HOUSE OF CARDS || VKOOK

Chapter 52: Not everyone gets the chance to start over life

Mr. Kim didn't say anything further as he too felt bad for taking advantage of Taehyung's possible death news for his own good. "Wait," Taehyung suddenly spoke and turns his head back to his father, "The media got silent? As long as I know, no matter the situation the media takes at least a few months to get silent. How long I've been here for?" He asked, visible confusion lacing through his tone and visual as he peers back at his father for answers.

Mr. Kim wanted to chuckle at Taehyung's petrified confused complexion but he held back his laugh for the sake of the situation, "You are not here for only a few months, Taehyung. You've been in a coma for four years now." The elderly man answered, watching his son's eyes extending their size in utmost shock.

"F-Four years?" Taehyung stuttered out, Mr. Kim nodded his head in confirmation. Taehyung looks up at the ceiling again, dumbfounded. A part of him doesn't want to believe it and expects his father to laugh at his face and say it's a joke but he also knows that his father is not the kind of person to joke around. "Holy shit, it feels like yesterday I got into that accident," Taehyung mumbled in incredulity.

"It's because you were brain-dead for four years so you didn't realize how time flew by. I got a call yesterday that you finally woke up so I flew back to Daegu from Seoul." The elderly man remarked. Taehyung nodded his head and looks to his left again, watching the blue sky with fluffy pillowy-like clouds sometimes coming across his eyesight every time the curtain blows with the soft wind.

"Forgive me, Taehyung." Mr. Kim suddenly declared, catching Taehyung's attention again.

The younger turns his gaze back to his father and asked, "For what?"

"Because I took advantage of your death news." He replied.

Taehyung sighed and shook his head, "I don't care, father. I don't care about my life anymore." He mumbled but it was loud enough for his father to hear. The elder crooked his brows in confusion at the answer. Taehyung peers up at his father from his lying position and smiles dryly, "Do you know I let go of the steering wheel? My car would've never fallen in the river if I didn't let go of the steering wheel." He confessed, catching his father off guard.

"So it was a—"

"Suicide," Taehyung finished his sentence for his father and smiled bitterly. "So I don't care if you take advantage of my death or my body. I was in a coma anyway. Basically dead for four years." He laughed ironically. Mr. Kim looks away, his face falling into a countenance of dismay.

"Also, I am kind of relieved that everyone knows I'm dead. I don't want to return to that chaos anyway." Taehyung declared which caught Mr. Kim's attention who looks back at his son again.

"I am glad that you mentioned it. I was planning to discuss it with you after you wake up." Mr. Kim announced. Taehyung looks at his father and motioned the man to go on with a head tilt.

"Not everyone gets the chance to start over their life. Waking up from the coma is like reincarnation, especially when everyone knows you are dead. So I want to suggest you two opportunities, either you fly away from this country and start over again in a different state or you return to Seoul and go back to your usual life. The decision is yours." Mr. Kim suggested. Taehyung peers up at his father in silence as his entire face went blank. He gulped, there was a sudden shift to the atmosphere as his eyes flashed with a foreign sentiment. At least to Mr. Kim.

"How's Jungkook?" Taehyung asked instead and at that moment, Mr. Kim knew exactly what Taehyung is going to choose.

The elder sighed and smiled subtly, "He still hasn't moved on. Every day, he visits your apartment and takes care of your stuff. He says, being around your memories is like therapy." Mr. Kim informed and leans backward on the stool, his eyes falling over the heart monitor, smiling when he noticed how Taehyung's heart rate started to rise from its normal pace because of the mention of Jungkook.