REVEALING.

Note: Due to assignments, this chapter is short than the previous chapters.

Author's POV

        Taehyung was a sweet and gentle child when Jiyeon knew him, though it may sound like a cliche, it’s true. His hair was lighter back then, chestnut we suppose; but Taehyung was already disturbed by the age of six. Though the toilet was only a few metres from his bedroom he would crawl under an old pool table and urinate on the carpet. No-one knows why he did it. It was as if some animal instinct drove him to do it, to hide somewhere dark, somewhere that felt safe.

        He was a fighter, never staying down if he fell or got knocked. He would go out of his way to be nice to other kids at school, but mostly stuck to just two friends who didn’t mind how old his clothes were. Did I say he has freckles? He does. He was a skinny kid but mostly healthy. He loved animals, as most little boys do. He hated jelly and sausages. He was a teacher pleaser, always doing his best in classes and clever too, learning quickly. But his childhood was rough from the start, some kids have it worse, but his home was turmoil and violence; not constantly, but enough to make him less stable than he should have been. Jiyeon wish she could have saved him from the years ahead of him, but she was only a teen herself back then.

        The first time Jiyeon met Taehyung was ten years ago in the same place, in the house to be exact. That time, Nana told her there was a scary abandoned house near hers and if Jiyeon brave enough to take a picture inside the house, she will give Jiyeon her new shoes. Jiyeon who didn't believe in something's scary or whatever, take it as if it's a little challenge.

        Surprisingly, on a plastic hallway chair sat a child, legs kicking in the air, clearing the floor by several inches as they swung back and forth. Jiyeon was mesmerized by the red rubber boots on his feet and blue duffle coat. His face had unhealthy look to it and his eyes were hard open as he stared at nothing on the wall. Jiyeon stopped. The boy's legs weren't swinging in the care-free way she'd first assumed. Each one was more like a kick, sharp and pointed. She crouched down in front of him, letting the boy see her face.

        “Hey there, I'm Jiji. What's your name?” Jiyeon gave him her childhood name. The boy became still and was quiet for a moment, sitting further back into the chair.

        “Tae,” came out almost like an accident, spilling out of his drawn inward lips. His brown eyes lost their harshness, becoming rounder, more glossy. Then all at once his face buckled, his breathing stopped momentarily and tears streamed.

        Jiyeon couldn’t do anything but hugged him.

        Jiyeon was coming to the abandoned house everyday while bringing food and some medicine. Not no mention she win her mission for getting Nana's new shoes. She failed. Completely forgot about that.

        Jiyeon comforted him. He had that hopeful look in his eye. He had it every time he got the notion to better himself in some way. Sometimes it was more education, another time it would be a business plan, occasionally he planned to get fit. She'd always smile while she told him the plan and appear to support him, then over the coming week she'd insert comments to deflate him and make him feel worthless and insecure. Then she'd come to the rescue and tell him she loved him just the way he was.

        From that on, because Taehyung just gave her 'Tae' word, Jiyeon called him Taetae and he never complain about it, he seemed to like it instead.

        A week passed since then, and Taehyung seemed to trust Jiyeon more. He was more open and let Jiyeon knew his reason of everyday 'wound everywhere'.

        He told that her mom ran away after his father abuse her. Both of his eyes saw his father squeezed his mom’s shoulders and started screaming at her then he slapped her and he shoved the table destroying the glass vase and the glass shuttered everywhere he then pulled her down to the floor... her back sticking on the glass pieces then beating her in a violent way and she could do nothing but burst in tears not even ask him to stop knowing that this makes him more angry.

        And he was like a substitute of his mother. How's cruel.

        “Nuna,” That was the first time Taehyung took an initiative to start the conversation.

        “Hmm?” Jiyeon's humming.

        “Promise me you would never leave me and always look for me here.” He said it while keeping his head down.

        Jiyeon was caressing his hair. Even if Taehyung didn't said that, she will do that willingly since she had thought him as her little brother.”I promise, but you have to promise too.” This time Taehyung looked at Jiyeon,”Promise me you'll always come here. You know, what's the point of coming here if you're not around.”

        After Taehyung knew what Jiyeon meant, he smiled and hugged her, making Jiyeon's almost dropped because of this sudden surprise.”I promise.”

        “Good boy,” Jiyeon hugged him back. Somehow, she proud of herself when saw the sorrow look of Taehyung wasn't on his eyes anymore.

        The next day in the bright summer, Jiyeon, as usual come to that house. She open the window, letting breeze coming in. She took her bag, opening her ruck-sack of goodies. A slow smile spread over her gaunt features, this must be happiness. She pulled out the chocolate bar and set it to one side, then she slid out the grapes, the caramel candies her father always made and finally the roasted chicken. This all was for her Taetae.

        However,

        Two hours

        Three hours

        Four hours

        Taehyung hasn't come.

        Jiyeon was getting anxious. What if his dad did something to him? Jiyeon could do nothing but wait. It's not that she didn't care, but she didn't know where Taehyung live. Everytime she wanted to asked, she always think it's not the time. And in the situation like this, she regreted it.

        She didn't know how many hours she spent already. All she knew was dark night replaced by the blue sky again, without any foods that filled her stomach. She was worried to leave the place. What if Taehyung came but she wasn't there? So she kept waiting.

        Jiyeon felt woozy and lightheaded. Her brain felt like it was being stretched and let go like an elastic band. Her balance became worse and she had to hold onto a pole for support. was dry and her palms wasn't sweating. She didn't know what to do.

        Jiyeon lost the colour from her face. It was as if her heart had suddenly stopped beating and all the blood had run down into her boots. She swayed for just a moment before falling to the floor.

        After that, she found herself in the hospital bed already.

        Back to the present.

        “I didn't intend to ...” Taehyung lost his words as if bereft of any wind the leaves outside hung limp until they fell of their own accord, there was no whispering noise or rustling.

        “I thought the same too, so why you didn’t show up?” Jiyeon remained calm, ready to hear any reason he will give. In the deep of her heart, she hope it wasn't terrible thing that hurt him.

        Taehyung lift up his head, looking at the dark sky without stars. Exhale before explaining,”That time, the man who think he was my dad abused me more uncontrollable than usual. Punch me, kick me ...” He paused for a moment, letting out something that make his heart twitch.”So, when I got the chance, I ran away like mom did, promise myself I won't come back anymore. I don't know how far I ran, until Jiji's face appeared. It was the hardest moment in my life when I had to choose one path. Half of my hear said that if I was back, dad would throw his fists again, while another one calmed me, told me that as long as I was with Jiji, everything will be alright.”

        Jiyeon rubbed her arms.”You choose the first one, good choice.”

        “Huh?” Taehyung looks puzzled.

        “Thinking how old she was, I think I'll take that choice too. What's the point of coming back and being together with her if you were still get beaten up, right? She can't protect you anyway.”

        Taehyung lowered his head. Jiyeon is scary for sure, she can right away hit the spot, yet he couldn't tell her that he regretted it, for whole ten years.

        “So, you live all alone for this past ten years?” Jiyeon asked.

        “No,” Taehyung shook his head.”Someone took me off the street and raised me.”

        Jiyeon smiles, feeling relieved to hear that he's doing fine.”Good for you then.” Honestly, the reason why Jiyeon didn't want to remember about it was because of she's disappointed to herself for not capable enough to protect little Taetae.

        “I could tak