He hadn’t let his father harden him. He hadn’t let their life harden him either. He had resisted the corrupting of his heart with every breath he had taken. His gentle soul deplored violence. His father had often blamed his mother’s tender heart.
“I should never have let that woman raise you.”
What you should have done was leave me with her.
But his father had come for him the year he’d turned fifteen. Hoping it wasn’t too late to train him in ruthlessness. But his father had come too late for him.
He had always refused to do his father’s bidding if it would hurt anyone. He had only ever used violence as a means to defend himself from death. His father had even threatened to kill him once if he didn’t do his job properly. Which, of course, had meant employing cruelty.
Normally silent within his father’s rooms, Jungkook had boldly stood before him, locked eyes with him, and quietly responded, “Please do. Put me out of my misery.”
By that time his mother was gone. He had been free from considering her pain at the loss of him. But he hadn’t expected his father’s reaction.
He had, in fact, been shocked a moment later to see a deep agony fill his father’s gaze. It had even pierced his countenance for one unguarded moment. Then his father’s harsh voice had grated against his ears.
“Leave me! Get out of my face, you ungrateful brat!”
That was the last time he had seen his father face to face. Though, they had spoken once since. With a door between them. And the sound of the air conditioner buzzing in his ears.
Now he could feel its chill too. If his plan failed, he’d be colder than the blast of air coming from that rumbling appliance.
Jungkook couldn’t believe what he was contemplating. Out of the frying pan into the fire. But he had once risked his life for his own freedom. How could he not do the same for the woman he loved so much more than he loved himself?
