“My heart is and always will be yours.”

Chapter 18: Ignore(?)

Three years later, Jungkook stood at the helm of his father’s company. After years of dedication and studying business management, he had finally earned his place as the new CEO. The transition had been smooth, with everything in his life seemingly falling into place. His father, Mr. J, had formally handed over the reins, confident in Jungkook’s ability to lead.

Yet, despite his professional success, Jungkook’s heart remained tethered to the past. His love for Taehyung hadn’t waned over the years. Every week, he sent letters, each one more desperate than the last, hoping for a response, hoping to rekindle the connection they once shared. But Taehyung’s replies never came. The letters went unanswered, and Jungkook could only wonder if Taehyung had forgotten him, or if he simply didn’t care anymore.

His closest friends—Jimin, Namjoon, Hoseok, and Yoongi—were all by his side, helping him run the company. Jimin, his secretary, always offered support in managing the office. Namjoon had taken on the role of director, while Hoseok worked as his assistant, and Yoongi oversaw the financial aspects as his supervisor. Their camaraderie made the corporate world more bearable, but it didn’t fill the void left by Taehyung’s absence.

As Jungkook sat in his office, gazing through the transparent glass walls that overlooked the city, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. The view was breathtaking, but his mind kept drifting back to Taehyung. He reached for his phone and sent another message to Jin, hoping for some kind of breakthrough.

Jungkook sighed heavily as he hit send, staring at the screen, waiting for the familiar notification that his message had been read. As expected, Taehyung had seen it but hadn’t responded.

“Jungkook, the meeting is about to start. We need to go,” Jimin’s voice broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

“Coming, hyung,” Jungkook replied, slipping his phone into his pocket and grabbing his blazer. He needed to focus, to keep up the appearance of a successful CEO. But deep down, the uncertainty of his personal life weighed on him.

Meanwhile, across the city, Taehyung was in his own world. Sitting alone in his room, he stared at his phone, the screen displaying Jungkook’s latest message. He felt the familiar ache in his chest, but his fingers hesitated over the keyboard. He couldn’t bring himself to reply.

A knock on the door startled him.

“Taehyung, are you there?” Jin called, his voice gentle yet insistent.

Taehyung quickly wiped away a tear and turned off his phone.

“Yes, hyung, come in,” Taehyung said, his voice strained but calm.

Jin entered the room, his eyes scanning the atmosphere, noticing the silence that hung heavily in the air.

“I brought you dinner,” Jin said, setting a tray on the desk in front of Taehyung.

“Thank you, hyung,” Taehyung replied, his smile weak but grateful.

Jin sat down across from him, his gaze sharp and full of concern.

“Why aren’t you responding to Jungkook’s letters?” Jin asked, his voice quiet but direct.

“I don’t know,” Taehyung muttered, avoiding Jin’s gaze.

“He’s been waiting, Taehyung,” Jin pressed, his tone growing more insistent.

“I know,” Taehyung responded softly, his heart heavy with guilt.

“Then why are you ignoring him?” Jin’s voice cracked slightly with frustration.

“I’m not ignoring him,” Taehyung retorted, his voice rising defensively. “I’m just busy.”

“Busy? That’s always your excuse, Taehyung. I’m tired of hearing it,” Jin shot back, his patience thinning. “You’ve been shutting him out for years now. He’s still sending letters, still trying to reach you. It takes seconds to reply. Why can’t you just do it?”

Taehyung stood abruptly, his emotions boiling over.

“Why? Why does he keep forcing himself on me? You told me he read my first letter, so why can’t he just stop? I told him I wanted to forget him!” Taehyung yelled, his voice trembling with frustration.

Jin stood as well, his face a mixture of concern and disbelief.

“Don’t you see his effort?” Jin asked, his voice breaking. “It’s been three years, Taehyung. Three years, and he’s still trying. Don’t you think that’s worth something?”

Taehyung shook his head, his tears falling freely now.

“Why do you want to forget him? What’s stopping you from replying? Are your parents still threatening you? You’re far from them now. They can’t control you anymore!” Jin said, his voice filled with urgency.

Taehyung collapsed into Jin’s arms, crying uncontrollably.

“Tell me, Taehyung. You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I’m here. I’ll help you,” Jin whispered, his hands gently caressing Taehyung’s back.

Meanwhile, in the high-rise office of the company, Jungkook was preparing for an important meeting. He had just finished dealing with some corporate matters when he was approached by Hanyeol, a business rival who had long harbored resentment toward Jungkook and his family. She had been eyeing the company for years, hoping to take it over, and now, she saw an opportunity to undermine Jungkook’s leadership.

“So, you’re the new CEO?” Hanyeol smirked, her eyes scanning Jungkook’s appearance with a mix of disdain and amusement.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, his posture straightening. “Is that how you greet someone higher than you?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Hanyeol sneered. “You? Higher than me? Don’t make me laugh.”

Jungkook’s expression hardened. “If you’re not careful, I can have the guards escort you out of my company,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Hanyeol scoffed, clearly not intimidated. “What are you going to do, threaten me?”

Jungkook’s grin grew sharper. “I’m the CEO. I have the power to make things difficult for you. I can make sure you regret crossing me.”

“So, you’re the CEO’s son. Big deal. You’re just as stupid as he is,” Hanyeol taunted, her voice laced with bitterness.

Jungkook leaned in, his tone cold and calculated. “You’re here to learn how to make money, right? Too bad, because I won’t be teaching you anything unless you beg for it.”

Hanyeol’s eyes narrowed, her pride refusing to let her bow to him. “That won’t happen,” she spat.

“Then don’t complain when you find yourself filing for bankruptcy,” Jungkook warned, his smirk never faltering.

As they were about to leave, Hanyeol couldn’t resist one last jab.

“Do you think you can win, Jungkook? Do you really think you’ll get Taehyung back?” she taunted, her voice dripping with malice.

Jungkook’s fists clenched, his body tense with rage. “I don’t care what you think. I’ll win. Taehyung is mine, and no one, not even you, will stop me.”

Hanyeol chuckled darkly. “We’ll see about that.”

Jungkook left the room with Jimin at his side, his resolve stronger than ever. But Hanyeol’s words lingered in his mind. Would he ever be able to win Taehyung back? Or would he be forced to let go of the one person he still loved more than anything?

Hanyeol, now left alone, seethed with anger. She would stop at nothing to make sure Jungkook’s life, and Taehyung’s, would fall apart. She had plans—evil plans—that would harm Taehyung and bring him to his knees. And she wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted.