iris . vkook

forty four

마흔 네

Taehyung's PoV;

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked, looking up at the two older people in front of me, aging evident on their face judging by the way wrinkles seeped into their forehead and greys began to swim within black hair.

"Well, we haven't seen you in quite some time and we thought it'd be nice to meet up." The woman said, delicately moving her somewhat youthful hair behind her ear, revealing dangling diamonds in her lobe as she did so, bland black eyes looking into mine.

"And to check up on your studies, make sure you're not failing." The male said, green eyes staring at me from behind thinly rimmed glasses, the small black frame making his colour stand out more.

"Must you always assume the worst?" I snapped.

"Well, to be fair, if you're failing art, of all subjects." He murmured.

"I do literature also, you know."

"Yes, but it isn't exactly mathematical statistics or science, is it?" She sighed, "you'll have to live your life out as an artist, which you know don't earn much."

Meet my parents.

I didn't reach either of their expectations in the slightest.

They were extremely disappointed that I didn't study biology or mathematics at college, though I repeatedly told them that those options were the opposite of what I wanted to do.

Made it worse when I told them that I was gay.

When I'd woken up this morning, Jeongguk had gone early in the morning, leaving me a note which told me that he loved me and that he had been called for a meeting with his boss.

Alongside that note was an envelope and when I'd opened it, it was an extremely formal letter from my parents asking me to meet up with them at an extremely formal restaurant.

And so, putting on my best shirt (which was the one that Jeongguk stole from the shop in return for food) and a pair of slim-fitting slacks, stealing Jeongguk's fancy shoes and his blazer, I'd made my way down to this restaurant with messy hair and foundation on my neck in an attempt to cover the hickeys that Jeongguk had made in the heat of the moment kiss.

"I'm sure that I'll be fine. Besides, father and you put some money in my account every now and then." I replied, nudging at the chicken on my plate, wishing that I was anywhere but here.

I wanted to be with Jeongguk, smiling as he passed me a cup of steaming tea and sat beside me, allowing me to rest my head on his shoulder whilst he pressed the occasional kiss to my head.

Hell, I'd prefer being in literature with Taemin, who tried way too hard to prove that the red curtains had some sort of significance to Romeo and Juliet's relationship. It made my head split, but I'd prefer this over being with my parents.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about." Father bluntly said.

There we go.

They didn't want to see me.

They wanted something out of me.

"Go ahead." I mumbled, sipping from my water (which I wished was vodka at this point).

"Have these transactions worked?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" I replied in confusion, blank on what he was actually asking me.

"You know, have they changed your mind?" Mother said, attempting to bring my answer out of me, which wasn't going to work because I still had no idea what they were on about.

Shaking my head with slightly widened eyes to show that I was confused, father sighed and mother, irritant, sipped from her overly expensive red wine.

"Are you still a faggot?" Father replied, asking as if he was confirming the weather or my age.

I sighed, annoyed that they couldn't just seem to grasp the fact that giving money to someone was not going to change their sexuality.

"Indeed."

"Are you sure?" Mother asked tentatively, "there's lots of pretty women at our business, tall and short, blonde or brunette, your choice. They're all such lovely girls, you know. Maybe it'd just take one of them to bring you out of this phase."

"I like men." I said shortly, "I have a boyfriend and these women, as lovely as I'm sure that they are, aren't going to change that fact."

"But, but something must be up. Maybe you're just tired." Mother tried.

"Uh, quite well-rested actually. My boyfriend helps me sleep better." I smiled, deciding to wind them up because they already low-key hated me, "his arms around my waist and kisses to my forehead really work wonders."

"Mhm. He also appears to be a dog and bites." Father grumbled, gesturing towards my neck.

Now, I should've been thinking 'shit' and cursing the cheap foundation that I'd bought online from some cheap store, which Jeongguk told me was just basically coloured water.

But I wasn't.

I sat proudly, showing off the purple lovebite that sat firmly on the front of my neck.

"Mhm." I nodded, "it's what people are into these days. Not boring, missionary sex once in a blue moon."

"Taehyung!" Mother scolded.

"What?"

"This man sure has changed your behaviour. You used to be so sweet. This gay attitude has really changed you as a person." Mother frowned.

"Yes, I'd have to agree with you on that one. Me liking men has changed me." I replied sarcastically, nodding slowly and putting my thumb up, "good point!"

"We're stopping the transferals to your bank." Father interrupted bluntly.

"Okay." I shrugged.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

My student loan is not going to keep me or Yeontan alive.

Then again, did I really want money from two homophobes?

I needed it.

That was my income.

Fuck.

"Go ahead. I can manage without you guys, I've done it most my life." I replied, standing up from the table.

"Don't be so ungrateful." Father hissed.

"Ungrateful for what?" I replied, grabbing my (Jeongguk's) blazer and sliding it over my shoulders, half-smiling at the smell that hit my nose and how it was a tiny bit too big, "calling me a faggot and not accepting who I am? Apologies, thank you so much!"

"Taeh-"

"No. I don't wanna hear it." I sighed, making my way out of the booth, "I don't wanna hear you tell me about the pretty girl or your business or money. I don't wanna hear it."

"Well, where are you gonna go now?" Father asked.

"Home."

"And where's that?"

"With my soulmate."

I left it at that, leaving without paying my share towards the bill (come on, they could afford it) and walking out.

After calling a taxi, I slid my hands into my pockets and wondered what Jeongguk was up to.

I miss him. He'll be gone five days.

I bet he's asleep or with Taeyong.