Evenstar

46. Heartbreak

Taehyung and his manager landed at Incheon after an eleven-hour flight. He still couldn't reach Dae Eun and he was starting to feel cold and numb. He didn't want to waste time and asked to borrow the company's SUV. He would drive straight to Geumsan while his manager and the JKL staff who fetched them would take the second vehicle back to the office. At first they wouldn't let him, but he pleaded with them to let him go. He needed to do this. They finally relented and he asked Se-jun to get some rest since they may be flying out to Paris in a few hours.

It was late afternoon when he finally drove to Geumsan. He placed his phone on the rack and called his appa.

"Taehyung-ah, we thought you were coming back after the Paris concert." His appa's voice sounded heavy with concern.

"Appa, something happened to Dae Eun. I just need to see how she's doing." He told his dad the details, as far as he knew.

"Taehyung-ah...." Mr Kim could sense the anxiety in his son's voice. He wanted to scold him for taking this trip back when he must be so tired from the tour, but he decided to keep silent. His son was upset and needed to see his girl. "Drive safely, son. Call me when you get back to Seoul."

"I will. I love you, Appa." Taehyung could sense that his father disapproved, and he was thankful that he didn't try to dissuade him. It was impossible for him to concentrate on anything else without hearing Dae Eun's voice or knowing she was alright. He tried to calm himself as he drove and convince himself that she was safe at home.

When he got to Geumsan it was already dark. As he drove up a scenic road he noticed the barrier at his right was bent and broken, leaving a wide and dangerous gap for motorists, and some debris was still on the road. There must have been an accident, he thought. And further up he saw a truck with a movable concrete barrier on the cargo bed. He was glad they were going to close that gap temporarily to avoid more accidents.

He had to announce his arrival and didn't know who else to call. He pressed Sunhee's number.

"Oppa!"

"Sunhee, how are you?"

"Oppa..."

"What's wrong, Sunhee?" He could hear her sobbing and he felt a cold fear grip his heart.

"Eonni... eonni had an accident... someone tried to drive her off the road..."

The gap in the barrier... the debris... Taehyung felt his vision dimming. He couldn't breathe. "Sunhee..."

"Oppa, she's alright. She's here."

"Sunhee, I'm almost at the gate. Please ask them to let me in." His voice was shaking but he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He was desperate to see her.

"No Oppa, this is not the time. Everyone is so angry." Dae Eun's appa had been shouting at them since that morning when they found out what happened. They all got a verbal lashing, so harsh and painful that they felt they had been physically hit. She didn't want to see her Taehyung-oppa get hurt.

"I don't care, Sunhee. I need to see Dae Eun."

"Oppa, she's alright. Kyubok Harabeoji helped her calm down. She's sleeping in her room. Eunji-eonni and Ji-Yoo-eonni are with her. You won't be able to talk to her."

"Sunhee, please..."

"Oppa..." Dae Eun's appa and brothers were still in the house. The police had just left after getting Dae Eun's testimony. They found out that Dae Eun had been receiving death threats from her oppa's fans for months already and she hadn't told them. Sunhee was afraid of what they would do to Taehyung if they saw him.

"Please..."

Sunhee hung up just as Taehyung reached the gate of the Kwan farm. A guard asked him who he was and radioed his reply to someone. In a few minutes the guard opened the gate and he drove into the compound. As he drove to Dae Eun's house he could see flashes of lightning piercing the dark and heard thunder rumbling in the heavens. It was going to rain.

*****

"Jwesonghamnida, Dae Eun-abeoji."

Taehyung was on his knees before Dae Eun's dad, his hands on his thighs, his head bowed down.

"You're sorry? My daughter was assaulted by your fans! They tried to kill her! What use is your apology to me?" Chung Hee's voice resonated around the house  and bounced off the stone walls.

Deok-Su and Cheul-Soo stood beside their father. He had been angry all day and they were afraid he would collapse with rage.

"You brought Dae Eun into your crazy life. Did you think those rabid fans of yours would appreciate her? Did you protect her from them? No! You left her alone and went on your tour, while your followers did nothing but bully her since May!"

"Appa..." Deok-Su didn't know how much more his father could take. He was afraid he might have a heart attack. They shouldn't have allowed Taehyung in but his father had given the go signal to the guard.

Taehyung didn't utter a word or raise his head but Deok-Su could see that he was shaking and tears were falling from his eyes.

"They found her number! They have been calling her and harassing her for months! Do you know what they told her? They asked her to kill herself! They threatened to kill her if she didn't! Where were you during all this?" Chung-Hee's eyes were wide with anger and exasperation. He desperately wanted to inflict the injury that was inflicted on his daughter.

"I'm sorry..." Taehyung bowed lower. It was the first time he was hearing what happened and he felt a tight squeezing in his chest. He couldn't believe the words, and what Dae Eun had endured all this time. He had no idea. She was his responsibility and he was clueless.  He had taken things for granted, thinking that everything was okay. He couldn't stifle his sobs. His heart was breaking.

"I don't want to hear your apology! They're worthless! You're worthless! I have done all in my power to take care of my family, my daughter, and you come into her life and endanger her like this. What kind of a man are you? Did I entrust my daughter to someone who thinks only of himself? There is no forgiveness for you, Taehyung. None from me, none from this family!"

Cheul-Soo went beside Taehyung to help him up and lead him out. There was no way this situation would end well, and he needed his appa to calm down. Taehyung had to leave.

"Hyung, you need to go. We can't solve anything tonight. Please...." Cheul-Soo pulled Taehyung to his feet.

"Get out! I don't want to ever see you near my daughter again! Go before I do something you and I will both be sorry for!" Chung-Hee was shaking, trying to stop himself from beating up this man whom his daughter loved.

Taehyung stood up and looked at all of them. There was nothing for him to say because her father was right. He had professed his love to Dae Eun but he had done nothing to prove it. He looked at Dae Eun's appa with so much regret, but Chung Hee turned his back on him.

Taehyung walked defeated toward the door and left. Rain was pouring hard outside as he made his way to the SUV. He walked slowly, allowing the rain to soak him to the skin. He could no longer feel anything as he drove out of the Kwan home, out of Dae Eun's life.