Chapter 1: Insight
Chapter Text
Set in the 1940s during the Korean-Japanese War
Koreans - Baekje Province
Yangban Class
A key part of the ruling elite often holds power over the administration. They were highly educated and influential in governance, often dominating political and social life.
Sijung Class
They assisted the higher government officials, including the Yangban class and nobles.
Commoners
They were responsible for agriculture, trade, and labor, and were often taxed heavily to support the higher classes and military expenses.
Sanggun
The top-tier generals are in charge of various military operations.
Gungdae
An elite group of archers, fencers and military personnel.
Character Profiles
Jeon Jungkook
- 23 years
- Yangban Class
- Gungdae (military professionals)
Kim Taehyung
- 25 years
- Sijung Class
- Gungdae (military professionals)
Jung Hoseok
- 27 years
- Yangban Class
- Sanggun
Oh Ki-Nam
- 25 years
- Commoner
- Writer
Kim Young-su
- 23 years
- Sijung Class
- Publisher for the Nobles
Kim Daeho
- 50 years
- Sijung Class
- Messenger
Japanese - Echigo Province
Daimyo Class
They controlled regions and exercised military, political, and economic power within their domains. 3rd in the hierarchy after the Emperor and Shogun.
Samurai Class
The samurai were the warrior class that served the daimyo, shogun, or other noble families.
Jito Class
Jito were estate managers appointed by the shogun or daimyo to ensure that taxes were collected and order was maintained in the territories.
Commoners
The common people, including farmers, artisans, and merchants, were at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Yojo House
A place where people could engage in intimate affairs with women and men. These were often informal places and though the focus was on performance art it also catered to desires for physical connection.
Character Profiles
Park Jimin
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Lawyer
- Son of Park Tsubasa
Kim Seokjin
- 28 years
- Damiyo Class
- Journalist
- Jimin’s step brother
Kim Yumi
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Nurse
- Seokjin’s wife
Park Tsubasa
- 52 years
- Damiyo Class
- Jimin & Jin’s father
- General
Park Saki
- 50 years
- Damiyo Class
- Designer
- Jimin’s mother
- Tsubasa’s 2nd wife
Kim Kazuki
- 48 years
- Damiyo Class
- Deceased
- Jin’s mother
- Tsubasa’s 1st wife
Aoi Sayuri
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s friend
Kenzi Shimizu
- 25 years
- Samurai Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s friend
Min Yoongi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s best friend
Min Izumi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Nurse
- Yoongi’s wife
Kim Namjoon
- 27 years
- Samurai Class
- Journalist
- Seokjin's Best friend
Sato Naoya
- 56 years
- Samurai Class
- Tsubasa's Right hand man
- Loves Jimin and Seokjin
Chapter 2: Treacherous Treaty
Notes:
And here we go! We’re officially diving into this journey. A period-based fic set during the Korean-Japanese war. While the storyline doesn’t follow historical events to the point, many elements and the overall backdrop are heavily inspired by that era. The cultural setting, the societal conflicts, and the emotional tension are drawn from the time, so I hope you're comfortable with the timeline and how it shapes the characters and their surroundings.
Each character will be introduced with a brief profile again as they appear to help you better understand their role and background. For a more detailed understanding of the provinces, political setting, and the character dynamics, I highly recommend going through the first chapter... it’ll help connect some of the dots as the story progresses.
That said, this fic isn’t filled with light-hearted fluff. It's layered, intense, and explores some very real, often painful emotions. There will be triggering and heavy themes as we move forward, and I’ll make sure to provide proper content warnings ahead of any sensitive scenes.
Thank you for choosing to be here, and I truly hope this world we’re about to unfold resonates with you in some way 🥺💛
Chapter Text
Japan Occupied Korea - 1940
The sounds of marching, feet against the hard concrete echoed in the hearts, the air turning cold as if it was mourning the loss of the General, Rei Hoshino, the best ruler that ever graced the land. The entire province was in their homes, hoping the next general would be kind, considerate and soft. By the time it was announced the general was no more, they knew someone would come over and rule them in a couple of days. New General, new rules, new lives. It never mattered before because their lives wouldn’t change, until it did and until they felt themselves crumbling.
Two years had passed since Rei Hoshino’s death, and from that very moment, life for the Koreans became something they could never have imagined. For decades, Baekje province had been under the rule of Echigo, yet the oppression had never been unbearable; they had lived, if not freely, then at least with normalcy. But everything changed the day Park Tsubasa seized power as General. In an instant, their world was turned upside down. New laws were imposed… harsh, unrelenting, and unlike anything they had ever known. Fear took root as their rights were stripped away, all in the name of law and order.
Now, Tsubasa was celebrating his 52nd birthday, a feat considering how often the wars took place and the threat surrounding him like a vice. The entire province was provided a holiday, a national event. The marching had begun exactly at 8 am, starting from Damiyo Quarters to the Kancho, about 2 miles long. It was ridiculous because no one has ever heard of a leader who was so selfish, hot-headed, self-centered and too full of himself. Park Tsubasa was someone that no one ever wanted as a leader, much less a person.
The parade started as Tsubasa sat on the stage along with his wife Park Saki, who is nothing like the General. She is a calm caress of the wind, adding a gentle touch to the family. She looked absolutely gorgeous, dressed in milk white and burgundy hanbok with her soft black hair framing her face. She was the embodiment of elegance, a soul who was born to spread comfort. People wondered how she even stayed with Tsubasa, a man who was an abomination.
At the far end of the grounds, a fence separated the event from the outsiders, onlookers who strained to catch a glimpse, some muttering curses without care. It was a familiar scene, yet Jungkook’s fingers tightened around the cold metal wires. His gaze burned as he watched the march unfold, his chest tightening at the sight of his brother in the last row. The Government had taken Korean men to boost the army’s numbers, but none were afforded even a shred of dignity or respect.
The Japanese held absolute power. They were the rulers, the lawmakers, and the ones to whom all others bowed. Resistance was met with merciless imprisonment, and defiance was a luxury no one could afford, not even in their wildest dreams. The hierarchy was clear: Koreans were pushed to the back while Japanese soldiers led the march. Jungkook didn’t need to hear the insults to know how cruel and degrading they were. The hurled words meant to strip the Korean soldiers of their worth, as if they were nothing more than bodies filling the ranks.
He could see his brother’s face crumble every passing minute but they continued with the march and finally the parade ended. Jungkook inhaled a sharp breath as Tsubasa sprung to his feet, walking forward and standing behind the podium, a sinister smile pulling his lips and it never meant anything good.
"Today, we stand together in celebration; not only of the passing of another year but of the progress we have made as a disciplined, well-respected nation. Our strength is built upon order, upon loyalty, and upon the unwavering commitment of those who understand the value of law, structure and obedience. It is with great pride that I recognize and acknowledge the tireless efforts of those who have been striving hard to upheld these principles, ensuring stability in our land”
Jungkook scoffed as Tsubasa’s voice filled the air. He couldn’t take a word from the general’s mouth. It felt as if he existed to oppress the korean, show them every single time who had the upper hand and try to find a small gap to put them at the gunpoint. It was so damn unfair and their hands were tied.
“Loyalty must be recognized. That is why, beginning today, Kancho will implement measures that ensure deserving citizens; those who have proven their dedication, are given rightful privileges. Access to essential resources, and security will be extended to those who demonstrate their commitment to the order we uphold and give it their all to preserve them. Those who fail to meet expectations, who resist progress, who challenge the order will find themselves facing the consequences of their choices. There is no place for hesitation or reluctance in a society striving for greatness. And to those still unsure, the path is clear. Walk with us, embrace order, and you, too, shall reap the rewards of loyalty"
The crowd erupted in applause, though among the Koreans who stood in the crowd and the people who listened to the speech from the outside, the meaning of his words is unmistakable, privileges would now belong solely to the Japanese, while those who refused to submit would suffer the cost.
“Of course, every strong foundation requires support and sacrifices. There are those who struggle to find their place in this order, who don’t acknowledge the laws, who resist the structure that grants peace. Yet even they have a role to play. Their hands will not be idle, nor will their presence be in vain because we respect every one. It is only fair that those who do not contribute through allegiance must contribute through their service. And so, it is through their labor, their efforts, their work and their resources that we will continue to build a prosperous future for those who have shown their commitment to the law and the nation. No one is without purpose. Every individual will serve this nation, either through their devotion or through the duty assigned to them”
Jungkook’s jaw clenched so tightly it hurt, his nails biting into his palms as the applause rippled through the crowd. Every word that had spilled from Park Tsubasa’s mouth was poison and he turned away from the place, opting to walk far away from the place that’s nothing less than a hell. He could hear his heart beating faster, thumping loud against his chest as he reached the field. His friends were sitting on the grass, a few plates of lunch on their laps as he spoke about something in a hushed and serious tone.
There was nothing fair about forcing Koreans to shoulder and carry the burden of a system that sought to erase them. Nothing fair about stripping them of dignity so the Japanese could grow fat on their suffering. He marched forward, biting his lip to control the anger that seemed to flow out in waves. His friends paused, staring at him with a sad smile, moving away, making place for Jungkook to sit. The moment he sat down, Taehyung and Ki-Nam were already staring at him, their expressions mirroring his fury.
"Did you hear that? Did you hear the way he twisted every damn word? Like we should be grateful to suffer for their comfort?"
Jungkook spat, his voice a sharp whisper, yet filled with enough venom to burn. Taehyung nodded a little, at a loss of words. They heard everything and the appetite vanished in an instant leaving them soulless. Young-Su exhaled sharply, rubbing his face in frustration.
"It was never about fairness and never about equality of fairness. It’s about making sure we never rise above them, never stand a chance against them. They mean to bleed us dry while they sit on thrones built from our flesh and bones"
Taehyung sighed, exhaling a puff of hair, feeling his insides twist and turn with the agitation that crawled under his skin. They were rendered absolutely helpless and it wasn’t fair.
"And people just stood there! Look at them clapping, nodding, like they didn’t just get told their lives mean nothing. Like we’re livestock, just a piece of paper, meant to work and serve until there’s nothing left of us. I don’t understand how they don’t find it humiliating to serve for someone who doesn’t give a shit about us"
Taehyung shut his eyes, cursing under his breath and lighting a cigarette, turning away from the group to take in the puffs of smoke. Jungkook let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
"And the worst part? Some of them will accept it wholeheartedly. They’ll bow their heads and say it’s the only way to survive. Try to coax us into becoming their slaves for lifetime. And that’s exactly what those Japanese want! Compliance. Obedience. Because the moment we stop fighting back, we’re nothing more than slaves!"
Taehyung passed the cigarette, letting Jungkook take a drag and they made their way to the quarters, avoiding the venomous speech and the burning sun. Jungkook belonged to the Yangban class, who were the ruling elite often holding power over administration, governed by the Japanese. They were highly educated and influential in governance. They were respected but that didn’t mean they were humiliated equally. They had the titles but Japanese played them like puppets.
Jeon Jungkook
- 23 years
- Yangban Class
- Gungdae (military professionals)
Kim Taehyung
- 25 years
- Sijung Class
- Gungdae (military professionals)
Oh Ki-Nam
- 25 years
- Commoner
- Writer
Kim Young-su
- 23 years
- Sijung Class
- Publisher for the Nobles
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Damiyo Quarters
The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in warm hues of lavender and orange. The air turned significantly cold with the trees swaying gently to the invisible rhythm of calmness. The wind chimes sang a twinkling melody, easing the atmosphere and filling the room with serenity. The tatami mats, woven with fine rush grass, exuded a faint, earthy scent with a small bamboo table holding a bowl of rose water, with scenting oils.
At the heart of the tranquil bedroom, he sat, flipping the pages of the book, lazily resting his feet in the bowl, allowing the oils and rose petals to caress the soft skin. Dressed in a flowing kimono of indigo and silver-threaded patterns, Jimin looked exceptionally gorgeous. The kimono was pulled up to his knees, the flowy sleeves brushing against the soft texture of the comforter on the mattress. His hair was as dark as the ink on the pages, was swept into a half-bun, secured with a slender pin, while the rest cascaded down the face, looking like silk.
The light from the lanterns flickered, catching the curve of his jawline, refined yet utterly soft. The fullness of the lips, the delicate eye lashes that graced the soft cheeks, tiny nose that looked perfect… Jimin looked like a descended angel. He let out a soft sight, turning the page and eyes crinkling at the sides to catch a glimpse of the man who entered his room. A blinding smile pulled his lips and Jimin stretched his arms letting the man embrace him in a heartwarming hug.
Park Jimin
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Lawyer
- Son of Park Tsubasa
Kim Seokjin
- 28 years
- Damiyo Class
- Journalist
- Jimin’s step brother
Kim Yumi
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Nurse
- Seokjin’s wife
Park Tsubasa
- 52 years
- Damiyo Class
- Jimin & Jin’s father
- General
“Oh! How I missed you!!”
Jimin exclaimed as Seokjin pulled away, taking a seat beside his brother. Yumi sat on the floor cushion, pulling out the packaged food from the tote bag with a smile. Seokjin visited Yumi’s place along with her to spend a week and though Jimin missed his brother dearly, he would never say no to the food from Yumi’s homeland.
“Just say you were waiting for the food”
Jimin shrugged and Yumi rose to her feet, crouching before Jimin and feeding him Sushi, making the latter hum in delight. He dramatically threw his head back making the couple chuckle.
“I really need to meet your mom again, Gishi. It’s been so long and I am obsessed with her food”
“We are visiting them after 4 full moons, come with us, Jimin-ah”
Jimin nodded, but before he could respond, Seokjin plucked the book from his hands, flipping through the pages with an amused glint in his eyes. Jimin sighed, already knowing what was coming, heat creeping up his cheeks.
“You can’t just cling to a romance novel, hoping Jungkook will magically love you back. It’s so obvious, but he’s unbelievably dense. I really don’t get why you love him”
Seokjin teased, flashing a knowing smile but that tugged at Jimin’s heart. He smiled back but that didn’t reach his eyes and Yumi shot Seokjin a glare, squeezing Jimin’s hands gently.
“Wish I knew why I love him. It’s just… I was meant to love him and I know my stupid heart wouldn’t budge despite him rejecting me every chance he gets and I kind of understand where he comes from, Hyung. He loathes us, he despises and hates our kind. He’s fighting to drive us out of here and how could I ever expect him to love me? It’s ridiculous. But even knowing that, I can’t change how I feel. And besides... I actually enjoy arguing with him. That’s just who I am, I guess”
“Jimin-ah… I hate to say this but we are living in their land and he is fighting for their freedom. The riots, protests have significantly increased and gradually they are starting to make an impact. It won’t be long before we are kicked out and I don’t want you to turn back with a grieving heart. It’s painful”
Yumi’s voice was soft, barely above a whisper, yet the weight of her words pressed firmly against Jimin’s heart. The sincerity in her tone was enough to shake him. After his mother, Seokjin and Yumi had become his pillars, showering him with unconditional love, always fussing over him as if he were their own. They were his safe haven, the closest thing to parents he could have, and he knew, without a doubt, that their concern was genuine. They only wanted the best for him. He had tried, time and time again, to push away the feelings that tethered him to Jungkook.
Jimin had tried to erase every lingering thought, every stolen glance, every unspoken wish… because in the end, it was hopeless. Jungkook would never be his. Jimin understood this by heart, and had memorized the cruel reality. And yet, every time someone voiced what he already knew, the wound inside him tore just a little wider and it ached a little more. It was as if hearing it out loud solidified the truth, making it real. Because how could a Korean soldier ever love the son of a Japanese General? The world they lived in would never allow it, Jungkook would never allow it.
“You are lost again. Think, Min-ah… we only want what’s best for you and that definitely doesn’t include a broken heart”
Jimin leaned onto Seokjin’s shoulder, resting his cheek, allowing his brother to hold him close. Yumi shared a glance with Seokjin, a concerning smile stretching her lips as they watched Jimin.
Park Saki
- 50 years
- Damiyo Class
- Designer
- Jimin’s mother
- Tsubasa’s 2nd wife
Kim Kazuki
- 48 years
- Damiyo Class
- Deceased
- Jin’s mother
- Tsubasa’s 1st wife
Jimin and Jin grew up together and sometimes he wonders how his mom shared a great friendship with Jin’s mother. Kazuki passed away when Jimin was 20 and that left a gaping hole in his heart. She was extremely lovely and soft-spoken, never ever making Jimin feel like he wasn’t her son. Though there were small disagreements, she always took Jimin in and Jin turned extremely protective of him.
The moment the word spread about Kazuki’s illness, she was confined to a small cottage behind the mansion on Tsubasa’s orders. No one was allowed to visit her except the assigned maids but Jimin sneaked in every other night just to hear a fairy tale, a funny memory or just keep her company. Jin took the blow and the loss of his mother was something that made him kind of closed off but Jimin is thankful he had Yumi during the tough times.
