Chapter 15 — Partial Family Reunion

Riyuka’s voice was sharp, tinged with unconcealed anger, breaking the heavy silence after the confrontation. 「JJ, are you going to explain yourself?」

​JJ’s gaze hardened, landing immediately and severely on Jiyeon. His Brown eyes held a terrifying, cold certainty. 「You ever talk shit about my mother again, I won’t be able to save you next time. Understood?」

​Jiyeon lowered her eyes, shame and fear mixing in her expression, nodding quickly.

​Hana gasped, turning to her. 「Jiyeon… how could you do that?」

​Riyuka interjected, frowning at Hana. 「Hana, you can’t be victim-blaming her right now.」

​Hana’s eyes flared as she looked at Riyuka, the defense of JJ overriding familial loyalty. 「Riyuka! You don’t understand… his mother’s death is far more sensitive than you think.」

​Riyuka countered, her voice ringing with moral outrage. 「But that doesn’t justify what he did!」

​JJ’s dead-eyed stare met Riyuka’s, cutting through the argument. 「My mother was murdered on my seventh birthday—not a random encounter, but because that son of a bitch wanted to hurt me.」

​Riyuka froze, the revelation stopping her mid-breath. 「What?」

​JJ’s tone turned serious, almost clinical in its coldness. 「The second scramble for Africa wasn’t to end territorial wars or whatever bullshit they taught you kids. It was to get the strongest biological weapons—Experiment 0-P3 and 0-P4. You know P4 as… me. So, nice to meet you, Riyuka Tachibana. You’re talking to a former lab rat.」

​Everyone went utterly silent, absorbing the shocking, monstrous confession.

​Riyuka swallowed hard, her previous anger gone, replaced by horror. 「Wait… are you saying the gas that killed millions back then…?」

​JJ nodded grimly, without any remorse or emotion. 「Yeah. Imagine grown adults trying to kill me, capture me, or treat me like a disposable tool. Hope that makes you understand why I hate Hana’s dad and love annoying yours.」

​He turned to Miyeon and Jiyeon, his gaze chillingly direct. 「And as for your father… I’m going to kill him when I find him.」

​Miyeon’s eyes widened in fear, trembling. 「W-why?」

​「His blood runs through your veins. That stench… I’ll never forget it.」

​Ring. Ring.

​JJ’s phone rang, the mundane sound interrupting the horrific tension. He answered, a note of deep surprise and genuine fear in his voice. 「G-Grandmother?」

​Aurora’s figure appeared on a projection, her gaze sharp, powerful, and demanding. 「Before you try any bullshit, I saw everything from the biochip in your head. I know what happened.」

​JJ’s shoulders immediately slumped, his posture showing a sudden, palpable fear that shocked his friends.

​Aurora’s eyes softened slightly as she glanced at Shizuko.

「Youngling… step forward.」

​Shizuko hesitated, a bit scared by the stern woman, but obeyed. JJ immediately pulled her into a tight, protective hug. 「Papa?」 she asked, confused by his reaction.

​Aurora’s glare snapped back to JJ, demanding compliance. 「I didn’t ask for interference.」

​JJ’s voice trembled, a desperation never before heard in his voice. 「Anything but her.」

​Aurora raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement entering her gaze. 「Explain, then.」

​JJ’s voice was desperate, a broken plea. 「If you want me to kill everyone who opposes us, I will. If you want me to dominate the business world for the family, I will. If you want me to be a weapon again, I will. Exile myself? Give up all my wealth? I’ll do it. But please, Grandma,」 he bowed his head over Shizuko, utterly defeated, 「take anything from me—but spare the one person who gave me the normal life I’ve always yearned for.」

​Aurora’s curiosity was clearly piqued by his absolute sacrifice. 「Even if I took it all away… what if I asked you to denounce our family name?」

​JJ let out a sad, self-mocking chuckle. 「Mom always said to live in the future, not the past. If that’s what it takes… then I will.」

​Aurora smirked, satisfied with his answer. Dimitri suddenly appeared behind her, entering the projection.

​JJ blinked in confusion, surprise replacing the fear. 「Dad?」

​Dimitri smiled warmly, his eyes softening. 「Now you finally understand what it means to be a father, malysh.」

​JJ looked down at Shizuko, tightening his grip on her. 「Yeah… this malysh finally does.」

​Dimitri chuckled softly, pleased.

