"Unraveled Hearts"

Chapter - 8

It had been a few days since the meeting between Jimin and Jungkook at Golden Closet, and both were immersed in their respective worlds of work. For Jimin, running KJS Apparel meant long days of meetings, design tweaks, and planning. Jungkook, too, was wrapped up in his hectic schedule, overseeing the preparation for his label's upcoming idol group debut. Time passed quickly, and soon, the weekend arrived—a rare pause from the intensity of their professional lives.

---

At the Kim mansion, a sense of peace and warmth filled the air as Jimin sat with Kai's parents, Soo Ae, and Jin in the living room. The soft murmur of conversation filled the space, and the clinking of glasses from afternoon tea added to the cozy atmosphere. Jimin, though always burdened with the weight of responsibility, felt lighter here, surrounded by the people who had become his family.

Jin, always the bright and lively spirit, kept the mood light as he talked about the new dishes he was planning for his restaurant's seasonal menu. He waved his hands dramatically, explaining the complexity of a particular recipe, which made everyone laugh.

"I swear, Jimin-ah, you should come to the restaurant more often! I'll prepare a meal that'll knock your socks off. Soo Ae, too! You keep growing up so fast; I need to fatten you up!" Jin teased, ruffling Soo Ae's hair playfully.

Soo Ae giggled, batting his hand away, "Oppa! I'm not a kid anymore!"

But Jimin's eyes softened as he watched them. Despite the moments of laughter, there was a certain bond that had deepened between him and Soo Ae after Kai's passing. She was still so young when her brother died, and Jimin had taken it upon himself to step into the role of caretaker, protecting and supporting her.

Later, as the family spread out to different parts of the house, Jimin found himself sitting beside Soo Ae in the quiet of the garden. She leaned her head on his shoulder, the comfort between them so natural.

"Oppa," Soo Ae began, her voice soft, "do you think Kai would be proud of us?"

Jimin felt a lump form in his throat. He glanced at her, her innocent eyes looking up at him with hope and love. He gently placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.

"He would be," Jimin replied with a tender smile. "Kai always believed in us—especially in you. You're so much stronger than you know, Soo Ae, and I think every day he watches over you with pride."

She smiled faintly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I miss him so much, Oppa."

"I miss him, too," Jimin whispered, pressing a soft kiss on the top of her head. "But we're doing this for him, for everything he wanted to achieve. Together, we'll make sure his dreams live on."

Soo Ae nodded, a quiet strength in her. Jimin always admired that about her. Despite her pain, she had the heart of a fighter.

---

Meanwhile, at the Jeon mansion, Jungkook was finally taking a break from the whirlwind of his work. After returning from the U.S., he had thrown himself into Golden Closet, making sure everything was perfectly aligned for the upcoming debut. But today, he allowed himself the rare pleasure of simply being with his parents.

His mother had been overjoyed when he'd returned, but she never stopped nagging him about how much time he spent working. And as usual, his parents were bickering lovingly over something trivial—his father insisting that they repaint a part of the house, while his mother disagreed, saying it was fine the way it was.

"Kookie, help me out here! Doesn't the house look fine as it is?" his mother turned to him, arms crossed.

Jungkook chuckled, shaking his head. "Mom, I'm staying out of this one. You two can figure it out."

His father grumbled but smiled nonetheless. These moments reminded Jungkook of the importance of family—something he had almost lost touch with during his years in the U.S. The work had consumed him, and now, he was trying to make up for that lost time.

They spent the evening catching up, laughing about old memories. His parents were always supportive, but they worried about how much pressure Jungkook put on himself. Later in the night, the conversation turned toward Taehyung, his younger brother, who was mostly in Paris due to his modeling career.

"Your brother's doing well," his father said. "We talked to him yesterday. He's thinking of visiting soon."

Jungkook smiled. "That would be nice. It's been a while since we've all been together."

His mother's eyes softened as she looked at Jungkook. "You work too hard, my son. Make sure you take time to breathe."

"I know, Mom. I'm trying."

As the evening wound down, Jungkook retreated to his room, feeling a sense of contentment he hadn't felt in a long time. Family time always grounded him. Later that night, as he lay in bed, his mind wandered to a new song he had been working on, and without much thought, he called Namjoon.

"Hyung, do you have time to meet at Golden Closet this week? There's this track I want you to look over, maybe Yoongi hyung can take a listen, too," Jungkook said as soon as Namjoon answered.

"Of course, Kookie. Send me the details, and we'll make it happen," Namjoon replied, his deep voice soothing through the phone.

They talked for a few minutes more, bouncing ideas back and forth about the song and some potential collaborations. By the time they ended the call, Jungkook felt energized, already thinking about his next steps. But as he lay back down, his mind wandered unexpectedly to Jimin.

He hadn't thought about him since their initial meeting at Golden Closet, but now, the image of Jimin's calm demeanor and soft voice drifted into his thoughts. There was something about the way Jimin carried himself that had stayed with him—his professionalism, his quiet strength, and that spark of passion that lit up when he spoke about his designs. And then there was his beauty, understated but captivating, a beauty that seemed effortless and yet lingered in Jungkook's memory.

Why am I thinking about him now? Jungkook mused, running a hand through his hair.

It wasn't like him to dwell on someone like this. But there was a pull—something unspoken, something lingering in the air whenever he thought of Jimin. He had noticed it during their first meeting, that undeniable connection that had sparked in the air. It wasn't love, not yet, but it was enough to make Jungkook curious.

He sighed, trying to push the thought away. Focus, Jeon. Work first. Always.

But as he closed his eyes, Jimin's face appeared once again, and for reasons he couldn't yet understand, Jungkook let the thought of him linger just a little longer before finally drifting off to sleep.