Broken & Ruined | TAEKOOK

thirty

He continued combing the street after street but still couldn't find her. As he attempts, he realizes he got to the blocks where they used to live. As he surveyed the directions and appearance of the old road he used to trail, a glimpse of his past flashed before his eyes. The times when he's there running, crying, escaping from his cruel father, and then asking for help in the middle of the night when he attempted to get away from the strong grip of unknown assholes who dragged him to the darkness. Everything went fresh as if he was there again. As if he's living in it again.

"Yeojin," he breathed, hitching a breath. He can't let it happen to his sister too. He can't let her experience what he has experienced. He promised. He swore to let her live just like other kids─ do whatever she wishes with no worries─ which life was stolen from him. Even though his heart was heavy, he entered the street and headed to their old address, hoping he would see her there. There might be a chance that their father would take her back there since it was the only home he used to come to.

His hands were trembling, and so was his breath. He balled his fingers into a fist and heaved deep breath before he faced their old house. Just like how they left it, it looked scrap and unfixed. Except it looked more abandoned. The door was broken, getting infested with termites. The patches on the wall deteriorated and worn out. He was about to step in and open the door when his phone rang.

His heart raced and immediately answered the call as soon as he saw the name on his phone. "Yeojin! Where did you go!? I was worried sick! I kept looking for you!" He boomed as soon as he answered.

"I'm sorry Tae-Tae, I missed your calls. I was just out with─"

"Where are you!?" He retorted.

"I-I'm home. I just got home."

"I'm on my way back. Stay there and lock the door. Don't open it until it's me. You got me?" He ordered.

"Okay, but I'm─" not even letting her complete her sentence, he hang up.

As he rushes home, his tears formed in the edges of his eyes until he couldn't stop them from rushing through his cheeks. God knows how stressed, frustrated, and scared he was. In fact, he's still trembling. And even though his knees were about to fail keeping his balance as he runs, he didn't stop. There was a bit of relief when he knew she's safe, but he wouldn't still be a hundred percent at ease until he sees his sister.

"Yeojin!" When he comes home, he bangs the door until Yeojin opens it for him. As soon as it was opened, he immediately locked her in his arms while he burst into tears. "God, I was so worried─ I thought I had lost you!"

Yeojin tried to escape from his embrace, but her older brother wouldn't allow her. "Tae-Tae, let me go."

"No." He firmly responded. "Not until you tell me where did he take you."

"How did you know I was with someone?"

"Does it matter?!" He asked, allowing a distance between but still not letting her go from his grip on her shoulders. He allowed his height to be at the same level as her. His brows were connecting in vexation. "You were practically kidnapped, Yeojin─ what if you didn't come home? What if I couldn't find you?"

Yeojin frowned and lowered her gaze, ashamed. "I'm sorry."

Taehyung breathed, "Just tell me what happened."

The little girl gulped and shuffled her gaze from his brother back to the floor. "I was playing with other kids when someone called me. When I turned, I saw dad."

He parted his lips as his jaw tensed. He knew it was him. He continued listening.

"He was smiling at me and told me to come to him─"