Saki was more extroverted, gentle yet always turning the crowd toward her. Unlike others in her position, she never faded into the background; she stood firm, voicing her thoughts without hesitation and carving a place for herself in a world that often tried to silence women. Not even Tsubasa, with all his power and control, could restrain her. Over time, she became a beloved figure, admired by many, a beacon of strength and grace.
But no matter how much warmth she brought into their lives, some absences were impossible to fill. When Kazuki died, Jimin and Jin lost more than a family member. They lost a piece of themselves. The bond between the brothers had always been unshakable. Saki, with all her kindness and unwavering support, did everything she could to ease their grief. She tried to fill the empty spaces, to bring them comfort with her gentle words and affectionate gestures. But Kazuki’s presence was irreplaceable, a wound that time could not easily mend.
The sun hung low in the sky and the air was thick with the scent of summer. The distant chirping of birds filled the quiet countryside. Jimin, barely seven, ran through the field of sunflowers with his laughter bubbling out of him as he took in the scenery. His tiny feet kicked up dust as he turned to look over his shoulder, eyes glistening with mischief. Jin was right behind him, chasing him down with playful determination, her strides longer, faster, but deliberately holding back to give his little brother a chance to escape.
“Faster, baby! You said you were the quickest, didn’t you?”
Kazuki teased, her voice laced with laughter as she watched Jimin nod and run faster while Jin chased him. She was perched on the picnic carpet with Saki taking pictures of the children beside her. Jimin huffed, pushing his legs harder, but a moment later, he felt strong arms wrap around his waist. With a squeal, he tumbled into the soft grass, Jin collapsing beside him, both of them breathless and grinning.
“Not fair! You’re too big and you have long legs!”
Jimin pouted, his small fists weakly hitting Jin’s arm but making no move to wiggle away from his brother’s arms.
“Not my fault that you are tiny, Min-ah. But you’re getting faster. One day, you might even beat me”
Jin chuckled, ruffling Jimin’s already messy hair and pecking the soft cheek. Jimin’s eyes lit up at the praise, and for a moment, he forgot all about his loss.
“Really?”
“For sure, sweetheart. But until then we are always here to catch you!”
Kazuki replied with a small smile and Jimin squirmed away, taking long strides to fall onto Kazuki’s lap, kissing her cheek as she hugged him close. Jin followed suit, taking a seat beside Saki who fed him the snacks.
“Jimin-san, the General requests your presence in the Kancho”
A wave of dread washed over Jimin, as the maid bowed and returned. Invitation to Kancho never meant anything good and especially by his father is never a good sign. He sighed, face dropping and lips curling downward, internally hoping it wasn’t about his wedding. The talk has been going on for a while with his father subtly dropping hints about finding a pretty and wealthy girl for him but how can he ever confess that he is in love with a man?
“You probably don’t want him to be furious”
Yumi patted his back and Jimin smoothed his hair, tucking the loose strands behind his ear and pulling his feet out of the water. He walked to the mirror, leaning forward to inspect himself. He looked graceful as always with black hair softly falling on his shoulders and the bun adorned by a sea shell charm matching his kimono.
“Will meet you for dinner, Hyung. Gishi, save some sushi for me”
The couple nodded in acknowledgment as Jimin quietly excused himself, stepping out into the cool night air. The cart awaited him, its polished wood gleaming under the soft glow of lanterns and the moonlight. He climbed in and for a moment, he let himself get lost in the twinkling of the stars in the night sky, but the weight in his chest never lightened. The Kancho was nearly two miles from the Daimyo quarters, a distance that felt far longer when dread clung to his every step.
Though he had dedicated himself to the study of law, his father had always envisioned a different path for him. One where he would inherit the party’s leadership, becoming a General or even acquiring a higher rank in the Japanese Government. It was a destiny forced upon him. His brother had chosen a different profession, seeking truth in journalism despite Tsubasa’s continued disapproval.
The cart’s wheels against the stone path filled the silence, each turn of the wheel drawing him closer to the courtroom he had always loathed with his entire heart. Twenty minutes later, the cart came to a halt. The footmen rushed to lower the step, bowing deeply as Jimin descended. As he walked toward the stairs, the assistants lined the entrance, their heads bowed low, not daring to meet his gaze. Their movements were mechanical, almost rehearsed and never sat well with him.
Jimin ascended the stairs to the second floor, his footsteps barely making a sound against the polished wooden panels. The moment he passed, the assistants bowed again, waiting in perfect posture until he disappeared behind the walls. The air inside was thick with authority, Tsubasa’s presence sent a familiar unease creeping down his spine. He braced himself as he neared the courtroom, the heavy doors looming before him, ready to cradle him.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
The Yojo House was a world of its own, a hidden sanctuary of silk, skin and sin, where the scent of burning incense, and lingering perfume clung to the air like an intoxicating spell. It was situated almost in the mountains, far north in the Baekje province, partially hidden from the mainlands. The room was bathed in a golden glow from paper lanterns, the light casting shadows against the wooden walls adorned with delicate yet rather intimate paintings. The gentle strumming of drums filled the space, blending with the murmured laughter and hushed conversations of those seeking pleasure, escape, or both.
People walked in to escape from the harsh reality and it was the only place that didn’t have any restrictions. Anyone could walk in and get what they craved. It was an unspoken agreement to stay away from the Yojo house that held way too many secrets. One wrong step and the position could be burning in flames. No one spoke about it, treating the house as a dreamy illusion. Chocolate coloured silk curtains separated the private booths, where murmurs turned into whispers, and whispers into pleasure-filled promises that would dissolve by morning like they never existed.
Servers in elegant but revealing robes weaved between the guests, pouring alcohol into porcelain cups with practiced grace, their movements both alluring and deliberate. A wink here, a teasing smile there made their day and people’s gaze was filled with lust and desire. Mats stretched across the floor, arranged to welcome the wealthy patrons who sat on embroidered cushions, their kimonos loosened as they drank and indulged in the activities.
Reina trailed behind Jung-su, her pink glossy lips curved into a teasing smile. Her kimono, slightly loosened at the shoulders, revealed a hint of pale skin along with the swell of her chest, as she leaned closer, fingers grazing the fabric of his sleeve just enough to make him aware of her presence. Jung-su managed a smile, bowing at the man for serving the drinks as he carefully swatted her hand away and turned on his heels. He was there for a couple of drinks and nothing more.
“Leaving so soon? Surely, a man like you wouldn’t want to turn down such a fine company"
Reina purred, her voice like velvet laced with amusement making Jung-su stop in his tracks. He tilted his head with the same gentle smile, watching as Reina twirled, letting the robe slip a little more.
“I am here for the drinks, lady”
He answered as calmly as he could, nodding at something his friend had said, turning his gaze away from the woman. She waited, whispering and murmuring but he paid her no mind. Jung-su’s shoulders tensed as he continued forward talking to his friend, ignoring the suggestive glances thrown his way. But she was trailing beside him, stepping forward, forcing him to stop with a hand on his chest.
"Cold, aren't you? Or perhaps... you're just playing hard to get?"
Reina chuckled, tilting her head and Jung-su plastered a smile. People were brought here by force and there’s no way he disrespects them but he wasn’t there to indulge in any kind of activity but she looked extremely stubborn. Around them, the room carried on, filled with stolen kisses, and whispered deals made under the cover of dim lighting.
“I am so sorry but I am just here for the drinks. Thank you”
He turned away, agitation bubbling inside his stomach. He was never the one to visit the Yojo house but today he had to go along with his friend who wanted to go away from reality for a while. Reina had followed him through the dimly lit corridors of the Yojo House. Her fingertips danced along his sleeve, her breath warm against his skin. But this time, he did not play along.
"Enough"
Jung-su said, his voice sharp, cutting through the air like a blade, sounding more demanding than he intended it to be. She only laughed, tilting her head, eyes glittering like under the shimmering lights.
"So serious. What is it that makes you resist? Fear? Desire? Or something more dangerous?"
Jung-su pulled away, but she followed, extremely persistent. A careless step, a stumble, and suddenly, she was far too close, gripping his thigh. His hand shot out, holding her wrist, too tightly, too forcefully though he just wanted to escape the touch. Her smile faltered, her teasing replaced by something unreadable.
“I’m not interested and I made that clear. Please know when to back down”
Jung-su muttered, trying to keep his voice steady as he took a sharp inhale. A glint of something more dangerous than amusement flashed in her eyes.
“Do you think you know me better?”
A struggle. A push. A fleeting moment where neither knew who moved first and then a choked sob echoed through the halls. He felt the warmth spill over his fingers, covering the digits in crimson. His breath caught as he looked down, heart hammering against his ribs. The slender blade in her hand, a hidden weapon, had been turned against her. Why did she have that and how did she pull it out? The blade was buried deep right below her ribs and he panicked.
Reina’s lips parted, as if to say something, but no sound came except the trails of blood that slipped from his mouth. Her hands clutched weakly at his chest, nails scraping at fabric, at anything to keep her upright. Her knees buckled, and Jung-su caught her before she could collapse completely. The room seemed to close around them, the music drowned out by the deafening silence. He couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t comprehend what had happened.
"No… oh my god, please no"
Jung-su whispered, his own voice quivering, his hands pressing against her wound as if he could stop the bleeding. What was happening? He couldn’t take in anything at all. He was just floating in a nightmare. Her lips curled into something almost like a smile, though it was weak, fading, her fingers twitching before going still. Then she was gone.
All of this happened a day ago and Jimin’s heart clenched as he listened to the tale iterated by one of his father’s assistants. Jung-su was on the ground, hands tied behind him as he was on his knees, looking utterly wrecked. His face had a few bruises lined along the cheeks and the jaw, eyes droopy and vacant with his shoulders slumped under the weight of guilt. There was a woman right across Jung-su who was pleading to let him go, palms rubbing together for mercy. Probably his wife…
“So, what do you think is the right punishment for this, Jimin-ah?”
Tsubasa questioned, his voice dark and laced with authority. Jimin peeled his eyes off the man chained before him, hands fisting his kimono as he took a sharp inhale. He made the mistake of taking a glance at the woman who shook her head, a silent plea to reconsider whatever he was thinking. Jimin took his stance, lifting his chin and staring straight at his father.
“I don’t condone his actions and taking a life is never justifiable. However, what I wish to emphasize is that Jung-su never intended to kill Reina.It was a fleeting, tragic moment, one that ended before he could even grasp what had happened. Jung-su was trying to protect himself from the actions he didn’t want to be a part of but Reina was relentless with a single goal in her mind. The Yojo House is a place where consent is paramount, where no one should be forced into anything. Despite Jung-su’s constant disapproval, she continued her ministrations that resulted in him being a little furious which is acceptable but she met with an unfortunate fate. I hope she is at peace”
Jimin paused, taking in a breath, choosing his words carefully. Tsubasa’s expression barely shifted, but the slight twitch of his face and the darkening of his eyes made it clear that he was displeased.
“So, are you implying that Jung-su should be released?”
“No, Your Excellency. What I propose is that while he must face punishment for taking a life, the sentence should reflect the absence of malicious intent. It was an unfortunate event, not a staged crime. His guilt is undeniable, and he must be held accountable, but his imprisonment should serve as a period of grief, reflection, and repentance… not as a punishment borne from vengeance"
Tsubasa’s jaw tightened, his fingers curling into a fist as he slammed his hand against the armrest of his chair making Jimin flinch. The sharp gasp, almost a snarl echoed through the courtroom, silencing even the faintest murmur. His eyes, dark with fury, bore into Jimin with a weight that sent a chill down his spine.
“A Japanese woman was killed by a mere Korean, and you stand here pleading for mercy? It does not matter whether it was intentional or not. Jung-su laid his hands on someone of higher standing, of a higher class than his mere existence and for that, he must suffer the consequences. If we show leniency now, what stops others from following in his footsteps?”
Tsubasa’s voice was dangerously low, yet every syllable dripped with venom. Jimin inhaled sharply, his nails digging into his palms as he forced himself to remain still. His father wasn’t delivering justice. He was delivering judgment based solely on race and his view. His words weren’t about law or fairness; they were about control, about ensuring that Koreans knew their place and suffered for everything.
“Your Excellency, the law must serve justice, not fear. If we punish a man for who he is rather than what he has done, we will never command respect through terror. What I would like to understand is why Reina was in possession of a jeweled blade inside the Yojo House when it is strictly forbidden to carry any potentially harmful objects beyond its doors"
Tsubasa fumed at Jimin and if looks could kill, Jimin knew he would be dead. The woman nodded again, her palms joined together, pleading with him. Jung-su raised his head for the first time, tilting his head slowly to catch a glimpse of Jimin.
"That could very well have been for her own protection from vile bastards like him who wouldn’t hesitate to take the life of someone of higher status. After careful consideration, I have decided that he will be executed on the night of the full moon, so every Korean understands their place"
Jimin’s breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding so violently it felt as if it would burst from his chest. His fingers clenched into tight fists at his sides, nails biting into his palms, almost drawing blood yet the pain did nothing to ground him. Execution. Not punishment. Not imprisonment. A public display of power disguised as justice in the most disgusting way possible. The room fell silent and his stomach twisted, nausea creeping up his throat as his father’s words settled inside his head.
This wasn’t about Reina. It was never about her. This was about control, about reinforcing an order built on fear. Jimin’s gaze darted across the chamber, searching for even the slightest hint of opposition from the officials, but all he found were bowed heads. No one would speak. No one dared to. His gaze landed on the woman who froze and Jung-su who visibly trembled. He swallowed down the bitter taste of helplessness and forced himself to meet Tsubasa’s cold stare.
“This isn’t justice, your excellency. This is an execution for defiance, not a crime”
Jimin said, voice quieter than he intended, but sharp enough to cut through the heavy silence. He could feel his heart break, fury bubbling out of him in waves. He was rendered helpless and everything he studied didn’t make sense anymore. What’s the purpose of learning law if he was going to give judgements based on race? The woman wailed and every sob tore through his heart. Tsubasa’s lips curled into something that resembled a smirk, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
“Justice is decided by those in power, Jimin. And you would do well to remember that. Now walk away before I chain you for going against the law and impose the same punishment for this woman for taking the sinner’s side”
Jimin bit the inside of his cheek, stepping away as Tsubasa walked out of the room. He wanted to stab him right on the spot, knock some sense into the rusted brain but he couldn’t risk the life of the woman who did nothing but stay by her husband. He moved quietly, lowering his head, unable to even look them in the eye.
"I deeply apologize. I will do everything in my power to change his decision"
Jimin bowed deeply but his words felt empty, weak in the face of the woman’s inconsolable sobs. Jimin averted his gaze, shame curling in his chest like a parasite. He silently signaled the guards, his voice hoarse when he ordered them to unbind the man’s wrists. At the very least, they deserved this moment; one final embrace untainted by shackles. She didn’t spare a glance and Jimin took a few steps back, bowing again before exiting the place. The moment he crossed the threshold, the weight in his chest became unbearable. His nails dug into his palms as fury burned beneath his skin, not just at his father’s merciless decree, but at himself, for his powerlessness, for his inability to stop this.
The full moon would rise in five days, marking the end of a man’s life, and Jimin swore with everything in him that he would not let it come to that. He would fight, he would plead, he would tear apart every justification his father threw at him. The journey back to the house was excruciatingly full of guilt. Jimin got off the cart, head hanging low, eyes full of unguarded fury and raw pain as he strode into the living room, Jin and Yumi smiling at him as they sat to have the dinner.
“Right on time. Come on!”
Yumi called and Jimin stilled, words stuck in his throat. Jimin clenched his fists, shaking his head ever so slightly before turning away, retreating to his room without another glance. Worry etched itself across Yumi’s face, her brows knitting together as she instinctively reached for Jin’s arm.
“Go check on him”
She urged, her voice laced with concern. Jin didn’t hesitate. He hurried up the stairs, but just as he reached the top, the door slammed shut in his face. He flinched, a sharp pang of worry settling deep in his chest.
“Jimin-ah… is everything alright?”
No shuffle of movement, no sign of acknowledgment. Just deafening quiet. His face crumpled as his worry deepened. Saki entered the house just then, pausing mid-step as she took in the sight before her. Jin standing outside Jimin’s room, his knuckles still resting against the closed door, his expression tense with concern. Her brows furrowed.
“What’s going on, baby?”
“He is upset and we are just… worried”
Understanding flickered in Saki’s eyes as she stepped forward, her heart aching for the younger man hidden behind the door. Without hesitation, she knocked, her touch gentler than Jin’s yet firm enough to let Jimin know she was there.
“Sweetheart…”
Saki called in a soothing tone, resting her forehead against the wooden frame.
“Please talk to us. What’s wrong?”
Still, only silence greeted them, heavy and suffocating, making the worry in the room grow thicker. Jimin sat on the cushioned floor beside the window, a lone tear cascading down the cheek as he rested the cheek on the knee, staring at the sky. He’d never felt so helpless and the scene he had just witnessed churned his insides. His life felt meaningless and the knowledge he acquired didn’t matter anymore. He would just be another puppet in the hands of Kancho, listening and dancing to the strings played by them.
