My Personal Stand-in (TaeKook) 3

As they stepped out of the restaurant, the blazing sun beat down on Kim Taehyung's head, making him squint against the bright light. He looked up, instinctively shielding his eyes with his hand, and spotted a gigantic LED advertisement screen in the bustling commercial square ahead.

For a moment, the screen displayed a generic business commercial, but then a dark cloud drifted overhead, blocking the sun. The advertisement switched to a luxury watch brand, and a striking image emerged—a man stepping out from a pure black background.

Kim Taehyung

*Heart sank* 😰

The man on the screen was in his early twenties, tall and slender, clad in a dazzling white suit that sharply contrasted with the darkness behind him. As he lifted his head slightly, Kim Taehyung's breath hitched. The face was needlessly handsome, but what struck Taehyung most was the coldness in his eyes, the way his lips were tightly pressed into a thin line, giving off an air of detachment.

With a fluid motion, the man buckled a diamond watch around his wrist, a simple action that transformed into something extraordinary in his hands. The grace and nobility he exuded were breathtaking, compelling passersby to halt and admire him.

But for Kim Taehyung, that beauty felt like a blade piercing his heart. His complexion paled, and he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.

Kim Taehyung

💭 Jeon Jungkook? Why was he... Why would he go and shoot a commercial? With his family background, why would he need to go on screen to sell smiles?

Behind him, Jung Hoseok snorted coldly, his tone permeated with hatred

Kim Taehyung shook off the memories, adjusting his expression as they walked, hoping Jung Hoseok wouldn’t see through him. He could feel the tension in the air between them.

Jung Hoseok was well aware of the complicated history between Kim Taehyung and Joen Jungkook. As a result, Jung Hoseok was full of loathing toward Joen Jungkook, and that hadn’t changed in these two years.

From the looks of it, the influence a person has on another is not something that can easily fade.

To Jung Hoseok, two years had already passed. However, to Kim Taehyung, everything that happened between him and Joen Jungkook was just something that occurred a week ago. He could even still vividly remember the last phone call he had with Joen Jungkook.

He could still clearly remember Joen Jungkook’s scent, his overbearing, willful nature, his personality which persisted on doing things his own way, not caring in the least when he hurt others, and even his smile, his rage, and his unquestionable love for Lee Soo-hyun were all still crystal clear in Kim Taehyung’s mind.

Everything that he wanted to forget as quickly as possible was something that only happened a few days ago. They say that time is the best medicine; for him, the time passed was still too short. He originally thought that he would start afresh, without having to see him, without thinking about him, and one day he would be able to wipe that failed relationship completely from his mind.

He never expected that he would be forced to see Joen Jungkook again on the very day that he left the hospital, and that in the foreseeable future, he would continue to see him.

Seeing that Kim Taehyung and Jung Hoseok were both staring at the commercial in front, Kim So Yeon looked as well and then gasped in admiration

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

How can a boy look so nice-looking? He’s too good-looking.🤩

Jung Hoseok

What’s the use of being good-looking when you’re a bastard? *said in disdain*

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

Hoseok, you know him?

Jung Hoseok

Mhm, I know him

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

What’s wrong with him? He’s not a good person? 😕

Jung Hoseok

Aunty Kim, the entertainment world is a very messy place; there aren’t many good people there 🙂

Kim Taehyung suppressed the urge to ask Jung Hoseok about Joen Jungkook. The less he knew, the better it was for him. It was best if he could let Joen Jungkook completely disappear from his life.

After the watch commercial disappeared, Kim Taehyung secretly let out a breath of relief. However, the trembling in his heart didn’t disappear. It was all truly beyond his control. He offended Lee Soo-hyun, fell out with Joen Jungkook, took the wrong step and fell down a cliff; all these kept him wide awake at night. To him, these were all things that happened a short while ago. He needed time. What he needed now was time.

After Jung Hoseok sent them back home, Kim So Yeon minced her words for quite a while before she said sheepishly

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

Hoseok normally, Aunty Kim should really invite you in to sit, but this place is a rental, it’s too simple and crude. I’ll also feel guilty making you come in. Thank you for today. 😔

Jung Hoseok knitted his brows and looked at their old housing district. The location was remote, the surrounding environment was poor; it was indeed not a good place. He inwardly sighed. In order to treat Kim Taehyung, Kim So Yeon exhausted all of her savings and also borrowed a large sum of money. Kim Taehyung was awake now, but their hard life was only just beginning.

After Jung Hoseok left, Kim So Yeon took Kim Taehyung upstairs. This seven-story building had at least twenty years of history. The corridors were dusky, the staircase was narrow, and the walls were so filthy it was impossible to make out their original color.

Kim So Yeon was renting a small forty-square-meter apartment with only one bedroom. She had cleaned up the place as much as she could, but still couldn’t hide the fact that the dweller of this apartment was in dire financial straits

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

😅 I’ve tidied up the bedroom and also bought a new bed. I’ll sleep in the living room from now on

Kim Taehyung

Mum, I’ll sleep in the living room. *said hastily*

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

How can I let you do that? You’ve just come out of the hospital and still need to recuperate your health. I’m already used to sleeping on the hospital’s plank beds; sleeping in the living room is nothing

Kim Taehyung

Mum, that’s nonsense! I can’t let you sleep in the living room while I sleep in the bedroom

The two wrangled for a brief while. Kim So Yeon couldn’t make him change his mind and was forced to agree.

