Jungkook had been carrying around the ashes for four days now. It felt wrong to leave them at work all night, just as it felt wrong to leave him at home all day. He never suspected he would turn into his Father's baby sitter in the after life but something pulled him to watch over his body like a hawk. Scared to upset the spirit that lingered.
It was a Friday, on the brink of Autumn, made evident by the change in the New York wind. In LA the breeze would still be warm, and people would opt to stay on the beach for bonfires in place of barbecues but in New York, everyone retreated. Bunkered inside and beneath thick scarves and sweaters when they absolutely had to leave home.
It was visible that he wasn't prepared, weak after spending years in the sun. Even his bones felt the chill of the night.
His Mother had agreed to dinner but at her place, and her chef would cook, and all Jungkook could do was nod along. Scared of what type of information she may be holding onto.
"Sweets, you made it!" Her face had aged in the last few weeks, the crinkled corners of her eyes deep, the actual orbs sunken. Her skin looked dull against the harsh lighting of the entry way.
"Mom!" He bowed, tucking the ashes of his Father under one arm as he hugged her with the other.
She stared down at it, "Why isn't he at work?"
Jungkook smiled sheepishly, "I bring him home when we're off the clock. I thought you might want to see him!" He didn't mean to sound like a total weirdo, somebody obsessed with the former shell of their Father but that's who he had become.
His Mother grabbed the box, passing it off to a maid, "You know you don't actually have to keep him in your office. You can leave him outside or in a conference room!" Her frail hands looped her son's blazer off, taking in the scent of the boy she had missed, "Made your favorite for dinner!"
He wasn't sure his Mother even knew what his favorite was anymore but he nodded along upon seeing the dish, eyes fixated on food so that he could avoid her judgmental gaze.
"Are we going to talk about what I brought up the other day?"
Jungkook settled into his place at the dining room table, patiently waiting for one of the various servers to dish his plate, "What do you mean?" He felt playing dumb would be beneficial.
"Between you and Taehyung..." The woman scraped her fork across the plate, a goosebump inducing noise following suit.
Jungkook's skin was crawling, "It was an accident! Never meant to happen. It was a spur of the moment thing- I was vulnerable. Dad had died and-,"
"You're in love with him?" She leaned on her elbows, hardly proper. The boy had never seen his Mother act in such a manner.
"A harmless crush; the same as Jisoo had on the lifeguard at the summer home!" He was desperate to change the subject.
"They called off the engagement, you know?"
"It wasn't because of me!" Jungkook snarled, "Dad was forcing Jisoo to marry him for the business."
"And you should have the same expectations. But now you're selfishly involved. You went and got your feelings mixed up in it!"
"Why should I have the same expectations? Jisoo marrying who she doesn't want too will not push us far enough ahead for her lack of happiness to ever be worth it!"
"How do you know? Have you seen the arrangement- the financial gain and the inclusion of technology in investments. The insider knowledge you could be privy too." He was realizing quickly how toxic his family still was. Why had he ever expected anything less? His Mother could never be the hero, not after being brainwashed and abused for years by the villain.
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A MYSTERY TO ME | TAEKOOK
Fanfiction- When Taehyung agreed to marry into the Jeon family, he had no idea that Jungkook was part of that. - It's been five years since Jungkook and his family severed ties, five years since he moved across the country, five years that he's spent forgett...
