The Boy Next Door | Taegyu ✔️

51

If anything, Taehyun felt both mentally and physically drained after staying in the hospital for the entirety of the day as they planned out what they were going to do.

This is it, Beomgyu's finally going to be free from this, he thought to himself with content.

The happiness which bubbled inside of him quickly died down as soon as he saw the figure of a familiar person seated by the dining table.

It was his father.

Just before Taehyun could even walk away, Mrs Kang came rushing in.

"I just thought, we can have a nice family dinner," she mumbled, clearly sensing the irritation from Taehyun's glare, which rested heavily on his father. The feeling of not wanting to pressure his mother any further bubbled with dismay at the bottom of his stomach as it left Taehyun no choice, but to push through this one, silent dinner with his father.

He hasn't spoken to him—not ever since their argument several days ago. Neither did Taehyun want to anyway. If his father wasn't going to believe it, then be it, he supposed.

The atmosphere in the room was an uncomfortable silence, one that made Taehyun want to run out of the room at that very moment and hide away in his room for the rest of the night.

"I think you have to listen to what Taehyun has to say," said Mrs Kang as she placed the food down. Taehyun looked up at her with wide eyes—all this while, he thought that she had been doing her very hardest to avoid bringing up the topic ever again. But he guessed wrong. "I trust him. Taehyun wouldn't lie to us—"

"So are you saying that you believe his made-up tale of Mr Choi hitting Beomgyu?"

"It's not a made-up tale," Taehyun darkly.

"Do not talk to me in that tone," his father rebuked harshly.

"BUT I—"

"SILENCE."

And silence there was for a good moment before Mrs Kang broke it. "Still, I believe that what Taehyun has said is true."

In the corner of his eye, Taehyun spotted his father opening his mouth to come up with a retort, which he had beaten him to it as he said, "it's fine mother, I'll handle this matter myself."

Putting down his food, Taehyun went back upstairs to his room, choosing to turn a deaf ear to his father's shouts.

He shut the door behind him. Slumping down the wall as he buried his face in his knees. A few moments later, he heard a knock coming from the other side of his door as his mother entered the room.

"I'm sorry about your father," she spoke. Taehyun acknowledged the fact that his mother was nothing but a kind, nurturing parent—which he appreciated. However, he sometimes found her habit of apologising for other people's wrongdoings rather infuriating.

Taehyun remained silent, too tired to tell her that apologising for his father's mistakes wouldn't be any use. If anything, he'd much rather hear those words come out from his father's mouth; not his mom's.

"You know how hot-headed he can be sometimes," she continued.

Unreasonable, you mean, cursed Taehyun in his head.

"So, what do you plan to do now?" His mother proceeded to ask, feeling as if that was the least she could do at the moment.

Reciting everything he could remember from the plan they had devised earlier this afternoon with Officer Min, he told everything to his mother. While there were times he noticed her wanting to interject or give him her own say in this, she tried her hardest to stifle it, allowing Taehyun to continue with his explanation.

"Hmmm, I think it will work," she said, placing a finger on her chin.

"Really?" Asked Taehyun, feeling as if there was hope for them after all.

"Of course! Just be careful, though. I don't want you to get hurt," she added quickly. "—and when do you plan to carry this plan out?"

"....soon," Taehyun replied after a short moment of silence. With a nod, Mrs Kang left the room, leaving Taehyun, alone with his thoughts.

[ A/N: I hope everyone's doing okay! Currently dying with physics revision 🥲✋🏻 remember to take breaks when you have to and not to overwork yourselves :D ]