Chereads / Destiny (Namjin) / Chapter 71 - Chapter 68

Chapter 71 - Chapter 68

Seokjin stood at the center of the room, his hands trembling as he struggled to hold back the emotions threatening to break free. The others stared at him with a mix of confusion and concern. None of them could truly grasp what he was going through. But his mother's calm, probing gaze held him together, urging him to confront the past that still haunted him.

"Seokjin, please," his mother said softly, her voice a lifeline in the suffocating tension. "You need to start from the beginning. Who was Chae Yeong? What happened between Do Yun and her? Tell me everything."

Seokjin swallowed hard, his throat dry. It was so hard to talk about it, so hard to go back to those days filled with so much love and happiness—a happiness that now felt like a cruel illusion. He took a deep breath, his gaze finally lifting to meet the expectant eyes of his brothers.

"It started when Do Yun introduced her to us," Seokjin began, his voice wavering slightly. He let out a small, sad smile as the memories flooded back. "She was… she was everything we didn't know we needed. When she walked into our lives, she brought with her a light, a warmth that made everything feel brighter."

The boys exchanged glances, each of them recalling that day vividly. It had been a sunny afternoon, and the BTS gang had gathered in their usual hangout spot—a cozy little café hidden away in a quiet corner of the city. The door had chimed softly as it opened, and Do Yun had stepped inside, a wide grin on his face.

"Guys, I want you to meet someone special," Do Yun had said, his voice brimming with excitement and pride. He'd turned to the side, revealing a young woman standing beside him. She was beautiful, with soft, kind eyes and a gentle smile that immediately put everyone at ease.

"This is Chae Yeong," Do Yun had introduced her, his hand resting lightly on her back as if he were afraid she might disappear if he let go. "My fiancée."

There had been a stunned silence for a moment as the words sank in. Then, almost simultaneously, the entire group had erupted in cheers and laughter.

"Fiancée?!" Taehyung had exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Hyung, when did this happen?"

"You didn't even tell us you were dating someone!" Jimin had added, his tone a mixture of shock and mock accusation.

Do Yun had chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "It happened fast. But when you know, you know, right?"

Chae Yeong had blushed, ducking her head shyly. "I hope… I hope I'm not intruding. Do Yun talks about you all the time. He considers you his family, and I would love to be a part of that family too."

"Of course, you're welcome!" Yoongi had said with a grin. "If you make Do Yun happy, you're already part of our family."

There had been laughter and teasing, the boys bombarding Chae Yeong with questions about how she and Do Yun had met, what she liked to do, and what her plans were for the future. The atmosphere had been filled with joy, the kind of pure, unfiltered happiness that was rare to come by.

"She fit in so easily," Seokjin murmured, his gaze distant as he relived that day. "It felt like she had always been a part of us. She made Do Yun so happy. He used to be quiet, a little reserved. But with her… he was always smiling, always laughing. It was the best time of our lives."

"Do Yun was the one who proposed to her," Seokjin continued softly. "He was so nervous that day, kept fumbling with his words. But she just looked at him with so much love, so much understanding, that he finally got it out."

Everyone could picture it vividly—the shy, awkward Do Yun trying to find the right words, his hands shaking as he held out a ring. And Chae Yeong, calm and smiling, tears brimming in her eyes as she said yes before he could even finish his speech.

"After they got married, we became an even bigger family," Jungkook added with a sad smile. "Chae Yeong wasn't just Do Yun's wife—she was our sister. She took care of us, made sure we were eating properly, scolded us when we stayed up too late."

"And then Joon Wo was born," Seokjin whispered, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips despite the pain. "I remember how happy Do Yun was that day. He was practically glowing."

The memory was vivid in all their minds. The day Joon Wo was born, Do Yun had rushed into the hospital waiting room, his face flushed with excitement. He had held the tiny, wriggling bundle in his arms, his eyes filled with tears of joy.

"Meet your nephew, everyone," he'd said softly, his voice trembling with emotion. "This is Park Joon Wo."

The boys had crowded around, their expressions a mixture of awe and tenderness as they gazed down at the baby. Joon Wo had blinked up at them with wide, curious eyes, his tiny hands grasping at the air.

"He's beautiful," Seokjin had whispered, his own eyes misty. "He looks just like you."

"He has Chae Yeong's smile," Do Yun had murmured, his voice full of love and wonder. "I want him to grow up surrounded by family. Surrounded by love."

"We'll take care of him," Jimin had promised, his voice firm. "All of us."

There had been a sense of completion, a feeling that they were all part of something bigger than themselves . The house had been filled with laughter, with warmth, with the kind of love that was rare and precious.

But then everything had changed.

