🥀 13. 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐮𝐭𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

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"Mr Kim? No, what are you—"
The sound of a gunshot echoed in the garden, Jungkook's heartbeat stopped for a moment, her hands still clutching the heavy gun and eyes closed tightly in dread.

She opened her eyes gradually after a few minutes still afraid to face the consequences. Jungkook's eyes scanned taehyung from top to bottom searching for any injury but found none. Her gaze went towards their joint hands and the gun that was facing the ground. She took a deep breath of relief as she saw the bullet stuck in the ground.

When Jungkook clutched the gun earlier, Taehyung's heart raced with anxiety. He knew that he had to act decisively to prevent this situation from spiralling out of control.

He seized the gun from her trembling hand, his fingers steady as he curled it away. The cold, unforgiving metal felt heavy in his grasp. With the gun now in his possession, Taehyung took a step away from Jungkook, his expression blank, no emotion. Jungkook's curious eyes watched every step.

Slowly, Tae turned his gaze to the marriage certificate on the nearby table and the priest standing beside the table. The paper represented a forced commitment, a duty he believed he had no choice but to fulfil. With an eerie calmness, he began to move toward the document.

"Sign the certificate," he ordered, the threat lingering in the air like a storm cloud.

The gun was now pointed squarely at Jungkook. In that moment, their destinies hung in the balance, and Taehyung was determined to shape it to his will, no matter the cost.

Jungkook's eyes widened in disbelief, realizing that Taehyung had turned the tables on her. She could only watch in helpless rage as he placed the gun next to the document, all the while keeping her in his line of sight.

"I said, Sign the certificate, Ms Jeon, " Taehyung ordered once more, his voice threatening.

Her hand trembling, Jungkook slowly reached for the pen, hesitatingly. The time seemed to stand still. She looked at the document where Kim Taehyung was printed in bold letters and then at her name, Jeon Jungkook. With a deep breath, she held the pen and finally, she signed.

Her signature on the certificate sealed their union. Taehyung took the pen from her hand and signed under his name, sealing the union from his side.

The garden was witness to a marriage born from force.

the first raindrops began to fall, gentle at first, then gradually increasing. The sky was now darkened with thick, heavy clouds. The priest paused, glancing upwards as the rain began to patter against the gazebo's roof.

The rain grew heavier soaking the garden and the couple. Jungkook's gown, drenched and began to cling to her.

Suddenly, Taehyung raised his hand, muttering a spell under his breath. The rain halted abruptly, the drops freezing in mid-air like crystal ornaments. The magic freezed the rain and water droplets suspended in the air, shimmering like a thousand tiny diamonds.

The scene was breathtaking. Jungkook's eyes widened in awe, momentarily forgetting her sorrow as she gazed at the frozen splendor.

Taehyung's cold stare remained strict. His gaze fixed firmly on the priest, the intensity of his eyes brooked no hesitation. With a subtle nod, Taehyung communicated his desire for the ceremony to continue despite the worsening weather.

The priest, accepting the silent command, cleared his throat and resumed, his voice slightly raised over the sound of the rain.

"Kim Taehyung," the priest began, his voice steady as he looked at Taehyung, "do you take Jeon Jungkook as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for as long as you both shall live?"

Taehyung's gaze softened slightly as he looked at Jungkook.

"I do,"

Turning to Jungkook, the priest continued, "Jeon Jungkook, do you take Kim Taehyung as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for as long as you both shall live?"

Jungkook's throat felt tight, her breaths shallow. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. A single tear escaped and rolled slowly down her cheek.

This is not how I imagined my life would turn out, Jungkook thought bitterly.

If I must be here, if I must do this, then I will find a way to make it through. I will hold on to whatever fragments of hope I can find.

" I do," Jungkook spoke closing her eyes.

Meanwhile, Taehyung's thoughts were a stormy sea of conflict and regret.

This is not how I envisioned this day, Taehyung thought bitterly. I made a promise to my mother that I would never agree to marry Jungkook.

His mind raced back to the plea of his dying mother, And now, here I am, breaking another promise—the one I made to myself about never forcing anyone into a situation they didn't choose.

The sight of Jungkook standing before him, her eyes filled with sorrow, tugged at the edges of his heart.

Jungkook, I promised you a future you now have to sacrifice.

