You probably know what's waiting for you in this chapter because of its name

So I'm not going to write much here, and instead ask you to slowly work your way through this chapter (':

♣ ♣ ♣

My heart is beating slightly faster than usual as I pull up in front of Taehyung's house, gripping the steering wheel tightly when I see him strolling towards me with a big smile on his lips.

I hope he won't hate me for doing this. What if he doesn't even want to see her?

I quickly dismiss the thoughts as the passenger door opens and an eager, excited Taehyung hauls himself inside the car, instantly wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against his chest.

"Hello beautiful," he says with the most gentle voice, grinning wide when his eyes lock with mine. "I missed you."

"Aww, and I thought you had so much fun with Jimin that you'd leave me for him," I tease, laughing at his now deadpanned expression. I then lean forward and place a soft, lingering kiss on his lips. Though, when I proceed to lean back on my seat again, he pulls me back to him and reconnect our lips. I smile into the kiss when his hands cup my cheeks to keep me from escaping again, mentally praising myself for how I succeeded in making this dorky, beautiful angel my boyfriend.

When he finally lets me go, he places one last quick kiss on my cheek before we lean back into our seats and I prepare the car for drive off.

"So, where are we going?" he asks.

"On an adventure," I reply with a cheeky smile, making him chuckle at the memories from when he unexpectedly showed up at my house to eat fast-food on that hill. I always get a little nostalgic whenever I think back on it.

It's been two days since I met Tae's mother, and the meeting hasn't stopped replaying itself in my head since then.

"The cupcake is on the house."

All I did was stare at her; in awe how much Taehyung resembled her. She's as beautiful as ever, as if she hasn't aged a day in comparison to that photo I saw in his room.

My heart pounded against my chest in excitement, so much that I forgot how to speak or what I came here to say.

What do I say?

"I'm Taehyung's friend," I blurted out when she turned around to retreat to the counter, but stopped abruptly as soon as the words left my lips. In a heartbeat, she had kneeled beside me, clutched my hand between her palms and watched me with a gaze that made my heart twist in my chest.

"My Taehyungie? Is he alright? Please tell me he's healthy," she heaved out as if out of breath, eyes glossed with tears and hope. Heart breaking even further upon seeing her desperation, I couldn't help but wondering how painful and hard it had been for her to leave her son with someone who hurt her so much.

I cracked a sad smile, feeling the tears welling up as a wave of emotions flooded my senses.

"He's doing good," I almost whispered, swallowing the lump of tears in my throat. "But he's sad. He doesn't show it, but I know he is. And that's why I'm here."

She nodded gently, standing up on her feet again and flashed the girl behind the counter a firm look.

"Sooyoung, you may end your shift here. I'll close up. Lock the door when you leave," she said to the girl, who nodded firmly and scurried away to fetch her belongings. It didn't take long until she came back, bid farewell, and eventually the door of the café closed behind her with a click of the lock.

Taehyung's mother had meanwhile taken a seat in front of me, hands pressed together and fiddled in an anxious manner. I smiled slightly at the sight, seeing now where Taehyung had got his habit from; he always fiddles with his hands when he's nervous.

"Taehyung misses you," I said, not wanting to drag this out any longer. "He acts like nothing is wrong, but inside he's hurting so much. I don't know all the details, but I know that you must've had a good reason to leave and that's why I want you two to reunite again."

She sighed heavily. "Am I really worthy being in his life after I abandoned him? My own son.."

"Yes, of course you are! You didn't abandon him, and I'm sure Taehyung don't see it like that either. You didn't have a choice. And it's not too late to be a part of his life again," I reassured her with nothing but truthful words.

"You really think so? He doesn't hate me..?"

"He loves you. And I know that he needs to see you again. Do you want to see him?"

"There's nothing I want more," she breathed, wiping a couple of tears away from her eyes. "Does he know that you're here?"

"No, he doesn't know anything. I can take him here to you without him knowing that he's going to meet you. It can be like a surprise."

She only nodded, though a faint smile tugged on her lips and she met my gaze with hope glistening in her eyes.

"You two must be really close," she said with a smile. "I'm glad he has someone like you in his life. Thank you for taking care of my Taehyungie when I couldn't."

"It was difficult to get him to open up, but I'm just glad I finally found you. I know that he will be happier with you back in his life."

She then smiled brightly, and the weight in my chest magically lifted like that.

Everything will be alright. Taehyung will finally be at peace and move on completely from that difficult part of his life. Hopefully his nightmares will be gone after this.

♣

When the car eventually comes to a halt, Taehyung and I currently find ourselves in a peaceful neighbourhood consisting of rows of clean looking apartments. I glance at the slightly confused boy beside me, sensing that he's growing suspicious to why we're even here. My hand finds his, intertwining our fingers as our gazes meet. That's when I give him a smile, squeezing his hand gently before I draw a heavy breath.

I'm so damn nervous.

"Where are we going?" he asks when I eventually start leading the way to one of the apartment complexes.

"It's a surprise," I say. "Just trust me, okay?"

He only nods in response, not seeming to have any protests against my odd behaviour.

