somebody to love (taekook)

Chapter 23

It's that of nightmares.

When everything around you is falling, and falling, and falling and falling. Taehyung didn't know where the ground ended and where the sky began, didn't know where his feet stood and where his arms reached. His mind was dizzy, his throat was dry.

He knew only one thing at that time, at that place.

He stumbled into his own home, mind stagnant with thoughts he had pushed aside. Jeongguk. He had pushed aside the thought of Jeongguk for so many weeks but he had come back, and he had revealed every one of Taehyung's fears he hid away so well.

You're pathetic, Taehyung.

"Ah, Taehyung. You're back." A voice came, and he looked up barely to see Veronica, walking down the steps. She wore a long red gown. "The therapist suggested I do some activities with calm me, so I knit this," She said, a smile on her face as she held up a little red sweater, the knitting needle still attached. "Isn't it adorable? It'll look so lovely on our child-"

Veronica froze in the midst of her words. Taehyung had tears rushing down his face. Her eyes widened. "Taehyung? What's wrong?" She asked, stepping closer to him. She moved closer, but before she could make a move, Taehyung stumbled forward and collapsed onto her, falling into her arms, hiding his face in her neck.

Veronica felt startled but wrapped her arms around him. "Taehyung," She said gently. She couldn't be harsh with him anymore, couldn't be rough like she used to. It was like the thought of her actually having a child rid her of her past self and her vices. She was always reminded of her own mother, how kind she was, how gentle, how loving. How Veronica had been so ungrateful of her love. She couldn't do the same to Taehyung.

"I-I'm sorry," Taehyung let out weakly, and she shook his head.

"Why are you-? No, it's alright Taehyung, don't be like this." Veronica said, her hands grabbing a Taehyung's hair. "Don't cry."

"Veronica," Taehyung said faintly, and she shushed him.

"Work's tough. I know it is."

"Veronica-" Taehyung tried again, hugging her tighter.

"You needn't worry about the pregnancy one bit. I'm perfectly fine now. I know I've been quite sick the past few days-"

"I l-love him, Veronica," Taehyung breathed out. Veronica froze.

Taehyung began sobbing onto her neck. Veronica stood there in the middle of their foyer, still holding him. "I-I'm in love w-with him," Taehyung cried, so faint she barely heard him. "I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry."

Veronica stepped away from Taehyung to look at him. "What?" She asked, voice caught in her throat.

Taehyung looked away, eyes wet with tears. "I'm m-madly in love with him. It's the w-work of devils, I know it is. Yet I couldn't help myself. Every d-day, I pretended as-as if I wasn't. I wasn't in love. Yet- I-I-" Taehyung looked at her, guilty. "I'm sorry."

"You're in love with him?" Veronica asked.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung repeated nothing else he could say. He was waiting. Waiting for that fit of rage, the anger, the harsh slap across his face.

But he got nothing. Veronica just nodded, looking away. "I'm going back to bed." She whispered, turning around.

"Veronica," Taehyung began, walking closer to her. "This won't change anything. I won't leave you- I won't leave the child."

"I know you won't. I know," She said, breathless, her eyes glistening with tears. "And I know you love him. Nothing can be helped with us, Taehyung. We're all stuck in this havoc, all of us. You, me, him, Rosie. We're stuck here with no way out. There's no happy ending for any of us." She concluded, and then rushed back to the bedroom, closing the door.