lonely hearts club ✨ || kth au [COMPLETED]

0.3

»»»

A sudden cry in the silent night made Taehyung sit up straight. Rubbing his sleep-deprived eyes, he threw the covers away and headed to Ari's crib. Seeing her sitting at the banisters, her binky laying on the ground as her little hands reached out to it. Tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. Sighing, he bent down to pick it up.
"Poor babygirl, did you bite it in two again?"

Now that she started getting little teeth, her binkies didn't last long. So he let it drop into the trashbin and got a new one from the drawer. Giving it to her. Ari instantly calming down. Looking at him with round eyes while sucking on it.
"What am I gonna do with you?" he tiredly smiled and picked the baby up. Wiping away her tears with his thumb as he carried her to his bed.
Usually she was a calm kid who let him sleep all night long the older she got. However, now that she was teething, it either hurt her or she bit through her binkies, making her cry either way. No matter if it was day or night. And it broke his heart seeing her suffer like this and being unable to do anything to ease the pain.

Thankfully, tonight it seemed like her binky had been the only problem though. So he sat down on the edge of his bed and grabbed his phone from the nightstand. Browsing through his playlists until finding the right one. It was a collection of songs he had noticed were making her drawsy and sleepy. They weren't all exactly 'calm' songs, but he never put the volume too high, so they still worked.
As the first notes started playing, he began to rock her gently in his arms, from one side to another. Her chubby fingers were resting on his chest and he could feel the warmth radiating from her cheek. He caressed it with his finger. It was soft. As soft as velvet. And he watched her eyes slowly blinking shut when the second song started playing. Eventually staying closed.
He smiled proudly to himself. Continuing rocking her softly a little bit longer. Making sure she was indeed in deep slumber before even daring moving her to her bed.
When the third song ended, he slowly raised from the matrass. And with careful steps, returned her to her crip. Pulling the covers over her purple jumper. She looked so peaceful and content. He wanted her to stay like this forever.
Dragging a breath, he went back to his own bed and laid down. Not ready to switch off the lamp on the nightstand.

Sometimes it was hard. It was always hard to be honest, but sometimes it was harder than other times. He wondered if it was easier with a partner. It probably was. Or at least it should be. Having someone else to share the work with when they started crying and yelling or didn't want to eat their food or fall asleep.
But also to share the many nice moments with. Like when they smiled and laughed about seemingly nothing. Or when they discovered a new thing and looked at it with excitement. And when they clapped their little hands out of pure joy.

He was never supposed to be a single dad. He just somehow found himself in that situation and he wanted to believe that he was doing a pretty decent job. But he still lacked, he still learned. And it would have been nice if there was someone else with him on this.

»»»

Taehyung was running late. Very late. It was friday afternoon, he had just finished a marathon of classes, trying his best to keep his students focused despite it being friday afternoon and everyone only thinking about the weekend. Including himself.

He pushed open the familiar glass door, entering the daycare with a surprisingly calm expression. No one being able sensing his distress.
"Hey, is Ari ready?" he asked when seeing one of the nursery teachers who had just bid goodbye to another parent. "Well, hello. Yes, she's ready for you, Mr. Kim," the teacher, Rachel was her name as far as he remembered, said amused, "Wait a moment." She went back inside to go get her.
With a shaky breath, he looked at the colourful garlands out of paper stuck on the wall to pass his time. He heard the entrance door behind him opening, not paying much attention until a quiet laugh followed. "If I didn't know better I'd say you stalk me."

He turned around, seeing no other than Cassandra standing there. Smiling brightly at him. His lips curling into a smile as well when seeing her. "Since I was the first one here, I'd rather say you're the one stalking me," he countered then with an arched brow.
"Guess that's true. But I swear I am not!" she defended herself with another laugh when Rachel returned with Ari in her arms. Handing her over to him. "Oh hey, Cassie," she greeted when spotting her. Cassandra internally flinching at the nickname. "Give me a moment to get Izzy." And with that she disappeared again.
Adjusting his hold onto Ari, Taehyung glanced at his watch. "Well, we're kinda in a hurry so.. see ya!"
"Oh yeah, sure. Some important date?"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Not really, no.. I'm just meeting some friends after.." He thought for a moment. Squinting his eyes. "I can't even remember. Three weeks?"
"Three weeks is a long time," Cassandra agreed, "Have fun then."
As soon as he was gone from her eyesight, she exhaled deeply. Disappointment washing over her.

She had promised herself to muster up the courage this time and ask if he and Ari wanted to join them at the park. She had already laid everything out in her head. It had been the perfect plan, but of course the timing simply wasn't meant to be right that day. Like any other day as well. Maybe the universe was trying telling her to forget about whatever tiny hope she had for anything more than just an acquaintanceship to develop between her and him.
Having a teeny little crush on the friendly guy with the beautiful smile didn't mean she could befriend him after all. He most likely wasn't interested in befriending some random girl from daycare anyway. He looked like the type of guy who had enough friends anyway.

Rachel came back from inside with Isavella in her arms. Interrupting her self-pitying train of thoughts. "Here ya go," the brunette said and put the girl in her arms. "No stroller today?"
"I left it outside at the corridor, don't worry." No way in hell she would carry Isavella all the way to the park. She was getting heavier and heavier by the day after all.
"Ah, I see. By the way, may I ask you something?"
"Sure," Cassandra shrugged while brushing off a fuzz from Isavella's shirt. The baby shifting at that.
"You seem kinda close to that dad. You know, Ari's dad."
Cassandra frowned confused. When did they ever look close? "No, not really. We just greet each other. That's all.. Why?"
"Nothing. I was just curious. He's quite attractive and all."
Rachel was into him. Not that Cassandra was surprised. But still, she couldn't deny it was annoying her a little. She knew she wasn't exactly the common type of pretty, still had 1-2 kg over her normal weight left from the pregnancy - which would hopefully disappear soon with that workout she was forcing herself to go through - and her overall luck with men was non-existent.
And still, having another woman being interested in her crush, made her feel irrational. She coughed.
"Ah yeah, he's kinda cute I guess." Subconsciously pressing Isavella closer against her chest. "Anyway, we gotta go now," she said as she gave Rachel a polite smile.

She didn't leave her space to ask any further questions. After all, there wasn't as much behind their acquaintanceship as Rachel had assumed.
A sad smile ghosting over her lips as she put her daughter into the stroller. Perhaps she was simply meant to always have crushes on guys she couldn't have. Like her everlasting crush on the singer of her favourite band. Like a teenie. Some things apparently never changing. Or at least for her they never seemed to do so.
"At least I have you, right?"
The baby kicked her feet before sticking out her tongue. Cassandra taking that as a 'yes'. Contently pushing the stroller towards the exit.

Yeah, at least she had her.

»»»