His Boxy Smiles

Chapter 12

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Finally, the day came when the doctor allowed people in the room. It was four days after Taehyung's cardiac arrest.

The boys were quick to offer the first opportunity to Taehyung's family. After all, they were fine seeing Tae through a window and seeing that his heart was still beating.

However, that was not all. They completely refused to go inside even when Taehyung's mother said that they should.

Why? They were scared to touch Taehyung. Or even look at him up close. It was probably the guilt, denial, heartache and anxiety that made them scared.

Their refusal became resolute and as that strengthens, Taehyung's father finally stepped in.

He first excused himself from the room and joined the boys in the hallways.

There was a period of silence before he spoke.

"You boys are blaming yourselves for my son's accident, aren't you?"

The still air became tensed and the boys refused to meet his eyes as they fidget under his soft gaze.

Taehyung's father took their silence as their answer.

"It isn't your fault. You shouldn't blame yourselves for what happened to my son. I don't blame you. He wouldn't blame you either. The accident's beyond anyone's control."

The boys saw logic in what he was saying but they couldn't help but think otherwise.

He doesn't know how they have treated his son before the accident. He doesn't know how much they made Taehyung feel lonely. He doesn't know that because of that, Taehyung's car was seconds delayed, allowing the truck to smack right into him. It was their fault.

They couldn't just go in there and act like they weren't somehow responsible for Taehyung's accident because they were. They didn't deserve to have the assurance that the boy's alive. They didn't deserve to take comfort from being near the boy. They just didn't deserve it.

"I don't know what happened within your group before the accident but I think my son would want you to be in there right now and be with him. He called me a few times before and because he's my son, I know that something happened. Whatever that is, I presume that's got something to do with how you boys are handling this."

At that, the boys looked at him with guilt and sorry in their eyes.

Taehyung's father just smiled.

"I bet he's already forgiven everyone. All we have to do is not make the same mistakes and regrets. So that when he wakes up, he'd know and feel loved. If you're really sorry about something that happened before, this isn't how you should act on it. My son would never blame you. He wouldn't want to see you punishing yourselves for something you have no control of. He'd want you to smile when you're happy, cry when you're sad, and be cheerful and positive."

"Like how he always smiles?" Jimin asked, nostalgia heavy in his tone. "Like how he's always so optimistic and cheerful?"

"Yes," the man couldn't help but chuckle. "He didn't get that attitude from me or from his mother. He'd been like that since he was born. If anything, we learnt that from him."

That made the boys smile.

"So why don't you boys come inside? My wife and I are going down to the cafeteria with the kids for dinner. You should go inside and talk to my son and help us take care of him while we're gone. I'm pretty sure he already misses you," he said. "He'd be demanding for your presence inside the room if he was awake."