What good will he ever bring to the people? Their stay is on borrowed time and soon, they need to walk away ducking their heads in shame for possessing authority over a place that’s not theirs. It would be humiliating but aren’t they at fault? Millions of thoughts clouded his mind, making him question every decision. Tsubasa isn’t home yet and once his father steps in, he is aware that there would be another torturous session with Jimin being the victim of endless egoistic words. He isn’t ready for that and there’s no way he would let his father guard him anymore.
Jimin leaned against the window, his gaze distant as he thought about the world he had been born into; a world governed by laws designed to crush his people under the heels of their oppressors. The Japanese government had long since tightened its grip, enforcing regulations that rendered Koreans powerless in their own land for 3 decades. Their language had been banned, their names erased and replaced with Japanese ones, as if stripping them of their mother tongue could sever them from their roots. Though it changed over the years, it wasn’t any better.
Schools no longer taught Korean history or the language; instead, students were force-fed tales of greatness, taught to bow to a foreign flag, to sing a national anthem that was never their own. Land and property had been seized, handed over to Japanese officials and businessmen while Korean farmers were reduced to tenants on the very soil their ancestors had cultivated for centuries. Any form of resistance, be it a whispered complaint, or an unsanctioned public gathering, was met with swift and merciless punishment.
The prisons were filled with those who had dared to dream of freedom with battered bodies and crushed dreams. Heavy taxes bled the people dry, forcing families to send their children to work, pulling them out of the schools. Jimin clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. This was not the world he wanted to live in. This was not the world anyone deserved to live in. And despite the power his family held, despite his father standing at the heart of it all, Jimin knew that privilege did not equate to freedom. Because in the eyes of the Japanese empire, he still cared for Koreans. And that alone was enough to make him powerless.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Aoi Sayuri
- 25 years
- Damiyo Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s friend
Kenzi Shimizu
- 25 years
- Samurai Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s friend
Min Yoongi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s best friend
Min Izumi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Nurse
- Yoongi’s wife
The streets were alive with vendors selling their goods, the soft chatters, and the clatter of wooden carts rolling over stone roads. The scent of fresh bread mingled with the tang of ink and paper from the law offices nearby. Yet, for Jimin, everything felt muted, as if he were walking through a hazy dream. Yesterday’s event weighed down on him. The courtroom, his father’s glare, the woman’s anguished sobs… it all replayed in his mind, looping over and over. Jimin had spoken, he had reasoned, but in the end, the only thing that mattered was power, and it wasn’t in his hands. His father had made that clear, dismissing his concern and point. He barely registered his own steps as he walked toward the law firm, his friends flanking him on either side.
"You know, you haven't spoken in exactly twenty minutes!”
Shimizu nudged Jimin’s shoulder, stretching his arms dramatically as Sayuri nodded at the comment.
“Not even your usual ‘Shut up! Mizu’ and this is concerning”
Jimin barely reacted, only offering a small sigh, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his burgundy robe. He was dressed in a beige silk shirt, black slacks and an expensive burgundy robe that reached his knees, pulled together loosely by a dainty beaded belt around his waist.
“He’s completely broken and ruined. What do we do?”
“We should sell him. Maybe to a nice, rich lady looking for a quiet husband who won’t argue"
Shimizu stated and Jimin exhaled sharply through his nose, almost a laugh but not quite. His friends caught the slight reaction, exchanging victorious grins as Suyuri draped an arm across his shoulder.
"Oh, he almost smiled!"
Shimizu leaned closer, grinning mischievously, winking at Suyuri before speaking his mind.
"Jimin-ah, if you don’t respond or talk, we’ll assume you are agreeing to everything we say. So, how about we send a letter to your father suggesting you’d like to be married by the end of the year?"
That made Jimin lift his head, eyes narrowing into slits as he glared at his friends.
"You wouldn’t dare!"
“There he is…”
Jimin shook his head, lips pressing into a thin line, but some of the weight in his chest lessened, if only slightly. He knew what they were doing… pulling him back, giving him a moment to breathe before reality came crashing down again. It wasn’t much, but it was something and he loved them for that. The law firm came into view, a grand yet imposing structure with wooden beams and darkened windows painted in the hues of brown and red. The entrance loomed ahead, and Jimin instinctively slowed, the weight of obligation settling back onto his shoulders.
Jimin sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, before a familiar sight made him slow his steps, leaving Sayuri and Shimizu who walked past him toward the entrance. Jungkook stood outside the press, 2 blocks beside the law firm, the beige sleeves of his hanbok rolled up, revealing ink-stained fingers as he leaned against the wall. He looked spectacular as always in the pastel hanbok, the colors Jimin loved a little too much. The belt holding the hanbok together accentuated the tiny yet muscular waist and Jungkook looked flawless.
Jungkook’s sharp gaze flickered across the bustling street, his jaw tense in a way Jimin had come to recognize… always watching, always calculating and always super attentive. Taehyung and Ki-Nam stood beside him, engaged in some conversation about the magazines, but Jungkook remained apart, distant even. Jimin hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping forward, his lips curving into a small, knowing smile. It isn't new to encounter Jungkook on an everyday basis and no matter how much he tries, he can never move past Jungkook without picking up a silly banter.
“Well… if this isn’t the busiest person in all of Echigo”
Jimin mused, catching Jungkook’s attention as he stopped before the trio.
"Should I feel honored that you’re taking a break from exposing the government’s crimes, Jungkook-ssi?"
Jungkook barely spared him a glance, a subtle scoff leaving his lips as he turned slightly away.
"Don’t flatter yourself"
Jungkook muttered, pushing off the wall, clearly intending to leave. Jimin hummed with the same smile. At this point he knows Jungkook and his friends are aware of the secret crush he harbors but that doesn’t stop him from picking on Jungkook.
"Oh, but I live to flatter you. Especially someone as hardworking and dedicated"
Taehyung smirked, exchanging a glance with Ki-Nam, who was already biting back a grin. Jimin bowed a little at the duo who returned the gentle smile. Actually, all of Jungkook’s friends befriended him except the man he is after. Jimin knows it’s cruel but sometimes his friends do help him. Jungkook, however, only sighed, adjusting the sleeves of his hanbok, washing the ink away.
"If you’re done wasting my time, I have actual work to do, Jimin-san”
"Ah, so I’m a waste of time? And here I thought we were at least acquaintances"
Jimin placed a hand over his chest dramatically, feigning innocence. They meet each other way too many times to not know anything. They are more than acquaintances at this point and even Jungkook knows that. Wantedly or not, he knows way too much about Jimin and deep inside his heart, he doesn’t actually hate him but he won’t say that out loud.
"My poor heart"
"Your heart will survive"
Jungkook deadpanned, waving Jimin away. Ki-nam let out a sigh, swatting at Jungkook’s chest.
"Cold as ever, Jungkook-ah. Come on, live a little!"
“Jimin-ah, you should seriously give up on him”
Taehyung stated in a serious tone and Jimin chuckled, tilting his head as he studied Jungkook who stood a little close, almost brushing his shoulder.
"You know, for someone who doesn’t care about me, you’re quite determined to keep me at arm’s length"
Jimin voiced out with a sly smile making Jungkook instinctively take a step back, leaving enough distance between him and Jimin. Jungkook tensed ever so slightly, a flicker of something unreadable flashing in his eyes and it was gone even before Jimin figured it out.
"That’s because you don’t seem to understand boundaries"
"And you don’t seem to understand kindness, Jungkook-ssi"
Jimin shot back, though his tone held no malice or anger, only an underlying fondness he didn’t bother masking because there’s nothing to hide. His feelings were obvious and Jungkook is just playing hard to get. Taehyung and Ki-Nam shared another glance, both pretending to look elsewhere to avoid Jungkook’s glare. Jimin took a step closer, voice dropping just slightly, a soft look painting his features.
"You don’t have to push me away so harshly everytime, you know"
Jungkook’s jaw clenched but Jimin didn’t back down.
"And you don’t have to keep pretending like you care"
Jimin smiled, something softer this time but it did hold a sincerity that Jungkook conveniently ignored. Of course, he is aware that Jimin cares but he just can't accept the thought of giving a chance to a Japanese person. He can’t take that risk, no matter how good he is.
"But I do care!"
Jungkook’s breath hitched, his eyes flickering with something almost vulnerable before he hardened once more, stepping back from Jimin, putting on an empty expression.
"That sounds like a ‘you’ problem"
And with that, Jungkook turned and walked into the press without another word. Jimin watched him go, exhaling through his nose. His problem, indeed and he knows that. But if Jungkook thought he would simply stop, he clearly didn’t know him well enough because they’ve been going at it for 2 years now and at this point, they don’t even bicker often, resorting to just rolling eyes and scoffing. Amidst the chaos that surrounded him, Jungkook is like a breath of fresh air, a soft petal of Sakura that Jimin loves to caress.
“Don’t mind him. He is useless as always”
Taehyung pulled Jimin into a side hug, and Jimin returned it without hesitation, sinking into the warmth of a bond that had formed over the past two years. They were not best friends but they had become something beyond mere acquaintances. There was an unspoken understanding between them, an invisible thread tying them together despite the vast differences in their worlds. Jimin, the son of a Japanese general, had never truly chosen the side he was born into. He didn’t dictate the rules that oppressed Koreans, but by blood and status, he was still marked as the enemy.
Taehyung, on the other hand, stood firmly against them, fighting with unwavering resolve for the liberation of their homeland along with Jungkook and his other friends. Their paths should have never crossed beyond hostile glances, and yet, against all odds, they had found common ground. It had taken time, but they had reached an agreement… an unbreakable truce between them. No matter how cruel the circumstances became, no matter how violently their worlds clashed, they would not raise a hand against each other. They wouldn’t let the war dictate and derogate their bond, wouldn’t allow their names to be used against one another.
They had chosen not to be enemies. They were both evolving, in their own ways, wishing for a future that neither of them fully understood but were determined to change. Jimin’s infatuation with Jungkook had never been a well-kept secret, not among those who truly knew him. At first, Jungkook’s friends had been wary, watching him keenly, waiting for the inevitable moment Jimin would betray them and leave them to die but they had eventually warmed up to him sooner than expected. Maybe it was because he never had belittled them or maybe it was simply the way he looked at Jungkook, with something so painfully real that even the blind could see his sincerity.
Love between two men was already a secret that society refused to acknowledge, a forbidden whisper. But for someone like them, it was a taboo. It was the weight of the world pressing down on them, the knowledge and realization that they stood on opposite sides of a battle that had already drawn its lines in blood. And if the world refused to let him have it, then Jimin would keep it hidden, a secret between two groups and he would wait even if it meant forever.
Jimin waved them bye and walked into the firm, the sadness coming back after the brief relief. He watched Suyuri and Shimizu wiggle their brows teasing him but Jimin paid them no heed, walking past them into the firm, putting on the mask that everyone liked.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Jungkook opened the door the moment the alley was clear. The scent of ink and paint filled the room but they needed to make the most of it. It wasn’t a school in the traditional sense, there were no wooden desks, no grand chalkboards or no sanctioned books. The space was an abandoned warehouse tucked behind the Yangban Quarters a little in the mountains, hidden away from the prying eyes of the Japanese authorities. They managed to arrange a few cushions and papers were scattered across the room.
The faint glow of lanterns cast flickering shadows on the wooden walls, illuminating the eager faces of the teenagers seated on the floor. Jungkook stood at the front, along with Taehyung and Young-su with Ki-Nam staying at the door, guarding it. The teenagers huddled together, their eyes burning with curiosity. Some had never been in a real classroom before. Others had, but only the ones the Japanese had built, where they were forced to study in a foreign tongue, and obey rules that stripped them of their own heritage.
“Firstly, I am grateful to everyone of you for trusting me and being here. And I must say that none of this will be possible without your support. We are going to write our future, write our fate… not the Japanese”
Jungkook spoke, his voice stern and firm and the students nodded to his words.
"The government wants to rewrite history. They want to erase our traditions, and our stories so that the next generations forget who we even are. That’s why they have taken over our schools, censored what we read. But that’s the exact reason why we’re here"
Taehyung said, pacing across the room and a murmur spread, some nodding in agreement, others swallowing down the fear that always accompanied rebellion. Ki-Nam sat on a bamboo stool, watching over the students with a small but encouraging smile. Young-su, ever the cautious one, stood near the entrance, ears trained on the slightest sound outside.
“But… How do we fight them? We don’t have any weapons”
A boy, barely fifteen years questioned, his voice low with hints of fear as he stared at Jungkook.
“Who says we need weapons to fight? They fear our knowledge more than anything. They fear the truth. The truth is stronger than their laws, stronger than their punishments. And that’s what we’re going to learn because we can’t let them step on us anymore”
“Okay… so, how many of you attend the school?”
At Taehyung’s question, about 6 students out of 18 raised their hands. Probably they belong to the Yangban and Samurai Class because Commoners are not allowed even in the school premises.
“Do you know about the March 1st Movement?”
Ki-Nam questioned, his face falling as they shook their heads. The students looked unsure and a bit scared. Taehyung shared a glance with Jungkook, deciding that they need to make them feel comfortable first.
“They don’t teach you about it in school, do they? Of course not. Because that was the day our people stood up against them 19 years ago”
Taehyung smirked bitterly. Jungkook stepped forward, arms still crossed as he addressed the students, voice low and hushed.
“Over a million Koreans rallied in the streets, declaring our independence. It started with just a few students, just like you. They marched without weapons, without violence… only with the belief that we deserve to be free and we are here to learn how we can use what we know against them, how we can prove that they are wrong and get our nation back”
Jungkook paused but he could see it in their eyes, the hesitation, the fear that clung to them like a second skin. Some students sat still, barely breathing, their hands clenched into fists in their laps. Others avoided his gaze entirely, casting nervous glances toward the entrance as though expecting soldiers to burst in at any moment.
“What’s wrong?”
Taehyung crouched down, voice was calm, but his gaze was sharp and the students gulped.
“What if someone finds out? What if they catch us… ”
A boy spoke up, his words trailed off, but the message was clear. The punishment would be brutal, and unforgiving. Another student, a girl who barely looked 18 rubbed her arms to soothe the fear.
“They arrested my father last year just for reading a banned book. He never came back”
Her voice trembled, and her wide eyes darted around the room.
“What if we get caught? What if our families… ”
They had every reason to be afraid. The Japanese officials are always ready to crush even the faintest whisper of defiance. Jungkook pushed it off with a deep sigh, taking a few steps forward and staring at them with a soft smile.
“You think we don’t feel the same fear? We are scared too but if we let that fear control us, we’ve already lost”
The words hung in the air. A few students who were old enough to understand nodded, but others still looke d uneasy. Jungkook could sense that the tension was only growing. Forcing them to stay would only backfire. Young-su stepped forward, placing a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder.
“We should stop here, Jungkook-ah”
“They’re not ready”
Ki-Nam’s voice was firm yet understanding as he turned to face the three of his friends.
“Throwing information and teaching them about history won’t work if their minds are clouded by fear”
Jungkook exhaled slowly. He hated that fear had been engraved so deeply in his people that even the idea of knowledge and their own history felt like a crime. But his friends were right.
“Alright. We won’t force you to stay but if you ever feel like coming back, the doors are always open and if we don’t fight back, they erase our existence”
The students shifted uncomfortably, some looking down, others exchanging hesitant glances. Taehyung, who had remained silent until now, offered a reassuring smile.
“Think about it. We’ll figure out another way. Something safer, something you’re comfortable with. We’ll go at your pace… please, don’t be afraid”
One by one, the students got to their feet, some looking relieved, others still deep in thought after the brief 15 minute session. They fled out cautiously, their footsteps light, as if afraid the faintest sound would have them dead.
“We need to earn their trust first”
Jungkook stated, determination blooming in his chest again. They wouldn’t give up. The fight was only just beginning. They walked down the cement path, talking and crossing out the ideas as the sun began to set. Young-su tilted his head, waving his hand at the sight of Suyuri sitting inside a little cafe.
“I’m just saying, they won’t learn if they’re too scared to listen”
Taehyung muttered, kicking a stray stone on the dirt path as the road smelt heavily of roasted chestnuts and the rain shower just a few seconds ago.
“They’ll come around, Tae. We’ll think of something”
Ki-Nam countered, stretching his arms over his head. Jungkook didn’t respond. His mind was elsewhere, thoughts running in circles about how little progress they had made. They didn’t think much, their minds filled with countless thoughts as Young-su guided them to the cafe, the aroma of fresh tea and delicious steak filled the air, momentarily cutting through his frustration, only for the guard to stop them from entering, catching everyone’s attention.
“Stop”
That made Jungkook look up, coming back to his senses. This was a new cafe and he doesn’t remember seeing it before. A Japanese soldier stepped forward, his expression cold and unreadable. He placed a firm hand on Young-su’s chest, halting everyone’s movement.
