peace | taekook

chapter twenty-one

ever since that line turned flat, everything was a blur as tae attempted to plan the most spectacular celebration of life event that anyone would ever attend. his mind was only focused on the woman he'd admired for so many years, who'd stepped in a million times where his mother couldn't.

the whole thing had left him with a second hole when he hadn't even had a chance to fill the first.

adorned in all black, he tugged at the silk tie around his neck to ensure it was perfect. his grandmother would be furious if it wasn't crisp-

she always wondered what the point of disheveled and disorganized formal clothes were. it ruined the whole aura.

"you look handsome." jungkook was at his bedroom door, dressed up in a black button up and slacks.

if it wasn't so fucking sad, he'd think about how handsome he looked.

"thank you." tae rested his eyes for just a moment, the lashes tickling his cheeks reminding him of what it would feel like to be kissed by an angel. how he wished they were here on earth to smother him with hugs that smelled of white diamond perfume and bright pink lipstick stains that him and joon would wash off in the bathroom, horrified if anyone knew that gram still kissed their cheeks.

"i made something for you. for today." jungkook seemed nervous; it was out of character to his usually confident demeanor.

"oh?" tae took the younger males hand, allowing him to lead them both to the living room where an abundance of flower arrangements and too many hand made meals sat untouched.

in the midst of the chaos was a brown paper wrapped canvas and tae just knew-

"is this?"

"for you."

jungkook picked it up to make it easier for tae to unwrap and as he did, the most beautiful portrait of his gram and him emerged. it was modeled after a picture from way back when, evident by the crazy bowl cut hair and the brightly colored outfits.

he remembered the day perfectly. gram had taken him to an amusement park where he proceeded to demand that they ride the rollercoaster four times in a row. he puked up two corn dogs and then asked for popcorn.

gram obliged. joon won him a stuffed puppy.

it had been the best day.

"when did you-," tae tried to hold back the tickle in his throat, the indication that he was a minute from falling apart, "when did you have time?"

"made time; i will always make time for you."

tae removed the generic picture he currently had hung on the living room wall, quick to replace it with the personalized painting. it was the best thing he'd ever owned.

"i love it more than anything." his eyes sparkled as he examined the details once more, "i could stare at it forever."

"she loved you so much tae."

he felt two strong arms wrap around his waist, rocking him gently as they just sat in the moment. it felt important to take a second, before the day picked up and tae would be flooded with apologies for his loss from people he'd never met before.

"thank you."

jungkook helped him gather what he needed, making sure he had the speech, that the car was warmed up. he held tae's hand the entire ride to the funeral home and made sure to get him food and water since lord knows he hadn't been taking care of himself since that day at the hospital.

"she wouldn't have wanted roses by her, she'd want the peonies..." tae was muttering under his breath in between bites of a granola bar, "and that picture isn't the one i said and-,"