BTS Sickfics [Volume 1]

Taehyung: Autism

When Taehyung was three-years-old, he was the smartest kid in his kindergarten. He knew all his ABCs, he learnt addition and subtraction of single-digit numbers in just one day, he remembered all his vocabulary...

However, it all changed during the summer. Next year, he would be four-years-old and his parents were expecting a lot. They were expecting him to start learning harder things that a normal kid of his age wouldn't be able to manage, but Taehyung seemed to be able to do so.

Taehyung's teachers were persuading his parents to let him skip two to three grades and go directly to elementary school, which his parents were still deciding, but the whole thing was pretty much planned.

Taehyung whined again and again, not wanting to speak to his parents. He didn't want go and watch fireworks, which his parents told him were flashing lights up in the sky. "Not! Not!" he wailed. "Kim Taehyung, it's okay if you don't want to go, but do not throw a tantrum!" his dad scolded him. Taehyung flapped his arms miserably as he continued sobbing.

"You will go in timeout if you still continue to throw a tantrum, young man!" his dad continued. His mum noticed how Taehyung seemed to be anxious about it. "Let me try," she whispered to his dad. His dad nodded and moved over for her.

"Taehyungie-ah," she began softly. Taehyung shook his body and let out a scream. "Can you tell mommy what's wrong?" Taehyung hiccuped without any response. She held out her arms and waited for Taehyung's hug or cuddle, but there was none. Instead, Taehyung was repeating the word 'not' to himself.

Taehyung stared out of the window and covered his eyes with his hands immediately. Too bright, too bright, exactly the reason why he didn't want to go to the fireworks. "Can you walk over to mommy?" she asked softly. Taehyung backed away, not understanding. He wobbled a little, stepping on his own feet, landing on his tiny bum, rocking himself to and fro.

His mum handed him a toy car, hoping to calm him down. Taehyung snatched it, poking at the wheels of the car, suddenly throwing it away and banging his head on the floor. His parents gasped and widened their eyes, immediately trying to stop their son's actions.

"Ah-ah-ah!" screamed Taehyung, flapping his hands once again, sending his tiny fists towards his dad's face. "KIM TAEHYUNG!" his mum yelled. "YOU STOP THIS BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW!" They had had enough. They didn't know what happened to Taehyung, but something was going wrong. Very wrong.

Taehyung grasped hold of his mum's arm, attempting to bite it. She gasped and pulled away. "I think we'll have to see a doctor."

***

"I don't think there's anything wrong with him," explained Taehyung's dad to the doctor, glancing back at Taehyung, who was huddled in a corner, covering his ears with his hands. It was a Saturday and they were at the doctor's, trying to figure out what was going on with Taehyung.

"He's just been throwing way too many tantrums recently. It's become a daily thing," added his mum, "absolutely nothing's wrong, we think." The doctor barely nodded as a nurse came in, holding some papers. "Here's his report," announced the doctor, "we'll find out what's happening now."

The doctor started to read the report and raised a brow as soon as he saw. "Shall I break the news?" he lowered his voice. Taehyung's parents exchanged looks and both nodded. "Kim Taehyung, age three, diagnosed with autism."

"A-autism? You're sure?" whispered Taehyung's dad. "You're saying that my son is autistic?" gasped Taehyung's mum. The doctor replied with a 'yes'. "H-how are we supposed to deal with it?" his dad trembled and asked, still not able to get over the fact.

The doctor handed them a list of papers and said, "These are some instructions for autistic children. Good luck."

***

Taehyung's parents had gotten way softer with him since the diagnosis. Taehyung wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he only knew that lights and sound made him upset. The nightlights were thrown away or given away. When Taehyung quit kindergarten and went to a special school instead, his parents were questioned, why.

They ask you how you are and you just have to say that you're fine. You're not really fine but you just don't want to get into it because they would never understand.

They felt like that, truly, but they were going to overcome it, no matter what.

It had been three months since the diagnosis, and also two months since Taehyung started going to the special school. It had been way better, to be honest, according to his parents. He managed to start communicating a little bit with people who was close with him, like his parents. They were so proud of him, as he was improving day by day.

"M-m-mommy," huffed Taehyung on a warm, sunny Saturday. "Good job, Taetae!" chuckled his mum, stroking Taehyung's hair. Oh right, Taehyung didn't feel that uncomfortable with close contact anymore. He was fine with the usual cuddles and kisses. All with the help of medication.

"Baby? We love you, Taetae."