from me to you. → kth | ✓

43.

[🥂] chapter forty-three: i'd die for you

WE CONTINUED TO see each other more and more since then. Every week, we'd have another wholesome date. It's safe to say that I've started falling for this man.

Hoseok continued to keep a flexible schedule to help look after Haneul from time to time and speaking of Haneul, he has grown so well. He is now a month old and a perfect one. He rarely cries and we recently hit a milestone together when he raised his head during supervised tummy time. Hoseok did all the crying, I promise.

Anyway, today is the day we begin the project. I can't help but feel inevitable excitement as the expected knock can be heard at my front door.

I waddle over to it and try to put on my best, 'I definitely wasn't standing here waiting for you' face. As soon as I open it, Sicheng is waiting there with a warm smile on his face.

"Aera, how have you been?" He asks, reaching over to give me a tight hug. "You look great."

"Thank you." I smile back, giving him a little twirl. I'm wearing a strawberry mini dress, but not too 'mini' to the extent that it is no longer modest. I just needed something comfy but fashionable, so I paired it with my white slides. "I could say the same for you."

Instinctively, he looks down at himself. "What about me?"

He's wearing a black coat that covers the deep, black Nirvana t-shirt that is tucked into a pair of light brown slacks. He takes his New Balance trainers off at the point where visitors' shoes go and steps in.

"You don't look too bad yourself."

He rubs both hands together. "Where's the little guy?"

I laugh. "Wouldn't you like some type of refreshment first?"

"Nope." He responds, popping the 'p'. He jogs over to the support chair Haneul is sitting in. Said baby has toys around him, he's probably sitting on most of them, but he's instead occupied with realising he has fingers and toes. As I dressed him with little mittens, he can't help but start to get frustrated when he can't reach his fingers. His face scrunches up and this is one of the rare moments where he gets fussy and decides to cry.

"Oh, no no no." Sicheng murmurs, cooing at him as he carefully picks him up.

I immediately walk over and offer to take him but once he calms down I put my hands down.

"You really have a way with everyone." I muse.

He smirks, then asks, "Do you mind if I take him for a little walk in my arms around the house? I don't mean to invade your space, so I totally understand if you don't want me to."

I think about it briefly and nod. "It's fine. Go ahead."

I spend the majority of my time downstairs prepping things and bringing out the rightful documents for the project.

I have a feeling both he and Haneul are fine, as while I don't hear any crying, I can hear snippets of his alluring voice and he sounds virtually calm. My biggest guess is he put him to sleep.

I remain focused on the work for another good five minutes when there's another knock on the door. At first, I assume it was Hoseok coming home from another day at work, but I remember that the job he has currently requires him to be at least three hours' driving distance away from where we live.

Who else could it possibly be, then? I don't think I'm expecting any packages soon, but Hoseok said he would be.

I wonder what he's ordered this time.

I swing the door wide open and almost shut it just as quickly. Standing on my doorstep with a blank look on his face and a packet of neatly filed, most likely freshly printed documents creasing in his clenched fist is Kim Taehyung.

He shoves his foot between the crack, ultimately stopping the door.

"Get your foot out of my door before I call the police." I hiss between tightly clenched teeth.

"And I'll tell them I've got my lawyer." He responds, leaning to the side so I can see Jaebeom's awkward, shy wave as he sits in the parked car they came in.

"What do you want from me? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Unfortunately, you're still connected to my unfinished business." He says, raising the document to my eye level.

In bold, black ink states 'DIVORCE PETITION', so I reluctantly let him in.

"You really got that petition, huh." I can't help but mutter.

"Yes, I did." He says.

"Well, be quick. I have a visitor and they can't know you exist."

He scoffs. "What, so I embarrass you now?"

"Yes, quite frankly, you do," I say.

"I can't say the same." He grits out, showing me the wedding band he still wears.

Guilt trickles into my heart, pumping itself through my bloodstream.

"Before I let you read through this, there's something you should know." He begins. "The whole reason you're tied into this is, well-"

"Come on, Taehyung, you were never one to stutter." I encourage.

"It's hard to say, okay? In simple terms, as simple as I can go, you're erm- you're mother,"

"My mother?"

"Shekilledmymother."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

Just as he's about to repeat himself, and I mean, his lips had already parted, we both hear a loud THUD coming from upstairs.

I immediately rush upstairs and don't even bother asking Taehyung to stop following me.

The sound comes from my bedroom.

I slowly walk over and find Sicheng kneeling over my dresser. It's scattered and the drawers had all been pulled out. He turns around slowly and pulls something else out after getting to his feet- a gun.

I start stepping back and Taehyung stands closer to me.

"Nobody has to get hurt. Just listen to what he has to say." He murmurs in my ear.

How can he stay so calm?

"Where is it?"

"What?"I ask in total bewilderment. It barely comes out as a whisper as I can barely fathom what is going on.

"Tell me where the notebook is!"

He looks manic and frantic, no longer the sweet, friendly, potential partner after my divorce is complete.

"Go make sure the baby is safe," Taehyung says to me. Then, he directs his voice back to Sicheng. "She doesn't know. I took it."

"Then give it to me, now!"

"Taehyung, what are you doing? You're going to get shot!"

"So you do care about me."

The very second he turns to say that, the gun goes off and he makes a run for it. Haneul starts wailing, Taehyung is on his knees clutching his side and I'm in shock. I rush over to him and search for my phone at the same time, immediately dialling 112.

"Why did you just stand there you dumb idiot," I whisper, attempting to stay calm and failing miserably.

He smiles and winces in pain. So much is going on at once and that's all he can do?

"I'd die for you."