Rose stormed into her room and slammed the door shut, the lock clicking into place. She leaned against it for a moment, trying to steady her racing heart.

Meanwhile, miles away, Jungkook’s phone buzzed. He pressed it to his ear. “Mr. Min,” he said calmly, almost coldly, “this Sunday, I’ve declared my wedding… with your daughter. Understood?”

Mr. Min’s voice was heavy, thick with resignation and sorrow. “O-okay…”

Click. Jungkook ended the call, leaving a weighty silence hanging over Mr. Min, whose heart ached for his daughter.

Back in her room, Rose moved quietly to her wardrobe. From inside, she retrieved a small, soft panda toy—an old keepsake made by her mother. She brought it to her bed, clutched it tightly to her chest, and finally allowed herself to break.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged the toy, the only source of comfort she could reach for in that moment. Her sobs echoed softly through the room, the weight of helplessness pressing down on her young shoulders.

Rose hugged her panda tightly, her tears flowing freely. “Mom… I know… if you were here today, none of this would be happening,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Flashback:

A warm afternoon sun bathed a beautiful garden in golden light. A little girl, Rose, laughed and ran around, her small feet barely making a sound on the soft grass. She was playing with her mother, a graceful woman whose eyes shone with love and warmth.

“It’s a perfect name, my princess,” her mother said gently. “You shall be Rose… because when you were born, you were so beautiful. Your little lips… like the petals of a rose.”

Her father adored her like a princess, showering her with attention and gifts, but he was rarely present. Buried in his business, he left most of her care to her mother.

One day, when Rose was around four, her mother handed her a small, soft panda toy. “My princess, this is made by me… just for you,” she said, smiling warmly.

Rose’s eyes lit up. “Mom… it’s beautiful! I’ll always keep it with me,” she exclaimed, hugging the toy tightly. Her mother gently caressed her hair, the love between them shining like a beacon.

But as the years passed, her mother’s health began to fail. Rose sometimes overheard the arguments between her parents, harsh words that left a bitter taste in her young heart. In those moments, she vowed to herself: I will never marry. I will never let anyone fight over me like this.

Time was cruel. Despite all care and love, her mother’s illness worsened, and eventually, she passed away. Rose, only a child, clutched her beloved panda tightly, the only piece of her mother left in her world.

Rose’s tears fell freely as the memory of her mother’s lifeless body overwhelmed her. She sobbed uncontrollably, her small body shaking with grief. Mr min tried to hug her, to comfort her, but she pushed him away, a mix of anger and sorrow in her eyes. She hated him too—for arguing with her mother, for not being there when it mattered most.

Flashback ends.

After that day, Rose never cried again. Mr min perhaps trying to make up for his absence, always gave her whatever she wanted and took care of her in every way he could. She learned to bottle up her emotions, to hide her pain behind her bold, fearless exterior.

But today was different. Today, she couldn’t hold back. The thought of marrying Jungkook—of being forced into a life she never wanted—broke through her carefully built walls. For the first time in years, Rose allowed herself to cry, to feel the helplessness she had always suppressed.

Her tears were not just sadness—they were defiance, fear, and the aching desire for freedom all rolled into one.

Rose finally sat up on her bed, her tears wiped away, her face set with fiery determination. “I promise you, Jungkook,” she whispered to herself, clenching her fists, “I will make your life hell. You’ll regret ever thinking you could control me.”