Jungkook walked on the green grass as he tightly held a bag. Reaching a particular spot, he stopped as he put the bag down. He bowed a little in respect as the cool breeze behind swayed his hair slightly.

In the ever loving memory of Dr Kim Seong Ha and Dr Shin Si Mok.

Loving parents to Shin Chaerin

(19XX - 20XX)

Seoul

He bent down in front of the stone as he removed a brush and cleared of the dirt. Getting a fresh bouquet of flowers, he placed it right there as he smiled. Taking a picnic mat, he placed it beside and sat down cross legged. "You know what happened, don't you?", he spoke as if he was talking to real people.

"I am proud of her. For not going through with that. Somewhere within her, there was the old Chae we knew. The one that loved Alison too much to do anything to her"

The wind rustling also brought some flowers and leaves. Jungkook chuckled. If someone was seeing him right now, they would probably think he was acting crazy. But that was just a routine for him. Visiting Chaerin's parents every month with flowers and cleaning their grave. Occasionally he brought a bottle of soju to share with them just like he did today.

"I got this new one", he spoke and removed the bottle on the ground beside him. "And snacks too. Pops remember that chips we used to really like? The one they discontinued? Guess what", with that he pulled a snack out. "They brought it back! I have eaten so many of these past week. I think I am going to get sick. But Esther loves these too. So we know our taste is good. That picky monster is too bougie and eats only organic things. My mother's influence probably rubbed on her", he laughed.

Just as he was about to open the Soju, he noticed something. "What the heck", he scoffed raising the bottle. "When did they start putting bottle caps on Soju like they were beer bottles? How am I going to open this now?"

He tried using a chopstick to pop off the cap but it didn't work. Next he tried to use his teeth to remove but stopped as something struck him.

"This looks like it won't be a good idea. I can already hear my dentist screaming at me", he sighed and took the bottle away. "Ah wait, I'll just call the manager of the funeral house. He should have one. Be back!"

———•••———

Chaerin walked towards on the green grass, holding two bouquets in her hand. She let the earth touch the side of her bare feet that peeked through her sandals as the cold grass soothed the skin.

For the first time she was dressed not as Grace but as Chaerin. She wasn't decked in designer stuff. Just a plain old white tshirt and pants. Something she always wore when she was younger.

Taking a step towards where here parents had been buried, she halted when she saw that someone had already placed flowers. And a picnic like set up had been made. A deep confusion took over her as she looked around. Was Jimin or Jennie there?

"Chaerin"

She turned back to see Jungkook standing there holding a bottle of Soju. She squinted her eyes as she tried to make sense of why the man was here. "What are you doing here?"

Before he could answer, an old man came running towards them. "JUNGKOOK-AH", he yelled. "Take your bottle opener. Thankfully we always keep one. A lot of people stop by to share a beer with their loved ones who are buried here and for some reason no one thinks about bringing a bottle opener. We got asked so many times, we decided we will keep one here"

The man halted as he saw Chaerin. "Oh", he raised an eyebrow. "Who is she? Do you have a guest today?"

"She is their daughter", Jungkook answered. "Shin Chaerin"

"Oh! Apologies. My name is Min Sang Woo. I am the director of the funeral house. I know you are confused about why I talk so casually to Jungkook. I have practically seen him every month for the last seven years so we know each other well"

Chaerin's eyes widened as she looked at Jungkook who just look down, embarrassed. In his mind he knew Chaerin was wondering why he visited her parents so often even though he practically had nothing to do with them anymore.

"I see", the woman replied.

"You should come here more young lady. Your parents would feel better wherever they are. I know they are tired of this brat constantly being here anyway. I still don't know how he is even related to them and why he keeps showing up", with that he chuckled a little before mumbling something and slowly walking back towards the funeral house.

An awkward silence took over the both of them. Jungkook cleared his throat to gain the woman's attention. "Shall we?", he motioned towards the grave and the woman nodded. The duo walked there and Jungkook distanced  himself from the woman so she could have some privacy to lay down the flowers and spend some alone time there.

