Chapter 3: The First Visit to the Market

The next morning, the sky was covered in a thin veil of mist.

The ground was still damp from last night’s rain, leaving the air cool and fresh.

Taehyung stood by the wooden cart, his hands loosely clasped in front of him, watching as Jungkook adjusted the harness on the old, steady ox. Jungkook worked silently, his movements practiced and efficient, tying knots, checking the wheels.

“We’ll leave now,” Jungkook said after a moment, his voice steady but not unkind.

Taehyung simply nodded and stepped into the cart, sitting quietly on the rough wooden bench.

Jungkook climbed up beside him, giving a gentle tug on the reins.

The ox moved at an unhurried pace, its hooves making soft, rhythmic sounds against the dirt road.

Neither of them spoke much.

The silence between them wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t comfortable either. It was like walking beside a stranger with whom you shared no memories, no inside jokes—only a shared path.

Taehyung sat with his hands resting in his lap, his eyes carefully taking in the village and the winding road that led to the nearby town.

Along the way, they passed a few scattered homes, villagers carrying baskets on their backs, and children playing with wooden hoops. Every now and then, Taehyung caught faint snippets of conversation—about the price of rice, about a neighbor’s illness, about waiting days for someone to bring salt from town.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Was there no regular supply route? Did people really wait days for basic goods?

The thought lingered quietly in the back of his mind.

It was something he would remember.

By the time they reached the town market, the streets were already alive with the sounds of merchants shouting, pots clanging, and the soft crunch of footsteps on gravel. Stalls lined both sides of the main road—selling vegetables, cloth, pottery, and bundles of herbs.

Jungkook tied the ox to a post and turned to Taehyung.

"Take your time. I’ll be at the grain stall."

Taehyung hesitated for a second. "I… I don’t have any coins."

Jungkook glanced at him, then silently pulled a small cloth pouch from his sleeve and handed it over. It wasn’t heavy—likely only a few coins inside.

"If you need anything, use this."

His voice was calm, without question or expectation.

Taehyung’s fingers tightened around the pouch. “Thank you.”

With a small nod, Jungkook turned and walked toward the grain merchant.

Taehyung stood still for a moment, watching Jungkook’s back disappear into the crowd. He didn’t know what this man was thinking—so quiet, so distant—but at least he wasn’t cruel. There was no warmth, but there was no coldness either.

Only space.

Space Taehyung didn’t know how to fill yet.

Slowly, Taehyung wandered through the market.

He picked up simple things—a bundle of green onions, some sweet potatoes, a small jar of soybean paste.

As he walked, he noticed that many of the shopkeepers were waiting on delayed deliveries. Some had run out of stock. Some had to send people on foot to fetch things from nearby villages.

The transport system here was… lacking.

Things moved slowly.

People depended on passing merchants and occasional carts.

There was no one who regularly brought goods from the town to the smaller villages.

His mind began to turn.

Would it be possible?

A simple cart service, running between the villages and town every few days?

It was not a grand idea. It was not flashy. But… it was needed.

He tucked the thought away carefully.

Maybe, someday, he would mention it to Jungkook.

When Taehyung returned to the cart, Jungkook was already waiting, loading a sack of grain onto the back.

Without a word, Jungkook helped Taehyung into the cart, taking the small basket from his hands and placing it safely beside him.

On the ride home, the silence between them felt a little less stiff.

Still quiet, still distant—but perhaps… a little softer.

When they returned home, Taehyung began preparing lunch. His hands were still clumsy in this world’s kitchen, but he managed to make a simple vegetable soup and steamed sweet potatoes.

When he set the bowl in front of Jungkook, the man only glanced up briefly.

“You bought sweet potatoes.”

Taehyung offered a small nod. “They looked fresh.”

Jungkook hummed softly and picked up his chopsticks.

There was no grand praise.

No warm smile.

But as they ate in quiet together, it no longer felt like they were two people living in separate houses.

It felt like the very beginning of something small.

Something that might, one day, become a home.

.

.

.

