Fight Me (BTS Taehyung)

Chapter 20: Clarification

Chapter 20: Clarification

"Now, will you hear me out?"

Taking a look at everything he set up while thinking about the things my aunt's neigbor Ms Jangmi has told me, I sighed silently.

"Yes."

Taehyung happily grabbed my hand, helping me entering the boxing ring. After setting aside my single crutch, he also helped me sitting down on the blanket.

He seated himself, facing me, "First of all, thank you for hearing me out."

Grabbing one of the photo albums, he turned to me, "Now let's start."

"What are you-?" I was about to ask what he was planning to do when he originally wanted to tell me about his relationship with Pig Yeji.

He smiled softly, "There's a reason to almost everything I do, remember?"

I smiled unconsciously, recalling all the times he had told me the same thing.

"I really missed it," he directed his gaze at the photo album in is hands, "your smile."

"I thought it would be easier if I started explaining from the beginning" he opened the first page of the album.

There was a picture of a couple in their mid-twenties, holding a little baby in their arms. The smile of the man kind of resembled Taehyung's smile. The woman also seemed familiar.

"This is the only picture of my parents and me which is left" he was very focused.

"What happened with the rest?"

"My step-mother got rid of everything that could possibly remind my father of my real mother. Cruel, isn't it?"

I was a bit taken aback of how low a human being could get, "This is unforgivable, Taehyung."

"However" he handed me the photo album which was full of childhood pictures of him, "As you can see, I had a mostly great childhood in which at least one of my parents would always be there for me. Since my father worked really hard to build his own company, my mother and I would usually spend most of our time together. As time passed, my father became more successful and fortunately never forgot the reason why he did what he did; my mother and I."

A smile crossed Taehyung's face, "He even named the company after my mother, Rose."

"It almost sounds like a fairy tale."

"But sadly there's a turning point in every fairy tale." his smile slightly faded, "When I was about 14 my father suddenly got sick. Although she tried to hide it I knew my mother was unduly concerned. One day when my father and I woke up, she as well as half of our fortune were gone. That's also when my father's condition worsened. He was so worried of me being left alone that he decided to marry again. But sadly the woman he decided to marry was two faced. She acted all nice and innocent next to my father but all she sincerely cared about was the company and our wealth. Only a few months after the marriage my father lapsed into a coma."

As usual, my body acted on its own and I moved my hand on Taehyung's shoulder, giving him a look of commiseration.

"Now, concerning Yeji" he sighed as I slowly removed my hand from his shoulder, "Her parents own a company almost double the size of ours. My step-mother waned to sign a contract with them which is why she and Yeji's parents wanted us to be more than just friends, as a sign of the bond between both companies."

My throat became dry, "I-Is that true?"

He nodded.

"But why was she so obsessed with you? And how did she know of me and my family? This is, this is insane" I was all churned up inside.

He breathed a loud sigh, "I don't know. I'm so incredibly sorry for what she did to you at school. I feel terrible, Jihye."

"Taehyung" I gulped, trying to ignore the lump in my throat, "What am I to you?"

His gaze became stern and yet soft all in one moment, his voice deep and yet soothing, "Someone special."

"I don't understand you, Kim Taehyung. If I'm as special as you claim, why did you let her treat me like that?"

He smirked jokingly, "I guess I just expected you to pick a fight with her or so."

"Is this a joke to you? Do you even have an idea of how I felt after being kicked out by your so called girlfriend and having to witness how you were embraced by her? And as if that weren't enough she visited me at school talking shit about me being a gold digger because of the way I was educated by my parents." I gulped back my tears, "Although all I had was my pride, I even gave that away by agreeing to hear you out that evening. But what did you do?"

"That was the day I met up with Yeji to tell her to get out of my life for good. This is nothing but the truth" he breathed a deep sigh and took my hand in his, "It's just that living under the roof of a house which is paid with the money made of the company my step-mother is leading right now, I somehow thought I didn't have any right to ignore what she told me to do. I didn't know how to react. Jihye, I don't regret anything in my whole life as much as not speaking up that day. I never meant to hurt you like that."

After all the effort, holding back my tears, a single one escaped my eye, "Do I really mean that much to you?"

Caressing my cheek as he wiped the tear from my face, he nodded.

I removed his hand from my face and hold it tightly with both my hands, looking down, "Taehyung, I'm so embarrassed. I had no idea of what you had to go through all this time."

"How were you supposed to know?"

"I just wish I trusted you more."

"Jihye."

"Hm?"

"The feeling of not being able to be with someone who means a lot to you" he sighed silently, "I know that feeling just too well. And I never want to experience that feeling again, so could you please do me a favor?"

I nodded.

"Let's appreciate each other without regretting, okay?"