LOVEGAME OVER

33 - Foozle

Taehyung smiles as he answers Jungkook's direct messages on Instagram – he has still not been able to get his phone number yet. His online friend is teasing him about his blond hair, and Taehyung is trying to prove the point of dying one's hair.

He inserts the keys in the hole of his parents' appartement door. He is obviously alone – Yoongi has once again categorically refused to come with him, despite Taehyung thinking it would actually get his mind off things and do him good. When he enters the spacious hallway, he loses his goofy smile, nonetheless. Indeed, he has started hearing shouts and cries coming from the living-room.

He frowns and tiptoes there, slightly opening the door of the room to get a peek. He cringes in silence as he makes out his father yelling at Mrs Kim, who is lying on the ground, her arms in front of her face as to protect herself.

"Please, please, Joonie, don't!" she desperately sobs.

"I'll kill him, Seokjin!" Namjoon shouts angrily. "You know I will!"

"No, no, you won't!" Seokjin tries to get up, but her husband pushes her back down. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I beg you, honey..."

Taehyung does not quite understand everything. He locks his phone, ignoring Jungkook's messages, and opens the door a little wider. He frowns as his father kneels down so that he can look at his wife in the eyes

"Are you even sorry, Jin?" Namjoon asks sourly. "God, you're even protecting that bastard. You love him, right? You've always loved him. I should've known right from the start. I just thought I could trust you." Mr Kim stands back up, now towering over her. "What does he have that I don't? Is it because I'm getting old? Is it because you feel useful, taking care of him?"

Seokjin does not answer. Taehyung pops his head in the room, appalled at what his father is doing to Mrs Kim.

"But you and I know he can't bring you anything. Is it the sex? Is it just that, Jin? Did you become this superficial? So you're really a whore, ain't you?"

"Dad!" Taehyung squeals, unable to restrain himself. He puts a hand on his mouth, as both his parents are now staring at him. The son looks down, and he enquires, "Dad, what's happening? What– What are you doing?"

Mrs Kim slowly gets up, trying to dry her tears, and her husband glares at her. He then gets back to Taehyung and mutters darkly, "Well, your mother here has decided to become a little slut."

"Don't– Don't call her that."

"So you're defending her," Namjoon points out, crossing his arms on his chest. "But maybe you knew. Maybe you even helped."

"What are you even talking about?" Taehyung shouts with despair, feeling his throat burn as if he were going to cry too.

Namjoon makes a few steps towards him and dangerously leans in, forcing Taehyung to take a step back and bump into the wall. "I caught your mother cheating on me."

Taehyung throws an horrified look at Seokjin, who immediately bites her lower lip and looks away. "And you, my son," Namjoon resumes in a threatening look, "you have decided to bring into my house the guy who fucks her."

His son babbles and shakes his head. What does this even mean? Before he can ask anything, his mother implores from behind, still sobbing, "Please, Namjoon, don't bring him into this. He's got nothing to do with it. It's my fault, only mine. Don't tell him anything, he doesn't need to know! It's between us, honey."

Mr Kim half turns towards her and mutters darkly, "But he deserves to know, doesn't he? Don't you, Taehyung? Don't you deserve to know what your mother has done to our family?"

Taehyung is now unstoppably crying. He does not want to hear his father. He refuses to hear. But his father starts talking.