@☼┊wen taeyeon ᵃ It had been some time since Hyunjin was able to meet one on one with his eldest sibling. His only sister, Taeyeon. And coming right out his personal lockdown in his dorm, he needed to do /something/ to get back into the notion of things. And what better way to do that than a friendly sparring match with his older sister? The only sibling he has /some/ kind of healthy relationship with. Probably from the fact that they're both purebloods and with him being the youngest. In any case, Hyunjin does a quick check of the time and he's slipping out his dorm room.
With no one around to bother, or stop him, he makes it to the training grounds fairly quickly. Heaving a quiet sigh to himself, he offers a smile as soon as he sees her. One hand is raised to send a quick shot of blue fire from the tips of his pointer and middle finger, aiming straight for Taeyeon's face. "Noona, it's good to see you. I hope you didn't wait long?"
@❀┊jiang jaemin ᵇ It was noon on a Sunday. Most students were holed in resting or out partying. Taeyong, the kind to do whatever he felt like in the spur of the moment, decided to visit the training ground. Professors and students rarely used it on weekends, so he thought it was a great time to hone his skills. So, packing a bottle of water, some rice balls, a towel, some spare clothes and a first aid kit, he went to the training ground.
Taeyong switched between different practices, utilising the various supplies in the facility and building his techniques. He trained for an hour, time flying fast when he was non-stop working out. When he finally took a break, it was with deep breaths through his nose and sweat soaking his shirt. He drank his water before lying on the ground, opting for a quick rest before he starts on his lunch.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo stood still. his chest tightened as jungkook makes his way out. his nephew's words lingered the air and they cut deeper than wonwoo wanted to admit, but what stung him the most was the truth behind them. he stared at the logs, the nail that was driven in with such force that it seemed mirrored jungkook's emotions — rage and frustration. the professor exhaled slowly. how could he explain to his nephew when he couldn't even explain it to himself?
it wasn't that he had stopped caring. he had cared too much, in ways jungkook might never understand. but ruohan, jungkook's father and also wonwoo's older brother has been firm and harsh, in his expectations.
" don't spoil him too much, wonwoo. he's my son, not yours. I'll raise him how i see fit."
ruohan was a towering figure in their family — a strict man who demanded perfection from his son and obedience from anyone else in his pack. wonwoo had learned long ago, that questioning ruohan came at cost and he knows better not to meddle things much between them. wonwoo hadn't wanted to abandon jungkook at all. but what choice did he have? he was constantly told that if he interfered, he'd only makes things worse.
"he's my heir — he needs to learn how to stand up for himself." wonwoo hadn't agreed but he had no power against his brother. he thought his quiet supports, small acts of care here and there would be enough. but clearly it wasn't. oh the way jungkook reminded him over those times makes wonwoo's heart clenched. he had wanted to be there. god. he wanted to be. but that day, ruohan had called him with an urgent request, that he couldn't easily passed on. he knows how jungkook was disappointed but there's nothing he could do because he knows how stubborn and hard headed jungkook is. he know he had failed jungkook in that moment — failed to be the person he needed most.
"I didn't toss you aside, i just didn't know how to fight for you during that time. it's foolish from my side.— i'm sorry."
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook’s hands trembled as he placed the nail into the log, driving it in with a force that felt almost desperate. it was a small, insignificant task, yet it held weight for him. the metal slid into the wood with a satisfying click, but the satisfaction didn’t last long. instead, his heart felt heavier with every breath. wonwoo’s praise, even though well-intentioned, hung in the air like a fleeting thing, unfamiliar and unwanted. no one’s ever proud of me, jungkook thought bitterly. not really.
