A/n :- The italics in this chapter indicate events that took place in the past.

___________________________________________

Third Person's P.O.V :-
.
.
.
.
"Did you hear? His mother died, rumours say that he pushed her down the stairs"

"Really?? That's so terrifying! We should stay away from him!

"Yeah! Who knows, maybe he'll try to kill us too if we get too close"

"Oh my God he's glaring at us!"

"Did he see our faces?! Run! Let's complain to the teacher and get him suspended!"

"Yeah!!"

A group of five kids exit the classroom in a rush as a four years old Jungkook quietly sat on his desk by the window, glaring down at his nursery text book filled with colours and shapes.

Soon Jungkook's vision started to blur and droplets of water fell down on his text book.

"I didn't push mommy down the stairs" He softly squeaked out and sniffed, rubbing his eyes out of any tears.
.
.
.
.
"Hello, little Jungkookie, how are you today?" The scary therapist lady asked Jungkook as soon as he entered the room.

Jungkook hid behind his father's leg and peeped in, shaking a bit at the unfamiliar surroundings,"Fi-fine..." He whispered out.

"Oh my, what a shy kid you got there, Mr. Jeon" The therapist laughed and focused her scary eyes on Jungkook once again.

"Little Jungkookie, why don't you come and sit on this comfortable chair?" The lady asked with a weird gleam in her eyes.

"Jungkook, go"

Jungkook looked up to see his father looking down at him with expectations.

"Ye-yes, Daddy..." Jungkook said and stepped towards the therapist lady with shaky steps.

The lady put on soothing music and told Jungkook to lean back on his chair before closing his eyes.

"Recall the night you pushed your mother down the stairs" The therapist mumbled suddenly in the middle of the therapy.

Jungkook frowned his brows and opened his eyes,"I didn't! Please, stop saying that" Jungkook requested as his eyes started to get teary once again.

The therapist looked up at Mr. Jeon helplessly.

"Jungkook, close your eyes and focus on what the therapist is saying" Mr. Jeon spoke out in  strict tone.

"Ye-yes, Daddy..." Jungkook whispered sadly and did as he was told.
.
.
.
.
"And you call this a proper tea?!" Mr. Jeon Jungoh yelled as he threw the expensive cup at the maid.

"AHH!" The maid shirked as she ran to dodge the steaming hot cup of tea thrown at her direction.

"Ms. Soomin!" Four year old Jungkook exclaimed as he returned from his therapy session and immediately saw his father trying to hit Ms. Soomin, an house maid who's been working there for about a year now.

Jungkook ran towards her and bravely stood in front of his father, guarding the house maid,"Daddy, don't hit Ms. Soomin, please!" He said with determination but his knees still buckled under his father's intense stare.

However, Jungoh suddenly smiled at Jungkook and crouched down in front of him, softly patting his hair,"How kind of you to protect the weak, my son, if you're requesting I'll spare her this time" Jungoh said kindly.

"But remember, I'm keeping her here only on your request, if she messes up next time" Jungoh said and gripped Jungkook's hair harshly to get his point across,"It's either you punish her or take her share of punishment" He said.

Jungkook had tears streaming down his small face, he wanted to run away, to hide from his own father but Ms. Soomin was all he had after his mother, she's the only woman who Jungkook looked upto.

Jungkook conjured up all of his courage as he stared back at his face,"I agree" He whispered.

However things did not work out for the best.

The house maid messed up the very next day and Jungkook was called from his room.

"You have two options, dear" Jungoh said as he dangled the teapot in front of young Jungkook,"Either you throw this at her or you get burned yourself" he said and crouched down in front of Jungkook with an eerily pleasant smile on his face,"So which one is it?" He asked.

Jungkook was shaking, one glance at Ms. Soomin and he could tell she was just as terrified as he was.

He agreed to protect Ms. Soomin. That's why he was here in the first place.

"I-I'll take the pu-punishment" Jungkook spelled out terrified and shaking.

Jeon Jungoh pour the streaming hot tea over little Jungkook.
.
.
.
.
It kept happening.

At one point, Jungkook almost felt like the maid was working carelessly because she knew she wouldn't have to suffer the circumstances.

Because Jungkook kept on protecting her.

