[✔] Kiss me || taejun

: i

➶

17th September, 2009

"Yeonjun you need to scrub the floor properly, dear," came Mrs Choi's voice from the kitchen as she meticulously prepared food for their live-in guest who was yet to arrive.

The said man wiped the sweat rolling down the side of his face, letting out a huffed breath as he scrubbed down the last corner that remained and smiles at the result. "I am Ma. It's sparkling clean now."

He quickly finished cleaning the rest of the room and set up all the basic supplies on the nightstand and cleared the rest of the stuff for the new guest to arrive.

"Ma, did you have to let him in our house?" stashing away all the cleaning equipment into the storeroom, Yeonjun whined.

The aroma of the freshly made broth spread across their home. Giving the pot a final stir, she covered it with a lid letting it simmer until lunchtime.

"Yes, Jjun, we need to. There is only so much money we have and too many expenses. I need to make sure you go to a good university too so you don't have to rot away in the future like I am." She wiped her hands on the apron and sat across from where Yeonjun was sitting, a hint of sadness yet her usual smile remained on her face.

And Yeonjun knew where this was going. It happened too frequently now.

"Your father isn't here anymore to support us. You're my only hope."

A dull ache mixed with annoyance tugged at Yeonjun's chest.

Before his dad had passed away, Yeonjun was a boy filled with dreams and aspirations— dancing, art— anything. Yeonjun would always do it with utmost dedication.

He was the kind of person who always supported what his son wished to do, despite his mother's complaints. So Yeonjun had a decent amount of training in the area and that added with his own practice at home watching the shows on TV, he was a really talented dancer.

But when he was gone, that's when Yeonjun felt his entire world shift on its axis. Every single one of his dreams shattered right before him.

Not even a week later, Yeonjun began to prepare for his major in business rather than dance, which he had been trying to opt for earlier. There was no way he could support his mother and their hefty bills with the meager amount he may or may not receive through dance.

As much as he wanted to argue with his mother to stop bringing up his dad every time something came up, he just couldn't bring himself to do it- the traces of lines and wrinkles that began to form on her skin pricked like pins to his heart. Don't get him wrong, he loved his father a lot but the memories of his dad simply reminded him of his shattered dreams.

It was okay. He could hold it in, he must hold it in he was a man after all. He'll take care of it all.

As much as he tried convincing himself, it wasn't easy. All of his friends had such interesting majors. They wouldn't have to worry too much about having to get a job and keeping up their family name— they were already great at it. One of them already having inherited half the family business and some already making plans about settling down with the woman of his dreams.

Yeonjun couldn't help but let out a sigh of hopelessness.

But that was enough self-loathing for that day. He had work to do.

"Taehyun-ssi says he might take hours to reach here by bus. The drivers seem to be protesting again. We can't leave the poor boy all alone in this new city." Yeonjun's mom informed him as she made some final preparations for the said person to arrive. "Do you want me to come along?"