delicate | K.TH

32: Ending

AMIN

A child's cry bursts out from the living room.

"Tae, for heaven's sake." I sigh as I leave the kitchen in a rush, apron still wrapped around my waist. And of course he's there, looking up at me like a deer caught in headlights with his arms squeezing the flailing girl.

"I told you to stop, didn't I?"

Taehyung pouts.

Haeri wriggles out of her father's chest, running straight to me.

"Mama! He surprised me from the back and wouldn't stop hugging me!"

"It's because he loves you too much." I murmur, but she pushes her lips together and pads back over to the toy box.

She flicks her finger towards him.

"Well, I forgive you this one time, Papa. But do it again and no dinner for you!"

I burst into laughter.

With a basket full of toys, she shuffles into the small tent set into the corner of the living room. And I'm still smiling as she zips up the tent flap shut.

"No one loves me."

I turn to Taehyung, not able to believe what he'd just said. He leans back into the couch, pitiful expression on his face.

"...what did you just say?"

He glances up at me, eyes only widening when he sees my furrowed brows.

"Noona, I—"

One hand on my waist, I lift up his chin with a single finger. "Don't say things like that, hm? What does that make me?"

He pulls me onto his lap.

"You know I don't mean those things."

Taehyung unravels the knot of the apron in the back with slender fingers, dropping it to the ground. He initiates a fierce kiss onto my lips, and I'm about to kiss back when I realize that the four-year old girl is still within hearing range inside the tent.

I push on his chest with urgent hands.

"Wait. She..."

"She's asleep." He whispers, and I blink. "You can hear her sleeping."

And only when he tells me do I hear the soft snores of the child through the thin tent.

"Come, Noona." He smiles faintly, lifting me off of his lap and into his body as he stands.

His innocent smile turns devilish.

"We have about an hour until she wakes up."

____________________________

My lips are still swollen as I walk Haeri down the baby aisle of the store, holding her hand tight to mine. She needed clothes for spring— and she was growing, so quickly.

Taehyung was at work, busy with the changing seasons.

"Come here, love." I say, unhooking a white cherry dress from the hangar and holding it up to her body. "How do you like this one?"

Grabbing the dress with her plump hands, she waddles in front of the small mirror. I watch her with adoration as she turns in different angles, large eyes fixed at herself.