Not long after, we stand in front of a door after climbing one flight of stairs, and that's when Taehyung's patience starts running thin.

"Blue, what's going on? What is this place?" he asks. Without answering, I press on the doorbell and give him one quick glance.

"I hope you won't hate me for this," I mumble to him, which made his eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Why would I-"

He stops mid-sentence as the door swings open before us, but he never finishes what he was supposed to say when he looks at the woman behind the threshold. That exact second, his eyes widen, lips part and his chest rises as he inhales a sharp breath.

My gaze then wanders to his mom, seeing that tears are already glistening in her eyes the longer they look at each other. There's just silence at first, and I almost felt awkward standing there next to Tae like a curious bystander next to an accident-scene. But I knew better than to interrupt the silence; I kept quiet and still until one of them break the silence at last.

And his mom is the first one to do so.

"Taehyung.." she almost whispers with the softest voice, taking one small step forward. She raises her arms slightly before finally closing the space between them, wrapping her arms around him in a longing hug. Relief floods me when he envelops her small frame instantly, clutching onto her almost as if he's afraid she will run away.

"Mom.." he murmurs softly, almost dreamily. The confusion in his voice both breaks and heals my heart at the same time, since it almost sounded as if he couldn't believe that she's here standing in front of him. "I'm so sorry," he suddenly breathes, which catches me completely off guard. What is he apologizing for? "I should've stopped him.. I should've done something. I could-"

"Taehyung," his mom interrupts him with a stern voice. Her hands softly cups his face, tilting it downwards just a bit to force him to look her dead in the eye. "There was nothing you could've done. It's not your fault. You have nothing to apologize for."

Her slender fingers rake through his hair, brushing the strands that has fallen on his face, while she looks at him with shame and sorrow written all over her soft contours.

"Please forgive me," she says, more tears filling up her eyes as she did. "I never meant to abandon you. I love you so, so much, and I've missed you more than words could ever explain. I'm the coward here, and I'm the one that should apologize, not you."

So he blamed himself for her flight all this time.

He was just a lost boy who needed his mother by his side -- and I see that more clearly now than ever before. I can't even imagine what went through his mind when she left, and all those years of not hearing from her, or even knowing where she is or if she's ever coming back. I would've gone crazy if that happened to me, thinking where I went wrong and what I could've done to change the past.

No wonder why he caught my attention like he did. My instincts had been correct when I felt that he was desperate for someone to help him -- this was it.

Realizing all this, thinking back to the beginning of our friendship, I suddenly become very emotional. I'm glad I kept standing by his side, giving him time to open up and slowly realize that he can't keep bottling up his problems and pushing his emotions aside. He needs to face himself or else he will be stuck in the same endless loop, only making him suffer further as the same questions repeats over and over; why?

I hope this will end it all and finally give an answer to all those why's.

My mind had wandered away from reality, which is why I slightly flinch when I suddenly hear my name being called.

The voice had belonged to Taehyung's mom. She looks at me with the warmest smile, the aftermath of her tears left glossy streaks on the curves of her cheeks.

"This young lady found me," she says. That's when Taehyung manages to tear his gaze from his mother, capturing my eyes with his glossy ones. A peculiar feeling tugs on my heart as I watch his eyes radiate so many emotions -- everything from sadness to happiness, relief and astonishment. It's as if I see him for the first time.

"She did?" he breathes out with a low voice. I couldn't help but smile at how genuinely shocked he looks.

"Yes, two days ago. She encouraged me to take you here," she explains, her words causing Taehyung's eyebrows to rise in confusion. His head cocks slightly to the side as he watches me, then the corner of his lip twitch upward before he allows himself to smile.

He seemed to have put the pieces together, knowing that I in fact did not go out with Areum that day. However, I have a feeling that he won't be mad at me for lying to him this time.

"Please come inside. There's so much I want to tell you," she insists, stepping aside and gesturing for us to enter the apartment. "I baked your favorite muffins," she then adds with a grin.

Wow, she's bribing him even. I like this woman even more now.

Taehyung looks at me, stretching out his hand for me to hold. "Are you coming?"

I shake my head slightly. "I thought I'd let you two talk alone while I wait in the car or something," I excuse quickly with a reassuring smile, not wanting to interfere with their reunion. But Taehyung takes a step towards me, securing a hand on my lower back as he pulls me towards the door with him.

Oh, guess I'm going in then.

"I've made food for everyone, and that includes you," his mom says, determined. I knew better than to refuse an edler's request, so I just chuckle and let Taehyung drag me inside the apartment with him.

Taehyung's mom scurries into the kitchen as we take off our shoes, telling us to take a seat in the livingroom while she prepares some tea. I let my eyes take in my surroundings as Taehyung and I sit down next to each other in one of the sofas, his hand hugging mine in a slightly more solid grip than usual.

"How did you find her?" he asks, voice just above a whisper.

I turn my gaze to him, saying, "Google" with a grin. "And I kind of searched through every café in this entire town to find her."

His eyes are soft as they look into mine, but there's a hardness in his face as he processes my words.

"You searched through an unknown town by yourself?"

I figured he wouldn't be so happy over that detail. "Well, I didn't have much choice. I promise I wasn't careless."

