Chp 36- The Victory Kiss
___________
More than two months had passed since Taehyung and Jungkook's wedding. Life was never perfect; it was filled with both joys and hardships, and their married life was no exception.
Jungkook spent her entire day working tirelessly around the house, yet no matter how much she did, she was still met with criticism from Dadi and the other family members. The burden on her shoulders seemed to grow heavier with each passing day.
Taehyung, meanwhile, was hardly ever home. For the past several weeks, he had been completely consumed by his work. He barely ate, rarely got enough sleep, and often returned home late at night. Watching him push himself to such limits worried Jungkook deeply, but there was little she could do.
The family took advantage of Taehyung's absence, especially Dadi, who made Jungkook handle most of the household responsibilities. Whenever Jihyo tried to stand up for her, Dadi would immediately silence her, leaving Jungkook with no choice but to endure everything quietly.
On the other hand, Taehyung had dedicated himself entirely to seeking justice for Aarohi.
[(A/n):-I changed Sita's name to Aarohi since a reader had an issue with it and even accused me of getting satisfaction from writing about that character's r@pe. That was never my intention. Anyway, I hope you're satisfied with the changes now.]
He attended village panchayat meetings, worked tirelessly to regain the villagers' trust, and assured everyone that he would not rest until every criminal involved was punished.
Most of his days were spent dealing with court hearings and legal proceedings, leaving him with little time for anything else.
After months of struggle, the verdict was finally announced. Aarohi Sharma's case was won.
The young girl whose dreams, hopes, and future had been cruelly stolen from her at such a tender age finally received the justice she deserved. With Namjoon's unwavering support, Taehyung fought day and night, refusing to give up until the truth prevailed.
Woojin was sentenced to twenty years in prison, while Jinho and the rest of his accomplices were given life imprisonment.
At long last, justice was served.Aarohi's soul could finally rest in peace. Her family, who had suffered for so long, finally found closure. And throughout the village, a wave of happiness and relief spread once more, as people celebrated the triumph of truth over cruelty.
________
Taehyung returned home exhausted after a long day.
The moment he stepped inside, Jihyo looked at him with pride shining in her eyes.
She kissed his forehead and praised him warmly for everything he had accomplished.
The rest of the family also shared their happiness and relief, everyone except Dadi and Minjun's family.
Tzuyu remained quiet. She was neither particularly happy nor upset, but she was glad that the young girl had finally received the justice she deserved.
Dadi didn't even bother speaking to Taehyung, but he couldn't have cared less. His eyes were busy searching every corner of the living room, looking for only one person.
Noticing this, Jihyo let out a soft laugh.
"Jungkook went up to the terrace to bring in the dried clothes" she said.
Taehyung nodded in response.
"I'm going to freshen up first" he replied before walking away.
But despite what he had said, he didn't head toward his room. Today, he was happier than he had been in weeks, and there was only one person he wanted to see first.
Instead of going upstairs to bathe, his feet carried him straight toward the terrace.
The evening breeze brushed gently against Taehyung's face as he climbed the stairs leading to the terrace. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink, the last rays of sunlight slowly disappearing beyond the horizon.
The moment he stepped onto the terrace, his eyes found her.
Jungkook stood near the clothesline, carefully folding the dry clothes into a basket. A few loose strands of hair danced in the wind, occasionally falling across her face. She looked tired, yet there was a quiet grace in everything she did.
For a few moments, Taehyung simply stood there, watching her.
The past few weeks had been so chaotic that he had barely gotten the chance to spend time with her. Every day had been consumed by court hearings, village meetings, and endless responsibilities. Yet through it all, Jungkook had waited for him without a single complaint.
Suddenly jungkook's phone rang, she placed the basket down and picked up the phone looking at the caller id and a smile immediately crept up on her lips
It was bogum, her brother from another mother.
She picked up the call with a bright smile, Because Bogum was like a brother to her-no, more than that, he was her second brother. After weeks of not speaking to him, Jungkook finally decided to call.
"Hello?"
The moment the call connected, an excited voice answered from the other side.
"Kookie!!" Bogum practically shouted. "I've missed you so much! How's life been treating you?"
A smile appeared on Jungkook's face as she continued folding the clothes.
