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HAEWON’S POV

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“Oppa, do we really have to invite Jeon Jungkook? It’s a family dinner!” I whined, pacing around my brother’s wheelchair and throwing an anxious glance in his direction to make sure he was actually listening to me and not drowning my voice out with the sound cancelling earbuds Jungkook had given him last year on his birthday. 

He wasn’t. I looked at him, hopefully awaiting an answer as he fiddled with the earbuds probably itching to put them back in so he could cut my annoyingly high voice off and sleep in peace. 

“Exactly.” His tone implied that he needed no other reason than the fact that it was a family dinner to invite Jungkook. Why? Because to him, Jungkook was already a part of our family and nothing I said could change that. 

I sighed. “He’s my boss at work, oppa! Do you know how awkward that is?” There was pleading in my voice. “Professional contact with him is hard enough. I do not want to torment myself by involving him in our personal lives as well.” 

“He’s been a part of our personal life for years, Y/N.” My brother responded calmly. “And while I do understand your dilemma, I can’t just cut him off from our family gatherings. Not after what he’s done for both of us.”

My voice came out low as I paused, keeping my gaze fixed on the ground. “But you said that we were each other’s family, that we didn’t and wouldn’t need anybody else! Where does Jungkook fit in?!” I swallowed thickly, my gaze flickering to my brother’s warm but firm expressions. “Just what exactly do you owe him that you are so grateful to him?” 

“A lot, Y/N. We owe him a lot.” He answered, locking eyes with me. And as much as the ambiguity of his answer drove me crazy with curiosity, I knew that he was not lying. “And letting him be a part of our family is the least I can do for him. You know he’s got no family to call his own.” 

“I hate this.” I whispered softly, looking at him in anguish. “I hate you acting like you owe your life to that arrogant, narcissistic, manipulative jerk! Do you ever even plan to tell me why we are so indebted to him?” 

Haejoon’s face was unreadable as he glanced at me wearily. “Your feelings of hatred towards him are extremely prejudiced, Y/N. Trust me,” His voice rose slightly, telling me that it was the end of the conversation. “Jungkook doesn’t deserve to be called all these derogatory names. Not only because he’s my best friend and older than you, but also because I have taught you better.” 

I felt cornered, shocked at my brother’s unfairness. He continuously refused to tell me anything that would help me change my opinion about Jungkook, firmly avoiding any questions that I had about the beginnings of our involvement and yet, expected me to blindly believe him when the actual persona of Jungkook came nowhere close to as generous and pitiable as he described it to be?

“Fine. You can have it your way then, oppa.” I threw one last look at my brother who’d turned away from me, slowly wheeling himself towards his bed. “You can play family with him all you want but do not expect me to be one of the attendees of this stupid so-called family dinner. Because I cannot consider an outsider a part of my family just because he’s thrown a couple thousand dollars our way!” I bristled angrily. “I will not let myself become a charity case whose life he can dictate.” 

Jungkook had said my life was his to ruin. I couldn’t help but scoff at the thought. Even though I’d made my views on his words pretty clear to him earlier, I couldn’t help but burn with anger as I remembered feeling slightly validated hearing his words. 

How bloody idiotic of me to give a romantic perspective to his words! 

I must have lost my mind for a second there. No matter how insanely gorgeous he was, Jungkook was still a devil cloaked underneath the impenetrable mask of dispassion. I couldn’t, even for a second, picture someone as emotionally intense as myself beside his unfeeling, cold self. 

Not waiting for Haejoon’s reply, I walked out of his room and it was not until I had closed his door behind me, marched down the corridor towards my bedroom and hidden myself under my duvet that I wrapped my arms around myself, letting the tears of frustration spill. 

