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"when do you talk to your mom?" jeongguk asks, drying his wet hair with the towel.
taehyung looks up from the bed and notices the raven is recently showered and dressed. taehyung blinks a couple of times, trying to get the sleep out of him. "uh, i'm hoping today sometime. i just need to know that they're fine, her and dad."
jeongguk nods, throwing the towel into the dirty clothes bin. "when you talk to her can you- can you ask her about jeon jiun for me?"
the question throws taehyung off. jeongguk had only ever mentioned his sister to him once. he knew it was a touchy subject, so for him to be asking this was completely out of taehyung's thoughts. "your sister? why, if i can ask?"
"i just need to confirm something," he sits down next to him on the bed and leans in, kissing taehyung softly, "don't worry about it, we'll be fine."
taehyung sits up, reaching eye level with jeongguk, "you're not making sense gguk."
jeongguk wraps his arms around the older's waist, bringing them back down to the bed. jeongguk brushes away the loose strands of hair that fall onto taehyung's eyes, his hair overly grown from front to back. it looked adorable on him though. "you trust me right?"
"of course," taehyung doesn't hesitate to answer.
"then just trust me on this. i'll explain after she gives you an answer ok? i promise," jeongguk holds out his pinky.
as childish as a pinky promise might seem, it held a lot more significance than a mere verbal promise. so taehyung hooks his pinky with jeongguk's, happily accepting another kiss.
««»»
once taehyung is showered, shaved, and dressed, he's escorted to the house's study room. his mother is supposed to come anytime now, he's anxious to finally be able to hug her and confirm she's okay. so when the doors opens and kim eunha walks in, taehyung quickly runs into her arms, letting his mom snuggle into him as if they've been apart for ages. "i'm so glad you're ok tae," she murmurs, kissing his cheeks and head over and over.
"me too," taehyung likes the comforting hold his mother has on him. "is dad ok too?" he asks.
eunha nods, "he's in amsterdam right now. he's waiting for us. we'll leave soon, don't worry."
"my friends and duck are coming too right?" taehyung pulls away from her.
his mom looks at him in confusion, "uh, i'm afraid not taehyung. they're welcome to stay here until they can be relocated elsewhere."
"but they're with me mom, and i'm- i'm dating jeongguk. and duck is basically my kid now—"
the woman shushes him, "no taehyung. you've done enough with bringing them here, you won't have to carry that burden anymore. once we're in amsterdam, we'll figure out what to do ok?"
"you're not listening! i'm dating jeongguk, he's my boyfriend, and duck is mine. i won't leave them behind, i won't leave any of them behind," taehyung tries to stay true to his word, hoping his voice doesn't break and his mother overrules him.
eunha stays silent, she brings her bottom lip in between her teeth, a habit taehyung picked up on as he grew up. she sighs, "son, i know this is scary for you. it is for me too. but they are not your responsibility. they're grown boys, they know how to take care of themselves. duck will be looked after, i promise."
taehyung stares at his mother in disbelief. he can see now why jeongguk holds his grudge against the wealthy. they pick and choose who gets to be saved, they've put themselves on top of society. taehyung's mother would leave behind a defenseless kid in order to save her own skin. . . "who was jeon jiun to you."
the question, or rather the name, awakens something in his mother that he's never seen before. her eyes lose the warmth they've had, her skin whitens. "w-where did you hear that name from? why are you asking this?"
"just answer the question mom."
she shakes her head, "she was nobody. nobody worth remembering."
"she took her life, did you know that? why? why is she connected to you?"
eunha laughs, but it holds no humor, "that whore. . . that whore tried to steal your father."
her tone of voice has completely changed, there's a void in her as she recalls the events that happened six year ago. catching her husband with the young girl, finding all the gifts he'd buy her, going to the places where they'd meet, even being in this house where they'd spend the weekend in each other's arms. it's a whirlwind of emotions, taehyung has never seen his mother like this. kim eunha has always maintained her ground, always stood with elegance and poise.
taehyung falters, he frowns and stares at his mom, eyes going to the ground trying to find an explanation. something reasonable. something that made sense. "what?" his voice comes out as a squeak.
eunha leans against the wall, shaking her head as she caresses herself. "never speak of this, don't ever bring her up taehyung. she ruined us, she ruined our family. if there's nothing else to say, i expect you to be ready to leave tomorrow. no buts. i'll be staying in the other house."
with a goodbye hug, eunha leaves taehyung in his own sorrow. jeongguk is going to hate me forever this time, there was no going back from this. he couldn't hide the truth from jeongguk, that just wasn't him. he'd tell him that his sister was dead because of his father. that he was linked to his sister's death and he'd have to accept losing jeongguk.
taehyung's safe haven would be gone.
a/n we're nearing the end folks, only a few vlogs left! i hope the truth doesn't seem too rushed,,, but better brace yourselves for the real terror that's coming
