Sound of Winter || Taegyu

Chapter Thirteen

The sunshine streams through the windows, casting a golden glow on everything that it touches. The birds chip happily outside, flitting from tree to tree in search of food. The warm breeze stirs the trees outside, causing their leaves to rustle gently. And while it's a beautiful and carefree day, Taehyun feels the exact opposite as he sits on the couch with an untouched cup of coffee. He feels the weight of sadness pressing down on him, the bright day outside only serving to highlight the heavy feeling in his chest.

He can't help but feel out of place, even as the world around him bathes in sunlight and joy. In his heart, all he can feel is a sense of hopelessness that no amount of sunshine could dispel. He takes a deep breath, trying to ignore the sounds of the birds chirping and children laughing, only mocking his misery.

He grabs the television remote, turning up the volume in an effort to drown out his own thoughts. The news broadcasts stories of missing people, car accidents, the weather, and political scandals, but Taehyun can't bring himself to focus on any of it. He had hoped that the police would have found some clue, some indication of where Beomgyu had gone. But everyday, his heart sinks as the news comes on with no mention of Beomgyu. Fliers litter their city, posted at every park and alleyway within miles of their home.

Day in and day out, he sits on the couch and waits for any sign of Beomgyu. His eyes never leave the screen, even when he dozes off in the early hours of the morning and Soobin has to turn off the television for him. His phone constantly goes off with calls from news reporters, begging for some intel on Beomgyu to make headlines with.

The world around him continues to spin despite the fact that his world has come to a stop.

"Are you trying to bust my eardrums?" Soobin attempts to lighten the mood, grabbing the remote off of the couch and adjusting the volume.

Soobin sits down on the couch beside him and pulls Taehyun into his side. Neither of them say anything. The silence is heavy, but not uncomfortable. It's the kind of silence that comes from familiarity, from being comfortable enough around someone that words aren't necessary. Soobin's mere presence is enough to put Taehyun at ease, to remind him that he's not alone.

"Why don't you go take a shower? It might make you feel a bit better," Soobin suggests, rubbing Taehyun's arm comfortingly. "Then we could go to the park, maybe put up some more fliers?"

Taehyun nods and with a heavy sigh, finally pushes himself off the couch after hours of wallowing in his own misery. As he makes his way up the stairs, he stops at the stop, gazing at all of the photos of him and Beomgyu on the wall. Staring at the grainy images on paper transports him back to the moments they were taken, seeing his smile and hearing his laugh as if it were only yesterday. But the reality of life without Beomgyu is suffocating. They used to spend hours taking pictures, capturing the special moments that made their love so precious. Those moments feel hollow now with no one to share them with. The pain of his absence grows stronger as Taehyun stares at the pictures, his heart sinking with every passing second. He longs for Beomgyu's touch, his laughter, his warmth. He's lost part of himself, and as much as he tries to hold on to the memories, they slowly slip away.

The journey to the bathroom takes forever, and with each step, the weight of sadness bears down on him more. He finally locks himself in the bathroom, leaning heavily on the cool surface of the sink. Looking up at his reflection was a mistake, the person staring back at him looking broken and defeated, almost making him cry.

He can't take the sadness anymore, needing to escape his own feelings, even if only for a little while. With a deep breath, he slowly walks over and starts the shower. He undresses himself, shedding the layers of clothing that witness the depths of his sadness, and steps inside. The warm water rains down upon his skin, drowning out the sounds of the outside world and allowing him to feel enveloped in his own private space.