A broken plate meant twenty hits from a bat.

Dusty floor meant stripping naked and wiping the floor with the clothes.

Bad tea meant getting that tea poured upto oneself.

Badly washed clothes meant no dinner.

And bad food meant either the maid getting fired or Jungkook having to go to an extra therapy session within that week.

Jungkook was only a child, he too had his limits.

So a few months later when Jungkook accidentally overheard Ms. Soomin giggling in the kitchen while talking to one of the butler how she had him wrapped around her pinky finger and was basically using him as her human shield, something broke inside of him.

Therefore when the next evening rolled around and the maid messed up yet again, Jungkook was called again.

Jungoh once again dangled the teapot in front of him and asked him what he wanted to do.

This time without another word, Jungkook took the teapot from Jungoh's hand and threw it at the unsuspecting maid earning a loud shriek from her.

Jungoh blinked at the unexpected development and smiled pleasantly as he patted Jungkook's hair,"About time you learned"
.
.
.
.
It had been two years since Jungkook started going into therapy.

"Hello, little Jungkookie" The therapist greeted him as soon as he entered the now very familiar room,"Shall we start our session?" She asked with a smile on her face.

Jungkook wordlessly went to sit over his designated seat and leaned back after closing his eyes.

The therapist put the familiar music on that relaxed him for the last two years.

"Little Jungkookie, do you remember that night two years ago?" The therapist asked with anticipation.

"I do" Jungkook answered automatically.

"What did you do?"

"I pushed my mother down the stairs"
.
.
.
.
"Jungkook, meet Yoongi" Jungoh said as he motioned for a boy to come in.

The boy was taller than six years old Jungkook and seemed to be dirty with ripped cloths, barely covering him.

"He'll go to the same school as you, think of him as your subordinate, he'll take care of everything in case something happens to you" Jungoh said as he gave a fresh pair of clothing to Yoongi who bowed down respectfully and accepted what was handed to him.

It was clear to Jungkook that Yoongi was loyal to his father, to the point where he learnt each and every subject that Jungoh wanted him to learn and mastered it.

Jungkook looked on with jealousy as in spite of him being the real son of Jeon Jungoh, Yoongi was praised and paraded around as the 'sane and obedient son' of Jungoh.

Yoongi was Jungkook's unofficial replacement.
.
.
.
.
"Jungkook, today is a very important day for your Daddy, I need you to be on your best behaviour" Jungoh said as the Nanny put the bow tie around Jungkook's neck.

"Ok, Daddy" Jungkook whispered, automatically, no hints of sincerely involved, it was as if he was obligated to say that.

And in a way, he was.

"I have some tasks for you to do today" Jungoh said as the Nanny exited the room after bowing.

"Yes?" Jungkook asked as he sat down on the bed, patiently waiting for Jungoh to continue, his father hated disobedience and insolent behaviour.

"Today some kids will also attend the function, two of them will have the surname Manoban and Park, if you come across them, befriend them" Jungoh said providing no further explanation.

Little Jungkook perked up at little at the mention of the term 'friend'.

"Ok Daddy"

This time his response was genuine.
.
.
.
.
"Did you hear? Mr. Jeon's son is mentally unstable"

"Yes, poor Mr. Jeon, it must be tough raising a mentally unstable kid all by himself"

"Rumors say that the son pushed Mrs. Jeon down the stairs"

"What a horrible way to die! Getting killed by your own son!"

Jungkook sat by himself at a table by the corner, looking down at his entangled fingers.

He thought he'd make friends.

But everyone gave him the side glance and told their children not to associate with him.

They thought he was insane, that he'd hurt anyone who'd get close to him.

Jungkook felt his vision starting to blur up.

He wanted to make friends.

Now additionally he get scolded, and worst case scenario beaten, by his father for his inability to befriend the kids with Manoban and Park surnames.

Jungkook fisted his pants till his knuckles turned white and looked down at the table, coming up with what type of hell would break loose once he'd reach home.

"Jeon Jungkook?"

Jungkook glanced ahead to see two six years old kids standing a few feet away, looking at him curiously.

Jungkook blinked in surprise, those two approached him without being afraid.

In a meek voice Jungkook answered,"Yes?"