To be continued

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Episodes
1 Prologue and Introduction
2 Chapter 1: A New Body, A New Life
3 Chapter 2: First Day in the New Home
4 Chapter 3: The First Visit to the Market
5 Chapter 4: The Weight of the Past (Jungkook’s POV)
6 Chapter 5: The First Step Forward
7 Chapter 6: Quiet Partnership
8 Chapter 7: Taehyung’s First Sale
9 Chapter 8: Building Together
10 Chapter 9: Small Jealousies, Small Steps
11 Chapter 10: Quiet Defenses
12 Chapter 11: Growing Together
13 Chapter 12: The Village Festival
14 Chapter 13: A Soft Shift
15 Chapter 14: The Quiet Morning After
16 Chapter 15: A New Rhythm
17 Chapter 16: Shared Dreams, Stirred Jealousies
18 Chapter 17: Into Town Again
19 Chapter 18: A New Kind of Warmth
20 Chapter 19: Trouble Brewing Again
21 Chapter 20: The First Crack
22 Chapter 21: Building, Belonging, and Boundaries
23 Chapter 22: The House in Town
24 Chapter 23: A Bold Betrayal
25 Chapter 24: The Breaking Point
26 Chapter 25: A New Beginning
27 Chapter 26: A New Chapter Begins
28 Chapter 27: Preparing for the Future
29 Chapter 28: Expanding Their Home and Growing Their
30 Chapter 29: A Mother's Place
31 Chapter 30: The Babies Arrive
32 Chapter 31: Settling Into Parenthood
33 Chapter 32: A Festival of Firsts
34 Chapter 33: Growing Together
35 Chapter 34: Protecting Their Home, Preparing for Their Future
36 Chapter 35: Preparing for School
37 Chapter 36: New Challenges and Sweet Returns
38 Chapter 37: School Trouble and Small Victories
39 Chapter 38: Seasons Change
40 Chapter 39: Preparing for the New Baby
41 Chapter 40: The New Arrival
42 Chapter 41: Raising Three
43 Chapter 42: Seasons of Growth
Episodes

Updated 43 Episodes

1
Prologue and Introduction
2
Chapter 1: A New Body, A New Life
3
Chapter 2: First Day in the New Home
4
Chapter 3: The First Visit to the Market
5
Chapter 4: The Weight of the Past (Jungkook’s POV)
6
Chapter 5: The First Step Forward
7
Chapter 6: Quiet Partnership
8
Chapter 7: Taehyung’s First Sale
9
Chapter 8: Building Together
10
Chapter 9: Small Jealousies, Small Steps
11
Chapter 10: Quiet Defenses
12
Chapter 11: Growing Together
13
Chapter 12: The Village Festival
14
Chapter 13: A Soft Shift
15
Chapter 14: The Quiet Morning After
16
Chapter 15: A New Rhythm
17
Chapter 16: Shared Dreams, Stirred Jealousies
18
Chapter 17: Into Town Again
19
Chapter 18: A New Kind of Warmth
20
Chapter 19: Trouble Brewing Again
21
Chapter 20: The First Crack
22
Chapter 21: Building, Belonging, and Boundaries
23
Chapter 22: The House in Town
24
Chapter 23: A Bold Betrayal
25
Chapter 24: The Breaking Point
26
Chapter 25: A New Beginning
27
Chapter 26: A New Chapter Begins
28
Chapter 27: Preparing for the Future
29
Chapter 28: Expanding Their Home and Growing Their
30
Chapter 29: A Mother's Place
31
Chapter 30: The Babies Arrive
32
Chapter 31: Settling Into Parenthood
33
Chapter 32: A Festival of Firsts
34
Chapter 33: Growing Together
35
Chapter 34: Protecting Their Home, Preparing for Their Future
36
Chapter 35: Preparing for School
37
Chapter 36: New Challenges and Sweet Returns
38
Chapter 37: School Trouble and Small Victories
39
Chapter 38: Seasons Change
40
Chapter 39: Preparing for the New Baby
41
Chapter 40: The New Arrival
42
Chapter 41: Raising Three
43
Chapter 42: Seasons of Growth

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