Brush Strokes ✓

15.

"Eomma and appa are fighting again, sugar," the little girl of seven said, clutching her teddy bear tightly. Loud noises echoed through the thin walls of the house.

Aera flinched as she heard her mother scream in pain. He struck her again. He wasn't like this before. Her eomma and appa didn't fight like this before. It started since her father started the new job.

When her parents fought the first time, her mother told her, the people who love each other often fought and then made up. She understood that much, but she didn't understand why her mother always covered up her bruises with makeup.

If couples fight often why would they lie about it and smile as if nothing happened?

Fighting hurt though. She fought with a girl the other day and it still hurts. It must hurt eomma more, she thought as she heard her crying out in pain.

Suddenly the noises stopped. It all stopped and Aera could only hear her own breathing. Nothing else. By now, she should have heard her eomma going to her room but no.

Gathering up her courage, she left her bed, making sure she didn't make a noise.  Opening the door slowly as to not make it creak, she tiptoed till she made it to the drawing room.

She first saw her mother's hand, lying on the floor. The diamond bracelet on her wrist caught her eye. It didn't have it's usual lustre. It was covered in blood. Her wide eyes moved to her mother's face and saw her blank eyes, staring at her.

Aera took a step back, seeing how her mother's preety face was filled with cuts and blood, her jaw hanging unnaturally. Before she could process what was wrong with her, she got lifted in air by her collar.

The little girl screamed, struggling against the person holding her and he let go. He threw her away, making the little girl's body slam into the hard floor.

"Damn it, girl! Stop struggling!" The little girl looked at the source of the sound. When she looked up, she saw her father looking down, his eyes red and crazed. He didn't look like her appa who played with her.

The man caught hold of the girl's hair and started dragging her towards the bathroom. The little girl screamed and lashed out at the man with all of her might but she was just too small and powerless.

"Appa, n-no. Please, no!" The little girl begged, her request going unheard by the crazed man.

Before she knew it, the man had caught hold of her neck and pushed her face in the bathtub filled with water. The girl held her breath thinking he'd pull her out but he didn't. All she could feel was water, rushing in her eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

Soon enough her lungs started burning, her mouth and nose opening to take in a breath but instead, they were filling with water. The man had submerged the girl completely in the water now, her struggling starting to lessen.

***

Aera woke up with a gasp and before she could let out a scream, her nightmare still fresh in her mind, her eyes met another pair of eyes. He stared at her with concern, his fingers gently stroking her face.

The night lights cast shadows on his handsome face, making him look like a character out of an anime as his messy brown hair fell onto his forehead. The little mole on his nose caught her attention, adding to his unreal beauty.

"I'm sorry," he said, the low baritone of his voice vibrating through her whole body. She knew he was apologizing about their argument, something that was due but her only focus was on how her heart couldn't come to its normal beating rate. The more she looked at him, caring for her, the more her heart beat faster.

Clearing her sore throat, she opened her mouth. "It's okay," she let out, her voice sounding scratchy to her own ears. "What happened?" she asked, not wanting to ruin this weird but peaceful moment. With her on the bed, Taehyung on the floor, his face right infront of her and his warm fingers still caressing her skin, she felt light headed but she didn't want him to stop.

However, listening her question, he stopped, getting up and settling beside her on the bed. She too, sat up, her shoulder brushing against his, sending familiar but unwanted sparks through her body.

What was happening here?

"Jimin pulled you into the pool," he said, letting his head fall back on the headboard and closing his eyes. "You had a panic attack. Sehee noona said you have aquaphobia."

Aera sighed, feeling bad about everything. She should have listened to Sehee but no. She was adamant on getting over her fear and now, Jimin might be feeling even worse.

"Why didn't you tell us? Now, atleast this is something I can ask as friend, right?" Taehyung asked with a small smile. Aera pulled her knees closer, hugging them. "I don't really know, Taehyung. I just didn't want to be a kill sport. But now, I've ruined everything."

She felt his arm draping over her shoulders, the weight of his arm making her feel as comforted as his next words. "You didn't ruin anything, Aera. Trust me. I mean, Jimin is a bit guilty and red eyed with the crying but we are all just glad you are okay. And you woke up before dinner."

That made her laugh, feeling the stress, the vestiges of her haunting bad memories ebbing away.

"Thank you, Taehyung. For cheering me up." After half a day passing, he finally gave her his infamous boxy smile, making her grin even wider than before. "Thank you for putting up with me."

Before she could react with a quirky come up, they heard another voice. A shaky voice. "I'm so sorry, Aera," Jimin said bursting through the door and hugging the woman tightly.

He stared going on and on about how sorry he was in a hundred different ways, sniffing mid sentence and squeezing her real tight. And Aera was just as patient as she told him over and over again that she was fine and it wasn't his fault, while rubbing his back soothingly and also reminding him in between that she needed to breath.

All the while, Taehyung had a smile on his face as he looked at his best friend getting along so well with the woman who was taking away his heart little by little. He hoped, someday, they'd get to the point where she could share her nightmares with him, so he could help.

~~~~
A/N:

I've been dying to write that scene with Aera and Taehyung when I first saw the art illustration I used for this chapter. I just wasn't sure where or how to to use and write it. But now, it's out!

Anyho, a look into the past, a few apologies and lots of reassurances. Where is this leading to?

I hope you like this chapter and
Thank you for reading!❤️