of comfort in an otherwise suffocating home.

But Beomgyu? Beomgyu was different. Every time Yeonjun saw him, he was reminded of everything he had lost. His father’s love, his family’s stability, and his place in the world. Beomgyu had taken it all from him, and Yeonjun wasn’t going to forgive him for that. Ever.

With a sigh, Yeonjun leaned back on his bed, his mind still swirling with thoughts of the past. Slowly, exhaustion overtook him, and before he knew it, he drifted off to sleep, the bitterness still gnawing at him.

The next morning, Yeonjun was shaken from his sleep by the sound of knocking on his door. Groggily, he sat up, rubbing his eyes as the door opened to reveal his parents standing there.