he glanced at the logs, now barely held together by the single nail he had driven in, before looking up at wonwoo. his voice was low, carrying a weight he couldn’t shake. ' you always liked them more than me, ' he murmured, his gaze averted, as if not daring to look the man in the eye. ' when I was a kid, you carried me on your back, made me omelettes, bandaged my wounds. but when hyunjin was born, you tossed me aside like I was nothing. you abandoned me. '
jungkook’s chest tightened as he swallowed the hurt. the memories of that time, so distant yet sharp, felt like fresh wounds. his voice grew firmer, and he finally met wonwoo’s eyes, the words spilling out before he could stop them. ' when I came back from the military camp, expecting to see you there, waiting with my first diploma, you weren’t there. what kind of uncle does that?' his words were laced with an emotion that went beyond bitterness - a deep, aching loneliness that he had carried with him for years.
the silence between them hung heavy, like a wall that had been built over time and was now impossible to break. jungkook’s expression hardened, the pain retreating behind a cold exterior. ' I don’t need anyone’s favor. I don’t need to be liked better than anyone else if it’s not real. I don’t need your approval, not now, not ever. ' his eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching with a cold finality. ' so you can keep coddling hyunjin, your precious little prodigy. just don’t ever say that to me again.'
he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and slipped it on, his movements sharp and decisive. with a final glance at the unfinished work on the table, jungkook turned toward the door, his voice barely a whisper as he spoke the last words he would offer. ' the only respect I want, the only attention I need, is from my father. he may never love me, but at least he gave me my title.'
and with that, he left the room, leaving the work unfinished and the air thick with unspoken words.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo's lips quirking upward in a barely noticeable smile when he watched his nephew success on nailing that wood. the kid always had potential — wonwoo knows it but his pride always seems to get in the way causing him to act recklessly sometimes. seeing jungkook's rare and genuine smile is satisfying to him. even tho he often acted cold and distant towards his nephew, wonwoo knows better not to spoiled him.
"not bad." the professor said. his tone is carrying enough approval to make it clear he was actually impressed though he wouldn't dare to overdo it — just in case he might act all cocky later. "looks like the spoiled heir can actually learn after all."
hearing jungkook's remarks got wonwoo's heart clenched. he rose to his feet, as he glanced at his nephew. "and for the record, i never wanted you to fail. you're the one who assumes everyone's against you — and no. keep that kind of thought away because judging from you both, maybe I'll prefer hyunjin even more —but yeah .. maybe.." he said nonchalantly. "i only want you to stand on your own two feet, kook."
wonwoo sighed as he give him a small pat on his shoulder. "keep that up, maybe I'll prefer you over hyunjin later on and you might actually surprise yourself. " he turned away. "now let's see if you can do it sgaint, one nail doesn't make you a carpenter, future king." he said as he rolled his eyes.
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ when the older man smacked the back of his head, jungkook squinted in annoyance, rubbing the spot with a pout. He was close to giving up, but that wasn’t new. born with a silver spoon in his mouth, jungkook had always managed to get what he wanted, even during the grueling years of military training. hard work wasn’t foreign to him, but perseverance? that was a different story.
when wonwoo rolled up his sleeves and knelt beside him, demonstrating the technique once more, jungkook begrudgingly listened. he grumbled under his breath, ' oh? I thought you wanted me to fail, just like taeyeon does. I figured you preferred her over me anyway.' his words were laced with sarcasm, though they betrayed a flicker of insecurity.
wonwoo’s calm response of calling him the 'future king' lingered in his ears, and jungkook huffed as he picked up the hammer again. 'who’s giving up? clearly, you don’t know me at all, uncle, ' he shot back, voice dripping with mockery, though his eyes betrayed a hint of determination.
he mimicked wonwoo’s movements, carefully aligning the logs and inspecting the nails. the hammer felt heavier than it should have, but he steadied his grip. with a deep breath, he swung it down with controlled force, the nail piercing cleanly through the wood.
jungkook froze, staring at his handiwork as if it were a miracle. slowly, a rare smile spread across his lips, lighting up his features in a way that felt almost foreign. ' holy , ' he whispered, a mixture of disbelief and pride in his voice. for once, he wasn’t just the spoiled heir. for once, he’d done something himself. and it felt good.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo can only sighed at his nephew's tantrum. without a word, he reached out and smacked him lightly on the back of his head, not enough to hurt , just enough to snap him out of his childish tantrums. "so childish."
