Perfectly Unpolished
Perfectly Unpolished“Good job! You get a gold star for that, Seon-woo! One more and you’ll have enough to pick a prize from the basket!” Taehyung beamed down at the child and carefully placed a little gold star sticker on the bright blue card that read ‘Min Seon-woo.’ The little kindergartener smiled proudly, clearly pleased with himself.
Taehyung was a teacher, of kindergarteners at that, and he adored his job. He got just as excited as the student when handing out gold stars, because it meant they managed to learn or achieve something particularly difficult, which he felt also reflected upon himself as a teacher, and there was nothing in the world cuter or brighter than the smile of a child who managed to accomplish something that seemed impossible when they first began.
Kindergarten was no joke. Trying to hold the attention of little minds bursting with curiosity and the attention span of a goldfish (which is a grand average of about nine seconds- he looked it up) would have been one of the most difficult things he had ever endeavored to accomplish- if he weren’t such a natural at it. Between his huge box-shaped grin and his playful, energetic, bright personality, the children were usually enamored with him. The rows and rows of gold stars on all of his students’ name cards reflected his success.
Life, however, was impartial.
***
It had been a year since he received the news. It wasn’t a dreary, rainy day that day, as one might expect for something tragic. It was a calm day. The sun had been out, little Chaeyoung- bless her heart- had managed to collect enough stars to pick a large, glossy plush lion from the basket, and Taehyung had gone out for coffee with Jungkook after school. An ordinary sort of day. The pleasant kind that he would normally have enjoyed but wouldn’t have necessarily remembered (just sort of joining the other pleasant days that blur together into a pleasant week, or month, or year)- except for that phone call. He would never forget that phone call.
***
“Annyeong, eomma!” he called as he toed off his shoes by the entrance. Padding over to the photo he had placed carefully on a little table in the corner over a year ago, he gently set down the bouquet of flowers in his hands.
“I know it’s not your birthday or anything special, but the sunshine was beautiful today, and little Seon-woo- you know, the one I told you I was a bit worried about?- well, he finally had enough gold stars to get a prize! He was the last in the class, but he’s really trying hard. Kinda reminds me of me, you know? But anyway, it was just a beautiful day, and I saw these at the flower shop on the way home, and I thought you might like them! Lilies always were your favorite,” he smiled gently at the photo. She had been a woman of soft edges, little wrinkles, and a huge laugh. Perfect. He couldn’t help a small wave a sadness brushing through him.
“I’m sorry you never got to meet my soulmate. I still haven’t found them yet, but they’re bound to be amazing, right? Ah, I can’t wait. Do you think it’ll be a girl? That would be kinda nice, we could have kids! Ah, but, a boy would be good, too. We could adopt! I think I would like that,” Taehyung grinned at the thought of having a small child of his own. “Don’t worry, eomma, I’ll find them. I mean, you and appa found each other, didn’t you?”
***
“E-eomma, I just- I just can’t. I miss you,” Taehyung bent over, another wracking sob tearing its way through him. “They- they almost fired me. I swear, I didn’t- how could I ever? Why is this happening?” He curled into himself, dropping to his knees in front of the photo. “Why is this happening? And why am I alone? Why?” He let the waves of fear and desolate anguish roll through him, sobs heaving from his chest and only ebbing to a halt when he succumbed to exhaustion, falling into an uneasy sleep, still laying in front of the little table in the corner.
***
“Eomma. I heard about a dance studio in the area. I know I haven’t since…” he trailed off staring down at his palms, suddenly recalling that phone call. “I know it’s been over a year, but apparently it’s run by an old member of neuron. Remember that dance team I thought about trying to join back in high school, with little Kookie? Gosh, I’m glad you knocked some sense into us back then. Right, well, I never met the guy, but I hear he’s good. And- and I was thinking it might be good to get back into it,” he looked up hopefully.
“What do you think? Should I go? I have the time…” He leaned forward, resting his chin on the little table. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I will,” he suddenly grinned. “I can’t wait to tell you about it.”
***
“Eomma! Eomma, you’ll never guess what happened today!” He scrambled to kick off his shoes, and dashed to the little corner, sliding over the floor in his socks and nearly crashing before catching himself on the wall. Abruptly collapsing into a crisscross sitting position, he scooted closer, box-smile huge and bright.
