Broken & Ruined | TAEKOOK

thirteen

While Joonsun was busy watching TV, laughing from a ridiculous channel, Taehyung asked his sister if she would want to do something outside. It's always no safe place around their father's presence. Too afraid he'll do something again for a sudden and no adequate reason at all. Even though he's sober today, Taehyung can not guarantee he'll not throw a hand when he wants to.

Yeojin nods and tells him she wants to play with other kids. He nods with a smile in response and guides her outside to meet her friends: kids around her age who are not yet aware of what matters and not; those who don't care who they play with and just do what they think they want and can. Taehyung's glad Yeojin has made friends and is happily oblivious. He doesn't want her to reach his age with the same mindset he has grown into to choose not to study but work and help their mother to provide for their needs. He wants her to study, get an education, and grow up privileged to live the way she wants.

Right. He always forgets how old he only is. Too mature for his age, too young to be awoken by terrible real life. And he doesn't want to take Yeojin's childhood away from her the way reality did to him. He's an older brother after all. From the very start, he's got the responsibility.

While waiting for her friends, "Mommy was too worried about you, TaeTae. Where did you go?" She asks.

Taehyung only replies, "Somewhere a bit far. I was lost."

"She pushed me away too after you," she tells him. Taehyung curiously looks at her, waiting for more details.

Right, after he ran away and assaulted the storm, he has no idea what happened to them next. "Papa held her. Pulled her inside then.." She pauses, ".. I don't know what happened next. I was so scared, Tae-tae. Mommy was wailing and yelling." Taehyung caught liquids welling in her little eyes. He could imagine how scared she was. Usually, he would be there to comfort her or try to avert her attention from something or cover her eyes and ears so she wouldn't see it and hear less of everything. Even if it confuses her, he would just smile and tells her to wait until they stop. But he wasn't there last night to do that.

".. I waited until they stop," she added, then a couple of tears trailed down her cheeks. Taehyung hugged her, tight. And Yeojin cried even more.

"I'm sorry, Yeojin," he tells her. "I'm sorry." He apologizes for not being there. For leaving her because he too was so scared and did not know what to do, so he only did as he was told. For being not strong and brave enough to fight back. For letting her see it on her own and hear everything. For letting her be so terrified and helpless. He apologizes for everything. He too was helpless as her older brother.

*

Rihye arrives at the patrol station where it is said that the perpetrators were taken. She busted in and immediately asked the nearest staff she saw there, "Where are the assholes?"

The woman, one of the patrol members of their jurisdiction was taken by surprise upon the arrival of a ravaging woman in her 30s. "Excuse, ma'am. Who are you referring to?" The staff asked, confused.

"The pigs who wronged my son! Where are these animals!?" She couldn't help her a bit strident voice to raise, causing the staff to be more surprised. Other staff appeared from nowhere and asked what is happening. The man in his patrol uniform with a captain badge on his chest approached them.

"What's the commotion here?" He asked. Rihye immediately turned to him to ask where are the criminals that did his son dirty. The tears welling in her eyes fell when she matched her gaze at the captain. She begged him to let her see them.