The Most Beautiful Moments In Life

Chapter 9: Run

June 4th, Year 22

6:45 PM

Taehyung felt numb as he climbed the stairs leading to his apartment. He didn't know why he was so scared. He'd been beaten so many times by his father, so why should this time be any different? Perhaps it was because this time Taehyung would seek it out. So many things could go wrong. If he didn't succeed in angering his father, they wouldn't get the evidence they needed. But what scared him most was the possibility that he'd make his father too angry. Normally Taehyung and his sister would just lay low as long as they could to avoid getting hurt, but this time he was asking for it. He didn't know how bad this beating was going to be.

But he had to do this. For him. For his sister. So Taehyung kept walking. His sister greeted him quietly when he entered their dinky apartment. They both knew today would be dangerous. They had to get it right. Father wasn't home just yet, but his shift at the construction site ended about forty-five minutes ago, so they knew he'd be back soon with plenty of alcohol. He always had alcohol with him. Most of the money earned for the household went to that abhorrent substance. Soon, that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

"Please be careful, brother," Eunhye advised as Taehyung paced around the room.

"I can't really be careful in this situation, but I'll try," he reassured, trying not to let his frustration show. He just wished his father would come home now so he could just get it over with.

That's what he thought, but when the door opened a few minutes later and his father stumbled in, his heart pounded against his chest. Eunhye gave Taehyung a reassuring look, but he could see the fear in her eyes. He nodded quietly. He didn't utter the words, but his message was clear. 'It's going to be okay.'

"This place is a mess!" Father yelled drunkenly after he closed the door behind him. Even drunk, the man knew to make sure that no one could hear him. Taehyung and Eunhye backed up a bit, giving him some space. Out of the corner of his eye, Taehyung noticed Eunhye had her phone out now. He eyed Father cautiously.

"Sorry sir, we didn't have time to clean it up," Eunhye explained quietly. Father groaned and rolled his eyes.

"You should be sorry. Clean up," he commanded. The siblings were frozen in place. Taehyung's eyes fell on the beer bottle in his father's right hand and the bag with four more in his left. Anger started to build up. He could do this. He was angry enough. Why was his father always so lazy and cruel? It wasn't fair. Taehyung had all the courage he needed.

"Why don't you clean up for once? It's your mess after all!" Taehyung talked back. Unfocused eyes landed on Taehyung, and he could see fury building up behind them. Eunhye shifted nervously beside him.

"What did you say to me, boy?" His father asked, taking a step forward. Taehyung didn't move.

"You're drunk. You need to stop drinking like you have no responsibilities. You're killing yourself, and you're hurting us in the process," Taehyung ignored the question, daring instead to point at the near-empty bottle in his father's hand.

"I don't care," his father said as he brought the bottle up to his lips. Taehyung rashly swatted the bottle away, sending it careening to the floor with a crash. Shards of glass splayed across the floor, and a small puddle of liquor formed. There was a second of deafening silence as the man processed what Taehyung had done.

Taehyung stumbled back as a meaty fist launched into his cheek. His lip split and blood started to drool from his mouth. He didn't have time to prepare before he was punched once, twice, three times more. He felt his nose crack and blood spurted from his nostrils, his nose certainly broken.

Father grabbed both sides of Taehyung's jacket and pushed him into the wall. Taehyung gasped when he was punched in the gut.

"You punk! Look what you did!" Father yelled, taking Taehyung's chin in his hand and forcing him to look at the broken glass. Taehyung saw Eunhye cautiously filming the beating. Good. His face was jerked back and struck again.