FACING THE SAME FACE | JINKOOK

CH22

The room was immersed in a thick silence, only broken by the soft sound of rain tapping against the windows. JungKook stood motionless, staring out, his back rigid, as though trying to block out the chaos that was raging inside him. He knew SeungChol was there, watching him, but he wasn't ready to face the words he needed to hear.

SeungChol didn't move. He knew he couldn't force JungKook to speak, but he was determined to share his own truth, a truth that might, perhaps, shed some light on the path they were both walking. He stepped closer, as if approaching the unknown.

"JungKook," he began, his voice calm but firm, unhurried. "I need you to understand something about Jin and me. You might not fully understand it, but I need you to listen." JungKook tensed at the sound of his name, but didn't turn his head. SeungChol took another step closer, indifferent to how his presence seemed to increase the pressure in the air. "You and I aren't that different, you know? We've both lost something important in our lives. You, your brother. Me, my own morals."

SeungChol paused, as if taking a breath before continuing. "I chose a dark path, JungKook. I got involved in the mafia when I was young. I thought it was the only thing I could do to survive, to protect myself from what was around me. I did many things I'm not proud of. But Jin... Jin never abandoned me. Despite everything I did, despite my mistakes, he was there."

JungKook didn't say anything, but his shoulders were tense, his expression unyielding. SeungChol could feel how each word was sinking in, how JungKook was processing the information at his own pace. He didn't expect him to understand everything straight away, but he hoped that, at least, he could grasp the magnitude of what he was trying to say.

"Jin saw me fall, time and time again. He saw me lose myself in a world I never thought I could escape from. And yet, he didn't judge me. He didn't criticise my decisions. He didn't call me an idiot or push me to take another path. He just... was there." SeungChol smiled slightly, a sad smile, marked by years of memories. "And that's what Jin does. It's not just about being a friend, it's about being a brother. He's willing to do anything for the people he loves, no matter what they've done, no matter what happens." SeungChol watched him, searching for any sign of reaction from JungKook, but the young man remained staring ahead, motionless. The pain that radiated from his straightened back was palpable, and SeungChol knew that every word he said was likely opening more wounds, but he was also sure that JungKook needed to hear this. At least, in some way, it could bring him a little closer.

"I'm telling you this because I want you to understand, JungKook," SeungChol continued, his voice softer now, as though sharing a painful secret. "I was lost too, but Jin helped me find myself. He didn't tell me what to do, he didn't offer easy answers. He just stood by me, bearing the weight of my choices. And even though I was the one who had messed everything up, he didn't let me fall." SeungChol paused, letting the silence stretch between them. The rain kept falling, a near-comforting sound amidst the tension. "And now, even if you hate me or think I'm crazy, I want you to know that Jin hasn't failed you. It's not what it seems. He's going through the same thing I did, but in his own way. And still, he hasn't given up. He hasn't left you."

JungKook didn't move, but something in his posture shifted. The tension that had kept him rigid began to ease, though it was barely a sigh. SeungChol continued speaking, aware that everything he was saying might not make sense to JungKook, but still, he had to try.

"What I want you to understand is that what Jin and I have, that relationship, it's not something that can be easily explained. It's something that's built in trials, in the darkest moments. And even though things don't always go the way we want, even when we sometimes feel lost, he's there, just like he was with me. Just like he'll be for you, if you ever decide to see things differently." SeungChol paused, watching JungKook for a long moment. JungKook's expression hadn't changed, but there was something in his eyes that suggested SeungChol's words were cutting deep. Maybe not in that instant, but in a way that even he didn't understand.