Jungkook's apartment was quietâtoo quiet. The only sound that filled the space was the rhythmic ticking of the old wall clock. Jungkook sat on the couch, staring blankly at the job listings on his phone, but none of them seemed right. His mind kept racing, replaying the scene from his old office, where Mr. Lee, his former boss, had made his life a living nightmare.
The memory of that night still haunted him. The feel of Mr. Lee's hands, the disgusting whispers in his ear, the way his boss had cornered him in the office... Jungkook shuddered, pushing the memory aside. His daughter, Hani, was upstairs, asleep in her room. He had to focus. He couldn't let her see how broken he felt.
His fingers trembled as he scrolled through job ads. His stomach growled, reminding him that it had been hours since he'd eaten. He glanced at the timeâ10:45 PMâtoo late for dinner. Not that it mattered. His thoughts wandered back to the last few days. The past month had been hell. No one would hire him after he left his last job in a panic.
"Dad, are you okay?" Hani's soft voice broke his train of thought. She stood in the doorway of the living room, her small frame framed by the dim light from the hallway.
Jungkook forced a smile. "I'm fine, baby. Go back to bed. It's late."
Hani frowned, crossing her arms. "You've been working all day on your phone. You're always on your phone now... You're not going to leave me, right?"
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. Jungkook quickly stood up, kneeling to pull her into a tight hug. "Of course not, Hani. I'm never leaving you, okay? I promise."
Hani nodded, her small hands clutching the fabric of his shirt. "I know you're doing your best... but I miss when you smiled, Dad."
Jungkook felt his throat tighten. He kissed the top of her head, brushing away a tear he hadn't realized had fallen. "I'll make it better, I swear."
Later that night, Jimin called.
"Jungkook, hey. You still alive over there?"
Jungkook chuckled lightly, his voice tinged with exhaustion. "Barely. Just trying to get through the night."
"Look, I know things are rough for you right now, but I heard about this position at Kim Corporations. They're looking for a PA for their CEO. The pay is decent, and you need to get out of this hole."
Jungkook's heart skipped a beat. Kim Corporations. The name rang a bellâJungkook had heard of it before. "A personal assistant for a CEO?" His voice wavered with uncertainty. "Jimin, are you sure? I mean... after everything that's happened, I don't know if I'm ready for that."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Jimin spoke again, his tone firm. "Listen to me. I know you're scared, but you're not going to get anywhere by staying here. You've been stuck in this loop for too long. You need to give yourself a chance, JK. And Hani needs you to step up. This could be the break you need."
Jungkook closed his eyes, his hand tightening around his phone. Jimin was right. He couldn't keep waiting for some perfect moment to come. Hani deserved more than the shadow of a father he had become.
"Okay. I'll apply."
"That's the spirit. The CEO's name is Kim Taehyung. I don't know much about him, but the company's big. Really big. You're going to be fine."
Jungkook took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. "Thanks, Jimin. I... I'll do it. I'll apply."
The next morning, Jungkook sat in front of his computer, staring at the email application for the Personal Assistant position. He couldn't shake the sense of unease that gripped him. Was he ready for this? Would he be good enough?
His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he finally began typing, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Dear Mr. Kim,
I am writing to express my interest in the Personal Assistant position at Kim Corporations. I believe my organizational skills and experience in administrative roles make me a strong candidate. I would be honored to contribute to your team and work closely with the CEO.
Sincerely,
Jeon Jungkook"
He hit send, but it didn't feel real. He leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply.
Hours later, he received a response. The interview was scheduled for tomorrow.
The next day, Jungkook arrived at Kim Corporations. He couldn't help but feel out of place as he walked through the towering building's glass doors, the sheer elegance of the lobby overwhelming him. The receptionist, a woman in her early thirties, greeted him with a bright smile.
"Mr. Jeon, welcome. Please follow me. The CEO will see you now."
Jungkook followed her, his heart racing as he made his way to the elevator. The sense of anticipationâof uncertaintyâgripped him tightly. His mind wandered back to his last job. To Mr. Lee's disgusting grin. He quickly shoved the memory down.
The elevator doors opened, and they walked into a sleek, modern office space. At the center of it all was a large, polished desk where a figure sat, typing away on his laptop.
The moment Jungkook laid eyes on him, his blood ran cold.
Kim Taehyung.
The man he had loved. The man who had walked out of his life without a word. The man who didn't even recognize him now.
"Mr. Jeon, thank you for coming." Taehyung's voice was calm, professionalânothing like the warmth that had once melted Jungkook's heart.
Jungkook stood frozen, trying to hide the storm of emotions brewing inside him. The sight of Taehyung, now dressed in a crisp suit and completely different from the boy he had once known, shook him to his core.
"I... I'm here for the interview." Jungkook's voice was barely above a whisper, but Taehyung didn't seem to notice the tremor in it.
"Of course. Please, have a seat." Taehyung motioned to the chair in front of his desk.
Jungkook sat down, his mind whirling. Taehyung had no idea who he was. He'd lost his memories, and Jungkook was just another candidate in a sea of applicants.
But Jungkook couldn't shake the feeling that fate had thrown them back together. And this time, things would be differentâhe didn't know how, but it had to be.
As Taehyung asked him routine interview questions, Jungkook's thoughts spun. The weight of the moment was too heavy, the pain of the past mixing with the fear of the future.
"Mr. Jeon, your qualifications look promising. I think you'll be a good fit." Taehyung's voice broke through Jungkook's thoughts, and he realized the CEO had already moved on to discussing terms.
Jungkook swallowed hard, nodding. "Thank you, Mr. Kim. I appreciate the opportunity."
"I'll have my assistant send you the details soon. Have a great day, Mr. Jeon."
Jungkook stood up, fighting back the overwhelming flood of emotions. As he walked toward the door, he couldn't help but glance back at Taehyung, his heart aching with everything left unsaid.
"Goodbye, Jungkook." Taehyung said, his voice low and almost wistful.
Jungkook froze, the sound of his name hanging in the air. Taehyung remembered.
But not everything. Not the pain. Not the love. Not Hani.