I've sacrificed my principles, my own sense of justice, and now I'm making Jungkook suffer because of it.

As he watched the frozen raindrops glitter around them, Taehyung felt a pang of remorse. If only there were another way, he thought.

Finally, they got married.
—Forcefully.

When Jungkook's tear fell, the tear rolled down from her eyes and fell on the grass, the contact made Taehyung's magic vanish. In a blink, the suspended water drops beating to fall again with the highest speed.

Taehyung's eyes widened slightly as the raindrops resumed their fall, drenching the scene in fresh water. The spell had been broken and Taehyung looked at the abilities of Jungkook, an Alara. She has the ability to breach Taehyung's magic. Taehyung stared at Jungkook in surprise.

Jungkook opened her misty eyes as she sensed someone or something coming closer to her. She turned to her right and found an eagle circling over the table. For a second, she flinched when that Eagle flapped his beautiful wings. Taehyung noticed Arathorn circling above with a group of colourful birds. Intrigued, he watched as they flew, carrying a delicate crown of freshly picked wildflowers.

With a gentle flutter of feathers, Arathorn descended and landed gracefully in front of the newly wedded bride. The birds followed and together they offered the flower crown on Jungkook's forehead. The crown was made with vibrant flowers and was a symbol of the love and beauty that had been lacking in their marriage.

Jungkook's eyes shimmered as she accepted the crown, her heart touched by this sincere gesture from the feathered companions.

Jungkook's heart swelled and she smiled for the first time in her wedding as Arathorn rubbed his beak on her soft cheeks as if telling her that someone was there for her in tough times.

The driver rushed inside the garden, breathing heavily, "Sir, Madam Kim called, she asked me to fetch you home instantly." 

Taehyung acknowledged the information, he moved towards jungkook. His grip on Jungkook's wrist was firm. Jungkook stumbled slightly, her steps hesitant. But Taehyung's stride never wavered and he led them deeper into the abyss, hand wrapped around Jungkook's pale wrist, bringing her with him.

✰•∙・✰∙・•✰∙・•

The luxurious car glides smoothly through the streets, and the dim evening light bathed the interior in a soft, warm glow creating an intimate ambience. Jungkook and Taehyung sat beside each other with their body resting on the plush backseat, both lost in their thoughts. The air in the car was thick with the weight of their forced marriage.

Jungkook glanced at the man, now her husband. Husband— this word sounds so foreign to her. Her fingers nervously traced the delicate lace and the stonework done on her wedding dress, a minimal source of comfort. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the window, mind still in denial to accept that she was now married.

Jungkook took a deep breath and looked at Taehyung, who was staring out of the window.

"It's strange how life can change so suddenly, isn't it?"

She took a deep breath and looked at Taehyung, searching for a connection, something that could diminish the gap between them. Taehyung considers Jungkook's words and his eyes hold a pensive gaze. He watched her for a moment.

"But sometimes, the unexpected can lead to remarkable discoveries," Taehyung answered the question after a few seconds.

Taehyung glanced at the person beside him — his wife. His eyes were blank but his mind was full of questions.

"Is she the same person who was ready to marry a married man just for some money? How will mother react when she gets to know about our marriage? She didn't want the shadow of Kara on our house and here I made alliances with that woman's daughter.

Just because of Grandma's order, I made her my wife.
But I can't accept her as my wife, what if she is the same as her mother"

"Sir, we reached," the driver broke Taehyung's chain of thoughts. He glanced at jungkook who was already looking at him. Taehyung cleared his throat and stepped out of the car.

Jungkook also stepped outside, taehyung held her wrist and they moved towards the mansion. Jungkook stood in the foyer and looked around the luxurious house nervously. She fiddled with her hands, her sweaty palm clenching the dress in a tight grip. Last time, she stepped into this building as Taehyung's secretary. She chuckled in her mind thinking about how fate had played the game.

Today, she is standing inside this mansion as Taehyung's wife.

Yi-jun opened the door, her lips and wrinkled skin curved into a beautiful smile as she saw Taehyung with Jungkook.

"thank god, you brought jungkook on time, taehyung. How are you, dear?" Grandma cupped jungkook's face and kissed her forehead.

