7. The one with the kimchi stew

26 6 24
                                    






Author's pov






The sound of the front door slamming shut made his mum and the flower pots on the windowsill shake from the shock.


"Kim Taehyung!"

She knew it was him. Namjoon would never slam the door like that. And although the latter was more mature and dependable, he was always his father's favourite, while Jiwoon has always had a soft spot for her little Taehyungie.

Seeing her in the kitchen, with her floury apron on and black bags under her eyes, made him remember all those nights she stayed up waiting for his father to come home. He instantly softens at the memory, not wanting to be like his dad, even for a second.



"I'm tired." He simply replies, already heading towards his room.



"Oh no you're not, mister. Come here!"



"What?" He stops in his tracks, regretting the tone of his voice as soon as it left his mouth.



"Did you pay for that door? Tell me."



"No. What's your point?"



"Then don't slam it. Or I'll make you pay for it. In chores. Got it?"



"Yeah, got it. Can I go now?"




"No. Tell me what's wrong." She conveniently switched from Mum mode to bestie.


After her husband left them a few years ago, she had to step up and fill his shoes as well. She wished she was better at this. Better at getting her sons to trust her. Better at offering them the advice they needed, say the right words at the right time.



"Mum. I'm tired and want to go to my room."




"Tae, you don't slam door because you're tired. Now spill."




"It's... nothing." He tries to lie but the hand massaging the back of his head tells the opposite.



"Is this about Mrs Park's daughter? Jade?"





"Wha.. why... how did you..!!?" The stuttering was more than enough to answer her suspicion.




"Please Tae. I'm your mum; I know everything. Now why are you angry?"




"I thought you knew everything."



And just like that, the tension in the room was broken with smiles, once they've remembered how similar their personalities truly are.




"She didn't do anything." He tried to explain as vaguely as possible. Bare in mind, he loved his mother to bits but was still a teenager; expressing his feeling was not his forte. "I... "





"Oh my..." Tae's mum covered her mouth in desperation. "Tell me you didn't get her pregnant."




"I- What? NO! Ewww. Never. Why would even say that?"



"Well..."



"Don't answer that." He stops her before she starts the lecture about protection again. "We're ... friends? I guess. Yeah. She's been helping out with homework and stuff but I was kind of an asshole to her."




"Language!"




"Sorry."



"I hope you apologise soon, then. You know better than mistreating girls, Taehyungie, especially one as nice as Jade Park."




I see you. *KTH* & *KNJ* ffDove le storie prendono vita. Scoprilo ora