Closer than Ever

Chapter 84 - Busan

Taehyung's parents seem completely shocked by the news that we are expecting a baby. The tension in the room is almost unbearable, and his father sounds like he is barely controlling his anger as he says, "Kim Taehyung, I am surprised by your carelessness. You, of all people, should have known better."

I see Tae's face flush and his chin is jutting out. "I'm not a poor young farmer, abeoji. I'm not a high school student. My situation is very different, as you surely know."

"You have the knowledge and means to solve this problem, which we did not have at the time." His father looks stern and angry.

"I told you, abeoji, this child is not a problem. We are going to be a proper family, and the baby will have all of our love. I would never regret having my child, or abandon him or her to be raised in another home!" 

"You have advantages! You have wealth and position! You should know better than to bring further disgrace on the memory of your grandparents by behaving in this fashion! A child conceived out of wedlock? And with a foreigner? All of your money and fame hasn't cleared you of misfortune, apparently!" Taehyung's father is shouting now. I glare at him, too angry to care that I'm probably making a bad impression even worse.

"Disgrace? How was any of that my fault? How can I be blamed for my own birth?! I didn't ask you to have sex as students, father! I didn't ask to be banished to my grandparents, and raised apart from my siblings! They still refuse to call me "hyung" or "oppa," did you know that?! They are ashamed to be related to me! I could bring home a hundred Grammys and be elected president of South Korea, and they would still be ashamed! And YOU TAUGHT THEM THAT!!"

I get up from the table, bow quickly, and flee the house, completely overwhelmed.

The shouting crescendos and decrescendos for about three more minutes, and then Taehyung comes slamming out of the front door, angry tears streaming down his face. I am leaning against the concrete wall, near the front gate of the compound, completely shaken. He walks over and hangs his head, tears dripping down onto the concrete pad under our feet.

"Oh, love..." I say, and wrap my arms around him. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. That was so unfair..."

He clings to me, his shoulders shaking as he silently weeps. After a minute, I gently lead him over to a garden bench and we sit down. He tips over and buries his face in my lap, and I cradle his head in my arms and rock him from side to side. "You are a wonderful person, Kim Taehyung. You are brilliant and talented. You are sweet and hilarious. You are so worthy of love and respect. Millions of people love and respect you. I love and respect you. You are an amazing man, Taehyung-ah. You are not defined by the circumstances of your birth. You have risen so far above that. Please know how wonderful you are, babe. Please know how much I love you..."

I hear the front door open, and look over to lock eyes with his mom. She takes in the scene, and retreats back into the house.

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Taehyung has a strangely watchful look on his face as he asks if I want to come to the Expo concert. "I would love to, babe, but why are you making that face?"

"I, uh, I invited my parents, too. Surprisingly, they said that they would come. Is it OK if you sit next to them?"

I feel slightly sick to my stomach, suddenly. "Uh, do you think that's a good idea?"

His tongue darts out of his mouth, and he winces. "I'm not sure. But we have to try, right?"

I study his face. "Well, I'll try for your sake, love. Do you think there's any chance that they'll come around, though? Your dad in particular seemed completely dead set against the marriage and the baby, both. I'm not sure that sitting next to them for a couple of hours will change anything."