𝙼𝚢 𝚋𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 || KIM TAEHYUNG FF

#32 The Aesthetic Box

-TAEHYUNG POV-

What she said left me completely dazed and confused. How? I couldn't think straight anymore... I had so many... literally innumerable emotions inside me.

I had just realised that I have fallen for Ashley... And then I come to know that her mom is the one to kill my mom? It was all just too much for me to take in at once.

I was so much immersed into my own thoughts that I didn't even realise that she had been sitting like a stone in front of me. No emotions, no expressions.

A straight pale face that had ran out of energy. She didn't even try to explain anything, probably thinking that I hate her again... And may be I had actually started to...

I called her out but no response.... I called her name several more times but she was too sunk into her thoughts that she couldn't hear me so I gently shaked her and she jerked slightly before finally looking at me.

"I am sorry... I really am..." was all she could manage to say with her faded, shaking voice as she tried hard not to cry and create a mess there.

But something I saw in her eyes made me believe her... made me realise that it's not her fault really... but she was still sorry... she was still feeling guilty for something wrong she never did.

I couldn't help but pull her into a hug... I don't know why but I didn't want to let her go today... I wanted her to stay with me... close to me... she was filling the emptiness inside me and I never want to let her go.

-ASHLEY POV-

I remembered all those times I caught mom looking into that mysterious box in the store room. I am sure I had asked her multiple times what's in there but she'd always dodge the topic.

But the other day....

//Flashback//
(At Ashley's home)

I was ready to go to school and I woke up quite on time today so I'd be having breakfast with mom... I don't know why I felt happy about it.

Mom's always busy with her office work and leaves early and my habit of putting my alarm on snooze for multiple times in a row wasn't really letting me spend time with mom recently.

I quickly dressed up and went down into the kitchen, expecting mom to be there but she wasn't there. Maybe she still getting ready? Did she overslept instead of me today? I chuckled at the thought.

That's when I heard a fainted thud. Oh? Did mom drop something? But the sound wasn't from the upstairs... is she in the store room?... Again?

I don't know what she does there most of the time? There aren't many things there except some old furniture and random boxes which I don't know about. Not that I ever tried to see what's inside.

Or maybe I did... I remember when I was 7 and was playing in the backyard with my friends... I accidentally dodged the ball in the store room through the window and came to search for it when I found a fancy box on the old side table.

I don't really know why but as a kid I was very fascinated to see something that aesthetic in my house and I was about to open it when mom came in.

I still remember that was the first and last time mom scolded me that bad. I don't even know what was in there. And I never really cared to go back and check.

Anyways what is she doing there again? I went to the store room and opened the door but I don't know why I did it quietly this time unlike every time when I'd just bang open the door just to find mom cleaning stuff.

I always wondered why she cleans the old stuff twice a day but I'd just brush off the thought.

I stepped inside making almost no noise and I found mom with that same aesthetic box. Wait... Now I am curious. I might have dodged the topic as a kid but I don't know why this seems serious now.

I tried to peep from behind the old cupboard but I think mom must've felt my presence so she quickly put something inside it and locked it.

Wait... she locked it... but why?

I quickly stood up and walked back to the entrance and pretended that I just came in because I didn't want to end up in an awkward situation even if she knows I tried to peep secretly.

"Mom what are you doing? I was waiting for you for the breakfast" I spoke casually and she stood up and turned around while a paper fell from her lap and slid under a table.

She didn't realise it but I saw it. I wanted to tell her but I couldn't. That was the only thing outside that box and I couldn't see anything inside it since the box is locked.

"Ahhh you woke up early today.... I wasn't really expecting that you'd" she said and chuckled afterwards and I just pretended to go in with the flow of conversation.

*Time Skip*

I think I overate the pancakes and now I have an upset stomach. I couldn't focus on the lectures with that tickling pain in my stomach so I took a half day.

As I entered my house and was locking the door, I remembered all the incidents from the morning.

The store room...

I quickly went to the stole room and the door was locked but thankfully I had the so are key so I entered and quickly picked up the piece of paper that slid under the table in the morning.

It was a newspaper? It's very old... Wait... It's the same year my dad died. Why does mom have a newspaper that old?

I dusted it a bit so that at least it readable. I read the head line which said "Hit and run case on Hongdae Street on 19th May 1997"

Wait... isn't that the same day me and dad got into an accident? But... It was Myeongdong Street... Yes! I remember so well it was Myeongdong Street and Not Hongdae Street.

Why is all this so confusing?

I heard the main door opening and I knew it was mom. Why is she home early today? I quickly folded the newspaper and put it inside the book I was holding and got up dusting my clothes.

I quickly went and stood in the middle on the staircase so that mom thinks I came from upstairs.

//End of Flashback//

I was thinking all this when suddenly Taehyung shaked me gently, bringing me back to my senses. I looked at him and his expressions were scaring me... I think he hates me again.

I apologized holding in my tears, knowing that it was useless to say that because my sorrys won't being her mom back, but I still apologized.

And he did something very unexpected.

He pulled me into his embrace and I couldn't do anything but sob onto his chest.

I know it should be the other way round... I know that I should be the one consoling him but I was too shocked to say or do anything. I myself was too scattered that collecting and consoling him wasn't in my control anymore.

One of us had to act and I couldn't so he did...

                ----END OF CH. 32----