He grabbed his mat and basket as he sat on a garden hill nearby waiting for the woman. A few minutes later Chaerin sat down beside him cross legged as they both stared at the hundreds of graves in front of them.

"Why do you come here", Chaerin directly asked breaking silence. "The man said you are here every month"

"I do the up keeping", Jungkook softly replied, startled for a moment at this sudden question. "The weeds are wild and they will probably ruin the grave so I maintain it"

"Is that the only reason?", the woman looked at him. "You come here only because you want to do some gardening?"

"I—I mean—I guess", he tried to find words but sighed when he couldn't put together a coherent sentence. Coming clean seemed like the only good option at the moment.

"No", he confessed. "I come here because I want to. Because I have a lot of love and respect for your parents and I want to be there for them even when they aren't around. I come here because it brings me peace. It makes me feel less guilty about how things unfolded"

"Make sense", the woman mumbled softly. "I thought it was Jimin who did the up keeping. I mean I just assumed it. I didn't know it was you"

"Hyung did it the first 2-3 months", the man replied. "But I think he got very emotional and it was too much for him to handle. Especially when he didn't know where you were. So he stopped coming after. Not that he told me this. I kind of sensed it. We haven't talked in all these years. The one time I ran into him, he was very uncomfortable with my presence. So he asked me to leave and I did. I didn't want him getting upset"

"Jimin", the woman sighed. "You know how he is. He carries a wild grudge. But he'll come around eventually. It takes him time. And I will talk to him."

Jungkook nodded before they fell into a silence. He looked at her and the woman met his eyes before looking away. "Thank you", he spoke. "For not going through with the whole acquisition. Alison seems like she is doing so much better after the conversation you both had. She looks happy and has a different vibe now. Like the one we knew when we were younger. She also told me about it. I know it was very hard for you to do this but I will be forever grateful. Thank you for protecting her"

Chaerin nodded. "I think I also owe you an apology Jungkook. I am—"

"Don't", he cut her off. "Don't. Please. There are no circumstances where you should be apologizing to me. I was the one that did damage. None of this would have happened if I wasn't such a fucking coward and—"

He stopped as he realized he was mumbling too much. A sigh left his mouth as he turned his head down. "And did not sacrifice what we had. It is all my fault and I don't think any apology can ever be enough for it."

When he looked at Chaerin, she looked like she was fighting tears.

"It didn't have to go that way", she spoke a little harsh. "You know that right?"

"Know what?"

"You did not have to sacrifice our relationship for the sake of my happiness. For my career and future life."

A deep sense of guilt took over Jungkook as he heard this. He knew one day he was going to have this conversation but the moment he was in that situation, he felt helpless. He just sat there, trying his best to stop shaking as tears pooled in his eyes. Somehow hearing Chaerin say this was even more painful.

"I was not the selfish person you thought I was", she continued while sobbing. "I wasn't going to prioritize my career and ambition over the man I loved. You had no right to make decisions on my behalf, without asking me what I wanted. I too was capable of making sacrifices. And I would have made them very happily for our sake. Because my love and affection for you then exceeded everything. All you had to do Jungkook was", with that she stopped for a second. "Trust me"

Jungkook couldn't control himself as he broke into more tears.

"True love isn't letting go of the person. It is not about making painful choices that made the both of us suffer. Its about fighting to be with them. Fighting for us. We should have fought for our love when we had the chance"

"I am sorry Chae", he spoke. "I had no choice. I did not want my father to do something to you. I wanted you to always live your best life because I knew the great things you were capable of. The things you wanted out of life. But in retrospect maybe I did not really know what you wanted. I took decisions for you without asking you and that is my mistake"

The woman did not say anything as she kept looking at him before angrily muttering a, "Fucking dumb ass dramatic bitch, really thought we were fucking Romeo and Juliet and that we needed to have such a tragic story. DOESN'T MATTER IF YOUR FATHER MADE ME UNEMPLOYED. I WOULD HAVE SOLD GIMBAP AND TTEOBOKKI AT THE NIGHT MARKET FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. DON'T YOU KNOW I AM A WICKED GOOD CHEF. WE COULD HAVE TURNED THAT INTO A FUCKING FOOD EMPIRE WITH BOTH OUR CAPABILITIES"

Jungkook wasn't expecting this angry rant at all before he burst into a chuckle through his tears. Chaerin couldn't control herself either as she laughed too.

