I Need U (Kim Namjoon x Reader)

Chapter 7

Her room was lit up by a small orange glow that was meant for children. It illuminated half of her face while the other was still submerged in the shadow. Even through the shadow, Namjoon saw every detail of her face. The fine lines, freckles, some beauty marks, the obvious tube attached to her nose. Her eyes closed like petals retreating back into themselves. Namjoon pressed his face against the door's window, preparing himself to go in. He couldn't, not just yet.

His mother had always known him as an obedient son who would never harm anything or anyone. To her, Namjoon was a person by the book and for the most part, that's true. She believed that he has been paying for her bills with a stable job. But before working as a tutor, he did shady business deals and stole to make ends meet. Sometimes he would skip meals to have enough money for the bus or to buy her food. He was lucky to have gotten scholarships to cover college. She would be disappointed to know who her son really is, even when he got a real job that pays well. Habits die hard, especially when someone's desperate.

Namjoon was used to desperation. When he was younger, his father left the family for another woman. It was after he found out that his mother was sick. She then went to the hospital full time and the bills piled up. Relatives tried their best to support the two of them, but they had their own families to take care of and Namjoon understood that. He thought about quitting high school to get a full-time job but his mother was against it. She had always dreamt for him to go to college and get a good job to get a good life. She wanted him to have the life she never had because she was stuck with his father for so long. In fact, it was a happy day that he left.

It wasn't happy for Namjoon, it was hell. He respected his mother's wishes and stayed in school and took up a part time job at night without telling her. It would have upset her more if she knew the nature of the job with was along the line of stealing and doing businesses for mafias. She would definitely be disappointed, which is why he'll never tell her.

He gathered the rest of his job and opened the door. Her eyes moved at the noise and opened. She gave him a weak smile. "Hey Joonie." Her voice was a whisper like the wind but Namjoon was quite used to it. He trained his ear to certain sounds and her voice is one of them.

"Did I wake you?" he asked, closing the door with one hand and the lunch box in the other.

"It's the afternoon. I was just resting my eyes a little."

"Eomma, that's called sleeping." he laughed. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Shut up you brat."

"I brought dinner." he said while helping her up. She leaned back against the railing and exhaled as if she was in pain. Namjoon winced, he hated seeing his mother in pain.

"Did you make it?"

"Do you want me to burn the house down?" he asked sarcastically. She pinched his arm and he let out a little yell. "The neighbor made it." he said. This wasn't a lie. The family next door was gracious enough to send Namjoon food every now and then to bring to the hospital. They were the only people that checks up on him to make sure he's still alive.

"I want to taste your cooking though."

"One day eomma, when you're out of this place."

"Namjoon..."

"No, don't argue with me. You're going to get better." he said while biting his cheek to stop the tears. Namjoon was never much of a cryer but when it came to his mother, he couldn't hide the vulnerability. No matter the years he has been with her in this room, the pain never went away.

Her hand gently wiped the tears from his cheek. "I'll get better." she said through a forced smile. She was trying to cheer him up, he knew that, and he pretended that he was okay.

"I got a new job, by the way." He was feeding her some soup and she seemed to be enjoying every bite. It put an honest grin on her face, something he was thankful for.

"Oh, what about the restaurant?" she asked. Namjoon had lied and said he was working at a place near the house and the only reason why she agreed was because he promised he would be in school full time, another lie.

"It just didn't work out. Besides, I get to be a tutor now."

Her face lit up with joy. "That's amazing. I'm happy you're finally doing something you like. I've always felt guilty that you aren't able to do a lot because of my health. I'm sorry."

"Eomma, don't be ridiculous. Please don't feel that way, I'm happy as long as you're happy. And I am doing fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." he nodded with confidence.

"Tell me about the kid."

Namjoon couldn't help but laugh. "Her name is Y/N and she's actually just a few years younger than me."

"Oh, I see. Is she a bad student?"

"Eomma," he shook his head. "No she's the complete opposite actually. She's so bright and smart." Namjoon thought back to how quickly you learn things and sometimes catching things that he didn't even notice. He felt lacking in comparison as a tutor, it seemed that you were teaching him mostly.

"Then I wonder why she needs a tutor."

"I wondered the same thing. She seems healthy for the most part so I don't know why she's only going to school part time. Though she gets tired easily."

"Does she take any sort of medicine?" his mother questioned. It seemed she was onto something.

"Yes but I'm sure it's just some supplements."

"Let's hope so." she said, the feeling was all too familiar and she wished that it wasn't what she was thinking. "At any rate, take care of her, alright?"

"Yes Eomma." And he really meant that. It added to his guilt, even if he meant to rob you after extensive research on you and your family. As he spent more time with you, you didn't deserve it and he was a terrible person.