​Hana cleared her throat, interrupting the familial moment. 「Um… excuse me?」

​Aurora returned to her usual, commanding tone, but with a slight smile. 「Granddaughter-in-law would suffice.」

​Everyone froze in place.

​Hana blushed fiercely. 「We’re not married yet.」

​Aurora chuckled. 「Yet you treat JJ as your husband and little Shizuko the same as a mother would. So why wait for a ring?」

​Hana’s cheeks reddened further, the truth of Aurora’s statement undeniable. 「If you put it that way… it’s true. But still, everything should be done properly first.」

​Aurora giggled, a surprising sound. 「Fair enough. So, what did you want to ask?」

​Hana inhaled deeply, gathering courage to ask the difficult question. 「What did John Allen do to JJ and his mother?」

​Aurora shook her head, her expression becoming closed off. 「I’m sorry, dear… but what is John to you?」

​「My dad,」 Hana replied softly. 「Well… he used to be my dad, before he disowned me.」

​Aurora’s expression softened momentarily in sympathy. 「I see… but that’s JJ’s story. In our family, we don’t tell tales about our members—especially serious ones. I hope you understand.」

​Hana nodded, accepting the boundary. 「I do.」 She smiled gently at JJ. 【Guess I’ll have to wait until he trusts me enough to tell me.】

​Aurora turned her attention to the rest of the family in the room. 「Good, you’re here. Look—a youngling.」

​Jasmine, JJ’s aunt, leaned into the projection, her face lighting up as she looked towards Shizuko. 「Aw, she’s adorable! What’s her name?」

​「Shizuko Samuels,」 the little girl replied clearly.

​「Middle name?」 Jasmine asked.

​「I don’t have one.」

​Jasmine smiled genuinely. 「How about Mary, same as your late grandma?」

​Shizuko’s face lit up with an enormous grin. 「Okay!」

​Jasmine laughed. 「Alright, but you have to make sure JJ behaves.」

​「I will!」 Shizuko promised.

​「If she had your hair color, she’d look just like Mary as a kid,」 Jasmine added, smiling warmly.

​Shizuko looked up at the projection. 「Really?」

​「Really. Oh, and I’m Jasmine, JJ’s mother’s older sister—his aunt.」

​「Hi, Great Aunt Jasmine! You’re really pretty!」

​「Thank you, and you’re adorable.」

​JJ interrupted, a necessary evil. 「Oh yeah… JD’s here.」

​The mood immediately shifted as his family on the projection tensed, Dimitri’s face hardening.

​Joshua spoke cautiously, addressing JJ. 「Big bro… you didn’t do anything to him?」

​JJ shook his head. 「Not yet.」

​Aurora’s gaze hardened, her authority absolute. 「JJ, you’re not permitted to harm him. Understood?」

​JJ sighed, defeated once more. 「Yeah, I know. We need him alive to find Jack and get my heart back.」

​His friends and girlfriends looked utterly shocked, the implications of his final statement hanging heavy in the air.

​Hana tilted her head, realizing the simple, awful truth. 「Oh… that explains why there’s no beating in his chest.」

​JJ and his family looked at her, perplexed by the casual deduction.

​Rachel nodded in agreement. 「That’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see him.」

​Hana shrugged, bewildered by their reaction. 「Is there something wrong with that?」

​Rachel smiled knowingly. 「No… not at all. You always attract the weird ones.」

​JJ shot his sister a look, both amused and scolding. 「Big sis Rachel, be respectful. She’s going to be your sister-in-law soon.」

​Rachel gasped theatrically. 「Are you… engaged?」

​JJ shook his head. 「No. I wouldn’t want to steal DJ’s thunder. Yulia, when’s the wedding?」 He smirked, teasing his future sister-in-law.

​Yulia giggled from the background. 「December. We’re heading into winter right now so it won't be good. How many people are you planning to bring?」

​JJ shrugged. 「Considering Mellow's already invited four more, probably not that many.」

​「Alright. See you then,」 Yulia said with a smile.

​JJ turned to Aurora, ready to end the call. 「Okay, that’s it. You can talk to her on your own time.」

​Aurora nodded, her image starting to dissolve. 「See you, grandson.」

​JJ watched the projection fade completely, the powerful figures gone. 「Bye, everyone.」