Jungkook's eyes instantly teared when she received motherly warmth from the beautiful lady. She smiled in gratitude, "I'm fine,"

"come let's go, Taehyung" Yi-jun moved ahead giving both of them space to come behind her. Taehyung gestured for Jungkook to follow him. Jungkook looked at the interior and she was once again amazed by the sophisticated details on every material. Their steps halt when they spot a large wooden door. Yi-jun opened the door and they stepped inside.

jimin and yeonjun got up from the bed and their eyes shone with happiness to see jungkook with taehyung. Jungkook eyes furrowed when she found taehyung's mother lying in the bed.

"Grandma, tell me how Mother will be cured. I even married jungkook for her." Taehyung asked, his hands stroking his mother's hair gently as he sat beside her.

"Just waiting for the moon to appear," Grandma said, busy arranging some items on the table near the window.

"Why waiting for the moon?" jimin asked.

"first light of the full moon is necessary for the process to break the poison,"

"Jungkook, taehyung, come and stand near this table," she held jungkook's hand and made her stand beside the mirror.

"This is magical dust," she hands the bottle in both taehyung's and jungkook's hands, " The ritual is called for the mixing of magical dust, hold each other's hands and pour the dust you both have in this bowl, the rest work will be done by the moonlight."

Taehyung and Jungkook held small vials of this powder, and they poured it into a single, crystal-clear bowl set in the middle of the table. The dust swirled and danced and then blended into a single entity, symbolizing their union.

In the centre of the table, a mirror was placed. The mirror was a portal to the magical world. Its reflective surface began to shimmer as Taehyung chanted some spells.

When their hands made contact, an electric ripple of magic flew through them. The room trembles and the symbols on the chamber's walls begin to glow with a brilliant intensity.

The moonlight fell upon their joined hands. It was like the moon had itself approved this union, blessing the newly wedded couple with its radiant touch. The reflection in the mirror became more clear, casting a glow around the couple.

The incantation reached its climax, and Taehyung released his magic into the mirror. The reflection shattered into a million gleaming fragments that radiated outwards, engulfing them in a mesmerizing display of light.

Finally,
the curse shattered like fragile glass, and Taehyung's mother's form appeared before them, free from the curse's influence. her weak eyes fluttered and her hands moved on the bed. Taehyung looked at jungkook, his eyes filled with gratitude. Jungkook too looked at his eyes for the first time after their marriage.

"Taehyung," a vulnerable voice broke the silence of the room. Taehyung broke the eye contact and rushed towards his mother and kissed her hands.

"Are you alright, mom?" he asked, stroking the black hairs.

Soomin smiled weakly and nodded, her hands cupping her son's face. She looked at her side and found jimin and yeonjun sobbing. opening her hands wide, she called them and took her sobbing children in her arms. Jungkook missed her mother as she saw the scene in front of her. She wiped the lone tear that rolled down.

Yi-jun gently caressed their head. Soomin looked around the room, her expression changed when she found the person whom she never wanted to see. That courtesan's daughter.

"you? What is this girl doing here? how dare you stand in my house? Taehyung," Soomin looked at her son expecting an answer. Jungkook flinched as she heard the cold voice. she bit her lower lip to stop the whimper coming out from her mouth.

"What. is. This. Taehyung? I am asking something," the weak mother shook Taehyung's shoulder.

"Taehyung and jungkook are now married, Soomin. She is our taehyung's wife and eldest daughter-in-law of the Kims," Yi-jun declared leaving no space for argument.

"But mother how can it happen? Taehyung, you know about that courtesan's reality still you married her."

Taehyung held Soomin's hand and spoke in a deep voice, "Our marriage was necessary to break the curse on you,"

"I told you before that I can't accept such a characterless girl as my daughter-in-law. mother --,"

Grandma cut Soomin's words and ordered, "Jimin, take jungkook to your brother's room. Yeonjun you also go with them,"

Jungkook fisted her dress, her eyes filled with tears as she heard the elder woman's harsh words. Jimin moved towards the door with jungkook and yeonjun. Grandma locked the door once they all went away.

Soomin, her brow furrowed with worry, was the first to break the silence. "Tae, you know that marrying that girl was a reckless decision. Our family's reputation is at stake, and I won't accept this marriage."

Taehyung, his eyes blank, retorted, "Mother, please understand, our marriage was a necessity to break the curse on you."