"Everything's good. What about you? How have you been?"
"I'm doing great too, but it's not the same without you around, little sister. I miss you a lot. Tell me, when are you planning to come back to the hospital? It's been over two months since your wedding, hasn't it?"
"Soon. I'll talk to him about it," Jungkook replied.
"Good. And tell me..." Bogum's voice suddenly turned teasing. "How's your he doing? My dear jiju is taking good care of you, right?"
Jungkook immediately lowered her gaze, her cheeks turning pink.
"Yes, he takes very good care of me. Stop teasing me, Bogum."
Unbeknownst to her, Taehyung had just stepped onto the terrace.He had originally come looking for Jungkook, but the moment he heard her talking so comfortably with someone on the phone, he stopped in his tracks.
And then he heard the name.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"If I don't tease you, what else am I supposed to do?" Bogum laughed. "Oh, right! I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it?"
"My mother has started looking for a bride for me. She's talking about getting me married soon."
The moment Jungkook heard that, her face lit up.
"Really?! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!"
Bogum chuckled.
"Thanks. But listen, you're like my little sister, and I don't even have any siblings. So you're going to do every wedding ritual a sister is supposed to do. Understood?"
Jungkook's smile faltered.
"B-But... I can't just leave my in-laws' house and stay there, Bogum. I'll definitely attend the wedding, though."
"Don't say that." His voice became dramatic. "Look, I'll cry. I'm not getting married without my sister there."
"Bogum, please try to understand my-"
That was enough.
Taehyung had heard the name Bogum far too many times in the last few minutes.
With every mention, an unfamiliar irritation had settled deeper inside him.
He didn't know who this man was.He didn't know why Jungkook sounded so happy talking to him.And he definitely didn't like hearing another man call her Kookie so casually.
A sharp jealousy twisted in his chest.
Finally, he cleared his throat.The sound made Jungkook jump.Her eyes widened as she spun around.Taehyung stood only a few steps away, his hands tucked into his pockets.As always, his expression looked calm and unreadable.
But today, something was different.
Behind those usually composed eyes lurked a hint of annoyance... and unmistakable jealousy.
Jungkook swallowed nervously.
"I-I'll call you later... bye."
Without waiting for a response, she quickly ended the call.The terrace suddenly fell silent.Only the sound of the evening wind remained between them.
"Y-You're home..." Jungkook asked softly, her eyes widening slightly when she saw him standing there. "Have you eaten anything? Should I bring you some tea?"
Even after everything, the first thing she worried about was him.
Taehyung looked at her for a moment before shaking his head.
"No."
His voice was calm, but there was something unreadable hidden beneath it.His gaze shifted to the basket of clothes beside her.
"What are you doing up here?"
"I-I came to collect the dry clothes."
Taehyung took two slow steps toward her. "Don't we have workers for that?"
Jungkook instinctively took a step back.
"W-We do, but..."
"But?"
His eyes remained fixed on her.
Jungkook lowered her gaze.
"Those are your clothes."
Taehyung raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"And... I didn't want anyone else touching them."
Her voice grew quieter with every word.
"So I came myself."
The corner of Taehyung's lips twitched.
Jungkook, meanwhile, continued stepping backward until her back suddenly collided with the terrace wall.Her breath caught in her throat.Taehyung stopped right in front of her.Close enough for her to notice the exhaustion lingering beneath his eyes.
Close enough for her heart to betray her.
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"So my biwi has started becoming possessive?"
He rested one hand against the wall beside her head.Jungkook's eyes immediately widened.
"T-That's not what I meant!"
"No?"
"No."
She puffed her cheeks out slightly.
"I just don't like other people doing your work when I can do it myself."
For a moment, Taehyung simply stared at her.The irritation he'd been carrying moments ago, the strange jealousy that had settled in his chest while listening to her talk to Bogum-began to dissolve.Only Jungkook could do that. Only she could turn his anger into calmness without even trying.
His gaze softened.
Slowly, he lifted a hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
The gesture was gentle.Far gentler than the cold and intimidating man the world knew him as.
Jungkook's breath hitched.Taehyung's fingers lingered for a moment before his thumb lightly brushed against her cheek.