"I missed this", he spoke turning to her. "I missed you a lot. And those seven years where I had no idea where you were, whether you were alive or not — were purely a fear hell for me. And when I saw you that first time, I don't think you understand the relief and surge of emotions I felt that day"

A silence took over them once again when the woman did not know how to respond. She fiddled with her fingers for a bit before turning to him. "I think our memories are all we have. Even when we are on a path of healing and forgiveness, we both know we cannot be together"

"I know", the man said looking down. "I have a family that needs me. Esther needs her dad and Alison needs someone who can be there for her. Even though my love for you knows no bound, its not a road I can walk on again"

The woman nodded. "Take good care of them for me. We might not be able to salvage our friendship but at the end of the day I want her and Esther to be cared for. Be their source of strength and love. They have been through enough already"

"So have you", he turned to her. "And I just want all of you to be happy now"

There was a moment where they both kept looking at one another. Their eyes met twice accidentally and the tension was numbing. Jungkook fiddled with his fingers before he cleared his throat. "Can I?", he asked. "For the last time give you a hug?"

The woman didn't say anything for a second but then almost instinctively jumped in his arms as if she was already waiting for him to ask. Everything within Jungkook broke loose as he couldn't stop the tears. He hugged her as tightly as he could, having the woman in his embrace after so long. Chaerin tried not to show it as she too hid her face in his chest, crying and cursing herself mentally for staining his shirt. They stayed in this for a few seconds, both their grips on one another getting stronger by the passing second.

"Find someone who is capable of loving you and live a happy life. You have suffered enough and all of us have been very unkind to you. I just want to see you live your best life", he whispered in her ears before separating her away from him and holding her face gently.

"Can you do that for me Chae?"

She did not reply but continued crying. He gently kissed her cheek like he had done numerous time when they were together before touching their foreheads together. In the comfortable silence, for the last time they held each other tightly. Chaerin wished she could stop time and live in this moment forever but she knew that was just wishful thinking.

Jungkook never wanted to let go of her. But he knew if he became weak in this moment, he was never going to be able to get her off his mind. He hastily separated the both of them before grabbing his things off the ground and turning away to leave. Chaerin did not say anything, a part of her understanding why he was acting this way. As she saw him leave, the necklace in his neck caught her attention once again.

"Can I at least have my half of the necklace back?". Jungkook halted in his steps as he turned back. Picking the jewelry with his fingers, he observed it gently.

"No", he smiled at her. "I think I'll hold onto this one. You don't need it anymore. Keep that neck empty for someone to adorn it with another beautiful necklace. You don't need to be reminded of the memories of this one when you are making a fresh start"

With that he walked away. Chaerin watched his back as a genuine smile formed on her face. "So this is how it ends Kook", she whispered to herself before walking the other way herself.

———•••———

Jungkook observed the worn down building in front of him as he took in his surroundings. It had been seven years since he came here. The shop was currently closed and there weren't many people around. What was he even doing here? He felt a few eyes on him, older people, whispering as they saw a man with an expensive car in a neighborhood which had never seen such glory. He had to leave.

Just as he was about to make way to his car, he heard someone call out.

"Excuse me young man"

He stopped in his tracks as he turned back to see a woman staring at him. "Do you need something? I have been watching you from inside the shop. You have been staring at it for a few minutes. We keep close on Sunday but you can come back tomorrow morning for our lunch special"

"Sorry I am not here to eat um, I'll just go. Thanks", he hastily turned away.

"Wait"

He stopped in his tracks as the woman looked at him intently. She then proceeded to check out his car before realization took over her face. "Are you?", she hesitated for a bit. "JungHyun's son?"

