We Happened

22. Sorpresa

Third person POV:
 
 
 
Taehyung packed for a while. The kids' clothes first, then back to their couple closet. Taehyung did shut the closet door, to have a moment for himself. Kids are watching TV as distraction. Being alone for a minute, it struck him again. Jeongguk cheated on him! The man that always showers Taehyung with love talks, the husband that nearly dies without Taehyung - cheated on Taehyung! Why it is so hard to know people? And so easy for people to betray?
   
 
 

Who'll Taehyung show this broken heart to? Why always him on the paining side? Today the news, the pictures killed Taehyung inside. Nothing left in him anymore, his soul is shattered - wrenched. His heart? Crushed into pieces. Only the shell of his body moving because it's needed for the kids.
   
 
 
Jeongguk never did let Taehyung stay away for a single night. Not even a single night in these years except Jeongguk had mandatory business trips. Taehyung going to his paternal house? Jeongguk is there before him. No restrictions, limitations or conditions in Taehyung's staying - it's just Jeongguk will stay too. He won't even let Taehyung drive , after office he'd pick them up for home. These memories bringing out choking sobs out of Taehyung.
     
    
    
Taehyung remembers a particular night, Hyunie was 5 months then. Jeongguk was in Japan for two days, and Taehyung thought it'll be better if he stays at Jin's with the kids. Jeongguk was supposed to come back the next morning and by then Taehyung would come back home too. But Jeongguk hurried his works there in Tokyo, came home the night before. It was late at night, and Taehyung had already slept without seeing Jeongguk's text that he has just landed in Korea. As it was supposed to be short surprise, Jeongguk didn't let Taehyung know before boarding in Japan, only after landing here. That night when Jeongguk didn't see his Taehyung and their children at home, he drove to Jin's at 2 in the morning. Only then he slept , after adoring the kids and being in Taehyung's arms. Someone tell Taehyung, was it all some act? Taehyung refuses to believe it, please anyone confirm it wasn't some act. Jeongguk really loved him.
   
     
    
Jeongguk is crazy about Taehyung. Not only night stay, Jeongguk didn't let his family away from him even in days. One day after Tae-ri's school, Taehyung took the kids to his paternal house as Jimin was whining to see his niece and nephew. Jeongguk was free that day, he could have slept in house in the meantime. Taehyung would have come back in some hours. But no, Jeongguk couldn't bear this much. He drove straight to Jin's, to have lunch with his family. Taehyung that day got playfully angry even, telling "aish lovesick like a teenager!". So? Today you tell Taehyung it was all lie? Jeongguk was seeing someone else at Tae's back?
   
   

Jeongguk never failed to make Taehyung smile, never ceased to make Taehyung feel special. He'll always bring something for Taehyung, from every business trip. He'd shower Tae with love everyday. Listening to each other, talking to each other about everything is their habit. Or as Taehyung thought. It was only one sided , as Taehyung got to know today. Jeongguk has hidden nearly everything from Taehyung. Where did they go wrong? What was the first day Jeongguk cheated? Did he hug Taehyung after getting home that day? He must have, because there wasn't a single day the couple haven't been close. Did Jeongguk give the same pleasure to his mistress that he always gives Taehyung? It's all foggy and messy in Taehyung's head.
   
    
      
One time Tae-ri had little tummy ache. Jeongguk couldn't stay at home for some meetings, he called home every 5 minutes, video calls. Even taking frequent breaks from his important business meetings. When it was unbearable for him to stay away after 2 hours of calling like this, he sent a car to pick Taehyung and the kids. So he took Taehyung and the kid's to his office. Kept them in the in-office suite till his earliest break, cancelling all other schedules. Jeongguk loves like that, adores like that. How come he cheated? How? Why? What was lacking in between them? It is only this year that Jeongguk got extremely busy with work, a bit like other normal lovers. Otherwise he was crazy about Taehyung, he still is after work. Maybe this year came as a bad omen for them. Tae only cried silently remembering all these. All these love talks, pillow talking, was everything a lie? Why they felt so real? Why they gave Taehyung butterflies? Why could Taehyung feel Jeongguk's goosebumps, blood rush, red ears, erratic heartbeats during their sweet whispers of love confession? A thousand nights they've passed in the same bed, naked and tangled up with each other under the same sheet.
  
