|| Chapter 16: The Vivid Silence ||
*****
"Hansol is not abnormal," Jungkook said, almost growled, all of a sudden, breaking the vivid silence despite the loud patters of the rain against the windows.
A bright flash of lightning reflected off the glass windows, followed closely by the deep rumble of thunder, adding effect to the melancholic atmosphere.
Taehyung eyes went wide at the sudden outburst and was quick to defend. "I never said he is one."
Jungkook swallowed dryly before wetting his lips. "Hannie has anxiety, he gets sensitive... like very sensitive... of certain things and gets provoked easily if things go even a little wrong, he assumes it to be his mistake no matter what it is, big or small... he- he just feels guilty and the emotion overwhelms him... to the point that he could inflict pain to himself or fall prey to panic attacks... Panic attacks- they are the worst, he-... it pains to see him suffer... I can't even help him, from his emotions... his feelings- he has them well-hidden... it's hard, I- "
He stopped and gazed up at Taehyung only to look down again, fingers playing with the rings on his fingers and cheeks burning red. "I'm sorry I'm rambling."
He was rambling, yes, but Taehyung was willing to hear them out. He was paying attention, even to the gap- the gap between two thoughts, the brief silent space between words in the conversation, the way the dark luminescent eyes focused and blanked with his silvery voice rising and falling an octave above and deeper, along the ramble of words leaving those rosy lips, the waltz of emotions that was dancing before him in the ravenette's handsome features--- he was paying attention to them all.
Taehyung smiled softly, eyeing the male who had gone from an emotional mess to all shy in an instant. "You can keep going. I'm here to listen."
Another silence fell over the two until it was broken by a whisper, so soft it could've easily been missed.
"Thank you." Jungkook looked up at the other, his heartbeat taking a little skip when he found the other already staring at him.
"I'm grateful for what you did today, Taehyung. For me, and Hannie."
Taehyung shook his head in denial. "I didn't do much, Jungkook. Anyone at my position would've done that."
Jungkook kept his gaze fixed on the silver male before him.
Would they really, Taehyung?
"No."
Taehyung hummed in question, "Hmm?"
"Even my sister didn't," Jungkook said in a monotone.
Taehyung looked at him with a blank stare. "Hmm?"
"The girl who was with Hansol, today at the shop... it was my sister, Eunmi."
Taehyung blinked. Reeling back his memory tape, he remembered the young woman and the male who had been seated with Hansol at the shop, also how he had guessed her to be Hansol's mum. She was Jungkook's sister, okay...
"She loves him alright, but when Hansol becomes sensitive or panics, she never tries or steps in to help. She kind of hides... I won't blame her though, anyone would feel conflicted when such situations arise. Even today, she could only witness his meltdown but never showed up to help. She's scared of such things--- that's what she said in the phone call I had earlier, but I know that she just doesn't want to take the blame if something... something bad happens to Hansol and up to some point, I think I can understand her... still it pains to know that she would rather leave than try to at least help, " Jungkook said, back at playing with the rings adorning his fingers, "So are most of the people. Even those you hold the dearest, when they face situations that have nothing to do with them, they just walk away, even if it's you, their kin, who is bleeding to death... They just walk away."
Jungkook was just speaking his mind but Taehyung was basking in unfiltered emotions.
People walk away... they walk away, from you. They leave you.
Taehyung knew that feeling first-hand--- the excruciating sting that seeps into your bones, the flame of betrayal burning through every fibre of your flesh and the numbing pain glossing over your burns while loneliness washes away the ashes of once sweet memories.
His body shuddered slightly with the words setting new ablaze to the burns of his revoked memories. Pain.
"But you aren't one of them," Jungkook's voice came bold and clear, "You stayed."
Taehyung stared at the other stunned, for he could see not a trace of ingenuity in those dark sparkling eyes. He bit down on his lips to stop the tears from spilling out of their haven, all these years he hadn't realized how much he had wanted to hear those reassuring words, until now, until Jungkook had said them out aloud.
