𝐋𝐄𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐔𝐒 [𝐓𝐊]

Chapter 4

Alius Error

Another mistake

From that night onward, Jungkook began to open up a lot more with his angel.

The first few nights, he wouldn't know how to start so he invited his angel to read his book with him, sitting by his left side on the bed. Then, on what he'd hoped would be a particularly good day, his parents thought it would be a great idea to propose having a picnic in the backyard. He refused, and then again when they asked him why. It was not a good day after that. That's when he started to speak. Because he needed to.

He couldn't talk to his parents because he'd noticed they were acting guiltily, being cautious around him and with him. Telling them how he felt would only make it worse for them and he refused to do that. But he also couldn't let the pain take him under if he didn't want them sad. So he told his angel about everything while the radio played on and on as it had been since the day he got back home.

One night, he told him about the fear he'd developed of the forest. And he told him "It'll pass."

The next one, he told him about how guilty he felt for what he'd done to his parents. And he told him again "It'll pass."

The night after that, he told him how lonely he felt sometimes when he remembered his parents' lies and how ashamed he was for feeling so. And, once more, he told him "It'll pass."

Jungkook asked him why he always began his answers with the same phrase. And he finally said; "Because love is greater than fear. It gives warmth to loneliness. Brightness to sadness. And clears away the shame. Love is the most powerful feeling. Let love guide you and you'll be fine."

It was easier after that. The week following the start of their conversations was highlighted by his willingness to go outside again. His parents were taken aback by the sudden request, and then they cheered brightly, organizing everything to have a picnic at the park instead of their backyard. Jungkook's heart raced like a horse when his mother began to roll his wheelchair to the front door, but he kept his smile in place, even if he knew it looked a bit panicky.

They were with him the whole time, not just physically. His mother held his left hand whenever she could and his father ruffled his hair and distracted him by telling jokes once they were sitting on a picnic table at the park. They never once made him feel alone or guilty, the food was tasty, the sun was bright, and, for the first time since the accident a month and a half ago, he cried happy tears as he told his angel about his day that same night.

As it had been the second week after leaving the hospital, on Saturday, they all went back for his cheek up. It went wonderfully, the doctor was surprised by how still he could be and how he remembered to do the exercises for his right hand. He told him he could move on to painting with long strokes to get his hand used to the position of holding something like a pencil and to keep taking his medicine.

Every time they could, the three of them or just him and his mother would take a stroll around the neighborhood. In doing so, they noticed another family had arrived at a house closest to the cemetery. Then another one arrived at the one closest to the park on the other side. But still, they were the only ones closest to the forest. One day, on a whim of inspiration, Jungkook told his mother to take them to the cemetery, and he finally gave thanks to the man who heard he needed help.

Every day was better than the last. Until one bad day came and he went back to square one. He pushed his luck too far when he thought he was ready to open his window. But he wasn't ready. His parents got even more worried when he told them he didn't want dinner. They tried very hard to make him open up to them, but he simply couldn't bring himself to do it. They lay with him, cried with him, and held him close, being very gentle.