Stigma: Killer Love

Chapter Six

Jungkook didn't know for how long he had been walking, but his legs were giving up on him. He saw that the sun had also started setting. He sighed, his family was probably worried.

Jungkook put his hands in his pocket to retrieve his phone, but it wasn't there. He checked all his pockets while trying to remember if he had dropped it or not. It was on his bed. Jungkook mentally slapped himself and turned around. His parents would definitely be worried now.

He picked up his pace until he was back home in no time. He made it just as his father came out of the house. He was home and out of breath.

"Where were you?" His dad said as they both walked into the house.

"I went for a walk to clear my head. Then I forgot to go past the store." Jungkook slipped off his shoes.

"Taehyung called." Junghyun said as he came down the stairs.

"He what? When?"

"Like thirty minutes ago." Junghyun estimated. Jungkook took the stairs two at a time and sprinted to his room. His phone was on the bed, the little light flashing to indicate a new message. He unlocked it and saw a message from Yoongi. Jungkook felt giddy when he read the contents.

He knew it wasn't good news, but it was better than nothing. Taehyung wanted to see him.

"Jungkook, come down to eat." Mrs Jeon shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm coming." Jungkook shouted back. He went to the bathroom, quickly washed his hand and went down to the dining room. His family was already seated when he arrived.

"What's got you all smiley?" Junghyun winked suggestively.

"Huh? No, nothing." Jungkook shrugged but he couldn't hide his smile. Then he remembered that he had to first at his parents for permission and smile fell. "Hey, mom, dad?"

"Yes, Gguk?" Mr Jeon answered.

"Taehyung wants me to attend his father's funeral. Can Hyung and I go and pay our respects?" Jungkook looked down' at his as to not see his parent's reactions.

"Well, if he wants you there for support then why not?" His mother said.

"Really? Thank you!"

"Why are you so happy to go to a funeral?" Mr Jeon asked, curious.

"He's clearly not going for the funeral." Junghyun winked again and Jungkook kicked him under the table.

"I'm just happy that I get to be there for him and that I know a little bit more about his family." Jungkook explained.

"About his family? How much do you know about his family?" His mother asked worriedly.

"Almost enough, I guess. You guys, knew about them didn't you." Jungkook said as he put two and two together. His parents sighed.

"Well, I don't know anything." Junghyun huffed. Jungkook stuck his tongue out at his older brother.

That evening Jungkook put together his suit for the funeral. He wanted nothing to stop him from going to see Taehyung again.

***

"Eon-Jin, please put the flowers in the vase and come so I can fix your hair." Taehyung said to his little sister on the morning of the funeral. They were getting dressed in Yoongi's apartment because his family members didn't want them to upset their mother.

"Hyung, I don't know how to do the tie." Jeong-Gyu walked into the dining room with the tie messily done.

"Ask Yoongi to help you." Taehyung was trying to get his little sister's hair in a proper ponytail, but it wasn't working. Frustrated he combed out her hair again and put a hairband around her hair, effectively holding it back and out of her face.

"Are you okay in here Taehyung?" Yoongi came into the dining room with Jeong-Gyu's tie above his own perfectly made one.

"Yeah, do I look okay?" Taehyung turned to fully face Yoongi. The older boy sighed and picked up the comb to fix Taehyung hair.

"Almost, should I help you fix your tie also?" Yoongi said as he placed Jeong-Gyu's tie on him.

"No, I've got it. We need to leave now." Taehyung fixed his tie and helped the kids in to their shoes. When everybody was ready, they took a taxi to where the funeral would be taking place. It was still early in the morning but as family of the deceased, they had to be there before anyone else.

Yoongi went to stand off at the side as the Kim siblings reluctantly bowed by their father's picture and coffin. Then they stood to the right of the display and waited to other people to pay their respects. At around eleven, three hours after they had arrived, their mother walked in.

Her once vibrant pink skin was gaunt and pale. The bruise from the previous week was still visible under her right eye and her lips where dry and cracked, near to the point of bleeding. She still carried herself with an air of importance and annoyance. She bowed a few times in front of their father and seemed almost reluctant to bow to her kids, but she did anyway.

Then she went to stand next to Eon-Jin, far from Taehyung. Taehyung kept a straight face and continued to bow to the people who came to pay their respects. After a while, Jeong-Gyu tugged on Taehyung's jacket sleeve.

"Hyung, can we sit down? Our legs hurt." Jeong-Gyu whispered to Taehyung when he had bent his head. Taehyung nodded slightly and Jeong-Gyu took his little sister's hand and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" The sharp harshness of their mother's voice was unexpected. Even the guests were shocked.

"They have been standing here for the whole morning, let them go and get some food to eat." Taehyung said softly to his mother, trying not to cause an even bigger scene.

"No. They must stand here until it is all over." Their mother's stern voice would have had an impact on them if she had ever been a real mother.

"They are tired, mother. Let them rest for ten minutes." Taehyung pleaded.

"No. They must stand here and pay their respects for their father!" their mother screamed at them.

"They will stand here for ten minutes before they go and get food. Whether you like it or not mother." Taehyung said through gritted teeth as he motioned for his siblings to get back to their places.

Taehyung kept on looking between the time and the guests that would pay their respects. He didn't want his younger siblings to faint because of hunger. Taehyung was just about to tell his siblings to go and get food when an expected but unexpected guest bowed in front of his father's picture then in front of his family.

"Hello Mrs Kim, my deepest condolences."