Lovely | BTS ✓

12

Before Taehyung can even ask what's wrong, August slams the front door closed with his foot and whirls around to pull the curtains closed tightly.

"Do not ever open the curtains again," August snaps as he turns back to face Taehyung, his finger pointing in his face as his hand trembles. "Do you know what direct sunlight can do to a painting?"

August shoves past Taehyung, his shoulder bumping against him as he runs up the stairs to inspect the painting of Amelia. "Sunlight fades the paint. It can get ruined."

"August, I'm so sorry," Taehyung says, never realizing August could have this kind of temper in him. He's seemed so calm-natured until now.

"To think if I had gotten home five minutes later, her eyes could be dulled to nothing more than a lifeless gray," he says, not turning to face Taehyung as he stares up at his sister's face. "Are you okay?"

Taehyung frowns, discomfort bubbling in his chest when he realizes August is talking to the painting.

"I'm going to my room for a bit," Taehyung mumbles, his presence being ignored as he walks up the stairs, brushing past his boss as he goes down the right side of the hallway, shutting his bedroom door behind him.

He walks mindlessly around the small space, biting his bottom lip.

He doesn't know what to make of such a sudden shift in his personality; until now, he has been very likable and understanding to Taehyung's struggle with being homesick and not quite comfortable yet. Though Taehyung knows August is holding onto deeply-rooted pain that can't be cured by his house being cleaned and repaired, he didn't realize he was also holding onto anger.

That also doesn't explain why he would talk to the painting of his sister.

Taehyung worries that maybe August isn't well; he did mention he has been having difficulty dealing with his grief, but has that tainted his mind - warping it to become delusional in the fact that the painting is his sister?

A thump coming from one of his walls startles Taehyung, halting him in his pacing. He frowns at the wall, knowing there isn't a room on the other side; it's solid drywall.

So what made the noise?

Another thump makes Taehyung step closer, pressing his ear against the wall to see if maybe he can hear a mouse or something.

Silence.

Taehyung cautiously makes his way out of his room, peering around as he walks toward the stairs.

The wall he heard the thumps from only has one thing near it.

The painting.

He stops in front of it, looking around to see no sign of August. His bedroom door is shut - as it always is - and Taehyung figures he must be in there cooling off from his outburst.

He stares up at the painting, remembering the noises he heard the night before.

The smell of flowers hits him again, and it's so strong that it's almost dizzying.

Something is gnawing at the back of Taehyung's mind.

The unexplained noises, the smell of the flowers when there aren't any flowers in the house, August's outburst when the painting was exposed to light, talking to the painting as if his sister is here...

As if August is convinced that, somehow, his sister is still here, connected to this painting that he protects like it's the most important treasure he could ever own.

But that's not possible.

Right?