Jungkook was completely blown away by how the woman had identified him. Given his identity was out, he just nodded softly. "How did you know who I was?"

The woman chuckled. "You look exactly like he did when he was in his early thirties. How could I not recognize my own brother's son. I hope you know who I am?"

"His younger sister", he spoke. "Aunt Hyeri"

The woman smiled. "Hearing aunt sounds great. Jungkook right?", she asked unsure.

"You know my name?", he asked.

"You father always had a name he was going to use for his son. His twin and your uncle too. Going by that memory he probably name his kid, your cousin, Jaewon I am assuming?"

Jungkook nodded not wanting to hear that wretched name. Hyeri smiled as he confirmed that. "I am surprised you know about me. My family — or should I now say the Jeon's did everything they could to make sure I was no longer associated to their prestigious name"

"Mom told me about you", he replied.

Hyeri didn't say anything as she squinted her eyes. "Do you want to come in and eat?", she offered. "My nephew must taste the good food his aunt is capable of making", she joked.

He chuckled and nodded. The woman ushered him in as she cleared out a table. "Take your pick or I'll just make what I make best"

"Whatever you would like to make. I'll eat anything", the man replied pouring himself a glass of water.

The woman nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Some time later, she emerged with a tray full of food and placed it in front of the man. Jungkook was stunned to see the spread. "What, is this not enough? I can whip up some more. Give me a few minutes"

"Ma'am—I mean—Aunt", Jungkook's eyes widened and he stopped her. "This is a lot. Thank you for the food. Why don't you join me"

Hyeri was relieved to hear it was enough for him as she pulled a chair out and settled down. Jungkook slurped on the noodles as he drank its broth and ate a snack on the side. This was one of the best meals he had. Just something about it felt like it had been made with a lot of love and care.

"So Jungkook? What are you upto? Do you work with your dad? Are you a family man?"

He nodded. "I lead the technology investment division of the Jeon family office. And I am married. I have a daughter, she is seven years old"

The woman smiled a little before she chuckled to herself. "But are you married to the woman you always wanted to marry?"

He stopped eating as he looked at her, not sure why the woman asked such an absurd question and most importantly how she pinned his life correctly. "You said", she began. "That your mom brought you here. Sister-in-law is a good woman but she is a woman of luxury and class. She would never come to an area like this unless she wanted to set an example for you on why you shouldn't marry the woman your family doesn't approve of? Am I right?"

Jungkook was dumbfounded and felt an intense embarrassment as he heard this. "No I don't think mom meant it—"

"Its okay Jungkook. She probably was right. And she had to care for her son. But it seems you took the advice well given how you did not end up like I did"

"Do you regret it?", he asked. "Not listening to them. Going against their wishes and losing everything you had? Knowing that you could be living a vastly different life. Are you upset with them? Do you hate them?"

Hyeri fell into a silence as she wondered for a minute. A small smile perched on her face as she answered. "I don't hate anyone. But I am upset. Upset that the men of that house would rather lose someone they love than lose what think is their dignity and class. But I don't regret my decision one bit because this—"

With that she looked around before resting her eyes on a photo frame in the distance. "Is worth more to me than any materialistic thing ever will be. No man could have ever made me happier than Hyuk Jae, my husband does. He is the reason I have my son who I love beyond words can express. And I would much rather live like this with them than be drenched in money and unhappily stay in a marriage"

As he heard this Jungkook nodded a little, overwhelmed with emotions to speak further. Chaerin's words played in his mind and he could see the parallels between their stories.

