THE HIDDEN ROSE | Taekook

12. An Empty Shell

Double Update! Enjoy!!!!

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The meeting room was heavy with an oppressive silence. Namjoon, Jin, Yoongi, and Jimin sat in a semi-circle, their expressions tight with worry and unease. Hoseok leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes sharp, while Jungkook sat at the head of the table, his posture radiating authority, though his clenched fists betrayed his inner turmoil. Even though Jungkook was going to go to Taehyung, the inner circle came asking some time for them saying it's important. The events of the day lingered in everyone’s mind; Aisha’s attack on Taehyung, his breakdown, and the overwhelming grief that had spilled out of him like a wound torn open.

Namjoon finally broke the silence, his voice calm yet resolute. “Jungkook, we need to talk. We can’t keep pretending everything’s fine when it clearly isn’t. You owe us an explanation.”

Jungkook’s jaw tightened, his gaze locking onto Namjoon. The leader of the inner circle rarely spoke with such insistence, but tonight was different. Everyone could feel it, the unspoken tension, the weight of unshared truths.

Jin leaned forward, his voice softer but no less determined. “We’ve followed you through hell and back, Jungkook. We’ve fought, bled, and nearly died for Blue Den. We’ve earned your trust, haven’t we?”

Jungkook’s gaze flickered to Hoseok, who gave a barely perceptible nod. With a sharp exhale, Jungkook leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand down his face. “You’re right. You’ve earned my trust. But there are things… things I can’t fully share yet. I can tell you enough to understand, but you’ll have to accept that some parts of this story will stay buried for now.”

The inner circle exchanged glances but nodded in agreement. The tension in the room seemed to thrum louder as Jungkook began to speak.

“It happened ten years ago,” he began, his voice steady but carrying an undertone of anguish. “Taehyung and I were kids. Our families… they were very close. They weren’t part of the underworld, but they had powerful enemies. That summer, we all decided to spend a few weeks at a villa in a secluded area. It was supposed to be safe, a place where we could escape the city and just be together as families.”

His voice faltered for a moment, and he glanced away, his jaw clenching as he wrestled with the memories clawing at the surface.

“It started in the middle of the night,” he continued, his tone colder now. “Men broke in, masked, armed, ruthless. They killed the guards first, then moved inside. It was a massacre. By the time I woke up, the screams had started. I ran to find my family, but when I got to the main hall…” His voice cracked, and he stopped, swallowing hard.

Jimin shifted in his seat, his expression pained. “You don’t have to--”

“No,” Jungkook interrupted, his voice firm. “You need to hear this.”

He took a deep breath, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrests of his chair. “When I got to the hall, they were already gone. My parents. Taehyung’s parents. All of them, lying there in pools of their own blood. They didn’t even have a chance to fight back.”

Yoongi looked away, his fingers drumming on the armrest in a rare show of discomfort. Jin’s hand tightened on the edge of the table, while Namjoon’s calm facade cracked just enough to reveal the storm brewing beneath.

“What about Taehyung?” Jimin asked softly, his voice trembling.

Jungkook’s eyes darkened further. “He was there. He saw it all, watched them die right in front of him. He hid under the dining table, too scared to move, while those monsters laughed and set the place on fire. When they left, the whole villa was already engulfed in flames.”