The next morning I awoke with a splitting headache, recalling the events of last night. I had stayed up until 5 am trying to make progress on my AP summer assignments, which only resulted in me looking up kpop memes for the remainder of the night. Running on only two hours of sleep, I climbed out of bed and groggily stumbled down the stairs.
As I took a seat in the humid kitchen, rays of sunlight lazily made their way through the cracks in the sheer white curtains. My mother, who sat across from me with bitter coffee on her lips, greeted me with an apologetic wave. There was nothing to be said.
This is how we have communicated for the past three years after the absence of my father; Exchanging glances in heavy, stiff silence as the weight of awkwardness rested on our shoulders. She cleared her gravelly throat importantly and forced the faint outline of a smile on her businesslike mask of a face. Of course I loved my mother... but there was something about her that changed. There were no traces of her old self that I could find at all. Years ago on a summer day much like this one, she would sing and dance to loud music and the radio, skipping around and swaying her body happily to the beat with a radiant smile. My dad would take both of our hands, and we would dance in a circle, giggling and laughing all throughout breakfast without stopping.
The warmth from her smile was stronger than the sun, and it wrapped me up lovingly in its protection. Nowadays I rarely saw that smile, and ever since, we would just drift farther and farther apart. She would hide her brokenness and hurt on the outside behind fancy clothes and hours upon hours of work in the office. But inside, there was not much to be done."Good morning, dear." She said politely. I simply nodded in agreement and focused my attention on the buttered toast in front of me, taking a bite.
"I saw that the new neighbors moved in," she continued quietly, tucking a strand of perfectly straight black hair behind her ear.
"Yeah, they did," I murmured, looking out the window to see the small blue house next to ours. "A boy brought over brownies and I left them on the counter for you."
"Oh, yay!" She said, leaning forward excitedly, suddenly brightening. I was shocked as I saw some of my old mom come through.
She's always loved brownies... I remember now.
With a pang of sadness, I reminisced in the memories of her baking them in our old house, always letting me lick the spoon afterwards. In a way, I had Taehyung to thank for this.
"So who is the boy? Is he cute?" She teased. I was baffled and dumbfounded by her sudden behavior, but I instantly felt my mood soar. I wanted her to stay this way and be happy... this is the mom that I know and love.
"He's okay," I grumbled, playing along.
"Is he like that Park Jimin I always hear you and Yoongi fawning over?"
"Mom!" I yelped, scooting back in my chair and covering my red ears in embarrassment. "How do you know about Jimin!"
"I have ears, you know," she said with a hearty laugh. "And you two aren't exactly secretive about it." I continued to burrow into my shirt before excusing myself from the table. I smiled at my mom before walking up the stairs.
"And Chae!" She called to me feverishly. "I'm sorry I've been working so much. I love you."
"Love you too mom." I mumbled embarrassedly before racing to my room, the ghost of a smile across my lips.
Maybe things are starting to change.
••••"Get your ass up, I want ice cream!" A whiny voice moaned from the other end of the phone.
"What is UP with you yoongi? You're so needy lately!" I grumbled, feeling exasperated with the college boy's behavior. It was like taking care of a rabid five year old. I put the phone on my shoulder and started picking out outfits to wear, taking a particular liking to a Blackpink graphic tee. "You'll find a boyfriend eventually, you lonely shit."
"Oh my god you're so mean, that wasn't even what I was complaining about," he said flatly, and I tried to suppress my guilty laughter.
"If it makes you feel better, I'm loveless too."
"Just meet me at the park. I want food, and I see a cute boy. Maybe I can get over Jimin that way." He grumbled dejectedly.
"Fine fine," I sighed. At least I got ice cream out of this situation, right? And food is everything. "I'll be there in ten."
YOU ARE READING
The Hoe Next-Door [Kth]
Fanfiction"I'm gonna go masturbate, I'll be right back." "Oh my GOD Taehyung." ☪︎ A story in which Park Chaerin's brand new hot ass neighbor Kim Taehyung teaches her the ways of high school life in a plan he likes to call the BBI: Bye-Bye Innocence Operation...