Hearts in chaos: Hearts Entwined book 4

9

Jin leaned back in his chair, the soft sounds of laughter and conversation swirling around him as he tried to drown out the weight of his thoughts. His friends had gathered at their usual spot—a cozy bar adorned with dim lighting and the chatter of patrons enjoying their evenings. But tonight, Jin found it difficult to engage. The news he’d received earlier still clung to him like a heavy fog, suffocating any joy he might have felt in this moment.

“Hey, Jin! You’re not falling asleep on us, are you?” One of his friends, Yoongi, nudged him playfully. “We came out here to cheer you up, not watch you drift off.”

Jin forced a smile, shaking his head as he sat up straighter. “No, I’m good. Just... a lot on my mind.” He glanced around the table, seeing the concerned expressions of his friends. They were all aware of his situation with Mina, but he hadn’t shared the latest developments yet. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about it.

“Did Mina send you another text?” Hoseok asked, his voice laced with concern. “Is she still giving you a hard time?”

Jin sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. “No, it’s not just texts. I found out she’s been with another guy... again.”

The mood shifted at the table, the air thickening with disbelief. “What do you mean again?” Namjoon asked, his brow furrowing. “How many is this now?”

“Four,” Jin replied, his voice barely above a whisper. “Four different guys in just over a week since we separated.” The words felt bitter on his tongue, and he glanced down at the table, unable to meet their eyes.

“Four? What the hell?” Yoongi exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe this. What a piece of work.”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Jin said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “I guess I was just the last in a long line of ‘boredom’ for her.”

“Boredom? Seriously?” Hoseok scoffed, clearly offended on Jin’s behalf. “That’s just... I don’t even know what to say. You deserve better than that.”

“Thanks, guys,” Jin murmured, grateful for their support, but the anger bubbling inside him was hard to contain. “I just don’t get how someone could be so reckless, especially after everything we’ve been through. How could she just move on like it was nothing?”

“Because she’s selfish,” Namjoon said bluntly, his tone firm. “You deserve someone who values you, Jin. Someone who will care about you and Jiwoon, not just think about their own needs.”

“Maybe I just don’t deserve anyone at all,” Jin replied, bitterness creeping into his voice. “I’ve been left with a two-year-old and a broken marriage. Who would want that?”

“You’re a good dad, Jin. That’s what matters,” Yoongi reminded him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “The right person will see that.”

“Yeah, and I doubt she’s out there in bars with multiple men,” Jin said with a wry smile, but his heart wasn’t in it. “It just sucks. I’m trying to focus on Jiwoon and move on, but then I get hit with stuff like this.”

His friends continued to offer words of comfort, but Jin felt the anger begin to swell again. He wanted to vent and scream, to let all this frustration out, but he knew it wouldn’t change anything. He just needed to get through it, one day at a time.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Mia was finishing up her routine with Jiwoon. She had tucked him into bed, the little boy snuggled under his dinosaur-themed blanket, his eyes growing heavy as she softly read him a bedtime story.

“And then the brave knight rescued the princess from the dragon,” Mia whispered, her voice soothing as she watched Jiwoon’s eyelids flutter. “They rode off into the sunset, happy and safe. The end.”