somebody to love (taekook)

Chapter 19

Taehyung stood there, the silence overbearing the London house. The maroon curtains draped across the windows, shielding the outside from the heavy hearts leaking onto floors like wine. Taehyung looked up very slowly, the red mark of hand on his cheek.

Veronica stood by the entrance of the living room, eyes darkened beyond belief, the pounding of her heart being heard for miles. She stepped closer to Taehyung, fists clenched.

"A man, you- you've been doing things with a man?!" Veronica said, soft, seething.

Taehyung kept quiet. Veronica took her handbag and threw it at Taehyung, the hard leather case hitting Taehyung on the chest. Taehyung took a step back.

"A man!" Veronica shouted. "What's wrong with you? How fucking low do you have to stoop?"

Taehyung's silence was emerging as a sign of his uncaring attitude, to Veronica at least. So she smiled, wicked. "This is all a joke to you, isn't it? No, why? Why would you care? When your wife's worried sick because her mother's ill!" Veronica cried, shaking with rage. "Tell me. Did you get him in our bedroom- our- our house before?"

"Yeah," Taehyung said softly, looking down.

Veronica stilled at the sudden answer. She gulped. "How- h-how many times-"

"A month or more," Taehyung replied, toying with his wedding ring. "On our bed, too," Taehyung said, finally looking at her. He smirked, gradual. "Fucked him every day while you were gone, Veronica."

"Wha-" Veronica began, eyes wide. "What's wrong with you?" Veronica said, voice wavering.

Taehyung was still smirking. "You sound troubled."

"You're out of your mind. That's what- that's what you are. Our agreement was that we tell each other when we do a thing with another person." Veronica snipped. "And- and you're not supposed to do it with men-"

"Why not?" Taehyung asked, leaning against the bar table.

"Because- because it's wrong, Taehyung! That's why not!" Veronica cried. Taehyung chuckled, looking away.

"I guess I didn't know that," Taehyung said, looking around idly. Mindlessly.

Veronica couldn't take it. She walked closer to him and slapped him across the face once more, hard. Taehyung clutched his cheek, digging his nails in, looking down.

"Stop behaving as-as if this doesn't matter. It does, i-it's important! You're not allowed-" Veronica began roughly, but Taehyung grabbed her wrist with one firm hand before she could do anything again. Taehyung looked at her, eyes dripping with anger.

"I'm not allowed?" Taehyung growled lowly. "While you fuck and fuck and fuck every single man that walks close to you, hm? I'm not allowed?" Taehyung asked. Veronica looked at him with widened eyes.

"Why did you come back, Veronica? Why?" Taehyung asked stiffly. Veronica looked at him. She paused for a second but spoke quickly.

"My mother's gotten worse. I-I came to have a talk with- with the head of the school to get a longer leave. I came to collect more things to take back, and-" Veronica began, and then looked down. "I just wanted to see if you were alright before going back again."

"Right," Taehyung said, turning around. He walked to the bar table smoothly, feet padding against the wooden floors, the overbearing silence like a symbol of their unsteadiness. Taehyung lifted a glass flask of whiskey, opening the lid and pouring it into an empty glass, more than usual.

"You came to see if I was alright." Taehyung chuckled, turning around, a glass of whiskey in his hand. "As if you've ever cared about me,"

"I have," Veronica scoffed, affronted by this accusation. "I've always cared about you, Taehyung. Don't you dare pretend like I'm the one in the wrong here. Out of all things- of all things, a man? You know how wrong it is! Did you do it to spite me, Taehyung? Is that it?"