Love In Contract | Taekook

Chapter 19

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TAEHYUNG'S POV

Harin bolts out of the house the second she sees us pull into the driveway. Jungkook smiles in the passenger seat, and it's the first sign of emotion from him all morning. He was quiet while we packed his boxes into my SUV, and he hasn't said much aside from whispering words of comfort to loki inside his travel case.
I feel awful, as if I'm forcing Jungkook to live with me-despite the fact that he chose to do this, and is being compensated. Nerves eat away at my
stomach.
Will this plan work?
Will my grandfather believe the façade and leave us alone?
How will Harin handle this when Jungkook moves out?

My daughter hops on her bare feet in the driveway waiting for Jungkook to
step outside. She's been so excited to meet loki, and I can't help but chuckle as she peers inside the carrier when Jungkook holds it up in front of her.
"He's beautiful," Harin whispers.
Jungkook crouches down in front of her. "He's a little scared right now. He might need some time to get used to his new living space."
"Then I can hold him?"
"Then you can hold him."
Harin tugs on Jungkook's hand as she stands. "Come on. We have to show you the surprise."

"Hold on, baby girl." I pop the trunk as I round the vehicle. "Let us get
settled first. Then you can do the big reveal." Harin squeals, her tiny hands balling into fists as she shakes. "Hurry!" "Keep her out of the room, Annie," I call as she stands waiting in the doorway. Annie grins. "On it."

I carry everything inside and stack Jungkook's boxes in his new room. I
debated on which of the three guest rooms to give him, and ended up opting for the one farthest from Harin's room. Sometimes she wakes up from a nightmare, or cries out for me if she's scared, and I'd hate for Jungkook to get woken up in the middle of the night. Jungkook's eyes bounce around the room as he sets loki's case on the bed.

"I hope this is okay." I scratch the back of my neck. "Feel free to decorate it in any way you want. Hang pictures on the wall, or change the comforter."
"It's fine the way it is." Jungkook looks at me for what feels like the first
time today. "Don't stress it."
I heave a sigh and shake my head.
"I-"

"It's time for the surprise!" Harin bursts into the room and bounces
on the bed, sticking her nose against the metal door separating her from
Loki. "Hi, kitty! You're so pretty. You look so soft. I can't wait to hold you.
Tannie wants to meet you too. I hope you get along, not like Tom and Jerry."
"Rin." I kneel down at the foot of the bed. "What did we talk about? You can't barge into Jungkook's room. You have to knock first." Harin's big eyes fly up to Jungkook. "Sorry."
"It's okay." Jungkook holds out his hand for Harin. "Let's see that
surprise you've been telling me about."

My stomach clenches as I follow them into the hallway, nerves eating away at me in anticipation.
"Close your eyes," Harin says.
Jungkook glares at me over his shoulder before he complies.
"Don't let me walk into a wall, kid."
Harin giggles. "I won't."
They stop in front of the closed door of one of the other guest rooms,
and Harin counts down from three.

"Three, two, one." She twists the doorknob and flings open the door.
"Open your eyes!"
Light floods in from the windows on the opposite side of the room, and
Jungkook squints as he steps inside.
"It's an art room," Harin explains, gesturing to the easel.
"You can paint in here." I wait for Jungkook's reaction, watching as his eyes bounce from the different brands of paint on the wooden work table, to the dozens of paint brushes standing in the holder I found at the craft store, to the blank canvases stacked against the wall. I didn't know there were so many kinds of paint, and wasn't sure which kind he preferred...so I bought them all.

"I don't..." He blinks up at me. "I haven't painted in so long."
"I know." I swallow, slipping my hands into my pockets. "You said you
used to love it, so I figured you could have your own creative space to do it
again. Maybe even make a piece to hang in your own gallery one day."
He walks over to the table and runs his fingers over the bristles of the
paint brushes.