Comfort | Taekook

Nine

Taehyung should have asked Jungkook for his number.

That was the first thing that he thought when he pulled up to the boy's house the next morning, sitting there and wondering where he was. Was he sick? Taehyung knew that the boy would have been out by now.

Jungkook was always quick to fling the front door open and bound into Taehyung's car, giving him a soft smile before they headed off.

But now, five minutes after pulling into the small home's driveway, with no apparent sign of Jungkook, and Taehyung thought of several issues with the way that things were now.

He sighed and turned to his daughter, giving her a bright smile. "Stay here, sweetheart, Daddy's just gonna go and see if Kookie's sick."

"Oh no! Is he?"

"I don't know, honey, but I'm going to go and see, alright? Be good and stay here." Jinnie nodded dutifully and Taehyung got out of the car, walking towards the home, before knocking on the door.

From what Taehyung could tell, there was most likely no one else home besides Jungkook, judging from the lack of a car in the driveway as well as the fact that all of the lights were turned off in the house.

The man could hear the sounds of footsteps approaching the door and he waited patiently, his hands clasped behind his back as the door cracked open, revealing only half of the sweet boy Taehyung had taken a liking to. His face was shrouded in shadows, his body covered in blankets.

"I'm sorry, Jungkook, I wouldn't have come if I didn't know you weren't going to school today. Are you sick? Do you need anything? I have some time before I have to drop Jinnie off at school."

Jungkook shook his head, his eyes not meeting the man's. "I'm sorry for not telling you. But I don't have a phone and I couldn't--"

"It's fine, Jungkook." Taehyung said, his voice soft and gentle. "No need to sound scared, I'm not angry. I know that it's hard to communicate with others without a phone, and you couldn't have known that you were sick today. Did you need me to get anything for you? Where's your father?"

"H-he's at w-work right now." Jungkook whispered. "I-I don't want to keep you, M-Mr. Kim. Please...Jinnie has to go to school today. C-could you tell Jimin that I won't be in today? I don't want him to be worried."

Taehyung nodded, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. His eyes traveled over Jungkook, who he had originally thought to have been hiding behind the door because he was sick and didn't want Taehyung to catch whatever he had (he was being considerate, cute), but on further inspection, Taehyung realized that the boy was leaning on the door, and that's why it was only half open.

Closer looks at the boy's face showed that there didn't seem to be any signs of sickness. No pale skin, no sweating, no raspy breathing, nothing. In fact...

He looked like he was in pain.

Taehyung frowned and placed his hands on either side of the door. "Jungkookie, would you mind letting me in for a few moments? I wanna talk to you for a second."

"A-about what?"

"About you. About school. And the job offer."

"B-but Jinnie--"

"Since you're not going to school today, we don't have to go all the way to that part of town, we have more than enough time to speak."

"B-but I'm sick--"

"You don't look sick, baby." Taehyung whispered, gently pushing the door open with his hand and stepping into the room. Jungkook fell backwards, limping away from Taehyung who now got a good look at his whole entire body.

It was shrouded in large blankets and a sweatshirt.

Taehyung's hands clenched into fists when he saw an angry purple mark on the boy's face. "Where did you get that." The man uttered slowly, hsi voice low and dangerous.

Jungkook averted the cold gaze of the man and didn't respond.

Taehyung waited, staring at the bruise, his vision going redder and redder with each passing moment. "Jungkook." He said lowly. "Tell me. Now."

"I-I can't." The boy whispered, his body beginning to tremble in fear with the knowledge that Taehyung knew. That he knew what was going on. He didn't want the man to find out, he didn't want anyone to find out ever. He didn't want to be some kind of burden, some problem, he didn't want to put any kind of trouble onto anyone else, and he knew that he was doing it right now.

And he hated the feeling.

He was fine. He was okay.

He could stay here, he didn't want someone else to feel obligated to help him, and he didn't want someone to force themselves to help him.

Taehyung gently placed a hand on Jungkook's shoulder, ignoring the flinch of the boy's body as his hand was raised. "How long, baby?" Taehyung whispered. Jungkook bit his bottom lip, feeling his eyes well with tears as he shook his head, refusing to answer the question.

Taehyung waited.

Jungkook suddenly let out a small whimper, crashing into the man's body, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist, his face digging into the man's shirt as he sobbed quietly. "I-I don't want t-to cause you any trouble--" The boy managed out, his voice wobbly with despair.

"Baby, no." Taehyung said, sighing softly and resting one hand on Jungkook's waist and another on his head, gently brushing through the soft strands. "The only thing troubling me right now is that you're here and that you want to stay here because you obviously feel like you would be a burden. How could you ever be a burden? You never could be. Do you really think that I would leave you here? I couldn't live with myself if I left you here, knowing that someone does this to you. You don't deserve this. No one deserves this."

"B-but--"

"No buts. Go. Go pack a bag, you're coming with me."

"H-he'll--"

"I'll deal with him." Taehyung said lowly, slowly drawing his body away from the boy. "Please go and grab your things. I'll be waiting here for you."