“This café is for Japanese patrons only”
The soldier stated. His gaze flickered between them, lingering a second too long on Jungkook, who met his stare with fury behind the eyes. Ki-Nam’s jaw clenched, and Taehyung scoffed under his breath. Jungkook said nothing, but the weight of injustice settled like lead in his chest. Of course. It was always like this. He could clearly see the Japanese enjoying the luxuries while the Koreans were subjected to work and took the role of labour. The café was built on Korean soil, yet they weren’t allowed inside. The tables, the food, the warm space where people laughed, it was a privilege they weren’t entitled to.
“They’re with me”
The soldier stiffened at the voice, stepping aside immediately as Jimin approached, bowing as he refused to meet the eye. Jimin looked at the soldier, his tone firm but composed.
“Is there a problem?”
“Apologies, sir. I wasn’t aware”
Jungkook felt his teeth clench. Of course. He wasn’t aware. How stupid! If he had been, would that have changed anything? Jimin turned to Jungkook and his friends, his expression stern yet eyes soft.
“Come on”
Jimin said, nodding toward the café entrance. Ki-Nam and Young-su walked inside to the table while Taehyung gave a little smile at Jimin. Jungkook considered refusing. The idea of stepping into a place that only welcomed them because of Jimin’s words felt bitter and his stomach churned. He didn’t need Jimin’s help. He didn’t need to be given permission to exist and have good food. But Taehyung placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a subtle shake of the head, silently asking him to ditch any kind of thoughts and walked in, his smirk laced with amusement.
Jungkook didn’t move. His jaw was set, his hands curled into fists at his sides and Jimin tilted his head ever so slightly, his voice undeniably soft.
“Jungkook-ah?”
The way Jimin said his name made something snap inside him. Jungkook let out a sharp, humorless laugh, shaking his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could see his friends inside, sharing small laughs with Jimin’s friends but that made his skin crawl. The ease with which Jimin extended an invitation to a place Jungkook had no right stepping into, like he was offering him something precious was unsettling.
“So that’s it, huh? A single word from you, and suddenly we’re allowed inside as if we matter? Just like that? Don’t tell me, you expect me to just walk in, pretend like I belong here… like I should be thankful you spoke up for me?”
Jungkook’s voice was low, cutting through Jimin like a blade. Jimin shook his head, he didn’t mean to do that. Jungkook got it wrong but did it actually seem that way? Jimin just wanted his friends inside and maybe he wanted to talk with Jungkook a little more… Jimin’s lips parted slightly, but before he could respond, Jungkook took a step back, the fire in his gaze burning brighter.
“You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t your place to give. It was never yours to begin with. You don’t own it”
Jimin stood still, face unreadable, but Jungkook could see the way his fingers twitched, gripping the coat tighter, as if resisting the urge to reach out. He could see the way Jimin’s face cracked slightly though he masked the hurt.
“Jungkook… I didn’t mean to -”
“No. I don’t need your favour. I don’t need you standing at the door, offering me a way in when you’ve never had to fight for your existence”
Jimin flinched slightly but Jungkook caught it. A flicker of something akin to pain crossed his rather soft face, his usual joyful demeanor cracking at the edges. Jimin swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as if trying to find the right words, as if trying to fix something that had already shattered, as if to mask the way his heart ached.
“I am sorry… I wasn’t trying to -”
“Go back inside, Jimin. This place suits you because you are one of them”
Jungkook muttered, voice tight with burning anger. Jimin felt the words like a slap, his breath catching in his throat. He took a step back, just enough to put distance between them. The silence stretched. Jimin clenched his hands into fists at his sides, struggling against the sting creeping up his chest, the words he wanted to say lodging themselves in his throat. Jungkook turned on his heels and walked away, his figure disappearing behind the corner. Jimin stood at the doorway, still watching though Jungkook’s figure faded away, until he was left alone. Someone pulled him inside and he was among his friends with Taehyung apologizing on behalf of Jungkook but nothing made sense anymore.
This place suits you because you are one of them
That one sentence hurt more than it should’ve. He has been trying to prove that he isn’t like them, isn’t like his kind, isn’t like his father but that seldom matters because he still is a Japanese by nationality, still is the son of the General who is a monster, still lives a luxurious life. Maybe Jungkook is right but he doesn’t want to get associated with his kind and he will find a way just so he could be treated like him…
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Jimin stood before his father, back straight, fists clenched at his back. The dim candlelight in his grand study flickered right above his head and Tsubasa sat behind the wooden desk, dressed in an embroidered kimono probably made by the Korean laborers, his gaze cold and calculating, the weight of his authority pressing heavily in the space between them.
“You wish to challenge my decision? Are you truly that foolish, Jimin?”
Tsubasa’s voice was sharp, laced with quiet fury and disinterest as he stared at Jimin who stood before him, hands locked behind him, clenching the dainty fabric between his fingers. Jimin swallowed the lump in his throat, gulping down the disgust, refusing to let his father’s tone intimidate him.
“Yes father and executing Jung-su is downright wrong. He was defending himself and what happened is completely unfortunate”
“Defend himself?”
Tsubasa repeated mockingly, arching a brow making Jimin look up at the nonchalant face.
“A Korean man dared to lay a hand on a Japanese woman… on a woman of higher status and you expect me to grant him mercy and let him go with just a punishment?”
Tsubasa’s fingers tapped against the desk, slowly and deliberately waiting for Jimin to interject but he didn’t and the general scoffed, finding the entire situation amusing.
“He should be grateful he was even given a trial. A dog that bites the hand that feeds it does not deserve a second chance”
JImin’s blood boiled at that and stomach twisted violently, his nails digging into his palm almost drawing blood. The argument earlier with Jungkook didn’t sit well with him, only adding fuel to the fire.
“A dog?”
Jimin let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head making Tsubasa’s face twitch at his reaction. His father never probably saw him lose his control, always being the one to press the power.
“You talk about them like they’re not even humans. You claim to bring law and order, talk about fairness but all you’ve done is strip them of dignity every single time”
Tsubasa’s expression darkened, and he stood abruptly, slamming a hand against the desk, taking a few strides closer to Jimin but he didn’t back down.
“Mind your tongue, Jimin!”
“No!”
Jimin’s voice rose, fury bubbling beneath his skin. He felt extremely furious and helpless at the same time. The way Jungkook spoke about him like he was one with them pierced his heart.
“You call yourself a leader, but all you do is rule with fear, you terrorize the father. Have you ever looked at their faces? Have you ever seen the way they suffer? You demand respect, but you do nothing to earn it. You take, you control, you destroy and they get nothing in return except bowing their heads even when their identity and existence is being ripped off. Korea isn’t yours to own, Father. No matter how much you try to break them”
Jimin’s chest heaved as he took a step closer, fire burning in his eyes. Tsubasa’s jaw clenched, his eyes gleaming with sharp, cruel amusement at Jimin’s words. He tilted his head, studying Jimin with an unsettling gaze like he wasn’t his son.
“How passionate! It almost makes me wonder why you care so much?”
Tsubasa took a step forward, looking like a predator and Jimin instinctively moved back. He’d never taken any stance against his father, never once held a conversation that extended more than a few minutes but being the focal point of his unrelenting gaze burned his skin. Jimin stiffened, his heart pounding against his ribs.
“Tell me, son…”
Tsubasa sneered, voice dripping with venom and Jimin could feel the bile rising up his throat
“Have you grown fond of them? No… more than fond? Something that’s not acceptable?”
His smirk widened and Jimin wanted to turn on his heels.
“Or perhaps you’ve turned cheap and filthy, lowering yourself to their level. Have you taken one of them into your bed?”
Jimin’s breath caught, his face paling, then flushing with a mix of rage and humiliation. He felt disgusted at the words. How can his own father speak that way about his own son? He wanted to scrub himself clean, the words slicing every bit of resolve and respect he had.
“Or wait…”
Tsubasa continued, reveling in the way Jimin’s hands trembled. Jimin couldn’t speak, he felt more than disgusted. Is this the way a ruler is supposed to be? His father doesn’t even deserve to be called a human let alone a ruler.
“Is it worse? Have you fallen for one?”
Tsubasa’s lips curled in disgust and Jimin stilled, his heart beating out of his chest.
“A Japanese general’s son pining after some filthy Korean… How pathetic!”
Jimin’s entire body went rigid at the words, his vision blurring with anger, eyes turning glossy. His father’s words sliced through him like a poisoned dagger, twisting deep into the place where he had buried his feelings, his fears, his truth.
“I feel sorry for you. Because you will never understand what it means to care about something beyond power, something other than violence. You think you’re superior, but the truth is, you’re the one who’s weak, you’re the one who is hiding behind this goddamn label of a General. A real leader doesn’t need to crush people to prove his strength”
Jimin finally spoke, voice shaking but unwavering. He could feel the tears threatening to fall but he bit back, face higher, staring straight at his father. Tsubasa’s expression darkened, the room crackling with dangerous silence.
“You will not defy me, Jimin”
Tsubasa moved dangerously close, leaving an inch gap between them but Jimin didn’t tear his gaze away.
“I already have, father”
Jimin’s eyes were burning with something Tsubasa had never seen in him before. And in a split second Jimin could feel the sting on his cheek, pink blooming on the soft skin in the form of fingerprints, his face turned to the side and Tsubasa fumed before him, clenching the fists, knuckles white.
“I’ll keep doing it and proving it until you realize, you can’t control me the way you control everything and everyone else”
Without waiting for his father’s response, Jimin turned on his heels and strode toward the door, his heart pounding in his ears. The moment he stepped out, he let out a shaky breath, his entire body trembling with fury and something raw, something so utterly painful. He walked away, the air suffocating him and shut the door behind him, sinking to the floor, clenching the fabric tighter on his chest. Because deep down, Jimin knew this wasn’t just a fight anymore. This was war.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Jimin woke up to a panicked Shimizu shaking him violently. He had dried tear stains on his cheeks and he doesn’t remember the moment he fell asleep. He squinted his eyes open, struggling to come to his senses but the moment he took in Shimizu’s features he knew something was wrong. His friend’s face contorted in fear, panic and confusion. Jimin sprung to his feet, his sleep abandoning him instantly.
“Mizu… breathe. What’s wrong?”
Shimizu took deep breaths, his hands trembling as he tried to steady his voice. Jimin’s blood ran cold, anticipation bubbling inside his chest.
“Jung-su is tied at the center before Kancho and people are saying that he will be executed in public”
Jimin’s breath hitched and his body had moved before his mind could process the words, feet slamming against the wooden floor as he dashed out of the room, ignoring the shocked calls of his friend. His robe fluttered wildly behind him, the carefully arranged layers of silk and embroidery now nothing but a hindrance against his momentum. He didn’t care. His hair had come loose from its tie, swaying with wind but nothing mattered except Jung-su.
Shimizu ran beside him, struggling to match Jimin’s pace, his voice lost in the background as Jimin sprinted on the streets. The murmurs of the gathering crowd grew louder as they neared Kancho. They don’t remember how they almost ran 2 miles in a few minutes but that talk can wait. The closer they got to the Kancho, the more suffocating the air became. Jimin felt it pressing against his lungs, dread creeping up his spine like a serpent.
And then he saw it.
The wooden platform. The bound figure to the pole. The gleam of the blade catching the sunlight raised high in the air.
“No…!”
Jimin gasped, his voice torn from his throat, a high-pitched shrill but it was lost in the audible screams from the public and he was too late. Steel met the flesh in a single, merciless stroke, the sound cutting through the heavy silence. Blood painted the wooden floor beneath Jung-su’s collapsing body, his head lolling forward as his knees buckled and Jimin let out a gasp, body moving backwards as Shimizu held him close. Jimin stumbled to a stop, his legs nearly giving out beneath him. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his hands clenched into trembling fists at his sides at the sight.
Jung-su’s wife stood frozen beside the wooden board where his body rested and Jimin couldn’t breathe. Sayuri ran to them, her hands trembling along with Jimin's, who was still in shock. Tsubasa stood on the balcony of Kancho, watching the scene and then walked away inside, a slight sense of satisfaction filling him as he watched Jimin at the scene. His son should know the power they hold. Jimin’s chest heaved, his breath unsteady as the metallic scent of blood thickened the air. The crowd murmured, but to Jimin, the world had gone eerily silent.
“DID YOU JUST STAND THERE?”
Jungkook’s voice was raw with anger, barely restrained as he stormed forward, his entire body trembling with rage. He held Jimin’s arm, pulling him into the alley where no one was there and his dark eyes blazed with grief, despair, and agony. Jimin barely had the time to blink before Jungkook was in front of him.
“You could’ve done something! You… your father, he listens to you, doesn’t he? You had the power! And yet, you let this happen!”
Jungkook seethed, face inches from Jimin’s, voice cracking under the weight of his unguarded emotion. Jimin swallowed thickly, his hands curling into fists as he took a deep breath, calming himself so he could respond. He had expected this but he didn’t want to be cornered this soon. The fury, the heartbreak spilled from Jungkook’s eyes like venom. It tore into Jimin like sharp-edged glass, each word lodging deep into his chest.
“Jungkook… I didn’t know he had preponed it. You’ve to trust me -”
“Don’t. Don’t stand here and act like you’re grieving when you’re still wearing that”
Jungkook’s voice wavered and his gaze flickered over Jimin’s silk robes, the emblem of his lineage stitched into the fabric, a mark of his father’s power, a symbol of everything Jungkook despised. Jimin couldn’t process anything, his mind turning numb. Taehyung was the first to reach them along with Jimin’s friends, his face filled with worry as he stepped beside Jungkook, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
“Jungkook, stop -”
“No, Tae”
Jungkook snapped, shrugging him off and swatting the arm, his chest rising and falling erratically. His grip on Jimin’s wrist remained firm and Jimin knew it would bruise in a few minutes.
“You want me to stop? To ignore the fact that this was approved by his father? That people are dead because of his bloodline?”
Jungkook pointed toward the execution platform, toward the blood staining the wood and Jung-su’s body left to rot with his grieving wife. Jimin tilted his head, eyes turning glossy at the sight. His body trembling and jaw clenching as he realized how helpless he was. Jimin bit his lip, his head lowering for a brief moment, shame settling deep in his bones. He understood Jungkook’s pain, his anger, but the weight of it pressed too heavily on his already wounded heart. Jimin had tried and pleaded. He had fought against his father’s will until his throat was raw, until he was slapped brutally. But none of it mattered now, not when Jungkook saw him as nothing but the enemy.
“I did everything I could, Jungkook”
Jimin said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn’t manage anything longer when he felt his throat closing up and his heart feeling heavier than ever. Jungkook scoffed, his expression twisting with disbelief.
“Did you? You are unbelievable. Because from where I’m standing, all I see is another privileged son too afraid to dirty his hands”
That was the last straw. Jimin’s head snapped up, and for the first time since the argument began, fire ignited in his eyes. He pulled his wrist away, staring straight into Jungkook’s soul, his soul breaking as the words rolled out of Jungkook. He did so much, he endured so much, he supported and encouraged the latter so much only for him to spill so much venom at him. Memories rushed back, blinding his vision but Jimin shook them away, the raw pain overpowering every other emotion.
“Afraid to get my hands dirty? Do you have any idea what I’ve risked? How much time have I spent trying to convince that poor excuse of a man that executing Jung-su was a mistake? Do you think I enjoy being under his roof, like how he controls me, being paraded around as his obedient and privileged son while every part of me screams against what he stands for?”
Jimin’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade and Jungkook flinched at the sudden force of Jimin’s voice, but Jimin didn’t stop, his entire frame shaking with fury and agony.
“I know who my father is, Jungkook. I know what he’s done and what he continues to do and I don’t need you to rub it in my face that I am a pathetic unfortunate soul for being born as his son. And if you think I don’t despise him for it, then you’re a fool”
Jimin’s voice cracked, his vision blurring. He tried to hold back the tears but the anger overflowed in waves and there was no way to vent it. The tears burned as they cascaded down his cheeks.
“You think I wanted this to happen? That I just stood by and let it?”
Jimin took a step closer, his entire body trembling as he pushed a finger against Jungkook’s chest until his back hit the wall.
“I would trade every ounce of privilege, every bit of comfort, every single luxury, my status without a second thought just to undo what happened today. But I can’t. And neither can you”
Jimin screamed and the weight of hiss words settled between them, thick and suffocating. Jungkook’s lips parted as if to argue, but nothing came out. He simply stared, his fury battling against something deeper, more conflicted. He watched how Jimin’s eyes looked extremely void of any emotions except hurt, how his soft hair was sticking to the forehead with beads of sweat forming on his temple.
“You look at me like I’m the enemy”
Jimin continued, his voice shaking. The fury behind the eyes disappearing and morphing into pain, hurt and longing. Jimin twisted his hanbok, moving closer until their faces were too close.
