A World of His Own

Chapter 9.

[The Past]

Flashback

"Appa, is there something wrong with me?" asked little Taehyung as he gripped his father's hand tightly.

"There's nothing wrong with you honey, you're fine," said his father as he tighten his grip while patting his son's hair.

"Just go to sleep little one, everything will be alright."

Taehyung's eyelids were getting heavier and heavier each second, but he refused to close his eyes. He knew when he did, his father would be gone, his father would leave him again and go to where his younger brother and sister were.

"Appa, I'm not sleeping. I will stay awake until morning," said Taehyung filled with determination, but soon after a yawn slipped out of his mouth.

His father chuckled. "Do you think you can stay awake Taetae-ah? Go to sleep, tomorrow uncle will come and take care of you and grandma."

Taehyung eyes' widened in disbelief. His uncle has just left them for two weeks and he was returning again. A tear fell from Taehyung's eyes.

"Appa, can't you just stay? Please don't call uncle to come, I don't want uncle, I want you."

"I'm sorry Tae-ah, you know your little brother is sick right? Soon, you'll be living together with appa okay? So don't be sad."

Taehyung gave in and shut his eyes. His heart ached thinking about how when he opened his eyes, he wouldn't see his father anymore. Instead, his uncle would come and visit his house. Taehyung was scared. His uncle wasn't the nicest person.

Present

"This is your last chance Tae, it's getting annoying now," says Namjoon as he watches Taehyung play the claw machine for who knows how many times.

"Yes hyung, I almost got the Pororo!" Taehyung chuckles exitedly. His hands are busy controlling the claw to grip the pororo doll he has been aiming since the begining of the game.

How childish, how innocent. Namjoon thinks as he keeps watching his dongsaeng. Well for sure, soon enough, Taehyung caught the doll.

"Hyung!!! I got it! I got it! Aren't I good?" He says, jumping up and down in excitement.

"You did great baby." Namjoon can't help but smile and he gives Taehyung a round of applause.

Taehyung hugs the doll with a sheepy smile, "thanks hyung," he says.

Taehyung knows very well how childish he looks right now. Holding a pororo doll with both hands, jumping up and down cutely, whining like a total baby. He likes it though, especially when Namjoon is looking at him like he's the most precious being ever.

"Hyung, let's go buy some ice cream," exclaims Taehyung excitedly. Well, if he is about to act childish anyway, better go all out. Right?

"You want to eat ice cream at 11pm? Don't you think it's too late for ice cream?" Namjoon asks, one of his eyebrows raised in doubt.