"Daddy told me to be your friend" The girl between those two kids spoke up,"I'm Lalisa Manoban, nice to meet you" Saying that the little girl bowed down respectably.

"Mine too! I'm Park Jimin, nice to meet you" The boy bowed as well, following Lisa's previous actions.

Jungkook perked up at the positive greetings he was experiencing for the first time in his life.

"I-" He started to speak but stopped as he remember that his father asked him to be on his best behaviour.

He jumped down from his seat and bowed to both of them,"I'm Jeon Jungkook, it's a pleasure to meet you" Jungkook uttered the memorized words that his nanny taught him to say.

Jungkook looked up to see those two smiling down at him.

He chatted with them for what felt like hours, they exchanged their school experiences, their favourite animation and talked about their families.

From then on, for the first time Jungkook could truly say that he had friends.

"Who's that boy?" Lisa suddenly asked out as the three of them sat around a table, eating muffins under the supervision of a catering staff.

Jungkook looked back to see Yoongi, who always tagged along with his father in these kinds of events.

"Min Yoongi, he works under daddy" Jungkook uttered licking his spoon, his huge doe eyes still curiously staring at Yoongi, who stood beside his father obediently.

"He looks lonely" Lisa said gaining the attention of the two other boys,"Let's become his friend!" She suddenly cheered and nobody in the table protested against it.

Thus, the three of them slowly approached Jungoh and asked if Yoongi could go play with them.

Jungoh was just as surprised as Yoongi was but then he spotted Jungkook and smiled satisfactorily giving them permission to take Yoongi away.

Jungkook started to run after the three of them but as he was going he looked back to see his father looking back at him just like how he looked at Yoongi.

With pride.

Jungkook for the first time in the last two years, felt happy.

He ran off with the three of them to play and that was the beginning of their friendship.

However things don't always seem the way that they are.

Over the next few years, it became blatantly clear to Jungkook that Jungoh wanted to merge with both the Manobans and the Parks and that was the only reason he was allowed to have friends.

Ideally Jungoh wanted Jungkook to be best friends with Jimin and marry Lisa in the future, seemed like a full proof plan.

Even to Jungkook in his early teens that seemed kinda logical but one Punch from Lisa in the P.E. class was enough to change his opinions.
.
.
.
.
It was the death anniversary of Jungkook's mother that day.

Although it felt like he almost had no memories of her, he only remembered that she was affectionate and warm.

A warmth that Jungkook missed everyday growing up and even now as a sixteen years old, he still missed it.

Sometimes he wondered how'd life be if she was alive.

His father flat out refused to acknowledge the existence of that day, leaving Jungkook no choice but to spend the day by taking a single and melancholic trip to the graveyard with some flowers and praying for her eternal peace.

"Hello"

A sixteen years old Jungkook looked up to see a beautiful lady standing in front of him, smiling softly.

"Hello" Jungkook replied back hesitantly, wondering why a stranger was suddenly speaking with him.

The lady seemed a few years older than him.

"Here to visit a grandparent?" She asked as she crouched down in front of the grave beside her and offered some prayers as Jungkook just stared at her from the side.

The lady finished praying and glanced back at him,"Stranger danger?" She asked with a soft chuckle.

"N-No, I'm here to visit my Mother, actually" Jungkook answered, blushing a little.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, hope her soul rests in peace" The lady said with concern.

"Thank you for your thoughts" Jungkook bowed and walked past her.

"Hey"

Jungkook stopped and glanced back at the lady.

"They graveyard authority are doing a lemonade stand outside because of the hot weather, you're sweating, thought I'd let you know, it's free" The lady said with a smile.

"Thank you very much" Jungkook bowed again and took his leave.

Jungkook was grateful for her thoughts, the weather was indeed melting him and a free lemonade was exactly what he needed.

But to suddenly start a conversation in a graveyard?

Jungkook didn't know about that part.

It didn't necessarily felt wrong but it didn't feel quite right either.

The surprise came a few days later when he suddenly had to visit his father for his signature on a few school forms and saw the lady from the graveyard standing in his office.

"Jungkook? Did you need anything?" Jungoh asked turning his gaze from the lady to his son.

"Ye-yeah, just needed your signature agreeing to send me to the school field trip" Jungkook finally turned his attention back to his father and proceeded to give him the papers.

After Jungoh signed, Jungkook quickly left, he had no idea the beautiful lady was an employee of his Father's company.

Jungkook smiled on his way out, maybe he'll get to see her a few more times before she changed her job or, knowing his father, got fired over the smallest little mistake.
.
.
.
.
The next time Jungkook met that lady, it was in his favourite PC Cafe.

He blinked in surprise as the gentle soft spoken lady he had met in the graveyard yelled profanities over the microphone and slurped her third cup of instant ramyeon seemingly very upset at her virtual teammates for not being able to take the boss down.

"That's not how you play this game" Jungkook found himself saying before he could even stop himself.

"What did you say?!" The lady yelled, suddenly ten times more intimidating.

"I-I'm just saying that your team has too many tanks, and no healers, you should become the healer to help the team" He tried to provide his gaming knowledge.

The lady blinked up at him in confusion,"I can become a healer?" She asked.

Jungkook sweatdropped.

'This Noona's a Noob'

Jungkook sat beside her and showed her the roaps of the game, by the end of the second hour, the lady had the basics down and Jungkook had severe back pain and headache.

"This is fun, we should do this again sometime!" The lady said with enthusiasm.

Jungkook wasn't too sure whether he wanted to go through this torture again or not but he nodded out of politeness, regardless.

"Ok, gimme your number, I'll let you know the next day I'm free and we can arrange a date again" the lady grinned toothily making Jungkook blush four shades of red.

'A DATE??????!!????'

"He-here" Jungkook politely held up his phone showing his contact number as the lady saved it.

"Name?" She asked.

"Jungkook, Jeon Jungkook" He whispered as she finally hit save and called him.

Jungkook saw the unknown number popping up on his phone screen and looked at the lady.

"Taeri, Choi Taeri" Taeri smiled at him.
.
.
.
.
Jungkook was slowly finding out how many things they had in common.

Just like him Taeri was also into fitness and sports, she also had a passion for art and singing.

For the first time in life Jungkook felt like he finally found somebody who got his ideals and point of view.

Their hangout dates went from being a weekly occurrence to a daily routine.

From meet up at the library to hanging out in the gaming cafe to visiting art exhibitions to going to see concerts.

Jungkook was happy.

It felt like the void inside of him was filling up slowly.

Late night texts turned into hour long phone calls and the urgency to meet everyday no matter what, slowly made him realise that this might not be just a simple case of crush after all.

He wanted to be her boyfriend.

He wanted to confess.
.
.
.
.
"Then don't be a pussy and just confess!" Lisa yelled at him like it was the most obvious thing to do.

"But I'm just a minor!" Jungkook protested,"What if she's just being kind and I'm just being a horny teenager?!" Jungkook groaned and covered his face with the couch cushion, half-heartedly trying to suffocate himself.

"That could also be the case, you're not wrong" Yoongi said from the kitchen where he was making popcorn for their Friday movie night.

"Yoongi you're not helping!" Lisa yelled to which Yoongi just shrugged.

"I think she knows" Jimin spoke up,"You're way too obvious, there's no where she can't tell" He said, sitting in the bean bag as he scrolled around for a movie to watch.

"Point" Lisa said as she poured the chips in a bowl and plopped down beside Jungkook.

"You guys give third class love advice" Jungkook grumbled as he grabbed a handful of chips and shoved them in his mouth.

"Then stick to your own conclusion genius" Yoongi said as he came back with the popcorn and nudged Jungkook to scoot a little so that he can sit down on the other side.

"Honestly, just confessed, the worst she can say is that she thought you were gay" Lisa shrugged.

"Or that she can't say yes cause she has a secret fiance" Jimin shrugged.

"Or that she can't say yes because she's actually an undercover super spy, here to destroy your entire family" Yoongi shrugged.

"You guys need group therapy" Jungkook voice out, focusing on munching down the chips.
.
.
.
.
"You dad keeps taking piles and piles of papers home, where does he even keep them? Your house must plastered with official papers from the inside at this point" Taeri complained as she took a bite of her ice cream.

"Nah, he keeps those in his house office" Jungkook  gently corrected, focusing on his own ice cream.