“No matter how hard I try to show you that I am not like them, you still look at me as if I’m a plague. Like I wanted this to happen, like I wanted Jung-su to die. You have no idea how desperately I tried to stop it, how it feels to fight endlessly only to be dismissed, to be treated as if my voice holds no weight. Not everyone born to a monster becomes one, Jungkook. I never imagined you would see me that way, never think so low of me. I thought, at the very least, we were acquaintances… but time and time again, you prove me wrong, reminding me exactly where I stand in your eyes”
Jungkook’s chest twisted at the words, at the pain behind Jimin’s eyes. He had known. He had always known that Jimin harbored feelings for him, feelings that went beyond mere admiration or fleeting affection. And yet, despite that, he had chosen to wound him, to lash out just because he was drowning in his own anger, too blinded by his grief to see the damage he was inflicting. He knew Jimin was different, that he wasn’t like the others, that he was better than any Japanese official Jungkook had ever come across. But acknowledging that and accepting it meant opening a door he had sworn to keep shut forever.
Jimin, on the other hand, felt his world tilt. His ears rang, the voices around him fading into a dull hum as the weight of Jungkook’s words pressed down on his chest like a boulder. He had always known his love for Jungkook was hopeless, but that never stopped him from feeling it, from hoping that maybe, one day, Jungkook would see him as something more than an enemy. But now, as Jungkook stood before him, regret flickering in his eyes too late, Jimin realized just how foolish he had been.
“Jimin, I -”
Jimin didn’t wait to hear it. His fingers curled into trembling fists, his throat burning with the words he didn’t want to speak. He didn’t want to hear an apology, not when the damage had already been done, not when his heart was bleeding dry. So he turned away, cutting Jungkook off mid-sentence. Without a word, without a single glance back, he walked away, his footsteps unsteady. Jungkook just stood there, watching Jimin disappear carried by his friends, feeling the full weight of his own actions crush down on him.
Chapter 3: Beloved of the Moon
Notes:
Here’s Chapter Two! This one carries a heavier tone and touches on some sensitive themes, so please proceed with caution. We're gradually unraveling the layers of the story, and I’m really excited for you to witness the world we’re building piece by piece.
Trigger Warnings:
ヮSelf-harm
ヮUse of slurs
ヮBlood and violence
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It’s been 3 days and Jimin didn’t step out of his room, resting under the quilts, soaking the soft cushion with the relentless tears that refused to stop. From the day Jung-Su left the world, his entire life came to a halt and the argument with Jungkook didn’t help either. This isn’t the first time they argued, this isn’t the first time they were at each other's throats but the way Jungkook’s eyes held the same malice he held for the Japanese officials, equating Jimin’s entire existence with those who hold no kindness, stirred his soul. He couldn’t handle that, he couldn’t handle being considered as someone who doesn’t have a heart.
The food was left untouched on the table but he didn’t care not when he was rendered helpless in his own home. His friends weren’t allowed to meet him, a curfew his father said and Jimin didn’t utter a word nor deny… he simply walked into the room, opting to crush himself under the unwavering rules. Soft knocks could be heard on the door but he didn’t make any attempt to walk and soon enough the door opened revealing Saki, her face full of concern as she approached the bed.
“You are up? Want to go to the market with me?”
She asked gently, her voice careful, as if afraid to shatter him any further, taking the seat beside her son, hand brushing the messy hair. Jimin swallowed, his throat sore from the cries he had muffled into the fabric of his quilt. A part of him wanted to pretend he was asleep, sink deeper into the cocoon of his despair. But he couldn’t. Not when Saki was here. Not when the ache in his heart was too vast to bear alone.
“I can’t…”
He groaned, his voice rough but Saki just hummed, silently asking him to continue.
“I can’t step out, Mother”
Saki sighed, her warm hand finding him as she pulled Jimin up into a sitting position. She cupped his cheeks gently, coaxing him to look at her. When he finally did, the sight of her worried expression made his eyes well up all over again.
“Oh, my little star…”
She murmured, brushing his hair back, the same way she used to when he was a child and Jimin bit back the tears.
“Talk to me, please…”
And just like that, the dam broke.
“I tried… I tried so hard, Mother”
Jimin whispered, his voice trembling.
“But it didn’t matter. I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop any of it or convince father to reduce the sentence”
A choked sob escaped before he could hold it back, his body trembling in Saki’s hold.
“Jung-su is dead, and I did nothing. I let him die. I didn’t fight enough”
Saki’s grip on his hand tightened, her brows knitting together. She hooked a finger below the chin, lifting it up slightly and staring into the glossy eyes.
“Jimin-ah, you cannot blame yourself -”
“But I do!”
Jimin snapped, before his voice cracked. He wanted to let it all out.
“Because if I don’t, then what am I left with? If I don’t take the blame, don’t accept what’s going on then what does that make me? A coward? Which I am. Jungkook was right, Mother. I couldn’t save him. I studied everything, knew the laws by heart but I let my father implement something so horrible solely based on race. And now Jungkook looks at me like I’m just another monster wearing silk robes and a family name soaked in blood”
Saki’s heart ached at his words, at the sheer self-loathing in his voice. She knew what happened behind the closed door and she also knew the only reason Tsubasa is sparing her is because of the wealth she possessed and he couldn’t possibly let go of the fortune. She reached forward, pulling him into her arms. At first, he tensed and stiffened, his body rigid against her, but then he broke… completely without any restraints. Jimin’s hands fisted into her clothes as he cried against her shoulder, the sobs wracking his thin frame.
“You are not a monster, darling”
Saki whispered, rubbing his back in slow, soothing circles.
“You have a heart. A heart so huge that it’s breaking under the weight of it all. Don’t let their words make you believe otherwise. I understand where he is coming from but trust me… he knows what you are. He is blinded by hatred and rage. You are not your father, Jimin. You never were and you will never be”
“Then why does it feel like I am one, Mother? Why does it feel like I’ll never be anything more than his son? That I’ll never have my own identity without being tied to him?”
Saki wiped his tears away with the pads of her thumbs, leaning down to press a small kiss on the forehead, smiling sadly as she parted her lips.
“Because this world is cruel, but you don’t have to be. You’ve already chosen differently, Jimin-ie. And that means something. You are beautiful inside out and never let anyone taint that part of you”
He let out a shaky breath, pressing his forehead against her shoulder, his exhaustion consuming him all over again. Saki held him, letting him fall apart in her embrace. She didn’t rush him. Didn’t tell him to be strong. She simply let him grieve because he needs someone who listens and understands where he is coming from, not someone who would push him to no end saying he is strong. It’s okay to feel weak, it’s okay to feel vulnerable but she knows whatever her son is standing for won’t be an easy battle.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Jungkook has sworn off stepping out of the home for 2 entire days. They way he had the most heated argument with Jimin, ate him away from the inside. He knew Jimin wasn’t one of them and yet he decided to use the thing that Jimin hates the most against him. Maybe Jimin tried convincing his father, maybe he tried and failed, maybe he isn’t privileged like Jungkook thought, maybe he was wrong about Jimin all along… the possibilities are endless but his anger clouded didn’t consider anything.
He saw red the moment Jung-Su’s body fell limp in the pool of blood and sighting Jimin in the premise set him off. He heaved like a furious wolf and when Jimin pushed him with all his might, he could see the way those almond eyes dimmed, anger and hurt filling those eyes with tears. He felt the guilt claw at his chest but he couldn’t possibly show up at Jimin’s house and apologize. Tsubasa would have his head hanging from the porch. So, Jungkook took a detour to the press beside the law firm, the one Jimin frequented but there was no sign of the man or his friends.
Now Jungkook stood before the mirror, face void of any expression except guilt as he pulled the hanbok together, sighing as he walked out the door, another attempt at finding Jimin. He could ask Yoongi but he would most likely grab his throat for hurting Jimin which sounds like something he would definitely do. Jungkook walked with heavy steps, the early morning air doing little to ease the weight pressing on his chest. The streets were quieter at this hour, and the usual bustle of vendors and chatter was reduced to distant murmurs. His gaze searched as if he would find Jimin among them.
He had crossed a line, and the look on Jimin’s face haunted him, the hurt, the disbelief, the way he had turned away before Jungkook could even take back his words. Jimin had always been different, no matter how much Jungkook wanted to deny it. And now, the weight of his own anger felt suffocating. With a quiet sigh, he forced himself to focus as he neared the hidden building where they had decided to hold the lessons. His friends were already inside, waiting, but Jungkook hesitated at the door, his fingers curling into fists at his sides.
He pushed the door open with a subtle smile, not wanting to rub his sore mood on his friends. Jungkook barely took two steps into the room before his feet came to a sudden halt. His breath caught in his throat, his entire body going rigid as his eyes landed on an all-too-familiar figure… a figure he had been searching for 3 days.
Jimin.
Seated on a low wooden bench at the corner, Jimin was engaged in a conversation with one of the teenage boys. His voice was low, gentle, but firm in a way that put people at ease. The boy nodded along to something Jimin said and let out a small smile. There was no trace of the broken man Jungkook had seen 3 days ago, no evidence of the silent tears that had haunted his mind for the past few days. Instead, Jimin looked composed, collected, like he belonged here, despite everything. But why was Jimin here? In a place where they are motivating people to throw Japanese off their country?
Jungkook had spent days searching, guilt weighing him down, yet here Jimin was sitting among the people Jungkook had sworn to protect, effortlessly blending into a world that should have been foreign to him. Jungkook could only stare, stunned, as Jimin turned slightly, offering the boy a reassuring nod before shifting his gaze directly at him. He knew his friends were staring at them, but he couldn't move a muscle. The air between them thickened, heavy with unspoken words, unresolved emotions. Jimin's expression didn't waver but those soft eyes held something Jungkook couldn't decipher. He wanted to speak. Apologize. But Jimin only looked at him for a fleeting second before turning back to the boy beside him, continuing as if nothing had happened.
“Jimin”
Jungkook decided to break the ice. He shouldn’t drag the issue until it’s too late and he really needs to know why and how Jimin is here and who slipped the information to the son of the Japanese General. As his name echoed inside the small expanse, Jungkook could see the latter’s body stiffen slightly, a sharp exhale leaving his lips as Jimin turned to face him, still no signs of anger or hurt.
“Can I have a word with you?”
Jimin always had this way of looking at him, something warm, something playful yet fond. But now? Now, his gaze was distant, guarded. There was no teasing quirk of his lips, no sparkle in his eyes like there always used to be. Jimin only stared for a moment, making Jungkook shift uncomfortably under his scrutiny.
“I’m all ears”
“In private. Please”
Jimin sighed before rising gracefully from the bench and sharing a look with Taehyung who smiled subtly. What’s going on with Taehyung and Jimin? With a nod to the boy he had been speaking to, he motioned for Jungkook to follow him. They stepped out of the small room and the muffled sounds of conversation from inside faded into the background as Jimin turned to him expectantly, arms crossed, waiting. Jungkook swallowed again, eyes flickering over Jimin’s face. He looked exhausted, like he had carried something far heavier than Jungkook could have imagined.
“I…”
Jungkook hesitated, running a hand through his hair, frustrated at himself. This really isn’t easy at all but he needs to apologize because he knew he crossed the line he should’ve.
“I’m sorry. I was cruel. I said things I shouldn’t have. I… I hurt you”
Jimin let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head and somehow the expression was so unsettling and Jungkook wanted to wipe it away.
“You did”
Jungkook flinched at the honesty, but he didn’t look away. He deserved this. Jimin looked really hurt and before he could gather his thoughts, Jimin slipped away from him.
“You think I didn’t want to stop it, Jungkook? You think I didn’t try?”
Jimin’s voice was quiet, but the hurt in it cut deeper than any raised tone. Jungkook felt his stomach twist but he wanted to know what went down with Tsubasa for him to execute Jung-su without any prior information.
“You don’t know what it’s like to fight every single day for something only to be silenced. You don’t know what it’s like to speak, to plead, to argue, and still be treated as if you’re nothing. Maybe you do but just because I am his son, I don’t have everything served on the silver platter. And you… you looked at me like I was one of them”
Jimin’s eyes darkened, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. Jungkook opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“You’ve known me for years, Jungkook. You know I’ve never stood by my father’s beliefs. You know I’ve fought in every way I could, despite my position. Though we aren’t friends or acquaintances, I know that you are aware of the stuff I do and things I despise. And still, you reduced me to nothing more than my bloodline. You saw me as one of them the moment things went wrong. One slip up which wasn’t even my fault and you pointed out the one thing I didn’t want to get associated with”
Jungkook clenched his jaw, guilt settling in deeper. Jimin let out another breath, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze again.
“You don’t know what my father said to me that night”
Jimin’s voice turned smaller and lower though it held the bite and fury. Jungkook could see the walls cracking bit by bit, eyes turning glossy as if he was reliving those painful moments again.
“He humiliated me. Ridiculed me. Told me I was turning ‘cheap’ by befriending Koreans. And worse…”
Jimin’s voice wavered for the first time and Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek. He didn’t want to hear anymore. Didn’t want to know how low Tsubasa stooped for Jimin’s face to contort with so much pain.
“He suspected my feelings. He said I was bringing men to bed”
Jungkook’s breath hitched, stunned into silence. He could feel the bile rising up his throat at Jimin’s words. Jimin let out a bitter laugh.
“Do you know how easy it would’ve been for me to deny it? To say it was all false and turn everything against you? But I took every insult, every degrading word, because I knew it was the truth. I couldn’t deny it. I couldn’t deny that I do harbor feelings for a Korean man”
Jimin’s gaze was sharp, burning and for the first time he stared straight into Jungkook’s eyes. The way Jimin looked at him pierced his heart but what hurt the most was that he couldn’t say the same back. He didn’t hate Jimin. That much he was sure about but he can’t lead Jimin on either. As much as he wanted to wipe off the sadness from Jimin’s face, he couldn’t find any words that would soothe the scars.
“I care about you, Jungkook. More than I should. And still, despite knowing that, you were so quick to discard me”
Jungkook felt his chest tighten unbearably. He had been so blinded by his rage all this while, so consumed by grief, that he hadn’t thought about how deeply his words had cut. Hadn’t realized how much they had taken from Jimin, too. They might be fighting for different things and different reasons but they are against the same person, the person who has every right to wound Jimin in any way possible.
“Jimin… I -”
Jimin cut him off with an empty chuckle, waving his hand dismissively and turning on his heels.
“It doesn’t matter”
Jungkook felt the words clawing at his throat, desperate to spill out before Jimin walked too far away. He couldn’t let it end like this, not when he had already done enough damage. He couldn’t let Jimin leave without saying how he was solely the one at fault.
“Jimin, wait”
Jimin stopped with Jungkook’s hand holding his wrist, but didn’t turn around as if bracing himself for another blow. Jungkook took a cautious step forward, voice softer this time, more hesitant.
“Your father… he’s wrong. About everything, Jimin. He craves power and he is blinded by it. You’re nothing like him. You never were and I’m sorry for even comparing you with them”
Jimin let out a tired breath, finally turning to face him again, his expression unreadable but his eyes were glossy. Jimin didn’t speak a word and so, Jungkook continued.
“I know that now and I should have known it then too. Deep down, I know that you aren’t the same. I was angry, and I took it out on you, even when you were hurting just as much… maybe even more. I should’ve listened to you and trusted you”
Jimin watched him for a long moment before shaking his head. Jungkook’s face flickered in confusion.
“Trust has never been easy, Jungkook. You weren’t the only one who lashed out at me that night”
Jungkook frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“My father… he wasn’t pleased when I spoke against him. I knew he wouldn’t be, but I still couldn’t keep quiet. I was enraged and hurt when I saw him at dinner. I told him what he and his men did was a disgrace. That Jung-su deserved a fair trial, that killing him was nothing but cruelty disguised as power. I lashed out, screaming that they were heartless monsters”
Jungkook felt his blood boil at the thought of Jimin standing in front of his father, speaking with the same fire he carried in his heart. He could only imagine the consequences. It would’ve been brutal and Tsubasa is a sadist, a man who only cares about power. And his own son turning against him would be the last thing he would’ve wanted to witness. Jimin tilted his head back slightly, staring at the ceiling as if gathering his thoughts before continuing,
“He didn’t just yell at me. He slapped me”
Jimin’s voice turned quieter now, more controlled. Jungkook’s eyes widened, breath catching in his throat at the revelation. How fucking cruel? He felt nausea creep up his throat. Jimin let out a slow breath, looking back at him with a small, tired smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
"I didn’t hold back. I had nothing to lose, so I kept challenging him. Maybe he didn’t want others to see me bruised, or maybe he simply thought I wasn’t worth the effort. Instead, he ordered them to starve me for three days and walked away. So, you see, you weren’t the only one who saw me as the enemy that night"
A sharp pang of guilt twisted in Jungkook’s chest. He wanted to strangle Tsubasa to death right this instant. He had assumed the worst, had thrown words at Jimin without considering what he had endured in return. Jungkook stepped forward, regret pooling in his gaze.
“I… I’m sorry. I can’t take back what I said, but I swear I never meant to hurt you like this. I should’ve known better”
Jimin studied him for a long moment before sighing, his posture relaxing just the slightest.
“It doesn’t change what happened any way, Jungkook”
“I know”
Jungkook admitted but he didn’t know what else to say. They stood there in silence, the weight of the past few days still lingering between them. Jimin knew Jungkook could never reciprocate his feelings and they would fall back into their never-ending banter soon but it still did hurt.
