To My Last Life || Taennie

Chapter Twenty-eight

THE skies were gloomy, the same as how Taehyung's feeling. Today's the day of his dad's funeral at wala syang ibang maramdaman kundi sakit.

The funeral's not open for public, granting their mom's request na sana ay walang mediang makapasok, though it already reached them na wala na ang tatay nila. Siguro ayaw lang talaga nilang magambala sa araw nang pagdadalamhati kaya tanging ang mga employees, close friends at kamag-anak lamang ang nasa libing.

Lahat halos ng kamag-anak nila ay kasalukuyang nasa sementeryo, maliban kay Taehyung. Huminga sya nang malalim bago pinihit ang doorknob ng pinto ng office ng dad nya. He looked around and all he can see was the hologram like of his dad.

Sa bawat paglalakad nya papalapit sa desk ng ama nya ay kasabay nang pagbigat ng nararamdaman nya. He saw his dad's glass name plate na nakapatong na lalo lamang nakapagpahirap sa nararamdaman nya. When he saw a picture of him, there, everything just hit him.

He started crying, tears were nowhere near from stopping from flowing down his face. Unti-unti ay parang nawawalan ng lakas ang mga tuhod nya, dahilan para mapabagsak sya sa pagkakatayo. He kneeled in front of his father's desk while every memory of him rushes through his head.

"Taehyung!" A very familiar voice echoed right after the doors opened. Rinig nya ang mabilis na paglapit sa kanya nito at lumuhod sa harapan nya habang nakahawak sa dalawang balikat nya. "Taehyung, kanina ka pa namin hinahanap." Sambit ni Jungkook.

"Puta, ang sakit-sakit..." Halos pabulong na sabi ni Taehyung habang nakayuko. Napabuntong-hininga si Jungkook at tinapik-tapik ang balikat nito.

"Alam kong sobra kang nasasaktan pero alam natin parehas na kelangan mo magpakatatag. Nandito pa rin kami para sayo, kami ni Jimin. Hindi ka namin iiwan."

Ilang minuto pang humahagulgol si Taehyung habang hindi umaalis sa tabi nya si Jungkook. Maya-maya lamang ay dumating ang nag-aalalang si Jimin.

"Ililibing na dad mo, ayaw mo bang sumilip muna don?" Mahinang tanong ni Jimin.

"H-hindi ko kaya..." Taehyung's voice lightly cracked while he was still in tears. They just nodded at his decision, thinking na yon ang makakabuti para sa kanya.

They stayed with him. There was no need for words to comfort. Sabi nga nila, sometimes, your presence is enough that even silence brings comfort.

When Taehyung finally calmed himself down, tahimik silang naka-upo sa couch sa loob ng office ng dad nya. Hindi pa rin magawang magsalita ni Taehyung dahil pakiramdam nya, sa isang salita nya ay tutulo na naman ang mga luha niya. Nabasag lang ang katahimikan nung makarinig sila nang pagkatok.

Their attentions diverted to the door and Jimin volunteered to open it. "Sino yan?" tanong din nya bago humawak sa doorknob.

"P.A. Kang po ito, sir. Head ng personal staff ni mister Kim," sagot ng boses mula sa pinto. Tumingin si Jimin kay Taehyung, naghihintay ng sagot kung papapasukin ba nya to. Tumango naman si Taehyung kaya agad itong pinihit pabukas ni Jimin.

Nag-bow pa sa kanilang tatlo ang lalaking personal assistant ng tatay nya bago lumapit. Umupo pabalik si Jimin sa couch at pina-upo na rin ni Taehyung sa tapat nya yung P.A.

"These are a bit confidential, sir. Okay lang po ba na marinig nila?" tanong nito. Nagkatingin yung tatlo at tumango lang si Taehyung.

Pinagkakatiwalaan nya nang higit sina Jungkook at Jimin. Alam naman nya sa sarili nya na hindi sila makakagawa ng ikasasama nya dahil sila-sila na rin lang ang sandalan ng isa't-isa.

Tumango ito at may ipinatong na folder sa center table. "Before mister Kim died, nagpatawag na sya ng lawyer para idiscuss ang rights kung kanino mapupunta ang company and his decision was... to give the company to you."

