Her voice was a lifeline, warm and familiar, cutting through the silence like a knife.
Taehyung swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump in his throat. "Hi, Umma," he managed to get out, his voice sounding small and faraway even to his own ears. "It's been a while."
There was a pause, and he could almost hear the cogs turning in her mind, processing the unexpected call. "Taehyung," she said finally, her voice warming slightly. "How are you?"
"I'm... I'm okay," he lied, his eyes welling up. "But I needed to talk to you. And... and Appa."
He heard his mother's sigh, the sound of a door closing, and then the rustle of fabric as she likely settled into a more private spot. "What is it, Taehyung?" she asked, her tone guarded.
The weight of her question pressed down on him, and he realized he had been holding his breath. He let it out in a rush, the words tumbling from his mouth. "I've missed you. And appa. I've missed both of you so much."
There was a pause, so long it seemed like the line had gone dead, but then she spoke again, her voice softer. "We've missed you too, Tae."
The admission brought a fresh wave of tears to Taehyung's eyes. He hadn't allowed himself to hope for this, hadn't dared to dream that his parents might still care after everything. "I... how have you been?" he asked, his voice a tremulous thread.
"We've been managing," she said, her voice tight. "But it's not the same without you here."
Taehyung felt a surge of pain at her words, a reminder of the chasm that had grown between them. "Where's Appa?" he asked, his voice tentative.
"He's in the other room," she replied, a hint of hesitation in her tone. "Do you want to talk to him?"
Taehyung's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't spoken to his father in what felt like an eternity. "Yes," he said, his voice stronger now. "I need to talk to both of you."
Another pause, then the sound of muffled voices, his mother speaking in hushed tones before the line went quiet again. A few moments later, his father's gruff voice filled the void. "Taehyung?"
Taehyung's heart felt like it was in a vice, but he swallowed hard and tried to keep his voice steady. "Appa, it's me."
There was a weighty silence, filled with the unspoken tension of years of distance. His father cleared his throat. "What do you want?"
Taehyung took a deep breath, feeling the sting of his father's bluntness. The question hurt, but he knew he had to be the one to bridge the gap. "I missed you," he said, the words simple and raw. "Both of you."
The line was quiet for a moment, the only sound the steady patter of rain outside the window. Then, his father spoke again, his voice softer this time. "We miss you too, son."
Taehyung felt his chest tighten with a mix of relief and anxiety. He had rehearsed this conversation in his mind countless times, but the reality was far more nerve-wracking.
"Uhm, I... I wanted to tell you something," Taehyung started, his voice shaking. "I've met someone."
There was a sharp intake of breath from his mother, and his father's silence grew heavier. "Who is it?" his mother asked cautiously.
Taehyung took a deep breath and let the words spill out. "His name is Jungkook. He's kind, and patient, and... he loves me." He paused, waiting for the bomb to drop, the rejection to come crashing down on him. But all he heard was the faint rustle of fabric as his mother likely exchanged a look with his father.
"Is he... good to you?" his father asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
Taehyung felt a glimmer of hope. "Yes, Appa. He's more than good to me. He makes me happy."
Another silence fell, the rain outside seeming to hold its breath. Then, his mother spoke, her voice filled with a mix of concern and curiosity. "What does he do?"
"He's a photographer," Taehyung replied, the words coming more easily now. "He's amazing with his work, and... he's amazing with Mimi too."
"Your sister's little girl?" his mother asked, a hint of warmth seeping into her tone.
Taehyung nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Yes, she adores him. And he's great with her. He makes me feel... whole."
There was a pause, and then his father spoke, his tone measured. "What do you do, Taehyung?"
Taehyung took a deep breath, ready to share his own achievements. "I'm a graphic designer, Appa. I work for a small but growing firm. I create visual concepts for companies, and it's something I really love. And I'm also financially stable, living on my own."
The silence that followed was pregnant with unspoken questions and judgments, but Taehyung held firm, refusing to let his anxiety win. He had come too far to back down now.
Finally, his mother spoke, her voice gentle. "It's good to hear that you're happy, Taehyung. And if Jungkook is good to you and Mimi, then we'll... we'll try to accept him."
❊
-lxnnie
