LOVEGAME OVER

30 - Cheat

Taehyung is alone and awake in his bed. He usually is a heavy sleeper, but tonight he has woken up and could not find sleep again. He is waiting in the dark, because Yoongi is not lying on his mattress – he must have been to the kitchen to drink, like always. He tosses and turns, as the minutes get longer and longer. That is when he hears the front door creaking open, and he quivers – are they being robbed?

He hides under the sheets, as he hears quick footsteps, and loud whispers. "Joon, I just received your text, why didn't you tell me earlier that you were coming home?"

Taehyung breathes out – it's only his father.

"Why would that make a difference?" Mr Kim mumbles back, but as they are almost next to their son's door, he has no trouble hearing him. "Were you busy?" He sounds irritated.

"No, I just wasn't ready to welcome you, the housework's not done and–"

"Or maybe you were expecting someone else." There is a silence between them. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Jin. Don't play innocent."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not stupid. Do you think I didn't notice?"

"Notice w–what?" Taehyung's mother stutters.

"How you're acting different when I'm here. You're somehow always on your phone with a dumb smile. You look happier. And I bet you are." Mr Kim's words get sharper as he resumes, "And you obviously forgot you actually pay things with my credit card. I never got a taste of that lace lingerie you ordered online. And should I mention the extra lube and condoms you bought, too? It's a bit curious, since you always tell me you're too tired to have sex when I come home." Namjoon pauses. "You know I don't like this, right?"

"Namjoon, I–"

"Shut up!" her husband suddenly snaps, raising his voice.

"Honey, Tae's sleeping, please..."

"Oh, yeah," Namjoon says ironically, "our son. Did you think about our son? I bet you only thought about your selfish ass. By the way, I hope it gets well fucked when I'm not there."

"Stop it, now!" Seokjin whispers yells back. "It's nothing like that. Why would you think I'm cheating on you?"

"Because you obviously are, Jin. Do you have an explanation for your sudden change of attitude?"

"I– I just feel good, that's all."

There is an awkward silence, and Namjoon states bluntly, "You know what happens if I find out you're lying, right? You know what happens if I find the bastard who fucks you?"

"There's no–" Suddenly, Taehyung hears his mother gasping, then a big thud, as his father has pushed her against the hallway wall. "Honey, you're hurting me..."

"No, you listen to me. You quit being the little bitch you've become, or I swear I'll kill whoever you chose as your fuck buddy. Is that understood?"

"Joon, please..."

"Is that understood?" he inexorably repeats.

"Yes, but please, let me go..."

Taehyung cannot hear anything more. He thinks they may have headed back toward their room. But he hears the kitchen door open, and someone gasp.

"Oh, hum, hi, Mr Kim." Taehyung recognises Yoongi's voice, but it is shaking. "I was– Water," he stutters.

"Hey, buddy!" Namjoon salutes him, suddenly joyful and polite. "I hope we didn't wake you up. I just came back from work."

"No, it's– It's okay."

There is a heavy silence between the three of them, and Namjoon finally breaks the ice, "Jin and I are going to sleep now. You should get back to Tae's room."

Taehyung hears Yoongi's quick footsteps and he closes his eyes, pretending to sleep, when his friend gets in and drops on his mattress.

Taehyung's whole body is shaking. Out of fear, because he has never seen his father get this angry, and most of all, because he had never seen him lay a hand on his mother. And then, his hands squeeze into fists out of anger. What if his mother is truly cheating on him, as he had implied? What if someone is actually fucking her when his dad is not there? He, too, wants to destroy that man. He, too, hates Seokjin at this moment.