Bound By Words | Taekook

4. Bunny and Tiger

Hello Mr. Bunny,
Glitter guy here.
Am I ever getting your real name? I assumed you are a mister because of the basketball captain thing, or am I being too gender biased here?

Sorry for the last letter I came across as an asshole, didn't I? I was in real hurry back then. But I can assure you I can be quite a sweet person.

To tell you about Koreans, well we sure are quite sticking to the culture along with the modernization. But you know the westen countries tend to affect the youth very much, but still some manners are held onto, strongly.

There are things like, when you shake hands you have to use both of your hands. You should bow in greetings, that would seem weird to Americans but that's how it goes. Also the table manners are very important. Why are you even asking me this, when you can just google it?

Tell me about your culture there, I rarely come across any traditional things in America. My father often says that y'all are just snobby, no manners, no traditions, that made me prejudiced. Make me change my mind...

Tiger.

─※ ·❆· ※─

J U N G K O O K

I stared at the last word of the letter, a smile lit up my face. I held the paper to my nose, it had a stronger smell than last time but unmistakably same. Tiger and Bunny what a combination.

It was an early Thursday morning, I had just gotten the letter on my way out of the house. I was wondering what kind of guy he must be, when I heard the sound of door opening. I turned to see it was my dad. I decide to heed the glitter guy's advice, although I was quite the rebel.

"Good morning Appa," I said bowing to him. I came back to my normal stance to see disbelief in my father's eyes.

"You are catching up good manners I see. You should find some Korean friends, you know, instead of hanging around with those jocks." He said closing the door behind him.

"I already have one," I said walking out without waiting for his reply, a boy smelling like pine and vanilla floating in my head.

________

"Hey whats up with you?" Hobi asked as he took a seat besides me in the lunch hall. "You were so happy in the morning and now you look like a wet dog in the rain."

I would have given him a witty retort, but my mind was elsewhere. "I got my half yearly report-" I said biting my cheek.

"And?"

"And they said I can't compete in the upcoming basketball league, because my grades have fallen perilously."

"How- I mean didn't you top the class last year? What's wrong?"

I breath hitched, a sob struggling to escape. I did not want to- I couldn't cry here, not in front of the school, my image of the strong basketball player was too precious to be ruined my some measly tears. But I wanted to, I wanted to yell, but all I did was breathe deeply and suppress the urge. Hoseok did not notice, I was glad.

"It's alright if you don't wanna talk-" he was cut off by a sudden squeal.

"Here you are! I have been searching for you all over the place. Weren't you supposed to be at your dance class?" The tiny boy said, before placing a swift kiss on the older's lips. Hoseok didn't answer, but instead nodded towards me. Ugh, I wanted to punch him, now the smaller male's whole attention was on me.

"Oh my god Kookie, what's wrong?" Jimin said pulling me up from my seat. Although he was shorter than me he craddled my face in his hands. The sob stuck in my throat finally escaped. No one knew me better than Jimin did, or atleast so he thought. Some secrets are better buried.

"Hobi I'll meet you later, okay?" He said glancing over to the brown haired boy. "You wanna come with me?" He asked, as if I were a child. I nodded. He pulled me through the crowds, up the stairs, till we reached the terrace, he simply pulled on the lock and it opened free. No one knew, or probably no one cared, that the lock was old and useless, so it gave us a spot all for ourselves.

The moment we were inside, Jimin pulled me into a hug, he was standing on his tiptoes, his hands wrapped around my neck, mine around his waist, and there was no place in the world I would rather be at, at the moment.

I started to cry, as his citrus smell wafted through my senses bringing me the well needed comfort, easing the knot me in my stomach. I must have cried for a while because after some time pulled me down with him as he sat on the small mat that we had brought up here a long time ago. I let my head rest in his lap as he carded his fingers through my raven locks.

"It's alright Kookie. Shh- it's all going to fine," his words minimised the sobs and I finally breathed freely. I did not know I had held back for so long, finally giving in felt refreshing. "You know I'm here to listen, alright Kookie."

"It's my father Minnie. He's just too much. He's like a stranger living in our house. He's been gone, no he was never there in the first place. And now he suddenly comes out of the blue and tells me I'm nothing. That the past 17 years of my life were just a waste of space. He says I have no manners, as if he was here to teach them. He bad mouths my mom on every occasion he gets. I don't want him here Jimin, I don't want him. I don't want him to suddenly show up and act like a dad. Force me into his Korean ways, there is nothing Korean about be except this face, and I face the consequences of it everyday, that's enough, I don't want more." Jimin listened patiently not interrupting, he knew me like back of his hand, he knew I just had to relieve the pent up anger, so he stayed silent and listened.

"I almost failed my half yearlys Minnie, how am I gonna face him now. He will just have more reasons to show me I'm worthless, I'm no one, useless." I buried my face in Jimin's stomach my hands going around his waist.

"Jungkook-ah, you are many things and worthless is not one of them. You are great as you are. Don't let your Dad ruin the beautiful you." Those were the last words I heard before I fell into the deep slumber my body had been craving for.

________

"-yes ma'am I understand. Yes I'll talk to him the moment he gets back. Thankyou." I heard my dad's voice as I opened the door. I was glad I had the key, I wanted to slip in unnoticed. But the moment I opened the door Dad stood there his eyes his showing the anger, crystal clear.

"Welcome home ah-deul, guess who called-" he let the question linger as if expecting an answer, I remained mum. "Your teacher called me to tell me you failed almost all the classes, proving my point, you and your mother are useless. I should have never left you with that woman, she has ruined you-" I couldn't hear anymore, so I ran. Ran up the stairs to my room, until I was locked inside the comfort of my four walls. The shouting of my parents was heard from below. I zoned out their voices my mind went numb and so did my body, I wanted the sensation back. I craved for the blades, I wrecked the bathroom cabinet, but I couldn't find any.

Pain. Pain. Pain

My body called for pain, the sting of blade, to feel something, something other than the numbness that my body was overtaken by. There were no blades, mom had taken care to take away any sharp objects from my room. So I turned towards my desk, the pen sitting there looked tempting.

But once I had it in my hand, all I could think of is the smell of vanilla from across the world. So instead of painting my body, I decided to colour the empty page.