Kim So Yeon made a pot of tea and also brought out a big bundle of photo albums. Sitting on the living room sofa, Kim So Yeon slowly told him about Kim Taehyung’s past.

Kim Taehyung was a normal kid who grew up in the capital. His dad was a civil servant, and his mum was an accountant. Originally their lifestyle was pretty good, but his father passed away when he was going to university, and he got into an accident at twenty-four. One could well imagine how much pain and misery had engulfed Kim So Yeon’s life

He didn’t have much interest in Kim Taehyung’s past. However, the more he found out, the more he sympathized with this woman.

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

I don’t have a good life; I almost couldn’t hold on any longer. Son, thank goodness you woke up, or else Mum truly wouldn’t have been able to hold on any longer. 😭😭😭

A period of two years, without knowing when a miracle would occur, she held on continuously for two years. This thin, weak, and small woman was countless times stronger than how she looked.

Kim Taehyung

😢 *wrapped his arms around her shoulders, letting her cry to her heart’s content in the arms of her most beloved son*

After Kim So Yeon finished venting, she felt very embarrassed. Seeing Kim Taehyung sitting in front of her healthy and sound, she couldn’t help but break out into a smile.

Kim Taehyung

Mum, while I was hospitalized, you borrowed a lot of money, right? Take the account book out, and we’ll compare

As soon as he brought that up, Kim So Yeon’s face dimmed again. After a moment of hesitation, she stood up and took out an account book from the TV cabinet. All of the loan slips were carefully and neatly sandwiched inside the account book using paper clips. Proving herself as a former accountant, everything was clear and orderly.

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

*Sigh*😞 In the beginning, we still had some savings, but your hospital expenses were too high. I sold our two apartments. At that time, the property market wasn’t good. If I had sold them during these past two years, I would have been able to get almost one million, but I urgently needed the money back then...

She felt miserable thinking about it, but in the end, she was still forced to borrow loans. She was so worn out she could hardly lift her hand

Kim Taehyung

*Flipped through the thick pile of IOUs,asked in a heavy voice* Mum, how much do we owe altogether?

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

The retirement money I receive is only a little over two thousand a month. Afterwards, I went around everywhere to borrow money—relatives, friends, colleagues. I borrowed from everyone. When they see my number now, they don’t even pick up anymore...

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

Right now, we still owe three hundred and seventy thousand won altogether *said hoarsely*😔

Three hundred and seventy thousand...

Kim Taehyung calculated his own savings from before.

Kim Taehyung

💭 I’ve saved up around two hundred thousand, but that’s without counting the apartment and the car.

Kim Taehyung

💭 My apartment... it’s old, but it’s in such a good location. Two years ago, it was valued at one million and three hundred thousand won.

Kim Taehyung

💭 The car is second-hand. If I sold it, I might get twenty to thirty thousand.

Kim Taehyung

*Shaking his head* 💭 But selling the house? No way. Mum and I still need a place to live.

Kim Taehyung

💭 I can figure this out. I just need to gather the rest. Repaying that three hundred and seventy thousand won won’t be hard if I plan it right

Just as Kim Taehyung was calculating in his head, his eyes unconsciously landed on a photo in one of the albums. He was abruptly brought back to reality.

Kim Taehyung

💭 😰No... I’m not that Kim Taehyung anymore. That Kim Taehyung is already “dead”!

Kim Taehyung

💭 What happened to those savings in the bank? Who’s been taking care of my property?

Kim Taehyung

💭 How can I possibly use a stranger’s identity to reclaim my assets?

Kim Taehyung was bathed in cold sweat from head to toe. That would mean not only had he become a pauper, but he was also a pauper with a debt of three hundred and seventy thousand won

Kim So Yeon saw his pallid complexion; her own face also wore a very worried look. Her son had woken up, but their difficult life was far from over.

Kim Taehyung looked at her. Although this woman was not his mother, he felt that it was his duty to look after her for the rest of her life. Because he had taken possession of her son’s body, she had actually lost her son forever, while he had obtained a precious, completely new life. He couldn’t only pick up the good things; he should also shoulder the responsibilities he needed to bear in this life and the duties he ought to fulfill.

Kim Taehyung sorted out his frame of mind and closed the account book

Kim Taehyung

Mum, don’t worry too much. Both of us are healthy and alive; money can be earned. We will pay off the entire debt one day.

kim so yeon (Taehyung Mother)

🙂 You’re right. We must be positive and optimistic. You woke up; Mum can now see hope. Go to work with Jung Hoseok tomorrow; I’ll go and find a job too

Kim Taehyung

Okay 🙂

Kim Taehyung didn’t sleep well the entire night. He tossed and turned, trying to think of a way to get money. In the end, he decided that he would find out how his assets had been taken care of as soon as possible and then work out what to do next. He drifted to sleep in the early hours of the morning. After he got up from his short sleep, he realized that he hadn’t thought about Joen Jungkook at all last night. This was a really promising development.

Kim Taehyung

*washed his face, changed his clothes, and went to report at Jung Hoseok’s company*