FATE (BTS version)

Breaking the Chains

The dark silence of the Kim household was almost unbearable, especially when the weight of fear seemed to crush Jungkook's every breath. His father's cruel words, the constant emotional and physical abuse, had taken their toll. Yet, beneath the surface of this broken boy, something else simmered-something he hadn't yet fully realized himself.

For weeks, Jungkook had endured the unbearable, silently retreating into the depths of his mind to escape the worst of his father's cruelty. But during the quiet hours, when Mr. Kim's wrath had subsided and the house slept, Jungkook would sneak into the corner of his room and open his laptop-hidden from his father's prying eyes.

He didn't fully understand what pushed him to start researching at first. It had started with just a whisper of curiosity, a small ember of hope that perhaps, just perhaps, there was a way out of this suffocating world. But as the days passed, that curiosity evolved into something more.

Jungkook, at just sixteen, was already a brilliant and resourceful young man. Despite the years of emotional manipulation and psychological torment, he had always been observant. He had witnessed his father's many wrongdoings, quietly absorbing details he never should have. In the shadows of Mr. Kim's towering presence, Jungkook learned how to listen, to watch, and to wait. He might have been bound by fear, but his mind was free, and it was the one thing his father could never control.

One night, as the rain tapped against the window and his father's footsteps echoed down the hall, Jungkook sat hunched over his laptop, his eyes scanning through legal articles. He had learned to search for loopholes, studied laws that could protect him, and even found a few powerful resources-secretly reaching out to a few contacts who had once been involved in his life, but who now lay in the shadows of Mr. Kim's world. With each passing night, Jungkook's resolve hardened.

He wasn't just a victim. He wasn't as powerless as his father wanted him to believe.

The discovery came by accident. Jungkook had stumbled upon an encrypted message from a former lawyer, someone his mother have trusted. The message outlined a strategy for challenging custody in cases like his. The lawyer spoke of a complex but valid path-how to present evidence of abuse, of manipulation, and how to legally protect a child from an unsafe home environment.

Jungkook knew it was risky-too risky, in fact. But desperation had been growing inside him, and a spark of defiance began to ignite.

His father had always controlled the narrative, making him feel small, weak, and insignificant. But as the weeks passed, Jungkook realized something: he had the power to expose those lies. He could take back control, even if it meant breaking free in ways he never thought possible. He didn't have to remain silent any longer.

One evening, while Mr. Kim was out, Jungkook secretly contacted the lawyer-a trusted one from his mother's contact, who had been watching over him from the shadows. It was a delicate and dangerous communication, one that had to be kept completely hidden, but Jungkook knew what he was doing. He had set up an encrypted email account, using code words and references that would only make sense to the lawyer.

The message was clear: Help me. I need to escape. My father is destroying me, and I need legal protection. I need to be with my mother.

He had done it. He had taken the first step toward his freedom.

However, that night, as Jungkook sat there, heart pounding in his chest, the inevitable happened. Mr. Kim returned home earlier than expected, his shadow filling the doorway to Jungkook's room. Jungkook's laptop was hastily shut, but the unease in his father's eyes told him that something was wrong.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Kim's voice was low, dangerous, and his eyes narrowed as he approached.

Jungkook froze, his heart racing. The weight of the moment was suffocating.