Case 002: Attorney Kim (Trial and Error Series)

05

For the first time in months, there was no sight of him coming to Axis. Usually, you're booked every night for VIP Room 7.

For the past 2 weeks, all you've been doing was serve tables and help with the clean-up before the place closes. You wanted to apologize but you knew a simple sorry can never fix the wounds your words have cut. Sometimes, apologies are like salting an open wound.

Tonight was just like any other night you spent at work – serving drinks and entertaining guests you wished would leave already, "Red, VIP 7." You furrowed your brows with suspicion – you haven't been booked for VIP in a while, "Your favorite customer's back."

Your eyes grew wide. Suddenly, you wished you were handing out drinks instead. It looked like this was the perfect chance to apologize to him. However, you groaned in frustration knowing full well that he only came back to ask you more things.

"Kim Taehyung, I swear to fucking god," you welcomed Taehyung with a scowl as you entered Room 7, pushing the cart of drinks he had always requested but never seem to finish.

"Don't you have friends?" He shook his head. "A therapist?" He paused for a bit almost as if he was taken aback with the question but simply shrugged to the question, "Anyone?"

"I had my aunt." Awkward silence filled the room.

There was nothing you could say after that. You felt bad with the way you approached him when you walked in and only felt worse when you realized what today was – it was his birthday.

When his aunt died, Taehyung had stopped celebrating his birthdays. The first time you knew about this, you always made sure to spend his birthdays with you when you were still together. Looking at him now, it looks like he had, yet again, stopped caring about it.

You slowly made your way to the couch, meekly lowering yourself, and sat beside him. Both of you stayed still, waiting for the other one to spark up the conversation, but to no avail.

The look on his face ever gave away any hints of what was running through his mind. To try and make it a bit better for him, you decided to be the first one to speak.

"Happy birthday, Tae," this finally caught his attention.

It's been a while since you greeted him AND called him Tae instead of the usual 'sir' or 'Kim Taehyung.' It's also been a while since someone called him that aside from Jimin and his girlfriend. However, that wasn't the reason why he lifted his head.

With wide eyes, he looked at you with surprise, "You remembered?"

"What do you mean? I always do," his lips parted.

"You...do? I thought you'd forget about it already," you sighed. It looks like you've figured out what would make the perfect birthday gift.

"Look, I know how we ended wasn't the best but I'm still grateful you were with me when I was hitting rock bottom. You kept me grounded and held me together at best. I could never thank you enough or repay you for everything you've done for me and my family."

You chewed on your bottom lip after your heartfelt gratitude. All throughout your entire relationship, you never got to thank him. Although it was sad that you had to say it when it's over, he still deserved to hear your thanks.

"I- uh thank you, Y/N," he was speechless at the sudden kindness you decided to finally give. It almost felt like a validation to have you say nice things to him again. A feeling that isn't foreign to him – to be validated and valued.

His aunt was one of the few constants he had in his life. She made sure to stay in touch with him after her sister's death; doing her absolute best by providing what an aunt could give for him that his dad's side of the family was lacking, which was unfortunately support and love.

For some unknown and very unfortunate reason, she was murdered coldly in a random alleyway in Daegu only to have her rotting body found three days later.

Not having his aunt beside him shattered him. It only got worse with the way his stepmom wanted him to just get over it – like a dead pet and that he deserved the bad karma for wrecking a happy home.

Taehyung's skin grew thicker as the years went by but that doesn't mean time had healed the wounds of every word that pierced his flesh. The scars are there but the pain still feels fresh.

He didn't know if he'd get another opportunity like this with you, so he thought he'd try. Generally, he always tried even when he was on the verge of giving up. He just had to do it even if it meant this was the last time you'd want to see him or talk to him.

'If this goes bad, then fuck my life and I'll let her be' he thinks. Regardless of the outcome, even if the concept of the trying is vague, at least he could give himself kudos for having the courage to get the closure he had always wanted to hear.

In an attempt to bring up the question he had always wanted to ask you, he clears his throat, "Y/N? I've always wanted to ask you about it"

"That's all you've been doing every time you come," when his shoulder slumped, you quickly backtrack your words. "You know what? Fine, let's do it," Taehyung wasn't expecting it but he went on to ask.

"I know somewhere along the way I wasn't the best boyfriend to you. I just...wanted to know why?" His hands were clammy, hoping to hear the worst, "What did I do to make you hate me?"

All you could muster was a sharp breath with how unexpected the turn of events was. Weeks ago, you were ranting in agony over how often you've been bumping into your ex. But the thing is, you don't hate him. Not even one bit. The least thing you could give him is the truth.

You weren't sure if this will be the last time you'll ever get the chance to say it but one thing's for sure – he deserved to know everything. Regardless of how much he may have changed during your time apart, he was still an angel who didn't deserve the demons inside him.

Taehyung wanted to hit five shots all at once, hoping that liquid courage would do its job. However, the silence only made him more anxious. 'I can see everyone in hell later, I'm taking a shot.'

Sad to say he only acted as a man of self-control because that is what's expected of him.

You gasped as he took one shot after the other, "Hey, slow down!" Taking the bottle away, you glared at him, "Wanna get alcohol poisoned on your birthday or what?"

"Okay, okay. I'm done. That's all I'm drinking tonight," he raised both of his hands, "So? What is it that made you change your mind about me?"

You massage your temples, "I had a lot of things to deal with. You already know that."

"Yeah, I was there through it all weren't I?" This is why you always dodged his questions – you hated it whenever he used that tone on you.

"Yes but it's a 'me' problem," you regretfully admit. He calmly waited for your response. As soon as your shoulders slumped, he mentally prepared himself for what was about to come.

"I was so overwhelmed with a lot of things; working through every job I had tirelessly, my parents' deaths, trying to make ends to raise Sejin so CPS can't say shit about me and take him away, and the assault–"

Taehyung could've sworn he heard a high-pitched buzz in his ears at the last sentence you just said, "What assault? Why didn't I know this?"

The expression you plastered was a mix of stunned and confused, "The night at the frat house. You don't remember?"

"Y/N, you never told me about that," the unsettling feeling that Taehyung sat inside me only weighed heavier. At least he wasn't crazy for still worrying about you all these years.

Just as you were about to go on, the lights lit up signaling that the time was up for the both of you. Taehyung was about to throw a fit over the rare occasion only to get cut short. Meanwhile, you weren't sure if you were ready to remember everything again.

You knew how much sleep he's about to lose after you just dumped a gist of your traumas in one go, "Wanna have a late dinner or something? We can talk over food if you'd like"

"Don't you have a kid to come home to?"

You shrugged, "I could ask someone to watch over him for the meantime."