Napakunot ang noo ni Taehyung. He wasn't expecting this. Ang inaasahan nya ay mapupunta ang kompanya kay Jongin dahil una sa lahat, sya ang panganay at bukod pa don, sya ang tunay na anak. Anak sya sa labas, paanong sa kanya na to naisip na ibigay?

"S-sakin? Bakit? Bakit hindi kay kuya?" naguguluhang tanong nya.

"Tinanong din namin yan kay mr. Kim, wala syang malinaw na sagot. Hindi ko lang sadyang narinig pero ang sabi nya, hindi pwedeng mapunta ito kina Jongin at sa asawa nya ang lahat ng to." Sagot nito sa kanya.

Naguluhan si Taehyung. Natatakot. Natatakot dahil wala naman syang masyadong alam sa pagpapatakbo ng kompanya kundi ang mga naturo lang sa kanya ng tatay nya nung buhay pa sya.

"Pero wala akong alam sa ganito..."

"We'll be here to help you, sir. Inatasan po ang personal team namin ni mr. Kim na i-guide ka once na ikaw na ang uupo sa pwesto," He answered as if he was reassuring him to not worry. "There would be a board meeting daw po next week before ang official na pagpapalit ng pwesto sa shareholders meeting."

He pursed his lips. Eyes were shaking. "Hindi ako sigurado kung mapapatakbo ko yan nang ayos..." hesitance was evident in his voice.

"Mr. Kim said to trust you and he said that he wants you to trust us. So please, pagkatiwalaan nyo po kami at ang sarili nyo." those words marked Taehyung's mind.

Trusting himself for him was somehow foreign. All his life, he doubted himself, thinking that he's nothing compared to his brother who's the ideal son that every parent would want to have. He thinks that maybe he's really the black sheep of the family, the reason why all he did was throw himself to parties, to have fun-- or to distract himself from the pain, that is.

Ano nga bang masama kung pagkakatiwalaan nya ang sarili nya? To see his own worth? Pero natatakot sya. Natatakot na pano kung pagkatiwalaan nya nga ang sarili nya pero ang tiwala ng iba ay hindi nya makuha? Maraming pangamba sa utak nya pero walang ibang tumatak sa isip nya kundi ang mga salita ni mr. Kang na galing sa ama nya.

Pagkatiwalaan mo ang sarili mo...

After a not-so-long moment of silence, Taehyung lifted his head up to meet his eyes. "I've finally thought about it..." he trailed. "I'll take his place."

Diretsong nakatingin sa mga mata ni mr. Kang si Taehyung. Hindi mapigilan nina Jungkook at Jimin na magpakawala nang bahagyang ngiti, proud dahil binigyan ni Taehyung yung sarili nya ng pagkakataon.

"That's great, sir," pormal na ngumiti si mr. Kang. "If it's okay with you, we'll get you a head start tomorrow, that is if you're already ready...?"

Napabuntong-hininga si Taehyung bago tumango. "It's fine. Bukas din, magsimula na tayo."

"Thank you, sir," sabi ni mr. Kang bago ilahad ang kamay. Bahagyang nakangiting tinanggap ito ni Taehyung para makipag-kamay.

Taehyung thought that maybe it is a new chance for him to prove himself to other people. Na hindi lang sya basta walang kwentang anak. He has a role in this world and he himself needs to believe that before others do.

But on the other hand, he let out a frustrated sigh before rolling his eyes and slamming his laptop shut. Napahilot sya sa noo nya at hindi mapigilan ang inis.

All this time, narinig nya ang pinag-uusapan nila.

"Nawala na yung isa pero why do you keep meddling up?" he whispered to himself, frustrated.

He clicked his knuckles and stared at the wall with his flaring eyes. He's the man behind everything. Everything.

"It wasn't in the plan but I guess you just ended up digging your own grave, my dear brother..."

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a/n: hi!! gusto ko lang sabihin na thank you sa inyo 😭 happy 4k+ reads here!! happy 21k+ read sa TTBTMOL!! happy 7k+ reads sa AGOO!! happy 5k+ reads sa Playgirl!! happy 15k+ reads din sa Best Friend!! 🧡

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