Chp 46- What if it were her?
The hours slipped away from Jungkook before she could even register their passing.
Her entire day had been consumed by guiding the household staff through their duties.
Later, she joined Jimin for a video call with Yoona, sharing a brief, comforting conversation before reaching out to Mrs. Jeon.
Together, they spoke with the rest of the Jeon family and Tzuyu.
Sensing Tzuyu's lingering anxiety, Jungkook offered gentle words of reassurance, assuring her that she had nothing to fear under that roof.
A few playful jabs at Minho later, she finally disconnected the call.
After a quiet moment with Jimin, Jungkook turned and made her way back to her room.
Meanwhile, Dadi had spent the better part of the day sulking in her room.
When she finally emerged in the evening, the house was eerily silent.
Jihyo and Eunchae had departed for the temple, while Suga had accompanied Jimin to the hospital for a check-up to confirm the estimated delivery date.
With the seven-month mark fast approaching, Suga's underlying anxiety had grown impossible to hide.
The house was left under the quiet stewardship of Jungkook, Dadi, Jiya, Soya, Sana, and Minjun. Minjun and Sana remained locked in their room, while Soya was absorbed in her phone upstairs. The spacious living room belonged solely to Jiya and Dadi.
"Jiya, call that daughter-in-law of ours down here," Grandma commanded, her voice cutting through the quiet.
Jiya called out, her sharp voice echoing upstairs until Jungkook descended the steps.
"Yes? Did you call for me?"
"Well, look at that! What a miracle, she actually responded to a single call," Jiya sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We were starting to think you'd gone deaf up there."
The words stung, but Jungkook held her composure, her fingers tightening around the edge of her saree's pallu.
"It's not like that, Chhoti Maa. I was already on my way down. Why are you speaking like that?"
"And how else should I speak to you?" Jiya snapped back.
"Lounging upstairs all day like royalty while everyone else works! You haven't touched a single household chore. Heaven knows what kind of spell you've cast over our Taehyung, twisting him around your finger until he turns his back on his own family!"
Each bitter word felt like a physical strike. Tears welled in Jungkook's eyes, blurring her vision as she looked down at the floor, overwhelmed by a sudden, suffocating sense of helplessness.
"That's enough, Jiya. Don't waste your breath," Dadi interjected, grinding her teeth. "Or she'll run straight to her husband to play the victim again."
"That isn't true, dadi," Jungkook pleaded, her voice trembling through her tears. "You're completely misunderstanding me. I never asked him to take those steps. This is my home, too."
"Listen to her, sharp-tongued as a pair of scissors!" Jiya mocked. "It's been months since the wedding, and she hasn't even brought a child into this family."
Of all the insults hurled at her that evening, none pierced Jungkook's heart deeper than this one.
"W-What are you... what are you saying?" she whispered, barely able to breathe.
Dadi cut her off without a shred of empathy. "She speaks the absolute truth. It has been nearly three months. In my time, a bride would be expecting within the very first month. Look at you. There must be something wrong with you."
"What, are you barren?" Jiya added dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "Dear Lord, what curse did Taehyung bring home when he married you!"
Jungkook froze, the world around her tilting as cold tears spilled over her cheeks.
Dadi swatted Jiya's arm crossly. "Keep quiet, you foolish woman! That won't happen. We will wait one more month and bahu, I expect good news soon."
"But Maa," Jiya pressed, leaning in, "what if my fears are correct?"
Dadi's eyes hardened. "If that is the case, I will personally arrange a second marriage for Taehyung."
The declaration shattered whatever remained of Jungkook's composure. Her heart, already battered and bruised, broke completely.
"Dadi! N-No... what are you saying? You can't possibly do that!"
"I most certainly can, and I will," Dadi declared coldly. "I have tolerated enough. You fail to carry a child, yet you insist on stepping out of this house to work like a man. I am giving you one week to make your choice."
"C-Choice? What choice?"
"Decide what matters more to you... your career, or your marriage."
Without waiting for a response, dadi turned her back and walked away. Jiya cast one final, scornful glare at Jungkook before trailing closely behind her mother.
Standing alone in the center of the silent living room, Jungkook covered her face as a wave of sobs broke through, before running back to the sanctuary of her room.
__________________
Meanwhile, on Taehyung's side...
