𝗦𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 ||𝐉𝐉𝐊||

45

AUTHOR POV~

That night the house was quiet. Everyone had gone to bed except for Mrs. Jeon. She sat alone by the window staring at the moonlit sky. The stars above twinkled in a silence, far from the Storm in her heart.

She thought back to all the moments she had confronted Y/N how she had snapped at her for small mistakes, how she had turned her face away who had once welcomed her like a family member.

Her chest tightened with guilt. She folded her hands in her lap, lowering her head.

"I'm sorry… Daehyun" she whispered to the star looking at the sky. "I didn't know the truth. I treated your daughter unfairly. I judged her when all she ever needed was kindness… Please forgive me." A tear slipped down her cheek, quickly wiped away.

The next morning, she walked into the living room where Mr. Jeon was reading the paper.

"I want to talk to Y/N" she said calmly.

He looked up, surprised for a second. "What for? "I just… need to" she replied her voice softer than usual.

A long pause stretched between them. Mr. Jeon studied her face as if reading her heart. And then he nodded a small hopeful smile forming. "You should. She'll feel much better hearing from you."She gave a silent nod and turned away walking slowly toward the garden.

The garden was quiet empty except for the soft rustling of leaves and the soft hum of birds. She sat down on a wooden bench under the shade of a flowering tree.

A few minutes later, she walked in,l her face a mix of confusion and concern. When she saw Mrs. Jeon she paused bowing respectfully before taking a seat on the bench opposite to her. A heavy silence lingered between them. Mrs. Jeon sighed deeply struggling to find the right words. "Y/N…"

She looked up alert.

"I'm… really sorry" she said her voice cracking with the weight of emotion. "I didn't know anything about what happened to you. About your parents. About what you went through. Thinking about it now I don't know how you managed to carry all that pain all alone."

Hers eyes softened. "Auntie you don't have to-"

"No! let me say it." She lifted her hand gently. "Let me say it properly. I treated you unfairly. I didn't try to understand you. I judged you too quickly blamed you for things you didn't deserve and distanced myself when all you needed was support. I... I looked at you and saw someone who didn't belong here. But now I know I was wrong. You didn't just lose your parents… you lost your world. And I never even asked if you were okay."

She blinked rapidly her throat tightening. "Please don't say sorry, Auntie. I can understand… I know I've made things difficult too. I was stubborn. I didn't always listen. I-"

"You were a child who was hurting," Mrs. Jeon interrupted, her voice gentle. "And I was an adult who should have known better."

A pause. Then a longer silence.

"I've forgiven you child" she said after a while, folding her hands together. "But… there's something I need to be honest about."

She looked up slowly, sensing the shift in her tone.

"I've forgiven your past mistakes. But I haven't forgotten that because of you, Jungkook got hurt… twice. He almost lost his life. And seeing him lying unconscious… helpless… no mother should ever have to see that." Her voice broke as she spoke, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"I know my son loves you. I know that. I've seen it in his eyes, in the way he looks at you like you're his entire world. But love, Y/N isn't always enough."