Yoongi leaned back in his seat, eyes closed. “My son…” he whispered softly. After five years and 111 days, Jungkook finally opened his eyes. But he remembered nothing. Not even his own father.

Now, Jungkook hated everyone and everything.

“Yoongi…” Hoseok’s gentle voice broke the silence as he sat beside him. “Are you okay?”

“Hmm,” Yoongi hummed, eyes still closed. “What did he say?”

“Just… forget about him, Hoseok. Jimin will be here tomorrow.”

“But… Jungkook… my child…” Hoseok’s voice cracked.

“Please,” Yoongi whispered, “I don’t want to compel him…”

“Why?” Hoseok’s voice was barely a breath. “Why is everything like this? Why is nothing right in our lives?”

“Destiny,” Yoongi murmured. “Maybe it’s our past sins coming back to claim their revenge.”

“Can you tell me what happened?” Hoseok pressed. “Jin mentioned something, and now you, too… Who is she? Why is everything so complicated? Why did you divorce your first wife?” He looked at his husband, a trace of pain in his gaze.

Yoongi took a deep breath. “She… she was in love with my best friend. Madly, deeply. But because of family pressure, she married me. She never loved me—instead, she harbored resentment against everyone. After Namjoon married Jin, she spiraled into depression. One day, she told her father and Namjoon that I tried to kill her. They came to confront me, and she… she tried to take her own life. That was the breaking point. I asked her father to take her away, to free me from that misery, and he did. After that… all I wanted was a child, and that’s why I found you as my surrogate.” Yoongi’s voice faded, the weight of his confession lingering in the air.

Hoseok hesitated before asking, “Can I tell him… that I gave birth to him?”

“No.” Yoongi’s voice was firm. “Let him believe what he knows now. Let him live in peace.” He leaned back in the chair once more, and silence stretched between them as Hoseok stared into the darkness, feeling its weight settle around them both.

****************

“Good morning, Uncle,” Hayun greeted warmly with a smile.

“Good morning, child… Where’s Jungkook?” he asked.

“In his room,” she replied.

“Haneol came back a few weeks ago,”  Mr. Kim added after a moment.

“Jin called me two days ago. He told me,” she said, glancing at him.

“Jungkook!” he called, his gaze shifting to Hayun.

“He’s 42 now,” she murmured, looking down. “I don’t think he’d marry a 28-year-old man.”

“Talk to him, Hayun. You know Haneol—he only wants Jungkook. Otherwise, he…” Her uncle trailed off.

“I know,” she replied softly, still looking down. “I could compel him… but don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll talk to him.”

*********

“Listen, Kooki…” his mother’s voice echoed in his mind. “That old man, he’s done so much for me. Now he’s nearing his end, and his only wish is to see his grandchild safe and happy. Don’t think about the age difference, Jungkook… Please, marry him for me… Please, Kooki…”

Jungkook took a deep breath, recalling her plea about marrying a 28-year-old man.

“Are you okay, sir?” Lisa asked, glancing at him as they drove toward the office in Jungkook’s car.

“Yes… Schedule the conference.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, opening her laptop. Suddenly, the car came to a screeching halt. Someone had darted out in front of them on a bicycle.

“You go ahead and continue the meeting,” Jungkook instructed, emerging from the car with growing frustration. Lisa sighed, turning back to her laptop.

Outside, Jungkook was yelling at the cyclist, who shouted back, defending himself. In anger, Jungkook grabbed the bicycle, throwing it aside. The young man cried out in defiance, and the heated argument escalated.

Lisa watched her boss’s temper rise, unable to intervene. But as she looked up, her heart stopped. Her laptop slipped from her hands, hitting the seat with a dull thud. “Tae…” she whispered in shock. “Tae…” The name spilled from her lips, louder each time. She reached for the door handle, desperate to get out, but the door was locked. “Tae!” she screamed, pounding on the glass, watching helplessly as Jungkook continued his argument.

Finally, Jungkook unlocked the car, and Lisa burst out, sprinting toward the direction the young man had taken. Jungkook stood frozen, bewildered by her sudden reaction. She ran, searching every corner, every alley, but Taehyung was gone. Breathless, she dropped to her knees on the roadside, tears streaming down her face, a storm of emotions overtaking her—joy, sorrow, disbelief. After ten long years, she had seen him again. The boy,  the family had been searching for—the one person who could bring them back together.

“Taehyung…” she whispered, her voice breaking, as the emptiness around her answered with silence.