Petal | tk

Chapter 49: Picket

Pic cred _vkaeb

Ignore the mistakes plz :)
Trigger warning: blood and violence

Third Person POV

Jeongguk presses a gentle kiss on Taehyung's hand and lets him be alone in the memorial hall for his grandmother.

Taehyung had been trying his utter best to not turn on his heels and run away the moment they he and Jeongguk got out of the shop for this very purpose.

"I'll be in the waiting." Jeongguk says.

Taehyung smiles at him as he watches him leave and doesn't trail his eyes away even though the latter has taken a turn.

He keeps his eyes trailed lower on his shows, head bowed in front of the memorial of his grandmother and finding it difficult to look at it even though he's standing right in front of it.

"I---" Taehyung closes his eyes as words already leave him alone. He conjures up the courage to hold them back. He needs them.

"I'm sorry." Is what he says first, because he is.

"It took me a year to come see you, I'm sorry." He still doesn't look at her, holding the bouquet he brought for her closer to his chest.

"You were there for all last time. Christmas, my birthday, new year." Taehyung runs a hand on her favourite flowers that he holds, the bouquet he assembled with his own hands; lily of the valley.

"You were here for none this time." Taehyung pouts a little. His glimmering eyes look up and his face distorts with the on set of tears as he watches the picture of her smiling.

"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier because I---" Taehyung gulps. "I thought I wouldn't be able to. I was too scared to finally believe that you're gone and it just---I wasn't ready to let go."

"It's stupid, I know." Taehyung chuckles through his tears. "But it's true. Seeing you just hauled in a box and not out there in the world was frightening."

"I just---I guess I would've taken longer if it wasn't for Jeongguk." Taehyung sighs.

"Oh and uh---he's my boyfriend." He smiles a little shyly as he wipes his tears.

"And no, he's not like my two terrible as fuck exes---" Taehyung feels like his grandmother would have a raised eyebrow at him.

"Well---it started a bit rough, if I'd say." Taehyung smiles sheepishly. "But trust me, it was worth it in the end. It was worth it."

"We've had our problems. I've been hurt. We both have but it's something I've never ever felt before. I don't know how to tell you." Taehyung says.

"I know you'd understand if you were here. I just know that." Taehyung smiles as he takes a step forward.

"I'm taking care of my dream and yours too. I'm doing really good. The shop is thriving. It's everything that we used to talk about when I'd take over. It's better than that, actually." Taehyung places the flowers on the floor.

"You'd be proud of me, I know it. I'm proud of myself too." He smiles.

"I'm happy---" Taehyung whispers and his eyes tear up again. "And I miss you. I miss you so much."