Meant To Be || KTH

Chapter 17

Eunho and I talked about a few other things and had a good talk. Soon, it was time for her to leave. Once, we bid each other goodbye; I started cleaning the mess. Jihun sure loves to play. I smiled as I put everything back to its place. The sun has set and it was time for dinner so I started making dinner after cleaning the place. I stirred the curry and looked at the clock. 

' They will be here any moment.' I thought. 

Few minutes later, the doorbell rang and I opened the door to find a very happy father-daughter duo. Tiara smiled brightly at me as she leaned ahead to indicate that she wants me to take her in arms. I took her in arms and asked about her day.

" Did you had fun ?" I asked.

" Yeah, Mom. Dad showed me the big museum and we had lunch in a big restaurant. We had ice-cream after that. We played in the  playground after that." She told me excitedly and I nodded along understanding her every word.

" Well, you had a lot of fun! So go to your room and change into clean clothes. We will have dinner together." I replied happily. She got down and ran to her room to get changed. 

I walked over to the kitchen to check on the food cooking. I took a glass of water and walked back to the living room. I kept the glass on the table without a word and came back in the kitchen. Neither him nor me looked at each other. The house fell into a silence.  I didn't even hear him take the glass of water off the table. 

It has been seven months since we last talked. This year started with our fight and as the time passed by, it got worse. To this extent, that neither he nor I wanna take a step back and think through this whole process. We wanna get it done as soon as possible as if running away from each other. In front of Tiara, we pretend we are doing good and are happily talking with each other but the reality was completely different. 

" Mom~ What's for dinner ?" Tiara comes downstairs.

" Your favourite!" I smiled at her.

 I started placing the plates and dishes on the table. Taehyung gets up with a happy face and move to the dining table. He sat down on the chair, next to Tiara. I served food to both. Though, Taehyung never looks in my direction even for once. I avoid his eye contact as well. Tiara is always happy while eating food so even both of us pretend to be happy. 

After dinner, Taehyung and Tiara moved upstairs into Tiara's room. Tiara usually sleep with me but since Taehyung sometimes stays behind for a night. So we have an alternate room where I usually sleep when Taehyung is over. I scrub the dishes clean and cleaned the kitchen platforms. I could hear the giggles and laughter coming from upstairs. I, sometimes think I did wrong to Tiara. She thinks everything is going the usual way but I'm taking away her precious childhood memories that she wanna share with her parents.

Sometimes, I do blame myself for all of this. Making my life miserable and ruining it with my own hands. I just never settle in with anyone. I often become too selfish to get my things done that I become oblivious to others' feelings and emotions. I feel nothing but just loneliness. I never had a good relationship with my parents. Never felt attached to them. Now, that they are gone. I feel empty without them in this house in which I grew up in. My marriage ended because I decided to get a divorce and now I'm fighting for my daughter's custody. I have lost everything that I, once treasured so dearly. 

I finished the pending work and went upstairs. I peeked inside Tiara's room and found both father-daughter sleeping soundly. I walked inside and took the storybook from Taehyung's hand and kept it aside. I smiled at them as I tucked them inside the blanket. My eyes fell on the photo frame on the side drawer near the bed. I picked it up, remembering the old happy memories. Taehyung was kissing me on cheeks while I was holding Tiara in my arms. I gazed at the Taehyung in front of me, sleeping next to Tiara.