Losing Kim Taehyung

thirty-six

My head lifted up to look of the couple across me. "No, it's nothing. As much as I still want to be with Taehyung, I just can't anymore. And I'm sorry."

Dr. Jeon smiled softly at me before getting up from his seat. "You don't need to apologize, dear. It's okay." He said, looking down at his wristwatch. "Well, I think I gotta go. See you later." He said, fixing his tie before giving his wife a peck on the lips then took a quick glance towards my direction to bid his goodbye too.

When he left, I took another bite of my pancakes, not taking my eyes off them. I heard Mrs. Jeon slowly got up from her seat and asked me, "Do you want a drink with your pancakes?"

I lifted up my head and looked at her, "Huh?"

She walked towards the fridge. "How about some fresh apple juice?"

"Uhm, no thank you, Mrs. Jeon. It's fine." I said, smiling. She asked me again, but I refused so she just went back to her seat and told me she'd wait for me in the living room.

Minutes later, I finished eating and washed my dishes and all the dishes left on the kitchen sink. As soon as I was done, I exited the kitchen and walked into to the living room to see Mrs. Jeon sitting on a couch with a photo album on her lap. She smiled once she saw me and gestured to me to sit next to her and I did.

"I want to show you something," She began, flipping the cover open. Our eyes were both locked down on the photo album on her lap and baby pictures of Jeon Jungkook welcomed me. I smiled as I looked at every cute photo of him. She continued flipping every page as she talked about the photos.

In the midst of the album, I saw a familiar face. I squinted my eyes to look at it closely. It took me seconds before I realize it was Taehyung's childhood photos on the whole page dedicated just for him. There were photos of Taehyung wearing a party hat with a banner on top him that says: Welcome to the family, Baby Tae!. The little bald boy was smiling brightly that his eyes turned into upside-down crescents. "Taehyung was seven years old when he came to our family. Ever since he arrived, he became our little sunshine. He was just so joyful and bright that Jungkook and him got along so easily. Taehyung even helped my little baby to overcome his social anxiety. He became a good friend and a good brother to Jungkook." She said, keeping her eye on the photos and wearing the purest smile I've ever seen in my entire life.

"But. . ." I interrupted her, and she looked up to face me. "Were you mad at Taehyung for accidentally killing your son?"

She flashed me a small smile. "Of course, I was mad. As much as I want to file a case against him, I couldn't because he is also my son and I believe he is a good kid." He said, looking down at the photos again, tracing her fingers against Taehyung's pictures. "And I love Taehyung as much as I love my real son. The reason that Taehyung wasn't staying with us anymore is the fact that I didn't want to get mad at him more as he kept reminding me of what he did to my Jungkook. . . That's why I told my husband to have Taehyung stay in a different place for now. Because I'm still not ready to become his mother again." She started sobbing quietly after.

I couldn't say anything. I could feel her every emotion through her words. I just reached for her, surrounding her with my arms as I placed her head on my shoulder, comforting her and to stop her from crying. When she finally composed herself, she smiled to me and tried to laugh the drama away as she began showing me other adorable childhood photos of Taehyung and Jungkook.