It was well past lunchtime, and he hadn't eaten anything yet, completely buried in work since morning. Suddenly, Jungkook's gentle words echoed in his mind:
"Don't forget to eat your lunch on time."
A soft smile broke across his face as he remembered her caring reminder.
"Forgive me, my wife," he murmured to himself. "Just a little more work left, then I'll eat and call you."
A short while later, just as he was finally getting up to eat, his phone began to ring.
Namjoon's name flashed across the screen. Taehyung smiled, glad to see a call from his best friend after so many days. He picked it up right away.
"Hey! How are you doing? It's been so long since we-"
"Taehyung... wherever you are, please come to the city right now," Namjoon interrupted, his voice breaking into frantic, terrified sobs.
Taehyung froze, panic instantly setting in. In all twenty-five years of their friendship, he had never heard Namjoon sound so utterly terrified.
"Namjoon, tell me what happened! Why are you so scared and frantic? Is everything okay?"
"Nothing is okay, Taehyung! Ji... Jin... Jin has been admitted to the hospital! Her delivery date was close, and while I was out for some work, I got a call saying she fell down the stairs... The doctors are saying... they're saying they can save only one of them, either the mother or the baby!
Please, get here quickly! I can't process anything, I'm so terrified, Taehyung!"
"Namjoon, listen to me! Don't panic!" Taehyung reassured him firmly, trying to anchor his friend.
"Nothing is going to happen to Jin bhabhi or your baby. Don't lose your mind, if you break down, who will give Jin strength? I'm coming to the city right now. I'll be there by evening. Don't stress, I'm on my way."
"Yeah, come quickly... and for now, don't tell my father anything. Just get here."
"Yes, I'm coming. Hold yourself together until I get there."
Taehyung hung up immediately. Snatching his coat, he instructed his new secretary whom he had hired after Minho, to book an urgent flight to Mumbai.
In a rush, he dialed Jungkook's number, but she didn't answer.
He tried two or three more times, but the call kept going unanswered.
A surge of irritation and mounting frustration flared inside him.
Splashing water on his face in the washroom, he hurried out of Kim Enterprises, got into his car, and sped toward the airport.
On the way, he called J-hope to inform him about the situation and asked him to pass the message along to Jungkook and the rest of the family.
Once seated on the plane, Taehyung made one final attempt to call Jungkook.
The phone rang for a few seconds, and just as Jungkook picked up, a flight attendant approached him, asking him to switch off his phone.
Overwhelmed by frustration and stress, Taehyung hung up the phone abruptly without even looking at the phone.
A few hours later, the flight landed in the cuty. After getting the hospital address from Namjoon, Taehyung boarded a cab and rushed straight there.
Arriving at the hospital, he spotted Namjoon, who immediately embraced him in a desperate, clinging hug.
"Nothing will happen to Jin bhabhi. Just stay strong, I'm right here with you."
"They've kept Jin inside for so long... they won't even let me see her," Namjoon cried, his voice trembling violently.
"They said they'll start the delivery procedure in half an hour, but I don't know what they're doing... My Jin must be in so much pain in there... I'm so scared, Taehyung. If I had known it would turn out like this, I... I would never have let Jin get pregnant! She is enough for me on her own.
We could have adopted a child! I would have been happy just seeing her happy and safe... but now she's enduring so much torment... I will never make her face this ever again! One child is enough for us. I just want both of them to be okay!"
Namjoon held onto him tightly, pouring out his anguish and fear. Taehyung held his bestfriend in silence, absorbing his painful words. His heart ached deeply for Namjoon.
For a horrifying second, Taehyung placed himself in Namjoon's shoes and imagined Jungkook in Jin's place.
The mere thought sent a wave of terror through his soul. He couldn't bear to see Jungkook in such agony. He couldn't even bring himself to picture her suffering like that.
A deep-seated fear rooted itself in his heart. Jin was relatively healthy and strong, but Jungkook? She was so petite, so delicate, and fragile. How could she ever endure such agonizing physical pain? No... he couldn't even bear the thought of watching her suffer.
In that very moment, Taehyung made a silent, unshakeable resolve.
He would gladly adopt a child, but he would never put Jungkook through such pain. He loved his wife far too deeply and when you truly love someone, you can never bear to be the cause of their suffering.