❝ You shouldn't need to look ❞

indifferent: black and white

──

"Of all the things you could have loved, why was it me?" She screamed, practically begging out of sorrow. The man's face didn't even budge, not even the slightest when there was a woman on her knees, grabbing his ankles as if her life is depending on it, and tears bursting out in terror. 

 "Of all the things you could have loved, why couldn't it be me?" He responded nulling his remorse.

"C-Couldn't it be you? Are you kidding me? I loved you as if there was tomorrow. I loved you more than anyone could have! I threw away everything and came with you. And you say I didn't love you? You tainted me badly and left, you coward! you just left without taking care of your responsibility! you abandoned me!"

The man crouched down, gazing into her eyes with pity. "I was young, I was a fool, my dear. Not my fault you believed every word I said when I wasn't sure for myself. Neither were you sure. You never loved me, and neither did I. We were fools."

She clutched his collar, anger, and fear burning together. "Back then you said you loved me, you liar!" Tears trickled down from her cheeks burning with rage as her skin started to hurt. "You were just a fool, my dear. Back then, right now. You are a fool," his crystal-sharp words pierced her mind like arrows.

He stood up, brushing away the tears staining his formal wear and checking his Bulgari watch. Her eyes twitched in horror at how nonchalant he is after ruining the life of a woman who believed had loved him. He turned his back, moving forward with no hesitation as she cried once again at his leave.

Jin gripped at the curtains, his heart not bearing the sight of his mother breaking down. His little black shoes tapped the ground when he ran to the man, panting and head crowded with questions. His fingers found its ways to his blazer, pulling it up and down to grab his attention.

"Why can't you just love my mother?" He questioned, blinking his tears away.

'Mother is a good person. Why can't he like her?' Jin thought.

The man looked down with startlement, the child of his own demanding such question. He kneeled down, untangling the locks in his chestnut hair as he brushed it. "Because love, my son, is the most twisted emotion of them all," he smiled.

"Jin, was it?" His authorizing voice husked. Jin nodded his head up and down, "Mother calls me Jinnie. And I don't know what father calls me." The man chuckled like he was listening to a humorous podcast, his hands tapping the young boy's head. "Jin, I think I will call you, Jin."

"would you like to join me for lunch, Jin?" He continued, grabbing the child's hands. "Will you love mother if I do so?" He replied quickly. The man nodded his head laughing, "sure, Jin."

'Is Father a good person?' Jin had this question in his mind.

'There is only good and bad, nothing in between. If father is not a good person, then he is bad.'

The long table had delicacy crafted by the best of the chefs, and candles of luxury, and wine as old as time. Jin's trembling hands sliced the meat on his plate. "How is the food?" The man smiled, sipping the alcohol from the glass. "It all tastes the same," he popped the meat inside his mouth and chewed.

"Is that sarcasm?" He raised an eyebrow at his frivolous question being answered with an undefined answer. Jin shook his head, "not at all father. The food really taste just the same."

"Really?" the man continued in disbelief. The marvelous taste of butter and honey melted throughout his mouth, almost as if heaven descended to the mortal world and resided in the chef's hands and yet, his son called it nothing.

He swiped the white cloth in his mouth, "then, son, would you like to tour the mansion with me?" Jin nodded, letting go of the tight grip he had on the fork. They strolled through the corridors, his father proudly boasting about the paintings he hung on the wall.

"It's called the face of war by Salvador Dali. Quite a unique taste you have to keep staring at this gruesome painting," The man commented, watching his son entranced by a painting of infinite faces. "It's just the same as others," Jin simply responded, shocking the man.

"What do you mean, son? The colors are quite inviting, aren't they?" The man said trying to lure the artistic side of his spawn. His mother was an artist, of course, he must have a good eye for painting. How could he bad-mouth a masterpiece?

"The colors are inviting? Father, they are all just black and white." 

"B-Black and white?" The man laughed. "What do you mean by black and white?"

Jin batted his eyes innocently, "everything father, everything I see is just black and white."

The man's face deformed into a disgusting expression and he kneeled down, gripping tight to Jin's shoulders, almost crushing them, "So that dumb hag gave birth to a failure? You can't see colors? Haha! What a fucking waste of my time."

The man bad-mouthing and the sudden change of attitude made him realize, who he was.

'Oh, father is a bad person.'

***

"Are you shitting me!? Jungkook!?" Lisa slammed her hands on the table harshly, not buying even a single word coming out of his mouth. Jungkook sighed, nodding his head vigorously to show how firm he was. "Mrs. Musahi contacted you? And she also requested to meet you? That's absurd, why would she do that!?" Lisa continued prosecuting.

"What if this was a trap?" Jimin said softly, making all the member's heads turn in his direction. Jisoo was unbelievably silent as if her mouths were stitched to prevent talking. Jisoo would always be the one to point out abrupt events and yell, but today, her head was occupied with a cloud. The others noticed it, but still didn't talk about it.

Her brother's murder must have been traumatizing.

"Not to mention you also have to investigate Namjoon's murder! Why are you leaving at a time like this?" Chaeyoung spoke now. "My assistant will take my position. You guys don't have to worry..." Jungkook trailed, his lips twisted when he subtly glanced at Jin and Jisoo. Jisoo's face was completely pale, drained out of all energy as she didn't blink even for a moment.

"This doesn't add up. Why are you leaving when Namjoon, One of us was killed? This isn't just some trivial matter you can pass on to some assistant. It's our cousin, our brother!" Emily knitted her eyebrows in frustration when she passed on the comment. 

"One of us? Haha. Don't make me laugh, Lisa. You're not worrying because one of us died, it's because you are scared you might be next," Jungkook glared at her. "Okay, that's enough," Jin voiced out, making the other's mind and voice submissive.

"Being contacted by the lady of a well-known clan is once in a lifetime opportunity. Not to mention they are the highest of the high-society, almost controlling the world. We can't let this slip away, Jungkook. You should leave, and gather information about her daughters and report back immediately," Jin stood up saying.

"but-"

"No buts. Jungkook is leaving whether you like it or not. We can't be dancing on Blaze's palms forever. I have to get rid of her no matter the cost," Jin responded, clutching onto the thick frame on his chair.

──

❝ through coloured glasses ❞