I'm not one of them. Jungkook said I'm not like them... I'm a good person, I'm-
"Taehyung?"
"Yeah?" he breathed out.
"That is why I'm grateful to you. Not anyone would have done what you did today. You deserve the appreciation," Jungkook said earnestly, for once, not masking his emotions behind his usual serene cascade.
"Thank you" Taehyung whispered thick with emotions, for the many things Jungkook had unknowingly attempted to heal. The ravenette shook his head lightly in reply.
The silence that rested between them now was no more stifling, an odd calmness flushed down their minds, setting them in comfortable ease.
The loud honking of a car outside the house, distilling the peaceful air, had both of them up on their feet.
Before Taehyung could voice out his question, Jungkook answered "It must be Jimin."
"Jimin?"
"Yeah. We both came together to the gym near the froyo shop, so I called him up to inform him while I was out in the backyard," Jungkook bit his bottom lip, "He knows about Hansol, also about what happened today."
Taehyung nodded. "We better invite him in then?"
"No, Taehyung. I think it's time we left, Hannie would feel anxious if he wakes up to a new surrounding, and it's about time he wakes up from his nap, the sooner I get him back home, the better" Jungkook explained, lifting his sleeping Hansol on to his arms and settling him against his warm torso.
"Okay, though I wouldn't mind you staying or the extra company of Jimin at all, I don't want to see Hannie in pain, I absolutely hate it," Taehyung said, shaking his head and taking hold of the blanket on the couch which he had earlier used to cover Hansol and draped it carefully over the little boy again. It was one of Nabi's favourite blankets, a present from him for her second Christmas, he hoped Nabi wouldn't notice her missing blanket anytime soon.
Smiling at how comfortable the little boy looked under the warm fabric, he missed the perplexed-surprised look on Jungkook's face.
"There, now you're good to go," Taehyung smiled at the ravenette.
Walking out of the house, they paused on the front- porch. It was raining cats and dogs, the walk from the porch to the car parked outside the gate would be approximately 10 meters, Taehyung noted. Enough to get them completely drenched. Not a good idea.
"Wait a minute. I will be back," he said in a rush and sprinted back into the house, leaving Jungkook gazing into the lighted house from the door.
Taehyung rushed back with an umbrella in his hand. He stopped at the porch and put up his umbrella before hooking his hand to the crook of Jungkook's elbow and giving it a little tug. "Come on."
Both took on a light sprint, with Hansol inbetween them in Jungkook's arms, sheltered from the icy rain under Taehyung's umbrella. Water gathered in small puddles splashed under their booted feet while rain thudded against the waterproof fabric above their head, their pressed bodies providing enough warmth for Hansol to sleep through the wailing storm.
Reaching the car, Jungkook opened the door which Jimin had already left unlocked. Taehyung helped him get in the back seat and waited outside till the other was properly settled. A blond head leaned back and peeked at him from the front seat, with a worried, grief-stricken face.
"Tae."
"Jimin."
A nod was all that they shared but enough of a communicator to transverse their unvoiced concerns.
Taehyung snapped his attention back to the ravenette, who was already looking at him with a small smile. "Drive back safely. Message me once you reach home, a call would be even better."
"I will. Get back in safely, yeah?"
Taehyung nodded with a smile and leaned in for a quick second to softly brush Hansol's head one last time, before stepping back and sending a small wave in their direction.
Jungkook's eyes and lips held a genuine smile this time. He gave a reassuring nod before closing the door. The car slowly started to drive away from the warm home and the silver-haired male clad in a yoghurt stained shirt, standing at the gate in the pouring rain.
Taehyung stood under his umbrella for as long as he could make out the image of the car driving off into the rain, till it completely disappeared from his watery view.
Turning around, he walked back into the house with a soft smile, to find his own little girl and cuddle with her, one thought in his head-
At the end of the day, you are your home.
*****
Hello, lovelies!
Taekook + Rain + Hansol = 💜
☆•~ It's A Beautiful Life~•☆
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-EuphoricOnyx-