"stop throwing a fit, kook. if you can't even handle this kind of pain, how would you rise to the throne later on? our future king shouldn't be whiny like a kid just because a mere stools." wonwoo said, his voice is calm but firm — not wanting jungkook to be all weak just because of some wooden tools.
"you're not at war with the wood, and you're certainly not a war with yourself. the only things you're fighting is your own impatience." he crouched down beside the logs, his hands moving smoothly to demonstrate the technique again. "listen carefully this time, precision — not a brute force is what you need. you should know professionals isn't going to teach you discipline. this —" he gestured to the logs. "isn't just about fixing a table, it's about fixing your approach. now pick up the hammer, focus and retry. you're not a failure — unless you decide to quit here."
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook’s frustration reached a boiling point as he struggled with the task before him. the logs refused to cooperate, slipping and falling apart no matter how hard he tried to align them. every failure added fuel to the fire of his irritation, curses slipping from his lips as he glared at the stubborn pieces of wood.
the sting of his uncle's sharp remark - that he was a failure - hit him. but the words had long lost their power to wound him after years of hearing them from his father. instead, they fueled his defiance. when wonwoo crouched down beside him to demonstrate the proper technique, jungkook sighed heavily and grudgingly followed along, mimicking the motions with an air of reluctant obedience.
that reluctant obedience turned into a yelp of pain as he swung the hammer too hard, missing the log entirely and smashing his finger instead. the hammer fell to the ground with a resounding thud as jungkook cradled his injured hand, face twisting in pain and exasperation.
' for god’s sake!' he growled, shaking his hand out before glaring at his uncle. ' do you see this? this is exactly why I’m not made for this crap! just hire a professional to fix your stupid tables already! ' his voice rose with every word, the tantrum in full swing as he paced angrily, completely disregarding the earlier instructions.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo stood silently, arms crossed as his gazes fixed on his nephew's clumsy act. the younger man's frustration was too obvious but wonwoo's expression remained impassive though a faintest trace of disapproval flickered in his handsome features.
"pathetic — just like your father." the professor muttered just loud enough for jungkook to hear. he didn't care anyway. he knows better to spills the actual facts about them. stepping closer, he snatched the hammer from him "do you even understand what are you doing, or are you just trying to make a bigger mess?" he sighed and shaking his head.
without waiting for his response, wonwoo crouched down and picking up one of the stubborn logs and inspecting it through his sharp eyes. "you're overdoing it — this is not about strength, silly. it's about precision."
he placed the log careful, motioning for jungkook to watch. "grip the hammer firmly but don't swing it like you're fighting your enemy — you're not supposed to attack the woods — you're working with it. aim here." he pointed at the weak point in the wood, "and strike with purpose — not anger."
after he managed to demonstrate it, he straightened and turning back to his nephew with a steely gaze. "now try again." handing the hammer back, the professor stood over him like a hawk. "your leave depends on this — if i see one more tantrums, you'll be here until the next moon cycle." well it's just a threats that he knows that jungkook won't even listen anyway.
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ the smirk slipped from jungkook’s lips the moment he realized wonwoo wasn’t joking. fixing the mess he’d made? actually repairing the destruction he caused? the thought was absurd, until wonwoo flicked his fingers, and a small spark of flame shot dangerously close to jungkook's feet.
startled, jungkook leapt to his feet, spinning around to check himself for burns. thankfully, he was unharmed, but the indignation was clear in his glare. ' are you serious?' he muttered under his breath, crossing his arms.
jungkook scowled, jaw tightening before letting out an exasperated sigh. ' fine, ' he conceded, though his voice dripped with reluctance. ' but only if you promise to sign my leave papers. I need to be out of town for two days - father’s orders. '
shrugging off his jacket, he rolled his sleeves up, sparing a glance at the tools and wooden logs piled in front of him. the hammer felt foreign and awkward in his hand, but he didn’t complain. for once, he got straight to work, his usual snarky remarks replaced by determined silence.
however, determination didn’t equate to skill. each swing of the hammer was more a testament to his frustration than his strength, and the logs seemed to taunt him with their unyielding resilience. his failures piled up as quickly as his irritation, the effort drawing beads of sweat to his brow.
