not what you think

viii: n-9

His hand outreaches for their prized fairytale book, read since very young days, primed to flatten under the covers in a late December night, where asteroids and the hovering spherical body aren't devoid from their visual perception.

"Taehyung, how long will it take to bring it down? You're even taller and you're using the makeshift stair," Taekyung quizzes in boredom, simultaneously tapping her left foot.

"Kyung noona, right now I'm soiled with dwarfism. Give me another few years and I'll reach the books up there with ease," Taehyung says, tip of the tongue jutting out in effort to extend his hand for the book.

"Goodness, you remind me of that one song."

"What song?", Taehyung asks, just stowing his index finger on the apex of the book's spine, airily pulling it.

"When they sing about who's taller."

"Let me bring the book down and then we'll talk," Taehyung clutches the book afar in last effort, before nearly losing the book's balance and nearly trickles down the hilt.

"There's your book. Can we go now? Omma might walk down anytime if we talk here."

"Let's go," Taekyung tethers her hand with Taehyung's and treads down the black and cream marble floor, to their shared cubicle.

"Let's get under the covers with the cookies halmoni made," Taehyung skips to the cookie jar stowed atop the dual study bench.

"Come on, I've opened the book," Taekyung refers to the Beauty and the Beast encased in her hands.

Taehyung skips to cover, hands already inside the jar to gnaw on the delicacy.

"Take one, noona," Taehyung hands her sister one.

"Thank you, I'll start reading."

"Please do," Taehyung chortles with a cheshire grin, "but before you start, what song were you talking about?"

"Oh that? It's taller than you," Taekyung says while stowing the book on her lap, shrouded by the covers till her hip.

"Okay. I guess we can start," Taehyung seats himself beside his sibling, viewing the first page expectantly.

"Alright," Taekyung heaves a profound breath, "One upon a time-"

"Is it two dearest voices I hear at this hour of the night?", a voice of what can be said belonging to an elderly woman.

Both siblings audibly gasp, albeit muffled by their palms, at the sight of their beloved grandmother.

"Halmoni, come in!", Taehyung levers her wheelchair inside the room, and stows it near his queen sized bed.

"Is this your favorite book I see?", the woman asks while Taehyung levers on the handle of the wheelchair.

"Yes. You can sleep in my bed, halmoni, I'll share with noona," Taehyung says while placing his grandmother with ease whilst Taekyung grasps her head to place it good-naturedly on the pillow.

"Thank you dears. Is it the same book with the girl Belle the bookworm?"

"Yes," Taekyung voices.

"How I loved to read it to you both when you were two and she was five," the older woman releases a sigh in endearment.

"Now look at you two, being all grown up, growing bigger my hands that could hold you till a few years ago."

"You can still hug us, you know," Taekyung gesticulates a gentle hug, followed by her brother.

"That I can always do," she verbalizes while relishing the homeliness of her grandchildren.

"Now back to reading, noona," Taehyung gets comfortable under the cover, his sister in tow. After resuming her position before, the young lady starts leafing through the pages.