Crossroads and Rings | Super slow updates

Chapter - 11

"You missed the dinner."

Jungkook paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned to face his mother. "Oh, hey mom. You know it's Friday. I was with Jin hyung."

She nodded with a sigh. "We haven't talked in a while." His mother looked tired, but she was still dressed to the nines, not a single strand of hair out of place. He wondered if she had black circles under her eyes. She rarely showed this side of her and honestly he didn't remember a time he saw her losing her composure.

Jungkook regarded her for a moment before gesturing her to the patio outside. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the way the wind caressed his exposed skin once they stepped out.

"You've been awfully quiet about this entire situation," she said, going to occupy one of the chair. Jungkook pushed his hands into his pockets, contemplating for a moment before he went to sit in front of her.

"What's there to speak?" he asked, crossing his legs. The youngest wanted nothing more than to retire to his room for the night, listen to some music and go to sleep.

"Jungkook..." she called exasperatedly. "You know exactly what's there to speak. I don't like this. This will ruin our family."

"You speak as if our family isn't ruined already," he couldn't keep the bitterness from seeping out. He didn't remember a time they spend together as a family and the mandatory breakfast or dinner at home didn't count as family time in his opinion.

"Jungkook... This situation is grave. Everything you worked hard is in danger. You'll lose everything if you don't fight back."

He blinked, trying to read her face. Jungkook loved his mother, god he really loved her. She wasn't a perfect mother, but she wasn't worst either. She loved him in her own way and gave him everything he wanted. His only problem was that, he wished she was stronger and doesn't stick to the norms of her socialite circle.

"She had always been there," he shrugged, trying to keep his words composed so he doesn't hurt her unintentionally. "We have always known of her mom."

"That doesn't mean she can take everything from you."

He scoffed. "Whether we like it or not, everything is hers as much as it is mine."

"Jungkook—"

"You can't deny it just because you don't like her. She was born first. I agree that you had no control over dad's actions, but you had a choice. You could have left him when you learned he cheated on you. But you didn't and you knew what you're getting yourself into. So please...spare me. I'll deal with this when the time comes." He stood.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. She shouldn't be even in our lives. I stayed with him because he signed the papers to give her up for adoption. But he..." she sniffled. "I know what you think of me but I didn't know he went behind my back to support her all these years."

Jungkook's shoulders slumped. He didn't know what to do with this new information. Should he be furious at his father for not being a man and own up to his mistakes? It horrified him to even think his father was ready to give her up.

Despite what his mother and others said, it always bothered him to know that he got to live a privileged life under his parent's roof while she was out there doing god knew what. He always wondered what kind of life she led. What if he was the one who was born out of wedlock? He would have been the one out there hated by all, wouldn't he? This was exactly the thought that kept him grounded when it came to his sister.

Did she know about them? Did she know she had a brother? Why did she stop using the funds? Did something happen?

"Jungkook?"