FOOLS

Chapter 7

Jungkook doesn't remember much about his mother. He does remember the color of her hair, burning in the sun, the red paint that's permanent on her lips, her defined facial structure after her surgeries. He couldn't remember how hugging her felt, or whether or not she had kissed him goodnight or not, or if she had ever told him she loves him. Not that it matters to him, he's actually grateful to not have any lingering memories.

He never even got the chance to even learn her name, except for what that man used to call her, Doll. The man always said it with some twist of the mouth that always scared Jungkook. It was not out of affection or love, it was just possessive. Whenever he was around, his mother would always go in some sort of trance and would forget that Jungkook existed. He hated the man, but his mother was completely captivated by him, or at least his money.

Having kids was never on the horizon for his mother, she had always wanted the single life and indulge in the lavish life the man offered. When she found out about her pregnancy, it was like her world turned upside down. The man wasn't happy either, but still told her to give birth and go from there. She was present from when he was a newborn until he was capable of talking and walking.

For awhile, she really thought this could be her new life. Just her and her baby boy. But the man didn't accept that, he wanted her without the extra baggage. And even though she had loved her baby boy, money was always tempting and it would always win. She decided to put him into foster care when he was 3. At that age, he familiarized himself with the sight of her back. He saw it whenever she would leave him alone at home to be with the man, and when she left him for the last time in front of the orphanage. The last thing she told him was to stay healthy.

"Eomma, please don't leave me." he cried out, but she disappeared into the horizon.

The orphanage, in affiliation with the man, didn't tell Jungkook anything about his birth mother. They kept everything hidden from him, until the day he decided to break into the office to find his file. The lock was easy and the patrol followed a pattern that he could figure out and monitor. His mischievous side had came out before then, from stealing extra portions to sneaking out to play arcade games. But when he read his file, it fueled something in him.

He quickly realized the money turned the world. When he was 18, he left eh orphanage and began his work. He sought out all the gangs he could find and found one that had potential. He worked all sorts of missions until he got closer to the top, then ultimately fought his way to becoming the leader by the time he was 21. He bought himself a house with the best view in the city, numerous cars that he never had time to drive, and poured the rest of the money into hidden locations.

Once he had his fun, he got back to why he started in the first place. Jungkook hired someone to seek out his mother. To his dismay, she died of a car accident. He wasn't particularly sad that she died, maybe only disappointed. He had wanted to walk up to her, to observe the horrified look on her face, and laugh at how pathetic she might look. Too bad he never got the chance.

He didn't stop there. He investigated the man, only to find out he's a powerful CEO of K Medicine and already has a wife. The man threw Jungkook away because he already had a son, and a detective as well. That was when it got interesting. Jungkook wanted to see why Namjoon was kept around while he was tossed away. He started doing bigger drug deals to catch Namjoon's attention. It became a game of chase, but Jungkook wasn't the mouse, he was the tiger watching for his prey search for some sort of reward. It was amusing and satisfying. He loved leaving just before Namjoon's team arrives and see the look on his face. So disappointed in himself, it made Jungkook laugh and he would go to bed happy. The taunting deepened when he began leaving papers with the world Fool on them.

But there was this hole in Jungkook, it began when his mother left him. And it continued to grow and no amount of money or people in his gang could fill it. He needed love, he needed a family. And Namjoon was the only thing that comes as close to family as Jungkook could have, aside from ajumma of course. Which is why he sent the invitation. He didn't want to trick Namjoon or to hurt him, not anymore. He wanted the comfort and the space in his heart to fill.

"My name is Jeon Jungkook, and I am your brother." He took the surname from a movie. It would have been obvious to take on Namjoon's surname. He was genuinely surprised that he actually showed up. It could just be the location, one that he knew Namjoon would enjoy. To be honest, he didn't know what he expected to happen. But Namjoon was still standing here, unmoving. It was a good sign. Jungkook was close to getting the brother he always needed.