BACK IN HIS ARMS | VKOOK

ｔｗｅｎｔｙ-ｅｉｇｈｔ

as much as i loved daddy issues and back in his arms but sadly we're reaching towards the end )): i'll miss this book soooo. so so so much.
anyways there's like 3-4 chapters left + the epilogue <3

***

"Let's try it", Jihyo said slowly.
"It's fine, we don't have to", Taejeon shook his head, grabbing Lili's hand while tears filled up the small boy's eyes. "We do", Lili whispered, ruffling his hair softly. "Come on, it's gonna be fine."
But the boy kept shaking his head, refusing to let anyone help him get up.
"It's not going to work", he said in a small voice, "I can't feel them at all."
His eyes glanced around the room, it was all white and looked exactly like a hospital-, which was where they were right now.

Taejeon asked his father to wait outside and take Lili in with him instead. He wasn't ready to forgive his father yet for being responsible for all this.
"If you give up now, you'll never be able to walk again", Jihyo said, tilting her head a little. Namjoon leaned at the wall and nodded, "You gotta try, buddy."

"It's not going to fucking work, leave me alone", Taejeon blurted out, voice breaking after he finished his sentence. "Go", he said again, "Just go. Leave me alone!", the boy started yelling, covering his face to avoid looking anyone in the eyes. He hated that. Not being strong, it wasn't what Taejeon was used to after being the strong little boy all his life. The one who got it all together even though his life was a mess.
"Taejeon", Jihyo tried, patting his shoulders, "We can try another time, please stop pushing us away, we're trying to help!"

"Leave", Taejeon sobbed, "Don't touch me", he pushed off her hands and turned around in his wheelchair, facing the wall now.
Namjoon grabbed Jihyo by her wrist and dragged her out, "Let's give him a minute." The girl nodded and followed him outside. Lili was about to go as well but Taejeon stopped her, "Not you-"

"Sounded like it", Lili said in a small voice but turned around and walked back to her boyfriend. "Are you okay? Like, for real?"

Taejeon shook his head, "Do I look like it?"
"Not really", Lili admitted slowly, intertwining their fingers. "But I don't know how to make you feel better. I'm just a kid-"
"So am I", Taejeon shrugged, "So am I", he repeated, tears still falling.

"You have to try standing up at some point, Taejeon", Lili whispered, "Your legs are fine, Namjoon checked up on them every single day. You're okay, it's you that needs to want to get back up."
"Don't you think I want to?", Taejeon snapped, pulling his hand away. "I just can't!"

Lili gulped and nodded, "Okay", she let out softly, "Okay, it's okay."
"No it's not", he cried out, "Nothing's okay and my Dad's too busy to see! I've always paid attention to him, I knew when something was wrong the second it happened. He hasn't noticed in weeks that I feel like fucking shit."

The girl nodded, "I know and that sucks."

"It does", Taejeon whispered, "I thought we were stronger than that, y'know? I thought me and my Dad-, we're different. But he's just the same kind of Dad his own father was."

"Don't say that", Lili hummed, "He didn't have it easy as well-"

Taejeon nodded, "Of course", he sighed. "Of course, yeah. Sorry I forgot that we're all making excuses for my Dad just because he went through a lot. I did too, Lil. I did too and he still let me get into this car even though he KNEW it'd turn into a crash. He fucking knew and he didn't stop me."
The girl nodded again, her eyes sparkling full of tears as well, "I'm sure he's sorry for that.."

"Sorry doesn't change anything", Taejeon sobbed, "I could have died in that accident. And he still let it happen, Lili! He's my Dad! He let it happen and now he's fine and I'm not and he doesn't even see it."