"House office?" Taeri asked, suddenly really curious about it.

"Yeah, he has a house office, he stores all the paper there and spends his time holed inside there whenever he's home" Jungkook informed absentmindedly.

"Did you ever have the fortune to sneak in there?" Taeri asked as she resumed eating her ice cream.

Jungkook cheekily grinned,"More times than you can imagine" He stated proudly,"I figured out his password and I some times sneak pizza money from there" He said.

"Can you do me a favour, Jungkook?" Taeri's voice suddenly dropped to serious tone.

Jungkook looked,"Just say it" He said with determination.

"I'm new to Seoul and this job pays well, I really need this job until I can plan a backup but my employee report this month is really bad, I'm afraid I might get fired and then I'd have to return to my hometown again" Taeri spoke with a sense of grief.

"I want to stay here in Seoul" She looked up at Jungkook who was looking at her with sympathy,"With you" She put her hand over his hand.

Jungkook's eyes widened at the gesture,"Noona...?" He asked breathless.

"Jungkook, I like you" Taeri said and slowly retreated her hand,"You might find me disgusting-"

"No!" Jungkook denied,"I-I, me too, I like Noona as well" He shuttered, his face becoming hot really quick,"Pl-Please tell me how I can help you!" He asked instead.

Taeri looked at him calmly,"There's a certain file that I'm looking for, I don't know how it looks like but I'm sure one of them has my employment track record, please keep bringing me files until I get it, Jungkook" She pleaded, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I really need that file"
.
.
.
.
Jungkook began to sneak files to Taeri, she'd instantly return them after determining that it wasn't that file.

It went on for days and months until Jungkook got caught.

And so began the worst time of Jungkook's life.
.
.
.
.
"Are you really betraying me for that girl, Jungkook?"

Jungkook stopped in his track as he turned around to see his father standing in the doorway, dressed in his expensive suit, as if he drove here straight from the office, which he actually did.

"Wha-what girl?" Jungkook tried to play dumb as he tried to hide the file behind himself.

"Choi Taeri" Jungoh delivered and smirked when he saw his son had momentarily stopped breathing,"Touched a nerve there, didn't I?" He asked smugly.

For the first time in life Jungkook found himself rebelling against his father as he pushed him back to the wall by the collar,"If you harm her, I'll kill you" He gritted out.

"Kill me?" Jungoh laughed wholeheartedly,"You amuse me, dear, your naivety and innocence makes it all funnier" Jungoh stated looking back at Jungkook.

"There's no employment track record here, son, she tricked you, she just wanted the other files which you kept providing in my absence" Jungoh uttered but Jungkook refused to believe him.

"LIES!" He yelled refusing to believe or entertain anything his father had to say.

Jungoh just looked at his son, severally disappointed,"Then why don't you come with me and see for yourself?" He suggested and instantly captured Jungkook's attention.

"See what?" Jungkook asked out dreadfully, he hoped his father hadn't tortured Taeri, he felt like he'd kill his father if he even thought of touching a hair strand on her head.

"That girl's real nature?" Jungoh questioned back and smirked when he saw Jungkook's eyes widening,"What? You thought you were the only one she was asking for files?" He asked stepping closer to his son.

"I'm sure she told you she's busy now, right? Why don't you come with me and witness exactly what she's been busy doing?" He asked as Jungkook's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"If this is a sick joke, dad-" Jungkook  began but was cut off by Jungoh.

"Why don't you come with me and find out?"
.
.
.
.
Jungkook felt like crying.

Taeri was sitting in a cafe with Jimin as they gleefully chatted and laughed. Taeri was even lovingly putting her hand over Jimin, her eyes holding nothing but affection.

"A sly little vixen, isn't she?" Jungoh asked as he sat on the driver's seat while Jungkook was still staring out of the car window.

"I-is Jimin-"

"No, he's a smart and obedient kid, his father asked him to spy on her and it turned out she couldn't pass up on the opportunity to get her hands over some Park Industrial files as well, though we've been carefully supplying her with useless files" Jungoh whispered carelessly, eyeing the shrunken figure of his son.

"Although an interesting development happened" Jungoh said and only received silence as response.

