Somewhere in Time || A VKook Saga

[Two]

His daughter's declaration that he, Jeon Jung-Kook, did not know what love was, had pierced his heart like a stake to the cross. Eun-Hye's words brought back hurtful memories from countless years past that he would rather bury under the concrete beneath his feet.

If only she knew how he had fought for and lost the love of his life, she probably would sing a different tune. Perhaps she would be more understanding of how he came out, barely surviving the so-called 'traditions' he also despised during his youth, when his hair was still intact with the black pigment that used to crown his head.

The words and emotions Eun-Hye expressed now were eerily similar to the ones that fell out of his mouth when he faced his own mother. The only difference between him and his daughter was that her resolve was firmer, her eyes blazing, whereas his was meek as he confronted the matriarch of his family.

Decades ago, he felt he didn't have a choice, or those who came before him merely dictated his judgment. He assumed he had to relinquish his selfish desires for the 'greater good' of Korean society, or whatever excuse they put at that time.

Jung-Kook recalled distinctively how his protests were muted by just one sharp look from his mother, signalling that there were no more questions, or rather 'arguments' to be entertained by the woman who carried Jung-Kook in her womb for nine gruelling months. She kept reminding him that 'opinions' or 'freedom of expression' had no place in the Jeon household, that 'talking back' was almost akin to committing a crime, most likely murder. And falling in love with the 'wrong person' certainly fitted this bill.

"So???" Eun-Hye demanded, interrupting her father's thoughts. "Is this silence your answer?"

"What???" Jung-Kook queried as he came out of the trance.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Eun-Hye asked with exasperation in her voice. "I can't believe you spent more than a minute pondering my statement."

"You're right," Jung-Kook admitted in defeat, asking your daughter to make the right decision shouldn't be all that difficult... but why did he second-guess himself? Was it because, somewhere deep down, Jung-Kook believed the 'right thing' could be the 'wrong thing'? And what's 'wrong' might actually be 'right'?

Jung-kook didn't have the time nor energy to have this nth confrontation with his daughter now. He had better things to do, like to tend to his ailing mother, whose shadow seemed to loom everywhere he went.

"If only mom was here...." Eun-Hye said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yes. Only if Eun-Hye's mother had been there, maybe Jung-Kook wouldn't have to deal with this crap. He could just deflect the issue off his lap as his own father did to his mother years ago when dealing with their only son. And what a 'great' son he turned out to be.