' stupid logs,' he muttered under his breath, glaring at the uncooperative pile. with each misstep, jungkook’s frustration grew, his face twisting into a scowl. he was a quick learner, sure, but manual labor wasn’t exactly his forte.
@☼┊wen hyunjin ᵒ Taeyeon stayed inside the school until tonight, knowing her lovely brother, Hyunjin had been asking for a spar and also that he learned something new according to the text she received that afternoon. When no other students are in the premises that night, she made sure only Hyunjin would stay that night.
She walked down to the training ground and waited for her little brother to come, out of all the brothers she had, Hyunjin is the only one whom she's close with. They were pureblood and she sees something in him that Jungkook has not. She looked at her wrist watch, waiting for the other while sitting on one of the chairs on the side.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo was reviewing the paperwork on his desk when he sensed his nephew, the infamous wen jungkook, enter the room. jungkook had been summoned for punishment after setting a classroom on fire—what a hot-tempered guy, wonwoo thought. glancing up, he was met with jungkook's usual nonchalant demeanor, as rude and defiant as ever.
without a word, wonwoo flicked his fingers, igniting a sharp blue flame that danced dangerously close to jungkook's feet, propped disrespectfully on the table.
clearing his throat, wonwoo spoke, his tone cold and unyielding. "your punishment is to fix everything in that classroom—whether you like it or not, whether you want to or not." his piercing gaze remained fixed on jungkook, ensuring the boy understood the seriousness of the situation. the damages were severe, and accountability was non-negotiable. with a tired sigh, he gestured toward the corner. "take that hammer and start with the chairs."
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook walked into the room, a confident swagger in his step despite the hours of extra work he’d been assigned. his flannel shirt and black jeans were the epitome of casual rebellion, contrasting with the formal atmosphere of the academy. his smug smirk was firmly in place, the kind that had become his trademark whenever he faced any authority - especially his uncle.
he dropped down into one of the chairs with a careless ease, his feet propped up on the table. with a casual lift of his palm, he greeted wonwoo without missing a beat. ' yo, uncle wonwoo! '
the air was tense, charged with the aftermath of the destruction jungkook had caused. jungkook, however, didn’t care. the more scolding he received, the more he reveled in his defiance. If his uncle was salty, so be it. he was done playing by the rules.
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook listened intently to his uncle's words, his expression calm, but deep down, his pride churned—a hallmark of the wen bloodline. he glanced over his shoulder, feeling the searing rage of kai, the black wolf within him, clawing to be unleashed.
'kill him!' kai growled, his voice a guttural snarl filled with impatience and bloodlust.
jungkook's smirk deepened, his pride refusing to falter. 'you're right,' he began, voice steady yet laced with venom. ' i’m nowhere near as great as my father.' he raised a palm, flames already flickering to life, a cruel grin spreading across his face. ' but he taught me one thing—eliminate your threats. '
with a sharp flick of his wrist, blue fire erupted, swallowing the entire classroom in an inferno of impossible heat. the flames danced along the walls, devouring everything in their path - everything, except for his uncle. the room cracked and burned, reduced to ash in mere moments. the air filled with the acrid smell of destruction as jungkook’s report card disintegrated in his hand, turning into a swirl of shimmering blue embers.
he turned to leave, his confidence unshaken. ' have a nice day, Uncle, ' jungkook said, his smirk cold and victorious. without waiting for a response, he strode out, leaving his stunned uncle amidst the ruins of what was once a classroom—proof that jungkook was always the one to have the last word.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ wonwoo slightly flinched at the mention of a certain lan omega — who he thinks might be his possible mate. jungkook knew it was his weak spot — he clenched his jaw and turned to look at his nephew. "what do you mean?" he asked, trying to mask his anger. his inner wolf was tingling, somehow reacting to jungkook's remarks.
