𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐞 | 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐮 | 𝐭𝐚𝐞𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐤 ✔️

8: shade

Areum seemed overly fidgety as she and Jennie laid a quilt down over the cold ground.

She wiped her hands on her jeans when she completed the task, and thanked Jennie as the housemaid smiled and walked away.

The woman paused next to Taehyung on her way to the mansion, touching his arm with a soothing pressure. 

She then left to get food for the impromptu picnic.

"It's been so long," Areum said to her father, her voice almost incoherent.

She walked over to where he sat in the grass and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Will she even like me, Appa? Does she even love me anymore?"

"Of course she does," Taehyung assured her.

Areum blinked, eyes water. "Then why did she leave, Appa?"

Taehyung opened his mouth to answer, and faltered. 

He shut his mouth and looked away.

What he wanted to say was I don't know, honey.

But he did know.

And he knew that she would only hate him for telling her why Lisa had really left them.

Left him.

Areum fell into silence with her father, staring at the frost ridden ground with misty eyes.

It was honestly too cold for a picnic, but Lisa had insisted. Her kids needed some fresh air while they talked, she said.

It would do them all some good.

Taehyung didn't like the cold.

It bit at his cheeks and made him shiver against the wind.

It made him yearn for the night before, with the fireplace crackling and a sleeping wolf pressed against his leg.

Kookie had disappeared again before Areum's friends had left.

She was worried he might not come back, and even Taehyung couldn't help but miss him, if only for the fact he was solid, and warm, and there.

Plus, there was the whole ordeal with Jeon Jungkook.

Though Taehyung was becoming sadly infatuated with the man, he wanted to start out slow, not push things.

Perhaps he could become friends with the man first?

After about a year of that, maybe it could be more.

What are the chances, though?

Jungkook was in a whole other league from him.

So strong and full of mysterious determination that Taehyung had no chance of matching.

Maybe years ago, when things had been right with the world, he could've stood a chance.

He was different back then.

Full of wit and charm that could calm even the angriest people, and soothe that child mourning their brother or sister.

With that kind of personality, he would've fit right into Jungkook's devilish attitude that was hidden under his worry and compassion.

He would've been able to pick his way through Jungkook's layers, figure out what made him tick, and fall in love with him gradually, naturally.

Not immediate.

Not the stupid crush he suddenly had.

"I trust you're going to sit on the ground all day?" a voice made Taehyung freeze. "Instead of the quilt you have out?"