Not a Monster /tk

Chapter 16

Third person pov-

Taehyung woke up early the next morning, his mind a whirl of thoughts. He glanced at Duri, still fast asleep next to him, his small hands clutching him. Taking a deep breath, he carefully extricated himself from Duri's grip and kissing duri's head he got out of bed.

He tiptoed into the kitchen, intent on making tea for himself and Jin. The early morning sun was just starting to peek through the windows, casting a soft glow in the kitchen.

While making tea, Taehyung found himself thinking about Jungkook. The scene from the day before replayed in his mind - Jungkook's request to court him, his honest words, the way he looked at Duri... A part of Taehyung couldn't help but feel a stirring of hope, but another part remained wary, remembering all the consequences that could come with it.

After a while, Jin emerged from the guest room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Wordlessly, Taehyung handed him a cup of tea. They sipped their tea in companionable silence.

After a few moments, Jin broke the silence. "You gonna be okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Taehyung sighed, swirling the tea in his cup. "I think so," he replied, glancing towards his room where duri is still asleep. "Just... a lot on my mind-"

Jin nodded, understanding evident in his eyes. "Yeah, I get it," he said. "But Tae, you don't have to shoulder this burden alone. You know that, right?"

Taehyung glanced at Jin, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I know," he said softly. "I just... need some time to sort things out." He paused, taking a sip of his tea. "Today's Sunday, I'll take duri with me to work."

Jin nodded approvingly. "That's good," he said. "Being around work will take your mind off things. And little duri will bring a smile to everyone's faces, no doubt about that."

Taehyung smiled at that, the thought of Duri's cheerful presence at the bakery & cafe was a welcomed distraction. He finished his tea, placing the empty cup on the counter. "I should get ready," he said, more to himself than to Jin.

Jin left after having his tea, while taehyung woke Duri up and made him eat his breakfast.

Taehyung then helped Duri get bath and dressed along with himself, the little boy's in a playful mood, laughing and babbling happily as Taehyung attempted to comb his unruly hair into something presentable. Taehyung couldn't help but smile at his son's cheerful demeanor, his heart swelling with love and affection.

Once they were both ready, Taehyung grabbed his bag and keys, scooping Duri up into his arms. "Are you ready, little one?" he asked, poking Duri's small round nose.

Duri giggled, his tiny hands reaching up to grab Taehyung's fingers. "Ready!" he chorused, his eyes wide and cheerful.

Taehyung chuckled, adjusting his grip on the wriggling Duri in his arms. He loved how cheerful and playful his son was, the sound of his laughter never failed to brighten his mood. He made his way out of the apartment holding duri's hand.

The bakery & cafe was just a few blocks away from his apartment, and Taehyung enjoyed the short walk, watching the world slowly waking up around him, the sun peeking over the rooftops and the birds chirping lazily in the trees.

Duri also seemed fascinated, his eyes wide as he looked around, pointing at everything that caught his attention. Taehyung tried to explain as best as he could, answering his son's innocent questions with a smile.

Taehyung made his way inside the cafe, there were only few customers as it's still early in the morning. Sana, one of the three staffs looked up as Taehyung walked in, a smile spreading across her face as she saw Duri holding taehyung's hand.