The Tomorrow Of Us - Taekook

prologue

Song: Sweet Apocalypse - Lambert

One year ago

_________________________________________

He always feels awkward before a performance.

The people who hire him always expect Taehyung to turn up a few hours before the event officially begins, just so everything would be ready and perfect. So, after deciding where he should stand during his performance and a quick run-through of all his songs, there's always this awkward break where the guests are slowly arriving one by one while Taehyung pretends to look through his notes, hoping no one will walk up to him and start a conversation.

This time is no different. Taehyung stands somewhere absent while silently observing the people rushing around the big room, arranging the flowers next to the framed picture of a boy that could only be a few years older than himself.

Considering the occasion Taehyung has picked a few sad songs out of his repertoire. He eyes the picture again, the boy smiling wide with teeth on full display. A small part of him wonders why he died, as the boy's case is what people probably would call a tragedy, a soul that left the earth too young, having not lived enough of his life. But then again, life just isn't fair he thinks as he positions himself on the right spot. He was told to play a little while the guests arrive, and then, after all of them had have bowed to the picture of the dead boy and shaken hands with the grieving family members, Taehyung should play one last song for the ceremony to end.

Different people come to talk to the family and Taehyung notices the mother smiling tiredly while the father nods with tight lips. The dark haired boy next to them does not seem to be here even though his physical present is evadable. Taehyung can see his swollen eyes that are fixed on the ground, can see his red nose and cheeks and if he listens closely, he thinks he can make out the small sniffs leaving the boy's mouth through the humming crowd of voices.

Taehyung does meet the eyes of the father who gives him a small nod and he nods back. He positions his violin on his shoulder, pressing his jaw against the chin rest, this fingers subconsciously finding their right place on the strings.

And he starts playing.

The bow glides smoothly over the strings while his fingers jump from chord to chord. The song he choose to end the ceremony with is not as sad as the others he has played before. His mother has told him to pick something with a melancholic yet hopeful tone to it and so Taehyung's choice naturally fell on a song he always played for himself back in the days. Back then when things were- tough.

Taehyung does not close his eyes when he plays, not wanting to get too lost in his own memories. Instead, he tries to focus on the different faces of the people watching him. Some of them look back at him, others stare absent-minded into the blue, some hold hands, others fiddle with their shirts, slightly uncomfortable with the crying happening around them. And that is when Taehyung realizes how to them it does not matter what exactly he plays or how well he plays it. His performance does not serve any artistic purposes right now. It presents a chance allowing everyone to think about the deceased once more, remembering a few memories tied to him. This song might be the only break the grieving family will have today, the only time where not all eyes are on them, he comes to think.

His fingers start moving faster, their movements still being smooth and featherlight as the song builds up to the last stanza, when his gaze falls onto the boy from before whom he assumes to be the brother of the deceased. Unlike before, the guy has stop sobbing, his eyes seeming dry for once. With his mouth slightly open he looks at Taehyung with an unreadable expression and for a slight second it feels like he is about to move closer and the look in his eyes makes Taehyung wish he could ask the boy what exactly he is thinking right now.

But the moment passes when the boy shakes his head softly and Taehyung feels the urge to take his eyes off of him, the moment feeling oddly intimate somehow.

And so, he turns to the rest of the people, not looking at the boy again. Still, he repeats the last chorus once again as well as the bridge before ending the song.

Maybe it is because he wants to grant the boy a few more moments not to think about his loss.

Or maybe not closing his eyes did not do the deed and the melody still creepies up on him, sucking him into old memories he thought to have forgotten by now.