"I can see it, you know", the woman continued with a sad smile. "That you had someone you had to leave because of what your dad must have done. I am sorry you had to go through that"

"I had no choice", he began. "He threatened her. And I thought it was best to let go of her. I felt I was protecting her by being away. But in reality all I did was break her completely. This was seven years ago and everyday I live knowing that life could have been different had I shown a little more courage"

"You made your choice son and you must be strong enough to bear the consequences of it. I will not pretend my HyukJae's life was an ideal drama romance. Even though I have no regrets choosing him over my family, some days have been tough for the both of us. And in those days I lived knowing that I was the cause for the mess. Its not easy living with the realization that he could be a successful engineer but instead he chops vegetables in a dingy little kitchen for a living. And even though they will never blame us for what happened, it doesn't change the fact that they are in this position because of us"

Jungkook nodded, almost as if those words resonated deeply with him.

"But I also know", she sadly smiled. "That he is exactly where he wants to be. He could have always left me if he wanted to prioritize his life and career. My father and your grandfather gave him a choice. He refused. And he doesn't regret it. So then who am I to question and disrespect his choices?"

———•••———

Jeon JungHyun sat in the balcony of his office as he sipped on a glass of scotch. In front of him was a beautiful Cherry blossom tree which he had taken care of for the past 35 years. He watched it sway slightly as the pink petals detached slightly and fell on the ground below.

"Back at watching the cherry blossom?"

He stopped sipping on his drink as he turned back to see Jungkook standing there.

"Why not", he answered his son. "Its the fruit of my hard work just like the efforts I have put towards our business. I am just watching it prosper"

"So that tree has nothing to do with Sae Bom?"

The older halted in his actions as he heard this. Jungkook came and sat beside him, pouring himself a glass of the alcohol. "Did your mother tell you something?"

"She did", the man replied. "Not now. I have known it for seven years now"

"Why are you bringing her up today then? It is a part of my past. I am now married to your mother. It doesn't matter who Sae Bom was now. It has been a long time"

"It matters", Jungkook chuckled with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Because you are wrong. You have been wrong all this time"

The older did not say anything, waiting for the younger to continue.

"I met her today. Your sister"

At the mention of the woman, Jung Hyun's eyes widened as he put his glass back on the table, his fingers clasped around the tight cold glass, indicating a sense of frustration and disbelief.

"And you are wrong if you think that you are making her suffer. All these years you, uncle and grandfather probably thought that she might have lived a terrible life and was regretting her actions. You thought you were an authority who had decided she wasn't worthy of a good life because she dared to choose her own self and love over the family's reputation. But to be honest, she is probably happier than all of us combined. I think your plan failed. By cutting her off, you actually gave her freedom"

The older looked away as he heard this, a mix of disturbance and embarrassment on his face that he didn't want Jungkook to see.

"Your own sister. Who loved you, looked up to you and expected you to protect her — you chose your money, wealth and fame above her. And not just her - me too", a sob was heard.

"You were my hero growing up. I used to look at you in awe and surprise. I had no words to express the love and affection I had for my father. But slowly as I grew up, I realized. You never loved me—"

"That is not true Jungkook", his father immediately butt in, sentiment taking the best of him as he tried to defend his position.

"It is absolutely true. You only saw me as a means to express your success. You wanted me to be exactly like you. You couldn't come to terms with the fact that I was my own person and that I had things, people, experiences and passions that were different than yours. I had to play golf because you said it. I absolutely wasn't allowed to pursue art because you thought it wasn't fit for men to be artsy. Tell me how long must I live as a reflection of you? When do I get to be myself?"

"Jungkook-ah I only did it for your sake. So you could be the best—"

"No", Jungkook laughed through tears. "I didn't want to be the best. I just wanted to be me. I wanted to be happy. And guess what, I am not"

A silence fell over the duo. Jungkook's dad sat there, as if someone had pierced his heart with a hundred arrows. The younger poured his feelings out, knowing very well this was the only time he was ever going to get a chance.

"You don't see the consequences your actions have on people. You have ruined every person who has ever looked at you for support and strength. Me, mom and your sister. When you should have been our guiding light, you have been nothing but absolute darkness in our lives"

With that he walked away from there. His father sat there, not sure how to react. For the first time in life he felt defeated. Like he had been shown a mirror and he hated what it showed back. A lone tear rolled down his eye as he stared at the cherry blossom tree in front of him.