the professor hated it when things that were supposed to be between him and that certain person were exposed. wonwoo knew better; one day it would be exposed, but he still needed time to prepare himself for that, especially since it was about his own mate.
he sighed softly. "is that how you're going to threaten me? pft. you're unbelievable. no wonder you and your father are so alike. just because you know she's my weak spot, it won't change anything, wen jungkook. once again, let me remind you — whatever happens between me and that lan omega is none of your business, and let's keep it that way. i don't care what your connection with her is, and i don't ing want to know. i genuinely think, if you were mature enough, you wouldn't bring that omega to threaten me in the first place. my relationship with her isn't related to your incompetency, so be careful with your words and check yourself first."
wonwoo shaking his head and sighed. "i am only doing this to remind you about your failure. so you'll get up on your own — but it's up to you how you are gonna accept this harsh truth. " despite being ruthless and cold towards his nephew, wonwoo knows better that jungkook is — like that. he's already aware of his behaviour ever since he was a child and he understands how bad the mistreatment that the poor kid had gone through all these years because of his father. "just leave for now." he turned his back around and took the papers into his sling bag.
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook's hands shook with barely contained fury. his heart pounded in his chest, the weight of his father's legacy pressing down on him like a stone. he wanted to lash out, to fight, but the pain of his uncle's words stung deeper than any physical blow.
the mention of his father - the man who never once acknowledged him as anything more than a tool - made something inside of him twist. wonwoo knew exactly how to hit where it hurt, knew exactly how to remind him of his place in this broken family.
his uncle’s words hung in the air like poison, and for a brief moment, jungkook felt a surge of rage so powerful that even his alpha, kai, seemed to stir, responding to the insult with an overwhelming thirst for violence. his vision blurred for a second, the primal urge to fight taking over.
' shut up, ' jungkook growled under his breath, trying to steady his breath, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. not here, not now, he told himself, but it was hard to ignore the heat of his emotions, the overwhelming need to destroy everything in his path.
the pain from his father’s rejection, the years of feeling like a shadow in his own house, flashed before his eyes. his grip on the table tightened, his nails digging into the wood. he could feel kai pushing against the walls of his mind, urging him to act, to do something.
but jungkook held it back. he knew the cost of losing control. he had learned that the hard way, from years of torment under his father's watchful eye.
' don’t talk about him, ' jungkook bit out, his voice colder than ice, more dangerous than the storm raging inside of him. he could barely speak the words, but he forced them out, knowing that if he didn’t, he might truly lose himself. ' don't ever bring that up again.'
his voice was steady as he replied, ' i’m not like you. I’m not the one who needs to constantly prove myself.'
' just stay out of my way, uncle, ' jungkook muttered. kai was quiet now, subdued, but jungkook knew the fight wasn’t over. it never would be. ' I know your weak spot. 'he looked over his shoulder. ' how about that lan omega?'
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ the professor didn't look up immediately. instead, he stared at the crumpled paper on the desk, his jaw tightening slightly before he turned to his nephew with his eyes growing colder. "do you know what's truly pathetic, jungkook? it's your sheer audacity to blame me for your own fault — and you think slamming your failure in my face will change the fact that you are incompetent? that's funny."
his eyes bore into his nephew, "and now you're worried about your status as the head students? you couldn't even handle the simplest combat strategy analysis and you think you deserve to stand above the rest huh? maybe we should have that status change to on hold — until you prove yourself. well — if you manage to prove it to us, maybe you can redeem yourself."
his gaze flicked back to the crumpled paper, then back to jungkook. a small sigh escaped his lips. "your father? if he's going to be displeased then it's good. perhaps now he'll see what I've known all along — that you're nothing but a spoiled brat who thinks his bloodline will carry him through life. that's unacceptable. you think you're special because you're alpha and also wen ruohan's son — my brother's son. keep that thought away bc i don't care if you're family, jungkook and you should know that better how i act — especially when i also trained you."
the professor steps back, "and now you think this is unfair — that i'm cruel? let me tell you something. combat doesn't care about your feelings. the battlefield doesn't care if you're displeased. — and neither do i. take your crumpled paper excuses and get out of my sight. don't come back until you've learned to stop whining and start working on these theories."
