"I never asked this, Kim Taehyung..." Jisoo turned to look at Taehyung with a curious expression on her face. "But how is your relationship like with your parents?"
Taehyung froze. No one except Jimin knew about his situation at home - even then, Jimin didn't even know the full story.
"I..." Taehyung deliberated for a long time. "My mom left when I was a child, so I live with just my dad now."
"Left?" Jisoo raised her eyebrows in surprise. "As in, she's separated from your dad or..."
"She passed," Taehyung put it simply. "Passed away from cancer even before I went to elementary school."
"Oh." Jisoo bit her lower lip. "Oh, I'm so sorry."
Taehyung shook his head. "It's too long ago anyway. I can't really remember much about what she was like, since I was too young."
"So... your dad," Jisoo changed the subject, thinking that it was a happier topic, unaware that to Taehyung, it clearly wasn't. "You must be close to him."
Taehyung recalled all the nights when his dad came back drunk, banging on his room door and waking him up from his sleep. He was so afraid of his dad that he didn't dare to go to sleep without locking his door. During the few times in a month that he was sober, he also hurled insults at Taehyung and stole his money to buy alcohol and cigarettes. Taehyung knew that his dad had only become like this after Taehyung's mom had passed... but it still made him really sad.
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"Well..." Taehyung shrugged as he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen in the area his dad had kicked just a while ago. "We're alright, I guess."
"You're lucky, Kim Taehyung." Jisoo sighed as she turned away, watching the children chase each other around the playground. "I hate my parents."
"Why?" Taehyung frowned. "I thought you come from a very affluent family."
"Affluent... my ass," Jisoo scoffed. "My dad... he doesn't care about what I think. He does so many things behind my back, with no consideration of my opinion or feelings. My mom is just like him - always supporting whatever he does, telling me that it's all for my own good. I hate them so much."
"At least they're both still around."
Jisoo allowed Taehyung's words to sink in. "I'm really sorry."
"No, don't say sorry." Taehyung shook his head slowly. "I'm not saying that to guilt-trip you, but I'm just saying that you should try to appreciate your parents for who they are and what they do for you. At least they're not gone... or abusive."