“Thank you for apologizing though. Hope to see you soon”
Jimin offered a faint smile, one that never quite reached his eyes, and Jungkook immediately noticed the missing spark that was once there. He stood still, giving a small nod as Jimin turned on his heels and walked away. Jungkook wasn’t sure if he had repaired anything between them or only deepened the cracks, especially after avoiding the moment when Jimin had openly confessed his feelings.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
It's Sunday night and as always the Yojo house is extremely crowded. People are drunk, high on lust and greed. Jungkook hated the place, he despised walking into the room full of scents that made him nauseous. He thought he would never step into it ever again until it changed. Until he craved for more. Until he couldn’t resist and until he found solace in the arms of a man, his Selene. He doesn’t remember how it happened and where it all began but after that night, he knew he would be meeting the man again.
“Ungh… “
A breathy moan left Selene’s lips and Jungkook leaned down and pressed a kiss behind the ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth as he dragged his cock along the tight walls. It sucks that Sunday is the only day he gets to meet Selene and spend an entire week with a pounding heart. He doesn’t know how long they’ve been here, trapped in the dimly lit room, panting into each other.
“I… Oh my… more, please”
Jungkook couldn’t resist. He could never hold himself back when the man beneath him moans so prettily. It feels like angels singing inside his ears, sprinkling fairy dust and erasing the never ending thoughts. Jungkook bit the shoulder, earning a gasp as he fastened the pace, angling his hips to hit the spot, sending the latter into a paradise. He pulled out, cupping the ass to spread it and stare at the way his cock disappears completely. He could feel his belly tighten, pulse racing as he lodged himself deep, lips never leaving the shoulders as Jungkook felt Selene shudder beneath him, releasing onto the sheets in a breathy moan.
“Fuck…”
He pistoned his hips one last time before releasing deep inside the ass, panting as he rolled over, carefully pulling out and pulling the man to his chest. They stayed in each other’s embrace, taking in slow breaths and staring at the moon glimmering in the velvet sky. Minutes passed and Jungkook pressed feathery kisses along the collarbone before pulling away and letting Selene rest against his chest.
“Are you okay?”
“More than okay. What’s wrong?”
This was what caught Jungkook off guard a year ago. It had been a little over a year since he first stepped into Yojo House, and just as long since he met Selene. Something about being in the other man’s embrace always tugged at his heart; an unfamiliar warmth that made him feel safe, as if he could finally lower his guard and just exist. Maybe it was the way Selene always knew what to ask, what to say, what to do. Or maybe they were simply in tune with each other in a way Jungkook couldn't explain.
Most of the time, it wasn’t even about sex. Jungkook would visit, share a drink, and talk about everything that unfolded before them. More often than not, he was the one rambling, spilling his frustrations and fears, while Selene simply listened, offering a quiet presence and a comforting shoulder when needed. He wouldn’t call them friends. What they had was something beyond that. Did he love Selene? Jungkook didn’t have an answer. But over the past year, Selene had become someone so significant in his life that the mere thought of never seeing him again made his stomach twist in uneasy knots.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Jungkook sighed. He doesn’t know if he wants to open up but the way Selene sounded so soft though the voice was rough and deep. Jungkook’s shoulders slumped as he gave into the warm embrace, allowing Selene to pull him close.
“It’s about… Jung-Su, Jimin, the students… everything. His execution was immoral, brutal, and inhumane. I was enraged and I wasn’t thinking straight. I saw Jimin at the scene and lashed out. I hurt him unintentionally. Though I apologized… I still feel guilty. I can’t shake off that he has to endure physical and mental torment by Tsubasa every day. That man is a walking monster. Wish I could rip him into pieces…”
Selene remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking, voice calm and steady. He ran a hand through Jungkook’s hair, smoothing it and tucking it behind the ear.
"Guilt is heavy, Jungkook-ah. You’re carrying too much of it"
"What else am I supposed to do, Hyung? Forget about it?"
"No. But punishing yourself won’t undo what happened. And neither will tearing Tsubasa apart, no matter how much he deserves it. It won’t change a thing except you ruining your life"
Jungkook stared at him, eyes blinking as he stared how the latter’s eyes smiled. He wished he could see what he looks like but he won’t ever ask that. How did Selene always make things sound so simple?
"You care. I can see that"
Selene continued, pouring them both a drink and handing the brass glass to Jungkook who accepted it without a word.
"Maybe more than you should. But that’s not a weakness, Jungkook. Jimin knows that. You are in the wrong, you realized it and you apologized. You’ve done your part and now it’s time to put things in the past. You can’t change what’s already happened. But you can decide what you’ll do next"
Jungkook picked up the cup but didn’t drink, instead watching Selene carefully, trying to guess what expression he had on his face. It was hard given how only those pearly eyes are visible to him but that was enough to send Jungkook into a spiral because Selene looked like he was kissed by the moon.
"Why do you always say things like that?"
Jungkook muttered, shaking his head, a small smile stretching his lips but he refused to tear his gaze away from the man before him. Selene smiled, Jungkook could feel that.
"Maybe because you need to hear them"
Jungkook let out a dry laugh, staring down at the liquid in his cup. He still felt guilty, still wanted to do something, but somehow, sitting here, listening to Selene, the weight in his chest felt just a little lighter. And it made him wonder… how had this bond between them become something so natural, something so grounding?
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
The day started off as usual with Jungkook walking to Taehyung’s house, greeting the elderly on his way before barging into the Media house. He didn’t expect to find all of his friends already there, confusion and fury etched on their features. He couldn’t leave early and somehow time passed in a blink whenever he stayed with Selene. Hours passed by in a blur and still it would be less. Jungkook parted his lips to ask about the issue when he saw a man leaving from the back door, his silhouette vanishing behind the red brick wall. What was Daeho doing at the Media house?
“You need to see this”
Taehyung mumbled in a low tone, his voice sincere and guarded as he pushed the piece of crumpled paper smeared in ink. Jungkook took cautious steps toward the table, Ki-Nam and Young-su standing close by as he leaned forward with a thumping heart, dreading to see what was on the paper.
Official Note from the Kancho
From: General Tsubasa
Date: 24th August
Subject: Immediate Mandatory Assembly
In accordance with the directives of the Kancho, all designated personnel and officials are hereby summoned to an immediate meeting. Attendance is non-negotiable, and failure to comply will be noted accordingly. Details regarding agenda items will be disclosed upon arrival. However, discussions may include administrative evaluations and recent adjustments to wage distribution policies. The meeting will commence at 10 am on 25th August, at the Kancho. Further instructions will be provided upon entry.
By order of the Empire,
General Tsubasa
Jungkook’s jaw clenches as he grips the paper harder. No words are spoken, but the weight of the parchment feels heavier than it should. Something about this summons isn’t right because the meetings are scheduled and announced 3 days prior to the happening date and what’s so important that Tsubasa sent out the notice just a day before?
“So, what do you think?”
Young-su’s voice barely has the chance to settle in the air before the door bursted open, revealing Hoseok. He looked drained, his chest rising and falling rapidly as sweat dripped from his forehead. His clothes are slightly disheveled, and his hands trembled as he braced himself against the doorframe.
“Hyung… what’s wrong?”
Taehyung is the first to react, stepping forward with concern laced in his voice. Hoseok didn't respond immediately, his breath still uneven. He stumbled toward the table, and Jungkook quickly handed him a glass of water. Hoseok gulped it down in one go before setting the cup aside with a trembling hand, his sharp gaze locking onto Jungkook and Taehyung.
“A fight broke out at the base. A new recruit; hot-headed as hell. I told him to take it slow, but he lost control the moment a Japanese soldier insulted him. I get it. I do. But, Gguk… he’s just a kid. Barely nineteen. They’ve already notified the officials. And trust me, this won’t end well”
“We need to find him. If the officials get involved, we don’t have much time before they make an example out of him. Another Jung-Su case”
Taehyung said, his voice firm and Jungkook nodded, but his thoughts were racing. Something about this feels too sudden. Too convenient and right on time. His mind flickered to the letter they received earlier, the urgent assembly called by General Tsubasa, vague one, mentioning nothing outright.
“This isn’t a coincidence”
Jungkook muttered, pushing back his chair as he stood. Ki-Nam furrowed his brows at the statement.
“What do you mean?”
“The assembly. The timing is too close, too exact. If they’re planning something, this fight might just be their excuse to escalate matters and get us under their soles. Wage distribution? What if it’s not just about money? What if it’s about labor? Manpower? If they decide to crack down on the rebellion further and oppress us, they’ll need a reason to justify it though Tsuabsa’s rules are bullshit”
“They could use this as leverage to tighten control and tie a leash around our necks”
Hoseok realizes, his face paling and Taehyung curses under his breath.
“Then we need to get ahead of them because we got this in our hands”
A heavy pause follows before Jungkook finally speaks, wiggling the letter between his fingers.
“We need information. The General’s assistant. He’s the closest thing to an open book. I wonder how Tsubasa appointed someone who is no where close to his cunning ass but we are benefitting from it. If anyone knows the real reason behind this assembly, it’s him”
“You’re suggesting we spy on him?”
Young-su asks and Jungkook pauses before nodding, his jaw tightening.
“We don’t have another choice. We come up with a plan and we do this tonight before they make their next move. We need to collect as much evidence as possible before it goes out of hand. If it’s something physical, we need to alert the public and prepare ourselves for the worst”
Silence settles between them once again, but this time, there’s an unspoken agreement. Taehyung nods, pulling out a paper and the ink bottle, dipping the feather and drawing an outline of the Kancho, place where the official meetings are held and the path to the Damiyo quarters where all the higher Japanese officials reside.
"Look here"
Taehyung murmured, pointing at the map, the messy sketch staring back at them.
"This is our entry point into the Kancho. And this route… "
He traced a line along a narrow, less-traveled alley right along the river stream.
"... will take us to the Damiyo quarters without drawing too much attention though it’s hard for people to move around after midnight"
Jungkook leaned in, his eyes narrowing as he studied the map.
"And the assistant? We need to catch him and see what he knows about this assembly"
Jungkook questioned and Young-su interjected, his tone steady despite the tension.
"I heard from a source that the assistant frequents the lower courtyard near Damiyo quarters after official hours. It might be our best chance to follow him without raising suspicion because we don’t know where he goes from the courtyard"
"We could disperse and stay there tonight, wait until the guards change shifts. That should give us a window to move in. Courtyard is pretty empty so we can’t hide there for long. We need to be quick"
"We need to coordinate. Tae, you'll lead the group along the north path. I'll stay a step behind, keeping watch. Young-su, you handle the lookout post at the entrance and signal if you spot any movement. And Hobi Hyung… try to keep your identity in check. You are a Sanggun and we don’t want to lose you"
Jungkook explained and everyone in the room nodded to the plan. It wasn’t much and they had done this before but messing directly with the General’s assistant is risky. The group exchanged determined looks as Taehyung continued marking key points on the map: guard posts, gates, narrow passageways, and possible hiding spots behind the trees and bushes.
"We follow him back to the courtyard from Kancho, and get every detail we can about the assembly's true purpose as discreetly as possible. We act quickly and quietly. The moment we gather enough evidence, we regroup and split up"
Jungkook ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing with a mix of anger and anticipation as Taehyung finished explaining.
"We’re walking into the lion’s den tonight and this is risky. But if we don't act now, they’ll tighten their grip even further"
A heavy silence followed as each of them absorbed the gravity of their plan and how risky it is to wander and spy. Finally, Young-su broke the silence with a sigh.
"Then it's settled. We meet here tonight at dusk, and from there, we execute the plan. Stay sharp, and trust no one. No single soul"
Jungkook nodded and Hoseok left with a promise to be there before dusk. With a quiet sigh, Jungkook leaned back against the wall, settling beside Taehyung, who was engrossed in conversation with Ki-Nam and Young-su. Time seemed to be slipping through their fingers, dragging them closer to a night filled with danger. The risk they were about to take was deadly, one wrong move could cost them their lives. But wasn’t this what they had committed to from the beginning? Tsubasa was a man intoxicated with power, and standing against him was the only option.
Jungkook’s thoughts drifted to Jimin. The weight of his situation hit him like a tidal wave. Jimin was trapped, watched from every direction, his every move monitored, every breath taken under the scrutiny of men who had control over his life. How suffocating it must be. Jungkook couldn’t begin to comprehend the extent of Jimin’s suffering. His hatred for the Japanese rulers hadn’t wavered, but Jimin… he had never truly hated Jimin. The bitterness he carried toward their oppressors had clouded his judgment, making him see Jimin as something he wasn’t.
More than anything, Jungkook hoped Jimin was safe. He knew how stubborn Jimin could be, unwavering to the point of self-destruction. He wouldn’t go down without a fight, no matter the consequences and that’s something that Jungkook secretly admired. That stubbornness, that fire in him, was something they shared, something that kind of brought them together. They were far more alike than Jungkook had ever admitted.
As his mind wandered a little more, memories of the Yojo House surfaced. The whispered confessions, the heated moments, the quiet understanding shared in the dark. His Selene. The warmth, the solace, it was worth fighting for. All of it. Their rebellion, their resistance, their voices, though small, it all mattered. They might not succeed, but at least they refused to submit, refused to be reduced to nothing. And in that refusal, there was relief. There was a purpose.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
The night fell and Hoseok arrived along with Ki-Nam and Young-Su who were dressed in a black attire, hidden from head to toe with eyes shining under the moonlight. Jungkook cast a glance at them, exchanging a silent understanding with the rest of the group before they set out onto the streets. Their footsteps were light against the cobbled roads as they took the less-traveled paths, avoiding watchful eyes, trying to be as discreet as possible. They can’t have a slip up, not now.
Their first stop was the Kancho, the heart of their plan. It’s hard to sneak past the watching gaze of the Japanese soldiers. The office hours would end at 8 PM, and until then, they had no choice but to lurk in the shadows of a nearby alley, they kept a watchful eye on the entrance. The faint sounds of shuffling papers and closing drawers could be heard through the slightly ajar windows, signaling the end of the workday.
"How much longer?"
Ki-Nam muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, gaze sweeping across his friends and the building.
"Five minutes more"
Hoseok answered, eyes locked on the door. Jungkook, crouched beside him, exhaled slowly before parting his lips as the sounds of locks clicking reached their ears.
"Stay sharp. The assistant leaves first and he’s the one we follow. Never slip and if you feel like someone’s watching you, revert back"
"Are you sure he’ll take the courtyard route?"
Young-Su questioned, adjusting the gloves on his hands.
"He always does, It’s habit"
Taehyung murmured and the moment the clock struck 8 PM, the doors of the Kancho opened. A lone figure stepped out, the assistant, Sato Takahiro with his guards trailing closely behind him, his kimono swaying around him as he glanced around before setting off. Jungkook gave a subtle nod, and the group fell into step, trailing behind him like shadows, following the rhythmic movement of the cart.
They moved through Echigo’s forest, heading toward the Okawa river, slipping between narrow alleyways and hugging the stone walls where the lantern light flickered right above them. Takahiro’s cart’s pace was quick but not hurried, his eyes darting briefly over his shoulder every now and then. They need to cross the bridge to reach the Damiyo quarters and trailing behind the cart is too risky. Takahiro can just turn around and shoot them on the spot. Going along the bushes is not an option, they need to cross the river.
“The current’s not too strong. We need to reach the shore”
Hoseok whispered, his voice barely audible over the steady rush of water. Ki-Nam nodded in agreement, and Taehyung, positioned at the front, kept his eyes locked on the cart crossing the bridge. It wouldn’t be long before it reached the Daimyo’s quarters, they don’t have much time to ponder.
“Tae, Young-Su, you take the leap first and wait for us. Hyung… you go next. Ki-Nam and I will follow once it’s clear”
Jungkook mumbled with no hesitation, receiving a nod from all of them. Taehyung and Young-Su moved first, slipping into the water soundlessly, their bodies vanishing beneath the surface before emerging further downstream. Hoseok followed right after, his strokes smooth as he caught up with the two. Jungkook and Ki-Nam exchanged a quick glance after checking the surroundings before diving in, the cold water swallowing them whole. Within minutes, their hands met the damp earth of the shore, fingers digging into the mud as they pulled themselves up, panting a little as they got up on the other side. Taehyung and Young-Su crouched behind rocks, scanning their surroundings.
“Clear?”
Jungkook whispered, wringing the water from his sleeves and Young-Su nodded.
“For now. We need to get going”
They didn’t waste a second. Moving like shadows, they followed the assistant’s silhouette as the cart moved ahead, weaving through the narrow alleyways that led toward the courtyard. Takahiro had his head slightly tilted downward, unaware of the figures tailing him from the darkness. The courtyard loomed ahead, bathed in the dim glow of scattered lanterns. Taehyung, Young-su and Hoseok slipped behind the rocks, moving closer to hear the conversation between Takahiro and a man who smiled at the assistant’s arrival. Ki-Nam was right behind Jungkook and just as they neared the entrance and moved behind a tree, a sudden flicker of light caught Jungkook’s face; a brief, golden sliver breaking through the night.