Seokjin's voice broke as he continued, his body trembling with the effort to keep speaking. "And then… then Sang Ook ..... He came into our lives like a storm, shattering everything we had built."

"Do Yun was like a brother to us," Yoongi whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "We trusted him with our lives. And Chae Yeong… she was the sister we never had. When they… when they were taken from us, it broke something inside all of us."

"It wasn't Namjoon's fault," Seokjin's mother said firmly, her gaze fierce as she looked at her son. "Whatever happened, whatever he believes—he's not a murderer. He couldn't be."

"But he thinks he is," Seokjin whispered, his face crumpling with pain. "He thinks it's his fault that they died. And I don't know how to convince him otherwise. I just want to know exactly what happened that night? We all want to know! "

Another heavy silence fell over the room, each of them lost in their memories, in the pain of what had been lost. The happiness they had shared, the love that had bound them together—it all seemed so far away now.

But even as Seokjin relived those precious moments, he knew that no matter what, the love they had shared, the family they had built—it would always be a part of them. And even if Namjoon couldn't see it, couldn't believe it, that love would always be there, holding them together.

"Chae Yeong and Do Yun… they would want us to remember the good times," Seokjin's mother said softly, her voice breaking through the silence. "They would want us to honor their memory by holding on to the love we had, not the pain. We have to keep going. For Joon Wo. For Namjoon."

"And for them," Seokjin whispered, tears streaming down his face as he nodded. "For Chae Yeong and Do Yun. We'll never forget them."

The room fell into a heavy silence as Seokjin's voice wavered, the weight of his words settling deep within their hearts. He had never truly opened up about that day—the day that shattered the very core of their family. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his gaze distant, as if he were seeing something far beyond the walls of the present, something no one else could reach.

"It was 23rd April, the day where the terrible unending nightmare started for us," Seokjin began slowly, his voice strained as he fought to keep his composure. "We'd been busy that entire week, dealing with gang conflicts and protecting our territory. But… something changed that day. There was news that a fight had broken out in our building, and it was bigger than anything we'd handled before. We needed to be there."

He paused, eyes closing as if he could erase the memory, erase the regret that still gnawed at him every waking moment.

"We gathered everyone, told Do Yun and Chae Yeong to stay at home," Seokjin continued softly. "I remember looking into Do Yun's eyes and telling him, 'Don't leave the house. Stay with Chae Yeong and the baby. No matter what happens, don't go out alone.' And he nodded. He promised me he wouldn't. I believed him. I thought… I thought they'd be safe."

The others listened intently, expressions clouded with shock and sadness. None of them had ever heard this story in such detail before. They could almost picture it—the scene of Seokjin, strong and determined, giving instructions to his brother and his sister-in-law. Do Yun's promise, Chae Yeong's smile as she reassured Seokjin that they'd stay put.

"But we were wrong," Seokjin said bitterly, his voice laced with self-loathing. "We got to the building and saw that the commotion was much bigger than we expected. The fight dragged on for hours. I didn't realize how much time had passed. I was so caught up in securing our territory, in dealing with our enemies, that I didn't think—" He broke off, voice cracking with anguish. "I didn't think about them."

The boys exchanged glances, the guilt and pain palpable on their faces. They knew how committed Seokjin was to building up their gang, to creating a safe haven for them all. But it came at a price—a price none of them had been prepared to pay.

"After a few hours," Seokjin continued, his voice now a mere whisper, "I received a call. It was from our guard. He said that Do Yun and Chae Yeong left the house. They told him they were just going shopping. But… they hadn't come back yet."

There was a collective intake of breath. Each of them could feel the shift in the atmosphere, the way dread began to coil around Seokjin's words like a serpent. The unease, the fear, the dawning realization that something had gone horribly wrong.

"I should have known," Seokjin whispered, his head lowering as he stared at the ground, eyes misting with tears. "Since I knew unni she always listened and never took a rash decision. Even do yun hyung might get impatient but unni never was. That's when I understood that something happened. Something was wrong. I should have gone back immediately. I should have called them."

The regret, the pain, it was like a living entity, suffocating them all as they hung on Seokjin's every word.

"By the time I decided to go look for them," Seokjin said, his voice hollow, "it was already too late. I told the others to stay behind and handle the situation at the building. I thought… I thought I could fix it. I could bring them back. But I was wrong."

He lifted his gaze, tears streaming down his face as he looked at each of his brothers, as if silently begging them to understand, to forgive him.

" I searched for the couple every where I thought. Then it hit me..Chae yeong unni's family...byung ho,he might have done something...I rushed to that place....When I got to Byung Ho's place," Seokjin choked out, "there were silence with many guards guarding. Now I was sure that unni and hyung came here... I fought through them all, killed men left and right. I didn't even feel the pain from the wounds I got. All I wanted was to find them. To save them."