"You care about me too much."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
Jungkook looked up at him.For the first time, she noticed just how tired he looked.The dark circles beneath his eyes.The fatigue hidden behind his calm expression.The countless sleepless nights.Without thinking, she placed her hand over his wrist.
"Because you don't care about yourself enough."
Something flickered in Taehyung's eyes.
Something warm.Something he rarely allowed himself to feel.
"Is that a complaint?"
A tiny smile tugged at Jungkook's lips.
"It's a warning."
"A warning?"
"Yes."
She tried to sound serious.
"You skip meals. You don't sleep properly. You come home late every night. If you keep this up, I'll be very angry."
Taehyung let out a quiet chuckle.
A real one.
One that Jungkook hadn't heard in this entire two months of their marriage.
"You'll be angry?"
"Very."
The confidence in her voice made him smile.For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.The evening wind blew softly around them.Below, the sounds of the household drifted faintly through the air.Yet up here, it felt as though they were the only two people in the world.
Taehyung looked at her carefully.
Then, in a low voice, he said,
"The case is over."
Jungkook's eyes immediately brightened.
"You won?"
"We won. The girl finally got justice"
A smile bloomed across her face.
Not because of the victory itself.
But because she knew how hard he had fought for it.
"I'm proud of you."
Simple words.Yet they struck Taehyung harder than all the praise and congratulations he'd received that day. Because they came from her. His gaze lingered on her smiling face.Then, almost unconsciously, he leaned closer.
"And who was Bogum?"
The question came so suddenly that Jungkook froze.For a second, she simply stared at him.Then realization dawned on her face.And despite her nervousness... A small, amused smile appeared on her lips.
Because for the first time since she'd known him...
Taehyung Kim looked jealous, like really jealous
"He's my friend" Jungkook paused for a moment then spoke again
"Wait.. are you perhaps jealous hubby?"
Taehyung circled his arm around her thin waist covered in a saree, Jungkook let out a surprise gasped as she clutched on taehyung's shoulder.
Taehyung pulled her closer making the soft swell of her chest pressed against his hard ones.
"You're already mine, the moment you stepped foot in our marriage mandap, and took seven pheras with me, I already claimed you as mine"
Hearing his words Jungkook couldn't gather herself to look into his eyes, this man was too dangerously handsome and possessive for her small body, his one word is enough to shake her entire being.
"Stop!, Don't look away from me." Taehyung said quietly, tightening his hold on Jungkook's waist ever so slightly when she tried to avoid his gaze.
"S..someone will come" Jungkook muttered shyly
"No one will come here, it's just you and me"
Taehyung said in his deep raspy voice, he dint know what happened to him that he's clingy this much with his wife,After weeks of keeping himself busy, it seemed Taehyung had finally reached his limit. He couldn't stand being away from his wife anymore.
"Look at me" taehyung said softly holding jungkook's chin gently
Jungkook shyly looked into his eyes , her doe eyes shining as she looked deep into his eyes.
Taehyung could no longer bear the distance so he leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead, then on her left cheek making Jungkook breathe heavily.
"I haven't even done anything, and you're already this nervous?" Taehyung whispered, noticing the way her breathing had become uneven.
Jungkook opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Your closeness alone is enough to leave me breathless"
For a moment, Taehyung simply looked at her.
"Then breathe slowly," he whispered, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Because I plan on staying by your side for a very long time."
Taehyung again leaned in brushing his lips against her right cheek this time. After a few seconds he leaned back to stare at her gorgeous face.
Those beautiful eyes, that tiny button nose, her rosy, puffed-up cheeks, and those soft lips...But more than anything else, Taehyung found himself drawn to the small beauty mole resting just beneath those soft luscious lips.
His gaze lingered there for a moment longer than it should have. Slowly, Jungkook opened her eyes and looked up at him.
The moment she realized where his attention was focused, her cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of red.
Embarrassed, she quickly lowered her gaze.
She couldn't understand what had gotten into him today. Her grumpy, cold, and seemingly emotionless husband was acting strangely.
Very strangely.
Ever since he had returned home, he hadn't taken his eyes off her.And the way he was looking at her now... It made her heart beat so fast that she was sure he could hear it.
