Decoupled • KTH ✔

Chapter 54

Taehyung

"Why are we back here?" Areum demands angrily, and at this point, I'm sure that she's going to start crying very soon.

"Bubba, I forgot the keys inside our home, and I locked the door. We can't go in without the keys," I answer her patiently once again as I wait holding the car door open for her to get down.

She sulks in a very disappointed manner and climbs out of the car reluctantly, and then we walk up to the front door where Maya is already waiting for us.

Once we are a few feet from the doorway, I stop walking and get down on my knees to face Areum, who has also stopped walking.

"Bubba, you need to wait inside while I go get the door sorted and collect the keys. Okay?"

"I also want to come," she announces, and I knew this was coming my way.

"Bubba, you're sleepy and tired, and if you come with me, you will not be able to sleep. So you stay here for a while with Maya and try to take a nap, and I'll be back soon," I speak again, holding our gazes.

Areum's eyes exhibit tiredness and a bit of disappointment too, but I don't have any other choice now. Taking her along would be hard, and that too when she's sleepy and when I myself am unsure about how long it would take to open the door because I've never been in such a situation before.

Dropping her off with Jang-Mi isn't going to happen as well.

"Appa, don't go," Areum tugs the fabric of my trousers when I get back up on my feet.

My shoulders drop, and I heave a sigh of exhaustion.

"Areum, if I don't go now, how will we get the keys? Don't you want to hold your bunny and sleep in your bed tonight?" I raise my eyebrows at her as a drop of sweat rolls down my temple.

"Don't go," she repeats, her eyes glimmering with a film of tears that are ready to break out, instantly propelling me into panic mode.

This is her deadly weapon which makes me give in every single time, and I'm sure she knows it fully well.

"Hey, hey, bubba. Okay, fine. I'll not go. I'll stay with you here, okay?" I quickly drop the idea of leaving her here, and she presses her lips into a thin line, nodding a little.

Maya who has been waiting for us at the doorway looks a little concerned when we finally step up closer to her.

"I'll stay here for a while with Areum," I inform her, and she okays me with a small smile before her eyes move back to Areum.

We all sit down on the couch and Areum curls up to my side while I wrap an arm around her.

"I want bunny," she begins once again, but this time in an even sadder tone.

"Bunny is at home, and only if you let me go, I will find a way to open the door. If I can't do it myself, I would have to find a locksmith to get it done. Shall I go now?" I ask her as I softly stroke her head over and over.

"Don't go, appa," Areum speaks in a muffled mumble before she climbs onto my lap and clings on tighter by wrapping all her limbs around me.

Leaning back on the couch, I hold her tight, gently stroking her back and patting her while softly uttering some words of reassurance in her ears. She remains completely quiet, and I'm guessing that she has fallen asleep.

It is already 6 pm, and if I don't take care of the door right away, I wouldn't be able to find a locksmith to do the same until tomorrow morning.

And going to bed tonight without her bunny is a big no no. It might end in a world war, which I definitely want to avoid.