The others could barely breathe as they imagined the scene—Seokjin, alone, battling through hordes of enemies, bloodied and broken but refusing to stop. Refusing to give up.

"But when I got there," Seokjin's voice broke completely, a sob wrenching its way out of his throat, "they were already gone. Lying there in each other's arms. Chae Yeong's head resting on Do Yun's shoulder, his hand wrapped protectively around her."

His entire body shook with the force of his sobs, the agony of that moment ripping through him even now. The memory was as fresh as if it had happened just yesterday.

"They were dead. I tried… I tried everything. I screamed, I shook them, I begged them to wake up. But they were gone. I had failed them."

Tears filled the eyes of the others as they imagined Seokjin kneeling there, covered in blood, his voice breaking as he pleaded with the lifeless bodies of the two people who had meant so much to them.

"I lost my brother that day," Seokjin whispered, his voice raw with pain. "And I lost the woman he loved. The woman we all loved like a sister."

A silence stretched out, heavy and suffocating, until Seokjin continued in a broken voice, "I thought I'd lost Joon Wo too. But then… then Hana showed up."

The mention of her name sent a shiver of anger through the room. Hana—the woman who had always been a source of contention, a source of pain.

"She was holding Joon Wo in her arms," Seokjin spat, his voice filled with a bitter mix of hatred and regret. "She looked at me with that smug smile and said she'd saved him. That I owed her for that. And I… I was so broken, so desperate… I couldn't think straight."

He slammed his fist against his thigh, the force of the blow reverberating through the room. "If only I hadn't trusted her. If only I'd seen through her lies. But I didn't. I took Joon Wo from her, and I was grateful. Grateful! Even though she'd only done it to make me indebted to her. To use me."

The others clenched their fists, their expressions darkening as they realized the full extent of Hana's manipulation. She'd used Seokjin's pain, his vulnerability, to get what she wanted. And he had let her, unknowingly.

"I held Joon Wo in my arms and made a promise," Seokjin murmured, his voice fierce despite the tears streaming down his face. "I promised him that no matter what, I would protect him. That I would never let anything happen to him."

"And yet…" his voice broke again, his shoulders slumping as he seemed to shrink into himself. "And yet, I couldn't even protect his parents. I couldn't save Do Yun. I failed them all."

"Hyung," Jungkook whispered, his own voice thick with emotion. "It wasn't your fault. You did everything you could."

"No," Seokjin said firmly, shaking his head. "I didn't. I put the gang, the fame, everything else above the people who mattered the most. And I'll never forgive myself for that."

Tears blurred everyone's vision as Seokjin's sobs filled the room, each one like a dagger plunging into their hearts.

"But I can't go back," Seokjin whispered brokenly. "I can't change what happened. All I can do is make sure that Joon Wo grows up knowing how much his parents loved him. How much we all loved them."

"And we'll do it together, hyung," Jimin said softly, his hand resting gently on Seokjin's shoulder. "We'll keep Joon Wo safe. We'll honor Do Yun and Chae Yeong's memory. They were our family too. "

The words, the promises—they were like a balm to Seokjin's shattered heart. But the pain, the regret, it would always be there, a constant reminder of what he had lost.

"They deserved so much more," Seokjin murmured, staring down at his trembling hands. "They deserved the world."

And as the others moved closer, surrounding Seokjin in a protective, comforting circle, the weight of their shared loss and the depth of their love was the only thing keeping them from falling apart entirely.

Seokjin's voice trembled with determination as he stood in front of the group. "I have to go back," he said, his jaw clenched tight. "Namjoon can't just leave us like this, without giving us answers. I need to know. I need answers."

The others, gathered around him, nodded in agreement. Their faces mirrored his anguish. Namjoon had disappeared, leaving behind more questions than anyone could bear. But before they could go any further, Yun Ah, Seokjin's mother, stepped forward, her face lined with worry.

"You all can't take such a risk," Yun Ah said, her voice firm but caring. "We can't all go together. We escaped that place for a reason, not to return without a plan. Some of you need to stay back. We need backup if things go wrong."

Seokjin wiped the tears from his face, trying to pull himself together. He looked at his mother and nodded. "You're right, Mom. We can't all go blindly. We need a strategy."

Yun Ah glanced over to little Joon Wo, who was watching from the side, his eyes wide and fearful. Seokjin continued, "We can't bring Joon Wo with us either. It's too dangerous."

