jangmi (장미) ● taejoon

f o r t y o n e .

  Namjoon awoke to Jangmi's loud sobs rack up around the house, she was loud enough he could hear her clearly. He rose from his sleeping position, rubbing his eyes groggily.

"I want Mr. Kim!" He could hear Jangmi scream. "I-I hate school! I hate it!"

"J-Jangmi, sweetheart please keep it down. Your father is working, he'll be upset if you keep-"

"No! No! I want Mr. Kim! I want papa to bring him back!" Namjoon's expression turned somber at her words, wanting to comfort the crying little girl. It was almost an involuntary action.

As her cries for him got louder, Namjoon began to yank at the handcuff around the bed frame. He yanked harder and harder. His wrist could snap if he wasn't careful. "C'mon, c'mon," he grunted, using his other hand to pull as well. The bed began to shift as he tries to break off the wooden piece he was restrained to.

His back cracked at the same time he broke form the bed frame. The man winces at the sudden jerk forward, the wooden piece flying off the bed and rolled onto the floor. The handcuff dangles from his now bruising wrist.

Jangmi's cries turned into screams, and a loud slam of a door erupted throughout the halls. "Kim Jangmi!" Namjoon heard Taehyung irritatingly shout echo. "What did I say about raising your voice in my household? I told you to behave when you get home! Playing victim gets you nowhere."

Taehyung's footsteps were stomping against the hallway tiles, and Namjoon suddenly felt urgent. He swooped off the bed, wincing at the sudden weight applied to his healing thigh. He looks around, seeing Taehyung's pajama robe on the chair. He took it, putting it on to hide his bandages.

He shuffles to the door, using the wall as support. Hearing Jangmi crying, the maids trying to comfort her, and Taehyung's steps getting more distant. He unlocks the guest door, opening it to see a long hallway. He was upstairs.

A maid noticed Namjoon, and she dropped a rag from her hands. Her eyes widened in panic. "... Si-Sir..." Her voice was faint.

Namjoon raised his finger to his lips indicating for her to stay hush. Cupping his hands to plead for her to stay silent. 'Please' he mouthed.

The maid simply gulped, slowly picking up her rag before rushing away from the man Taehyung specifically told the maids to notify him if he leaves that room.

"Raising your voice won't get you anything! Do you think being a brat will get you what you want? Apologize to the maids and go to your room. You're not allowed to play for the rest of the day, and you can come out when it's dinner."

Jangmi continued to sob. When Namjoon made it to the staircase, his heart dropped at the scene.

The little girl had fallen onto her knees with the little wing clip dangling down her messy hair. Her shoulders shook as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks, lips trembling and hands against the cold tiles of the entrance. Two maids surrounded her, trying to pick her up but she thrashed around every time they tried.  "They took my-my daddy away!"

Namjoon quickly stumbled down the stairs, trying to not make noise. The maids near Jangmi noticed him. "... Sir, t-the man..."

"What?" Taehyung snapped, whipping his head behind him only to be shoved aside by Namjoon.

Namjoon fell to his knees in front of the little girl, brushing the hair out of the sad eyes so she could see clearly. "... I'm here, I'm here. Don't worry..."

When she opened her weeping eyes, she was engulfed into a hug she so desperately missed. It had only been a few days, but it became decades in her head. As she wrapped her arms around the man, she cried louder - wanting to finally release the emotions she had at school while he was gone. She hugged him tightly, her small hands scrunching the robe he wore.

"I-I misses you so much, daddy!" She whimpered, "I thought you left me!"

Namjoon looked back with disappointment in his eyes at Taehyung whose expression was absolutely unreadable. He turned back, petting Jangmi's head. With a gentle smile he hasn't done in a while,

"... Silly, I'm always here for you."

[unedited]