Letters and Roses: Taegyu

20

(UNEDITED)
Taehyun had a smile on his face the whole ride home.

The little girl came up to Taehyun and wrapped her arms around the boy. "Thank you, Mr.bossy," she said happily. The older boy was confused but still accepted the hug by placing his hand on the child's head and patting it slowly.

He looked up and locked eyes with Beomgyu who gave him a soft smile as he stared at the pair having a warm moment.

There was something about that hug that just hit home. Maybe that's what his mother felt whenever he would hug her legs while she watered the garden.

The little boy ran up to his mother with excitement. He grabbed onto the older woman's leg while smiling and letting out quiet giggles. The mother looks down and her face instantly becomes bright as she strokes her son's hair. The sun hitting both of them, everything seemed perfect.

Beomgyu could notice the happiness of the boy. He was practically glowing with a smile on his face as he looked out the window. It was already getting dark and the sun had already set once they reached home. Beomgyu's mother was waiting home for the boys to come back, welcoming them with a hug.

"oh um...mom this is um-...Taehyun...my um-" Beomgyu stutters struggling with how to introduce the boy that was standing next to him.

"Friend. I'm his friend" Taehyun says showing a soft smile.

"Oh, that's great to see Beomgyu making friends," His mother says giving Taehyun a warm hug. There was something that hit the boy as he felt the woman's arms around him, it was cozy and comforting. He could feel his throat hitch as he felt overwhelmed with emotions, his eyes quickly became watery as tears started to pour down his face.

Beomgyu's mother quickly panicked as she noticed the state of the boy and looked at Beomgyu confused. The older boy suddenly remembered that Taehyun lost his mother as well. He could note that Taehyun became overwhelmed because he remembered his mother. Beomgyu grabs the boy and pulls him into a hug to try to calm him down a bit, he rubs the boy's nape while hearing his sobs.

"Shall we go inside for now?" Soobin asks while grabbing his father's arm and pulling him inside the house while Mrs.Choi followed him with a concerned face as she looked back at the pair who were hugging. Beomgyu nods his head reassuring her that they were going to be fine, with that his mother heads inside with Soobin and Mr.Choi.

Beomgyu could feel the tears of Taehyun soak into his shirt but he didn't pay attention to it and continued to hug the boy. He wasn't the greatest person at comforting a person but he knew that Taehyun really needed someone at this moment. He has never lost a family member but he knew how it felt like letting go of one.

His father is practically dead to him. The older man was arrested for domestic violence and child abuse with a 4 sentence to serve and a restraining order in place, in addition to a 5,000 fine towards the damaged family. The beginning days without his father were difficult because his mother and he were still dealing with the trauma that his father left.

Everything day was painfully slow and torturing. Beomgyu would skip school some days just to work and pay off the debts of the family that his unspoken father also left. Due to this he never really made friends and was socially awkward with people. His mother was still broken and it took her two full years to get over her ex-husband. Fortunately, she was lucky enough to meet Soobin's father who was a regular at the bar she worked at. They both instantly fell in love and got married in less than a year.

Joong-ki willingly paid off all their remaining debts and gave them a second chance to be happy and heal from their battle wounds. Beomgyu was happy that someone was able to pull them out of the pit and make his mother happy. But sometimes he would, unfortunately, miss his father at times. Yes, he abused him and scarred him physically and emotionally but that only happened when he was drunk or high.

His father was loving towards him when he was younger. He remembered how they would spend a day at the park and get ice cream afterward. His father was like every father, the person who would take you fishing or teach you how to ride a bicycle. But soon after his father lost his job and fell into depression and was stressed to pay off the bills. He turned his suffering towards alcohol and drugs and became addicted. Borrowing money just to feed his addictions and take the pain away for a while.

That's when everything started to collapse. His father wasn't loving anymore, instead, he turned serious and cold. Beomgyu hated his father so bad but still felt the responsibility to tell him about his sexuality. His father didn't take the news well as he expected, he shouted at him and used slurs and harsh words against him. The next day his father was sober and apologized for his actions but in the afternoon he became drunk again and kept criticizing his son.

People always say that drunk people always tell the truth and Beomgyu was sad that his father didn't accept him for who he was. It was like living with someone bipolar, you never expect their next moves. They could be nice a second and the next they are throwing stuff around the room in anger.

His father soon took out all that anger on his mother and him. It was almost like he was ashamed of his family that he would sleep around with different women while his wife stayed up all night worrying about him and his wellbeing. Finally, Beomgyu had the courage to call the police and ask for help. He watched as the police pulled his father away and into the car with flashing red and blue lights that blinded the younger Beomgyu.

He was supposed to feel happy now but it was hard to move on from the past. He lost connection with his father but the last thing he heard about him is that he was in rehab after finishing his sentence. Beomgyu wished him the best of luck and if he was able to sober up again, he would want to meet him again.

But he really doubted that his father would change. His father was a weak man, he would easily give up no matter how fierce he tried to make himself look. He could remember hearing his father cry every single night, and it broke him.

He just wanted his father back. His real father who was sober and nice to him and his mother. Someone who wasn't lost into addiction and hit his wife and son. He missed those moments.

Beomgyu felt his eyes tear up as he remembered the memories of his father but kept his stability and instead continued to hug Taehyun who has become quiet already but still held his head against the older boy's chest. Finally, he pulled away after a few seconds keeping his head down and looking at the concrete sidewalk.

"I'm sorry" Taehyun mumbles quietly wiping his eyes but avoiding eye contact with the boy in front of him.

"I need to go," The younger boy says stepping back.

"It's late, you should just stay over," Beomgyu says holding onto the boy's arm. Concern was written all over his face. Taehyun shakes his head, "no...it's fine, I don't want to bother you" he says before walking to his car. Beomgyu was able to protest but the broken boy quickly got in his car and disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Beomgyu just stood there feeling the warm breeze hit his cheeks. He felt out of place, it was an unexplainable feeling, so he headed to his room to be left alone.
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URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT!
I won't be able to update on the following two weeks from May 16 to May 27 due to exams.

Sorry for any grammar mistakes!