Home | Taegyu

Chapter 02

warning: strong violence

Taehyun spent his day earning money. Luckily, he earned a lot today. So here he is, rubbing his eyes to make himself still wide awake while going back home as nightfall approaches him.

Spending your time earning money all day without a proper sleep the night before a day and waking up too early was definitely tiring for him. Taehyun soon arrived at their house. He knocked on their door, which eventually got opened.

"Oh you're here." His aunt's face lit up, spreading her lips into a fake smile.

"Now, where's the money?" She straightly asked as she ready her hand to take it.

"Let me just go inside, auntie. It's getting colder now." His aunt nevertheless, opened the door whilst getting impatient.

"Now, give me." She ordered.

Taehyun inaudibly sighed. He took out all the money he earned from his pocket and gave it to her.

"Good boy." Once she had all received the money, she immediately ran towards the living room and left him without even uttering any words.

"Is it too hard to at least say thank you or just hug me instead?'' Taehyun asked no one but himself.

With heavy shoulders, tired feet and a rumbling stomach, he walked to the kitchen to eat. He opened the fridge only to see it empty.

Planning to ask for any food to eat, he walked towards the living room. When suddenly, his right foot accidentally hit the wire that is connected to the TV making the male plug take off and the TV screen shut off.

"The fuck Taehyun? Can't you see we're watching here?!" His uncle yelled with pure irritation.

With that voice, Taehyun felt goosebumps. His legs and hands trembled, and his heart suddenly thumped faster.

The man stood up from his seat and Taehyun already knew what's gonna happen next. He attempted to run, really. But it seems like he was nailed to the floor, unable to move.

As his uncle approached him, he closed his eyes, readying himself for the stone-like fist. And in a split second, the thing he expected happened, a hard fist was thrown at his left cheek. He opened his eyes and he again received a knock, which landed near his delicate lips causing them to bleed.

"Are you blind? We're watching and you take off the male plug?!" His uncle gripped his clothes. His other hand that has long nails was being wrapped around Taehyun's neck, causing it to bleed as the poor boy choked.

"Uncle I didn't mean it."

Then another fist was thrown on his other cheek, causing him to groan in pain, the last punch was more painful than the previous ones.

"Intention or not, you still need to learn a lesson."

Taehyun took a glimpse of his aunt on the couch, eyes pleading whilst choking. He's out of breath, yet she doesn't even care.

Taehyun tried to free himself from the man's grip but the latter was just too strong for him. He couldn't do anything but just approach all those bitter punches and slaps.

The pain is too much, tears already streaming down his cheeks. Aren't these enough? No, they actually aren't (never, especially in his auntie's eyes who is there just watching them as if she is in a movie marathon) because a continuous slap on his face, tight grip on his hair, few punches and kicks here and there were thrown at him more. 

Taehyun definitely looked like a punching bag every time he made mistakes. Yes, it isn't his first time getting into this situation.

Before he was out of his uncle's hands, he endured one last painful knock. After that, Taehyun was dropped to the floor with a thud, coughing and breathing heavily while looking up at his uncle with hurtful and pleading eyes.

"I don't want to see your stupid and ugly face! Get out!" The man shouted.

Taehyun managed to stand straight. He walked out of the house, limping as tears freely flowed down his cheeks. His body hurts, but he tries to run away and just go to the place where he used to go whenever something bad happens.

As he spotted the large tree, he immediately went there and sat down. He leaned his back on the tree's large trunk and bent his legs.

Taehyun hugged his legs while burying his face on his knees, sobbing.

"God. Taehyun. Stop crying will you? You're used to it. You have faced more hurtful than this. Isn't it?" He cheered himself softly, trying to stop himself from crying yet he couldn't.

Wanting to release all the heavy feelings he had been carrying, he shouted,

"Why is the world so mean to me?"

"I didn't mean to do that."

He wiped his tears to stop them from flowing but every second, tears would still freely stream down in any way.

"I'm tired. I'm really really tired."

"Mom, why did you leave me?"

"I can't take this anymore."

He choked out a sob.

"Did I do something wrong in my past life to deserve this life which was filled with sadness?"

"Am I the person who is hard to love?"

"Mom, I do all of what uncle and aunt asked me to do. I earn money, cook for them, clean their house every day, wash their clothes and I didn't even go to school today because they said so."

"Mom..." The boy paused, hiccuping, "Aren't those enough for uncle and auntie to love me? I thought they would love and care about me." His voice filled with agony as if his mother who already died was going to answer him.

"Every time I ask well what's going to do on something that I really don't know, they always reply me with shouts, saying 'Use your useless brain sometimes, you're so stupid, use your dumbass little mind, you are old enough, and you still don't know that? How stupid little shit."

"A while ago, I just accidentally hit the wire that is connected to the TV making it shut off and that caused me to get beaten up again. It's just funny that.. that very small mistake made me suffer again."

"I can't..." Taehyun sniffled. "I can't understand why they are doing this to me."

Taehyun continues bawling his eyes out. His t-shirt was already drenched because of his uncontrolled tears, and the only sound you can hear in the place is his sobs.

But in the midst of his sobbing session, little did he know that someone eavesdropped and heard all that he said in the place where he thought no one would hear him.