LOVEGAME OVER

43 - Rage quit

Taehyung stops in front of his building. "I don't want to go back," he whispers to Jimin who has brought him here.

"Tae, you've got to. They're your family."

"It's not a family anymore. I'm better off at Hoseok's."

"Look, you can't spend your life at his place. You'd be an economic burden, if not more."

"Then, I could spend some at yours..."

"You know it's impossible. My parents would never let any boy sleep over. Even you. Especially you, in fact. They think we're dating."

"You wish," Taehyung teases playfully.

Jimin hits him weakly. "I said I was over you." He looks back at the building door. "Go in. Apologise. And everything will be okay. I promise."

"What if–"

"No. They love you. They'll take you back."

Taehyung nods and turns to hug his friend. He smells his light perfume, and whispers, "Thanks for being my friend, even if I'm a shitty one."

Jimin kisses his cheek and waits until the boy gets into the building. Taehyung slowly walks the steps – he did not want to take the lift, it would have made everything go too fast.

He inserts the keys into the hole of his parents' apartment door and gets in. He distantly hears the TV in the living-room, and heads there.

"Mom? Dad?" he asks in a shaking voice.

Two heads turn and look at him past the back of the sofa. Taehyung cringes. "What is he doing here?" He throws a look at his mother's half-opened bedroom door. "Where's dad?"

Mrs Kim turns the TV sound down, and gets up, gesturing for Yoongi to stay where he is. "Baby, you're finally home." She smiles softly. "I missed you so much."

She tries to embrace him but he shrugs her away. "Where's dad?" he repeats, rising his voice.

"He– He left, baby."

Taehyung frowns. "You– Why didn't you tell me?" He glances at Yoongi, who is staring back at him. "You both drove him away, didn't you?"

"No," Seokjin corrects gently. "We agreed that our relationship wasn't working anymore, and that it couldn't be fixed. Your father is moving out and is about to get all the divorce papers. I'm sorry, baby, I know it's not what you wanted."

Taehyung only realises now that he had started crying. He clenches his fists and shouts, "But that's what you wanted, right? So you could marry him when he turns eighteen? I don't want him to be my step-father!"

"We're not getting married," Seokjin states. "But now he'll be a part of my, and your, life. I know it's hard for you, Tae, but it's how it's going to be. Yoongi is making me happy, more than I ever was, and I'm the best for him right now." She glances at her lover and they smile to each other. "I hope you can be friends again."

Taehyung sniffles loudly, and shakes his head. "I don't want to be friends again! He's stealing my mom!"

"Man, I'm not stealing anything, she's old enough to–"

"You shut up!" Taehyung bellows. "I'm forbidding you to enter this house, and to sleep in my, or her, bedroom!"

Seokjin has darted towards Yoongi and is half embracing him, as if to protect him, half begging him to stay out of this.

"You're in no power to decide, baby. He's already moved in. Permanently."

Taehyung opens wide his eyes. "He's– What?" He tries to keep his anger inside, but after a few seconds, he just explodes, "This is wrong! I hate this! I hate you! Both of you!"

"It's okay to be upset," Mrs Kim says gently, though her voice is shaking. "You'll need time to adapt, and we understand that. You'll get used to it."

"I won't, 'cause I'm never coming here again! I want to live with dad."

He storms out before they can catch up with him, and he slams the front door. Taehyung manages to take out his phone despite his tearful eyes, and dial Jimin's number.

"Hey," he sobs, "are you still down there?"