The Witness ➳ Taegyu

17. Mrs. Choi

Regardless of the mental anguish they put him through, Beomgyu couldn't help but cry. He cried and cried, standing at the bathroom sink as he heard nurses and patients walking outside. At any moment, someone could walk in and see him, but he told himself it wouldn't matter. It was a hospital. People cried all the time.

People who lost someone.

Beomgyu didn't lose anyone.

He stood straight, finally calming his tears to stare at his reflection for a while. Why was he so upset? His father was fine. In fact, he would most likely be awake in a few hours.

"They're called Black Reaper."

That group has done nothing but make his life miserable. Even if one of the commanders has protected him and been like a friend to him, he didn't think of it having anything to do with the group. Taehyun was not a member anymore. Him being Beomgyu's friend wasn't a gift sent from Black Reaper. They've done nothing but wrong him.

He was so upset because of Black Reaper, he realized. It was because of them that his dad was here in the first place. It was because of them that he couldn't go to school, graduate, and have normal interactions with his friends. He couldn't go out in public without fearing for his life. He felt guilt for the lives lost in order to protect him.

For what?

Why did they have to die just to protect him? What was so special about him?

"Kid, there's some people here to talk to you," a medical assistant said after opening the bathroom door. "They said they're your friends from school. Do you want to talk to them?"

Beomgyu's eyes finally lit up and he thanked him hurriedly before running passed him. Standing just down the hall were his three friends from school, and he threw himself onto the first one he could get to, who happened to be Kai.

"What happened?" Yeonjun asked. "That guy from the police station said your dad got shot. Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's doing fine now. Sorry I hurried here without saying anything."

"We're the last people you should be worrying about right now," Soobin said, giving him a hug. "How is your mom?"

Speak of the Devil. The woman walked up behind the three boys and they all turned around. "Mom, these are my friends from school. I've told you about them, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Which one is which?" They all introduced themselves to her and she shook their hands. "It's nice to finally meet all of you. Beomgyu, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Outwardly, ne nodded, but he internally sighed. Those words normally did not mean something good.

He always thought her reaction to his friends would be bad. Yeonjun had tattoos, Soobin liked wearing dark or sparkly makeup, and Kai... well, Kai didn't have anything to him that wasn't "normal". It's not like his mom was conservative or anything. She just didn't like anything that could potentially spell danger for Beomgyu. He assumed the dark makeup part of it was because it was a stereotype for people who liked rock music. But in Beomgyu's experience, people who liked rock music were the kindest souls you would ever meet.

Once they made it to a secluded area, her concern was about his friends, but not about what he thought. "How did they know the hospital? Did you tell them?"

"I- no."

That's not what he should have said.

"Then how did they know?"

"That guy from the police station said your dad got shot. Is he okay?"

It had to have been Taeyong.

"No, wait. I did tell them." Beomgyu was horrible at lying, and his mom saw through it immediately.

***

"Stop!" Beomgyu yelled while being dragged out of the hospital by his mom. "What are you doing?!"

She forced it out of him. Who told his friends about the hospital, who Taeyong was, how he knew him, and finally, why he was hanging around the police in the first place. Beomgyu could never hide anything from her. She was brilliant normally, but she was his mom, and she could see through anything.

"You're not going back there! You're not safe!"

He finally ripped his arm from hee grasp and she turned to face him. "That's not your decision to make, so stop trying. I'm not going home with you."

"So you would rather be stuck being protected for a while? Black Reaper is not going down anytime soon. You're gonna be protected forever."

"I'd rather be protected by him than by you and dad!" He seethed, not faltering at all when she teared up. "At least he lets me have freedom while protecting me. You never did! Never! When I told him about you, he asked if I wanted to press charges against you and dad. That's how fucked up our relationship is. Do you not see that?!"

Him. She didn't know Taehyun's name, and he was planning on keeping it that way.

A car pulled up next to them in the parking lot and the passenger door was opened. "Get in Beomgyu." It was Taehyun's voice, and Beomgyu didn't care enough to wonder how the hell he got all the way here. It was probably because of the other captains.

"I came here to make sure dad was okay. That's all I care about. But whenever I try to be good to you and maybe fix our relationship, you have to ruin it. Do you not care about me? You want me to be as safe no matter what, but you don't care about my mental health. You never did!"

"I always did! I always wanted what was best for you! That's why I protected you all these years! That's why I always made sure you were okay!"

Tears were falling from Beomgyu's eyes now and Taehyun got out of the car. "You made my life living Hell! Both you and dad! That's why I left and found people who actually care about my mental health! You always protected me, but you never protected me against myself, did you?! What if I killed myself?! It would have been your fault! I hate y-"

A hand covered his mouth and he struggled against Taehyun who was holding him back against his body. "Stop. Please don't say it." Beomgyu tried to get away, but Taehyun pulled him to the car with his hand still over his mouth. "My name is Kang Taehyun. I'm with the police. I'm in charge of protecting him," he explained to the woman.

But she didn't say anything, running back inside while crying after what Beomgyu said. "Let go of me!" He screamed when Taehyun accidentally moved his hand. He started kicking backwards at Taehyun's body, making the boy groan in pain. "Let go! I hate you too! I hate you!"

Taehyun stopped moving when his back hit the car, but didn't let go of Beomgyu. "Calm down-"

"Shut up! None of this concerns you! Just leave me alone!" He cried. "Go back home! This is my life! Don't act like my parents!" He whispered, "please."

The word came out calm, yet incredibly sad, and Taehyun moved around to just hug him. Beomgyu didn't do anything, letting his head rest on his shoulder and staring up at the hospital. His mom was seriously gonna go back to her old ways. She was seriously about to practically abduct him to keep him safe.

His lip quivered and he buried his face in Taehyun's neck, needing comfort while he cried. "That's it," Taehyun whispered when Beomgyu hugged him back. "You're okay."

A/N: Slay.