Chapter Text
After a week
...
The sky outside was slowly turning orange and blue.
Inside the house, it was quiet. The only sound was the tea cups touching the table.
Taehyung was sitting on the big couch across from his father. He sat up straight, but his hands were a little nervous in his lap.
Mr. Kim took a slow sip of tea and put the cup down. He spoke in a calm and thoughtful voice.
“I’m getting old, Tae,” he began. “And the business… it’s not as easy to manage like before.”
Taehyung stayed quiet, listening.
Mr. Kim glanced at him. “You know I built that company from scratch. Our name… our legacy… everything I did was for the family. For you.”
Tae nodded, his eyes soft. “I know, Appa.”
Mr. Kim looked down at his hands, as if remembering something painful. “After your plane disappeared… we thought you were dead. We searched everywhere. We grieved. Your mother cried every night.”
Taehyung looked down too, his jaw tightening slightly.
“I was ready to leave everything behind,” Mr. Kim continued. “Then, you came back. Alive. With a baby. And a man I’ve never seen before.”
He looked directly at Taehyung.
“I won’t lie to you, I was shocked. Still am, sometimes. But I see how you look at him. And how he looks at you. And the way Areum smiles when you hold her… it’s real. It’s love.”
Taehyung's eyes glistened, but he didn’t blink them away.
Mr. Kim leaned forward slightly. “That’s why I’m asking, if you’re ready. Would you come work at “K-Design Atelier” again? Help me run it. Lead it. You always had the talent, the passion… this was your dream too.”
Taehyung thought for a moment.
He looked up toward the stairs. He knew Jungkook was probably playing quietly with Areum in their bedroom.
Then he looked back at his father and smiled.
“I’m lucky to be alive, Appa. And I wouldn’t be… if it weren’t for Jungkook.”
Mr. Kim watched him quietly.
Tae’s voice softened. “He saved me. In every way. And you and Eomma… you welcomed him. You accepted our child. That means everything to me.”
Mr. Kim gave a small nod, his eyes gentle.
“So yes,” Tae said. “I’m ready to work. I want to help you. I want to do something again, not just for me, but for us.”
Mr. Kim’s lips curled into a slow, proud smile.
“Good,” he said. “Let’s build it together.”
....
The sound of the bathroom fan stopped.
The door opened with a soft creak, and Taehyung walked out with warm steam around him.
His white shirt looked shiny in the morning light, it was thin, silky, loose near the arms, but tucked neatly into his tight black jeans, showing the soft shape of his waist.
The shirt moved gently as he walked, like something light and magical, soft but full of confidence.
His dark brown hair was still wet and stuck to his forehead a little. He dried it slowly with a towel while walking across the room.
Then he looked at the bed.
Jungkook was lying on his side with one arm around little Areum. She was still asleep against his chest. Her lips moved a little as she dreamed, and there was a small frown on her tiny face.
Taehyung smiled.
He walked to the bed quietly, sat beside Jungkook, and leaned down. His fingers ran through Jungkook’s messy hair slowly, gently brushing it back from his face.
Jungkook’s eyes fluttered open.
Still sleepy. Still soft.
His brown human eyes locked onto Taehyung’s face like a child seeing his favorite person first thing in the morning.
“Good morning, koo” Tae whispered with a small smile.
Jungkook blinked once. He didn’t speak. He just looked, stared, like he wanted to memorize the way Tae’s face looked in the morning light.
Tae reached down and cupped his cheek. “I’m leaving now, okay? It’s my first day at work.”
No reaction. Just those wide, quiet eyes.
Tae leaned in and kissed his lips softly. “I’ll come back soon, I promise. Eomma will stay here today. She’ll take care of you both.”
Jungkook’s hand twitched, like he wanted to grab Tae but wasn’t sure.
Tae then turned and kissed Areum’s chubby cheek gently without waking her.
He stood up, walked across the room, and sat by the bench to wear his shoes.
Jungkook sat up now, slowly, his eyes following every single move. He didn’t blink. His face looked… confused. Almost betrayed.
Taehyung put on his long black coat. The fabric moved behind him like a shadow. He picked up his work bag and put it over his shoulder.
When he turned around, Jungkook was already out of bed. He was barefoot and standing still, like a lost child.
Taehyung walked toward him.
“Koo…” he whispered, stepping close.
“It’s just a few hours.”
Jungkook didn’t answer. His chest rose and fell a little faster than before.
Tae smiled softly and leaned in one more time, pressing a gentle kiss to Jungkook’s lips. “Bye, love,” he said.
Jungkook didn’t kiss back, he just stood there, watching Tae walk out of the room like the whole world was leaving with him.
....
The light in the room had changed, it was brighter now, but felt colder.
Areum lay on her back in the middle of the bed, making soft giggling sounds. Her small fists were in her mouth, and her legs moved gently under the wrinkled blanket.
Jungkook sat in front of her with his legs crossed on the messy bed. His brown eyes stared at her, he wasn’t smiling or laughing. He just looked at her like she was something he didn’t fully understand.
He slowly reached out and touched her little foot. She giggled again.
Then, all of a sudden, Jungkook turned his head quickly.
He heard footsteps.
His eyes lit up.
He jumped off the bed quickly, heart thumping, but when the door opened, his face fell.
It wasn’t Tae.
It was Eomma, Mrs. Kim, holding a soft smile and wearing her pale pink cardigan. Her voice was light as she stepped in.
“Good morning, Jungkook,” she greeted warmly, walking toward the bed.