 
 
The way Jeongguk loves their child. Tae-ri got the most undivided attention from her father. Hyunie was no less loved, Jeongguk would always make time for their children. Babies are crazy about their father, this bond just doesn't form out of nowhere. Parents has to be that gentle for children to be that crazy about parents. Hyunie Tae-ri Jeongguk has the most beautiful bond. Now someone else will get Jeongguk's attention, Taehyung isn't jealous about the new child of Jeongguk. Just thinking if he will love their Tae-ri or Hyunie any less. Those little babies won't be able to take it, it'll break their little hearts and give them trauma for life.
 
 
    
Taehyung walks towards the part of Jeongguk's side of closet. Jeongguk's recently worn sweatshirts, button up shirts hanging. Still warm with Jeongguk's body warmth, Jeongguk's manly husk lingering on the fabric. Taehyung took one of the shirt, and sniffed it. This scent is his home, Jeongguk is his home. Jeongguk always says Taehyung is his only home, was it all a lie? Was he someone else's home too? Did Jeongguk hug Jennie the same way he does to Taehyung? Jeongguk hugs like no other, Taehyung can rest his head plain on those tattooed strong biceps and forget about the world, did Jeongguk give the same comfort to his mistress too?
   
          
      
No kinds of thoughts are helping Taehyung. Everything is seeming like an illusion to him. This life, this agony - is it all a bad dream? If he wakes up will Taehyung find himself on Jeongguk's chest? Will Jeongguk wake up too , like he always does when Taehyung moves even a little? Won't Jeongguk comfort him with kisses and sweet words? Why can't it be a dream, just a dream? Taehyung with anger pinched his wrists, pinched his hands. It wasn't working, he isn't waking up from this bad dream. Taehyung rolled up his top's sleeves, pinching his body with full forces. In some places it's making cuts, but Taehyung is adamant that this is just a bad dream. He'll force himself to wake up, Jeongguk can't cheat on him. Jeongguk can't. Taehyung loves Jeongguk.
      
   
  
Pinches weren't working, so Taehyung started slapping his own face. With all his might. "WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP TAEHYUNG. WAKE UP PLEASE. SOMEONE WAKE ME UP, THIS ISN'T TRUE", Taehyung was screaming.
    
   
  
He slapped and pinched his body until he couldn't anymore. All energy drained, Taehyung thumped down on the floor while badly crying.
   
    
  
This is reality, not a dream at all. Taehyung cried hugging Jeongguk's shirt closer to his chest. This man is his husband! How come Jeongguk cheated on him after two kids? Didn't Jeongguk remember Taehyung's face or their children's before wrecking his own home? And now Jeongguk has another baby with another person, these thoughts making Taehyung wanting to die.
   
 
  
Taehyung doesn't know how long he has cried, he eventually got up. He has a lot of work to do. They've flight at 2 in the morning. It's already 7pm.
   
 
    
Taehyung packed his clothes, leaving Jeongguk's. Not like he didn't want to, but the whiff of Jeongguk's smell lingering on those clothes was the reason. The scent reminded Taehyung again and again of his broken home, lost husband.
      
 
   
Taehyung finished packing,then heated the leftovers for dinner. He has to feed the kids, no energy or will left to cook something new. Good bless the little babies for being so understanding. Normally they don't keep still even while watching TV too - bickering, biting, stealing each other's toys is common. But today Tae-ri is calm, so Hyunie too had to be calm forcefully! With whom you fight when your enemy is calm?
    
  
 
Feeding them, changing them into light clothes and then putting them to sleep. It was a lot of work, Taehyung doesn't want to wake any of the kids before going to airport, they'll be super cranky.
    
    
  
When the kids slept, it was Taehyung alone. He just slumped on the couch until 11, doing nothing at all. Only tears trailed down his eyes. He forcefully closed his eyes, forced himself to think about a movie's story. May his mind be diverted. But was it really possible? Taehyung could only remember sad movies, where the protagonists leave each other in despair. Taehyung again sobbed, then wiped his tears dry. Again sobbed with a new memory played out in his brain, again tried to hide his cries from himself.
 
 
 
Taehyung finally got up and changed. He has no appetite to eat. He asked the driver to bring the car out at 12. Taehyung loaded their bags, then went for the kids. When he was lifting Tae-ri, she mumbled sleepily. She thought it's her papa, "papa gwoon nwite"
 
 
 
Taehyung: it's ma, baby. Sleep tight *kissing*