𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞 | 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐮 | 𝐭𝐚𝐞𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤 ✔️

7: firelight

Jungkook never did take Taehyung out to see the meteor shower that night.

In fact, he'd declared he needed to head home as soon as they were finished with dinner and flipped through the final few pages of the photo album.

Areum was immediately dismayed at Jungkook's words and begged him to stay for a little while longer. 

It was hardly seven, after all!

But, Jungkook stayed firm as he made his way to the door, gently telling her that Taehyung needed rest so he'd recover swiftly.

Areum cried out in frustration as the man accepted his leather jacket from Hoseok and opened the door to leave.

She grasped the brown haired male's hand a few steps out in the winter chill, stopping him.

Jungkook knelt down before her, taking her hands in his.

His eyes were warm, soothing, but they did nothing to calm the girl down.

"It'll be fine, sweetheart," he assured her.

"You'll come back soon, right?" Areum demanded.

Jungkook's eyes flickered over to where Taehyung was leaning heavily against the doorframe, crutches set aside.

He looked back at Areum. "I don't know if I can, sweetheart," he said slowly, "I have no means of communication with you two, and I really must return home."

Areum's eyes filled with tears.

She tugged him back, and he stumbled to his feet, closer to where Taehyung was standing.

"Appa!" she called, fighting to keep her tears from spilling over, "Tell him he can come back!"

"Of course he can come back," Taehyung said to his daughter.

He felt exhausted, but he did the best he could to keep the feeling masked. 

"But if he doesn't want to, Ari, I can't stop him."

Areum sobbed and clutched onto the man's ripped jeans. "But you have to come back!" she said through her tears, "You have to!"

Jungkook ran his hand down the girl's hair. He crouched down low, voice a little softer.

"Areum, sweetheart, I know you're lonely."

Those words struck Taehyung like an arrow to the heart.

He was brought back to their earlier conversation.

She's lonely, Tae.

"But I can't stay here forever. I never could. It's up to you two to figure out where to go from here."

Areum shivered from the cold, sniffled, and nodded against the man's jacket. "I know, but..."

"Do you have someone to get back to, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked, wearily.

Jungkook turned to Taehyung.

"I do, yes. My son."

Areum looked up.

"You could bring him over next time! We could play together!" she suggested, brightening a little.

When Jungkook shook his head, the little girl looked heartbroken.

"He lives very far away from here, sweetheart. I haven't been able to see him in a very long time, what with the business I dealt with here and staying to visit the two of you. He's probably worried sick right about now..."

Taehyung looked at Areum, and for an instant, felt the pain she was dealing with.

Jungkook had been right.