Ch: 5 His Family •••

## Chapter 5: The Weight of a Broken Smile

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The days that followed Jungkook’s outburst hung heavy in the Jeon household, each moment thick with unspoken tension. The vibrant energy that had once pulsed through their home had been replaced by a suffocating silence. Jeonsan, his bright spirit dimmed, moved through the house like a shadow, his once cheerful demeanor replaced by a quiet, almost haunted focus on his studies. The light had gone out of his eyes, and every time Taehyung looked at his son’s joyless face, a fresh wave of grief washed over him.

He had tried, countless times, to breach the wall of Jungkook’s anger, to reason with him, to make him see the devastating impact his decision was having on their son. But Jungkook remained unyielding, his conviction unwavering, his ears seemingly deaf to Taehyung’s pleas. The topic of Jeonsan’s future was now a forbidden territory, a landmine that threatened to detonate any attempt at conversation.

Needing a reprieve from the oppressive atmosphere, Taehyung had asked their driver to take him to the local market to pick up some groceries. Wandering through the bustling aisles, his mind still preoccupied with Jeonsan’s misery, he found himself struggling to locate several items on his list.

“Excuse me, can anyone help me?” he asked, his voice soft but carrying through the relative quiet of the aisle.

“Yes, sir, how can I help you?” A sweet, melodic alpha voice replied from behind him.

Taehyung turned, and his breath hitched in his throat. Standing there, amidst the colorful displays of fresh produce, was Areum. Jeonsan’s Areum.

“Areum!?” Taehyung exclaimed, the surprise evident in his voice.

Areum bowed her head respectfully. “Hello, Uncle. How are you?” A polite smile touched her lips, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I’m… fine, dear. How are you?” Taehyung replied, his gaze searching hers.

“I’m also good, Uncle,” she said, attempting another smile, but Taehyung, with his omega’s inherent sensitivity to emotions, could see the raw pain shimmering just beneath the surface. Her eyes, he noticed, were slightly puffy, betraying recent tears.

“What are you doing here, Areum? Aren’t your exams starting next month?” Taehyung asked, a flicker of concern in his voice.

“They are, Uncle,” she explained, her voice a little subdued. “But I have this part-time job to help my family. I’ve been working extra hours lately so that I can still dedicate time to my studies.”

“Your parents… they know about this?”

Areum hesitated, a shadow crossing her face. “They… they think I’m out studying at the library.”

“Dear, I can help you if…” Taehyung began, his heart going out to the young alpha, her quiet resilience in the face of hardship touching him deeply.

“Oh, no, no, Uncle,” Areum quickly interjected, shaking her head. “I can’t possibly take any help from you. But… by the way… how is San?” Her voice cracked on his name, the carefully constructed composure momentarily crumbling.

“He’s… not so good,” Taehyung admitted sadly, his own heart aching at the truth of his words.

Areum offered a small, heartbreakingly sad smile. “I hope he’ll be happy… with his wife.”

Taehyung frowned, confusion clouding his features. “What do you mean, Areum?”

A fresh wave of tears welled up in Areum’s eyes, and her voice broke as she spoke. “We… we broke up, Uncle.”

“W… what?” Taehyung stammered, his eyes widening in disbelief.

“I love him so much, Uncle,” Areum sobbed, her shoulders shaking. “And I always will. But… I’m also very proud of him… that he chose his father above me. Because no matter what… our parents are always above anything and anyone.” Her voice was thick with tears, each word a testament to the shattering of her young heart.

Without thinking, Taehyung reached out and pulled Areum into a comforting hug, his own eyes stinging with tears. The quiet dignity with which she spoke of her sacrifice, her unwavering respect for family despite her own immense pain, resonated deeply within him.

*This is not right,* Taehyung thought fiercely, a surge of protectiveness for both his son and this brave young woman rising within him. Jungkook’s rigid adherence to tradition, his blind disregard for his son’s feelings, had already caused so much pain. And now, seeing the tangible evidence of that pain in Areum’s brokenhearted confession, a new resolve began to form within Taehyung. He couldn’t stand by and watch his son’s happiness be sacrificed on the altar of outdated ideals. He had to do something. He had to find a way to make Jungkook see.

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[A/n: "A Heart's Silent Cry"

In market aisles, where vibrant hues abide,

Taehyung meets Areum, tears in her eyes.

Her heart, once full of love for Jeonsan's pride,

Now broken, like the dreams she'd never hide.

With every word, her pain does unfold,

A sacrifice made, young heart growing old.

Taehyung's hug, a comfort in her pain,

A moment's peace, amidst love in vain.

Tradition's weight, a burden hard to bear,

A love lost, due to expectations rare.