After Her. Jjk & Kth ✓

31. "Turned out different"

Aufilea's pov

"How did you do it?" I ask Taehyung as I walk side by side next to him. "How did you handle or even mange being alone all those years without... without Andrea?"

He looks at me for a bit before looking forward and continuing in his walk. Fairly, after finding out that Taehyung is my uncle I've started seeing him in a not so romantic way anymore. It just made sense that he was my uncle, at least that part of the puzzle put itself in place. Being with him now, just makes me want to know more about him.

"We're in work hours. Don't you have somewhere else to be, instead of asking me questions?" He asks as we both get in the elevator. He presses his floor and I press his floor as well, making him look at me weirdly. "Okay,"

"My showcase interview starts in an hour," I answer him.

"Okay so why don't you spend that time practicing and perfecting yourself?" He asks again standing straight and looking away from me.

I shrug my shoulders doing the same. "Because I watched the footage of what happened to Andrea, your wife."

He can't even react fast enough as the door opens and a few people enter. I look to Taehyung but he has his mask on and his head bowed minding his own business. The elevator stops on his floor and we both excuse ourselves to pass. When the elevator door closes and goes down Taehyung removes his mask and finally turns to me.

Instead of seeing those straight eyes concealing all emotions, I see a spark of sadness in his eyes. I let out a hesitant breath and move forward to him wrapping my arms around him. It takes him a moment, but eventually he does put his arms around me.

"I'm sorry uncle Tae." I whisper loud enough for him to hear me. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you."

His arms around my shoulders hold me tighter and I hear a light chuckle. "It's good hearing you call me that you know," he says in a wobbly voice.

I smile hearing that. "Then I'll be calling you uncle every single time."

He's silent for a while but I still feel the growing comfort in his hug. "I would love to hear that more often,"

We let go of each other and he directs me deep inside his office. It hasn't changed at all but for some reason the vibe is different. Maybe it's because now I know who he is and also because I'm not trying to force him into a kiss like before. I take a seat, just as he hands me a bottle of flavoured water.

"You asked me how I managed being alone without anyone, without Andrea." He says and sits down on his chair. "To start off, moving on from her was extremely difficult. I wasn't exactly myself and honest about the effect it had on me. I pushed it back and far away. I didn't want to think about it at all. It was too much of an emotion to feel. I didn't want to be me, I pushed all my emotions down and pretended. I separated myself from the people that truly loved and cared for me and just started afresh in acting." He says.

I listen to him as he's speaking while also reading his face.

"I was always lonely and just got used to it. I didn't want to...feel." he says and looks down. "Sometimes, feeling is a stressful emotion. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've mourned her death. After all these years, I've just shoved the emotions down down, deep down so that I wouldn't feel anything."

"What changed?" I ask as his sudden mood shifts.

"Seeing you. Seeing how you resembled her in certain aspects. Meeting the family again. Jungkook and Fiela really haven't changed if I may add... So seeing them being welcoming and not being angry with me... despite the first night, it really made me comfortable and at home." He smiles. "You know what your dad told me, it's something your grandfather always used to remind me of. He said, the door is always open if you want to come back. Why? Because we're family. We never really walk alone. It's like when you loose your way, you get lost for a while but eventually you'll find the road again and get back on it. That's where the rest of the family is,"

I smile at that, realising that my dad really has said the same thing to me before. Family is always family and all the doors will always be open to welcome family back. It was those days when I'd ask why I never knew any of my uncle's and aunt's.

"So to answer your question," Taehyung says getting back on track. "I never managed being alone at all. In fact being alone made me devoid and detached to what I was really missing. Which was love from those that never stopped loving me."

I nod my head with a sombre smile and he gets up sitting right on the table infront of me. "I want you to always remember that. That the door for family is always open.. even in times when you don't really want to be a part of it."

I look away from him already hearing the lecturing speech coming. "Not you too uncle Tae,"

"Your dad told me that you're not speaking to him. Is that still happening?" He asks.

I say nothing, briefly letting my silence speak for itself.

He sighs but nods his head. "I've had my fair share of family problems back in the day. And trust me when I say, I'm the only one who's lived to tell the tale,"

He jokes sadly to himself. Even thinking about his family makes my stomach twist in emotions. He killed his own father at a young age and his brother went to prison for that. His own brother tried to kill him multiple times, and when he couldn't he decided to kill his wife and son. Even though I don't think our experiences are the same, or that he doesn't know what I'm going through, I do trust that he knows or at least understands what I'm feeling.

"I can't relate to what you're feeling, but you know who can?" He says out of the blue as if he read my mind. And here I thought, that I was about to pour out my heart to him.

"Who?" I ask eagerly.

"Your dad." He answers. "And not the priest dad, but your other dad. Family always understands family."

I sigh and look at him in the eyes. "What do I do?"

"Talk to him."

I lean back in my seat not happy about the answer.

"Trust me, not talking to him will only make your head explode. If only I sat down with my brother and spoke to him about the stuff I hid, about the stuff we both hid from each other. Or maybe if I even got the chance to sit next to him and have him tell me what was going on in his life. If I wasn't so selfish about thinking about myself, then maybe things would've turned out different." He shrugs his shoulders with another sad smile. "Now, tell me which role are you auditioning for and show me the piece you prepared,"

"What?" I ask as he suddenly shifts the conversations.

"The great thing about you is that you're a really talented method actor. Within seconds you can get into the head of your character and take the personality to your heart." He compliments as he looks down at the sheet of paper I've given him of my part. "So what do you say, Kim Ji Woo, Daughter of the world's deadliest psychopath. Would you like to play out a little scene for me?"

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Chapter 31