"I told you I'm ready to die rather than bringing that girl into our family. I warned you. but what you did, you made her your wife,"

Grandma, the voice of reason, interjected, "Soomin, my dear, we must embrace the reality of this marriage. In our lives, sacrifices are made for the greater good, and Taehyung and Jungkook's bond is the key to our family's freedom from the curse of Jinn. We must stand by them."

Soomin shook her head, as she moved. "But, Mother, we have other options. We can find a different way to break the curse without tarnishing our family's name. Yuna was an option too, a decent girl with a reputed family."

"Because Rosie told me. Yuna is not the Alara.," Grandma spoke.

Taehyung's temper burst. "There is no other way, Mother. We've searched. Yuna is not the Alara, jungkook is. This is our only chance, and I won't let it slip away."

"You can do what you want but my decision is final. Neither I will accept this marriage nor that characterless girl as my daughter-in-law."

✰∙・•✰•・∙✰•∙・✰

On the other hand, Jungkook entered Taehyung's room and she was immediately struck by the room's ambience. The room reflected its owner's reserved and elegant personality.

The room was a blend of black, gold, and white. The walls were painted a deep, velvety black while sheer curtains gently fluttered in the breeze, allowing natural moonlight to filter through. A large window offered a view of the balcony outside.

The bed was neatly made with crisp black linens, and adorned with a few soft pillows. A cosy television set up in one corner had a comfortable armchair, a small bookshelf filled with well-worn books and a soft throw blanket casually draped over the back of the chair.

Golden accents were scattered throughout the room, adding a touch of luxury to the overall decor, and giving the room a royal feel.

"So this is our brother's room, from now yours also," Jimin forwarded a glass of water to the newlywedded bride. Jungkook took the glass to quench her thirst.

" kookie, I think you should take a warm shower first. you may have many questions related to our family and this marriage, it will be best to tell after some time, you need some moments alone to recollect yourself," jimin kept her hand on her shoulder, rubbing it to provide some comfort.

Jungkook smiled in gratitude, and hugged her best friend, "Thank you for being there with me in every downfall. I don't know how you got to know about my discomfort every single time,"

"silly, I'm your best friend and I can understand you and your mind from the back of my palm. now go and take a shower,"

"what about the clothes, I have none," Jungkook said softly, keeping the empty glass on the table.

"I have some clothes which aren't used and they will fit you. just a second I will bring them," Jimin nodded and went out to fetch the clothes.

Jungkook moved towards the dressing table once jimin went away. She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions - sadness, nervousness, and defenselessness.

The beauty slowly began to remove her bridal jewellery, starting with the delicate necklace adorning her neck. She unclasped the ornate necklace revealing her flawless collarbone.

With each piece of jewellery she removed, Jungkook felt relief in shedding the attire that symbolized the formalities of her forced wedding day. her dainty fingers moved as she untied her earrings, the delicate tinkles of the gemstones brushing her cheeks as they were set aside.

Her hands now moved behind, unclasping the clips that tucked her veil, in a second the jet black hairs cascaded gracefully on her back while the golden veil lay lifeless on the floor. Jungkook delicately reached for the dupatta that still rested on her shoulders. Her fingers grasped the edges of the fabric and pulled the dupatta forward and gently tucked it into the front of her chest. The sheer fabric settled gracefully, creating a drape that framed her upper body. The embroidery and delicate sequins on the cloth added queenly beauty to Jungkook's frame.

Jungkook was in the midst of her moment when a knock was heard and the door was opened, and Taehyung, her husband, entered.

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Jungkook's delicate fingers froze her reflection in the mirror captured her vulnerability. Taehyung's gaze bore into Jungkook. He said nothing but his mere presence was enough to shatter the fragile intimacy of the moment.

Jungkook tried to avoid eye contact with him, but his intense gaze didn't let it happen.

The eye lock between Jungkook and Taehyung broke when Jimin entered, holding a pile of clothes in her hands. Jimin glanced between the couple, sensing the unspoken nervousness.

"kookie, you can try them," Jimin said.

Taehyung broke the glance and went away towards his closet. Jungkook tucked a strand of hair being her ear and accepted the clothes from Jimin.

"Thank you, Jimin," Jungkook replied, her voice filled with thanks for her best friend's intervention.

"Good night brother and kookie," jimin said and went out of the room.

✰∙•・✰∙•・✰∙•・✰

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