@☼┊wen wonwoo ᵃ jungkook slouched in his chair, the steady shuffle of papers filling the training room around him. his eyes wandered, unfocused, until they caught the sharp, assessing gaze of his uncle—no, his professor—wonwoo. there was no warmth in the man's expression as he called out, "jungkook."
jungkook straightened instinctively, his jaw tightening as wonwoo approached. a single word accompanied the test paper that was placed face-down on his desk.
'fail.'
the humiliation was swift and merciless. jungkook’s fingers curled into fists as his uncle walked away without another word. the room felt heavy, silence broken only by the faint whispers of his classmates, their glances flickering toward him. jungkook's chest burned as the lecture continued, each pointed remark digging deeper. he could feel his uncle’s gaze settle on him once more, the weight of it impossible to ignore.
' yet some of you have failed to grasp even the basics.'
jungkook’s nails bit into his palms. he didn’t need to look up to know the words were directed at him. they always were.
the lecture droned on, but the alpha barely heard the rest. his mind churned, anger and shame twisting in his gut. he wanted to fight back, to argue, but he knew better. In this room, it didn’t matter that he was wonwoo’s nephew. family meant nothing when it came to failure.
finally, wonwoo dismissed the class, his voice emotionless. the other students hurried to leave, avoiding jungkook’s gaze as they filed out. he stayed put, watching wonwoo from his seat, waiting—hoping—for some acknowledgment. but there was none. his uncle didn’t so much as glance at him.
jungkook’s frustration boiled over as he grabbed his bag and hooked it over his shoulder. instead of heading for the door like the others, he stomped down the stairs of the lecture hall, his boots thudding against the floor. the rest of the students slowed in their retreat, curious whispers buzzing behind him, but jungkook didn’t care.
he marched straight to wonwoo’s desk, the failed test crumpled in his grip. without hesitation, he slammed it down in front of his uncle.
'what the heck, uncle?' he spat, his voice low but laced with anger. 'you just cost me the head student status! father will be displeased!' his teeth clenched as he glared at wonwoo, his breathing heavy with suppressed fury.
@☼┊wen jungkook ᵃ the young professor stood at the front of the class as the sound of rustling papers filled up the training rooms. his sharp and stoic eyes scanned the room, lingering for a while on the figure seated near back — his nephew, jungkook. he sighed. "jungkook." he approached the young alpha and placed the test face down on jungkook's desk.
"fail."
without elaboration, the professor turned and walk back to the front of the class. the atmosphere somehow was thick with uneasiness as the students exchanged their nervous glances, but wonwoo ignored them , flipping through the rest of the papers and hand them over.
"as alphas, i don't blame you guys to think combat is about strength or instinct alone. but it's actually isn't." wonwoo began with his cold tone cutting through the surroundings. "a written test on combat strategy is not that difficult if you have discipline and understanding about it. yet some of you — " he move his gaze to settle on jungkook for a moment, "have failed to grasp even the basics."
he placed the remaining of the papers on his desk. "a soldier who can't analyze a battlefield, or understand the strategies are useless, you guys should know that. raw strength without planning, will only carry you so far before it becomes your downfall."
turning his attention to the rest of the class, he added, "for those who failed, there will be no retakes, i don't know how are you going to handle the real war or doing the practical, if you can't even handle the theoretical tests." he leaned against his desk, his expression is unreadable. "dismissed."
wonwoo remained on his ground, as the students began to exit his class. he doesn't even bother with their greetings and he didn't even glance at his nephew too. in this room, there were no second chances, and being family didn't exempt you from that rule.