Jungkook froze.
His body went rigid, breath hitching in his throat.
Because there, just beyond the courtyard’s edge, illuminated by the faint glow of a distant familiar lantern was a sight that made his blood run cold.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
“Can’t believe your dad starved you. What kind of a human is he? Seriously… fuck him”
Sayuri’s words carried frustration, her voice sharp with disbelief. Jimin let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. There wasn’t a single soul who had anything good to say about his father and for good reason. A man who couldn’t even show his own son the bare minimum of love and decency had no right to wield power over others. He understood their anger, but to him, it was just another part of life, a life he didn’t choose and a life he was tired of living.
"You’re taking it harder than I am. Let it go, Sayuri"
Jimin teased, casting her a sideways glance but his friend only huffed, shaking her head as her eyes turned small with fury.
"That’s because it’s disgusting. I mean, food? Of all things? He is a monster, Jimin"
Jimin hummed in response, nodding to the words as she continued to speak, letting the conversation drift as they continued their slow walk behind his room. The night air was cool against his skin, a refreshing contrast to the suffocating weight of the robes he had to wear all day. Shimizu had left earlier to work on his thesis, leaving Sayuri to keep him company. Not that he minded because she is a great talker, the purest and the silliest soul. They rounded the corner and something felt different. Sayuri was walking before him, explaining about a recipe she tried but Jimin could feel the shift in the air.
Something pulled at him. A presence so familiar and so close.
Jimin turned, his eyes instinctively scanning the dimly lit courtyard. And that’s when he saw him under a flicker of light.
Jungkook. Half-hidden behind a tree, his dark eyes locked onto Jimin’s, unwavering. Jimin's breath caught in his throat and he almost let out agasp at the sight. His heart skipped and stopped, for a second, before hammering back to life. Was this some kind of sick joke? Is he hallucinating Jungkook in the courtyard? He had no idea why Jungkook was there, what he was doing so close to the courtyard, concealed in the shadows. But neither of them looked away as if they were trying to breathe in the answers.
A strange tension settled between them, thick and heavy as they stared at each other. Jungkook couldn’t take his eyes off Jimin no matter how much he wanted to look away. Maybe it’s because he didn’t expect Jimin to catch him or maybe how simple JImin looked. He was stripped off the luxurious and expensive silks, dressed in a soft beige linen kimono that flowed around him as he walked under the moonlight. His hair was messily tied in a half bun secured by a jade pin, the rest falling softly on the shoulders. Jungkook stopped himself from thinking any further because no matter how much he denies it, Jimin is exceptionally gorgeous and everyone in the province is aware of that.
As Jungkook shakes himself from the thoughts, a sound echoes in his ears, alerting him and Jimin. Footsteps, Jungkook could feel them. Jungkook barely moved, but Jimin caught it; the slightest tremor that ran through him, barely noticeable but there. And without thinking, Jimin acted. He shifted slightly, blocking the view just enough to keep Jungkook hidden, his stance casual as he glanced at Sayuri, his back facing Jungkook.
“So… what were you saying about food earlier? The recipe?”
Jungkook couldn’t hear the words clearly but he could hear how soft Jimin sounded and how he acted on impulse after finding them beside his residence, dressed like Ninjas. They could do anything… They could even plan an attack but the way Jimin didn’t think twice before shifting the attention so they could do their work in silence made Jungkook take a sharp breath. Jungkook could see Sayuri rolling her eyes, completely unaware of the silent exchange happening right behind her. The guard passed without sparing them a glance, and as soon as the path was clear, Jimin finally exhaled.
"I am with my friend. Please dismiss the guards from entering the premises for the night"
Jimin ordered and the order left no room for argument, and the guard bowed deeply before stepping away, leaving him and Sayuri alone. But Jimin wasn’t speaking just for the guard to hear; his words echoed deliberately, meant for someone else hiding beyond the courtyard’s shadows. Jungkook had heard it loud and clear. A silent assurance. A shield he never asked for. Jungkook’s fingers curled slightly at his sides, unsure of what to make of it. Jimin didn’t have to do that. He didn’t have to take a risk for him, didn’t have to stand up for someone whose actions and goals were so ambiguous. Yet, Jimin did. Without hesitation.
And when Jimin turned back, gaze settling on him, Jungkook felt the air in his lungs grow thin, his heart doing a leap. They just stared. For a moment; no, several moments that stretched endlessly into hours in their minds, they stood locked in place, feet frozen, separated only by distance. Jimin’s eyes shone under the soft flicker of lantern light, reflecting something Jungkook couldn’t quite pinpoint. Something that burned so bright, piercing yet extremely soft. It made his chest feel tight, made his thoughts scatter into the void. Jungkook swallowed, struggling to find words, but nothing came. What could he even say? As he struggled to whisper a thank you, Jimin smiled.
A small, knowing smile. One full of belief, of something dangerously close to adoration and Jungkook could feel the loud thumps of his heart at the sight of Jimin before him. Jungkook exhaled slowly, unable to hold his gaze any longer. He bowed slightly; enough for Jimin to feel the gratitude, just a fraction, just enough to say thank you in the only way he knew how in the moment, before stepping back. And then he turned, disappearing into the night. Jimin watched him go, his smile lingering even after Jungkook was long gone because no matter how much he tells himself otherwise, Jungkook is someone that tangled with the strings of his heart.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Summoning or Suppression
Hidden Motives Behind the General's Emergency Assembly at Kancho
An urgent assembly was issued by General Tsubasa to all ranking officials, calling for an undisclosed meeting at Kancho in a short notice where the invitations must be sent 3 days prior. The reason? Officially undisclosed. But whispers in the night run louder than commands behind closed doors. Various sources suggest the sudden assembly is not a coincidence or a daily occurence. Discussions are rumored to revolve around decreasing Korean labor wages and increasing state taxes, a plan that would burden the Koreans while simultaneously benefitting Japanese merchants.
However, what makes this assembly more unsettling is the suspicious fight that broke out within the military base just a day before the meeting was scheduled. Is it convenient? Insiders claim the incident involving a young Korean recruit reacting to a racial slur by a Japanese soldier was intentionally provoked to collect dirt on the recruit and use it to their own benefit. The event now serves as an evidence, a fabricated scenario to impose stricter fines, reduce allowances, and punish all Koreans under the banner of maintaining discipline.
Knowledge is our strongest weapon.
Stay awake. Stay alert.
We see. We speak. We resist.
(Please burn this pamphlet after reading)
The chaos erupts the moment the Koreans rush onto the roads, protesting to let them know the main cause of the immediate assembly held at Kancho. It began like a wildfire, sudden and fierce. The air was thick with frustration and betrayal, voices rising above the sound of footsteps as men and women marched with fists raised high, shouting for truth, for justice with rage pouring out of them in waves. They are being suppressed as it is and now the news of the assembly did nothing to calm them down.
The people were no longer willing to bow their heads, the price of survival had long exceeded the limits of endurance. Though there weren’t many protestors, it still felt too much to find a large crowd screaming their lungs out, demanding transparency and justice. A few people locked themselves in, anticipating the violent outburst from both sides but nothing could’ve prepared them for the cruel reality of the Japanese rule. What started as a march of resistance quickly slipped into disarray. Shoving, pushing, and heated arguments with the Japanese guards that stopped them from entering the Kancho escalated within minutes.
Stones were thrown. Bodies collided furiously. Jungkook and Taehyung pushed their way through the frantic crowd along with their friends who looked petrified at the scene before them, trying their best to pacify the heated crowd. Jungkook’s voice strained from shouting over the noise, arms outstretched as he tried to pull people back. No one was in the right mindset to listen nor react. They were blinded by rage which was justified but it was going overboard and the lines of frown on the Japanese soldiers was clearly visible.
“Stop! You’re giving them more reason to hurt us! This isn’t the way!”
Jungkook’s voice was drowned out by screams and chaos. Taehyung grabbed a young boy who was about to throw a glass bottle at a guard and yanked him back, eyes blazing with unrestrained fear and fury.
“You’ll get everyone killed if you don’t stop now! This is what they want, don’t hand it to them!”
Jungkook’s heart pounded as he struggled to stop the crowd. He could already see the Japanese officers circling in, their rifles drawn, the threat of violence flickering in their eyes. This wasn’t resistance anymore, this was a battlefield and soon they would be firing like predators chasing their prey. He pulled at people, begging them to stop and think but they shoved him away, screaming at the officials and as he trailed his eyes to the building, his heart stopped at the sight of Tsubasa standing on the top floor, eyes red and furious.
Jimin was hurrying down the path toward the law firm, unaware of the storm he was walking into. Shimizu and Sayuri ran behind him, cursing under their breath as the time ticked away. The sound of yelling reached his ears first, then the sight of smoke, dust, and people running in panic. Jimin stopped dead in his tracks along with his friends, eyes wide as he took in the mayhem before him. Protesters were being shoved, beaten, dragged away. His chest tightened at the sight of the sheer brutality.
“Oh my god. What’s even happening here?”
Shimizu clasped his mouth with his hands, eyes wide in panic. Jimin rushed into the crowd, trying to help pull a little girl from beneath the chaos, shouting at others to back down, to stop fighting because it’s pure form of madness.
“Enough! Stop it”
Taehyung’s voice tore through the madness as he launched himself forward, unable to hold back anymore when he saw a soldier strike an elderly woman across the face. Jimin’s heart dropped at the voice, panic surging through his veins as he watched Taehyung throwing himself into the lion’s den. The sound of impact rang clear, and something in Taehyung snapped. The time moved in slow motion and everyone’s eyes were glued on Taehyung, horror evident in their posture. His fist connected with the soldier’s jaw, knocking him to the ground, giving him a busted lip and a purple eye.
“Taehyung, no!”
Jimin and Jungkook screamed their lungs out, their voices echoing in the air as both of them rushed to hold their friend. Jimin didn’t mind his father who was watching him with a killer gaze, didn’t mind a bit about his reputation, all he could see was how they pulled Taehyung by the collar, landing a punch square on his face. But it was too late, they were too late. Jungkook gasped as his friend folded in pain and Jimin looked too stunned to even utter a word.
Taehyung fought back, trying to shield himself, but there were too many soldiers crowding him. A crunch echoed through the crowd as a fist struck his temple. Another drove into his gut, doubling him over. Two guards wrestled his arms behind his back while a third cracked the hilt of his rifle against Taehyung’s shoulder. The crowd screamed, some tried to intervene, only to be shoved or knocked down by the Japanese soldiers with their rifles pointed at their heads.
“Let him go!”
Jungkook roared, shoving through bodies as he lunged forward, only to be kicked by a Japanese official who appeared out of nowhere making him stumble as Ki-Nam and Young-Su, held him from hitting the ground.
“He didn’t do anything wrong! He was defending!”
Jungkook’s voice cracked with desperation as he watched his friend getting beaten without mercy but his cries fell on deaf ears and Jimin tore through the crows, his body trembling and eyes glistening as he stood before Jungkook, staring at the Japanese official with nothing but fury.
“Stop! He’s just protecting his people just like you are -”
But before Jimin could say more, a voice pierced through the air, sharp and venomous making Jimin shut his eyes, his fists clutching the soft fabric of his kimono as he waited for the cruel words to be thrown at him. Jungkook struggled to break free but it was of no use. All of them would be captured in an instant.
“Step away, Jimin”
The crowd parted like water, making Jimin stand in the sea of chaos like a prey to his father’s eyes. Tsubasa stood tall atop the stairs of Kancho, his gaze ice-cold and fixed directly on his son.
“You dare disgrace yourself by siding with them again? Have you forgotten who you are? Do I have to remind you every single day that you don’t belong with those filthy bastards? You share my blood, not theirs. Or have you thrown away your name and dignity completely, like some whore crawling after rebels?”
Jimin’s breath caught in his throat, the humiliation slamming into him like a wave of fire. The crowd was silent because his father made sure that everyone heard what he was speaking. They were watching with wide eyes as the Japanese general publicly degraded his own son. Jungkook’s heart clenched at the words and if given a chance, he would shed Tsubasa to pieces. Jimin shut his eyes, biting back the tears that threatened to fall because no matter how much he tells himself, it won’t ever be easy. Jimin’s jaw tightened, lips trembling with restraint before he finally took a step forward, just enough for everyone to hear him, staring right at his father.
“I’d rather crawl after rebels than stand beside you. Because at least they know what compassion is. At least they know what it means to bleed for their people and not bathe in their suffering by backstabbing like a coward”
Tsubasa’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dangerous brewing beneath his composed expression. His lips twisted into a cold sneer.
“Compassion? You speak of compassion as if it means anything coming from you. You have done nothing but taint my name, taint the legacy I built, whimpering in shadows, hiding behind silks and lies. You speak of bleeding for people and protecting them but what have you ever done but embarrass your family? They are fighting for their people and what are you doing like a useless shadow?”
“You’re not embarrassed because of what I’ve done. You’re embarrassed because I refuse to become the monster you are. Because I refused to carry your legacy bathed in blood which will bring no good”
The crowd gasped audibly this time, and for the first time, Tsubasa’s face twitched, his pride pierced. Jimin didn’t back down despite the ache blooming in his heart. Tsubasa strode down the stairs, stopping just a breath away from Jimin, towering over him.
“You think you’re strong now? Defying me in front of your little friends? You don’t know what true suffering is, Jimin. Just because you sell yourself like a pathetic bitch to let them befriend you, doesn’t mean you will oppose me. But keep walking this path… and I will personally show you what suffering really is”
Before Jimin could retort, Jungkook’s hand wrapped around his arm again, firmer this time, pulling him back.
“Enough. He’s not worth it, Jimin”
Jungkook murmured, voice trembling with restrained rage. Jimin didn’t resist, but his glossy eyes locked with his father’s one last time, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I’m not afraid of you anymore”
Tsubasa didn’t reply. His expression twisted with disgust and fury, as he turned on his heel and walked away. Jungkook intertwined their fingers, giving Jimin’s hand a squeeze hoping that would ground him as they watched the Japanese soldiers drag Taehyung and the protestors away. They can think about this later but first, they need to get Taehyung back.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
The night fell and Jungkook found himself hastily tying his hanbok together, eyes void of any emotions as he marched out of the house. He could see his parents consoling The Kims who looked extremely devastated. He didn’t want this to happen, none of them wanted this to happen but now everything was in shambles with Taehyung getting arrested. He just hoped that Hoseok was safe in the barracks after all the commotion that shredded every piece of their bravery.
“Jungkook-ah?”
“Jungkook, where are you going?”
The voices of his friends faded into the background as he turned his back, almost sprinting away from the house that reminded too much of Taehyung. They started this together, they started protesting, fighting for their freedom but this was an unexpected blow, something he hadn’t seen coming so early. They knew the path they were stepping on is filled with venomous snakes that wouldn’t hesitate for a second to drip the poison but not this way. His chest ached, caving in with too many emotions that threatened to swallow him into the dark abyss.
As he walked down the streets, people spared him a glance full of pity and a few full of rage. He didn’t mind but he could hear the distant murmurs of curses coming his way because their children were captured too. He didn’t force them, no but he didn’t refuse them either. They grew as one, fighting for their land and people walked in themselves, swearing to protect the last bits of dignity they had left and Jungkook wondered how his friends were, how Taehyung was. A million questions flipped inside him but there was a voice, a dangerous voice that kept whispering the worst he was fearing.
What if he isn’t alive?
Jungkook visibly shuddered at his own voice inside the head, way cruel and way creepy. It crawled inside his body, giving him shivers making Jungkook halt and cover his ears. Tears clung to the lashes, unrelenting and burning as he stopped himself from imagining the worst but the fear was rooted deep in the heart, the fear of losing the person he cherished the most is something he doesn’t know if he can bear.
Jungkook stumbled into a narrow alleyway, a stony path, somewhere just off the main road, and braced himself against the wall. His palms pressed flat to the bricks, his chest rising and falling in sharp bursts as his mind replayed the image of Taehyung being punched, kicked, and dragged away. He screamed. He had screamed so loud his voice cracked, but no one listened. No one ever listened because it didn’t matter. And now, he didn’t know if he would ever see Taehyung again.
“No, no, no”
Jungkook chanted out loud, choking on the air, his fingers tangling into his hair, tugging like he could pull the grief out through the roots as he slid down the wall, knees pulled closer to his chest
“Not him. Not Tae. Please, not Tae…”
Tears spilled down Jungkook’s cheeks without restraint now. He didn’t care. There was no one around to see, no one around to ask him what was wrong and even if there was, what did it matter? It stopped mattering the moment his best friend, his brother in everything but blood, had been taken. And there was nothing he could do about it. He was rendered helpless and even watched Jimin being humiliated like he isn’t even a human. And then came the ache for someone else.