Jungkook's heart pounded wildly against her chest.The longer Taehyung looked at her, the more flustered she became.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" she finally whispered.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Taehyung's lips.
"Like what?"
Jungkook immediately looked away.
"Like... that."
Taehyung chuckled softly.
For someone who could spend hours taking care of everyone around her, Jungkook became adorably shy whenever his attention was focused entirely on her.
Gently, he lifted her chin, encouraging her to meet his gaze.
"Look at me."
Jungkook hesitated for a moment before slowly raising her eyes.The teasing in Taehyung's expression faded, replaced by something much softer.
Something warmer.
For weeks, he had buried himself in work, court hearings, and responsibilities.For weeks, he had barely allowed himself a moment to breathe.But standing here with her now, all of that felt distant.
All that mattered was Jungkook.
"You know," he said quietly, "I've been wanting to do this for a while."
Jungkook blinked.
"Do what?"
Instead of answering, Taehyung leaned forward.His forehead gently rested against hers.Jungkook's breath caught. The evening breeze danced around them, carrying away the silence between them.
Then, slowly, giving her every chance to pull away, Taehyung closed the distance between them and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
It was brief.
Tender.
A small kiss filled with affection rather than urgency.
When he pulled back, Jungkook stood frozen, her cheeks burning brighter than ever.
Taehyung couldn't help but smile at her expression.
"There," he murmured.
Jungkook stared at him.
"H.. hubby-?"
His smile widened.
"I finally came home."
And somehow, that simple answer made her blush even more.
_____
The next morning, Jungkook was busy in the kitchen.Or at least, she was supposed to be.Instead, her mind kept drifting back to the events of the previous evening.A blush crept onto her cheeks as she rolled out the dough, a silly smile playing on her lips.At the same time, she couldn't help scolding herself.
"Honestly, Jungkook, what's wrong with you?" she muttered under her breath. "Why are you smiling like an idiot?"
The memory flashed through her mind once again.
That kiss.
Her face instantly turned even redder.
"T-That kiss..." she whispered, quickly glancing around to make sure nobody had heard her.
Then she shook her head.
"Husband and wife kissing is completely normal. I'm the weird one. Instead of saying something, I just stood there staring at him like a fool."
She covered her face with one hand in embarrassment.
"Thank goodness he had to leave again for work last night and came home late. Otherwise, who knows how much more I'd have embarrassed myself in front of him?"
A helpless smile escaped her lips. As she placed a freshly rolled roti onto the hot tawa, her thoughts wandered yet again.
Without realizing it, her fingers drifted to her lips.
The memory of Taehyung's gentle kiss replayed itself over and over in her mind.Soon, she became so lost in her thoughts that she completely forgot about the roti.
A few minutes later
"Jungkook!"
A familiar voice pulled her back to reality.Jungkook jumped. The smell of something burning filled the kitchen.
Her eyes widened in horror.The roti was completely black.
Standing at the kitchen entrance was Jimin.She was four months pregnant now, and the small curve of her baby bump was beginning to show. Even so, she carefully kept the end of her saree draped over her stomach whenever she walked around, hoping to protect her unborn child from any evil eye.
Jimin looked at the burnt roti, then at Jungkook's bright red face.A mischievous smile slowly spread across her lips.
"Should I ask what you're thinking about," she teased, "or should I already assume it has something to do with my dear elder brother-in-law ?"
Jungkook nearly dropped the spatula in shock.
"W-What?!"
Jimin laughed.
"Oh, so it does have something to do with him."
The blush on Jungkook's face deepened instantly, making Jimin laugh even harder.
"W-What are you talking about?" Jungkook stammered, quickly turning her back to Jimin and pretending to be busy with the dough.
Jimin wasn't convinced for even a second.
"Hmm."
She slowly walked over and looked at the pile of perfectly cooked rotis beside the completely burnt one.
"Interesting."
Jungkook swallowed nervously.
"What's interesting?"
Jimin pointed at the burnt roti.
"These are all fine, but this one looks like it sacrificed itself while someone was busy daydreaming."
Jungkook's ears turned red.
"I-I wasn't daydreaming."
"Liar."
"I wasn't!"