Jungkook didn’t respond. He just stared.
Mrs. Kim walked to Areum and picked her up gently from the bed. “Good morning, my sweet little one,” she cooed, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
Areum babbled and reached for her grandmother’s necklace with chubby fingers.
Jungkook stood frozen, eyes darting to the doorway again, like Tae might still walk in. But nothing.
Mrs. Kim turned to him. “Come on, let’s go feed her. You too, let's have breakfast.”
Jungkook followed silently, but his eyes flicked around the house as they walked, scanning every corner, every hallway.
Looking for Tae.
The house felt too big without him.
...
Mrs. Kim sat at the kitchen table, holding Areum on her lap. A maid stood beside her, gently placing everything they might need.
She set down a warm bottle of baby formula, then placed a clean bib with little yellow stars on the table. A small plastic spoon and a bowl of mashed banana followed.
She also brought wet wipes and a soft towel, laying them neatly nearby. Just in case, she tucked a clean diaper and a folded changing mat to the side.
“Here,” Mrs. Kim said, motioning to the seat next to her, “Come sit.”
But Jungkook didn’t move. He stood by the doorway, his hands curled into loose fists.
His eyes blinked.
Mrs. Kim glanced up, noticing his stillness.
She smiled gently. “He’ll be back, Jungkook. He’s just at work. Only a few hours.”
Jungkook didn’t answer. He turned and quietly walked away from the kitchen.
Mrs. Kim watched him go, a slight worry in her eyes. She shifted her focus back to Areum, wiping a little milk from her lips.
“Your papa’s missing him already, isn’t he?” she whispered to the baby.
Areum giggled, swinging her arms happily.
\\\
The giant doors creaked open as Jungkook slowly stepped outside.
A gentle wind moved through his hair while he walked past the front steps and down the garden path, his eyes quietly scanning the yard.
He walked by a maid trimming flowers and stopped for a moment, staring at her face with a flicker of hope. She gave him a small, confused smile.
He looked away.
Another maid passed by, carrying folded laundry. Jungkook paused again, his eyes searching her face.
But it wasn’t Taehyung.
His heart thudded in his chest. His hands started shaking as he walked further, past the gates this time, past the walls.
His mind was empty except for one thing.
Tae.
....
Jungkook wandered through sidewalks, looking left and right at every person who walked by.
Tall men. Old women. Teenagers in uniforms. A couple holding hands.
He looked into each face, searching hard.
Some people stared back at him, confused, a few smiled, surprised by his looks. His pale skin, soft brown hair, long lashes. He didn’t look real.
But he didn’t care.
He just kept walking.
...
Evening
His feet ached.
He had no idea how far he’d come.
He had passed a bus stop. A school gate. A bookstore. A train station.
Still no Tae.
The lights of the city started turning on one by one.
The sky above turned a soft orange. The air grew cooler.
....
Jungkook sat down on a lonely wooden bench under a tree.
He hunched forward, breathing heavy.
His heart felt tight.
He touched his chest, it ached.
He didn’t understand why.
And then....
A single tear slipped down his cheek.
He wiped it quickly, confused and scared by it.
Why did crying feel like breaking?
His eyes dropped to the ground.
Then, he felt it.
A hand, gently placed on his shoulder.
He turned around fast, almost too fast.
The person stepped back a little, startled.
It was a woman, early twenties, long black hair, soft eyes. She wore a grey coat and looked kind.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly.
Jungkook stared at her, breath shaking, eyes wide and empty.
Then slowly, his face fell.
His expression changed into one of deep sadness.
It wasn’t Tae.
He looked away.
“Sorry,” the woman whispered, taking a small step back.
Jungkook didn’t answer. His eyes looked off into the distance again.
Still searching.
Still waiting.
The young woman beside him kept glancing his way. She tilted her head slightly, studying his sad face.
“I’ve been watching you for a while,” she said gently. “You don’t look okay… Did you lose something?”
He blinked, but didn’t answer.
She leaned a little closer, voice calm.
“What are you searching for?”
Jungkook slowly turned to look at her. He said nothing. His lips were pressed tight, his chest rose and fell.
“You don’t talk?” she asked, not unkindly.
“Or you just don’t want to talk to me?”
Still, silence.
She almost pouted in frustration, then her features softened. She glanced at his face, so handsome, but so broken.
“You must be going through something really bad,” she said, her tone softer now. “It’s okay. I won’t push.”
Jungkook looked around again, his eyes still scanning the people walking past. None of them were Tae.
She sighed, then smiled a little. “If you tell me what’s bothering you, I might be able to help. I’ll help you find what you’re looking for. Promise.”
That’s when he looked at her again.
His lips trembled, and in a very soft, almost broken voice, he whispered,
“…Tae.”
The woman blinked. “Tae?”
He blinked his eyes.
“You’re looking for someone named Tae?”
He slowly nod.
She tilted her head. “Who is Tae? A girl? A guy? Where did you lose them?”
Jungkook only replied, “Tae…” again. His voice was low, filled with ache.
“You lost them here? In this park? Or somewhere else?” she asked, trying to help.
But Jungkook didn’t answer that. His eyes went back to searching.
She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “You look like a giant baby… You only say one word like 'momma', but yours is Tae.”
Jungkook blinked at her.
She smiled, not mocking.... more affectionate. “It’s cute though… I guess Tae must be really special, huh?”
He nodded once more.
She sighed and looked around too. “Okay, big baby. Let’s find your Tae.”
\\\
To be continued...
Can you guess what will happen next ? 😆