“Eomma. I MET MY SOULMATE,” he screeched, throwing his arms in the air and falling backwards. “Eomma, you were right. When time froze, it seemed like the most beautiful moment of my life, but after, talking to him was even more beautiful,” he sighed happily.
“Oh, right,” he jerked upwards, back into a sitting position. “His name is Jung Hoseok, but his best friend, Park Jimin, he called him Hobi, and I like that, so I think I’ll call him that, too. Oh! I forgot to tell you, I met him at the dance studio!” Taehyung grinned proudly. “Eomma, he wasn’t just any dancer, either. He was the dancer. From Neuron! My soulmate owns a dance studio!” Taehyung flopped onto his back again, staring up at the ceiling dreamily, before quirking his head to the side thoughtfully.
“I guess it was fate that you stopped us back then. I totally woulda pursued dancing with him, and then I wouldn’t be a teacher,” he rolled his eyes. “Obviously being a teacher is the best job in the world, so I’m glad that didn’t happen.” Taehyung sighed happily, sitting up and propping his chin on his hand.
“Eomma, he’s so good at dancing. And he has a smile that could rival the sun, and he seems really fun, and I can’t wait to introduce him to you.” Taehyung reached forward, gently running his fingers down the dark wooden frame of the photo.
“I know you’ll love him.”
***
The front door opened and shut, two figures fumbling blindly in the dark. A moan escaped the lips of one as the other pressed him back into the door, before the first dragged him away. Small gasps and sighs of pleasure came from the figures as they made their way toward the back of the apartment, occasional giggles bubbling forth when they stumbled or bumped into a wall. Another door opened and shut.
***
“Tae?”
“Mmm?”
“I love you.”
Taehyung cracked open an eye, a smile slowly spreading across his face.
“Yeah?”
“Mmm.”
Taehyung sighed happily, allowing his eyelid to drop closed as he relished the warmth of the body curved around his. It was the first time Hobi had said it, but there was no rush to say it back, no uncertainty or worries to ease. They were soulmates, both secure in their certainty that they belonged together. Hobi hadn’t actually needed to say it for him to know, and he knew Hobi felt the same way.
“I love you, too.”
Couldn’t hurt, anyway, though. And it felt nice. Rolled off the tongue warmly, giving him a fuzzy feeling. He would say it a lot more from now on, he decided.
Snuggling closer, he nudged Hobi’s face with his nose, “Come on, time to get up. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“What?” Hobi peered down at him incredulously. “Tae, it’s 7 a.m. Can’t they wait?”
Taehyung grinned, nudging him again, “Nah, come on. You don’t even need to really get dressed, just put on a shirt. We don’t even need to leave the house.”
Hobi sat up, confusion the predominant emotion coloring his features. “Wait, what, is someone here?”
“You could say that,” Taehyung winked mysteriously before rolling out of bed. Dragging on a t-shirt and tossing one to Hobi, he proceeded to pad out toward the living room, ignoring Hobi’s questions and protests. The elder followed him, not falling silent until he caught sight of the little corner.
“Oh.”
“Hobi,” Taehyung turned and smiled at him, “I want to introduce you to my eomma.” Hobi nodded and sat down, and Taehyung followed.
“Eomma, this is Hobi, the one I told you about. Handsome, isn’t he?” Taehyung grinned at his soulmate’s blush. The elder bowed respectfully, however, and even managed a shy smile.
“Annyeonghaseyo. I would have liked to meet you looking a little more cleaned up,” he shot Taehyung a glare, “but it is a pleasure.”
“Nonsense! His bedhead is adorable, isn’t it, eomma? I told you you would love him,” Taehyung beamed. “I love him.”
Hobi blushed more, ducking his head, but looking pleased. “Ah, ahjumma, your son is quite the handful. But… I wouldn’t have him any other way. I love him, too,” he looked at Taehyung, softening. “I really do. I promise I’ll do my best to look after him.”
Taehyung felt his heart flutter. He had wanted Hobi to meet her this way. Not all neat, and careful, and polished. Just as plain Hobi. He knew she would like him best this way, because it was how he liked Hobi best.
“So, eomma, you’ll never guess what Hobi did the other day at the studio. Right before we started, he-” Taehyung was cut off by a body tackling him and hands clamping over his mouth, a look of horror spreading across Hobi’s features. It was exactly what Taehyung had been expecting, but he still exploded in whoops of laughter at the sight.
Every moment would be the most beautiful moment of his life, he decided, if he got to share it with the man above him.
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