God, I hated that cold, calculative bastard,  Jungkook. So much.

~~~

A rapt knock on the door woke me up three hours later as I watched the housekeeper let herself into my room. She was carrying the dress I was supposed to wear for the dinner, an elegant carnation pink a-line dress with pearl studded collars and chiffon bishop sleeves. 

“Please get it sent back to the store, Ahjumma.” I leaned back against my pillows, determined not to attend. “In the rare case my brother asks for me, tell him I’m not feeling well and will eat in my room.” 

“But you look perfectly alright to me, miss.” The housekeeper stated sheepishly as I shot her a look, irked by her shrewd observational skills. 

Twenty two years of being with us and she still didn't know when to keep quiet.

Getting out of bed, I padded towards her, nonchalantly gesturing towards my body. “The problem is not here, Ahjumma.” Closely observing the dress, I blinked up at her before pointing at my heart, I pulled my lips into a straight unimpressed line. “It’s here. You know how much Jungkook gets on my nerves.” 

“Oh, I know that alright.” She nodded, eyeing me funnily before putting the dress on the dresser and turning to leave. “If you need anything and are too angry to even step outside, just give me a call, miss.” 

“Ugh, what is she so smart for? She reads too much into everything I say.” Whining, I stomped my feet childishly before dragging myself to my bed once again. So what if I was not going to the dinner? I could always entertain myself by watching Netflix or even better, kill time by writing another essay about why I hated Jungkook in my secret black book to vent some of my pent up frustration. 

Pulling out the little black diary from underneath my mattress, I flicked through the pages until a particular entry from four years ago caught my eye. 

Jungkook is so unfairly handsome that he puts even the most good-looking boys in my class to shame. But the way he treats me makes me want to rip off his hair!

I chuckled. It was pretty clear that even my young teenage self, although very much in awe of his looks, didn’t think too highly of Jungkook’s attitude towards me. I had disliked him the moment I’d first met him when he’d visited us in the hospital following my brother’s accident. He’d seemed way too calm, way too... dispassionate about the whole situation and after everything that our family had just gone through, I couldn’t help but be critical of the uncompassionate way in which he indulged in philanthropy. 

And before I knew it, seeing Jungkook suddenly became a daily occurrence. Meeting him became unavoidable, much to my angry bewilderment. And no matter what it was, a full blown housewarming party or a simple, close-knit family dinner, he was everywhere. 

Regardless  of my feelings, my brother had stood firm on his decision to make Jungkook a part of our little, not-so-happy family and still continued to do so. 

“Y/N?” Disconcerted, I whipped around to glare at the closed door. Speak of the devil and there he was! 

“Are you inside?” Jungkook’s voice was deep and familiar. 

“What do you want?” I couldn’t keep the hint of annoyance from sneaking into my words. 

A short pause. “Haejoon refuses to eat unless you come downstairs and join us.” 

I rolled my eyes. Such emotional tactics weren’t going to work anymore. Yes, he was my brother but he’d made it crystal clear how unimportant I was to him, so why pretend to care now? 

“Well, tell him that I don’t care. Not eating one meal isn’t going to do any significant damage to him.” That was a lie. I did care. And missing a meal was probably going to do a lot of damage to my brother’s already deteriorating health as well. 

But then again, I didn’t even believe what Jungkook was saying. There was no way Jaehwan was refusing to eat simply because I wasn’t there. Jungkook was probably just making up things, playing with my conscience to have his way once again. 

“That’s incredibly insensitive of you.” He remarked quietly, making me fume. 

“Says the king of cold-heartedness.” I muttered under my breath before walking towards the door and pulling it open. Crossing my arms, I held my chin up glaring at him. 

“Don’t you dare take that admonishing tone up with me. You’re not my boss here.” 

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t make me regret coming here, Mischief.” 

“Don’t call me Mischief!” 

“I assume since you’re already out of your room, you’re ready to go?” He arched a brow, ignoring my displeasure.

“No! I’m here just to put you in your place. You have no right to comment on how I treat my brother.” 

“You were rather harsh.” 

“And so is everyone else.” I licked my lips anxiously. “Both you and him. Towards me!” 

“You’re being unreasonable.” Jungkook didn’t bat an eyelid, his eyes devoid of any emotions.

What else was I expecting from him? That he’d understand? 

“You have no reason to remain standing here and talk to me then.” I quipped coldly. “Go and enjoy your reasonable talks with my brother. I shall be the happiest to see you leaving me alone.” 

“Haejoon asked me to get you.” Jungkook loosened a deep breath, his jaw flexing with impatience or exasperation I couldn’t tell. But I heard the tone of finality in his velvet voice. “And I’m not going back without you.”

When were they going to stop making me feel like what I wanted didn’t matter? 

I bit my lip, casting a glowering look at his gorgeous, expressionless face before looking away, distraught. “Fine, I’ll go. It’s not like I have a choice. Because no matter what I do, I don’t think I can ever be as selfish as my brother or as hypocritical as you.”