Selene
If Selene were here, he would’ve knelt beside him, pressed a hand to his back, kissed his earlobe and whispered something that made the world feel a little less cruel. Maybe he would’ve taken his hand, made him breathe slower, reminded him that the fight wasn’t over yet. Selene always knew what to say, what to do but the worst part is he isn’t here and he won’t be here. Jungkook was alone, wailing and crying for someone to give him strength but there was no one beside him.
And for the first time in years, it felt like everything he’d fought for, everything he believed in was slowly slipping from his fingers. The injustice, the pain, the fear… it was too much. So Jungkook cried. Quietly. Desperately. For Taehyung. For himself. For the place that never knew peace. And for Selene, who isn’t there to hold him through the chaos of his bleeding heart.
The blast came without warning. One second, Jungkook and Taehyung were exchanging quick hand signals behind the field tent as they set out to take the enemies down, and the next, the ground shook as fire engulfed the night. It was hard to keep going in the heart of the night but the people were relentless and maybe they were thugs who were absolutely brutal with their weapons. Jungkook was thrown into a pile of rocks, his ears ringing, dust clogging his lungs. Disoriented, he stumbled to his feet, vision blurred but he couldn’t see Taehyung and his heart dropped.
“Tae? Tae! Where are you?”
Jungkook yelled, frantic, heart hammering against his ribs. His leg ached, pain in the calf muscle pulling him down but through the smoke, he spotted him, partially buried under a fallen brick beam, blood staining the earth beneath him. Jungkook sprinted with every inch of his life, dropped to his knees, and with trembling hands, began heaving the beam off Taehyung’s chest. Splinters dug into his skin, his muscles screamed, but he couldn’t let his best friend die.
“You’re okay. You have to be okay”
Jungkook whispered to himself as he patted his friend’s cheek though fear gripped his heart like vice. He can’t lose him, no. Taehyung coughed after a few seconds, a weak sound, but it made Jungkook almost sob in relief.
“Look at me. Open your eyes. Tae, is it hurting? Where did you get hit?”
Taehyung opened his eyes, just barely. His lip curled into a half-smile despite the pain at the sight of Jungkook.
“You… look like shit”
“You almost died, and that’s your first sentence?”
Taehyung chuckled weakly as JUngkook tried lifting him off the ground. Taehyung needs medical assistance and he doesn’t know where he is injured either but they can’t stay out for so long.
“Just trying to lighten the mood”
“Don’t you dare scare me like that again. Stay. Right. By. Me”
A lone tear slipped Jungkook’s eyes, a wet chuckle escaping his lips in relief because Taehyung is a stubborn soul and for once, Jungkook is thankful for that attitude.
“I’m not leaving your hair anytime soon, Kook”
***
The wild wind outside the military base howled, but inside the bunker, time had paused. They had a day off which meant… them resting for an entire day before they were kicked out for lazing around by the Japanese men. A tiny flame flickered in an oil lamp, casting shaky shadows on the cracked concrete walls. Jungkook and Taehyung sat shoulder to shoulder on the cold ground, back against the cold walls with blankets wrapped tightly around them. Taehyung poked at the lukewarm rice in his tin bowl before looking up at Jungkook.
“Kook… you ever think about what you’d do if all this ended right this instant?”
Jungkook glanced at him, eyes wide in confusion before his face morphed into one of deep thought as his shoulders slumped.
“All this? You mean the war?”
“Yeah. The killing, the running, the fear. Maybe after the Japanese leave us alone What comes after?”
“I used to think I’d want revenge. Maybe I would still want that but now? Right in this moment, I just want peace”
“I want a bookstore”
Taehyung said with a little smile, wiggling his brows at Jungkook.
“Small and cozy one. Wooden shelves. Somewhere in the countryside. By the sea, maybe. And a cat”
Jungkook barked a laugh.
“You hate cats, Tae. Be realistic”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t want one. I will maybe construct an animal farm too”
“I want to be invisible”
Taehyung cocked a brow at Jungkook, a snicker leaving his lips.
“Invisible? Will you go on a murder spree?”
“I want to live somewhere no one knows me. Just disappear and fly away. Where no expectations can reach me. Just… live quietly. Go to markets like a ghost. Sleep in. Maybe fall in love with someone who sells herbal tea”
Taehyung grinned softly, ruffling Jungkook’s hair.
“You’re more poetic than I thought, Kook. You cheesy little shit”
“Do you think we’ll make it out of this?”
Taehyung didn’t answer right away and Jungkook knew it all sounded like a beautiful dream. A faraway dream which is way unrealistic. Taehyung squeezed his hand, a determined yet soft smile stretching his lips.
“As long as we’re together, we will”
***
Three of their unit members were dead.
Jungkook sat against a pillar, dried blood coating his sleeve. Taehyung was across from him, head in his hands, fingers tugging at his hair. The same sentence echoed inside their heads like a haunting voice. They were a team of 7 and now they lost 3 of them forever to the battle grounds while the other 2 remained lost in the field. They couldn’t leave their friend’s bodies out on the bloodied soil. The temple was hollow, absence of life clearly evident, its walls blackened from fire, statues broken and they weren’t supposed to be here but it was the only place they could drag their friends so they could at least get the proper funeral later.
“I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep watching people die”
Taehyung whispered, his voice hoarse and burdened by the weight of helplessness that clung to them like second skin. Jungkook didn’t respond. He stared at the ceiling of the temple, a thousand thoughts clawing at his chest. They need to go back into the battlefield and fight for the country that was snatched away from them, shed their blood for pathetic losers who oppressed them in every way possible.
“I’m tired, Kook. So tired”
Taehyung whispered, heaving a sigh as he clenched his fists.
“I know”
“I want to go home, Jungkook-ah. But we don’t even have homes anymore. Those filthy bastards took everything from us. Even if we leave his shit hole, we need to face them every single second”
Jungkook finally looked at him, eyes wide with determination as undertones of pain reflected like burning stars.
“Let’s make one. Let’s get our home back. Let’s rule these assholes out of our land. No one will stop us, Tae. Let this battle subside and we are leaving”
Jungkook’s back was hunched as if the words themselves pressed down on his spine, breaking him inch by inch. The silence that followed was deafening. Only the distant crackle of the burning remnants outside reminded them that time hadn’t stopped, that they needed to fight for their existence. Jungkook grabbed Taehyung by the shoulders, gripping hard, not out of desperation, but to anchor them both in this sea of chaos that awaited them.
“This isn’t where our story ends, Hyung. We find our people, gather what strength we have left, and we fight back. For our land. For every innocent life they spat on”
Taehyung’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes burned as he looked at Jungkook, as those words rang inside his ears. Something snapped inside him, the exhaustion washing away replaced by quiet strength, a will to continue moving forward, something to accomplish.
“Let’s die trying”
Taehyung whispered, his voice low as his eyes watered, switching between Jungkook and their friends who were no more.
“If we die, we will die standing on our own feet. Not crawling under their soles”
Every memory hit Jungkook at once, snatching away the last bit of sanity he had left. If something happens to Taehyung, he wasn;t sure how he would survive. The guilt weighed heavily on him but right now wasn’t the time to mourn, blame or lament. It was time to think and act, to bring his friends back, to bring Taehyung back and hug him tight. Jungkook gazed at the twinkling stars, pleading to give him strength, to show him way toward the light because he was drowning and he didn’t know where the exit was.
─⊰❀⊱─⊰❀⊱─
Min Yoongi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Lawyer
- Jimin’s Best friend
Min Izumi
- 28 years
- Samurai Class
- Nurse
- Yoongi’s Wife
The room was suffocating, the wooden walls too close, the air too heavy. Jimin sat curled in the farthest corner, nails digging into his skin as his father’s voice echoed over and over again inside his head like a curse he couldn’t break free from. From the moment Jungkook dropped him near the Okawa river, he couldn’t bring himself to utter a word, the humiliation and rage burned every inch of him, shredding him naked as the taunts echoed inside his head. He held himself until he was in the safety of his room, he vowed to not break down and give his father the satisfaction of winning but as minutes ticked away, the darkness enveloped him.
You don’t belong with them
Thrown away your name and dignity like some whore
You share my blood, not theirs
Each word replayed louder, crueler, scraping his mind like jagged glass. Jimin’s chest rose and fell rapidly, but no air filled his lungs. He ripped off the kimono, pieces of silk falling to the ground as Jimin struggled to break free from the imaginary hands wrapped around his throat. It felt like he was drowning in a memory, choking on humiliation, rage, and something far deeper; self-hatred for being born to a man like his father.
“No… no no no… shut up… shut the fuck up!”
Jimin screamed, voice hoarse and ragged, fists slamming into the wall beside him, until the skin on the knuckles split open and warm blood smeared the wood. The pain grounded him but it was not enough. He couldn’t stop. He wanted to get rid of everything until he didn’t feel the ache of humiliation anymore. Jimin stumbled to his feet, knocking over a vase, shards scattering on the floor, slicing his heel as he backed away like a trapped feral animal. His breath hitched violently, hands shaking uncontrollably as he tore at the collar of his robe that held their symbol, as if the fabric itself bore his father’s shame.
“I’m not like him”
Jimin whispered his voice frantically and hurried as if he was consoling himself and shielding himself from the cruel reality that awaited him.
“I’m not like him! I don’t want to be!”
Outside, panic echoed in hurried footsteps but he was far too gone to hear it. His mind was clouded and foggy. Nothing made sense and all he wanted to do was shed every bit of himself.
“Jimin-ah! Please… open the door!”
Yoongi’s voice rang out, trembling. Or was it Seokjin? Jimin couldn’t decipher anything. He could hear them calling his name vaguely, a distant murmur ringing in the back of his head but he couldn’t move. His knees buckled and he fell to the floor, knocking down a brass bowl that held rose water which broke into pieces, slicing the soft skin of his arms and legs.
“Please don’t do this. Talk to us, please”
Another voice but this time it was softer, more desperate. Izumi added in desperation along with Yumi who was on the verge of tears. It’s been hours since Jimin locked himself inside and they left for a while but this outburst wasn’t expected and the screams that tore from Jimin alerted them in an instant.
“Baby, you’re scaring us, please, just open the door. You're not alone, okay? We’re here”
Voices echoed and the more the voices rang inside his ears, the more he turned desperate to flee, to hide himself from the cruel shadow of his father. Their pleas went unheard and the door remained shut. Jimin curled again on the floor, rocking slightly, hands pressed to his ears, trying to muffle everything; his father's voice, his own sobs, the pleading from outside. Blood trickled down his knuckles, his cheek scraped red from when he’d struck the wall earlier, but he didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe he did, and he just didn’t care anymore.
They are fighting for their people and what are you doing like a useless shadow?
All he could feel was the ache of betrayal and the weight of not being enough; never enough for either side. He genuinely liked them, he befriended them after going against his father and now Taehyung was there inside and who knows what he’s going through. Was it his fault? Was he at fault for befriending them? Was he the reason why his father vowed to make their lives miserable? What if something happens to Taehyung? He wouldn’t be able to go on anymore. Tears poured down endlessly as he whispered into the silence. Maybe his Hyungs were there outside or maybe they just left him but right now, nothing mattered.
“Why was I born like this…? Why am I always the one bleeding for choices I didn’t even make?”
His voice was soft yet tainted with exhaustion and sadness roaring from the depths of his wounded heart. It struck deep into Seokjin’s chest, tightening something around his lungs as he pressed his hand against the wooden door, as if touch alone could bring his brother back from whatever edge he stood on.
“Jimin-ah… please let us in. You are not alone”
But Jimin didn’t respond to the words, at least not directly. There was silence that pressed heavily on them. Yoongi, Yumi, Izumi stood beside Seokjin, their eyes glossy with tears. Jimin’s muffled voice bled through the cracks again, this time more broken, more venomous but only toward himself.
“I ruin everything I touch, Hyung… maybe I should’ve just disappeared long ago. Maybe father was right. Maybe I really am nothing…”
How much venom did Tsubasa inject into Jimin’s brain? He wasn’t this way. He was never the one to degrade himself. The JImin they knew was someone who walked through the crowd like a prince who knew nothing but kindness. A sob caught in Yumi's throat as she shook her head frantically, pounding the door with her fists.
“Don’t say that, please! You’re not nothing, Jimin-ie. You matter. You matter to us a lot!”
But the silence that followed was deafening and terrifying. A loud crash thudded inside the room and it made their hearts stop with a stutter. Yoongi didn’t think anymore. His instincts roared louder than reason. They needed to act before Jimin did something stupid.
“Step back!”
He shouted before ramming his shoulder against the door along with Seokjin. Once, twice… until it burst open with a crack. What they saw inside made their hearts shatter. Jimin lay sprawled on the floor, his back pressed against the side of the bed, kimono open revealing his pale skin, legs folded awkwardly beneath him, blood smeared across his wrists and hands, a deep gash on his cheek from shattered glass on the floor. His eyes were open but they were blank and hollow, staring at the wall as if it held all the answers to his suffering. Or perhaps nothing at all.
“Jimin!”
Seokjin rushed to him, dropping to his knees, hands trembling as he cupped his brother’s face. The shards of the glass pierced his sole but that pain was nothing compared to the one in his chest as he pulled Jimin into his arms. The younger one didn't flinch. He didn’t blink.
“Sweetheart… look at me. Look at me, Jimin-ah. Please…”
Seokjin’s voice cracked, falling apart. Izumi gasped, hands flying to her mouth to suppress the sobs. It was too painful.
“You’re going to be okay. You’re safe now. We’ve got you”
Yoongi whispered, carefully taking a glance at the injuries. Jimin’s lips moved, barely forming words.
“I’m so tired, hyung…”
“I know, baby”
Seokjin whispered, his voice trembling as tears slid down his cheeks. Yumi crouched down, wiping away the blood on his cheek with her kimono and brushing the hair gently as she willed herself not to cry.
“You don’t have to carry this alone anymore, Minnie. We’ll carry it with you, okay? Just hold on a little longer… please”
Yumi’s voice trembled with desperation as she pleaded, and something inside Jimin shattered all over again. He crumbled forward, collapsing into her lap, clutching at her as if she were the only thing holding him together. Yumi wrapped her arms around him tightly, pressing soft, desperate kisses to the crown of his head, as if trying to soothe the pain. Jimin’s strength gave out, his fists clenched weakly, his shoulders sagging as every ounce of energy drained from his body.
In the back of his mind was an image of a person that stood by him when everyone was holding venom in their eyes. Maybe his hatred vanished or maybe he just didn’t like the slurs used by his father or maybe he did that out of respect. But, the way Jungkook held him close until they reached the Okawa river, the way his gaze lingered a little too long on Jimin, the way he waited until Jimin disappeared behind the dense trees made his heart flip. For Jungkook, it was just an act of service, just staying by him when he was feeling low but after years of pining, the slightest gesture made him inhale a breath of relief.
Jimin’s mind replayed it all as he felt the touches of his Hyungs cleaning his wounds. The only comfort he allowed himself to feel. He remembered how Jungkook didn’t say a word, didn’t offer false comforts, only stayed beside him, a grounding presence amidst the chaos. Maybe Jungkook did it out of guilt. Maybe it was just decency, just a soldier’s instinct to shield those who’d fallen. You’re such an idiot. After everything, after being tossed aside, after being told he wasn’t enough by his own father, Jimin was still here, still aching for the barest hints of affection from a man who didn’t harbor even a fraction of the same longing.
Jungkook had never looked at him the way he wanted to be seen, never held him for the sake of love. When Jimin held galaxies in his eyes, Jungkook did nothing but cordial gestures. And yet here he was, treasuring a fleeting touch like it meant something more. He wanted to laugh at himself. What kind of person still clung to scraps like this? His body was too exhausted and he could feel himself shutting down. Jimin didn’t want to read more into it. He didn’t want to hope or expect. But how could he not, when Jungkook had looked at him like that; like he wasn’t just the general’s disgrace of a son, like he was worth holding onto?
The truth sat heavy in his chest. Jungkook doesn’t love you. Not like that. He never did. But it didn’t stop the yearning, didn’t stop the way his heart fluttered against all logic his brain managed to produce for him. Jimin had been through war, through loss, through betrayal, and yet it was Jungkook’s silent gestures which held no malice except the strong yearning to protect his land is what made him stumble. He felt utterly spent, worn thin by grief and guilt. But even through the haze, as he watched his Hyungs, there was a small spark of comfort; because these were his people, his family. And no matter how lost he felt, deep down he knew… they wouldn’t abandon him.
Notes:
Please know that your interactions truly mean the world to me and give me the motivation to keep writing and pouring my heart into this story. As much as I love this fic and the world it’s slowly unfolding into, I also want to feel that connection with the readers, to know that it’s reaching someone, resonating with someone.
The fic’s updates will now depend on the level of interest and engagement from you all. I really hate putting it this way, but I need to be honest... the fic will be placed on hold for a while, at least until I can gather the emotional strength and courage to continue. I’m always open to hearing your thoughts... feel free to drop a comment. Thank you for being here and for taking the time to read. I hope to return soon with more chapters, when the time feels right :)
SparklyMink00k on Chapter 2 Sat 17 May 2025 03:58PM UTC
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