At that, Joon Wo's face crumpled, and he burst into tears. "No, no, no! Don't leave me behind!" he cried, his small fists clenched in frustration. His voice wavered, "Do my hyungs not love me? Was Joon Wo being bad? Is that why you're leaving me behind again?"

The sight of Joon Wo crying made everyone's heart ache. It was hard enough for them to bear their own pain, but seeing the youngest so scared and broken was almost too much. Jimin crouched beside him, gently wiping away his tears, while Jungkook pulled the boy into his arms.

"Of course we love you, Joon Wo," Jimin said softly, his voice full of warmth. "We'd never leave you because you're bad.You were always a very good boy. We just want to keep you safe."

Jungkook ruffled Joon Wo's hair playfully, trying to lift his spirits. "Don't cry, little one. We'll be back soon, and when we do, we'll bring Big Joonie with us. Don't you want to see Big Joonie again?"

At the mention of Big Joonie, Joon Wo's tears slowed, and he sniffled, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Big Joonie?" he asked, his voice tiny but hopeful.

Jimin nodded with a grin. "That's right. We'll bring him back, and we'll all be together again. Won't that be great?"

Joon Wo wiped his eyes and looked up at them. "Yeah… I want Big Joonie back," he said, a gleam of excitement returning to his eyes. Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "But if Big Joonie comes back, he has to carry me on his shoulders all the time!"

Everyone chuckled at that, the tension in the room easing just a little as Joon Wo's innocence brought a brief moment of joy. Even Yun Ah couldn't help but smile as she wrapped her arms around Joon Wo, hugging him tightly.

"Alright, little one," Jungkook said, laughing. "We'll make sure Big Joonie carries you everywhere."

Seokjin, his heart heavy but more resolved, joined his mother and the others, turning serious once more. "We need to plan carefully," he said. "We can't rush into this."

As the group began discussing strategies, Yun Ah stayed behind with Joon Wo, the two bonding quietly in the corner. The calm atmosphere seemed almost surreal after everything they had been through. But then, out of nowhere, a sharp, ear-splitting *bang* echoed through the repository, cutting through the calm like a knife. The sound of gunfire.

Everyone froze in place. The once peaceful room was now filled with chaos. Before they could even process what was happening, several armed men burst through the entrance, guns raised, their eyes cold and calculating.

Seokjin's eyes widened in disbelief. "*How?*" he whispered. This place… this repository… was a secret. No one, not even the elders or anyone in the mafia world, knew about it. How in the world had someone found them?

As the men advanced, their leader walked in last, masked and looming. Seokjin's breath caught in his throat as the masked figure entered, his posture eerily confident. He recognized that swagger, the air of malevolent control that seemed to suffocate the room.

"Sang Ook," Seokjin spat, his voice laced with anger and disgust. "How the hell did you find us here? No one knows about this place except a few!"

But Sang Ook merely laughed. A crazed, maniacal sound that echoed off the walls. It was loud, almost too loud, and the others shifted uneasily, confused and on edge. There was nothing funny about this situation, so what was Sang Ook laughing at?

As his laughter died down, Sang Ook tilted his head. "Ah, Seokjin," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "I've never met someone who asks a question and then answers it himself."

Everyone frowned, but the BTS hyungs suddenly froze as the realization hit them like a truck. The color drained from their faces as they pieced together the horrifying truth.

"We've only ever brought few people to the repository before…" Jungkook murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

"Namjoonie and …" Jimin added, his face pale.

Beomgyu gasped loudly, his eyes wide in disbelief. "It… can't be…"

Taehyung, his expression filled with uncertainty, looked at the masked man with horror in his eyes. His voice trembled as he asked, "So Hoon… hyung?"

Sang Ook chuckled darkly, his hands slowly reaching up to remove his mask. With a sigh of what seemed like satisfaction, he finally pulled it off, revealing his face.

It was Park So Hoon.

The room went deathly silent. For a moment, no one moved. The friend they had cherished as an older brother, the best friend of their beloved Do Yun hyung… was standing in front of them, alive. The man they had believed to be dead, murdered unjustly, was here—gun in hand, pointed directly at them.

Seokjin's heart dropped. "So… Hoon… hyung?" he choked out, barely able to process the sight in front of him. The betrayal, the shock, the grief—it was too much all at once.

Park So Hoon—no longer the kind, warm man they remembered—stood there with a twisted smile on his face. "Long time no see, huh?" he said, his voice cold and unfamiliar.

The room felt like it was spinning. Everything they thought they knew about their past, about their friend, shattered in that moment. And as the BTS team stood there, reeling from the truth, one question burned in all their minds:

How could this have happened? How could their cherished hyung have become *this*?

The betrayal was complete, and the world they knew would never be the same.

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