He rolls his eyes at me, biting down on his lip as he is probably mentally counting at least two hundred bad things that could've happened to me. But before he could scold me, his mom enters the room like the hero she is, balancing three cups and a kettle on a tray which soon settles on the table in front of us.

When the tea is poured up, there's a short moment of silence before his mom eventually speaks up.

"I want you to know that I thought about coming back, so many times. But I never did.. and I know that I'm a coward because of it."

Taehyung quickly shakes his head at that. "I don't think you are," he responds, looking at her with serious eyes. "It's all his fault.."

My eyebrows curl up in sadness, though I don't know the details, I still could kind of imagine how disappointed he was because of his father.

"I was so scared that he was going to hurt you," she says, voice toned down in attempt to keep her emotions at bay. "But I always had my eyes on you after I left, you know. Otherwise I would've gone mad not knowing how my little boy was coping with his father."

Taehyung frowns slightly in confusion. "How did you.." he murmurs, probably thinking out loud, but then his eyes softened as his words trailed off. "Grandma."

Grandma?

She smiles sadly. "We were always close. And I was so relieved when she took care of you while your father went to therapy. She sent me photos, telling me everyday how you were doing," she says, her smile widening. Though, it eventually falters as she continues, "You didn't come to her funeral."

Taehyung's eyes widen at that, eyebrows shooting up in pure shock. "You were there?"

She nods. "I was so sure you'd be there, but you never showed. I had hoped to meet you at last, to apologize for everything.. and start anew."

I watch Taehyung tense up, hands dragging over his face in anxious frustration. My lips feels as if they are glued together, leaving me utterly speechless. Taehyung seems to be completely out of words as well since his lips are parted but not a single sound comes out.

Woah, I did not expect that.

"I really need to visit the bathroom. So let me just excuse myself for a moment," I say with a small chuckle, gently getting up on my feet before giving them an apologetic smile. I round the corner into the hallway and sneak into the bathroom, closing the door after myself. Now inside, I let out a heavy breath and lean my back against the door.

I felt like I was really digging my nose into some sensitive matters, and I got a strong feeling that I should let them solve this by themselves. Everything about his grandma came like a shock to me, even more after they mentioned the funeral.

Why didn't he go?

That's the question that keeps repeating itself in my mind. My best guess right now is that he couldn't handle the sorrow. He really does have a way of avoiding his emotions as soon as people are involved. Maybe he has some sort of trauma?

Though, I wonder what's going through his mind right now, knowing that he could've met his mother again if only he had gone to the funeral. Which suddenly makes me wonder, would he and I ever become this close if he had?

I don't know how long I sat here on the tiled floor, pondering, thinking, absorbing, processing.. trying to see the whole picture of this situation. More and more, I begin to think about how desperately she left. Still, I couldn't wrap my head around why she felt the need to run away like that. There had to be another reason to this, not only because she was done with Taehyung's father or that she was afraid of him. There had to be something more to it.

What could it be?

Ugh, I'm probably just over-analyzing things again.

Slowly, I heave myself up from the floor, deciding that I've been in here for way too long. I open the door quietly, peeking my ear out to listen if they were still talking about his grandma. To my surprise I hear them laugh and their voices sound lighter, less strained. I instantly smile in relief and allow my body to exit the bathroom completely.

Though, just when I start making my way through the hallway, something on the wall captures my attention and causes me to halt my motions.

It's a photograph of a little girl.

My eyes squint slightly the longer I stare at it, questions slowly piling up and swirling in my head. The shape of her eyes stood out to me the most, and that's what fueled my suspicion to who this might be.

I can't believe it..

Everything suddenly falls into place. I knew there was something more to her flight than just Taehyung's father. She was-

The sound of the front door opening cuts me off in the middle of my thinking and overwhelming realization that had left my heart thumping in my chest. I forced myself to move my feet towards the front of the hallway, breath shallow as my brain tries to cope with what it's just realized.

"Mommy!" An excited, tiny voice shouts from the door that had just been opened. My eyes are still widened with awe, but I still dare to emerge from my hiding behind the corner to look at who that voice belong to.

The girl who had stood by the counter in the café where I met his mom, Sooyoung, is on her knees helping the little girl from the photograph with taking her shoes off.

Mommy.

Tears instantly well up in my eyes, while my lips form a smile. I guessed correctly.

"Hello Blue," Sooyoung greets me with a happy smile and a quick bow when she notices me. I bow back, swallowing the lump in my throat that keeps me from uttering any words.

Before I could say anything, the girl bolts past me and runs straight into the livingroom to Taehyung and his mom.

And her mom.

Soundlessly, I move my feet towards them too, leaning my shoulder against the wall as I watch the girl crash into Mrs. Kim's arms. My eyes then jump to Taehyung, whose eyes holds an expression beyond surprise. With the tears still present in my eyes, I stay mute as Taehyung's mom stands up from her seat with her hand placed on the crown of the girl's head.

"Taehyung, this is Taeyun.. your sister."

That's when I finally let one tear escape.

"Taeyun.. say hello to your big brother, Taehyung," she finishes, urging the girl to step forward to her brother.