Somewhere in Time || A VKook Saga

[Thirty-six]

Shin Min-A became Mrs. Jeon shortly after the last time her husband saw Taehyung. It was a solemn ceremony, at least to Jung-kook. But everyone else in the wedding party was ecstatic and did not realize how the groom's heart broke into a thousand pieces during the whole procession.

Every time Jung-kook bowed to pay respects to his wife and her entourage, he had to keep his tears from falling. He should have been with Taehyung then, as he should have been with him now. But if it meant keeping his lover alive, Jung-kook would give up on his happiness.

How he wished the circumstances were different, but what he wanted more was that both of them would forget and move on with their lives, if that's what it takes not to let them suffer.

Jung-kook recalled that not much happened between him and Min-A, despite her attempts at a loving relationship. She had thrown herself more than once at her husband, but he resisted her advances. It was only when both their mothers came into the picture before he relented.

They gave him odd concoctions to drink and sent him to various quack doctors to check his head and "equipment." Jung-kook became afraid that if he did not provide them with a child, he could kiss his sanity goodbye. He never knew what his mother would do when he's awake, much less when he's asleep, so he might as well not take the risk.

So, after three long years of waiting, the Jeon household welcomed a baby girl, Eun-hye. The elder Mrs. Jeon naturally hoped for a boy, as most mothers and grandmothers were inclined to do back then. At least, with the birth of a son, the Jeon name could live for another generation.

Perhaps it's because of this disappointment that Mrs. Jeon did not treat her daughter-in-law as fairly as Min-A would have liked. The reproving looks shot her way were enough to make Jung-kook's wife flinch. Min-A recalled many instances where her mother-in-law could not hide her displeasure.

"Oh look, Min-A, how cute these pants are," Jung-kook's mother would say when they went out shopping, "too bad Eun-hye wouldn't be able to wear them. If only you gave birth to a boy....."

Min-A would just bite her tongue and feign a smile at the elder. After all, she asked to be married into Jung-kook's family, so she had to take it all whether she liked it or not. It was a small price to pay for the riches and nobility she gained through her marriage; although she knew she would have gotten more than that if only her husband had been a willing partner in their relationship and try again until she gave birth to a son.

But Jung-kook had other ideas, and none of them included his wife.