FAUX LOVE

☆[17]☆

MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄❤️

~20231225

Taehyung got out of the expensive store, disappointed yet again. The excitement of shopping for someone else other than himself that he felt prior slowly fading away.

He took a deep breath, stuffing his hand deep inside his coat pockets as he looked around the mall. He sighed before making his way to to parking lot and drove back to his penthouse.

He couldn't come to a conclusion even with the number of times he involuntarily looked around almost every shop in Seoul city on his way back home to find a perfect present to the man he was grateful for.

When Taehyung heard his father utter those words the morning, even though he knew deep down just how much he has to thank the other, he was preoccupied fighting the demons in his mind. His father's words worked like a switch and a warm bath that followed it put him in a good mood.

All the worries evaporated into the air along with the steam that surrounded him. And the moment he saw his reflection smiling at him, he knew what he wanted to do to the person behind it.

Few minutes after the thought, he found himself driving to the mall feeling giddy. Shopping-- his next favourite thing to do after painting and that too for someone who isn't himself. But after a long journey of trying to find the right piece he ended up returning home with empty hands and heart filled with dismay.

He punched the code with an almost pout on his lips, reminiscing the failure of a day. He flumped on the sofa, throwing his head back. "You know what? It's okay." He shrugged his shoulders and fishes out his phone.

"I don't have to give something to thank him." He assured himself, scrolling through the contacts mindlessly. "Let's keep it simple. I will text him. Ya. That's more my thing." He raved nodding to himself, clicking on Jungkook's contact.

The hard wall around the cocksure side of him started crumbling when his mind recalled the past events. His eyes mechanically turned to look at the beautiful painting embellishing the living room. "I really have a lot of things to be grateful for. Aren't I?"

He let out a deep sigh and threw his phone far away from the sofa he was in; out of reach so his hands won't itch to opt for the easy way.

That night he fell asleep thinking about what to give him as the last thought. He saw some of the expensive things to meaningful things but nothing felt right. Nothing felt enough.

If it was back then, he would've bought those beautiful expensive cufflinks that caught his picky eyes in Cartier. A return gift for the painting. But things changed and it wasn't just about being civil anymore. He noticed the changes but categorised them into being 'grateful' for that night, choosing to ignore the truth about his walls cracking under the dark layers of his heart.

Taehyung was feeling very lazy and worn out the next morning even with all the rest he took the previous day; it's all in the head and mindset. He almost wanted to give up until he looked his mother's picture on his nightstand.

'Everything will fall into place.'

He smiled as her voice echoed his mind. He caressed her picture before taking a long breath and smiled to himself feeling refreshed all of a sudden. He carefully placed the picture back in it's place before getting up from the bed.

He felt a tug on his silk robe and looked back to find it stuck to one of the drawers of the nightstand. He casually pulled on his robe; the action accidentally opening the drawer. He was about to walk away when his eyes landed on something in the drawer.