Jimin laughed.
"Then why are your cheeks so red?"
Instinctively, Jungkook covered her face.
"I was standing near the stove."
"The stove made you blush all the way to your ears?"
Jungkook groaned.
"Jimin didi..."
"Okay, okay." Jimin raised her hands in surrender, though the grin never left her face. "I won't tease you."
A pause.
Then-
"So has love finally blossomed between the newly wedded couple?"
"DIDI!"
Jungkook almost dropped the rolling pin.
Jimin burst into laughter.
"Oh my God, look at your face!"
Jungkook wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.How did everyone in this family love embarrassing her so much?
Still chuckling, Jimin sat down on a nearby chair and gently rested a hand on her stomach.The laughter in her eyes slowly softened.
"You know," she said, "it's nice seeing you like this."
Jungkook glanced at her.
"Like what?"
"Happy."
The teasing disappeared from Jimin's voice.
"For the first time since your wedding, I can actually see it."
Jungkook fell silent.Her fingers unconsciously touched her lips again.The memory of yesterday returned to her mind.The way Taehyung had looked at her.The softness in his eyes.The warmth in his voice.A small smile appeared on her face before she could stop it.
Jimin noticed immediately.
"There it is."
Jungkook blinked.
"What?"
"That smile."
Her grin widened.
"The smile of a woman who's completely fallen for her husband."
Jungkook's eyes widened.
"I have not!"
"Haven't you?"
Jimin raised an eyebrow.
Jungkook opened her mouth to argue.
Then closed it.
Because, for some reason, the answer refused to come out.
Jimin watched her struggle and smiled knowingly.
"Oh!, i have completely forgotten, dadi and jihyo maa is calling you, let's go, leave the roti aside, lata will do it" she said practically dragging Jungkook away from the kitchen
They both made their way to Jihyo's room.Dadi and Jihyo looked at the two of them.
Then Dadi said,counting prayer beads in her hands.
"Both of you, come here."
Jungkook and Jimin walked over and stood respectfully in front of them.
"Yes, Dadi?" Jungkook asked softly.
Dadi set aside her prayer beads and looked at the two women before speaking.
"The day after tomorrow is Holi. Starting tonight, the decorators will arrive to prepare the house.
Every year, our family hosts a grand Holi celebration.
A large pavilion is set up, and the entire village is invited to join the festivities.
It is one of the most important and joyful occasions of the year. "
Her gaze settled on Jungkook.
"And this year is special because it will be yours and Taehyung's first Holi as a married couple."
Jungkook lowered her eyes shyly.
"Tomorrow, your mother-in-law will give you new clothes and jewelry for the occasion. Make sure you wear them during the celebrations."
After a brief pause, Dadi continued,
"There will be a puja on the morning of Holi, and this year, you will be responsible for all of its arrangements."
Jungkook's eyes widened slightly.
Dadi nodded.
"Until now, Jimin bahu has always handled these responsibilities. However, you are now the eldest bahu of this household, which means these duties belong to you from now on."
Jimin smiled warmly at Jungkook, silently encouraging her.
"After the puja, you will also oversee the preparation of the bhaang and chaach for the guests," Dadi added. "You may seek help from anyone in the house if you need it, but I expect everything to be organized properly."
Her voice remained firm.
"This is an important responsibility, Jungkook. Make sure everything is done well."
Jungkook nodded respectfully
"I'll take all the responsibilities dadi, I'll not disappoint you"
Jihyo smiled at her
"I know bahu, and me and jimin are always here to help you if you need it, don't worry"
Jungkook gave her a smile and nodded, soon dadi dismissed them.
Jungkook anxiously bit her lips staring at the floor zoning out, jimin kept her hand on jungkook's shoulder
"My little fairy, don't worry, I'm here na, I'll teach you everything"
"Thankyou didi, being the elder bahu is quite challenging, but I'll not give up this easily"
"That's my Jungkook, now go and fresh up, I'll ask lata to look after the kitchen "
Jungkook chuckled and gave her a small nod
"Okay,.okay, but don't you even dare to pick up a single spoon"
"I won't my mother i promise" jimin said sarcastically making Jungkook laugh cutely and soon she walked away from there to freshen up.