Jungoh smirked at the predictable behavior and continued,"It seems like Choi Taeri developed real feelings for Jimin"

Jungkook snapped his head back, tears streaming down his face, heart broken into pieces.
.
.
.
.
"I hope you're aware of what you need to do" Jungoh spoke as he slide a gun across the desk, towards Jungkook as they along with Jimin and his father stood inside Jungoh's office.

"You caused it so it's your responsibility to fix it" He said as he gave his son a hard glare,"And if you fail then feel free to shoot yourself in the head " He added, threat and anger clear in his voice.
.
.
.
.
"Why did you do this Noona?" Jungkook  asked as he and Jimin stood in the factory warehouse.

Taeri, tied against a chair just smirked sarcastically,"For revenge" She answered easily.

Jungkook felt tears slipping past his eyes once again,"You playing with my feelings for revenge? Bu-but you said you lo-loved me.." He choked out, feeling like he was unable to breath.

Taeri grimaced at Jungkook's words and looked away towards the side.

Jungkook sniffed a little at the reaction,"A-answer me.." He stuttered out, feeling like someone was tightly squeezing his gut.

However Taeri still refused to answer.

"I saw you with Jimin" Jungkook mumbled gaining Taeri's attention,"You looked so ha-happy with him, Noona..wh-why can't you love me the way you love Jimin?" He asked desperately as he stepped closer and grabbed her face, pulling the gun out.

"My dad asked me to kill you.." Jungkook  whimpered as he dragged the gun down the side of Taeri's face making her momentarily stop breathing as her eyes followed the path of the gun.

"If only you had loved me and stopped doing this, we could have been happy" Jungkook whispered as he shed more tears,"Noona, tell me you love me and maybe I can convince dad to spare you" He asked hopefully, desperately hoping she'd say yes.

Taeri just stared up at Jungkook's frowning face,"I only ever truly loved one person" She whispered as her gaze fell on Jimin who stood behind Jungkook, watching everything unfold with a sad expression,"And I'm determined to keep it that way" She finished staring back at Jungkook, getting her point across.

Jungkook gritted his teeth at the rejection,"WHY COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN ME?! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE! YOU SHOULD LOVE ME TOO!" He yelled out, foolishly thinking yelling will make her magically fall in love.

Taeri glared at Jungkook with disgust,"I never loved you! You were just a chess piece of my plan! In fact, I hate you!" She screamed and suddenly pulled her, now free hands back, instantly knocking the gun off of Jungkook's hands and kicking him away before sprinting towards the exit.

Jungkook groaned on the floor and sprung up on his feet.

There was no other way now.

He needed to kill Choi Taeri or kill himself.

With teary eyes he reached out to the discarded gun on the floor and stood up properly, stumbling a little in the process.

Rushing towards the exit, he felt Jimin following him silently, not saying a single word.

His vision was blurry but he could still make out the retreating back of Taeri.

For a moment Jungkook did consider killing him instead of Taeri, he couldn't take anymore torture but he knew Choi Taeri was going to die one way or another, if not from his hands them from someone else's.

So with trembling hands, Jungkook held up the gun and aimed,"Noona stop.." He whispered but Taeri didn't hear him.

Taking a deep and quivering breath, Jungkook tried to aim again in spite of his blurry vision.

He felt like passing out. He was exhausted both mentally and physically and his head was filled with dark thoughts, the thoughts of being betrayed, fooled, used.

He told himself he hated her. He told himself he'd be happy after killing her. He told himself this was what she deserved for doing those things to him, for deceiving him. He let his dark thoughts consume him and lead him through the process as he put his finger on the trigger of the gun.

BANG!
_______________________________

A/n :- That was a long flashback (O_O)

Question of the chapter :-

What are your thoughts on the events that took place in the past?

(Answer only if you want to)

Oh and I saw many saying they started rereading the story, I just wanna say that even after this long and a haitus for two years the overwhelming love and support you guys show to my works is- it leaves me speechless. I came back on wattpad with the goal of completing the books this time so I hope I don't let you guys down although since I'm updating 4 different books at once it might take me around a week to update again but I will update soon ^^

Thank you very much for reading, voting and commenting until now guys!

Love ya all!!! ❤❤❤